Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the Kingdom of God

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the supporter lunch on Wednesday, we had a lovely time catching up, praying together, hearing an update on the debt centre and exploring how we can be more invitational. John started the meal with a look at the Parable of the Great Banquet.

Luke 14: 12 - 23 (NIV)

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

We may receive many invitations - to weddings, birthday parties, funerals, baptisms, to meet up for a coffee - and we may not be able to go to them - we're on holiday, moving house, unwell, transport issues - but it is nice to be asked, even if the rejection is just an excuse. Like Jesus' host, we tend to ask people we know, friends and family, to these events, or people that we would like to get to know better, but generally people like us.

But through the Parable of the Great Banquet, Jesus shows God's nature of welcome, that it doesn't matter that the guests are someone known to you, or of the same family, interests or social class - God's banquet is a feast where everyone is invited and welcome. Even if the invitation is declined, it is better to ask rather than anticipate rejection and not even give the opportunity. The invitation in itself is care, welcome and hospitality.

For our Ely and District Debt Centre clients the journey out of debt can be a long process. Many have been struggling with their finances for years, struggling on low incomes with limited budgeting knowledge, suffering with ill health or juggling child care, mental health or addiction impacting on finances. Many have come to CAP as a last resort and the first thing that we can give them is hope that there is a way ahead.

With the new systems and recent reorganisation at head office, the three visit system is taking longer at the moment, and the pressure on debt centres of increasing numbers of clients in need, many living on negative incomes, is increasing pressure on the system. For Ely and District CAP, unlike previous years where the summer months are quieter, first visits are now booked into November. Out of 27 clients active on the CAP journey, 8 are waiting for their first visits. The time between case building and advice delivery is also longer at the moment, and debt solutions like Debt Relief Orders and bankruptcy also taking longer to come through.

For those who have already been struggling for a long time, this can be frustrating, but it can also be an opportunity. It can give a chance to build stronger relationships with our clients, time to help point them in the direction of other services that can help with their wider situation. It is a chance to invite a struggling mum to an Under5s group or someone suffering with grief to a bereavement cafe, someone feeling isolated to a warm space or even someone who needs something more in their life to a church service.

Another opportunity to be invitational is with the Ely and District CAP Debt Centre's 10th birthday coming up! We are aiming to hold some sort of event to celebrate this in April next year, inviting our 130 debt free clients, our current clients, supporters, partner churches, referral organistations and other community organisations and charities that we connect with. At the moment, we don't know what this event may look like but you can help! Please do let us know if you have any ideas what it may look like - food, worship, celebration, support, prayer, information? If you have any thoughts please email elycap@stmarysely.org

Prayer

Please pray for all our Ely and District CAP clients, for those waiting for their first visit and their CAP journey to begin, for those frustrated by long waits before the budget or waiting for debt solutions to come through. Pray that they would know that they are in safe hands with the Ely and District CAP team and the support team in Bradford and that this love and care will continue beyond the debt journey.

Please pray for our debt coaches, visit team and supporters for all the love and care that they bring to our clients and that they would know the strength of God to take this wider and deeper beyond the journey out of debt.

Pray that we would all be more invitational, to know that even a small thing like a smile or a welcome can be part of a big journey of faith.