The return of post-pandemic invitations lifts spirits and brings hope | Max Cross

THERE is something about receiving an invitation through the letterbox that lifts the spirits and brings hope.
By The Rev Max Cross
Published 17th Sep 2021, 18:30 BST
Updated 17th Sep 2021, 18:30 BST
The Rev Max Cross, rector, Bedhampton.The Rev Max Cross, rector, Bedhampton.
The Rev Max Cross, rector, Bedhampton.

A wedding day is brewing in our house and one of the areas the young couple spent the most time on was the design of the physical invitation.

Everyone had already received a ‘save the date’ email and knew when and where it was, but the paper invitations were still immensely important to my daughter and her young man.

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Invitations have begun to flow again in our world and it has been great to receive them. Invitations to dinner, to return to a club or community group. Invitations to resume something that looks like a normal life.

Here in Bedhampton, we realised that our community had missed those invitations and physically interacting with people – real people without a computer screen framing their head.

This led us to invite people to gather again for cake and coffee on a Friday, and the toddlers Fun Club on a Thursday among others, and it’s been a delight to see the joy and hope generated through those invitations.

It has been such a delight we also want to welcome you. It may be that during the pandemic thoughts have crossed your mind about what our purpose is. You may feel similar to the moment I held my soon-to-be-married daughter in my arms as a baby and realised she was a gift that didn’t arrive by accident. If that’s how you feel, you’re welcome to explore that with us.

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Maybe you’ve not returned to any gathering since the pandemic started. As we learn to live with Covid, is this the date to take that step? Perhaps it’s been a long time since you felt part of any group? Or perhaps you’ve been hurt in the past by someone calling themselves a Christian?

You might want make a fresh start, seek peace and walk forward with us. You are welcome any time, but this Sunday there will be a special welcome at St Thomas’ Church at 9am and in St Nicholas’ Church at 10.30am. Why not treat this as your invitation?

A message from the editor, Mark Waldron.

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Related topics:InvitationsBedhampton

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