Friday 26 June 2020
Friday 26th June 2020
The church will be open for Private Prayer this Sunday from 5.00pm to 6.00pm. This will be the final session as next week we will be getting the Sanctuary ready for the Sunday Morning service with a redesigned layout for the chairs.
Friday 26th June 2020
We are looking forward to the audio service for Sunday, our 15th and maybe the last one for the time being.
Next Sunday, 5th July, we might be able to worship back at AFC in person - or join in with the Livestream. Nothing is absolutley certain at the moment because the Government (as I write) has not yet published the guidelines. There is also the technical challenge of Livestreaming - a first for AFC! So, please be patient with us in this new departure.
The website will be slightly re-configured next week and I'm reverting the publishing a weekly rather than daily blog.
If you are a regular reader here, thank you for sharing the journey with me over these last three months. I look forward to posting the Blog on a Friday, starting next week.
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Next Sunday, 5th July, we might be able to worship back at AFC in person - or join in with the Livestream. Nothing is absolutley certain at the moment because the Government (as I write) has not yet published the guidelines. There is also the technical challenge of Livestreaming - a first for AFC! So, please be patient with us in this new departure.
The website will be slightly re-configured next week and I'm reverting the publishing a weekly rather than daily blog.
If you are a regular reader here, thank you for sharing the journey with me over these last three months. I look forward to posting the Blog on a Friday, starting next week.
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Thursday 25 June 2020
We have been pleased to receive a Prayer Letter from our Link Missio Workers in Mozambique, Liz and Sergio Vilela, here it is:
Dear friends, We are so glad to be able to communicate with you all in this time of difficulty. This week we were reminded of the passage in Romans 5:1-5 about the way that in difficult times, God is shaping us and teaching us to depend and trust more and more in Him as He is by our side through it all. This is easier said than done and as we will discuss in this letter, the amount and type of suffering is different for each person...
Most of you will know about the PEPEs that I (Liz) work with, pre-school programmes run by Churches. Here in Mozambique, all educational facilities closed at the same time as in the UK, so since mid March with Church congregations not meeting and parents not paying the monthly PEPE fees, many PEPE teachers have not been receiving their already small monthly 'salary'. So with the donations that have been given, they received their first small offering last week. They expressed their gratitude and one person said they now had some money to buy rice for the family. BMS were also able to provide funds for the PEPE coordinators to prepare worksheets for the children to do at home. Thanks to your support to BMS this work has been possible; children are able to continue with some of their learning at home and teachers are able to buy food for themselves.
We plan to continue providing this support over the next couple of months while we are in quarantine. Linda, who helps at our house and with the children spoke to me about what is most difficult for Mozambicans at this time. She told me that thieving has increased in the area where she lives, as many people are hanging around and don't have a lot to do. She said that there is a group of local young men with a reputation for stealing. The other day, one of them stole a plastic chair and ran off to his parents house. The community found him there and the parents told them that they could do whatever they needed to do with him as they were tired of his behaviour. So they beat him up and then took him to the police station.
Schools are closed and many children are left at home on their own while the parents go to work or go looking for work. There is a family that live near to Linda. The mum goes out early to try and sell sugar cane, tomates, etc. The dad works but he has no job security and works when he can. The three girls are left alone in the house and wait to eat until one of the parents comes back with some money to buy something to eat. Sometimes that happens only at 8 or 9pm. The police don't let people sell products in the streets after 6pm, and many have learnt that the hard way, as Linda told me. If someone is still selling at this time, the police come along with their big dogs to create fear and many people already run. Then they get their piece of metal to hit whoever they find disobeying. Not only that but Linda said that the police take the food or products that they are selling and put it in their cars, even the little BBQ that they use to cook chicken. One evening about 5pm, the firemen were seen turning on their hoses and squirting groups of people who were still at the market to get them to disperse.
Many children have not been studying since March (the school year only started in February) either because no one is around to facilitate them or they don't have the money to pay to get photocopies of the material (as the schools don't give it out for free). When it's time to go back to school, with 70-80 students in a classroom, it will be very difficult to control. Will they cancel this school year? We wait to find out what will happen.
Thank you for your prayers for us and for Mozambique. We are praying for you also. Please continue to pray for: - PEPE teachers and the PEPE children - for protection and providence - Good health and protection for our family - Linda and her family, and for peace in the communities We also ask that you pray for peace with the terrorist attacks happening in the North of Mozambique (it is very far away from where we are). Many people have been badly affected by this and it is a difficult and unsettling time for the locals there. Romans 5:1-5 mentions peace, grace, patience and hope, all of which we receive from our Heavenly Father. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forever, Amen.
At the moment we are all healthy and in some ways we have gotten used to quarantine life. The children have school in the mornings with mum, and mum and dad manage to keep quite busy doing jobs in the house, working on projects, meetings, communications, studying, oh and the whole family has been kept busy looking after the 9 puppies that were born at the start of quarantine. We've found homes for most of them and we will keep two of them, Toby and Daisy. These puppies arrived just at the right time and have kept the children very occupied.
