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Sermon for 25th August at 11 a.m. Luke 16. 1-13. THE UNJUST STEWARD  Kay Morison

Intro:   I have been preaching for 45 years and my husband John probably for about 60. We have kept and filed all our sermons from those years.

One very interesting thing emerged when I looked back:  Apparently, neither of us has ever actually preached before on today’s passage from Luke!  

I don’t really know why that has happened, but John thinks it may be because clergy don’t deliberately set out to confuse their congregations by their preaching!

But what I do know, is that in all the six commentaries I have studied on this passage, words just read so well by Carolyn, each Biblical Commentator has said something very similar along the lines (and I quote):

“This is a very difficult parable to interpret” Or “This is notoriously one of the most difficult of all parables to interpret” Or “The parable of the dishonest steward bristles with difficulties”.

So we are clearly in for some challenging thinking this morning!   However, I will do my best to be simple! BUT first I want to remind you of how Biblical scholars tell us to understand Parables….

Scholars tell us that a Parable has just One basic meaning.  The parable of the sower may well be an exception, but often we look at a parable and assume it is an analogy: A story in which every person, each event, means something significant.   Not so!

Consequently, we are not seeking to find a whole variety of applications in our parable today.  Rather, I am highlighting just two distinct, basic principles.  These were two principles, applying separately, to the two different groups of hearers present, when Jesus told this parable: Group One, the disciples:  the faithful followers of Jesus. Group Two: the Pharisees – the very critical religious leaders, who were deliberately seeking to trip Jesus up and get rid of him just as soon as possible.

So now let’s see what this parable may have been saying to: 1. Jesus’ faithful Disciples.

If you think about the Bible words,  which Carolyn read, you will realise much of the story and its language is “ironic”: Jesus is ruefully showing: “this is how unjust people think, you know!”…..  For our Lord often used exaggeration and hyperbole, phrases like “pluck out your eye” ,“cut off your right hand”. Words not meant literally, but to make a point.  And this parable seems to be one long irony.  

We are not intended to take the shrewd manager as an example of how to conduct our business lives!   That is, if we are still having to work out how to look after our money in an ethical way.  You need to understand that, in the days in which this parable was taught, wealth in the Holy Land, was mostly tied up by the affluent in terms of “oil” and “wheat”  and other commodities.…..  But today we deal with pounds and pence and these days not so many of the latter!

At rock bottom, Jesus is challenging his disciples to think. They may have followed him faithfully, but they still have a huge amount to learn and understand about life and faith. Does that say something to you too?  You may have been a Christian for years but there is always still more to learn.

Professor Tom Wright has this to say about the followers of Jesus: “The disciples have learnt so little,  understood so little,  grasped so little, of what their wonderful master has been doing in their midst.”

So in the parable, the shrewd money-grabbing steward is thinking of the rapidly forthcoming day when he would be given the sack:  he is too old to dig……. begging is too undignified!  He makes a cunning plan to bolster his savings for the future.

His action was plainly wrong, but his purpose - in secular terms - made plain sense.  He is actually commended for getting his future organised.   Behaviour described with  tongue in cheek, resulting in much muttering and head-wagging as the hearers grasped the irony of it all.

For the parable definitely does speak about the need to consciously think and plan for the future: The manager asks himself: “What shall I do now???” He’s going to lose his job and he needs to be ready to cope with the adversity he has brought upon himself.  

Sometimes we, as Christians, can be rather naïve about life.  Every one of us needs to ask the question “What do I need to do now - to prepare for the future?”  We need to be ready for our later life:

And where are we spending Eternity?  Do we confidently know ourselves to be members of Jesus’ spiritual family?  Basically, the parable teaches us that each one of us here needs to make the decision to follow Jesus day by day and not put it off!  In the same way,  as the unjust Manager in the parable needed to stop and think, then put his plan into action.

It was a wrong plan, but a right principle.

So there is a genuine challenge for each of us today. A challenge, even from this very strange parable. A parable set in a world which was so different to our own world.  But the message is the same: Are we ready for the future?   Not so much financially, but rather, spiritually: relying on Jesus as our constant friend and companion: The Loving Lord with whom we shall spend eternity.

So we move on in this Parable to:

2. The Unrighteous Pharisees.

As we heard, verse 1 of Chapter 16 read just now. says  that this parable was spoken  to Jesus’ Disciples.  

But we know  that the Pharisees were also on hand, listening intently and trying to find a way of condemning Jesus. Trying to catch him out.  However as so often happened, the Pharisees don’t catch Jesus out.  He catches them out, and also challenges their worldliness and focus on wealth.

Verse 14 says: “The Pharisees who loved money heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.”

Sneering is an unpleasant word isn’t it?  Jesus had clearly said something to upset the Pharisees.

For this parable about essential daily items , oil and wheat, is really about acquiring “this world’s goods”.  Which the Pharisees really loved, as they provided Power over people.   Oil and wheat etc. were the universal commodities that could be exchanged for other basic necessities.  In our 21st century way of life we use money.      So you can see that Jesus’ parable plus its conclusion hit the Pharisees hard.

Jesus said plainly in v. 13 “No servant can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despite the other:   You cannot serve God and Money” :

That’s precisely what the majority of acquisitive Pharisees were doing!

The Pharisees wanted to be seen as lovers of God, following all the Jewish laws: not just the Ten Commandments, but also, an additional 613 different rules!   And they loved their positions of power.   Positions of prestige.  They wanted to be admired for their apparent piety –

You remember the parable of  TheTwo Men Praying? The tax collector and the Pharisee.  The Pharisee stood up boldly and prayed all about himself. Boasted of all he did……but the tax collector bowed low at a distance and said  “God be merciful to me a Sinner” Well he was a sinner, but he is the one who was forgiven!

And the true story we all know from our childhood, the one about Jesus meeting Zacchaeus the Tax collector - and then his subsequent conversion, is a vivid demonstration of this very truth.

Even if you have found the parable of the Dishonest Steward hard to grasp, the parable of the Tax Collector and Pharisee is crystal clear…… and the behaviour of Zacchaeus is plain as a pikestaff!

Let me ask you a question:  If we’re really honest, each of us is a mixture of good and bad. But in your heart of hearts, into which category do you feel you mostly belong?

Faithful Disciple …. OR … Unrighteous Pharisee  (Pause)

You don’t need to tell anyone - apart from God!

As I finish, let me tell you a true story:

I have a great nephew called James…….He trained down here at Moorlands College near Christchurch, so we saw him often in those days.  He has been a church youth worker for a few years now.  Just recently he inherited some money from his Grandfather.  A grandfather who decided it was wise to give money to his grandchildren now, and not make them wait until the next generation died, before the youngsters could inherit.

You may not realise that a church youth worker often has no personal home, but lives in basic accommodation provided by his church, or has to rent, on quite a low salary,  his home as he moves from job to job.     A couple or so years ago, James married a lovely American wife, who is a full time mother to their small toddler.

I accidentally heard on the family grapevine how that James remembered our Lord’s teaching on money. He kept extremely quiet about it, but from his inheritance, he gave one tenth away to his church (that’s a very biblical amount) It is to help with his church’s work and outreach.  John and I much admire him for really practising what he preaches.

Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven, and that’s precisely what WE need to do!

(LET’S HAVE A SHORT TIME OF SILENT PRAYER NOW…..I’LL FINISH WITH   “AMEN”.)

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Sermon for Sunday 4th August 2019 Luke 10.38 – 42. Kay Morison.

Introduction:   We were given a visitors’ book as a present in 1968.  It has stayed, with its successor, in each “Guest Room” of the many homes we have lived in since then.

I sometimes flick through the pages of, by now, two such books; and think “who on earth was that?  I can’t recall that person at all!….Why was that person staying with us?”

Obviously, noted in our Visitors’ Books, we’ve had many visits from our families and our particular friends.  However, in amongst familiar faces and long forgotten people, are one or two very special guests whom we were really honoured to have staying with us – that’s including the occasional bishop or two!  

Also, I readily remember two specific groups of Christian leaders who stayed with us.  We lived in large vicarages in those days! These friends of ours were instrumental in the leading, teaching at, and hosting of key conferences and also writing about the refreshing of Church Life in the early days of our ministry:  That was way back in the 1970s, with the blossoming of the Renewal Movement in the Church of England.

I wonder now….  As a busy Vicar’s wife, still teaching too, did I drop everything  for these folk??  Did I simply sit at their feet and enjoy listening to them and their deep wisdom?  Or did I rush about making the best meal possible for such influential and important people?  

Two of our guests were from the other side of the Atlantic, from the Church of the Redeemer, Houston, in Texas. So did I serve them roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and Bramley apple pie? Well, I hope I was a good hostess, though the make-up of the menus way back then, escapes my memory!

But I think you can readily see the connection of our personal book  and the story to the Gospel reading today:  The story, so very familiar, of Mary and Martha.  Of Martha who rushes round making a meal for their important, unique visitor Jesus, and Mary who puts everything else aside and simply sits down and listens attentively to our Lord.

This story is a “one off”, only recorded in Luke’s gospel.  So why did the doctor and historian, Luke, choose to include it?   Remember, writing in those days was not the easy matter of pressing a few keys, and then have the computer check the spelling and grammar for you.  No, in those days writing was much more laborious, scribing slowly with sticky ink on thick parchment or papyrus. So to be included, this story must be really important!

And WHY did Luke want to record such a homely incident?  One reason can be found in the fact that our Gospel Writer deliberately included this incident immediately after the story of the Good Samaritan. That parable, which was the sermon theme last Sunday, does say clearly that “we are to Love the Lord our God…..and Love our neighbour”  Two distinct commands.   And it’s so hard to juggle both.   

Luke evidently did not want his readers to think that their salvation, their relationship with God, is achieved by simply undertaking Good Works :  The sort of dutiful care the Samaritan provided for the traveler.   Luke wants to make one point very strongly:  that waiting quietly on the Lord is the first call on us and from that, only that, comes truly effective discipleship…Not the other way round. And you’ll remember that the very “religious” people in the story of the Good Samaritan all had fixed rules of behaviour to obey, busy rules, which made it ritually improper for them to help the traveler. But Jesus is not impressed by their rules.  

Before we look specifically at Mary and Martha and apply the learning to our lives, here’s just a bit of background to help us: 1.    In Jesus’ time it would have been unusual for two sisters to be living by themselves and in charge of their own household. 2.   For Mary to be sitting at the feet of Jesus would have been scandalous in the era in which she lived.  Sitting at the feet of a Teacher was only for a male disciple.   3.   In fact, no woman should have done what Mary did.   She would have crossed clear, fixed,  social boundaries and was in danger of bringing shame upon her household. …And yet, Jesus allowed her to sit and listen to Him as his Disciple! 4.  Another fact:  Men and women had separate living quarters and did not meet much.  I guess it was a bit like that in Saudi Arabia but when there we only visited the home of ex pats.   Or  I remember in Bahrain I automatically put my hand out to shake hands when we were privileged to meet with the  Imam at the Great Mosque, only to be told “we do not shake hands with women”.  I felt Bad! 5.   Cultures in other ages are different.  It is easy to look at this story with the eyes of our 21st century Western culture, but now we need to switch our eye- sight back to Middle East culture over 2000 years ago.

So with that little bit of background, having tried to put ourselves into the alien (to us) world of 1st. Century Jewish life, let’s see what it may mean to us today….

For there are two aspects of this story which seem very relevant to the life of Christians in the 21st century – and by that I mean you and me!....There is firstly a real need to make:  

For there are two aspects of this story which seem very relevant to the life of Christians in the 21st century – and by that I mean you and me!....There is firstly a real need to make:  

1. A Time to BE with God.  

This is exactly how we see Mary behaving in this story.   She chose to sit and listen to Jesus.   She was reflective, calm, loving, and attentive to her Lord.  Remember this occasion probably occurred as Jesus is going up to Jerusalem and Crucifixion.   It was indeed a time to listen intently to Him  - He would not be on earth much longer!

That’s why Jesus commends Mary’s behaviour to Martha. her sister:  “one thing is needed”.  This could be translated as (a) Only a few things are needed for a meal or (Much more likely) (b) Only one thing is actually needed at that moment, which is to listen intently to what Jesus wants to tell them.

Indeed, Jesus adds “Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her”.  

What will not be taken away?  What is that “it”?

Surely it is the message of Salvation about which Jesus was talking to Mary .  Salvation which is a gift offered freely, but so often ignored!

This is the key point. Throughout the New Testament. We are told clearly:  Salvation is not earned.  It is freely given to those who put their trust in Jesus.

The writer of Ephesians puts this so succinctly.  It’s one of my favourite  Bible verses.!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this NOT from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast”

Mary realized she could do nothing to earn her salvation: her personal relationship with God her Father, through Jesus. She simply sat, listened and believed.  Exactly the same applies to us.

