A United Thanksgiving on 29th July

This Sunday there is just one service in the Parish. We will be joining together at St Andrew's church at 10am for a United Service of Thanksgiving.

If you are in Droitwich this Sunday come and join us.

Harry Potter "Mania" - Harmful or Harmless?

Although I haven’t yet seen the new film – despite it being on 19 times a day at one cinema close by – I have read the latest and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I had set aside Saturday in my diary to read it and got thoroughly immersed in the story to the total exclusion of everything else. . I’m not going to spoil the book for people who are still racing their way through the 600 pages – but obviously the big question is “Does Voldemort triumph in the end?”

So is it just harmless fun or is there something more sinister to the Harry Potter books? Personally, I see it as a form of escapism, a wonderful story of good and evil in which hopefully good will triumph, a modern version of cowboys and Indians. If this seems hard to believe, try reading The Gospel according to Harry Potter which gets slightly tedious as it cites all the examples in all the Harry Potter books where the story could be likened to something in the bible. But the author has a point. There are similarities – the whole series is based on Harry’s mother having died whilst protecting Harry from evil, an example of love triumphing over evil. Or consider the following passage:

“Harry kept quiet. He did not want to express the doubts and uncertainties … He had made his choice …. he had decided to continue along the winding, dangerous path indicated for him … to accept that he not been told everything that he wanted to know, but simply to trust”.

Now I wonder why that sounds so familiar……..

Dead Certain

To quote Benjamin Franklin, there are only two certainties in life: death and taxation..... and clearly it is crucial that we prepare for both, since both are unavoidable.

There are numerous schemes and arrangements in place which try to help us reduce our tax liabilities whilst still paying what is legally due. We might not always get round to it, but we appreciate the benefit gained by saving money.

When it comes to death, things are very different. As a topic, it is the taboo of our age, largely unmentionable in company. Ironically there are countless video games that are centred on gratuitous violence and killings, but when it comes to real life we try to find ways to avoid discussing these issues. Death is something we usually try to sweep under the carpet. (Maybe you feel a bit uncomfortable reading this, but keep going!)

Of course, any death is a shock, whether it is sudden or violent, whether it follows a prolonged illness or whether it comes quietly as the culmination of a “ripe old age”. The growth of the hospice movement has enabled those with terminal illnesses to prepare for death, but for many people there is no opportunity for such preparation. We know that death comes to us all, so a healthy appreciation of that fact is essential if we are to be able to cope when a family member or friend dies. We also need to be able to cope with the thought of our own death. This isn’t about being morbid – it’s about celebrating life and understanding that there is more to come.

So what should we do? Two things are important – firstly that we should be aware of our own mortality and of the assurances that God offers to those who trust Him, and secondly that we should build good relationships with family and friends.That way we can accept the certainty of death whilst celebrating life with all its joys and happiness.