Our Church here is using WhatsApp to send material to Church members to use on Sundays and everyone is doing ok under the circumstances. Both of our families in Brazil and England are healthy and we are grateful to God for this.
The President has extended our current state of emergency until the end of June and as cases are rising considerably, we continue to wait, as most of us are, trusting in God to see us through.
Liz and Sergio
Dear friends, We are so glad to be able to communicate with you all in this time of difficulty. This week we were reminded of the passage in Romans 5:1-5 about the way that in difficult times, God is shaping us and teaching us to depend and trust more and more in Him as He is by our side through it all. This is easier said than done and as we will discuss in this letter, the amount and type of suffering is different for each person...
Most of you will know about the PEPEs that I (Liz) work with, pre-school programmes run by Churches. Here in Mozambique, all educational facilities closed at the same time as in the UK, so since mid March with Church congregations not meeting and parents not paying the monthly PEPE fees, many PEPE teachers have not been receiving their already small monthly 'salary'. So with the donations that have been given, they received their first small offering last week. They expressed their gratitude and one person said they now had some money to buy rice for the family. BMS were also able to provide funds for the PEPE coordinators to prepare worksheets for the children to do at home. Thanks to your support to BMS this work has been possible; children are able to continue with some of their learning at home and teachers are able to buy food for themselves.
We plan to continue providing this support over the next couple of months while we are in quarantine. Linda, who helps at our house and with the children spoke to me about what is most difficult for Mozambicans at this time. She told me that thieving has increased in the area where she lives, as many people are hanging around and don't have a lot to do. She said that there is a group of local young men with a reputation for stealing. The other day, one of them stole a plastic chair and ran off to his parents house. The community found him there and the parents told them that they could do whatever they needed to do with him as they were tired of his behaviour. So they beat him up and then took him to the police station.
Schools are closed and many children are left at home on their own while the parents go to work or go looking for work. There is a family that live near to Linda. The mum goes out early to try and sell sugar cane, tomates, etc. The dad works but he has no job security and works when he can. The three girls are left alone in the house and wait to eat until one of the parents comes back with some money to buy something to eat. Sometimes that happens only at 8 or 9pm. The police don't let people sell products in the streets after 6pm, and many have learnt that the hard way, as Linda told me. If someone is still selling at this time, the police come along with their big dogs to create fear and many people already run. Then they get their piece of metal to hit whoever they find disobeying. Not only that but Linda said that the police take the food or products that they are selling and put it in their cars, even the little BBQ that they use to cook chicken. One evening about 5pm, the firemen were seen turning on their hoses and squirting groups of people who were still at the market to get them to disperse.
Many children have not been studying since March (the school year only started in February) either because no one is around to facilitate them or they don't have the money to pay to get photocopies of the material (as the schools don't give it out for free). When it's time to go back to school, with 70-80 students in a classroom, it will be very difficult to control. Will they cancel this school year? We wait to find out what will happen.
Thank you for your prayers for us and for Mozambique. We are praying for you also. Please continue to pray for: - PEPE teachers and the PEPE children - for protection and providence - Good health and protection for our family - Linda and her family, and for peace in the communities We also ask that you pray for peace with the terrorist attacks happening in the North of Mozambique (it is very far away from where we are). Many people have been badly affected by this and it is a difficult and unsettling time for the locals there. Romans 5:1-5 mentions peace, grace, patience and hope, all of which we receive from our Heavenly Father. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forever, Amen.
At the moment we are all healthy and in some ways we have gotten used to quarantine life. The children have school in the mornings with mum, and mum and dad manage to keep quite busy doing jobs in the house, working on projects, meetings, communications, studying, oh and the whole family has been kept busy looking after the 9 puppies that were born at the start of quarantine. We've found homes for most of them and we will keep two of them, Toby and Daisy. These puppies arrived just at the right time and have kept the children very occupied.
Our Church here is using WhatsApp to send material to Church members to use on Sundays and everyone is doing ok under the circumstances. Both of our families in Brazil and England are healthy and we are grateful to God for this.
The President has extended our current state of emergency until the end of June and as cases are rising considerably, we continue to wait, as most of us are, trusting in God to see us through.
Liz and Sergio
Wednesday 24 June 2020
24th June 2020
I have been so thrilled by the willingness of folk to write for the website during the pandemic. Many of you have said how much it has meant to you to read these articles. For fifteen weeks now we have been publishing three articles from the congregation, a Blog, Minister's letter and Heather's Prayer and Reflection every week. That's an astonishing 90 pieces - so 'thank you' to everyone who have contributed.
