Dear Friends,

It is one of my favourite times of the year...the Great British Bake Off is back. I can look forward to ten weeks of different styles of bakes; from cakes to pastries to bagels and everything in between. I have even been known to attempt some of the challenges from time to time. Interestingly, the first technical challenge of the season (where the bakers do not know what they will be asked to bake), started with the finished product, a mini Battenburg. The contestants had a few minutes to taste, observe, smell, and feel the cake in order to work out the recipe and reproduce it within a set timeframe. Of course they would also have their own experiences to bring to this challenge, filling in the gaps.

It can feel a little like that as a disciple. We have the 'finished product' that we are aiming for in the form of Jesus. We have the hope of a" new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1) . And yet we spend a lot of our time deconstructing this, observing, learning, trying to understand, and reflect in the way that we live our lives and our relationships with others and creation and with God. As in 1 Corinthians 13:9 " For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part".

It does not mean that all our efforts in attaining the ' finished product' are wasted – there will be times when people recognise Jesus within us. And as we continue to work out the recipe (and we do have the added advantage of a guide in Scripture) we will continue to be transformed. We are fully known by God, we just have to keep working on fully knowing ourselves and God.

Let us continue to pray for peace in our world.

Every blessing

Rev Karen