Have you ever sat down and given time to really listen to what Jesus has to say to you in the quiet of your heart? Listened and believed?  Openly accepted the free gift that Jesus offers, that of a right relationship with God? Yes, it’s time for each of us to make a proper, regular Time to be with God!

Now we need to move on to appreciate busy Martha, who focuses on:

2. A Time to SERVE God If Mary seems to be reflective, loving and calm, then Martha comes across as practical, impulsive and short tempered!

Again some background:  It is unlikely that Martha was just making a meal for the three of them.  Jesus’ disciples would have been with him, possibly resting up after the journey in the courtyard, so there were probably a good dozen or so mouths to be fed.

However, in lst. Century Jewish life, it would have been very unusual for two women in to invite a man or indeed several men into their home.

And yet that is what Mary and Martha did. And Martha clearly shows she has a real gift hospitality.   1Peter 4:9–10 NIV: Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Such a meal would also have involved a substantial amount of food: generosity in itself, but Martha also gives of her time and skill as a cook.  She uses her gift of hospitality!

However, we are told Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.   Any of us who have cooked for a large number of people will immediately identify with Martha.  And remember there were very few “Mod Cons” in those long ago days.  It must have a plethora of hard work, trying to undertake several cooking tasks all at the same time!

Martha looks across at her sister, “just  sitting” and complains to Jesus . “Don’t you care?”  “tell her to come and help me”!   She goes straight to the nub of her crossness. She needs help, and Mary is apparently doing nothing.  Maybe she was jealous of Mary, listening to Jesus, “just sitting and listening”!

There are many suggestions as to what Jesus means when he says to Martha, “only one thing is necessary”.  Did he mean only a very basic meal was necessary?  Not maybe all the courses and elaborate dishes Martha was concocting?

But much more likely is that Jesus means the only thing that was necessary at that moment was a right relationship with him?

Remember that quotation from Ephesians, telling us that we do not earn our salvation by what we do, but by simple, active trust in Jesus as our Saviour?

However, it’s sometimes said of certain Christians that:

“They’re so heavenly minded, They’re of no earthly use!”

Does that ring any bells?

I often think of a comment I must have heard years ago.    It goes like this:  

Forgiveness and Salvation are a FREE gift from God!  And we spend the rest of our lives, in thankfulness for that gift,  by serving God and others.

But both aspects  need to be taken hold of !!

In two simple ways:

We must make time to listen attentively to what the Lord is saying to us…..

And equally a time to get on with what He has told us to do.  

Both are essential to genuine Christian life. But the tendency is for us to major on one or the other - Just like Martha and Mary.

So WHO ARE YOU? A Martha or a Mary?

I think you know what to do about it!

Let’s pray:

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DOUBTING THOMAS   Jn. 20: 20-29: 11 am 3rd July 2019   Kay Morison

INTRO:  It was Spring, several years ago.  A warm sunny day. I still remember it vividly. John and I had gone by bus across the ferry to Swanage, and walked up to Durlston Country Park to see the spring flowers – Orchids hidden in the grass and Cowslips carpeting the meadows.  Just as lovely as always. And of course, the sea birds squawking on the cliffs, preparing to nest.

We returned to Swanage the back way, down over the fields into the town.  Past the ducks on the mill pond, and the parish church. Then to the station bus stop, walking along the road by the Mill Stream.

John looked over the wall to the stream and simply couldn’t believe his  eyes!  Chomping away at the watercress 5 feet below, was a large, glossy Water Vole. Totally ignoring the traffic and the passers by, right in the middle of the town, a fat, brown water vole!

John called me over and I was equally taken aback when he pointed the water vole to me.  Such creatures are shy, becoming rare and like hidden waters and no disturbance.  But there it was!    “seeing is believing”. I doubt if I would have been willing to accept what John had seen, if I hadn’t been there, to see for myself.  

Just like Thomas and the disciples in our Gospel story:  For Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus appeared to the others.

So let’s look for a moment at:

1. THEIR FAITH – The disciples’ faith. Loyal Thomas goes off alone to lick his wounds – so he’s not with other disciples when Jesus comes.  Didn’t see him.   In contrast, the other Disciples had their faith completely renewed on seeing the risen Jesus for themselves, before their very eyes. “Jesus came and stood among them and said ‘Peace be with you’ And after he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (vs.19b-20)   Jesus often meets us in Christian community.  For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them Mt. 18.20

Anthropologists identify man as a “social animal”.  As the ancient Apostle John lay on his bed his constant refrain was (1Jn4:7)“Dear friends, let us love one another”, and love means being together and sharing with each other!

Do you see where Thomas went wrong? He was loyal but lonely.  And isolation leads to doubt:   Doubting Thomas….

2.  HIS FAITH  in the Resurrection of Jesus could only be established by sight and touch: v. 25: “unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will NOT believe it!”

There is a delightful honesty about Thomas, he refused to say that he believed, what he could not believe. But also foolishness – he went off alone after the Crucifixion.  Faith grows in the household of faith.

Careful research by Bishop John Finney shows that Belonging usually comes before Believing.  Being an active member of a Christian Community leads into real faith and the opportunity for a real relationship with the risen Jesus. But Jesus loved bluff Thomas.  And He lovingly met with him in the midst of the other disciples: “Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said ‘Peace be with you!’  Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.  Thomas said to him ‘My Lord and my God’” (vs. 26b-28)

Jesus met his needs.      Thomas’s total response:   “My Lord and my God”. = Greatest doubters often become the greatest believers.  The same thing happened to St. Paul……..How about us?  Honesty about doubt, readiness to respond in faith.

Disciples’ Faith, Thomas’s Faith, now:

3.    OUR FAITH Thomas required the eye of sight, we need the eye of faith.  Jesus specifically mentions you and me in this respect.    Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Quote v. 29)

The disciples had eye-sight – we are offered INSIGHT: That the Resurrection is really, really true. That Jesus is alive right now! And Jesus calls us blessed! “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (quote v. 29b)

You may not understand the Resurrection but you can believe!   And better still, turn to Jesus in full commitment to say: “My Lord and My God!”

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Acts 2 – Pentecost All together - All filled - All will be saved Themes:- Unity, Diversity and Salvation  - Charlie Boyle - 9th June 2019

Acts 2 – Pentecost All together - All filled - All will be saved Themes:- Unity, Diversity and Salvation Context - Luke wants to present to us one of the most important incidents since the departure of Jesus. Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. Remember Jesus first gave his disciples the Holy Spirit and here on the birthday of the church the Holy Spirit descends in power. It manifests itself in fire, wind and speaking in tongues. Wind not unlike what we saw or experienced on the beach yesterday. Powerful! The Holy Spirit is the comforter, the life giver. There can be no life without the life giver, no understanding without the spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the spirit. And no Christ likeness of character apart from his fruit and no effective witness without the power of his Holy Spirit. As John Stott has put it “a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the Holy Spirit is dead.” The Holy Spirit made the disciples brave and can help each one of us too. It guides and comforts us today just as it did Jesus’ followers. In Acts chapter 2 we see Luke’s description of Pentecost itself followed by Peter’s explanation an address to the crowd. In it we see the themes of unity, a coming together, diversity in different peoples gathering and yet knowing their own language, as well as salvation. Firstly unity. They were…

All together

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place…

All 120 Christians were in one place, like we are gathered here today…. There was a sense of Unity in the gathering, they were all together. Not unlike what we have seen on our TV screens during the past week, with World leaders gathering to commemorate and remember the D-Day landings that started on the Normandy beaches on Wednesday 6th June 1944. In what some papers have described in their headlines as the day that changed the world. And it is good to remember, like we do in November on Remembrance Sunday every year to reflect on all they did for us, the peace and freedom and hope they won for us. But the effects of Pentecost are longer lasting, with some 1/3rd of the world’s population being Christians today.

It is in some respects a miracle that even in these what can be tumultuous times, when sometimes we see a world where there is so much division, there is still a sense of respect for those who have gone before us, for the resilient generation, as the Queen described those who gave their lives, for our collective freedom. World leaders gathered, to show unity, their respect, and reverence, as well as to reflect on the events of the past. But As the Pope has said in the past, “what we share in Christ is greater than what continues to divide us”. So we see the believers are all are together in Unity and then...

All filled All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. God’s spirit has been poured out upon a lot of people all at once. The Holy Spirit manifests itself in many different ways, in today’s passage it was through wind, fire and speaking in tongues. For some people it is the experience of getting hot, when being prayed for. We each experience it in different ways because we are all different. I have spoken about speaking in tongues before, so will not this morning.

God loves our diversity, he did not make us all the same. This gathering of an international, multilingual crowd, is a demonstration of that diversity. It is similar to when we have baptisms, with folk from other countries, as we did a few weeks ago. God loves everyone and welcomes diversity. Through His Holy Spirit ….he inspires us to do things we would not normally do …to pray for people, to reach out to people we might find difficult, to be more loving, to read and understand His Word. The Holy Spirit inspires us and gives us courage like it did for the 95 year old Harry Read, as he parachuted in tandem back in France, a retired Salvation army officer, from Bournemouth who when about to jump out of an aircraft, prayed and then sensed God saying “go for it Harry!” God inspires us, as a family, to do things we would not normally do by His Holy Spirit. For half term as some of you know we went to Norfolk and took part in the National Pilgrimage walk around Little Walsingham. Now don’t worry I haven’t converted to becoming a Roman Catholic but there was a real sense of unity, as we walked around the village of Walsingham, with my mainly agnostic father, my roman catholic step-mother and family, alongside others singing songs, we loved it, and saying the Hail Mary, at least I now know what it is! … as we prayed the Lord’s prayer together, as we witnessed in the streets, we were filled with joy and celebration, even amidst the odd spot of rain, and our more conservative evangelical friends protesting in the background saying “no popery or reverence of Mary.” But for me, I found it both amusing and wonderful, seeing both sides of the Christian spectrum of faith.

You see the work of God is wonderfully inclusive, as there is not category of person left out, regardless of which spectrum or denomination or Christian faith or background you come from, regardless of sex, age, intelligence, background or social class. God loves us and wants us to know him through His spirit. God loves us each one of us deeply, we are treasured in His eyes and precious. So we all are together, all filled with the Holy Spirit but finally and most importantly v.21 “everyone who called on the name of the Lord will be saved”

All will be saved Salvation – Being saved – doesn’t just mean “going to heaven when we die”, it also means knowing God’s rescuing power now. The power revealed in Jesus, to his disciples, continues today through the Holy Spirit. That power of salvation, being saved is a present reality as well as a future hope. I am a born again Christian, renewed through His Spirit, I am saved through the blood of Jesus. Am I perfect, no far from it but I am saved. I am sure many of you will know that on the maiden voyage of the Titanic from Southampton to New York in April 1912, the Titanic, the largest passenger steamship in the world and considered by many to be unsinkable, struck an iceberg and sank in the icy Atlantic. But did you know that following the disaster the scene outside the White Star Line office in Liverpool was one of anxiety and grief, as friends and relatives of those on board the ill-fated Vessel thronged the building. In the days before instant global communication information about survivors travelled much slower. On both sides of the main entrance notices were posted. One said “KNOWN TO BE SAVED”; the other side said “KNOWN TO BE LOST”. From time to time a company official walked out with a piece of paper, which contained the name of another passenger. When he held it up, a deathly stillness swept over the crowd as loved ones of the missing waited to see which side he would write the name on. The day Jesus was crucified God looked down from Heaven and wrote “KNOWN TO BE SAVED” on the cross and the message of the cross hasn’t changed. You don’t have to know too much about Christianity or the Church, or God’s Word, in fact when most people when they first come to Christ they don’t know a lot about the Bible. I know after I first committed my life again to Christ back in 1998 I didn’t even read the Bible at first. It took me at least six months to buy one. All I knew was my life was a bit of a mess and that I needed a Saviour and that God loved me. All you have to do to be saved and receive eternal life, is repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus. But it is a decision you have to make on your own. I can’t make is for you Your family can’t make it for you, my father won’t get into heaven just because his son is a Vicar. Neither can friends by association. The Holy Spirit convicts and converts each one us. That is what I’ve been praying for me X5 friends during the Thy Kingdom Come initiative, in the past 11 days. God can do whatever, God wants to do and it isn’t up to us to set boundaries to the ways in which he can, and does reach out, whether that be to an individual or group of people we might have difficulty with … that’s exciting isn’t it?

If you have prayed for someone during the THY KINGDOM COME initiative, can I encourage you to keep praying, if the individuals have not yet come to know Jesus?