As July approaches things are beginning to change a little. For us the biggest transition will be the opportunity to once more hold 'in person' services on a Sunday morning - which we hope to livestream into peoples' homes for those who cannot physically attend. Alongside that the website will have a slight makeover and from Monday there will be one congregational article per week alongside a once a week Blog and Minister's Letter. We'll continue to publish the Order of Service on a Saturday.
Even as these changes take place we will continue to value and practise the sending of emails and keeping in touch by phone.
I hope, today, you will know God's joy and blessing in all you do.
Ian
As July approaches things are beginning to change a little. For us the biggest transition will be the opportunity to once more hold 'in person' services on a Sunday morning - which we hope to livestream into peoples' homes for those who cannot physically attend. Alongside that the website will have a slight makeover and from Monday there will be one congregational article per week alongside a once a week Blog and Minister's Letter. We'll continue to publish the Order of Service on a Saturday.
Even as these changes take place we will continue to value and practise the sending of emails and keeping in touch by phone.
I hope, today, you will know God's joy and blessing in all you do.
Ian
Tuesday 23 June 2020
The Birth of God in our Souls
 |
| Meister Eckhart |
An ancient Christian teacher, Meister Eckhart used to talk
about The birth of God in our souls… and it’s a phrase that has caught
my attention recently.
Every Christmas we are both challenged and thrilled by the
idea that God came among us, ‘birthed’ at Bethlehem. The idea of incarnation means a lot to many
of us; that God isn’t stoically remote and out of reach but alongside us,
sharing life as well as offering it in all its fulness.
Combine Christmas with Pentecost and maybe the theological equation gives us the daily ‘birth’ of God in our lives and living, through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We ‘experience’ that ‘birth’ amongst us in bread and wine, prayer and service and without it faith fossilises into dull, dry religion.
Sometimes we might think the goal of faith is us entering into the life of God, into a serene heavenly state. I’m not sure, because maybe it’s best thought of the other way round; that God enters into our life and is born in us day by day transforming ‘ordinary’ life.
Such an understanding sees God present in a pandemic and sharing the pain of the stabbings at Reading; not separate from us but present in every act of love, courage and hope that defines us when the chips are down.
Meister Eckhart, the German
Monk, who coined the phrase about the Birth of God in us, lived 700 years ago –
yet that idea, of God sharing our experience and entering into our existence
day by day, no matter what is going on around us, is as relevant in the 21st
century as it ever was in the 14th.Combine Christmas with Pentecost and maybe the theological equation gives us the daily ‘birth’ of God in our lives and living, through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We ‘experience’ that ‘birth’ amongst us in bread and wine, prayer and service and without it faith fossilises into dull, dry religion.
Sometimes we might think the goal of faith is us entering into the life of God, into a serene heavenly state. I’m not sure, because maybe it’s best thought of the other way round; that God enters into our life and is born in us day by day transforming ‘ordinary’ life.
Such an understanding sees God present in a pandemic and sharing the pain of the stabbings at Reading; not separate from us but present in every act of love, courage and hope that defines us when the chips are down.
May you, today, know the blessing and peace of God in all you do.
Ian
Monday 22 June 2020
Monday 22nd June 2020
Calling all singers!! (who have technology at home!)
We are currently considering how to include music into our services once we are 'allowed' to worship back in the building. This isn't easy because we want to both worship in the building and 'livestream' from the building and music licences are complex. One solution is that the music we 'hear' at a service (on the basis that we won't be allowed to sing) needs to be 'home-grown' - that fits the livestreaming licence.
So, we would like to try a 'virtual choir'.
The process would go like this.
An organ accompaniment would be recorded and sent out to any interested singer.
The singer, at home, would play the accompaniment on one device using earphones to listen, whilst recording their voice onto a mp3 file on another device (this way they would keep in time and tune with the accompaniment!)
The singer would send the mp3 file in and we would mix all the voices together, along with the original organ accompaniment. (We are not videoing this - it's just your voice we are after!!)
On the Sunday service at church the finished 'Virtual Choir' hymn would be played through a loud speaker, words projected so the congregation could follow along (silently, I'm afraid), and this would also be webcast.
Quite a lot of work but, I think, very worthwhile - and we'd get better at it as we went along!
So, if you are up for a challenge - have a good singing voice and could cope with the technology - drop me an email and say you would be willing to be part of our AFC Morning Worship 'Virtual Choir'.
I look forward to hearing from you!
May you, today, know God's peace and joy in all you do.
Ian
We are currently considering how to include music into our services once we are 'allowed' to worship back in the building. This isn't easy because we want to both worship in the building and 'livestream' from the building and music licences are complex. One solution is that the music we 'hear' at a service (on the basis that we won't be allowed to sing) needs to be 'home-grown' - that fits the livestreaming licence.
So, we would like to try a 'virtual choir'.
The process would go like this.
An organ accompaniment would be recorded and sent out to any interested singer.
The singer, at home, would play the accompaniment on one device using earphones to listen, whilst recording their voice onto a mp3 file on another device (this way they would keep in time and tune with the accompaniment!)
