Today we’ve launched a quick guide for visitors – a double-sided laminate which you can borrow when you’re walking round the church, detailing some of the highlights of the building to ensure you don’t miss them on your visit.
If you want your own copy, print it from here.
Come and see us soon !
In the church services on Sunday, you heard something of St Thomas’ story and had the chance to reflect on it. I’d like to use these few inches to draw attention to our “Charity Cabaret” on 16 July. This will be a great event to invite some friends and show them that we have fun together whilst also taking seriously our commitment to the wider community. The “Cabaret” reference in the evening’s title is pretty obvious – and one of the reasons it is a “can’t miss” event. The “Charity” reference has, I gather, given rise to some confusion.
So, to explain one aspect of that … The PCC puts aside a ‘tithe’ (10%) of its income each year (not counting any given for a specific purpose and after the deduction of certain costs) to give to other charities. This is one of the means by which we seek to be friends and “constantly there” for those beyond our church family.
Each person who comes to the Charity Cabaret evening will have a part in distributing up to £2000 of this money amongst a range of charities – local, national and international. There will be display boards on show at the Cabaret evening giving information about these charities. The boards will also be on display at St Barnabas’ after the event until the end of July to allow those who were not at the Charity Cabaret to have a chance to have a say in which charities we support this year.
Do, please, take part and use your vote!
Anthony
Last week I was on a residential course.
The first things we were asked to do was to draw four pictures, each indicating part of who we are. Apart from revealing that I am no Monet, I drew myself as a child of God, then a husband, then a father and then a priest. And as I sat in my room on the course and contemplated the news headlines that as a nation we have voted to leave the EU, I reflected on the passages that we had that Sunday.
Our Galatians reading was written to a Church which is strictly wanting to define who is in and who is out. While, our Gospel reading described how Jesus is rejected by a village.
Whether you voted ‘Leave’ or “Remain’, as Christians we could do a lot worst but to read and re-read again the Galatians passage. Ironically, it is a passage I have read as part of the course this week. What course do I find myself on this week? Bridge Builders – how to deal with conflict.
The essence of the course is that conflict – disagreement – is inevitable. It is not how you avoid it that matters as a Church, but how you handle it well and almost embrace it as a sign of a healthy Church. I believe looking at the breakdown of the vote in Crawley that the churches have a role to bridge build. Finally, Jesus describes how he has no place to put his head – he is a nomad or pilgrim with no home apart from as a child of God – so then too am I. I am off for a while to a new church – St Peter’s in Brighton – to learn more and experience how they are bridge building to the homeless in Brighton.
Let us love one another – and build strong bridges,
Steve
Click here for this week’s pewsheet.
Click here for the pewsheet for the week beginning Sunday 26th June 2016.
Tip: If this, or any other, PDF document opens at too large a size, here’s what you do:
Click here for this week’s pewsheet.
All of our readings today speak in some way of God reaching out to all, offering love. The gospel reading in particular shows how sometimes the transformation that an encounter with Jesus brings (and demands) can be rather disconcerting – and how some retreat from it, preferring things to remain as they were before. The PCC meeting on Thursday evening recognised that some of the energy and changes that have flowed from last month’s Vision Day, coupled with the forthcoming interregnum, have left some parishioners rather disconcerted – unsure of where authority and responsibility for implementing their ideas for change (or maintaining the status quo) lie. There will, next month, be a general letter from the Wardens and me answering that question. In essence, ‘though, whatever the offer of involvement, proposal or query, you should speak to one of the Wardens (contact details in pewsheet) who will be able to say whether there is a group already working on the matter and let you know with whom you should connect or whether you can go ahead with implementation.
You can, of course, also speak to Steve or me – although our main focus in the coming weeks is to enable and prepare those who are going to take forward the parish’s mission during the interregnum. That mission, in the form of the Parish Plan – which is substantially the same as that circulated last month – was agreed by the PCC. The PCC also agreed an exciting development – to employ a part-time Children & Families Worker. This should ensure continuity for this growing area of our ministry and ongoing support for Messy Church and the family worship services.
Have a great week!
Anthony
In case people haven’t seen this, we repeat here the joint statement of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in response to the shootings in Orlando:
After Sunday’s attack in Orlando as Christians we must speak out in support of LGBTI people, who have become the latest group to be so brutally targeted by the forces of evil.
We must pray, weep with those affected, support the bereaved, and love without qualification.
The obligation to object to these acts of persecution, and to support those LGBTI people who are wickedly and cruelly killed and wounded, bereaved and traumatised, whether in Orlando or elsewhere, is an absolute call on our Christian discipleship.
It arises from the unshakeable certainty of the gracious love of God for every human being. Now, in this time of heartbreak and grief, is a time for solidarity. May God our Father give grace and comfort to all who mourn, and divine compassion to us all.
Among the many who joined us yesterday for Choral Evensong, thanks go to George who took some photos of the choir for us. We hope to use some in our publicity to attract new members and we’d thought you’d like to see them.
Click here for the pewsheet for the week beginning Sunday 12th June 2016.
Worth Parish 