As Archbishop Justin Welby writes in the United Christian Broadcasters - Word for today “I came to a living faith in Christ at University through the encouragement and prayers of my peers but what I learned later was that I had also been prayer for, every week, for 18 years by a close family friend … Never underestimate the power of prayer… Who have you prayed for? Continue to do so. Don’t give up! If you are a God-parent pray for your godchild If you are a grand-parent, pray for your grand-children If you are here on your own but married pray for your spouse If you are married pray for those who are single If you are a friend who is single pray for those who are married

What do you need prayer for? Prayer ministry at the end of the service by the font. Anyone who knows the need to be rescued, whatever from, can call on the Lord and discover how it can happen… everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

So let’s pray …

Come Holy Spirit Fruits of the Spirit are …love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control … let us all be filled with the Holy Spirit. Does that mean you will always exhibit those qualities, no…but we need to ask to be constantly filled again with the Spirit…because it leaks out of us… For v.21 “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” So if you have never said the salvation prayer, please join with me in saying:- Sorry …for the mistakes I have made Thank you, Lord Jesus that you died on the cross for my sins Please fill me with your Spirit AMEN.

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Annual Review Sunday - Charlie Boyle - 28th April 2019

Matt 28 & 1 Cor 12 

Time for change, time for challenge, the great commission of Christ This morning I want to talk about the need to fulfil the great commission to evangelise, the environment and the need to work together ecumenically, as we have been doing. We are facing globally and as a nation and as a church a time of change and challenge. Brexit is still undecided, the plotting, the protests seem to just carry on, God only knows where we will be in a few weeks time! Firstly let us remember the need to be evangelical, to be proud of our evangelical heritage.

At my first PCC, over five years ago here in the vestry, I mentioned the great commission given by Jesus to the 11 disciples on a mountain in Galilee. To go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly at our Wednesday morning prayer meeting, we had the same passage. Libby Lane the Bishop of Stockport to the diocese of Chester, who you may remember back in 2015 was consecrated as the Church of England’s first woman bishop, reflected on this passage saying that the disciples are to embark on a greater more difficult task – the evangelisation of the world.

This of course is not a short-term healing mission project like the one that Joshua and I went on to India, mentioned in the annual report. Instead this is to last until the very end of time itself. This is our calling as disciples of Christ and of course it is a challenge for the church, as well as us as individual Christians to be on mission. The resurrection of Christ which we celebrated last Sunday has transformed the Christ mission from a local matter, into a global movement transcending all differences of culture. Libby Lane went on to say this perpetual mission can be summed up using the very same words that I used on page 1 of the annual report, namely the five marks of mission. To remind us they are:-

i) Proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, including teaching, baptising and nurturing new believers, ii) responding to human need in loving service, iii) transforming unjust structures of society, iv) challenging violence of every kind and pursuing peace and reconciliation, as well as v) safeguarding the integrity of creation and sustaining and renewing the life of the earth.

When I look at the annual report, I am pleased that in many different ways we have been very missional in our work here at All Saints, of course there is more to do. I am excited and encouraged by new homegroups and prayer groups being formed in the past year and in recent months, as well as people joining our Church. But when I see all that has been done, I remind myself of the baptisms, funerals, weddings, activities, large and small whether they are courses that we have run as a church or small acts of kindness and love. They are of course, not for our own benefit but to reach out to both new and old Christians, as well as those who don’t know Jesus yet. To embrace people at key moments in their lives, be they celebrations of new birth, a time to thank God for the safe arrival of their loved ones. Or funerals, often now called services of thanksgiving, as people give thanks for the lives of their loved ones. As they are comforted in their grief, as they reflect on their own lives. At these points and in our Christian lives we are to be faithful witnesses and evangelise.

Secondly we are to be engaged environmentalists. But we are in a time of change and challenge, as the old ways of doing things and new ways clash not just globally but also as a nation and also as a Church. I think this is shown for example in the debate over climate change, highlighted in programme like David Attenburgh’s film Climate Change – the facts or the Blue Planet series. In it David recently described climate change “as our greatest threat in 1,000’s of years. With greater storms, greater floods and sea-level rises (20 cms in the last 100 years), with ice melting faster and urgent action being needed. We are running out of time but there is still hope. 20 of the last warmest years have occurred in the last 20 years. We are the Lord’s creatures and the trustees of this planet. Whether you agree with the actions of Extinction Rebellion or not our way of life is changing the world. In one clip from the film there was a father and son driving through a frightening wildfire – crying out to Jesus to save them and protect them. But I have possibly like many of you been particularly struck by bravery and determination of 16 year old Greta Thornburg, who started missing school on Fridays to protest outside the Swedish parliament in her desire to see change a desire to see policies altered, to stand up and get politicians to notice. As she said change is coming whether you like it or not.

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Britain’s largest money manager, Legal and General, with over 1 trillion of the UK pension funds investments, where some of you like me might have some of your pensions, stated that the world is facing a climate catastrophe. L & G has now place climate change at the top of its list of corporate governance concerns. This issue of climate change is not going away. But a bit like the call to evangelism that I mentioned earlier, it is all our responsibility.

How might we respond as a church? How might we do our bit to safeguard creation?

Here are a couple of suggestions, firstly we could progress the memorial garden project setting aside a space for reflection and the environment to flourish in our cemetery, as part of our commitment to enhancing the wildlife, biodiversity and beauty of this particular part of God’s creation. Secondly we could, like many of the churches in the Salisbury diocese commit to being an eco-church, through the AROCHA scheme, like many other Churches in the Diocese. Thirdly we all have a personal responsibility to lead our lives in a more sustainable way be it refusing plastic bags, picking up litter or not having plastic straws [what’s the point of them anyway?] So we can be committed as a church to evangelism and environmentalism. Thirdly we can work in an ecumenical way, alongside other churches who are happy to share our values, working together for the greater good. It’s great that new people have joined our church in recent months, I love the strength and depth of people’s different church backgrounds and spiritualties. In my view the breadth and depth of our spirituality, the wide variety of services, both in style and content is something to be celebrated, to give thanks for. We are a Church that, as well as doing Alpha, seek to embrace all ages and stages of faith from babies to people in their 90’s…

We have as a church continued to work with St Swithun’s Bournemouth, re-branded as love church, in promoting and working together the bereavement journey courses and marriage preparation courses, some of whom were unchurched. 

In addition several of us have been into Lilliput school as well as St Edwards, to deliver assemblies, which whilst in the ecclesiastical parishes of Holy Angels and St George’s, Oakdale, have been well received and our help is always welcomed, both by other churches, teachers and pupils. Some of you might be thinking what can I do? I don’t have or haven’t been involved in some of the things you have said.

But as it clearly says in 1 Corinthians 12…. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one spirit into one body. As it says earlier in the chapter that we have just had read “ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. – 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 whether we have the gift of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues interpretation of tongues or indeed administration,  giving, serving, whatever we have we must use it to God’s glory. Not in our own strength. But these gifts are to build up the church and that is what we are here to do. To build the kingdom here on earth and each one of us has a role to play whether large or small, upfront or behind the stage. The church is only as good as the people in it. 

The other reason I chose this particular passage for today were verses 25 and 26 so there should be no division in the body, but it’s part should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.

When we have seen in the past week, on Easter Sunday, the church in Sri Lanka, being attacked and bombed by militant Islamist groups, leading to children as well as adults dying. My heart bleeds At a prayer meeting in the past week I literally cried. Of course we know the forces of evil are always out there, as well as sometimes in our own hearts but let us remember who the enemy is. Retaliation is not the answer, apparently the attack was in response to what happened to the Muslim community in Christchurch. We know that tit for tat, an eye for an eye, is not what Jesus teaches, revenge through violence is not what the Christian message is all about, instead we are to promote Christ’s message through love, through reaching out to the bereaved, the lonely, the lost, to embrace those who are different from us. If we are to be a Church that grows in the next year and All Saints and elsewhere, we must remember our evangelical routes, from the early disciples:

The power of prayer To be reconcilers That love triumphs over hate To be people who forgive quickly To be people who work together, ecumenically To be responsible stewards of our creation To realise our good fortune and relative privilege To be proud of the message that Jesus gave us To go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

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Sermon for Lent Communion on  20th March 2019 Matthew 20 . 17-28.  Kay Morison

I’m a Mother.     I know how mothers want the very best for their children.  We work hard on their behalf, nurturing them, helping them to spread their wings, showing them a faith to live by, encouraging them to find a fulfilling way of life.

The Mother of James and John clearly wanted the very best for her sons.  She wanted them to have the top jobs. And she wanted them to have High Status: the most important positions when Jesus became King of the Jews.  I guess a bit like, in our day, wanting her sons to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary!  That was, in the days, as she wrongly thought, when Jesus became an earthly King of Israel.  For surely that would happen when Jesus had driven out their Roman Overlords and the Jews were back running their own homeland.  Surely then, Jesus would need her sons as fellow “Top Dogs”?   How wrong she was!

So my first point at this Lent Communion is: False Status is shown to be Futile.

For St. Matthew writes: “ The Mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and kneeling down, asked a favour of him.”

It is revealing that in Mark’s version of this story, it is the two brothers who asked Jesus directly.   It is thought that Mark’s gospel was the first to be written so our Gospel reading, Matthew, is  trying to tone down the picture of “status seeking brothers”. For they certainly became such significant leaders in the early church. So thinks St. Matthew….rather, blame the boy’s Mother for the bumptious question!

Jesus listens carefully to the request, this demand for high Status in His coming kingdom. The Lord then asks the two brothers a question:  Incidentally, this is often an ideal way of opening up a difficult discussion or situation.  Jesus explains to James and John, that they simply don’t know what they are asking for!  

They may well desire status, but are they able to do what Jesus is about to do?   He asks them perplexedly, “Can you drink of the cup I am going to drink?”

This deeper meaning of a “cup” is somewhat strange to us today.  We may well instinctively think of teacups! However Jesus speaks of a practice well understood by Jews. For “It was the custom at a royal banquet for the king to hand his cup of wine to the guests.”  In our Gospel passage the cup therefore becomes a metaphor for the life and experience that God offers to men,   So in this passage the Cup represents the suffering that lay ahead for Jesus.  He challenges James and John, and asks if they can go through the same sort of suffering that lies ahead for their Master.

Zebedee’s sons reply that Yes! They can drink from the same cup as Jesus has drunk”, but they did not realise that their Master actually meant, for them to suffer in the same way as He was about to suffer.

James was beheaded by Herod, the first Apostle to be martyred.  It is thought that John died about 100 AD as an ancient man in Ephesus. After lonely exile on Patmos.

So much for James and John having status in Jesus’ kingdom.  They had to learn that in their Master’s Kingdom, status was futile!  Anyway, it was not actually in Jesus’ gift to say they could sit at His left and right hand “these places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father”.

What about today?   We can only too clearly see the lure of Status.    We have seen M.P.s seemingly wanting to take over as our Prime Minister, live in No 10, have Chequers for the weekend and see the Queen most Tuesdays.

However in our passage today, Jesus tells us that Status is not in fact found in self-regarding, self-promoting.

Status is actually evidenced by someone loved by Jesus and commissioned by Him to share his love with others.  Now, every one of us can do that in bigger or smaller ways, as my next point will make clear. So if my first point from today’s Gospel is that - False Status is shown to be Futile -

My second point is that True Service is shown to be selfless

Now Jesus turns the attention of John and James and the ten other disciples to a totally different way of living. It is interesting, if not surprising, that Matthew records, “When the ten heard this (that is: the brothers request for top places in Jesus’ kingdom) they were indignant!” Were they angry they hadn’t thought of asking for top positions themselves?   A commentary I read says that this whole passage shows “the Twelve were not a company of saints!”

They were ordinary people like ourselves, and yet with that ordinary group, Jesus set out to change the world.   We can play our part in that change too.

But how?  Jesus tells the twelve they must not look for greatness, but rather, opportunities to serve others.   Matthew uses the word “slave” to describe how the disciples were to serve: obedient, dutiful and with no thought of benefitting themselves.  

Jesus models that serving attitude right up to the extreme example of dying on a cross for our sake.  He declares that “the Son of Man (a name for the Messiah) did not come to be served, but to serve…”

So Jesus calls us today to serve others, in church, in our community and in our homes, maybe in our Block of flats or in our particular interest groups.

Carolyn spoke of this very principle at a recent Parade Service , when she contrasted “Choosing Power with Choosing to Serve”  - and we all know which of the two is the right action to take!

So I want to conclude with a quote from a very challenging commentary on this passage written by William Barclay:  

“The world may assess a man’s greatness……            by the number of people whom he controls,  and who are at his beck and call…….. or by his intellectual standing and his academic eminence…….. or by the number of committees of which he is a member…….. or by the size of his bank balance, and the material possessions which he has amassed;…….. BUT in the assessment of Jesus Christ these things are irrelevant!         Our Lord’s assessment is quite simply – how many people has this person helped?”

So:  How many people have I helped?  How can I put into practice what Jesus commands me to do?

As we come one by one to receive Communion this morning, ask yourself:  Who can I help this week –sending a letter, making a friendly phone call, posting a “thinking of you” card,  making a visit and bringing with you a meal for a shut-in? …..Think about it!

There are so many simple things we can do!

