Cancellations

Things get cancelled all the time especially in the UK for different reasons. You cancel an order online because you’ve changed your mind and don’t want the item anymore. The meeting you was looking forward to attending ends up getting cancelled because people double booked. 

Cancelled or cancellation isn’t a new thing. However, this year seems to feel like a movie and yet somehow, it’s real with the Covid-19. We all seem to be dealing with cancellations and postponements with the fear of the unknown. So many people are looking forward to something like a special birthday, wedding or a holiday. This can be said for children in year 6 wanting to be at school with their friends to have a nice send-off before starting secondary school. 


I can relate to the disappointment of cancellations. 28th June was meant to be my Reception into Full Connexion and Ordination. Ordinands have worked hard the past 5+ years including candidating, ministerial training and probation. I was looking forward to Reception into Full Connexion and joining all my friends in front of all our families. Last month I was looking forward to sharing my testimony at the District Ordinands Testimony Service and this week I would be attending Ordinands Retreat. While much that would have happened like my testimony service, retreat and ordination are on hold, I will be Received into Full Connexion with the Methodist Church on Saturday 27th June, 6 pm. All can watch the Conference website -https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-conference/conference-2020/. My ordination will come, but the date and arrangements are yet to be determined.

I have received messages of care, prayer and encouragement and I find this affirming. It has been a helpful reminder that God has called me to this vocation, and despite the postponements, changes, delays, God’s call remains faithful. 

Methodists belong to local churches or ecumenical partnerships, but also feel part of a larger connected community, the Connexion. As a Connexion, we are all part of the Body of Christ…

‘Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it’ (1 Corinthians 12: 27).

This means we are all connected to others and we can hold our personal disappointments in perspective with the wider world. Family quizzes or birthday parties held on Zoom; funerals held with limited numbers; schools delivering education differently; restaurants and coffee shops doing takeaways; no sport and having to watch football matches from 1966; football games played in closed stadiums – all of society is bearing disappointments, uncertainties, cancellations and changes to our way of life.

I am so grateful to be connected to others because we need each other. 

When this is over, we are going to need some good stuff to lean on and look forward to. Here are a few things to consider:
Conversations will not be cancelled.
Relationships will not be cancelled.
Love will not be cancelled.
Songs will not be cancelled.
Education will not be cancelled.
Healthcare will not be cancelled.
Hope will not be cancelled.
Fellowship will not be cancelled.
The gospel will not be cancelled.
Our faith will not be cancelled.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels not demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Romans 8: 38-39.


Stay safe and strong in the Lord. 


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