Sunday Service Marsden Road Unitng Church 6 March 2016

I wasn't able to attend church on Sunday but I thought I would write some personal reflections.

Firstly, I would like to say how uplifting the services are on any day. Even on days when my powers of concentration are low, the hymns lift me above whatever physical problems may be causing my vagueness.

Also, even when I can't focus enough to take in every point of the minister's sermon or every line of the prayers, there are always sections I am able to key into.

Then there is the fellowship of the other members of the congregation which is so very warming.

So, I need to be in a very poor state before I decide I am better off not leaving the house.

And last Sunday was a communion service, which meant missing it made me feel the loss more keenly. During these services I am more aware of God's presence. During any service God's voice can be heard through the hymns, sermon and prayers and the will of the congregation to join into the service, either actively or as participants raises a sense of why we are there, and that in turn raises an awareness of the one we are worshipping.

But in the communion service we are directed to think upon the whole reason for our being Christians; to think upon the reason why we are part of this story that has been passed down for 2000 years and why it has continued to be passed down; to think upon the sacrifice that was made by Jesus to ensure that his message would continue down to us, so that we can become whole people.

In the communion service we focus on God's love for us.

That is enough in itself, but as well, through the sharing and through serving of the bread and wine to the people we are made more strongly aware of the bonds that hold us together as a congregation and of our love and care for each other.

That's why I felt the loss of not being able to be present so keenly. I missed a time of building and mending; a time of restoring relationships - not necessarily broken ones. All relationships whether between our God and ourselves or between each other need a maintenance programme and the communion service is part of that.

It is a time to focus on what is most important to us. I am sorry I couldn't be there.