The singer would send the mp3 file in and we would mix all the voices together, along with the original organ accompaniment. (We are not videoing this - it's just your voice we are after!!)
On the Sunday service at church the finished 'Virtual Choir' hymn would be played through a loud speaker, words projected so the congregation could follow along (silently, I'm afraid), and this would also be webcast.
Quite a lot of work but, I think, very worthwhile - and we'd get better at it as we went along!
So, if you are up for a challenge - have a good singing voice and could cope with the technology - drop me an email and say you would be willing to be part of our AFC Morning Worship 'Virtual Choir'.
I look forward to hearing from you!
May you, today, know God's peace and joy in all you do.
Ian
Friday 19 June 2020
Friday 19th June 2020
 |
| The Communion Table at AFC yesterday afternoon |
Yesterday we opened up the Sanctuary at AFC for private prayer and I hope the dozen or so people who attended found it helpful. It was, for me, thrilling to see the doors open, lights on and candles lit - a moment to savour. Gradually we long for more moments like these, all taken at the 'speed of love', which means we'll all decide whether or not to join in with corporate prayer and worship in our own time and depending on our own circumstances. As that emerging integration takes place let's hold each other in prayer and continue to think of ourself as one congregation in different places.
Heather has given us another wonderful Prayer and Reflection - I just love the story she tells about Mother Theresa and prayer!
May you, today and over the weekend, know God's blessing and joy in all you do,
Ian
Thursday 18 June 2020
Thursday 18th June 2020
The Minister's Letter has been posted out today, and we are grateful to Laura, our Administrator, for doing this.
A little later on, between 3.00pm and 4.00pm we'll be opening up the AFC Sanctuary for the first time since March 15th (94 days ago!) . It will be for a one hour opportunity of Private Prayer. Hazel alerted me to the BBC Radio Four Thought for the Day given by Canon Angela Tilby yesterday (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08h63bh) in which she reflects on whether prayer is truely private or in fact a joining together with saints, present and past, and the whole company of heaven. It's a lovely thought, that whenever we pray we join our prayers with countless others it's never a totally solitary activity.
Another new addition on the website today is Manse Talk 2 - I hope it's useful! I'll try and include the dog next time!
I hope that in all you do today you'll know the peace and joy of God.
Ian
A little later on, between 3.00pm and 4.00pm we'll be opening up the AFC Sanctuary for the first time since March 15th (94 days ago!) . It will be for a one hour opportunity of Private Prayer. Hazel alerted me to the BBC Radio Four Thought for the Day given by Canon Angela Tilby yesterday (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08h63bh) in which she reflects on whether prayer is truely private or in fact a joining together with saints, present and past, and the whole company of heaven. It's a lovely thought, that whenever we pray we join our prayers with countless others it's never a totally solitary activity.
Another new addition on the website today is Manse Talk 2 - I hope it's useful! I'll try and include the dog next time!
I hope that in all you do today you'll know the peace and joy of God.
Ian
Wednesday 17 June 2020
Wednesday 17th June 2020
Sunday is Fathers' Day and it so happens that Michael and Sara's two sons, James and Matthew, will be taking part in the audio-service, giving the readings, all the way from Exeter and New York! We really have been blessed by hearing voices, literally from all over the world, in the services since March.
Tomorrow AFC will open, for the first time, for Private Prayer. That's Thursday 18th June 2020 from 3.00pm-4.00pm. Do come and go as you please, as this will not be (indeed, is not allowed to be) a led service. We'll be using the front doors as a way in, and the rear doors as our exit. A steward will guide folks to sit in appropriately distanced chairs. Some music will be played now and then throughout the hour of quiet prayer, leaving times for silent reflection in between.
It's baby steps, but a step forward never the less!
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Tomorrow AFC will open, for the first time, for Private Prayer. That's Thursday 18th June 2020 from 3.00pm-4.00pm. Do come and go as you please, as this will not be (indeed, is not allowed to be) a led service. We'll be using the front doors as a way in, and the rear doors as our exit. A steward will guide folks to sit in appropriately distanced chairs. Some music will be played now and then throughout the hour of quiet prayer, leaving times for silent reflection in between.
It's baby steps, but a step forward never the less!
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Tuesday 16 June 2020
Frustration!
Yesterday afternoon I started researching how we might play ‘commercially pre-recorded hymns and music’ in a live streamed service – to make up for the fact that it’s predicted that singing will be banned when we return to church services. Well, no one licence gives us such permission. I’m sure we’ll find a way to do something ‘musical’ – for example we don’t need permission to play back our own congregation singing the hymns (I think!!) – but it has all been a bit …frustrating!
Yet the truth is that so many hopes have been dashed because of the pandemic. So many plans have had to be abandoned. In this process we have, sometimes grudgingly, begun to re-assess what’s really important. None of my frustrations have been fatal – and for that I’m truly grateful.
