A Reflection for February 2025

Faith in Changing Times

As February unfolds, we find ourselves in a world still facing uncertainty and challenge. The new year is no longer fresh, but the path ahead is not yet clear. In the Church of England, discussions continue about the future of our leadership, our mission, and how we hold together in love amidst differences. Across the world, conflicts rage, economies shift, and societies wrestle with questions of justice, fairness and hope.

How should we, as Christians, respond to such times? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, to be drawn into the same anxieties that grip the world. Yet Jesus calls us to something different—to a faith that steadies, a hope that endures, and a love that transforms.

The calling of the Church in every generation is not to be shaped by the storm, but to stand as a beacon of Christ’s unchanging light.

Jesus said, ‘In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world’ (John 16:33). These words remind us that no matter how turbulent the times, Christ remains our anchor. The Church has weathered countless storms throughout history, and each time, God has remained faithful.

So, as debates and controversies continue within the Church of England, let us engage and respond with grace and wisdom. As the world wrestles with war and hardship, aggression and lack of empathy, let us be people of peace and generosity. As our communities struggle with doubt or despair, let us embody the hope that is found in Christ.

May we be the steady light that points to something greater than fear, greater than division—greater than the storm itself.

Loving Lord,

In the midst of change and uncertainty,

Help us to stand firm in faith,

To shine with Your light in dark places,

And to speak with wisdom, grace, and love.

May we be a people of hope,

Anchored in Your eternal promises,

And always ready to point others to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With every blessing this February,

Revd Paul

The Revd Paul Wilson

Rector of the Epworth Group of Churches

Priest-in-Charge of the Belton Group of Churches

Assistant Curate of the Crowle Group of Churches and the Haxey and Owston Ferry Plurality

Rural Dean of the Isle of Axholme Deanery