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The present of the Present
At Christmas time last year Dr
John Geater received the news
that the pancreatic cancer which
had been operated upon in 2014
had recurred with secondaries in
both lungs.
This was deemed untreatable and
he was told that he had only a few
months to live.
Just two days before receiving this
news he had been moved to
write a poem that came
to him ‘out of the blue’ ‘Many
about how each day
was God’s gift to be things seem
used to the full. to be coming
It seems God was to fruition’
preparing John for
what was to come. We
are printing this poem in
the hope that it will encourage others.
Not just those facing difficulties but
all of us to use each day to the full as
Jesus taught us to do.
Dr John Geater: using each day to the full
Photo: John Hawkins
Cover picture: Summerfields Woods, designated
a site of natural conservation importance
Photo: Mark Boulton
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Meanwhile John reports: I am having some
of the best time of my whole life. Many in
Hastings are among those in the UK praying for
me. I have been astonished by the number of
people in many other countries who have sent
messages of affirmation and joined this prayer.
I am immensely grateful to all those many
people, and recognise this as the love of the
Christian family near and far.
Sense of peace
So far I am in good health with no symptoms,
and an incredible sense of peace and well-
being – what the Bible would call shalom.
In addition to this I am finding that many
things that I have been working for in my
life seem to be coming to fruition.
May you all enjoy ‘The present of the
Present’... Scenes from the Good
Dr John Geater MBE, who was a local GP, is Friday enactment in
the Old Town
international director of Prime (International Photos: Alan Roberts
Partnerships in Medical Education) and has led Photographic
the local inter-church Loaf Project throughout
its 40 years. Local events shake Easter apathy
Dr John’s poem Many of today’s younger generation Moving spectacle
have little or no idea of what For more than 20 years the Old
The Present is a present Christmas and Easter are really about. Town Parish Players have re- ‘It was a
God’s gift to us Today Or who is the reason for them. One enacted each Good Friday powerful and
to be used to shape our Future published survey showed that fewer the events leading up to the
in ways we can’t yet say than half (45%) of young adults crucifixion of Jesus Christ. emotional
associate Easter with Jesus. More It has been described as a very spectacle’
Today we have remembrance associate it with chocolate Easter eggs. moving and emotional spectacle
of our many Yesterdays Two Easter events in Hastings however which sheds light on the importance
some of which we’ve learned from touched the hearts of hundreds of people. Christians attach to the Cross.
some just a passing phase The events could not have been more Kevin Boorman, who played the part of a
different in form but each focused on Jesus Roman soldier, has missed being part of the
The Present’s filled with memories and making him known. event only once over the years.
Those of joy and those of sorrow The first, on Good Friday, was the annual ‘We go ahead come rain or shine,’ he told
Let’s build on them and learn from them procession of witness in the Old Town and the Grapevine, ‘but this year was the wettest I
to build a good Tomorrow powerful re-enactment of the crucifixion of can recall. I felt particularly for James Robus,
Jesus Christ. who played the part of Jesus again. He was
For there only is the Present The second event, the following day, was soaked and so cold but managed it very well.
the Past just tales to tell the Hastings Easter Festival, a contemporary ‘It was an emotional and powerful
but the Future will be greatly blessed music event created ‘to celebrate the death spectacle. However well acted though, it
if we use God’s Present well and resurrection of Jesus Christ and its eternal could only give a glimpse of all that Jesus
hope and significance’. went though.’ >
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