I am Morgan and if in doubt I am from bristol in the parish of filton which I do not attend weirdly enough, I have always gone to St Ambrose church which is set in the beautiful park of ST George in east bristol until recently when I signed up for the Ministry experience scheme in the Frome side benefice.

My journey in Fromeside started with a late Wednesday afternoon chat in the gardens of a very distinctive old church with graves that predate 18th century with a Vicar with a very colourful scarf. The most striking thing was the location of the preserved church that it was not in the village and above all else how it was still in pristine condition as it must have seen its fair share of battles.

The location of the chat proved to be quite appropriate as it was outside, two meters apart and masks worn to reflect the challenging times we find ourselves in. Times of fear, despair, anguish, boredom and so many other feelings and emotions.

It is becoming harder to remember what we used to do before lockdown 1,2,3 and beyond, some people like to paint, work in the garden, or exercise for fun and, others love to run, or sew, or read, or watch Netflix. Truly, I like all those things, and I like to fix things which probably led me to my career as an aircraft engineer the idea of traveling and utilising my hands is something I do miss. I’m sure we can all relate that there is something that we all miss doing and cannot wait to get back to once this battle passes.

How do we even begin to respond to this battle from the perspective of faith, how to maintain perspective, how to be. I know that some of you are experiencing pain, anguish, fear, and grief. You are not alone. And you are looking for answers—or at least a framework for thinking about these things: something to hold on to. You are not alone on this score. I wish I knew and had all the answers. I do not. I am writing this for you, even as I am working out my own thoughts and emotions. Pray. Trust. Act. Hope.

PRAY-We should pray. Jesus taught, unequivocally, that prayer matters. I encourage you to let that sink in, for it is really astounding. God attends to, cares about, and is responsive to the petitions and pleas of his children.

TRUST-I am convinced that sometimes we simply fail to recognize minor miracles as they occur. We just are not accustomed to seeing the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary. A flattened curve is a minor miracle. Fewer deaths than might otherwise have occurred are a miracle. Recognize positive changes, as they occur, as the responsive hand of God, and be encouraged by that realization. Wait upon, expect, more miracles. (And keep asking for them.) Embrace God’s interventions as they continue to unfold.

ACT- Act properly, in faith. Do the right things, in this case staying home staying safe and keeping social distance in place. The common good is your good, too. “Love your neighbour as yourself”. Connect, Share, Express and communicate to help others in this way. Live for others and not just for yourself. Live and love and share your love with family, friends, and neighbours in the Lord.

HOPE- Look forward expectantly to the day when we will come out of this darkness and prepare for that day in confidence! Hope is the by-product of trust. Nourish your hope. We can do that by preparing for the day when our prayers are answered, our trust vindicated, our actions (and inactions) rewarded, and our hopes realized.

Pray, Trust, Act, and Hope. or maybe PATH to Christ