Thursday 2nd April 2020

Matthew working on this Sunday's Audio Service yesterday evening

Yesterday we held our weekly Church Officers' Meeting, once again using the Zoom platform.  It worked quite well, although I 'disappeared' for some reason on and off!!

Some of our discussions and decision making is reflected in The Minister's Letter which can be accessed on the website or found in your email 'in boxes' today.

We are especially conscious that not everyone in our church community has the internet so we've decided that with their weekly post through their house letter boxes they will also receive a printed selection of some of the articles printed that week on the website.

Our audio service for Palm Sunday is now 'in the can' (as I think they say!), all the recording has been done and sent on to Michael who'll be putting it together over the next few days.

We hope to produce an extra service which will be put up on the morning of Good Friday.

Even though 'normal' church life has ground to a halt, our administator is working on producing a new Church Directory for us.

Lastly, congratulations to the Editorial Committee of Family News for putting our April church magazine together and sending it out today!

May you, today, know the presence and blessing of God in all you do.

Ian

Wednesday 1st April 2020

On this first day of a new month I'm delighted that Bryan Long has written us a Thought for the Week on the AFC Website.  I'm really grateful for every member of the church community who is stepping up to the plate and writing for the site during the Crisis.  It's one way of keeping us all connected and many of you have emailed to say how much you enjoy reading the daily articles - even recommending them to friends!

Yesterday I conducted a funeral for a 95year old gentlemen, a former Boys' Brigade Captain and resident of Rayner's Care Home - where AFC take a monthly service.  He died of natural causes and it was a great privilege to officiate.  Many from his family were prevented from being present because of travel restrictions, so the service was also webcast.  It is a testament to AFC folk who join us for these residential home services that we make the sort of relationships with the residents that give their family the confidence to ask one of our ministers to conduct the funeral of their loved one.

Today the Church Officers 'meet' via ZOOM!  It will be good to chat through with Janet and Bob the various aspects of church life that need attending to; we keep Erna in the loop too!  And then notes of that 'virtual' meeting are sent out to Elders for ratification before the substance is written up in The Minister's Letter which will be published and sent out tomorrow.  Never in a million years, I suspect, did our Non Conformist forebears ever think that 'Congregational' church government would be exercised in this way using such technology in a time of crisis.  Yet, I hope we are still honouring the 'spirit' of our church tradition.

And lastly, I'm delighted to share some good news, via our church member Hector Fordyce.  Hector plays his part in local community life at Chorleywood and is keen to share with us some news about the proposed new Cricket Pavillion on The Common.  I've offered to print his letter to me, and the church secretary, below as there are so few avenues at the moment for him to share the news with us.  Thank you Hector for sharing the news with us and for your obvious commitment to your local community.  I think he was particlaurly keen for me to know about this as I take Pip, our dog, for a walk on the Common every day! 

Dear Ian and Janet,

I would normally have sent this article to the editors of Family News, and wonder at this present time whether -due to the present circumstances - this good news could be put on the AFC website.

Some Good News - Chorleywood Cricket Clubs New Pavilion.

Many friends of AFC will have travelled along the A404 to Junction 18 on the M25 passing Chorleywood Cricket Club’s old ramshackle pavilion. For many years CWCC have wished to build a new pavilion.They came to the conclusion that because of cost, they would have to proceed to just clad the original building, and put on a pitched roof instead of the present flat roof. Out of the blue the  Charity, “MissionEmployable “appeared over the horizon, and a joint effort to design a new building was started.

Planning Permission for the new building was granted at the end of  January 2020 by TRDC. Activity by CWCC & ME is now concentrated on raising the necessary funds. Unfortunately, due to the present circumstances, planned fund raising activities have had to be postponed, but it is still hoped that construction will take place between September 2020 to April 2021.

The building is going to benefit the Chorleywood community, and   a far wider area (including Amersham) with MissionEmployable. CWCC have to raise over £ 350,000, and ME over this amount.

