Scatter News

One Year on

One year older, one year … … …  older

My name is Neil and I have been helping with SCAt for just over a year and am in the Assembly Team.

I am always keen to hear of new initiatives or even some resurrected ones (if I can use that terminology just before Easter), for being able to share our Christian faith with others. I believe that each of us has that responsibility, but our own way of doing it. I know what people say about ‘living in our own comfort zone’, but surely we must feel both comfortable in our faith and the way in which we hope to share it. That does not mean that we should not be ‘challenged’, or that we should always opt for the easy way. If we are to follow Jesus, the way he showed us is not an easy path, but he did promise fewer burdens.

So, one year on and:

• Have I been comfortable in my faith?
• Comfortable in the way in which I hope to share it?
• Challenged?
• Less burdened?

A politician might say the answer to each of these questions is both yes and no. I wonder how you might answer?

For me the pivotal word has to be ‘challenged’. My faith is constantly ‘challenged’; by events in the world, by other people, by my own weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I am ‘challenged’ in how I hope to share my faith; should I be bolder, should I be more honest? I am also ‘challenged’ to be less burdened too, and that comes out of being able to trust God. This is one area that has developed enormously for me since helping with SCAt.

The last year has also been tremendous FUN. Can I say that? Yes, sharing my faith through the SCAt Assemblies has been real fun. It has also brought with it a sort of ‘Star’ status. It is amazing to be out shopping and for a child to walk up to you and say “You’re that man from SCAt aren’t you?” Of course that brings with it a responsibility to ensure that whatever you are doing is suitable for a SCAt member. But, hey, surely that’s no different from being recognised as being a Christian in each of our daily lives!  I am sure that each of us ensures that our behaviour is consistent with our understanding of what a Christian should be! Or are you one of those who is so confident of their demeanour, when driving, that you sport a fish symbol on your car?

To give an example of what I mean and, whilst on the subject of fish; recently at one school, as the classes were filing out of the hall after the assembly, one child stopped and said to me “Did you buy a fish then?” I thought carefully about what had been in the assembly that related to fish and could think of nothing. As I enquired further the child said “My dad and I got one, we put it in a big tank, he’s got others you know.” Slightly confused, I enquired further to find that this child had seen me in a pet shop once, near the fish (although I was probably only buying dog food). My first though was, what was I doing, was I nagging my daughter? What was I wearing? Was I cheerful, smiling? Was my halo straight? I’m sure my appearance and behaviour was exemplary! !

SCAt provides a unique opportunity for all of us to help ensure that today’s youngsters (and some ‘oldsters’)  get to hear the good news that Jesus brought for all of us. If you are reading this and don’t know much about what SCAt does, I would encourage you to find out more. If you currently support SCAt in any way, I pass on my thanks to you. If you would like to find out how you might help SCAt in all that they do, or offer support or encouragement, please do get in contact.

Feel challenged ?

Feel challenged ! 

Neil Owens.