Dear Friends,
The Great Yorkshire Show is a well-known feature of Harrogate. Though the Show was intended to be a peripatetic event from its foundation in 1837, setting up a suitable showground in different towns around the county became an increasing problem so, in 1950, a piece of land was purchased beside Wetherby Road and the Show has been held there ever since. Numbers attending the Show have almost trebled during the past 64 years and this year around 130,000 people passed through the gates into the ground.
Since its inception, there has always been a Church presence. There is an act of worship at 7.30am for exhibitors and a Church Pavilion is located on the main avenue. This year the theme for the Pavilion was based around “treasure” and members of the public were invited to consider aspects of faith which are very special. Beginning with thinking about their own unique nature, there were opportunities for everyone to consider how they can express their faith, share some thoughts and, if they wished, write a brief prayer before leaving. My description may be considerably over-simplified but if I then add that there were about ten assistants in the Pavilion to deal with visitors who streamed through the doors you may begin to see how popular it proved to be. By the end of a three-and-a-half-hour session Julie and I felt we deserved a break to sit down!
While some visitors to the Church Pavilion were associated with a church or fellowship, there was a large proportion of people who were not sure about how to express their faith. It was these visitors who wanted an opportunity to open up their thoughts. What is more, they knew that they wanted to explore the Gospel.
There are those who think that the Church should be more “in tune with the times” and through a process of selection they pick out aspects of faith that make the Gospel fit today’s needs. In a well-meaning way, some think that making entry into Christian living easier is bound to make it more attractive. Unfortunately, what is fashionable today soon seems tired.
Jesus made it clear in the call to his disciples that there were “absolute demands” made upon them. His example set out the high nature of commitment for following a path of faith even though it would lead to his death. When Luke tells us how Jesus “steadfastly set his face toward Jerusalem” he knew the consequences. For Jesus, the journey to Jerusalem meant fulfilling the will of his Father. It was in those final days, at a time when he was praying in Gethsemane, that Jesus said, “Not my will, but your will be done”.
‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God’ are the opening words of Karen Lafferty’s popular hymn which have been taken directly from scripture. The statement is an absolute demand. It is easy to look back to how things used to be, become complacent or just pick out the best bits but people seeking God’s Kingdom look for clear requirements which are expressed in the Gospel.
In your prayers this month please remember those who, like people I met at the Yorkshire Show, are searching for faith. Responding to Jesus when he says “Follow me” is the biggest commitment anyone can make so they need every bit of help they can get.
Your Minister and friend,
John.