Generally the ground floor will be occupied by ME, when from 9.00am to 6.00pm, or dusk, you will be able to order tea , coffee and light meals. Youngsters with learning disabilities etc.,will be trained to cook, serve, wash-up, clean, make out bills, work at the till, prepare CV’s, and interview techniques. This is in expectation that they will be able to apply for a job (employable).

CWCC will occupy the first floor, and will have a socialising space and full changing facilities for men/boys and women/girls, in line with ECB requirements. There will be a balcony for players and scorers to view the match. A separate area on the ground floor is allocated to the Groundsman. Coaching on Sunday mornings takes place from April to July - in normal times - for over 100 boys and girls, aged from 5 to 11 years. Coaching for ages12 to18, and local league matches takes place on weekday evenings. CWCC field 4 teams in the local leagues at Weekends. Did you know that W.G.Grace played for MCC against CWCC on the “hallowed” turf.

Quite a few AFC friends walk on Chorleywood Common, some with their dog. From May 2021 it is hoped you could have a break with refreshments.

If you wish to financially support ME & CWCC for this exciting venture, you could send a cheque to the Honorary Treasurer : Mr Adrian Bryant, 6 Pheasants Way, Rickmansworth, WD3 7ES, or make a Bank Transfer to : NatWest, Chorleywood Cricket Club, Sort Code 52 21 27, Account No.794 379 07, Reference : Your Name.   Gift Aid Declaration forms can be obtained from the Treasurer (01923 721309), or On-line by applying  via the Treasurer’s email : bryanta@ntlworld.com

Clap for Carers

Last Thursday at 8pm our family ventured outside and joined with others in our street to ‘Clap for Carers’, and in particular those working for the NHS.

It was an uplifting moment!

Normally when we cheer and clap in the street it’s because a grand procession is coming our way.  But on Thursday evening nothing arrived.  No one actually received our applause, yet every health worker in the country, I suspect, was buoyed up by it.

Upon reflection I think we knew what we were supporting.  We were giving thanks for dedication and compassion.  We were conscious of all those who’ve gone the extra mile for us, often at some personal risk.  We were thinking of wonderful people in hospitals who do a difficult job.
We also, I suspect, knew why we were doing it. It was all about thanksgiving and having an opportunity to show appreciation.

In the end, this slightly wacky idea caught on and created a great sense of unity for a nation in the midst of crisis.

At the weekend, on Palm Sunday, we’ll be thinking of another crowd out on the streets doing their on kind of clapping, this time by waving branches and calling out Hosanna!

However, maybe this crowd got a few things wrong.  They certainly did if their greeting was for a conquering hero sort of king.  They got it wrong if they thought all the palm waving in the world would bring about transition through violent change, or that freedom could only be achieved by power.

They needed a re-think and the cross gives us all that.  The cross is about self-sacrifice, forgiveness, suffering for others and living out the consequences of love.The cross redefines our lives, our relationships, our community and our response to the needs of others.  And in these challenging days of Lent 2020 these qualities are rightly being applauded; even  by people out on the streets.

Monday 30th March 2020

A big 'thank you' to everyone who has contacted us after yesterday morning's Audio-Service.  Your comments and encouragements are much appreciated.  One person said that sending an email had now become her equivalent of shaking hands at the door after a service!

I wonder if we'll ever get back to shaking hands once all this is all over? Somethings, I suspect, will change for ever.

It has surprised me that the audio service has been listened to in a number of places, not just Amersham.  The list includes: Slough, Reading, Milton Keynes, Pevensey Bay, Malvern, Kettering and Yeovil.  The 'power' to reach out via the internet is certainly significant.

I know at least one person in the congregation who has the virus, others have family or friends who are down with it, and one or two of you lost a friend last week because of it.  We keep each other in our thoughts and prayers.

Our church magazine, Family News, was put together over the weekend; the Editorial Team operating by email.  The April edition will be with you either by post or through your computer 'in' box this week sometime. Our thanks to everyone involved.

May you, today, know the blessing and presence of God in all you do.

Friday 27th March 2020

Recording pieces for this week's audio service yesterday!

