Comment by Harborough churches: 'Let us also continue in these new ways of giving, caring and loving'

Viewpoint by Revd Christopher Brown, the pastor of Market Harborough Baptist Church

Have you noticed how adverts have gone from “buy this car”, to now being, “At this challenging and uncertain time for us all … buy this car”? The marketing executives of big business seem to see Covid-19 as an inconvenient distraction to the serious business of buying their stuff. Don’t get me wrong, we must support our economy and we must especially support our local independent traders here in Harborough. Yet there is this undercurrent, this draw, this pressure even, to return to our ways of being and living, to return to being mass consumers as quickly as possible. This has made me think – must we return to life exactly as it was before Covid-19? Or are there new ways of being and living that we’ve learnt over these past few months that we can and even must take with us into the coming months and beyond?

Since the start of lockdown back in March, I have written a weekly ‘Good News Letter’ for the church family that includes positive, uplifting and hope-inspiring stories from our community, the nation, and from around the world. These stories have shown me that rather than being consumers, of buying and getting things for ourselves, so many people have become givers, of giving ourselves and our time and resources for others, sometimes sacrificially. This wave of generosity, love and care transforms relationships, streets and communities, it blesses both the giver and the receiver, and it has led to a deeper experience of life. For me, it also reflects the greatest teaching of Jesus – to love God with all that we are and all that we have, and to love each other as we ourselves want to be loved, that love demonstrated so powerfully and wonderfully by Jesus himself. This is the heart of the Christian faith.

At this challenging and uncertain time for us all, as we continue to buy cars and other things, let us also continue in these new ways of giving, caring and loving. Let us continue to speak with one another, check in on one another, and pray for one another, and as we do, may we also experience that divine love of God for each one of us, the love of the greatest giver of all. Amen.

You are all in our prayers.

Christopher.

Revd Christopher Brown is the pastor of Market Harborough Baptist Church

www.mhbaptistchurch.org

@revcsbrown