And as we help other people, we will realise that mere Status is futile.  In God’s economy, it is selfless Service that counts.

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Sabbath Rest - Charlie Boyle -17th February 2019

This is the penultimate sermon in our series on mental health and well-being.

“By the 7th day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the 7th day he rested, from all his work. And God blessed the 7th day and made it holy ….”

Sabbath is not just for the super spiritual, it is for all of us. The word comes from Hebrew Shabbat. The word Sabbath means, “Cease.”, cease from work…normal activity. And holiness means to be set apart for God. Holy is unique to God’s character, which is something we as Christians should aspire to…

But the pace of life can be hectic?

I don’t know about you but I am often telling my children to:  

“Hurry up, get a move on, we’re going to be late” even the other day on my day off I was rushing to get to the cinema on time … what’s the point of that!

How often have you heard yourself, or others say:

- If only I had the time - There’s never enough time - I don’t know where the time goes - But how do you find the time? - I’m hard pressed for time - Is that the time already? - My, how time flies - Mustn’t waste time, must we? - I just ran out of time. - I don’t even get time to think

We have a range of other expressions as well

- I haven’t got a moment to spare - There are never enough hours in the day - We always seem to be “on the go” - There’s always so much to do - Doesn’t time fly - We’re flat out at the moment - I’ve just got to rush - The week’s simply flown by - Back to the treadmill - No rest for the wicked

- And the revealing invitation: You must come around some time …which means don’t!

We think that the busier we are, the more important our life is.

If your body could talk, what would it be saying to you?

Perhaps it is talking in the language of protest …. When we refuse to co-operate with God’s principles for their proper maintenance.

The trouble with SUCCESS is that the formula is the same one for a nervous breakdown.

Like all of God’s Commandments, the 4th commandment of the Sabbath rest was designed not to be a burden, but a blessing.

Explanation The emphasis of the 4th commandment is that our work is done in 6 days.

However, the work ethic of some people does little justice to the built-in human need for a balanced life.

The pace of many people’s lives is killing them.

Many people are burnt out.

We can burn the candle at both ends and then discover that we are not that bright after all…!

People are constantly complaining about how tired they feel.  

We even feel tired when we wake up in the morning.

If our output exceeds our input, then our upkeep will be our downfall. (x2) ask congregation to repeat…

Too many irons in fire - put out the fire.

If we do not come apart and rest, we’ll just come apart.

Guilt is one of the main roadblocks for making the Sabbath a reality. Guilt about leaving things undone, and guilt when we don’t rest perfectly. If you struggle with guilt about taking time to rest, then perhaps you are trying to implement a Sabbath routine instead of a rhythm of rest.

In a world searching for purpose by proclaiming every thought, word and deed on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or Twitter, remember that Jesus is discriminating about how he communicated, often he fell silent and did not reply.

Jesus said: “Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest”

But let us not forget the context of the Genesis passage and the origin of the Sabbath.

What day is the Sabbath? The Sabbath in the Old Testament was the 7th day of the week, which is our equivalent of Saturday.  The early Christians were forced to move their corporate worship to the evening after the Sabbath and the morning of the first day of the week.

In the third century, Christianity began to have an influence on the government of the day.  Eventually through the Emperor Constantine in AD 321, its constitution changed and required one day off in seven, to enable people to rest and worship.  

The practice of resting on the first day of the week was established and Sunday worship became the norm for Christians.

Many people however cannot avoid working on Sunday – for example. Those in the Emergency Services….restaurant owners, those involved in Church, those who work in shops now open on a Sunday.

Are they breaking the fourth Commandment?

No, the principle is to work 6 days and keep the 7th as a day of rest.

There are of course obvious exemptions

Works of necessity;

Works of mercy;

Works of emergency.

But equally there is, great value when we meet together for worship on the same day as a practicality, but when that isn’t possible, the principle is that one in 7 should be a day off. Don’t feel guilty about having a rest, about saying no on your Sabbath rest day.

“Remember to observe the Sabbath”

We must keep 1 day in 7 as a time of rest. It is one of the 10 Commandments.

It is not as if we say to ourselves, look I think I will be dishonest this week, or to our spouses I think I will have a bit of a fling on the side this week, there is someone I rather fancy at work, or murder someone this week but I will keep it next week.

So why are we more casual with taking a Sabbath rest day?

But you may ask how?

How do we keep the Sabbath?

By doing the things that God intended.

For our benefit:

physically, emotionally and spiritually.

1. The Sabbath: A day to rest our body. God says NO WORK. A day of physical non-productivity. I find it really hard to do this, as someone with a protestant work ethic and a mother that rarely rested. I remember once when I was doing the Freedom in Christ course in London, we had to spend the whole morning just sitting around doing nothing…in the days before iPads and mobile phones, we weren’t even allowed to look at the paper. Just had to be with God…I found it really hard. But Granny was very wise, she would always say it is good to have a rest, especially after lunch … “I am off for a QUICK peepie possie” she would say. As one wise elderly man always says to me after the 11am, now is the time to put your fee up!

Resting from the things we do during the week, to create a day of distinction.

It could be that for those with children that means …it is OK to not tidy their bedroom, do the dishes or any homework! Six other days for that …

As the Proverb goes: The bow that is always bent will finally cease to shoot at all.

One doctor said: “The periods of rest I prescribe for my patients are often Sabbaths in arrears.”

9.30AM ONLY [Have you noticed how children hate to go to sleep?

But we know that unless they get their proper rest, they aren’t going to be fit to live with the next day…]

Some of you haven’t been taking a day off. And you aren’t fit to live with.

There was a rich Businessman was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting beside his boat. ‘Why aren’t you out there fishing?’ he asked.

‘Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,’ said the fisherman. ‘Why don’t you catch more than you need?’ the businessman asked. ‘What would I do with them?’ ‘You could earn more money and buy a better boat, so that you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.’

Then the fisherman asked, ‘Then what would I do?’ ‘You could sit down and enjoy life,’ said the businessman. The fisherman looked placidly out to sea, and said,

‘What do you think I’m doing now?’

Recap 1. The Sabbath: A day to rest our body. It is also a 

2. The Sabbath: A day to re-charge our emotions.

Some of you may be tired, tense and troubled.

Complete these sentences SHARE WITH CONGREGATION!

ASK …

I am at my wit’s _________(end) I am ready to throw in the ___________ (towel) I am at the end of my ____________(tether) I am just a bundle of ____________ (nerves)

Thanks

I just want to give up….I want to resign from …. Application How do we re-charge our emotions? If you haven’t tried Kate Edwards’ Monday morning meditation …why not give it a go, get close to God…

Quietness

PAUSE SAY NOTHING!

30 SEC’s …just be still and quiet / calm ….

There is so much noise pollution in our society today.

Many of you know my pet hate in this particular part of the world is the leaf-blower…

But there is also the beauty of the beach and sea, where thankfully the sound of the waves drowns out most of the unpleasant noise, as it says in Psalm 23 “He leads me beside quiet waters; He restores my Soul.”  

The Sabbath, is a time when we step back to enjoy nature, rather than figuring out, how to change it.

It is only as we cease our restless “doing” that we will discover, what is to be done.

Remember that Family and friends are the Original Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

The most important things in life aren’t things - but people.

Let’s spend quality time with our family and friends.

It is not enough to grab a few minutes here or there.

The family is God’s institution.

Meal times are important gatherings in family life.  That’s why the meal and food, for example, at Alpha is for me the most important part in our Church family gatherings …

We should guard these meal times and gatherings against intrusions.

We have less time for meals than we once did, and we do not always have them when we should, we cook the wrong foods, or the right foods in the wrong way, to save time.

We fail to give ourselves time to properly digest what we have eaten. Meals are often sandwiched between other activities. They are grabbed or snatched.

There is much to be said, for not answering the telephone or texting during family meals.  Others can wait at such times.

I will never forget when we were on holiday last summer, which was very hot and it was quite late and we all went for an evening swim to cool down in Spain and have a cooling ice cream, chatting away to each other, whilst we watched a family nearby not interact at all as they were all on their mobile phones.

We need to learn to master the telephone rather than remain enslaved by it.  We don’t have to answer the telephone when we are having a meal.

Technology promised us modern conveniences that would make our lives easier, but computers, e-mails, mobile phones, have increased the pace of work, rather than diminished it.

The word “leisure” is derived from the Latin word “licere” which means “permission”.  The main reason so many people do not have enough leisure is that they are not giving themselves permission to take the time to enjoy it.  

Leisure is one of the best stress relievers, and it is strange that people resist it so much.

God is just as pleased when we play, as when we work, when each is done to make possible the greater effectiveness of the other. I often find that if I have had a proper day off and time away, I come back more effective than if I had stayed at my place of work. The brain needs time to re-charge. So remember the Sabbath is 1. The Sabbath: A day to rest our body. 2. The Sabbath: A day to re-charge our emotions.

Point 3. The Sabbath: A day to be renewed spiritually.

Context

Many people in Britain are spiritually bankrupt.

We have so little time for God.

Our lives are so full and yet so very empty.

We have no room for God, in our thoughts, in our schedules.

Can I encourage you to join me in prayer at mid-day with a little alarm on your phone? Or listen to the Daily Service on Radio 4 LW or DAB digital radio at 9:45am. Or come along to Morning Prayers in Church on Monday, Wednesdays or Fridays, or the Lent Communions coming up from Ash Wednesday …

When we keep the Sabbath day holy, we do not rest alone because a Holy God, whose presence is vital if we are to rest in peace, joins us.

Be still and know that I am God.

Worship renews our spirit as sleep renews the body.

Explanation Sabbath is a time for being in the presence of the Holy God and letting God shape our lives.

Stop working and let God work in you.

Does God have an opportunity to minister to you? When do you give Him time to do so?   If not on Sunday, or the Sabbath then when?

Sabbath is:

 A day to tune in to God  A day to get our spiritual focus.  A day to enjoy God.

Reiterate We focus not only on our: 

 Physical needs  Emotional needs

But also our:   Spiritual needs.

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.” Isaiah 58 v 13-14

Don’t pursue your own interests …. Put God first.

There was a rabbi who loved golf, it was his passion. Woke up, it was the Jewish Sabbath, he opened the curtains, ‘oh what a lovely day, this is a golf day’. ‘I could go out onto the course, have a quick round of golf, I could get back, have a shower get to the synagogue, no one would know!’ He was out there having a great time. The angel’s go to the Lord God, ‘Lord God, look down there, the rabbi!’ The Lord God looks, [make a looking movement] ‘yeah, yeah I can see him.’ ‘He���s playing golf on the Sabbath!’ ‘Yeah, yeah I know,’ They angels said, ‘teach him a lesson.’ So the next hole, he gets a hole in one. The angels were a bit puzzled. ‘Lord, we thought you were going to teach him a lesson?’ He said, ‘I have,’ They said, ‘what do you mean?’ PAUSE The Lord said, ‘who can he tell?!’

The point is not that Golf is bad but put God first…

Give God the first part of the first day of every week as a reminder to say you are first in my life.

Many people  - Worship their work  -  Work at their play - And don’t put God first! They don’t practice the Sabbath rest.

So we need to follow God and take the Sabbath rest seriously?

Recap 1. To rest our body, for our own physical health 2. To recharge our emotions, for our own emotional health 3. To be renewed spiritually, for our own spiritual health

While we like the idea and the appeal of the Sabbath, we resist the reality of actually observing it.

But, ignoring the Sabbath carries a heavy physical and psychological, emotional and spiritual price tag, and one that increases along with the modern pace of life.

Unless we change, there will come a time when it will be too late to do so. Too late, because others will have already suffered too much as a result of our obsessive haste.

Don’t you find when you rush you tend to have accidents more often?

Times will change for the better when we change.

Don’t pray for the situation to change but pray for your attitude to it to change.

Our rest is ultimately found in Jesus Christ.

Jesus said: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Many of us need to rest in Jesus before we can rest on the Sabbath.

Augustine said: ‘our hearts are restless, until they find their rest in you - Jesus Christ’

You learn to live by priorities not pressures.

Getting into God’s presence on the Sabbath should be our top priority.

We are all invited to know Jesus, to rest in his presence :

The invitation is from God, delivered to us in Jesus Christ.

If you got invited to go and have Tea with the Queen. I bet you I’d slip it into every conversation! But do you know that one day every queen that has reigned, every king that has every reigned. Every Prime Minister that has ever held an office. They are going to be on their knees. There won’t be kings or queens. They will all like us meet their maker, death is the great leveller.

Jesus is the only King worth remembering.

The invitation is to everyone, God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him.

Irrespective of our…

-Age -Colour of Skin -Culture, intelligence or mental capacities

Everyone!

Many people won’t look to God until they hit rock bottom. I know that was the case for me.

