Welcome to our Home Page
On
behalf of all of us in the Anglican Parish of Chatham I welcome you to our web page. Please take a few minutes to browse
the various links on the home page. If you are able do try and visit us in person – you will be blessed.
The Anglican Parish of Chatham, which consists of the historic St. Paul’s in Bushville and St. Mary’s in Chatham,
is a welcoming community. We are a Eucharistic centred community with services at St. Mary’s every Sunday at 9:00
am and on Thursday at 10:00 am and at St. Paul’s every Sunday at 11:00 am. In addition to these services a number
of Bible Studies and Small Groups meet on a regular basis. Please visit the link “Service Times” as service
times do vary from time to time.
I have just returned from a three month sabbatical. When I left the Parish at
the end of December I was pretty weary. In light of that I would like to offer you the following article for your consideration:
Have you ever felt really tired? Someone once said, “Sometimes I just get weary of it all. Sometimes
I’m tired in body and in spirit. My strength is exhausted, my determination is shot; I’m irritated with life,
and fed up with everyone around me. At times like these, I’m ready to tell everybody off and go to bed.”
I don’t know if I have ever been quite that bad, but have you ever felt like that?
Unfortunately, the reality
is that our strength is exhaustible. We are not super creatures. Our strength does run out from time to time and we face the
common problem of weariness. Weariness can be a dangerous thing for us. Do you realize what happens when we as
believers become weary?
When we become weary, we are defenseless against the enemy. We are like a weary
sheep to the wolf. Satan, the enemy of our souls, like the wolf, waits for the weary straggler to fall behind the flock. And
then he pounces upon that easy prey. Peter in 1 Peter 5:8 says “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to devour.”
When we are weary, we also lose our proper perspective.
We don’t think properly and we can often make wrong decisions.
And when we grow weary, we become
susceptible to despair and depression. It is very easy for a weary person to want to throw up their hands and quit.
It’s so easy to be negative and critical when you’re weary. It’s so easy to feel like everyone is against
you. And it’s so easy to feel sorry for yourself when you’re weary.
While we must face the reality
that all of us must deal with weariness, there is hope from the Scriptures of a deeper reality in which we can tap into the
inexhaustible strength of God. The prophet Isaiah reveals that although we all get weary, there is a source of strength for
those who trust in and wait upon the Lord. The fantastic promise of God is that "Those who wait for the Lord will gain
new strength." Isaiah 40:31
In this passage in Isaiah, we are pointed to two realities. One is an obvious
reality. It is the reality that we all grow weary. The other reality is a deeper reality. It is the reality that as we act
as people of faith, trusting in and expectantly waiting on the Lord, we find inexhaustible strength.
Do you need
an inexhaustible source of new strength? I did! Jesus invites us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.
As you explore this web site may you be prompted to turn
your eyes to Jesus and know His strength.
Every Blessing,
The Rev. Gordon Thompson+
Priest and Rector
