Dear friendsIt has been a wonderful week to be proud of the achievement of others, with whom we might want to identify. The wonderful win of the Lionesses last Sunday (I admit to becoming really emotional when they won the Euro cup - and I have no vested interest in football!). The rise of the voices supporting women's football and demanding change. The ongoing achievements of our sportspeople at the Commonwealth games. These are the achievements of others, but I wonder if we feel a sense of belonging - our country, our gender (for half of us anyway!), our nation - and therefore take it as a bit of our own achievement as well? For example - how well are "we" doing on the medals table at the Games?When we see something that our values align with, dare I even say that is successful, it's very comfortable to jump on the wagon and say "this is me as well".I notice a human tendency to do the opposite when things are more difficult, less successful, or too hard to take responsibility for. I notice the "othering" - "people" who do this or that, that we either disagree with, or lament over. We might question "why does humanity behave in this awful way?" when faced with war, tragedy, or suffering. We might polarise issues or people groups - the have's and have not's, the good and the bad, them and other "them". It's much harder and uncomfortable to put the "us" into the picture.We long for the "someone" to do "something", and we might even "other" God - "why God don't you just do something about this situation, this war, this suffering, this person". As I frequently say at Morning Prayer, I wonder sometimes if God actually wants to ask the same of us - "why don't youdo something about it".It's an uncomfortable, even sobering, thought, isn't it, that we might delight, align, and feel a sense of belonging, with someone else's success, yet distance ourselves, and any sense of responsibility, with something that is broken. Yet this is exactly who we are called to be - compassionate, responsive, taking responsibility for our part in the way the world is, and seeking to live differently. Love God, love who He has created us to be, love our neighbour - everyone. And as our readings over recent and coming weeks continually remind us, this might mean letting go of things, power, attitude, behaviours that focus on self. We're invited to be really discomforted and to look with open eyes at ourselves and those around us, to ask ourselves whether we can truly be blessed if others are suffering.We can all influence this beautiful world we live in, and recognise where there is brokenness. So we can absolutely share in the celebration and joy of the wonderful achievements of our sportspeople particularly in the last week. AND we share in the responsibility for the way the world is: the choices we make in how we shop, how we give, how we speak, how we listen. We can take responsibility for our habits that may not be completely healthy, our attitudes that may not always be kind, our desires that may not always be for the good of all, and the way we live which may not always reflect the character of God. It is not easy, yet it is what we are called to do.So as we enter into this weekend, and our opportunity to worship, pray, learn and grow, I am thankful for the story we hear in our epistle this week, that reminds us that we can continue to be shaped and formed at any stage of our life - Abraham is described as being so old that he was "as good as dead", when his faith journey began and he set an example for all to follow!We will gather at 8.30am for our simple Holy Communion service, and then at 10.30am for Holy Communion with hymns. It would be lovely to see you, as we work all of this out together as the body of Christ.God blessBecky