Jesus says, if you’re carrying burdens, and you’re restless, come to me. A modern day translation of that would be: • Are you feeling that you’re at the end of your tether, Come to me…. • Are you feeling that you want to resign from the human race? Come to me…

But you know you don’t have to hit rock bottom before you actually look to Jesus. You don’t have to wait! We’ve almost got to realise that you’re broken so that you can lean on Jesus.

What is the essence of Christianity?

It is about three things: 1. Forgiveness from the past 2. New life here today 3. A hope for the future

As we allow God’s spirit to work in our lives, we produce the fruit of the spirit:

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

Jesus Christ the most loving man who ever lived in the history of the world, listen to what he said:

Men and Women are travelling along one of two roads. Men and women are serving one of two masters. Men and women are building their life on one of two foundations. Men and women are going into one of two doors. Men and women are heading to one of two destinies. Heaven … Hell.

Why, why would the most loving man in the history of the world say those things? Unless they were true?

See this is serious…I am not standing here for fun, I am talking about your eternal life and destiny.

It doesn’t just affect your life here on earth, it affects your destiny, your eternity, the after-life, which is much longer than our time here!.

There’s a grave yard in York.

In this graveyard there’s a tomb stone, on the tombstone there are written these words:

Remember Friend, Passing by, As you are now, So once was I, As I am now, Soon you will be, Prepare for death and follow me.

Someone read those words and disagreed, they wrote an addition, they scratched it into the stone, they wrote: To follow you I’m not content, Until I know which way you went.

RESPONSE

• Have you received God’s invitation? • Are you breaking the commandment to have a Sabbath rest? • Are you a workaholic? • Has your workaholism damaged your family life? • Are you ready to throw in the towel? • Are you at the end of your tether? • Are you a bundle of nerves? • Are you falling apart? • Are you at your wit’s end? • Do you feel like resigning from your current role? • What is the condition of your body and mind and soul? • What is the condition of your soul? • Are you spiritually bankrupt?

If so then please do seek prayer ministry at the end of the service and joint with me in this prayer….

PRAYER

Lord, this command ought to be one of the easiest to obey. Yet so often I find it the most difficult. You told us to rest because we desperately need to. Lord forgive me for my worrying and striving, as though everything somehow depended on me. I look to you now, as the One who restores my soul. I look to you as the One who said: “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” That’s what I want to do today. I accept you as my shepherd, cleanse and heal me. Fill me with the presence and peace of your Holy Spirit. And help me to live according to your commandments, for my benefit and for the benefit of others. Amen.

This sermon is in large part based on the J John 10 series but the sermon written is never the same as the sermon heard or delivered!

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Depression and Dependence on God – 1 Kings 17 - Charlie Boyle-20th January 2019

So as we begin our new mental health and well-being series, I just want to say a few things about mental health issues, today I will focus a bit on depression which is the most common mental health diagnosis but cover the issue generally as an introduction. However I am by no means an expert, and this is not the only sermon in the series that we will cover it. You will see from the poster outside that there are going to be various sermons on depression, suicide, self care, Sabbath rest, dementia, stress, loneliness and well-being. At the end of week that saw the Brexit vote finally happen and Mrs May’s deal face the inevitable defeat in the House of Commons, but this I have to say amused me….

Private eye front page [slide….] “May in Mental Health boost – caption – May “I am the Prime Minister you know” Nurse replies “Yes dear, this way”. In the end her party backed her but I don’t know about you, it got me thinking how does she get to sleep at night?

Did you know that? In the United States, 1 in 10 people will suffer from chronic insomnia (lasting longer than a month) at some point in their lives, that might explain why in 2010, sleeping pills and related medicines accounted for 30 billion dollars in the United States. 

Stress is this country is now such a huge factor in modern living. A recent survey estimates that a 1/3rd of British workers, according to the National Work-stress network in 2012 will suffer from stress. There are great numbers of people on anti-depressants – in 2011 - 2 million prescriptions for anti-depressants, whilst 6.5 million working days a year are lost with employees off work for stress. As Christians we are not immune, we too may be endeavouring  to balance high-pressure working lives with looking after family, elderly relations, as well as earning our way in difficult economic and political times of uncertainty, which all play a factor in stress.

  But issues of mental health are not new, just talking about them in a more open way is. In 2018 I think there has been a step-change in the way we view mental health issues. In particular with Prince Harry talking openly about the loss of his mother, the joy of finding Megan to talk to on his recent trip to Australia and his promotion of the Heads Together campaign. We have talked about these issue before at All Saints but we (Carolyn and I) in planning the next sermon series thought it would be good to address them again in a mental health and well-being series.

However many of the people we read about in Bible stories today might be considered as having mental health issues. For example, take John the Baptist. Might people who were his cousin’s on Jesus’ side of the family, for example, have said “cousin John is a bit odd, bless him!” With his habit of eating locusts and wild honey. It has been long thought that King Saul, in the books of Samuel was displaying mood swings that suggest he had bipolar disorder.

Some may find the very suggestion of what I have said disturbing or offensive even. Perhaps we need to ask why it would be so terrible to think that some of our most inspirational forebears might have experienced mental health illness! Do we mistakenly believe that God cannot or will not work through people with mental health illness?

Remember Stephen Fry the comedian coming out with his mental health issue? Or do we transfer our judgement of the capacities of others onto God. Do we think that mental health illness is a condition makes people less able to do God’s work, or more unlikely to be able to articulate spiritual truth unable to participate meaningfully in worship? What are our prejudices? What do we do when confronted with those before us who seem to be displaying signs of instability, exasperation and frustration and mental health issues? Are we patient? Are we kind? Are we loving?

Or do we just dismiss them as a bit special, they’re just a bit mad…. Statistics show that one in four people suffer from mental health illness during their lives. The true figure is likely to be even higher. That means that we in this congregation have probably at least a fifth of us or a quarter who have experienced mental health issue. So that is a fair amount of us here today will have or know people who have. Mental health illnesses are real conditions that occur in real people, though not a sign of weakness or excuse. They involve real suffering and need understanding and appropriate responses, just like any other condition we might have.

As a psychiatrist friend once said to me we are all on the spectrum. Depending on our circumstances, background, upbringing and what life throws at us either emotionally or physically we move across that spectrum. But one of the key things to stay sane is to keep a sense of humour and perspective, to remember we are blessed. Talking of blessings and humour I thought I would just show you this…. (Insert slideshow about horses)

A punter was at the horse races In Ireland, playing the horses and all but losing his shirt. He noticed a Priest step out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race. Lo and behold, that horse - a very long shot - won the race. Next race, as the horses lined up, the Priest stepped onto the track. Sure enough, he blessed one of the horses.

The punter made a beeline for a betting window and placed a small bet on the horse.  Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse won the race.

He collected his winnings, and anxiously waited to see which horse the Priest would bless next.

He bet big on it, and it won.  As the races continued the Priest kept blessing long shots, and each one ended up winning.

The punter was elated.  He made a quick dash to the ATM, withdrew all his savings, and awaited for the Priest's blessing that would tell him which horse to bet on....

True to his pattern, the Priest stepped onto the track for the last race and blessed the forehead of an old nag that was the longest shot of the day.

This time the priest blessed the eyes, ears, and hooves of the old nag.  The punter thought he had a winner and bet every Euro he owned on the old nag.

He watched dumbfounded as the old nag came in last.  In a state of shock, he went to the track area where the Priest was.

Confronting Him, he demanded, 'Father!  What happened?  All day long you blessed horses and they all won.  Then in the last race, the horse you blessed lost by a mile.  Now, thanks to you I've lost every cent of my savings!'

The Priest nodded wisely and with sympathy.

'Son,' he said, 'that's the problem with you Protestants, you can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and last rites.'

But do you know to those who suffer or are suffering they don’t need people saying “pull yourself together” even “I know just how you feel”, is not always helpful. What is needed is understanding and a listening ear - and not being talk to, as though you are not a human being. A problem shared can be a problem halved, if the friend is actually listening, really listening without interrupting. If we are following the teaching of Jesus, who met people where they were in life and reached out to them in love and healing, churches can be places of real welcome, friendship and acceptance. It is our ministry to educate ourselves about mental health and to make sure that our welcome is appropriate and no one who enters our church experiences prejudice or feels stigmatised, regardless of our mental health. Now this morning [11am and 9.30am only] I just want to look at this passage from 1 Kings 17 about Elijah, as there are a few things we can learn about his situation. By way of background and context.

Elijah was a prophet and a miracle worker. He began to start his ministry in 875 B.C. He chose to carry out his ministry for God alone and paid for it with isolation and loneliness. He stopped people from worshipping the fake God Baal by defeating all the 450 prophets on Mount Carmel. In today’s part of the story we see that he prayed and a boy came back to life, through God. But first God supported this exhausted man very practically, he gives him food and allows him to rest. Elijah was brave and trusted God “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” He was a man of action as well as faith in God. “He did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. The ravens of course were unclean birds. Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. So things are getting pretty bad. He is getting pretty depressed no doubt. Did you know that between 4% and 10% of adults will experience depression in their lifetime with some 80,000 children and young people suffering from severe depression. Whilst some will only experience one episode, others will have recurring episodes indefinitely. I don’t know if you have ever experienced depression or been in a desperate situation but things are getting pretty bad for Elijah at this point. Yet he trusts and depends on God.

v.8 “Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarepath of Sidon and stay there. The widow goes on to feed him …from virtually nothing, things are pretty desperate for her too! She says “I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die”. She is also at the end of her tether and yet God supplies her needs, in fact it is a miracle.

Repeat reading v.14 -16 This is sometimes the case isn’t it, when we find ourselves in a desperate situation, God gives us perspective, in that others are also in a pretty bad place. We need to remember that whatever our situation in life, there is inevitably someone worse off objectively speaking but so often when we are in a pit of despair we can’t see that can we? Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.  She said to Elijah, “what you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

Give me your son, Elijah replied. He took him from her arms carried him to the upper room where he was staying and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing a son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the Lord, O Lord my God, let this boy’s life returned to him!”

The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house he gave in to his mother and said look your son is alive!” Then the woman said to Elijah, “now I know that you’re a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

You see we need to depend on God as each new trial comes upon us! Elijah witnessed, even in a desperate situation, he trusted God. He depended on God in spite of his depression and desperation. In doing so, he could have looked a fool by crying out to him, if God had not healed the boy. Yet instead his healing from that desperate situation leads to the woman having faith in God the word of the Lord the truth.

So when we are next in a desperate situation, when we are truly depressed and at the end of our tether, let us turn to God. He may not always answer our prayer in the way we like but at least it can be a testimony of faith…. As Christians, we are motivated to care not just for those who are currently suffering from mental illness, but to see unity in the body as a whole. Paul reflects this unity in 1 Corinthians 12:26 when he says: ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.’

So what? What can help if we are depressed? • Keeping active • Self-care • Anti-depressants • Cognitive behaviour therapy How can we help others who might be depressed? • Encourage our friend to seek treatment • Encourage them to talk about how they feel • Spend time with them, the greatest gift you can give • Be patient and show them you care

• Avoid telling them to “buck up” and pull themselves together

• Be a listening ear without judging them • There is so much help out there we just have to be brave and ask for it Finally and most importantly we must remember that we have a God who loves us regardless and carries us through our most terribly times, even if at times it does not feel like it.

Closing prayer O God, whose love restores the broken-hearted of this world: our out your love, we ask you especially upon those who feel abandoned, lonely or unloved. Strengthen their hope to meet the days ahead; give them courage to form life-giving friendships; and bless them with the joy of your eternal peace. Heavenly Father be our pace-maker and help us trust you in all things.

 Amen. The sermon written is never the same as the sermon heard or delivered!

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Luke 2 - Jesus Lost and Found in the Temple with the Teachers – Baptism all age talk - Charlie Boyle,

Being lost and found Has anyone here played the game …hide and seek…? Have you ever been lost? It is quite frightening isn’t it? There is that moment of panic, when you realise, you don’t know where your mother or father, grandparent or friend has gone, you can’t see them, you can’t find them? You are LOST!

- Someone is reported missing every 90 seconds … Fortunately two thirds, most of them were found within the same day. - Only 2% of children will be missing for longer than a week (estimated 1,600 children) Why am I telling you all this? Well Jesus was missing for 3 days... Who here is 12? Now Jesus at this age was nearly a teenager, which means he had a growing sense of independence. If so you are the same age as Jesus was in the reading we have just heard. Jesus was aged 12, when he was LOST, he went missing because he was talking to the teachers in the temple. He got so engrossed in what he was doing, he got left behind. Has that ever happened to you? It happened to me once on a boat, I was intently reading a book, I missed to getting off the boat in time but I went to a much nicer island instead…Sometimes God does that don’t you find? You get re-directed to something much better than your original plan. Jesus was lost but he was also found. Secondly Jesus listened to his parents, his elders and betters, he gained wisdom from others.

It is worth remembering that there is lots of wisdom out there in both older and wiser people around us, especially in this congregation, if we but take the time to listen to them.

