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Denise Lancaster, focal minister at All Saints, reflects on the problem of trying to take control when faced with the unexpected.
Recently, Paul and I enjoyed a boat trip with some friends along the canal from Swinton to Conisbrough viaduct and back. It was a lovely, leisurely 4-hour trip full of great conversations and photo opportunities. We saw ducks, swans, herons, a little egret and some of us saw a kingfisher, a flash of blue far too quick to be captured by the camera.
We saw familiar places from an unfamiliar angle and enjoyed the refreshments which were provided. And all too soon it was over; we were back in Swinton, disembarking, taking our leave of one another and some of us were rushing off to the next activity of the day.
The boat trip reminded me of summer holidays – an opportunity to take a break from our busy work, school, university or retired lives (yes, it’s true, retirees do say, “How did we find time to work!”) and maybe take things a little more slowly, see things we don’t usually see, spend more time with people we love and enjoy refreshment.
And all too soon we’re landing in September and the busy-ness of our usual lives begins again and the busy-ness of our church lives, with Harvest, Remembrance and – dare I mention it? – all the Christmas activities.
Unseen Help
We and our friends weren’t the only people on the boat trip – there were three crewmembers on board as well. After the initial safety talk before we set off, we weren’t really aware of the crew but they were there, steering us along the canal at a safe distance from the sides, the swans and the people in boats or on paddle boards.
They operated the locks and one of them was able to correct a fault with a lock which threatened us with a long delay back to Swinton, so that we arrived back on time. And actually, without them the boat trip would not have happened at all.
This reminded me that our God is with us on our journey through life. We may not always be aware of him, but he is with us, guiding us and keeping us safe, not just in the pleasantly smooth times but also through the unpleasantly rough times of our whole life. And occasionally we may see him sorting out a specific problem that threatens the course of our life.
The question is, can we trust God to do this or do we want to take control and do it all ourselves, in our own way?
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
Priscilla Jane Owens, 1829-1907
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.
Denise Lancaster
Published in the September 2026 edition of the Parish magazines.
You can order Parish magazines, which contain additional articles, by visiting All Saints or Christ Church
Photo courtesy of Unsplash