I have been invited to write a column for the magazine, a thought for the month, from the perspective of the church community. I thought the best way to kick this off would be to introduce myself a little so that you know something about me and where I come from (not to mention how I ended up as the Chaplain of the Anglican church here in the Algarve).
I grew up in a family that never went to church at all, and you couldn’t have dragged me into a church right up to my mid-forties. To me, churches were boring and full of people who had basically left their faculties at the door when they entered! What right-minded intelligent person could ever believe in all that ‘stuff’?
To cut a long story short, a friend of mine had an ‘experience’, shall we say (I actually thought it was a nervous breakdown at the time) and started going to church. He had become a Christian in a big and scary (to me) way. After a short time of refusing to speak with him (honestly) because of his off-the-chart new language (Jesus has saved me, etc), I decided to check out my local church in Ilford, Essex. I was very surprised to find quite ‘normal’ people there – a couple of our children’s school teachers, for example, and the female vicar was a West Ham supporter (does that count as normal? I am not sure).
So – I continued going and, slowly but surely, I became more involved. Small things initially, like putting my name down on the tea and coffee rota. I remember asking myself, ‘how did I get here’ on the first Christmas midnight mass service that I took as a priest.
It still thrills me that we have logical and scientific-minded members of the congregation – don’t believe all you read about science and faith not being compatible! Our congregation includes three doctors and a retired NASA scientist. I only mention them because before setting foot in a church, I just couldn’t believe (no pun intended) that anyone with a scientific mind could believe in God! I still find church a place of joy, a place of hope and a place of community, where people are built up and supported.
Easter is a very special time in the church calendar, as you would expect, and a great time to do what I did, take that first step inside the door and see for yourself. Whatever you do this Easter, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family and friends. God bless.
– Fr Rob