So children although it might be boring sometimes, do take the time to listen to your parents, to learn from them as indeed they learn from you. I was with my parents over Christmas trying to teach them how to use an iPad…it required a lot of patience I can tell you. So parents can learn from their children too!

Jesus had found some really interesting people to talk to in the temple in Jerusalem. Teachers in the temple who were fascinated in Him, and he in them. What he had to say and the questions he asked as well as answered.

The question you might be asking yourself is…was Jesus naughty because he had not gone home with his parents?Or were they naughty and negligent for leaving him behind?

It reminds me of the time when David Cameron left one of his children in the pub, do you remember?

Well first, as is often the case it is not as simple as that because we need to remember that over 2,000 years ago in Palestine, when this happened, everyone walked. It was common to travel to Jerusalem in big groups, with the extended family and friends, like a big party and often men would walk with men and women with women.

So as Mary and Joseph, left Jerusalem they are likely not to have been walking side-by-side with each other. Joseph thought Jesus was with Mary and Mary thought Jesus was with Joseph!

But actually he was with neither of them but asking questions of the teachers. It is good to ask questions, isn’t it? It is OK to ask Why?

To have an enquiring inquisitive mind is a great thing. If you have questions about life and its meaning, why not think about coming to ask them on our next Alpha course, starting on Wed 16th Jan?

You see sometimes our parents don’t know all the answers.... So Jesus got lost but was found, listen to your parents and finally remember that sometimes only God has the answers. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus had questions that only the teachers in the temple could answer but also it was Jesus who was telling them a thing or two. You see Jesus impressed them with his answers.

Now to lose a child or to be lost as a child can be one of the most traumatic things....in anyone’s life...a bit like the parents of Madeleine McCann are still suffering from the loss of their child back in 2007. Mary and Joseph were pretty upset and cross with Jesus, when they eventually find him in the Temple, after having not seen him for 3 days. But often when things go wrong or we are angry, we look to blame someone else - don’t we?It is our own guilt that looks to blame others as opposed to taking the blame ourselves. Let’s remind ourselves of the story again.

His mother Mary says: Young man, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been half out of our minds looking for you.” They have been anxiously searching for him. But actually rather than say sorry, he gives them something to think about, saying “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?”.

I don't know what you think when you hear Jesus' reply either as a parent, or a child, it is a bold and some might say insolent / slightly rude response. 12 year olds like adults and children can be rude but it reflects the growing maturity of a 12-year-old boy. 

As well as Jesus accepting no blame, it shows Jesus' own developing self-awareness, of who he is and the knowledge that he belongs to Father God and not his earthly parents.  Naturally enough his parents did not understand what he was really saying to them. Parents don’t always understand their children! Children don’t always understand their parents.

As parents we have to one day let our children go, their own ways. As parents we have to teach our children responsibility and pass on our values, which in the light of today’s baptism, means passing on Christian values and morals, as well as a belief in Jesus, the light of the world. You see it is like this picture by Holman Hunt of Jesus, represented as knocking at our door, holding a lantern. The handle is on the inside, we have to let him in. Will Jesus be your light? Will you follow him? He is the light of the world.

Talking of lights one of the things that I discovered when I went to visit the baptism family, is that they had the same type of cooker as my wife and I bought some 5 years ago. Like us the light went a few months back and like us it took a bit of time to mend. So I thought I would give you guys a gift of a new light for your oven cooker. Every time you turn on the oven you can remind yourselves of the gift that Jesus is, he is the light of the world. As a parenting tip remember - Whatever choices we make this year, don’t get lost! Always go back to the place you last saw each other. Stay close to Jesus the light of world. 

Let us all remember that the greatest gift is, knowing Him, whether as a child or adult. Each one of us can, if we have lost our relationship with Jesus, find Him again.

Let us Pray.... Thank you God that even though we can get lost, you are always with us. Help each one of us, re-find that childlike relationship with you Lord Jesus the light of the world, whether as adults or children each one of us can spend time in the Church, the temple with Him. Amen

Remember the sermon written is never the same as the sermon heard or later remembered, join us on a Sunday to hear the message!

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Sermon for Jan. 2nd 2019 Luke 2 21-40.  Kay Morison.

Did you wait up on Monday to see the New Year in?  It always seems such a long wait….between maybe a party meal and then waiting …. until Big Ben strikes 12 and the fireworks go off.    A lot of waiting for…what?  A  different number for the year on the calendar….?

Of course waiting is one of the key words in the Bible passage we’ve just heard read.  Not waiting for a mere new year…But waiting for Someone, Someone very important.We are told in Luke’s gospel, that the man called Simeon “was waiting for the consolation of Israel”

Waiting for……what?  “Consolation” in Jewish thinking referred primarily to the coming of the eagerly anticipated Messiah.   Simeon was waiting…. To us that means the arrival of Jesus, the birth of the child we celebrated so joyfully this time last week.    

It is thought that Luke gained his information about the birth of Jesus direct from his mother, Mary.  That’s also how we know about faithful Simeon, who appears only this once in the NT. We know nothing else about him, apart from these few verses.  Nevertheless, we meet Simeon at one of the most significant times in history and God uses him to demonstrate a vital truth.

So first of all: We have noticed from our passage that 1. Simeon was Expecting the Messiah:   He was waiting for the consolation of Israel.

Secondly in this short passage we see described an even more significant event:  

2  Simeon’s Encounter with the Messiah:

St. Luke recounts: “It had been revealed to him (that is, Simeon) by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before he  had seen the Lord’s Christ.” V. 26

That was what Simeon was Waiting for! The coming of God’s Chosen One.  What a marvellous Person to be waiting for!

Luke says that Simeon was “moved by the Spirit” to go into the Temple Courts.  It was because he responded to God’s prompting that he was in the Temple, at exactly the right time.  Simeon not only listened to God, but was obedient to him.  That’s why he was in the right place at the right time.

ILLUS:  I am sure you’ve had the experience of someone saying to you “you’ve come just at the right time”.  “You’ve rung just when I needed to talk to someone”

A lady with memory loss I visited several times a day used to say “How did you know to come just when I needed you?”   I think my visits, she lived opposite us and had no relations in this country, may have been more pragmatic than Spirit led – or maybe perhaps the two factors blended….

Anyway, Simeon was there just exactly at the right moment, when Mary and Joseph came into the Temple with the infant Jesus.  The family had to fulfil the various requirements the law laid down for a first born son.  I guess today it would be a bit like registering the baby’s birth and making sure a NI number has been allocated.

And so it was that Simeon encountered the Messiah!  From amongst all that vast number of people thronging the Temple, Simeon was led to and found Mary and Joseph and Jesus.    He took the child Jesus into his arms and praised God!What a wonderful song of praise that was! In our Bible passage, Simeon joyfully declares “My eyes have seen your salvation”.

His song of praise is well known by those of us who used to attend church in the evening in past decades.  These words, the “Nunc Dimittis” to give it its Latin name, were composed and uttered by an elderly man in the Temple who had met with a baby.  Met with a tiny eight day old child.  And that baby was the Lord!  Simeon had been prepared to wait for years and years…..and it was only then that he encountered the Messiah!  “I have seen your salvation!”

APPLN:   Can each of us here today say the same, though of course with the inner eye of faith, rather than the physical eyes of Simeon? Then, in our hearts, we can affirm “Yes Lord Jesus I have met you, and I have seen that you are the one who brings me Salvation!”

That was the deepest joy for Simeon, and God intends that it should be our Joy too!  If you don’t feel that you have grasped hold of this wonderful reality yet, maybe you could consider taking part in the Alpha course beginning in January. That would be a splendid New Year’s resolution! Ask Carolyn or me for more information…

And the wonderful thing at the centre of Simeon’s song?! Righteous Jew as he was, loving the Temple’s worship, longing for the Messiah, he could declare with certainty that Jesus was for all of us, gentiles as we are, as well as the people Israel. “For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles!” So you and I, non-Jews (or “gentiles” as the Bible describes us), are specifically included in Simeon’s meeting with the new child Jesus, in Simeon’s song of praise! “A light to lighten the gentiles”, as the Prayer Book translates it.

And so Simeon invites us to make his song of praise ours!  To be able to say with the eye of faith, “Yes, I have met the Lord right at the start of this New Year!”  

Indeed, there’s no need for us to “wait”, there’s an immediate opportunity to meet again with the Lord in this short Communion service.

So as we finally leave church today, the second day of the New Year, the first week in 2019, can each of us say, with Simeon “My eyes have seen your salvation!”

Alleluia!!

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READY FOR HIS COMING 9th December 2018,  9.30 and 11 a.m Mt. 24. 36-44 & Malachi  3. 1-4    Kay Morison

INTRO: Before we retired to Poole, we lived for many years in secluded vicarages, often with a graveyard right next door, yet not a single attempt to burgle us had taken place. We may have mentioned this before, but when we moved into a block of flats here in Poole, we thought we were really safe.

Actually we never gave it much thought.  We had residents just the other side of the wall to protect us, to see and hear what was happening, and of course, houses all round us.  How wrong we were!  We were away for only 24 hours and yet someone broke in by smashing the double glazed living room window. All my inherited jewellery from my Mother and Mother in law,  plus our passports all stolen!

When we got back we installed a burglar alarm, but by then it was too late!  The fact is, we hadn’t been ready for a burglar. We weren’t organised.   We were not prepared. We never gave even the possibility of a thief a thought.    We were simply Not Ready.  

Not Ready….That’s exactly what Jesus said in today’s Gospel about his second coming: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this, If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch, and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”vv 42-44

Jesus said He is coming again “at an hour when you do not expect him”  so there’s a need to be ready for Him!

This need to “Get ready” is exactly why the Christian church has the season of Advent.  It is a special four week season.   It used to be marked in a similar way to Lent, with fasting, prayers and spiritual discipline.   But it’s Very different today!  Secular Christmas preparations seem to start even before October is upon us!  I was asked five weeks ago “Are you ready for Christmas?”  No one asks “Are you ready for Jesus’ second coming?”!

The traditional word for the special season we have arrived at, is “ADVENT”. A word basically meaning “COMING”,

In Advent we actually prepare for two “comings”.   The first is of course the coming of Jesus as a baby. Sadly, for much of the world outside the Christian community, Advent is quite simply a secular and commercial festival.  Preparing for Father Christmas and family feasting.  Nothing to do with the birth of Jesus unless you happen to notice a Christmas Crib in a shop window.  In fact, most people don’t even think about the real meaning of Christmas. However, it is good to know that Cathedrals see more worshippers at this time of year, as do many parish churches.    Perhaps more people than we realise do remember the meaning of Christmas Day.  

But the lack of knowledge about the real meaning of Christmas should be for us a wake-up call as regards the majority of youngsters.  For example: The Scripture Union, which was one of All SS Mission charities for years, wrote recently telling us  two or three worrying statistics.   Sources were given for these statistics.    One such comment was  “Thousands of children think that Rudolf the red-nose reindeer was in the stable at Jesus’ birth!”

And the second statistic given by Scripture Union: “30% of 1000 children surveyed, believe that the wise men heard about the birthday of Jesus….. through Facebook!”

Scripture Union has produced a small booklet for children, called “The First Christmas”.  It tells the real story of Christmas.   No Rudolf, No Facebook. Scripture Union are giving it out for free in places like Food Banks & Hospitals. In faith S.U. has printed 120,000.  They cost a pound to produce.  A great resource.  Ask me if you want to know more.

Perhaps if you think back to the sort of Advent Calendar you first had, maybe it was just a matter of opening a door each day and seeing a picture to do with the Christmas story.  But now many Advent calendars are just yet another commercial item.  You can, I actually saw, have an Advent Calendar with a little bottle of gin behind each door. Wow!!

So Advent has lost much of its meaning.   The meaning of being ready for the arrival of Jesus as the special Baby of Bethlehem.  But that’s only half of the story. As I said there is a second meaning of Advent. There’s more to come! 

Advent speaks also of the return of Christ to this earth as King of All.  Christ’s second coming. Are we really prepared for that? So…

ADVENT IS A CALL TO BE READY:  That’s my One Basic Point….      but Why should that be so??

Jesus tells us: “because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him! (Mt. 24. 44b)

And my first question is – and I address it as much to myself as anyone else - if the Lord returned today, am I confident I would be ready and waiting  to welcome him?  Is my life such a transparent book that there is nothing I would want to hide from the King of Kings? 

And of course, that includes my thoughts, not just my actions….  Not just what people see outwardly, but what you and I are really like inwardly. A huge challenge isn’t it?

So what am I going to do about the things that are less than the best in my life?   Christmas lights in the porch are not sufficient!  Tinsel is not enough! Advent is about having a very early spiritual Spring Clean – 

The Matthew passage we heard read, emphasises this need to be ready, and that, several times.   We are told to keep watch.  This doesn’t mean trying to work out exactly when Jesus will return.    

