St Peter's
Wrecclesham

October 2011

Dear Friends,

You will probably by now have heard about ‘Commitment Sunday’ which we are holding on October 9th, particularly focused in our 10 o’clock morning service, and I do hope you will be able to come along on that morning.

I wonder what the word commitment means to you? It’s a word we use in all kinds of situations and contexts, whether verbal promises made, legal contracts entered into or just whole-hearted and unspoken support. We can think about the commitment of a relationship, perhaps leading to the solemn vows of commitment made in marriage. Or the commitment we enter into when we become parents. Commitment can sometimes seem a very hard thing, and we may feel ourselves inadequate for the task. We sometimes hear people spoken about as being ‘afraid of commitment’, or ‘not wanting to be tied down’.

In a Christian context and as we will be thinking about it on October 9th, there are various layers of commitment. The most fundamental is the commitment that God has to his creation, that is the world we live in, and to his people, that is us. God’s commitment is unwavering and without limit, and doesn’t derive from anything that we do. It is just how God is.

Our commitment to God is the response we make to his prior commitment to us. It is something that we must choose for ourselves, and which God will never force upon us. In considering what such a commitment means, we must reflect on how God is calling us to live out our Christian life and what part we are to play in his work here in the world. We need to think and pray about how our commitment to God is lived out in our daily life.

On Commitment Sunday we will be thinking too about our church life, and the work that we have commited to do in God’s name here in this parish. It is a chance for each of us to reflect on what we can offer to God, our time, energy and gifts, remembering always that everything we offer is offered in thanksgiving for all that God gives to us.

On the subject of commitment I leave you with the thought-provoking story of the chicken and the pig:

A chicken and a pig lived on a farm. The farmer was very good to them and they both wanted to do something good in return.

One morning the chicken approached the pig and said, "I have a great idea for something we can do for the farmer! Would you like to help?"

The pig, quite intrigued by this, said, "Of course! What is your idea?"

The chicken knew how much the farmer enjoyed a good healthy breakfast. She also knew how little time the farmer had to make a good breakfast. "I think the farmer would be very happy if we made him breakfast," she said.

The pig thought about this. He too knew of the farmer's love for a good breakfast. "I'd be happy to help you make breakfast for the farmer! What do you suggest we make?"

The chicken, understanding that she had little else to offer suggested, "I could provide some eggs."

The pig knew the farmer might want more, "That's good for a start, but what else should we make?"

The chicken looked around, thought for a moment and then said, "I know . . bacon! The farmer loves bacon and eggs!"

The pig, very mindful of what this implied, replied, "That's fine, but while you're making a contribution I'm making a real commitment!"

Anne