We will find a way and we will live with the ‘false starts’. And in that process just maybe we’ll lean a bit of patience En route.
May you know God’s blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Monday 15 June 2020
Monday 15th June 2020
If you managed to tune in to yesterday's service I hope you enjoyed the message sent to us from Liz and Sergio Vilela in Mozambique. It's good to know they are all well and engaged in various projects - such as the provision of soap so that good handwashing can be had by a greater number.
Every year AFC donates £5,000 towards the work of the Baptist Missionary Society and the first half of that sum was, appropriately enough, sent off to the BMS last week. It's one of the down to earth ways in which we seek to support 'mission', both home and overseas.
Talking of yesterday's audio service I find it interesting to note that so far this year we've held 11 Sunday services at church and 13 over the airways - none of that was in our service schedule!
There is a possibility that we might be allowed back into the building for Sunday worship at the beginning of July and our elders are contacting folk on their pastoral lists just to guage how many might be joining us.
I want to say again, if and when we go back, that we hope to webcast the church services so that we are ONE congregation - be that at home or in church.
May you, today, know God's blessing and joy in all you do.
Ian
Every year AFC donates £5,000 towards the work of the Baptist Missionary Society and the first half of that sum was, appropriately enough, sent off to the BMS last week. It's one of the down to earth ways in which we seek to support 'mission', both home and overseas.
Talking of yesterday's audio service I find it interesting to note that so far this year we've held 11 Sunday services at church and 13 over the airways - none of that was in our service schedule!
There is a possibility that we might be allowed back into the building for Sunday worship at the beginning of July and our elders are contacting folk on their pastoral lists just to guage how many might be joining us.
I want to say again, if and when we go back, that we hope to webcast the church services so that we are ONE congregation - be that at home or in church.
May you, today, know God's blessing and joy in all you do.
Ian
Thursday 11 June 2020
Friday 12th June 2020
This morning I'll be officiating at the funeral of Mr John Fox at the Chitern Crematorium.
We remember John at AFC as a church member, someone who loved singing in our choir and who, on occasions would entertain us at functions with his delightful monologues. He was well known and much respected in our town - and greatly loved by his family. May John rest in peace and rise in glory.
Since Lockdown I've conducted nine funerals at the crematorium - many more, it must be said, than I normally do, yet only one I think had Covid-19 on the death certificate.
Without exception I've been touched at every service by the sincere tributes expressed by family members. It's been a great privilege to share in these moments, especially at this strange time when even sitting together, let alone hugging, has been discouraged at the services.
The human spirit - because I beleive we are made in God's image - both suffers and copes with grief because of love.
I hope, those of you who can meet up with family or friends this weekend, and those who will stay in the security of home, that you will know you are loved and can express that love to others. So, may God's blessing of joy and peace be yours in all you do.
Ian
We remember John at AFC as a church member, someone who loved singing in our choir and who, on occasions would entertain us at functions with his delightful monologues. He was well known and much respected in our town - and greatly loved by his family. May John rest in peace and rise in glory.
Since Lockdown I've conducted nine funerals at the crematorium - many more, it must be said, than I normally do, yet only one I think had Covid-19 on the death certificate.
Without exception I've been touched at every service by the sincere tributes expressed by family members. It's been a great privilege to share in these moments, especially at this strange time when even sitting together, let alone hugging, has been discouraged at the services.
The human spirit - because I beleive we are made in God's image - both suffers and copes with grief because of love.
I hope, those of you who can meet up with family or friends this weekend, and those who will stay in the security of home, that you will know you are loved and can express that love to others. So, may God's blessing of joy and peace be yours in all you do.
Ian
Thursday 11th June 2020
We've had a number of meetings this week to discuss how we might open up the church for Private Prayer from next week. This morning a group of us went over to AFC and made some temporary alterations in accordance with government guidelines. These include: changing the seating arrangment, clearing away hymn books, bibles and leaflets, the prayer and children's table and covering the lending library.
Over the next few days information about these opportunities for Private Prayer will appear on the website.
It feels as if this is a small but significant step back into a more normal way of life.
May you, today, know God's joy and peace in all you do.
Ian
Wednesday 10 June 2020
Wednesday 10th June 2020
We held a Zoom Elders' Meeting on Monday and it was good to catch up with pastoral news.
On Friday we will be holding the funeral service of our good friend and church member, Mr John Fox. His family have sent over the webcast details of the service for those who would like to join them by tuning in:
https://wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view
Login / Order ID: 34611
Password: tkuaaxhe
You might be aware that the Government has announced that churches can open for private prayer from next Monday onwards. At AFC we are currently discussing how we might provide this opportunity for people and we'll announce our plans in the next few days.
And lastly, in some email correspondence recently I was sent this challenging quote from Rabbi Heschel, a fellow campaigner alongside Dr Martin Luther King for civil rights. Words that are surely worth pondering: we worry more about the Purity of Dogma than the Integrity of Love.
