The theology of central heating

I spent most of yesterday at the Church. We're having to sort out a number of issues with the building and it was the turn of the central heating system. This is both expensive to run and seems to be ineffective.

"Ah" said the central heating technician, "I can see one of the problems you've got here: too much dust, inside the radiators."

Sure enough, as I looked down through the vents I could see the insides of each unit coated with cobwebs, fluff and dust.

As far as I know, and from the technician's experience, it had probably not be cleaned internally since installation in the mid 1980s. Heat was being generated but the dust was preventing its circulation and therefore reducing the effectiveness of the entire system.

So I spent a happy two hours armed with a long handled brush and a vacuum cleaner cleaning out the dust accumulated over more than a quarter of a century It was a dirty job and even this morning I still find dust particles in my mouth and nose.

Well the lesson seems obvious. How much dust have we allowed to accumulate in our personal and church lives? We still produce the heat, but it doesn't circulate and is rendered ineffective by an unseen collection of rubbish. From time to time individuals and institutions need dusting down, even on the inside.