Remember also that Jesus himself said he did not know the time of his return.  So why try and work it out? In Mark 13. V. 32 Jesus  says “No one knows about that  day or hour,  not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”  

But the King of Kings is certainly coming! So we need to be ready for Him, have a spiritual spring clean, get rid of some of the rubbish which clutters our lives.  Rubbish which detracts from our living our Christian lives better.  

After our burglary the  Crime Prevention Officer came to see us.  She suggested three ways to improve our flat’s security - to help us be ready if another burglar did try to gain access.  We followed her advice and did all those three things.

So today I’d like to suggest three positive ways we can make sure we are ready for Jesus’ return.  The Church describes it as His “Second Coming”.

1. ADVENT IS A TIME TO FIND FAITH     To really make faith our own.  The challenge of Advent is to be ready for the coming of our King – Jesus!  And that means willing to welcome Him personally.  

It’s much more than having a merely academic belief in fact of Jesus’ Death and Rising Again. In picture language, it means having the door to our hearts, our innermost personality, wide open to receive Him. And a sign saying “Welcome Lord Jesus” clearly displayed.

For Jesus will come in to share His life with you – no doubt at all!  He promises to - And to any who doubt this, The very same risen Christ clearly says: “here I am, standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me…”  You can read that yourself in Revelation chapter 3 verse 14.

Let’s look at this truth in another way:

There is a very apt saying that, “God has no grandchildren” . God has Children, YES!.......But Grandchildren, NO!  You cannot inherit your faith from someone else.  There’s no such thing as second-hand Faith.

Each person’s faith – trust and openness to Jesus - must be their very own. We each need to make our own commitment to Jesus, asking him into our lives.

So we can’t rely on the faith of our parents, or our Godparents, or the Bishop who  maybe confirmed us.

For the Christian, faith is individual, personal.  When faced with Jesus’ promised return we need our own faith. A trust in Him which is part of our very being, not just an external creed we recite Sunday by Sunday…… Advent is a time to Find Faith.

2. ADVENT IS A TIME TO SAY SORRY – A time to say sorry – AND MEAN IT! There’s another very vivid saying which goes like this: “Keep short accounts with God” This means quite simply, when we do something wrong, tell a lie, blow our tops, display the wrong sort of anger, etc. etc, - the list is endless - Don’t wait to ask forgiveness – do it at once!  Clear the decks – say SORRY!

For unforgiven sin sadly acts as a barrier between us and the Lord. Cuts us off from God.  So don’t just shrug your mistakes off!   Don’t even wait until the next time you are here at All SS to ask God for His forgiveness. Ask God immediately you realise you have let Him down, and at the same time realise that you have let your “best” self down too.

It’s not that God doesn’t want to forgive you, but if you are hiding yourself and your sin away in a cupboard, you’re not allowing Him to lift you up out of the darkness of your sorrow and forgive you.

Keep short accounts with God. Very short ones. Advent is a Time to Say Sorry!

3. ADVENT IS A TIME TO ACT   We need to get up out of our comfortable arm chairs and start working for the Lord who loves us so much and delights when we use the talents He has given us.  

John and I listened to the advice given after our burglary and did the three simple things as advised.   We did what we were told to do. Similarly, if you are truly a child of God, He will be asking and expecting you to do something special for Him.  Only you and He know precisely what that is.

Maybe something very simple starting with the Christmas Season….

Could you deliver some of the Christmas cards?  Look on the porch table for any left-overs.

Could you join in the carol singing in various care homes? There is a list in the porch. And a leaflet here.    It gives you a chance to wear something bright and cheerful and brings cheer into the lives of the people in those nursing homes.  Their faces often light up when they see us coming.

It used to be a great thing each New Year to make a Good Year Resolution – usually about giving something up!  I wonder how long such resolutions actually last?  Much better to find out something practical TO DO!  Something positive to do for our Lord in the coming year.  

How about joining the Alpha course starting on January 16th.  Details are on the back of the Christmas leaflet.  I really can recommend this course:  I’ve participated in it, in Cornwall, Derby and here.  Advent is a time to Act.  Why not Act by deciding to come to Alpha in the New Year?

Another Idea:   Recent Statistical Research has discovered that in our parish/ward we have one of the very highest proportions of single or bereaved and elderly people in the whole area. Many of whom are lonely, who long for a chat, even a smile could light up their day!  You almost certainly know someone like that…. How about resolving to visit them, say once a fortnight?  Taking a little bit of light into a lonely person’s life?  Isn’t that precisely one of the things our Friend and Saviour did while he was with us here on earth? So take time to talk with Jesus in prayer about what He is wanting you to do for Him…..and then DO IT!

CONCLUSION:

The fact is that JESUS IS COMING! What are you and I going to do about it?  

Four straightforward things to put into action:

Advent is a time to be ready Advent is a time to find faith Advent is a time to say sorry Advent is a time to act.

Let’s pray:

Lord Jesus, You’ve promised to come back to your followers, we don’t know when it’s going to be, but we want to be ready for you:

Help each one of us to truly open our lives to your love and your guidance. Help us to keep short accounts with you and promptly ask your forgiveness, immediately we go wrong. Help us not to be just passive pew sitters, but rather, active disciples, seeking practical ways in which we can show your love to others. For your name’s sake, AMEN

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John 15: 9 – 17 Remembrance Day 2018 - Charlie Boyle

As Jesus says “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his love for his friends.” Friendship is very important. It is such a privilege to have good friends isn’t it. One of my friends called me up this week from Australia, on his way home from work in Sydney. It is always lovely to be contacted out of the blue by friends. He happened to also get to speak to his godson, just before he was about to go off to Nursery. Talking of the Nursery we had a lovely Autumn Fair yesterday in the Church Hall, so thank you to all who helped organize it and supported it. 

Friendships are important, we all have to work at our friendships and the reason you are here today is most likely because of a friendship, someone invited you to come along, someone might even have given you a lift. The other reason you may be here at this time, on this day, is of course to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for our freedom. 

Last year I interviewed and videoed Sergeant Bill Mitchell, of the Royal Signals, who went to France and survived the Second World War via Dunkirk, here with us today. I remember him talking about how he slept on the beaches, using his helmet as a pillow and waking up to think he had overslept. Only to later realise that he was amongst some his friends who had not survived the previous night’s bombing raid. I also recall his re-marking on the importance of friendship, the desire to return to the unit, the guys he was with, who he had fought with. When you go through tough times, you know who your friends are, when you fight in battle together, it builds a friendship. He also spoke of how his prayers had been answered and he was convinced of the power of prayer. The video of him talking to me is still on You Tube if you search under Bill Mitchell, Dunkirk.

This year’s Remembrance Day we as a country have particularly focused on the fact that it is 100 years since Armistice Day, which marked the end of the 1st World War, the war to end all wars. Sadly the fighting and suffering have not ceased, wars continue if not on the same worldwide scale.

We all want to live in a world of peace, where suffering and persecution have ceased. 

Times have changed and will continue to change but I think that actually there is greater respect and emphasis on Remembrance Day, certainly in the media and on television there have been plenty of programmes recalling the horrific events of the First World War. 

Joshua and I went to the cinema on Friday night to see They Shall not grow old, a harrowing, inspirational and amazing film that is basically a documentary that starts off in black and white. It then moves into colour bringing new techniques to bring archive footage of World War I into life. I think what inspired me was the lack of self-pity, the desire of the young men to enlist and serve their country, even when many were underage from as young as 14 people were keen to serve their country. There were scenes of horror and devastation, scenes of heroism and compassion but also hilarity and humour. At the end, of course, many soldiers returned, although over 1 million British and Commonwealth men died, many on their return said it was hard to find work. Another said I returned to my old place of work of the department store and someone said to him “where have you been these past years night she saw something” if you want to see it is on BBC tonight at 9:30pm.

The programme reminded me of the loss of life in my own family, the phantom pains and sleepless nights my grandfather endured after he lost his eye and his leg. That suffering that was endured as a result of war, does not end just because a peace treaty has been signed. The consequences of war continue in the physical and mental health of those who have fought in war, as well as those who have survived and been left behind, as it still does for those who have fought in more recent wars and continues today as Prince Harry’s Invictus games bears witness. But it also reminded me of those from this Parish, whose names we have just turned to and stood in front of at 11am. Those whose bodies did not come back from the trenches but are left in cemeteries in Europe, those whose lives were interrupted by the horrors of war, whose families lived with the loss for years to come.

Remembering is a good thing, whether we have memories that are failing or not as good as they used to be, the act of remembering helps us to give thanks. To stop and reflect on those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for others, for our relative freedom and peace.

You may recall that 3 of the names on the Memorial plaque are from the same family, the Woodroffe family who lost 3 of their 4 sons, with father Henry, who used to live in Branksome Wood Road. Leslie who got the Military cross, was the eldest who was born in 1885, educated at Marlborough College, who went on to teach at Shrewsbury school and died as a Captain of the 8th Battalion Rifle Brigade in June 1916, being wounded in the same battle as his brother, who is the only one to have a grave in France. Kenneth, was the one with the sporting genes in the family, playing both for Hampshire, Cambridge University and Sussex. He was the first to join the army and perhaps not surprisingly was the first to die in action near Neuve-Chappelle in France in May 1915. The fourth and youngest son, Sidney who won the Victoria Cross has been described as “one of the bravest of the brave”. In being awarded the VC the commanding officer wrote to his father describing how brave his 19 year old son had been saying “your younger boy was simply one of the bravest of the brave and the work he did that day will stand out as a record hard to beat…saving one corporal whose face was badly burnt from death by picking him up from the trench. When the line was attacked and broke into his right he still held his trench, and only when the Germans were discovered to be in the rear of him did he leave it. He then withdrew his remaining men very skillfully away, and worked his way alone back to me to report. He finally brought his unit back, and then took part in the counter-attack. He was killed out in front, in the open, cutting wire to enable the attack to be continued. He risked his life for others right through the day and finally gave it sake his own men. He was always bold as a lion, confident and sure of himself. The loss he is to me personally is very great, as I have learnt to appreciate what a sterling fine lad he was. His men would’ve followed him anywhere.” He was awarded the Victoria Cross just 5 weeks later for his conspicuous bravery.

It is a story of heroism, selflessness and a lack of self-pity that we would do well to emulate. 

In an age of the individual, of our needs over others, we are reminded of the selfless nature of God. Father God who sent his one and only son to die on the cross for our sins and mistakes.

The friendship that brings a peace that passes all understanding. It is the greatest privilege of all to a have a friendship with Jesus. He calls you and me friends and shed his blood as the ultimate act of friendship.

True friendship involves more than unquestioning approval. I am so grateful to good friends who have pointed out my faults and yet born with them over the years, with great sensitivity and grace.

But the ultimate act of grace and love has been that Jesus laid down his life for you and me. He has chosen each one of us, to bear fruit, to love each other. I am Christ’s friend and he is mine, when we love each other, when we turn to each other in friendship, we find that peace in our hearts that the world can’t give. We find that place in heaven, where those who have gone before us have gone. Lest we forget that greater love has no-one than this the he lay down his life for his friends. We are his friends, if we but call out to him, like those who died in the trenches did over 100 years ago, for our freedom and relative peace in Europe that we enjoy today. Amen.

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Thought of the Month - November 2018

On the 11th of November 1918 – one hundred years ago, the day WW1 ended - Private Arthur Wrench of the Seaforth Highlanders wrote in his diary:

“I think it is quite hopeless to describe what today means to us.  We who will return to tell people what war really is surely hope that 11am this day will be of great significance to generations to come.  Surely this is the last war that will ever be between civilized nations.”

And yet since then we have had WW2, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Falklands, Afghanistan and many others.  Today of the 193 nations in the world, only 10 are fully conflict-free .

Peace is a precious commodity; it has never been easy to achieve. It is very hard work to establish and to keep the peace at any level in our society.

Some of us may have concerns right now about what is going on in the world politically, and how things seem to be unravelling.

The driving force for peace must come from us. It starts in our hearts, our homes, our communities, our churches, our towns and nations.  It is an ever-widening circle, but starts with us.

Jesus was born into an occupied land, and he lived and died in that land.  Peace was not on the agenda in New Testament times. Yet Jesus came and taught peace to the disciples and anyone who would listen.

His words, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9) are as true now as they were 2000 years ago.

What things can you do this month to be a peacemaker?

May God’s peace be with you all,

Love Carolyn

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Luke 17 – Ten Lepers – One Came Back to Thank - Charlie Boyle -  30th September 2018

Being thankful…for new life, for Billy all that is good around us…now as some of you know I am a bit of a Twitter fan, it is quite and easy and goes on the website. Did you know that a study of 800 million Tweets revealed that Britons are happiest and most thankful in the morning and grumpier as the day wears on!? So we as a nation are more thankful in the morning. So Billy (I am sure will be advised to write and thank his lovely Godparents, Mollie, Mark and Jilly…whether he likes there presents or not! But first….