Whatever you do today, may you know God's blessing and joy.
Ian
On Friday we will be holding the funeral service of our good friend and church member, Mr John Fox. His family have sent over the webcast details of the service for those who would like to join them by tuning in:
https://wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view
Login / Order ID: 34611
Password: tkuaaxhe
You might be aware that the Government has announced that churches can open for private prayer from next Monday onwards. At AFC we are currently discussing how we might provide this opportunity for people and we'll announce our plans in the next few days.
And lastly, in some email correspondence recently I was sent this challenging quote from Rabbi Heschel, a fellow campaigner alongside Dr Martin Luther King for civil rights. Words that are surely worth pondering: we worry more about the Purity of Dogma than the Integrity of Love.
Whatever you do today, may you know God's blessing and joy.
Ian
Tuesday 9 June 2020
The Thinking Goes On...
 |
| The Golden Crucifixion: 1993: Norman Adams |
I think that’s true, not just despite Lockdown but even, maybe, because of it. We have all had a lot to think about!
Some of my thinking seems to be done best as I journey with an author through a book. It’s often in that fusion of their words and my thoughts that I arrive at some conclusions which nourish and sustain.
That happened recently in reading Seeing God in Art. It’s author, Bishop Richard Harries says this about forgiveness as he pondered the message behind a painting of the crucifixion: it is not so much about wiping the slate clean as continuing to hold someone in relationship even though that person has hurt you.
I think that’s a powerful and practical idea. When I hold the door open in a relationship – that is a way of offering down to earth forgiveness.
Of course, it is tough and complex.
I became aware of that, once again, over the VE75 weekend whilst listening to an edition of BBC Radio 4’s The Reunion with Sue MacGregor. She had brought together a number of retired soldiers who had been interned during the war and had helped to build the Siam-Burma railway (The Death Railway). Some could forgive their captors and others couldn’t.
Looking at art, reading poetry, singing a line of a hymn, watching a sunset – all of these can help us ‘frame’ our faith. Bishop Harries did that as he looked at the painting The Golden Crucifixion by Norman Adams, and spoke of forgiveness as continuing to hold someone in relationship.
I’m grateful for that reflection because forgiveness can be a concept difficult to define and an action hard to practise.
May you, today, know God’s blessing and joy in all you do.
Ian
Monday 8 June 2020
Monday 8th June 2020
We have received the following email Prayer Letter from our Link Missionaries in Mozambique. We hope that Liz and Sergio might be able to send us an audio greeting on next Sunday's service - we'll see if the tecjnology co-operates! What the prayer letter does remind us of is the global nature of this pandemic.
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Dear all,
We bring you all greetings from Beira. We hope that you are in good health! We are doing well and into another month of quarantine. The President has extended it until the end of June and we will see what happens then. We currently have had 352 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2 deaths. We are sure this doesn’t represent the number of people who actually have the virus, and the number has increased considerably over the last week. However, with number of cases elsewhere, we give thanks to God that this number is still low and we are in good health.
This week we have started a new project, giving some financial support to PEPE teachers, who are not receiving any contributions from PEPE parents and therefore the Churches don’t have money to pay them. The PEPE coordinators have also prepared some work for children to do while they are at home and BMS has been able to provide the costs of printing these, from the donations that have been given. The plan is to do this every month for the next few months while PEPE are closed. They were very appreciative of this support when we gave it to them this week. Thank you to all those who have donated to the appeal as this helping people to put food on their table, and for children to be able to continue their learning at home.
Sergio is also working on another project that we are awaiting permission, as well as other team projects to support people during this difficult time. It is great to be able to help and do what we can.
As a family we are doing well. The children are in a rhythm of doing school in the mornings, playing with the puppies, eating lots, making a mess, etc. We are making the most of time as a family, but we are looking forward to getting back to ‘normal’.
Look out for our next prayer letter that will be out very soon with more information about life right now for Mozambicans.
Take care, God bless, and stay safe.
Love Liz, Sergio, Chloe and Joshua
Friday 5 June 2020
Friday 5th June 2020
Whilst driving over to Chorleywood Common this morning for the daily dog walk I tuned in to this week's Desert Island Discs. They were playing the choices of listeners and, in true Desert Island style, telling their stories before broadcasting the music. The very first choice came from a manager at The Royal Free Hospital in north London. She shared her story of taking her guitar along to a staff meeting for a sing-a-long. It was at the height of the pandemic and the song that cheered the staff and uplifted spirits was, in fact, a hymn: Amazing Grace.
I was much moved that a national radio programme frontlined with such a story. Even in our society which seems, at least on the surface, to have moved quite a way from Church, it was the singing of a hymn that seems to have brought great comfort and inspiration to that group of front line workers in a hospital.