Last week a neighbour of ours sent everyone in Cedar Grove a 'call to arms'.  She has been a most effective organisor so we now have a spreadsheet of contact numbers enabling us to keep in contact and look after each other, if and when the time comes.  What struck me was that she spoke in her first letter of us all re-discovering the 'Dunkirk Spirit'. 

I fully understand that, yet, upon reflection this crisis is very different to a war time one.  From what I can make out my grandparents' generation drew great strength from physically being in it together.  That longing for 'community' drove them to the cinema to see the latest Pathe newsreel, to church for national prayer services or simply into each other's kitchens for a cup of tea and a chat.  None of that physical contact is available in this crisis, so we are inventing new ways of expressing 'community'.

One such way is to speak to each other more often whilst out on a walk.  As I've taken the dog out on my one 'exercise' outing per day I've noticed that although we are observing that 2m rule, most people do it with a smile on their face and a cheerful 'hello'.  Ironically, I've felt more connected with my fellow walkers since the 2m apart rule than before!

Yesterday the Green household did a bit of recording for this Sunday's audio service.  Although there was lots of laughter as we all pretended we were at the BBC, I hope the end result will be helpful and uplifting.  Even as I write Michael is putting it all together.

I'm delighted that The Revd Heather McIntyre will be writing a short Prayer and Reflection devotional every Friday throughout the Crisis for our website and the first one appears today. Thank you Heather!

May you, today and this weekend, know the blessing and peace of God in all you do.

Ian

Thursday 26th March 2020

Our two boys, well they are grown men really, both standing 6 foot 5 inches tall, did the Green family shop yesterday at Tesco.  I think it was a seminal experience for them!  They joined a long queue to get in and headed straight for the loo roll section to claim their one packet.  So elated were they at this achievement that they immediately Whatsapped me with a picture of the afore mentioned item safely in the trolly! 

These are strange days, yet in many ways they are also days in which we are re-evaluating what's really important to us, and the ability to go and do the weekly shop succesfully is one 'ordinary' thing that now feels quite 'special'.

Today, on our website and through your emails and letter boxes, we have posted a Minister's Letter.  This, amongst other things, will contain some of the issues we discuss at our regular Wednesday Church Officers Meeting - which, I'll have you know, we successfully (well almost) held via Zoom yesterday!  We are going to get better at this.

It's been heartening to hear of so many people signing up to be volunteers as a result of the Government's appeal.  We have our own band of volunteers here at AFC and yesterday one of them helped one of our older folk with a prescription delivery.  Do contact me if you, or someone known to you, needs practical help.

And a lovely thing to finish with.  We did a broadcast service on Sunday and one member of our congregation realised not everyone has access to the internet.  So, he made some CDs of the service and gave them out to three church friends who don't have a computer.  Hearing that news yesterday made my heart glad - small acts of kindness - that's what I call living Lent well!

May you, today, know the blessing and presence of God in all you do.

Ian

Wednesday 25th March 2020

I awoke early this morning and heard the Dawn Chorus.  It's odd, isn't it, to think of the birds, animals and flowers making their way through this spring quite 'normally', unaware of their context on Planet Earth!

We've had some super offers from members of the church community to help with shopping if required.  So if you, or someone known to you, needs such assistance don't hestitate to contact me and I'll put you in touch.

This morning I meet with the Church Secretary and Church Tresurer 'virtually' by something called 'Zoom'!  Being something of a Luddite when it comes to technology I'm not entirely optimistic at the prospect.  What I do know is that these 'meetings' have become very important so that discussion can be had and decisions made.  The notes of these events are then circulated to the Elders for any further input - and that's the way we are working at AFC at the moment.

I'm delighted that our first Thought for the Week is published today on the website and Janet has wrtten a wonderfully uplifting piece for us.

One of our Regional Ministers, Colin Pye, wrote at the weekend: It used to be said, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, well now we've all discovered that you can...

It's true - we are all learning how to do things differently - and how to do them well.

May you, today, know the blessing and presence of God in all you do.

Ian