Clergy

The Associate Vicar Writes…

Clergy

When I entered high school – now a frightening twenty three years ago – the syllabus for music had us study medieval music. This was my first introduction to plain chant and to the sequence we will hear this evening as part of the Requiem service for those departed this past year. Our teacher was so effective that you would have heard 12 year old boys chanting the first line of this sequence at any opportune moment: Dies Irae, dies illa solve saeclum in favila teste david cum sybilla – and I am still humming the tune as I write. We will hear it this evening in the setting Mozart wrote and it is quite a terrifying movement both as listener and performer, conjuring up into our imagination the day of wrath and judgement.

Today we enter the last part of the Church’s year as we celebrate All Saints. Today we will hear how Jesus was moved by the death of his friend Lazarus. Jesus wept for Lazarus and at the sight of his friends’ distress. Jesus has compassion for Mary and Martha.

We begin a season of Remembrance. We remember those who have gone before us in faith – this morning those who are examples to us in their life of faith, this evening those who have inspired us personally by sharing part of this earthly life with us. They had experienced Jesus compassion and understood that it had conquered the darkness of the day of judgement.

I hope you join us this evening for our Commemoration Service as we hear Mozart’s Requiem and listen to the names of the departed read out. Let us remember that Jesus shares in our grief as he shared with Mary and Martha. Let us rejoice with all the saints this morning that we have a share in God’s kingdom.

James

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

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

From the Associate Vicar…

Clergy

Back in the 1990s a new fad emerged among a few young people in my youth group: they started having rats as pets. However they were not kept in cages at home where they belonged but carried around wherever they went.  First one rat appeared then another and at the high point of the fad between tamagotchis and pagers we had about five rats running about during youth club.  Not the typical pet and often not more than a “goth” accessory.  They were for some part of their expression of rebellion; rebellion against the typical pets.  I am pretty sure we won’t have any rats blessed at today’s Animal Service.

Today, we will be remembering St Francis of Assisi whom we have transferred from next week due to our Parish Eucharist and Dedication Festival (have you already booked your place for the Pork Roast after the service?).  St Francis took stewardship of God’s creation seriously and wanted to live life in harmony with nature.  His love for all things living had a deep impact on the Church and so it is at this time that we pronounce the blessing on all God’s creatures – a blessing God spoke first when he created everything and saw that it was good.

For us it is at this time that we give thanks for all God’s creation and remember that we should be good stewards of that creation including rats.  Hope you join us for a furry Animal Service later this morning.

James

The Associate Vicar writes…

Clergy

First of all, a warm welcome back after the summer break to those of you who have been away over the summer.  I hope you have had some rest at some point to enjoy the summer months.

Last Sunday, we opened the “Season of Invitation” which will take us through September and a number of special opportunities up to Christmas to invite people to church, a place and community that is important in our own lives.

It is quite providential that we are reading our way through James’s letter. James reminds us of the importance of underpinning our faith with action.  This Sunday’s epistle focuses on the way we treat those who come through our doors. In years gone by churches used to charge pew rents.  I haven’t been able to find out when these were abolished in St Nicholas, but in my former church they weren’t abolished until 1931.  People paid to sit in their favourite seats; where one sat signified status within the community.  Thankfully, we don’t have to worry these days about sitting in someone else’s seat.  As we, hopefully, welcome people into church who haven’t been or haven’t been for a while we might want to reflect on our own tendency to “partiality” as James calls it.

Jesus learns, too. Through his encounter with the Syrophoenician woman Jesus’ understanding of his own ministry and of God’s plan grows.  Jesus believed he was sent to Israel but realises now that all will have a part in the salvation he brings.

May our faith be always underpinned by the way we welcome those who come to us.

                                                           James

From the Curate…

Clergy

Once again it seems that we have faced a very challenging week.  As we celebrated in fun and laughter in the glorious sun of the last Saturday’s St Nicholas fete, news slowly trickled through of the terrible tragedy at the Shoreham Air Show and then the heart-breaking news of the death of Pam’s granddaughter who was struck by a car.

As I watched the news and spoke to colleagues who were ministering to those affected in Shoreham there has been a tremendous outpouring of grief.  A few people came to Church to find comfort but the focal point has become the floral tribute on Shoreham footbridge near to the crash site.  This has become a familiar scene along our roads with smaller tributes marking the site of fatal car accidents.  One of the things that such sites and the Shoreham Bridge demonstrates is our human need to gather at a place in our grief.  Perhaps in the past this place was the Church but increasingly in today’s society this has not been the case.

