October 2024
Dear Saints,
Greetings!
On the 6th October, we remember The Reverend Dr. Sjoerd Bonting, who would have been 100 years old, the first chaplain and one of the founding members of St Mary's Anglican Church Twente. This act of remembrance encourages one to reflect a bit on the purpose of the establishment of our Chaplaincy, our present
purpose, and what our future purpose could or should be.
The establishment of St Mary's had to do with the migration of an ever-growing number of British and English-speaking persons for, among many, economic considerations. In some way, we can look at the context of the birth of our Chaplaincy as part of that process of globalisation. According to Paul James, the first professor of globalisation in Australia, the oldest dominant form of globalisation is embodied globalisation, the movement of people. James defines globalisation as "… the extension of social relations across world-space, defining that world-space in terms of the historically variable ways that it has been practised and socially understood through changing world-time."
So, as much as we see ourselves as living our lives of faith in a lesser-known part of The Netherlands, just having a basic understanding of life in Twente underlines the fact that we are not an isolated region somewhere around the "Achterhoek" of the Netherlands. We are definitely part of the world. We have effect and are
affected by the world from a global perspective. Being a Christian in itself screams out that we are global citizens and that our understanding of and participation in the world, wherever we are, matters.
Therefore, we need to take our global reality seriously to know how we impact and want to impact the world as St Mary's Anglican Church Twente. Paul, in the letter to the Romans 12:2, exhorts us to not conform but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—God's good, pleasing and perfect will."
We are encouraged to put our faith in action as the Apostle James reminds us that ' faith without works is dead'. Paul emphasises that we do this not by adopting the values and behaviours of the surrounding culture but by altering and changing our inner selves in the power of the Holy Spirit, which will lead to a new way of thinking and living.
This transformation and change is an ongoing process. Paul is effectively saying we are a work in progress. This renewing of our minds leads us to discern God's will for us and the world in the here and now.
We become more attuned to what is good, pleasing, and perfect in God's sight. This means we can align our desires with God's, helping us make choices that reflect God's character and purposes.
How do we do this as individuals and as a community? I suppose this is the question we must ask ourselves as we evaluate our lives as Christians and as Anglicans here in Twente. Being transformed by the renewing of our minds involves purposeful action. We need to grow in our awareness, study, and reflection on the context in which we live. Taking our global reality as a starting block, biblical teachings, seeking guidance through prayer, and actively choosing to live according to God's principles rather than societal norms.
Paul and James call us to a journey that prioritises God's truth over worldly influences, leading to a life that embodies God's will in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. So let us then keep opening ourselves to God's transforming power in the world as we live out God's purpose for the world here in Twente.
Yours as always,
Revd Jacque