Rev Geoff Probert Trinity Presbyterian Church Some years ago I saw movie entitled 'The Village.’ It depicts the tale of an isolated 19th century town confronting the astonishing truth that lies just outside its borders.
At first glance, this village seems picture-perfect, but this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that creatures reside in the surrounding woods.
The evil and foreboding force is so unnerving that none dare venture beyond the borders of the village and into the woods.
Rev Geoff Probert Trinity Presbyterian Church Some years ago I saw movie entitled 'The Village.’ It depicts the tale of an isolated 19th century town confronting the astonishing truth that lies just outside its borders.
At first glance, this village seems picture-perfect, but this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that creatures reside in the surrounding woods.
The evil and foreboding force is so unnerving that none dare venture beyond the borders of the village and into the woods.
After one of the elders loses his son to an untreatable disease, one of the town's young people, named Lucas, goes to the village elders and asks to leave the village and travel to "the towns", in the hope of finding medicines and other remedies that may prevent further losses. The village elders quickly deny his request.
A series of mysterious events nevertheless prompts him to leave and get help – but without permission.
Then suddenly – as young Lucas stumbles his way out of the woods and over a huge wall surrounding the property – he comes to a tar road – and a car passes him by! And we realise for the first time in the movie that the story is not set in the 19th Century – but in the 21st Century – and that Lucas and the rest of the villagers are part of a strange cult that have lived within the confines of the forest cut off from the world.
The creatures in the woods were made up by a bunch of hippies who founded the Village to escape from the outside world and its dangers.
There is a twist in the plot – it is not at all as it seems. There is a different reality. We are often suspicious of anything that maybe appears magical – a sleight of hand – a twist in the tale.
We may pride ourselves in getting our side of the story right. That our perspective is the only reality – for after all, we could not possibly be wrong?
But wait – is there not something that we may have missed? Something that we did not originally see? The Church may be facing challenges with leadership, with finances, with change, with dwindling numbers.
But, inside the same Church are these little pockets of hope. Let us remember that ‘Greater is He that is in you – than he that is in the world.’