One reason could be that just as the Pharisees were more concerned with religious rules of how people should behave rather than what was in people’s heart, churches have become unwelcoming, worrying too much that people should behave and do things in a certain way rather than holding out our arms in all embracing love in order to welcome newcomers and regular attendees in the same way.  As we enter this season of welcome in the Church’s calendar, if we do welcome everyone then Churches may remain a safe place to gather to be comforted by one another and by God in our times of grief as well as joy.

Steve

From the Rector…

Clergy

Whenever I read St Paul’s words in today’s epistle about putting on the whole armour of God I think of the prayer that is popularly known as St Patrick’s breastplate.  The one that concludes:

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name, The strong Name of the Trinity; By invocation of the same. The Three in One, and One in Three, Of Whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word: Praise to the Lord of my salvation, Salvation is of Christ the Lord

Tradition has it that he wrote it in 433 A.D. for divine protection before successfully converting the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity. When writing the prayer he may well have had in mind those parts of St John’s Gospel (including today’s) which speak of Christ abiding in us (and us in Him). We may not feel we need a combat gear to go about our daily lives, (although many do, such as the refugees or “migrants” fleeing conflict zones) but the prayer is a reminder of our constant need for God’s protection and love as we reach out to serve our local communities.

The full version of the prayer can be found in your hymn books (326 at St Barnabas’ and 277 at St Nicholas’).

Anthony


From the Curate…

Clergy

IMG_3280I know that it seems very hard to believe (or maybe it doesn’t), but I have been on a few diets in my time and the diet market is going strong as a growth (ironic really) industry in this country with most magazines promising quick fix ways to shed the pounds that will then make you truly happy. Let me see – for me there has been the Rotation Diet, the Atkins Diet – (high protein and no carbs – I got sick of it – for a time I couldn’t face seeing someone eat let, alone me eat, another Ham and Cheese Omelette in a police canteen), Weight Watchers (and its point system), the Fasting Diet (surely I should have been good at this one – but I wasn’t!) and the latest that I have yet to try the Dukan Diet (a hyper protein one, healthy and natural – apparently).

Then there are the diets offered in our readings – a fine flaky substance/manna from heaven and the bread of life – Jesus. These diets don’t promise to make us thin, but if grasped and taken they will sustain us through thick and thin (like what I did there?).

The results of these diets were for the Israelites a renewed faith and entry to the Promised Land, whilst to Christians a way never to hunger. We are only hungry when we take our eyes off of Him and try to fill ourselves from the worldly stuff that looks so tempting (like the Chocolate Brownie I am eating right now!) but never fills us. If we faithfully eat the bread of life of Jesus we are then promised the gifts of Ephesians – so as we go on holiday, rest assured I won’t be dieting from food but I will hope to feed always on the bread that Jesus offers

Steve

From the Associate Vicar…

Clergy

When I started training for the priesthood six years ago this summer I did not know how I would sustain myself along the new path I was about to enter. I had a pretty good idea of the priest I wanted to be. I also knew how much my failing could and probably would be a stumbling block to the formation into the priest I wanted to be. As for most of us I wasn’t quite sure if I would cope; and I still wonder.

God gives as much as we need. Five loaves of bread and two fish seemed nowhere near enough to feed the masses of people that had gathered to hear Jesus. But from the little that was offered Jesus was able to feed all. From the little that we are able to offer we can trust that God will sustain us. This is good news for all those who are on a journey with Jesus. We do not need much to follow but we need to be able to trust that God will provide just enough to sustain us.

A quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, written in 1943, has sustained me over the years,

“I believe that God will give us in each state of emergency as much power of resistance as we need. But he will not give in advance, so that we do not rely on ourselves but on him alone.”

As we reflect on Jesus feeding 5,000 men and the women and children who had come to listen to him I hope that we will continue and maybe learn anew to trust that God will provide as and when we need it. Bonhoeffer’s words written at an immensely difficult time have helped me to focus on how God is sustaining me rather than despairing at the never ending to-do lists. As God fed the 5,000 he is feeding us just as much as we need.

James