Christmas Eve, though to be honest I have never met this girl Eve. Outside cars slowly pass by, the boot filled with foodstuffs, half of which will be thrown away uneaten by Saturday, or else made use of in leftover Sunday lunches. That which is eaten or drunk will aid the NHS overcrowding by the end of the year, and the family squabbles will make some homes resemble 'EastEnders.'
Ah the blessing of the time of goodwill.
I started this hours ago and the cars still trundle by, many playing loud music, or Christmas noise's, kids excitedly peering at boxes piled around them, and parents wondering where the cash will come from to pay for all this. Occasionally family group passes, Santa hats, Christmas jumpers, and that's just on the dogs, while the group heads into town for whatever reason possibly lunch at the one restaurant or a pub. In many ways it is a good and exciting time of year for many, especially as the weather has been bright and sunny with a biting wind.
I have not been surprised to read that Chelmsford cathedral, the home of the Bishop of Essex, has decided to progress with prayers within regular services for gay sex marriage and Civil Partnership couples. This is acceptable they say because of a proposal from the Bishops in 2023. One I thought had been dispensed with, however, apparently not.
Since the last Bishop of Essex, he is now Archbishop of York, Essex has been open to those with such tendencies, and opposed to biblical readers who disagree and offer biblical opposition. Yet here we are, official announcement, from a female dead, it would be, for something contrary to scripture and human nature. A quick reading of scripture reveals how God wants an abundant life for us, not a broken one, and while we accept such individuals we do not encourage them to live a lie. We do not encourage ourselves to live a lie according to our own desire. We must seek Jesus and his will only.
I will write of my opposition to this to the Bishop, and be ignored again. The suffragen Bishop will be well aware of my opinion as I have already written to him about 18 months ago re this. A quick email to some leading members of our church received two answers so far, one thoughtful one opposed to this. The rest are busy with Christmas. This will go on.
