In this reflection for New Year’s Day, the Revd Alex Clare-Young, a Pioneer Minister in the United Reformed Church, offers this comic script depicting a conversation between two characters along the themes of newness, transformation, and the opportunities that celebrating the Ã山ǿ¼é’s 50th jubilee presents for this.
Triangle Character: Happy New Year!
Circle Character:ÌýWell, What’s new about it, eh? The last few years have been a bit… y’know…
Triangle Character:ÌýLet’s see… [typing ‘define “new”‘ into a search engine]
On Screen:Ìýnew – adjective
produced, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time; not existing before.
“the new Madonna album”
already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time.
“her new bike”
beginning anew and in a transformed way.
“starting a new life”
Circle Character:ÌýBeginning anew and in a transformed way… I like that… It sounds kinda biblical.
Triangle Character:ÌýWell it is! Look! [typing ‘”new” in Bible’ into a search engine]
On Screen:ÌýEzekiel 11:19
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone,
the new is here!
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not (yet!) made perfect in love.
Circle Character:ÌýIf the new year was gonna be that kind of new I could get on board with it…
Triangle Character:ÌýBut perhaps, if everyone works together, it can be!
Circle Character: Let’s write some resolutions. [typing]… Tada!
On Screen: Resolutions: 1. Be open hearted. 2. Forgive ourselves and each-other every day (especially when someone forgets to take the bins out again…)
°Õ°ù¾±²¹²Ô²µ±ô±ðÌý°ä³ó²¹°ù²¹³¦³Ù±ð°ù: Oops… The bins would be me then!
Circle Character:ÌýIt’s ok. Read no. 3.
On Screen:Ìý3. Let go of the past. 4. Live in Christ as new creations. 5. Share love, not fear.
°Õ°ù¾±²¹²Ô²µ±ô±ðÌý°ä³ó²¹°ù²¹³¦³Ù±ð°ù:ÌýI wonder what it would look like if chuches made those resolutions…
Circle Character:ÌýChurches don’t have to take the bins out!
°Õ°ù¾±²¹²Ô²µ±ô±ðÌý°ä³ó²¹°ù²¹³¦³Ù±ð°ù:Ìýwell, actually… but anyway, that’s not the point. Imagine if churches let go and started over in fearless love…
Circle Character:ÌýImagine if the people outside of our walls experienced church as love and freedom.
°Õ°ù¾±²¹²Ô²µ±ô±ðÌý°ä³ó²¹°ù²¹³¦³Ù±ð°ù:ÌýImagine if, in our fiftieth year, church was less about us, and more about Jesus…
°Õ°ù¾±²¹²Ô²µ±ô±ðÌý°ä³ó²¹°ù²¹³¦³Ù±ð°ù:ÌýImagine if, as we celebrate all that we have been, and the amazing things that we have done, the Ã山ǿ¼é Could ‘begin anew and in a transformed way’.
Circle Character:Ìýyes! I could toast to that!
Circle Character: Happy new year Ã山ǿ¼é!