Scout Jamboree
Just a portion of the life jackets used by scouts using the facilities at Lake Karapiro. Photo: Supplied.
Christine Bryant, Lay Minister, St John’s.
During the first week of January, it was pleasing to see the media coverage given to the New Zealand Scout Jamboree at Mystery Creek.
The organising team, plus untold numbers of volunteers, have pulled together to give more than 4000 scouts, boys and girls, from more than a dozen countries, a dream start to 2024. For many of the 11-15 year-olds present, the memories made at this jamboree will last a lifetime, as will the friendships they make. Fortunately, they have been blessed with fine weather, which has enabled them to enjoy to the max the exciting experiences on offer.
Many of these young people will have been challenged in new ways at the jamboree. Whether it be their first holiday away from family, their first time camping, their first time cooking for themselves or their first overseas trip, there will have been times when they have been out of their depth, out of their comfort zone. Above all, they will have learnt that the chance to start the new year in this special gathering is a gift – a gift of a new beginning.
For Christians, a new year is also a gift of a new beginning. In Mark’s gospel, chapter 1, we read how Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan. As he came up out of the water, he heard the voice of God: “You are my Son whom I love; in you I am well pleased.” Jesus’s new beginning took him from a life as a tradesman in a small town to a life of teacher, preacher, healer and counsellor. Not all of us are called to turn our lives upside down like Jesus, but we can all reflect on how we can make a difference in 2024. It is an opportune time for us to renew and strengthen our faith. We are called to forgive. God’s words remind us that we have a chance to release any bitterness, grudges or resentment – we are not meant to hold onto them. Forgiveness can create space for reconciliation and the healing of relationships.
The beginning of a new year invites us, therefore, to reflect on our lives and to consider how we can be more aligned with God’s purposes of love and justice for the benefit of all. Our acts of kindness and compassion will create ripples throughout our community and, ultimately, allow a kinder, more just society to emerge.
It is true that we live in unsettled times, but this has always been true. However, as we begin 2024, let us be reminded of the Christian theme of new beginnings, embracing this season of renewed hope and purpose.
