There is a tradition in the North of England where I was born and bred, that whatever you do on the first day of the year sets the tone for the next twelve months. This led to people going to extraordinary lengths to make sure that they did no financial transactions that day, making sure that money didn’t continue to run through their fingers for the whole year, while at the same time recovering from “first footing” with a piece of coal for every household you visited in the wee small hours.

With such a background the thought of beginning 2003 with a difference developed into a day trip to Venice, which entailed trying to sleep through all the hourly firework displays, getting up at 4am to fly out for 7 hours in glorious sunshine exploring The Grand Canal, taking a gondola ride and dodging the pigeons to arrive back here in Coltishall by 9pm. Far from being exhausted, this totally different, exciting day, with no responsibilities for how it worked was a real tonic.

It was a break from traditional New Years of the past, it was an act of faith, weather can be unpredictable in January and it was a risk as flying and travelling have a more sinister side to them at this time of worldwide uncertainty.

All in all, the message I heard loud and clear was that it is often important to step out of the usual, God certainly did when he came down to earth in the form of a human child, and that if we do act in faith God will be with us and will show us sights that we, in our smallness of mind never dare to dream of, enhancing

all our lives when we risk something new, while staying open to God. We are to make this our challenge for every day, not just for the first day of the year.

I hope that when you read this you will think seriously of stepping out of your own traditions - which could be in danger of being a “rut” to be stuck in.

Why do we for instance “religiously” shop at the same Supermarket or drink at the same pub?

When the world becomes unstable as it feels to be at this point in time it is easy to seek, out of fear, the familiar and the safe but when challenged with uncertainties often the way through is to take them on board and act out our trust that, ultimately good will prevail over evil. To this end we have to try to stop living on automatic pilot, try to make thoughtful changes to enhance the variety of life and spread confidence not fear around us and through us.

May I make a suggestion, no I’m not recommending a Supermarket or a pub, but how about doing something very different on the first Wednesday of each month, starting on Wednesday, 5th February, by coming to St John the Baptist at 10am for Holy Communion and meeting with your friends and neighbours in a new way - well not totally new, I am reliably informed that it’s more a re-establishing of an old favourite!! Proving, that there is no such thing as being totally new under the sun we just haven’t explored so much that is on offer and we never will unless we step out and challenge the climate of fear with some trust and yes, a little courage.

Lorna