Moments of Epiphany

The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." A time when we remember the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King. The season of epiphany begins on the 6th January the twelfth night after Christmas day.

I wonder how many times you have experienced 'moments of epiphany' when God has spoken to you or you have felt as if something has been made known/revealed to you?

I had a 'moment of epiphany' on Christmas Eve when the postman rang our doorbell with a very unusual delivery...........daffodils !



I opened the box of daffodils and read the note, 'Thought you needed a taste of Spring after all the snow.' It was actually snowing when the Postman made the delivery with Newcastle very much in the depths of winter as were many other parts of the country with freezing temperatures unlike we have all experienced for many a winter. Into the depths of winter came a bunch of daffodils and for me a, 'moment of epiphany.'

In these daffodils I felt were a powerful reminder that even in the midst of winter, spring will come the season will pass and new life will emerge.

As I have travelled around the Connexion for the last six months as Vice-President I feel as if I have experienced a variety of seasons within the life of our church. Some churches and their communities are in the midst of winter, facing difficult choices over what needs to be ended and what has already died. Some are experiencing Spring, new life is emerging and new opportunities are being taken.

I believe overall Methodism at present has many signs of new life, resurrection is occurring in many places but we must not rush away from the winter. There are many things which need to end, soil which needs to be dug over, new seeds that need to be sown, old plants that need to be pruned and cultivated in preparation for new growth.

The Magi from the East saw the star because they had been earnestly looking, watching and waiting for many years. Their moment of epiphany became a reality because they were searching for it. I believe we as the people of God called Methodist need to re-capture what it means to seek God, to look for, 'moments of epiphany.' Moments of encountering the living God that we might truly see new life and resurrection in our church and communities.