A friend of mine recommended a new author
for me to read during Lockdown: C.J.Sansom.
He writes Tudor Whodunits! So,
over the last few weeks I’ve been with his brilliant detective, the hunchback lawyer Matthew
Shardlake investigating a murder at a Benedictine Abbey in Sussex!
We can get ourselves lost in books! Indeed, when reading a novel, that is precisely the point: we inhabit the world painted by the author. So, at the moment, I’m lingering somewhere in the 1530’s!! And like all historical fiction, some of it is fact yet, much of it, is a filling in of the gaps; creatively ‘imagining’ what it might have been like.
All of this is not too dissimilar from the way we read scripture. Since Sunday School days I have been trying to ‘live in’ the stories of Jesus. What would it have felt like to have been in the crowd at The Feeding of the Five Thousand or how would we have felt if Jesus, when passing us tending our nets on the shores of Galilee, had asked us to leave all and follow him? It’s when we try to listen to the background sounds or smell the bread being backed by a busy Martha that we begin to read these stories differently, as participants. And such reading can bring fresh insights to familiar narratives.
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I hope it’s been helpful to have the three ways to attend worship. We’ll continue to do the audio-service for the time being, alongside the video service. It was good to welcome some 42 people back to AFC for worship last Sunday. This service will, of course, be constantly under review in the current context of the Pandemic.
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We note with both sorrow and hope, the passing of our good friend and church member, Dr Ella Munro MBE. As someone said to me: Ella set a high standard in all she did. Her part in helping to set up the Sycamore Club has made such a significant and positive contribution to the lives of so many. We will lay this gifted and much loved Sister in Christ to rest, alongside her husband Dowling, at the cemetery in Great Missenden, on Friday 17th July 2020. May Ella rest in peace and rise in glory.
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We also continue to hold Suzanne Kirkcaldy and the family in our prayers following Alan’s passing. The funeral will be held at the Chilterns Crematorium on Monday 13th July 2020 at 3.30pm. We are able to join the family by webcast. Here are the details:
https://www.wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view
Login/Order ID: 39846
Password: hqsakdtf
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And finally, Hazel sent me this lovely picture, taken whilst she was out on a family walk at Coombe Hill. The farmer made his own contribution to our celebrations on Sunday marking the founding of the NHS! (look carefully and you’ll see the initials cut into the corn field)
May God’s peace and joy be yours in all you do this day.
Ian
We can get ourselves lost in books! Indeed, when reading a novel, that is precisely the point: we inhabit the world painted by the author. So, at the moment, I’m lingering somewhere in the 1530’s!! And like all historical fiction, some of it is fact yet, much of it, is a filling in of the gaps; creatively ‘imagining’ what it might have been like.
All of this is not too dissimilar from the way we read scripture. Since Sunday School days I have been trying to ‘live in’ the stories of Jesus. What would it have felt like to have been in the crowd at The Feeding of the Five Thousand or how would we have felt if Jesus, when passing us tending our nets on the shores of Galilee, had asked us to leave all and follow him? It’s when we try to listen to the background sounds or smell the bread being backed by a busy Martha that we begin to read these stories differently, as participants. And such reading can bring fresh insights to familiar narratives.
****************
I hope it’s been helpful to have the three ways to attend worship. We’ll continue to do the audio-service for the time being, alongside the video service. It was good to welcome some 42 people back to AFC for worship last Sunday. This service will, of course, be constantly under review in the current context of the Pandemic.
***************
We note with both sorrow and hope, the passing of our good friend and church member, Dr Ella Munro MBE. As someone said to me: Ella set a high standard in all she did. Her part in helping to set up the Sycamore Club has made such a significant and positive contribution to the lives of so many. We will lay this gifted and much loved Sister in Christ to rest, alongside her husband Dowling, at the cemetery in Great Missenden, on Friday 17th July 2020. May Ella rest in peace and rise in glory.
***************
We also continue to hold Suzanne Kirkcaldy and the family in our prayers following Alan’s passing. The funeral will be held at the Chilterns Crematorium on Monday 13th July 2020 at 3.30pm. We are able to join the family by webcast. Here are the details:
https://www.wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view
Login/Order ID: 39846
Password: hqsakdtf
***************
And finally, Hazel sent me this lovely picture, taken whilst she was out on a family walk at Coombe Hill. The farmer made his own contribution to our celebrations on Sunday marking the founding of the NHS! (look carefully and you’ll see the initials cut into the corn field)
May God’s peace and joy be yours in all you do this day.
Ian
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