Just take a moment to ask your neighbour what you are thankful for today…?

Thankfulness is having an attitude of gratitude, that we can all develop and we see is shown in this passage this morning. Now back to the passage, read earlier, just for those of you who don’t know I thought we should understand what exactly leprosy is, as surely we are all thankful we don’t have it!

Leprosy ….what is it?

• Skin condition • Affects hands and feet • People avoid you • People used to have a bell to ward people away • People are shunned and avoided….they go to the other side of the street when they see you coming (bit like wearing a dog collar sometimes!) What did Jesus do? • Responded to a need • Had compassion and heard their plea • Prayed for them and they were healed • Told them to show themselves to the Priest What did the lepers do? • Asked for mercy • Got healed • Did what Jesus said, they listening to his instructions • Yet ONLY ONE CAME BACK TO THANK! • That happens sometimes, if we are hosting a party most people thank don’t they but here Jesus receives just one person who comes back to thank. I have hear a file of letters from people that have taken the time to write and thank me for ….baptisms, weddings, funerals and even the most recent Parish quiet day. My grandmother and mother always said it is good to write and thank, especially God parents who have given you gifts at Christmas time, even if you don’t like the present she said … you might get a better one next year or none at all if you don’t bother to thank!

So what? What should we do? • Firstly we need to ask for HELP….otherwise can’t get any, when we are struggling we need to share our burdens, not to suffer in silence…. • Jesus is there for each of us • Need to pray to Jesus, to HIM

• GIVE THANKS, for today is a special day particularly for the Taylor family as they give thanks for Billy

• BE GRATEFUL • Are we good at saying thank you? • Do we thank our parents, grandparents, carers for the simplest things they do for us? • What could you do to say thank you/show your appreciation today, to show love to those around you? • Words can encourage and build people up or tear them down.

As it says in 1 Thess 5 “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). For example, the smile in a baby’s face, or as I read the other day, for a teacher. A famous author tells about a successful businessman who remembered his Year 10 (14 year old teacher) English teacher. He tracked her down and then wrote to her and received this reply: “You’ll never know how much your letter meant. I’m 83 and living alone. My friends and family are all gone. I taught at your school for 50 years and yours is the first thank you letter I have ever received from a past student. Sometimes I wonder what I did with my life. I will read and re-read your letter until the day I die”. Ironically, she was the teacher students talked most about at class reunions but until that letter nobody had ever told her.

So who could you thank for the first time today by letter? Take thankfulness and joy seriously.  If you can only think of one small thing to be thankful for, enjoy it.  

Thankfulness is vital. So I just want to give you guys not only a Bible to read but also a mug to remind you of this boy of joy, both the one you lost (to heaven some 3 years ago) and also this new gift and bundle of joy from God. So let me pray Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for showing us how to treat other people. Thank you that you have given us a voice; help us to use it for the good, to encourage those around us, to spread joy and happiness. As we give thanks for Billy and his joyous smile. Help each one of us notice someone who could do with a compliment or some loving encouraging words of praise today. Amen. It goes without saying that today is of course a day of celebration as we give thanks for the life of Billy but even amid the celebrations for Billy there will be a hint of sadness and reflection on the short life of his brother Charlie who died 3 years ago tomorrow, so I thought I would end this service by reading a poem by Rudyard Kipling, who of course is connected like we are with this locality, which I have slightly adapted, forgive me efforts at rhyme, those who know Kipling will not have any trouble working out which verse and words I have added!

BY RUDYARD KIPLING If you can keep your head when all about you      Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,    But make allowance for their doubting too;   If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;      If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster    And treat those two impostors just the same;   If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings    And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   And so hold on when there is nothing in you    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can be thankful in all happenstances And be grateful whatever the circumstances If you can love your life as well as your wife Then my son you will have a happy life

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,      Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,    If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,      And—which is more—you Billy will be a Man, my son!

1943

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Sermon for Sunday 9th September 6 p.m. Mark 5. 21-34.   Kay Morison

“Pain is so exhausting, isn’t it?”   Those words were in a letter to me a week or so ago from Nora Rutherford.  Many of you will remember Nora, along with Arthur, her clergy husband,  from when they were part of All Saints.

Nora suffers from acute arthritis in many joints and is in constant pain.  But she is happily settled now in Bristol with her family, and was looking forward to their church “Holiday at Home” .   Two ladies suffering with pain. Nora in our time….. and long ago, the lady we read about in the Bible passage.

But their troubles were very different in many ways.   The woman in our passage would have been anemic and totally weary, after losing  life-giving blood for so long.

All that had been achieved in those twelve years of suffering was that she had lost all her money in useless treatment.  There was no help, no pills, no cure in those long ago days.

However there were fierce rules governing how the woman was allowed to behave:  

Her continuing hemorrhage made her ritually “unclean”.  So she not allowed in the synagogue – the place where the villagers gathered so very frequently.  She was barred from worship. Not even allowed to meet with fellow worshippers and thus, cut off from her friends and neighbours.  All in all, quite apart from her illness, a bad situation to be in!

But Jesus comes to her village so let’s see what a difference He makes, and how this relates to us today.

1.  The Futility of the Treatment

Vv 25 and 26 tell us about the woman’s dire situation: “she had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse”  What could medical science  do in those days?  Very little.  I read in William Barclay’s commentary on Mark’s Gospel that there are only 11 “general cures listed” in the Jewish Talmud - the book which was, to put it simply and briefly “a guide for the daily lives of Jews” .  

Two  such cures given in the Talmud were (a) carrying an ostrich egg in a linen rag in the summer and a cotton rag in the winter and (b) carrying a barley corn which had been found in the dung of a white she ass…… Amazing!

Mark, our writer here getting at so-called physicians,  writes  “she had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors…” whereas Luke who himself was a Doctor,  says in his account of this sad story “No one could heal her!”

All seemed futile.  No health, no worship, no friends and no money.

In complete contrast, these days medicine can help and heal so many ailments.  Miracles often don’t seem essential.  Healing today seems a complete reverse of the attitude of this passage, Not so!  All life and healing in this world  comes ultimately from God - the skills of doctors, surgeons, medical researchers, nurses, physios – these are all God’s gift to us.    

Maybe a major problem today is that the disease can often be treated but the patients’ underlying needs are not addressed.   We are told in the press, that g.p. surgery appointments are often used as the only place where lonely  people know they can talk to someone, if only for ten minutes!   Maybe you and I need to give time to listening to the lonely?…. After all, God has given us……. “two ears and one mouth…” Perhaps He wants us to listen more than talk!

So far, in spite of 12 years treatment, all the so-called remedies had been futile; so  let’s turn, more hopefully,  to The Faith of the Woman.

2. The Faith of the Woman

Vs  27:  “When she heard about Jesus , she came up behind him in the crowd  and touched his cloak”

It was very brave of the woman to be out and about in the crowd.   But the reason for her bravery and simple faith was dire need.    “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed” she thought.

For she had faith!

  “If I just touch his clothes I will be healed”  What a statement of simple faith, belief and trust.  

And there was an immediate result of her faith……  “she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering”.  Active Faith in Jesus brought healing to this sad woman.   Wonderful.

Today Jesus is often the person of last resort rather than someone to naturally call upon, alongside modern medicine.  Hence the individual prayer ministry which is offered at All Saints’. There are people ready and willing to pray with you after most services. But even more so, at this service tonight when there is an opportunity for prayer after receiving Communion.There may well be a reason why you would like to “just touch Jesus….” : Tonight.    Perhaps in order for healing for yourself or for a loved one.But we hesitate, not because we are afraid that Jesus does not want to forgive and heal and offer us a new relationship…… It is so often because we don’t want to let go of the past and the things that pull us down in the present.We’ve looked at the Futility of the woman’s treatment, then at The Faith of the woman – a faith which resulted in the woman being healed.  

Now thirdly:

3.    The Feelings of the Master

Jesus knew at once that power had gone from him.     Even though the woman was hidden in the crowd and all she did was to touch his cloak.  Nevertheless, Jesus immediately knew her intention -

For she said:  “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed!”

And Jesus knew at once.- He asked “Who touched my clothes?” The was an outwardly daft question, Jesus was hemmed in on all sides by the crowd - people jostling, knocking against him in the crowd, his  long clothes swaying, and yet he asks “Who touched me?”  The disciples speak plainly to Jesus, pointing out the crowds all round him and thus the fruitless question:   “Who touched me?” BUT…Jesus knew.

This incident clearly indicates to me that we can’t hide from Jesus. And more, We can’t secretly manipulate God for our own ends.But HOW did Jesus know immediately?  Because He knew that :   “power had gone out from him”.  

No ministry, no service, no healing, is given without a cost: Listening attentively is hard work,  Caring is hard work – think of all the hours of  work being  put in  for our Harvest distribution – and Jesus knew that costly power had gone out from him.  We don’t know what he felt, how he knew - We are just told he knew…..For it costs to heal .  Just as it costs to teach effectively.    That could be why Jesus was so tired at the end of the day, he often had to get away to soak in strength from his Father.

But Jesus indicates that God’s work is not to be hidden. “Who touched me?”  The question had to be answered, even if the disciples were somewhat dumbfounded:   They replied to Jesus’s question by saying “You see the people crowding against you and yet you can ask, Who touched me?”As we have seen Jesus knew that power had gone from him.  But he also knew that the woman needed • To stand up and be counted.   • To own her healing. • To publicly acknowledge her faith in Jesus. Do any of those comments apply to us? • Do we need to stand up and be counted as Christians? • Do we need to give thanks for the work Jesus does in our lives? • Do we need to grow our faith in Jesus? 

It may not be easy……

Even though the sick woman’s very presence in that crowd was against the Jewish law, she owned up.  She could have faced the wrath of the Jewish elders, BUT she needed to do those three things. 

No wonder Mark tells us she fell at Jesus’ feet and trembling with fear,  told him the whole truth.

And as she declared her healing, she was welcomed back into the life of the community by Jesus. He lovingly calls her “Daughter” and then adds the wonderful words “your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Conclusion:  Now that’s a beautiful description of what God wants for each one of us!

To know I am his child 

To know his inner peace

To know his transforming freedom. 

What do you need?  Let’s Pray!

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What’s going on in the Churchyard? September 2018

Last Summer the churchyard was a sea of yellow – Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Mouse-Ear Hawkweed, and splashes of white petalled Oxeye Daisy…This year it’s a bit  brown!. It must be discouraging for Graham our gardener who keeps it in such good order.

Yet if you walk along the newly renovated path, around the corner Poppies and Cornfield Annuals, planted by the Rainbows and Cubs are in bloom. Nothing much is showing alongside the path as yet…so please don’t lose heart Beavers! We have been watering almost daily and would be grateful for a donation of some garden hose and connectors, or watering cans with a rose.

Alongside the path to the Bury Memorial, the squirrels have dined on excavated plug plants and bulbs - let’s hope they have left some in situ for next Spring.

In Autumn, we will be digging and seeding some mini meadow areas and erecting composters and bird boxes.

Where the Bamboo is being cleared we have cut down another invasive plant – Balsam. This reclaimed area will give space for some graves and possibly a memorial garden.   Any suggestions as to what you would like to see there?   Please let any of us know.

Do come along and join us on a Thursday afternoon at 2.30pm

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September Reflection – New Season, changes and challenges

September brings with it a change of season, a fresh start, as groups and new terms begin for many of us in our community. Some might be relieved to be out of the clammy hot weather and brown lawns that we have seen. We are entering a new season here at All Saints’ with some exciting changes, challenges and opportunities to seek and serve God.

September can be a time of change, especially with those of us who have children joining new schools/Universities, or new classes at school and new relationships to handle. Do please pray for all those doing new things, as well as look out and welcome new people joining our Church.

I have been over the holidays struggling to work out how we might change and reach more people with the love and grace of God. This morning as I spend a bit of time in prayer, it said in my copy of UCB’s Word for Today “Our problem is that we want God to do something new for us, while we keep doing the same old thing. We want Him to change our circumstances without having to change us at all. But if we are asking God for new wine, we will need a new wineskin. Change is a two-sided coin that reads: Out with the old and in the new! Most of us get stuck spiritually because we keep doing the same things and expecting different results. Spiritual routines are a crucial part of spiritual growth but when the routine becomes routine, you need to change it. What got you to where you are, may not get you to where God wants you to go next!”

If you think you have new ideas about how to do things differently let’s try them, now could be the time to give something new a try… So why not? :- • Join (or start) a new prayer or a new housegroup? Do a new thing? • Try out Encounter – a new group for those who want to encounter God through contemporary worship. Go on a mission trip to India/Lesotho? • Come to Parish Quiet Day for some peace and reflection time with God.

“Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.  No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”      

 Matthew 9 v.17 Charlie – Vicar