Word Morphing

Word Morphing is new to me!

It’s the idea of changing a word by altering a letter.  Apparently, it’s quite big on the internet with open Morphing groups set up with a continuous stream of word transitions going on.

At its simplest morphing happens when you change a letter; so hog becomes log, or tap morphs into map, or when you add a letter; ate turns into gate, ice become mice and so on!

Every week I send my upcoming sermon down the tube so that one of our Elders can print it and make copies available at the back of the church for Sunday morning.  Last week was no exception, so the sermon was duly sent off.  Later in the day I received an email from my astute proof reading elder to say she had taken the liberty of changing the phrase: God wants to give us the foulness of life into…the fulness of life.  She hoped that is what I really meant!!

I was so pleased she changed it.  Yet in a sense that is the morph of grace that we celebrate in the new life Jesus gives us, changing the foulness of our lives into the fulness of life.

Well, I sent this week’s sermon off yesterday and haven’t heard back – so hopefully no morphing this time round!

Watford to Wembley - more than a journey on the Met Line!

Some of the houses around Amersham currently have Watford F.C. scarves hanging from their windows; all in readiness for the F.A. Cup final at Wembley next weekend.

Alongside Wycombe, Watford is really our nearest big town; one I feel a certain affinity to because I was born there!

My grandfather, who had a chance to play for them, turned them down because the money was better in the Fire Service; how things have changed!

I think it would be interesting thinking which positions the Apostles would play if they had ever been a football team.  Maybe Peter would have been the main striker, with James and John (the sons of thunders) in midfield with the rest of them (of whom we know very little) as defenders.  Perhaps Matthew (ex tax- collector so a very solid and reliable type) in goal.  Judas, as he looked after the money, could organise the player transfers and Paul, always a bit pedantic, might have made a good referee!

Actually an ‘apostles’ team’ might not be too far fetched because many famous clubs actually owe their origins to the days of church football teams, perhaps the most famous being Southampton, otherwise called ‘The Saints’, who grew out of St Mary’s Church.  Everton traces its origins back to a Methodist church team. 

Perhaps the closest Watford get to this tradition is that their ground is Vicarage Road!

Team sports create an enormous sense of local identity and I hope Watford have a good day at Wembley next week; I think my Grandfather will be cheering them on from a heavenly grandstand.

Working as team with a sense of purpose and a common aim isn’t a bad comparison with a church.  And just like any football club a church community has its strikers, midfield and defender players.  St Paul used the Olympic running track as a metaphor for the Christian race, perhaps today he’d also have a word or two to say about striving to score a goal in a Wembley Cup Final.

Build My Church

This week, whilst internet browsing, we stumbled upon some original plans for the building of the new Amersham Free Church back in 1962.  It’s rather moving to ponder these drawings of a building yet to be completed.  I can see so much careful thought behind them, much of it arising from the ‘liturgical movement’ that was popular in the Free Churches of that era.

It is, perhaps, remarkable that in the Sanctuary, at least, the building is used today in exactly the way it was envisaged nearly sixty years ago with prayer desk, communion table and pulpit being in use every Sunday in one way or another.

Since these drawings the actual building they aspired to has become a reality and thousands of worshippers have gathered in this sacred space since its opening on Sunday 30^th September 1962.

We never really stop ‘building’ the Church – the real Church – the people, the congregation, the community. 

The building we call AFC houses a community of faith that is constantly changing.  We rejoice when folks settle among us an make us their spiritual home and we are sad, like yesterday, when we hold a service of thanksgiving for a much loved friend. 

I feel quite moved as I look at these architectural plans and realise all the hope they contained for future days – pray God some of those dreams have come to pass as faithful and committed friends have given their all by serving Christ in this place for their time.