Chads News
04 November 2026 12:00
Dear Church Family,
Halloween (& light parties), All Saints Day, Guy Fawkes Night, Remembrance Sunday – it’s a lot for one week isn’t it!
Whilst the 5th Nov is connected to Guy Fawkes’s attempt to blow up Parliament, it only occurred to me a few years go that the traditions we’ve developed for the occasion all suit the start of November well. The evenings are getting longer, it’s not yet super cold, it’s a good time to burn up pruned branches and eat seasonal foods.
But perhaps there is something deeper going on in all these events at this time of year. Over the centuries, as dark evenings have crept in, communities have gathered to tell stories. Halloween aside, these traditions are about remembering and re-telling the stories which shape us. There is a deep human instinct to tell stories. Stories help us make meaning of our lives and root us in family.
Stories can make us laugh, or cry, they teach us more about people than facts or photos. They can enable us to be more deeply rooted and see life in three dimensions. They are crucial for remembering and they bring truth to life. Think back to a great mealtime conversation you’ve had with family or friends recently. I propose that it was more likely telling great stories that made your heart sing, rather than winning an argument or sharing your opinion.
Over the past few weeks as we have celebrated the fruit of the Spirit, we have been looking for stories which engage our hearts with the beauty of Christ-like character. When I read the gospels and the many stories about Jesus, even though I have read them hundreds of times, they enable me to know him better. A story plants the truth more deeply in our hearts and brings it to life.
Each of the events in this week’s Chads News has the potential to create new stories, because the best stories are the ones where we see God do what we cannot do. In previous years at the memorial services, God has come close and we have had stories of beautiful coincidences arranged by the Holy Spirit to show his love to those who grieve. We have seen the same through Christmas generosity, testimonies of vouchers arriving on the very day someone has desperately cried out to God when unable to celebrate with family, or the perfect coincidence of an item in a hamper being exactly what someone had hoped for. The stories each year of laughter and friendships created through the LifeCentre’s Christmas events remind us that building community through hospitality brings people more fully alive. And looking ahead to our worship evening in November and Reset in February, there are thousands of stories of hope renewed, identity restored and God speaking powerfully from previous worship nights and Reset events, as God’s people meet with him in worship.
And that is why we begin it all with prayer (the first notice in this edition of Chads News). Because prayer is us inviting God into our lives and events, and asking him to write new stories. Stories which are an example of his great story, the good news of forgiveness and eternal hope.
With love,
Richard.