From Rev Helen Lynch January 2020

as published in Great Yarmouth Parish Life

Rev Helen Lynch

Deacon

Well, here we are, the year 2020. That definitely feels like the future! I’m slightly disappointed about the lack of flying cars, but not so sorry that we’re not all wandering around in silver lamé outfits
 
But still, we live in a wonderful world, and it is full of wonders. Technology allows us to communicate at an ever increasing speed, and the world can come into our home via the internet, and beyond if you have a smart phone
 
As we go into the new year, you might be thinking about making a resolution or two. 2020, with its echoes of clear, perceptive vision, might be a year in which we think about how we consume. Not chocolate, beer or the like, but how we consume information
 
We have access to more information than ever before. That can open up more learning than ever before; no longer is knowledge the sole preserve of academics. The internet is wonderful for opening up the opportunity for everybody’s voice to be heard, and for everybody to access information. But, the trouble with the internet is also that everybody can make their voice heard
 
We can no longer assume that, just because we see something in black and white, it is trustworthy. This is a big shift, psychologically. As a culture we have grown to understand that what is written down must be valid. We are now in a world where ‘it’s on the internet, so it must be true’, generally means the opposite
 
For us, as Christians, this is especially true. There are some nasty, hateful sites being run by people who think they are teaching Christianity. What they write about is not, by and large, a faith that I recognize, and the god they talk about is not the one that I know
 
In our community, I see a church which is inclusive, faithful, missionary, rooted in prayer and worship of a God who is all about love. A God who loves us so much, who wants us to really feel that, and to love ourselves and one another too
 
So when we engage with the huge amount of information available to us, let’s do so with clear vision. That doesn’t mean only reading things we agree with, but seeking out reliable sources, people who have thought and studied hard about what they are saying. Sites which are seeking to improve humanity through the sharing of knowledge, rather than peddle divisive and hurtful content
 
Rev Helen

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