Author: Worth Parish

The Rector Writes…

Clergy

Bartimaeus’ response to being healed by Jesus was to “follow him on the way”.  The “way” that Jesus was travelling in today’s gospel was from Galilee to Jerusalem and his sacrificial death on the cross.  For first-century hearers of this gospel passages the words would have had a significance largely lost to us – before Christians were known by that name they were known as followers of (literally “in”) “the Way” – as we read in several passages in Acts.  So, Batimaeus’ response to being cured was a conversion of life, becoming a follower of Jesus.  He, like the disciples, will have learned from Jesus about “relationship” – relationship with “Abba”, his loving Father.  He would also have seen Jesus putting his words, his faith, into action.  Is your life affected (converted, transformed, etc…) by being a follower of the Way, Jesus’ way?  One of the ways we, as a church family, seek to follow Jesus’ actions is through our outreach to marginalised people in our town (and we are always open to suggestions on how to extend or improve that) and by supporting other groups who undertake this ministry.  Also, through our support for and giving to other charities, we seek to make a difference to people beyond the bounds of our parish and town.  (Thank you to those who have offered help to host the ‘climate-change pilgrims’ next month – a few more would be welcome.).  For the remainder of this church year (i.e. to 28 Nov) we will be collecting from you names of charities you would like us to support – including one for us to build a longer-term (at least 3 years) relationship. From next week, when the UNICEF “Jars of Grace” will be collected in, we will be running a “Parish World Bank” appeal in response to the ongoing refugee crisis.

Anthony

Pewsheet for 18th October 2015

Pewsheets

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The Curate writes…

Clergy

I think that there are two types of people the ‘saver’ and the ‘thrower’ and I think that in relationships that there is one of each. In Liz’s and mine, I am probably the ‘saver’ and Liz the ‘thrower’. If you look in our garage you will see about 4 pairs of my old trainers. Each at different stages of wear and all kept just in case. However, Liz has the pair she wears now and a pair for when she walks the dog. All others are thrown away. If it is broken in our house then Liz will want to throw it away while I will live in hope that it might be repaired – although I do nothing to facilitate that! (Liz throws it out a few weeks later without my knowledge to avoid protests).

I had a cold last week and felt a bit broken – but I didn’t tell Liz just in case. I think that fortunately God is a ‘saver’, but a ‘saver’ that unlike me does something about things that are worn out or broken – He actually heals them just as the reading in Isaiah states ‘the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy’.  The healing might not be when or the type of healing we want or expect, but He nonetheless heals if we turn to Him and open ourselves up to Him.  God healed and transformed St Paul from the Christian persecutor to someone who could fight the good fight and run the race well for Christ, yet his physical thorn in his side remained. His healing was not what he expected but he began to trust God the healer and find peace. My question today – is there a hurt, pain, illness, grief or brokenness that you need God to heal today? God doesn’t throw away – he restores and heals

Steve

From the Curate…

Clergy

This is our second Harvest Celebration in Worth Parish – where oh where has the time gone?  The vast majority of our time has been wonderful, joyous and energising; however, there have been some low, dark and exhausting times.  In the joyous times, I can praise and thank God with the best of them, but in the bad times, it is all I can do to say the words of praise mechanically at Morning Prayer.

Faith is a rollercoaster ride with great rises and falls.  God has sometimes helped me drag myself from the falls by the gift of perspective.  I have to deliberate and list the things that are good in my life – that might be as simple as I can breathe, that my body works relatively well, that I have a family, a house, a bed, food and that no matter what I am loved by God.  All our gratitude lists will be different, but if we think hard enough we will all be able to fill them. When they are filled and we look at the problem we face, then slowly we see the light of Christ shining in the darkness – the Hope that we have closed our eyes to in our despair.

The gift of perspective helps us to see our blessings so that we can say thank you to God and from this position of gratitude give to others in need.  I think this letter home from a female student sums up the gift of perspective:

Dear Mum and Dad,

Because of the fire in the dorms caused by the riots, I had lung failure and was taken to hospital. Here I fell in love with a porter and we have moved in together. I have left Uni and I am pregnant and we are moving to Scotland and getting married.

Your loving daughter

P.S. None of that really happened, but I did fail Chemistry – just wanted you to keep it in perspective.        

Steve

Pewsheet for 4th October 2015

Pewsheets

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The Rector writes…

Pewsheets

Written on Sunday 4th October

Denis Healey, who died yesterday, was sometimes described as the best Labour Prime Minister we never had.  George Bell, who died on the same day in 1958, has been described as the best Archbishop of Canterbury we never had.  That is speculation.  But we do know that three years before he died Bishop Bell came to Worth Parish to dedicate the new church in Pound Hill to St Barnabas, the encourager.  Today we come together to celebrate and give thanks for 60 years of the church’s presence and service in our community– witnessing to the church being both a building and the people.  Those who invested in establishing St Barnabas’ would, I am convinced, be proud of what has been achieved and how their gift has been used and developed; how so many “families of the earth [have been] blessed”.

Aside from the improvements to the fabric undertaken and planned to mark the 60th Anniversary, we need only consider (e.g.) last week to see the ways in which the church allows people to “taste[d] that the Lord is good”: daily worship, 50 for dinner at our Alpha course, more at the Unforgettable concert, the hanging of the “Tree of Life” banner created by the Knit & Natter fellowship (thank you!) and, even more, if we add in the Hall and Pastoral Centre, Toddlers’, the café, a talk on Israel/ Palestine, St Nicholas’ Circle, Friday lunch, Plugged In youth group, the Easter Team meal for the homeless, a Saturday Market and today’s Pork Roast – plus the activities of various community groups hiring the premises.  Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly.  It is just wonderful to be able to join with you in welcoming Bishop Mark to a church doing such works in the Father’s name and actively working to develop her fabric and ministry to meet the needs of the community.

To God be the Glory!