Hope is...
There is some uncertainty as I wrote this article for the village magazine; it might not arrive through people's letterboxes before Easter, but then life is full of uncertainty. We're surrounded by it, and life can be a real struggle. Ignoring what's happening around us isn't an option – that would mean denying our reality. But without hope, we might end up feeling down and overwhelmed. The ongoing living costs are hitting us hard, and many are making tough choices to avoid drowning in debt. We've just had a Budget that promised savings but left many uncertain about when or if we'll be better off.
Hope is a funny thing. It doesn't materially change the situation we are in, but it does have the ability to change us, to change the way we perceive the situation and react. Václav Havel, who led Czechoslovakia out of communism and through the transition to the Czech Republic, knew his fair share of uncertainty and the need for hope. He said, "Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out." I think deep down, we all want to make sense of our lives and the events of the wider world we see on the news.
For the disciples, Jesus' crucifixion made little sense; it brought grief and despair. Following the events of Good Friday, it must have seemed like there was no way out, no hope. Dreams shattered; purpose lost – everything felt meaningless. Some just walked away; others hid themselves away. I wonder if that reaction resonates.
But here's the thing: It wasn’t the end. The period of despair was temporary. You may know the story of Jesus conquering death, and being The Resurrection. The story continues though. He walked alongside those who were giving up, helping them return and sing the song of life, overcoming death and bringing sense to the events of their life.
Today, Christians across the globe continue that walk with Him. They take comfort from the understanding that God is working out His purpose in the world, and through the Holy Spirit in each believer; this is our hope. All of this is tied to the story of the one crucified for us, who rose on Easter Sunday and empowered his disciples to tell the story of God's wondrous love for humanity and the world.
Whether this article arrives before Easter or after, all the churches, including the Vine, would love you to join them to find out about this hope that we share, that makes sense of the world, regardless of how the day turns out.
I pray this Easter that you will discover the hope you need to make sense of life so that the present moment is less difficult to bear - Amen
Twenty years on...
Can you believe it? It’s been two decades since the Vine Community Church started to worship in Cherry. In the past twenty years there have been over 960 Sunday services, more than 4320 songs sung, and countless prayers sent up and thanks given.
Started in 2004 by Rev. Veronica, her husband Dave and a small group of Christians from other local churches, the Vine’s first meeting was on 21st March 2004 at the Cherry Willingham and Reepham Village Hall. For the first few years after that, the Vine alternated its meetings between Cherry Willingham and Fiskerton Village Halls before moving to the library building in 2015.
As well as being a vibrant place to worship and explore life with Jesus, making a positive impact on the community has been at the heart of the Vine. Even before the church started to meet in Cherry, we were busy providing youth and children’s work at the Secondary School. This theme has continued with the Vine funding a school’s worker for a number of years and now running activities for primary and secondary age children in the form of That Saturday Thing (TST) for 5-11 year olds and That Tuesday Thing (TTT), our youth drop-in.
Our community focus isn’t solely on the younger generation. For the last decade, Assist, our service providing 1-2-1 support, wellbeing, and specialist dementia groups, has been open to anyone in need. Since October 2013 Assist has been a lifeline for over 1007 people including 220 people living with dementia (or caring for someone living with dementia), more than 737 people who have received 1-2-1 support and over 50 people who have attended or continue to attend the well-being group.
The most amazing part of this story is that although organised by the Vine the majority of the 60 Assist volunteers, the 30 additional volunteers who stepped up during lockdown and the 31 plus volunteers who have helped run the library are not from the Vine but are made up of other Christians from a range of churches in the area as well as members of the local community.
Jenny and I took the reins of the Vine a little over five years ago, and we are thrilled to be part of this church, the family of nearby churches and the wider Cherry community.
Join us in raising a cheer for the Vine’s 20th Birthday! 🎉