Yesterday I took part in a Zoom training event by the URC and it all went very well and was much appreciated. On Sunday the Local Area Group of URC churches holds its AGM via Zoom, and then on Monday our own Elders will be Zooming for the first time!
We heard the sad news yesterday that one of our former members who moved away from Amersham a couple of years ago, Mrs Helena White, has lost her battle with cancer. Our love and prayers go out to David at this sad time.
I hope you might be able to tune in to the audio service this forthcoming Trinity Sunday. Incredible to think that, including Good Friday, this is our 13th 'broadcast'!
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
I was much moved that a national radio programme frontlined with such a story. Even in our society which seems, at least on the surface, to have moved quite a way from Church, it was the singing of a hymn that seems to have brought great comfort and inspiration to that group of front line workers in a hospital.
Yesterday I took part in a Zoom training event by the URC and it all went very well and was much appreciated. On Sunday the Local Area Group of URC churches holds its AGM via Zoom, and then on Monday our own Elders will be Zooming for the first time!
We heard the sad news yesterday that one of our former members who moved away from Amersham a couple of years ago, Mrs Helena White, has lost her battle with cancer. Our love and prayers go out to David at this sad time.
I hope you might be able to tune in to the audio service this forthcoming Trinity Sunday. Incredible to think that, including Good Friday, this is our 13th 'broadcast'!
May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.
Ian
Thursday 4 June 2020
Thursday 4th June 2020
I'm delighted that our church magazine Family News is being published this week. We are very grateful to everyone on the editorial committee who has worked hard to put it together.
Today we are also sending out this week's Minister's Letter.
Two URC Zoom meetings are on my horizon at the moment. Later today I'll be participating in a URC training session for ministers and then, on Sunday afternoon, Janet Reid (our church secretary) and I will be 'attending' the URC Local Area Group's AGM via Zoom. Amazing, isn't it, how church life has adapted to the new challenges of the last few months!
May you, today, know God's blessing and peace in all you do.
Ian
Today we are also sending out this week's Minister's Letter.
Two URC Zoom meetings are on my horizon at the moment. Later today I'll be participating in a URC training session for ministers and then, on Sunday afternoon, Janet Reid (our church secretary) and I will be 'attending' the URC Local Area Group's AGM via Zoom. Amazing, isn't it, how church life has adapted to the new challenges of the last few months!
May you, today, know God's blessing and peace in all you do.
Ian
Wednesday 3 June 2020
Wednesday 3rd June 2020
On Sunday we delighted in hearing greetings from teh Vogel family in Germany. Here is the extended text sent by Jochen, alongside a picture of their congregation meeting for Pentecost Sunday worship outside the church.
Our dear friends in Amersham!
Our dear friends in Amersham!
Ian asked us if we could formulate some
thoughts on AFC at Pentecost. We'd love to do that.
Because Pentecost is a really fitting occasion
to communicate with each other.
We often think of you and wonder how you are
getting through this difficult time. We hope that none of you and your loved
ones were infected by Covid 19! But even those who have remained healthy will still suffer in a way:
You and
we suffer with those who are infected and those who mourn for a loved one. With
those who are severely burdened by the economic consequences and especially
with those who are socially isolated.We all lack the personal contacts with our
relatives, with friends, professional colleagues (we even miss the hairdresser
- our hair looks like Boris Johnson's) and also with our church community. This
has always been a matter of course, but now we realize how valuable and vital
it is - like our daily bread!
In Rohrsen we really
have luck in misfortune. We all are healthy
and we are all together in the family, including our mother with her 87 years. The work on the farm runs relatively normally for Rosemarie and me,
there are only sometimes problems in obtaining materials. Unfortunately, we
have too little rain, but luckily we are able to irrigate some areas,
especially the potatoes. So don't worry, there will be chips again next year!
And
every day the vegetation continues to grow and every day it is a great joy to
work outside and rejoice in God's creation. For example the golden yellow rape
fields during the last weeks and now the dog roses and lupines or the beautiful
flowering rhododendrons, also in our garden.
About
the Corona situation: there are only 3 infected people left in our district of
Nienburg (about 150.000 people), the maximum was about 70, but nobody had to go
to intensive care.
Our children Dorothee,
Rebecca, Wiebke and Hauke study online from home, Johannes, the eldest, works
in home office for an agricultural credit bank.
His girlfriend Tamara also works in a bank. She has
to serve customers for a few days every week, of course with a mask and
distance.
So we are in good
hands and very grateful for that. And next Sunday – Pentecost - there will finally be a - almost - real
church service again. Hopefully the weather will be nice, as we want to
celebrate outside in front of the church on the lawn - with a lot of distance.
There is a trombone choir (max. 6 winds) and a solo singer. We are not allowed
to sing ourselves, because the authorities think that we spit too much. It's a
pity, because especially at Pentecost traditionally one of my favourite songs
is always sung: "Go forth my heart and seek Delight".
