Pewsheet for 24th January 2016

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From The Rector…

Clergy

Our New Testament reading today continues St Paul’s exploration of the theme of unity and diversity in a passage that proves remarkably poignant for our common life at this time – and not just because we reach the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  On Wednesday Bishop Mark and Archdeacon Fiona (of Horsham) came to discuss the Crawley (& Horsham) Parish Review with the PCC.  Careful and often profound observations made for a positive and engaged meeting in which your PCC reps did you proud (and, as the Chair of the PCC, I express my thanks to all those who came).  Much of the time was spent exploring the recommendation that we consider whether the church’s mission in this part of Crawley would be better served by splitting the parish into two or remaining as one.  Unity and diversity again.  It was encouraging to see how the needs of the communities we serve were in the foreground – and that the recognition of Jesus’ mission (and ours!) offered in today’s gospel was the starting point rather than any pre-conceived idea of church structures.  Elsewhere in the Review there were concrete recommendations about splitting the other three parishes in Crawley and we were reassured by the visitors that the recommendation had been framed to emphasise that it was for us to consider and work out the best way forward in our context.  Questions of resourcing were also discussed and it was clear that the focus our current Home Groups are giving to identifying and releasing the spiritual gifts of diverse members of our congregations to collaborate in our common mission was an essential first step (ring any bells with the Corinthians reading?).

Every blessing to you all

From the Curate…

Pewsheets

With today’s Gospel reading you could legitimately ask the question; ‘How on earth does turning water into wine reveal to us the Glory of God?’

Obviously, there is the quick answer that it demonstrates Jesus to be the best wedding guest ever and it dispels the arguments that as Christians we are not to party or celebrate. I suppose you could even argue the case to always invite the clergy to the reception in case lightning strikes twice!

Joking aside, today’s reading is one of the critical moments within the Gospel narrative.  One day when he was around thirty years old, Jesus and his friend showed up at a wedding. Weddings in Israel typically lasted seven days.  Families were known to invite large number of people, sometimes – entire villages  (with three daughters – I always thank God that this practice is no longer observed and I have often advocated bringing your own picnic as an alternative to the wedding reception!)  Refusal to come was an insult and there should be leftovers – so running out of wine was a serious faux pas.  When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother asked him to step in. His reply that his hour had not yet come – was ignored – mother’s always know best!  And then came the critical moment. As he acted and turned the water in wine, the host relaxed, the feast resumed, the crowd rejoiced – but a chain of events had been set in motion that would lead to a confrontation with enemies that would change the course of the world.  A clock had started ticking.

Jesus had spent 30 years preparing for this moment – he had prepared for it by always keeping his eyes on God and God’s purpose for his life as well as studying the scripture and praying – so that he was ready at a Wedding in Cana to start the clock ticking. A pattern of preparation we should all follow

Steve

From the Rector…

Clergy

As we come together in the Parish Eucharist this morning to recall the Baptism of Christ, and to welcome Andrea as a new member of the Christian family, it is an appropriate time for each one of us to reflect on what our baptismal promises mean to us and what we do to sustain ourselves on our faith journey.  This Tuesday, the first of our new Home Groups begins. I use the term ‘new’ loosely as we have had the Pilgrim Course Group meeting for nearly two years, which could well be described as a Home Group.  Many churches encourage such groups as a further opportunity for providing fellowship and support to one another as we journey through life as well as offering a safe and open opportunity for learning more about our faith. We are seeking to build on the success of our Alpha Course and the experience of the Pilgrim Course by now offering the chance for all of you to become part of a Home Groups (initially there will be 4 across the Parish).  In baptism, we come to share in the priesthood of all believers, but can often struggle to work out what that means in practice.  Often when people make a (much needed!) offer to help we have listed the different roles that need filling as an indicator of where they could be involved. We have not always looked at the particular gifts or experience of those offering their precious time. The ‘new’ Home Groups will initially look at helping each of us identifying the gifts that we have been given (we have ALL been given them!) and then how we might nurture them and use them at our work, in our homes and within our Church family as we live out our baptismal calling.  The times and locations of the Home Group meetings are available from the Parish Office, Steve or me.

Epiphanytide blessings to you all!

Pewsheet for 10th January 2016 – the Baptism of Christ

Pewsheets

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Happy New Year to you all !

Pewsheets

A new year, new beginnings, a new life.

When a new year begins we often look back on the year gone-by to reflect on its joys, sadness, achievements, failings and then we make a resolution to improve, to move forward with determination to do better. That is my theory anyhow but at the end of 2016 will I, will you, look back again and wonder, what and why, or will we be really impressed with our achievements ?

In 2016 there are a lot of new things to plan, new ventures there for some of us, for me too, I hope and pray – but what and for whom? We cannot make the decisions on our own, we should not rush headlong into something; we need to pray, to think and to consider what God would want us to do. We do not know His plans but we do know He will show us the way, if we let Him in to our hearts and minds; we need to be still, quiet and listen for that still, small voice that is calling us, then we may have an idea.

Next week we will celebrate the Baptism of Christ and all over Christendom, including here in our Parish Eucharist, there will be new Christians baptised, born in to the family of God, not knowing what they will do with their lives but knowing it is a new beginning for them; just as a new calendar year is a new beginning for everyone, with all its joys and sorrows, all its uncertainties.

I pray that all of us may go forward with the Lord as our guiding light, helping, healing and leading us on the right path; showing us why things happen and how we can turn to Him for our strength and salvation.

Go forward, as I shall, with hope, joy, peace and love in my heart and mind, and attempt to work “ ‘to the greater glory of God’. ”

Joan Tick – (retiring) pew sheet compiler