In this reflection for New Year’s Day, the Revd Alex Clare-Young, a Pioneer Minister in the United Reformed Church, offers this comic script depicting a conversation between two characters along the themes of newness, transformation, and the opportunities that celebrating the URC’s 50th jubilee presents for this.
Triangle Character: Happy New Year!
Circle Character: Well, What’s new about it, eh? The last few years have been a bit… y’know…
Triangle Character: Let’s see… [typing ‘define “new”‘ into a search engine]
On Screen: new – adjective
produced, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time; not existing before.
“the new Madonna album”
already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time.
“her new bike”
beginning anew and in a transformed way.
“starting a new life”
Circle Character: Beginning anew and in a transformed way… I like that… It sounds kinda biblical.
Triangle Character: Well it is! Look! [typing ‘”new” in Bible’ into a search engine]
On Screen: Ezekiel 11:19
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone,
the new is here!
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not (yet!) made perfect in love.
Circle Character: If the new year was gonna be that kind of new I could get on board with it…
Triangle Character: But perhaps, if everyone works together, it can be!
Circle Character: Let’s write some resolutions. [typing]… Tada!
On Screen: Resolutions: 1. Be open hearted. 2. Forgive ourselves and each-other every day (especially when someone forgets to take the bins out again…)
Triangle Character: Oops… The bins would be me then!
Circle Character: It’s ok. Read no. 3.
On Screen: 3. Let go of the past. 4. Live in Christ as new creations. 5. Share love, not fear.
Triangle Character: I wonder what it would look like if chuches made those resolutions…
Circle Character: Churches don’t have to take the bins out!
Triangle Character: well, actually… but anyway, that’s not the point. Imagine if churches let go and started over in fearless love…
Circle Character: Imagine if the people outside of our walls experienced church as love and freedom.
Triangle Character: Imagine if, in our fiftieth year, church was less about us, and more about Jesus…
Triangle Character: Imagine if, as we celebrate all that we have been, and the amazing things that we have done, the URC Could ‘begin anew and in a transformed way’.
Circle Character: yes! I could toast to that!
Circle Character: Happy new year URC!