During the last weeks there were only a few
church messages here via our homepage. It was much in Amersham and we have
great respect for how you used the new
media so intensively to keep in touch in the church community and not leaving anyone alone. We looked over your
shoulder a little bit and are thrilled how you made the best out of the
situation. Especially impressive are the virtual church services, which give
you the feeling of being together with the others. It's also wonderful how
Methew created the musical framework - we watched him on YouTube composing in
his "Universal Studios". Super !!
In this unusual Corona time many different
messages are spread in many different countries in many different languages.
There are recriminations, misinformation and conspiracy theories (e.g. against
Bill Gates - Thanks for your good comment, Michael). People become insecure and
lose their compass. Where are we, where are we going and who is honest and
shows us the right way?
Thank God it is now it´s Pentecost
in many
different countries, in many different languages, there are not many different
messages, but one Pentecost message for all of us:
God fills us with his Spirit and gives us new
courage and new confidence, faith and strength and love and: the great Christian
community!
And with this new confidence, faith in God's
goodness, with strength and love and in close companionship with our neighbors,
whatever may come can come.Wir schaffen das!
That way we will overcome the crisis. And in
the end it will make us even stronger and will teach us what the truly important
things in life are.
Dear friends in Amersham,
these are some of the thoughts that move us
when we think of Pentecost and of you in Amersham.
We wish you a wonderful Pentecost full of
optimism and say goodbye with the words of your great Queen:
We will meet again!
Yours
Jochen, Rosemarie, Johannes, Dorothee,
Rebecca, Wiebke and Hauke
Tuesday 2 June 2020
Faith...Rules...Relationship...
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about the changed
way of life we’ve all been experiencing over recent weeks is the sharing of
articles, ideas and reflections by email.
One of my email correspondents last week posted me a piece recently published reflecting on a homily given by Pope Francis in Rome on May 15th in which he said that Christianity is…not about following rules but having a relationship with Jesus. I think those are super words and worthy of our consideration.
It has, of course, been quite a time for rules since the Spring. The media, in our unhealthy ‘blame game’ culture, are besotted with the quest to find public figures who have ‘broken’ them.
We are all having to take on board new and different ‘rules’ every month. When we return to church for ‘in person’ worship every one attending will have to accept that we’ll be doing things differently than before Lockdown.
By and large we have, and are, accepting these ‘rules’ because we know they have been issued for the benefit of society and we want to play our part in beating this virus.
When it comes to faith it is sometimes a dilemma for us to decide between keeping the letter or the spirit of the ‘law’.
Brian Mclaren, an inspiring
theological writer, makes a similar point to the Pope when he says in his book A
New Kind of Christian that we often find ourselves with a choice of being a
Christian whose faith is founded on a ‘constitution’ or a ‘relationship’. I suspect, however, that we all flit between
the two.One of my email correspondents last week posted me a piece recently published reflecting on a homily given by Pope Francis in Rome on May 15th in which he said that Christianity is…not about following rules but having a relationship with Jesus. I think those are super words and worthy of our consideration.
It has, of course, been quite a time for rules since the Spring. The media, in our unhealthy ‘blame game’ culture, are besotted with the quest to find public figures who have ‘broken’ them.
We are all having to take on board new and different ‘rules’ every month. When we return to church for ‘in person’ worship every one attending will have to accept that we’ll be doing things differently than before Lockdown.
By and large we have, and are, accepting these ‘rules’ because we know they have been issued for the benefit of society and we want to play our part in beating this virus.
When it comes to faith it is sometimes a dilemma for us to decide between keeping the letter or the spirit of the ‘law’.
Part of the message this Pentecost season is that God gifts us The Holy Spirit so that our lives might more obviously reflect the way of Jesus.
The Ministers’ Book Group to which I belong will, this month via Zoom, be discussing Bishop Richard Harries’ book Seeing God in Art and this is what he says as he reflects on a sixth -century mosaic of Moses encountering God at The Burning Bush: …in our limited human minds there is an ultimate unknownness about God, before whom there can only be reverent silence…what God does reveal, however, is the way of life he wants his people to follow…
And that way I life, I would suggest, is indeed experienced best in a ‘relationship with Jesus’.
May you, today, know God’s blessing and joy in all you do.
Ian
Monday 1 June 2020
Monday 1st June 2020
Time for some laughter today!
Janet, our Church Secretary sent me these!
And this, from Erna.
Ascension is not the day Jesus retired. It’s just the day when Jesus started working from home”.
May you, today, know God's blessing and joy in all you do.
Ian
Janet, our Church Secretary sent me these!
And this, from Erna.
Ascension is not the day Jesus retired. It’s just the day when Jesus started working from home”.
May you, today, know God's blessing and joy in all you do.
Ian
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I belong to a couple of book discussion groups, and both have looked at the former Chief Rabbi’s brilliant tome entitled Not in God’s Name...
