Dear Friends,

I believe it was Noel Coward who once famously lamented, “Please, no more bank holidays. We have enough cold, damp, miserable weather as it is!!”

I write this just a day or two before Marion and I are off on holiday to the Isles of Scilly when I am hoping the long spell of warm, dry, settled weather the experts have been predicting for June materialises!!

The term, ‘holiday’ derives from ‘Holy Day.’ The Bible affirms that holidays are an integral part of God’s creation. “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested.” (Genesis 2:2)
 

The Ten Commandments further confirm that a time of rest is the natural order of things. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8)
 

By the time of Jesus not just the Sabbath was a day of rest but throughout the year the Jewish people celebrated many festivals and public holidays to remember and rejoice in God’s ‘hesed’ (steadfast love) to his people down the ages. The Gospel writers tell us that Jesus invariably graced these festivals or   holidays with his presence.
 

Holidays are an opportunity to take time out to give thanks to God for his goodness to us, to see and enjoy something of God’s wonderful world he has  entrusted to our care and to rekindle our enthusiasm to return to our daily tasks with renewed spirit and resolve to carry on the work of building up Christ’s Kingdom here on Earth.
 

Whenever and wherever you may be holidaying this year – enjoy!! And may God bless you and refresh you for his service.
 

Shalom,

Bill