AUGUST, for many people, is a holiday month with the promise of some time to relax and maybe some travel to "foreign parts" where they do things in a different way. And seeing things and cultures from a different perspective can be quite fascinating. There is a small book, which could slip in your pocket, which would make interesting reading about a very different culture. I'd recommend it as a holiday from your own culture whether you read it at home in a sunny spot or take it away with you. It is called 'The Parables of Jesus' and is written by David Penman. He had experience of living in the Middle East and this small book opens our eyes to the culture of Jesus' time and the relevance of that way of living and behaving to the deeper understanding of the parables. I was fascinated by the background to the excuses given by the people who refused to go to the banquet (Luke chapter 14).
Hodder have published a 'Book of Prayers in Large Print' this year. I'd like to commend it to you for it is a wide-ranging collection of prayers and the large print is most useful to those who need "easy reading" size of print at home or when leading a time of prayer in any service. As I looked through the mixture in this book I found many "old friends" and well known prayers but also many new to me which are a great asset to the usefulness of this book in different situations of joy or sorrow. One prayer which we could pray for each other is from page 145:
"Even as the water falls on the dry tea leaves and brings out their flavour, so may your spirit fall on us too, so that we may bring refreshment and joy to others."
Small children need careful teaching and encouragement to pray. There is a new series of four small books of Bible stories and prayers for little children which will be useful aids to help families in this most important teaching. The titles are 'God Loves You', Am Brave', 'Prayers at Bedtime' and 'The Lord's Prayer'.
HEATHER BROOKS
THE AEROPLANE was somewhat unusual in that it had no markings. Who were this planeload of people being anonymously airlifted out of Jersey on a
Saturday morning in June? It was the Deanery Pilgrimage, comprising members from virtually each church, complete with their own TV crew, on their way to Winchester Cathedral. Our first view of it was from above as we made a sweeping approach to Southampton Airport - if they could have dropped us out at that point it would have meant that we were back on schedule!
After a rather dramatic touchdown, we were, unlike James Bond's dry Martini, definitely shaken but unstirred - though we were reassured by the sight of two fire appliances apparently rushing out to meet us, but I think they were just on a routine drive around the airport. Eventually, now only one hour adrift from the timetable, we were taken by the two slowest coaches imaginable to the ancient capital of Wessex - King Alfred might have made the journey quicker while still having time to burn the cakes!
A warm welcome, complete with coffee and the most scrumptious, and quite delicious, croissant I have ever tasted, awaited us at the Cathedral Refectory. Thereafter a team of guides revealed various parts of the Cathedral, from the roof of the tower down into the crypt, from the Morley Library with the mediaeval Bible to the Silkstede Chapel newly refurbished with a most modern altar, candlesticks and seating in celebration of the life and work of Izaac Walton, and much else besides.
Having enjoyed a splendid day of discovery we attended Choral Evensong, with two of the Jersey clergy reading the Lessons. And so, back to the airport, and back to Jersey, for another emphatic landing which ensured that any weary bodies that might have nodded off were abruptly awoken.
Our thanks to Michael Calle and Archdeacon Alec Knight who supervised the Winchester end, and to Francis Mason who from this end organised the transport, and to Channel Television who recorded the whole trip for some possible future programme.
As an experience it helped to close the gap of distance, and establish a better sense of familiarity; between the centre of the Diocese and this Deanery, its most distant outpost. It also helped build up the fellowship of the church members from the different parishes. We are the one Body of Christ, in the parishes, and at the Cathedral. Many said it would be well worth doing it again - but with gentler landings!
JOHN SEAFORD
A COMMENT heard in a sermon recently that "Nowadays even Christians are being divorced" was disturbing to me, not only because the divorce rate includes a percentage of Christian people, but because the preacher may be unaware of the effect that the trauma and sadness of separation and divorce has on those Christians who experience it.
Many churchgoers express views such as marriage is taken too lightly; marriages fail because the partners are unwilling to work at it; people marry with no intention of making a lifelong relationship. Comments like these and the remark quoted above exacerbate the feelings of guilt, failure, worthlessness and rejection felt by divorced Christians.
The majority of marriages take place between young people who may not always appreciate the magnitude of the promises they are making. They cannot know how much they will each change and grow as they move through life. Whilst that in itself is no reason to rub out the marriage, it can be a cause of conflict, of difficult or even abusive behaviour, or rebellion against what may feel a "prison" of a marriage. It can be the opening of a chink through which a third person may enter the relationship.
The divorced Christian faces the problem of reconciling the ideal of marriage with their own reality. Promises for "better or worse" are made in sincerity. Divorce is a no-go area — which later becomes a horribly real possibility. Confronted with the starkness of breakdown in a relationship, the Christian is quite likely to deny or disbelieve that such a thing could be happening, trying again and again to make the marriage work. It can be months, even years, before either or both partners are able to accept that the marriage is not working, and most likely will not work again. Those months and years can be the nearest thing to "hell on earth" that many ordinary people will experience.
By whatever route the final decision is reached, divorce is rarely approached lightly and usually only after a great deal of heart and soul-searching.
It would be helpful if all Christians could be aware of those in their communities who may be having marriage problems and show real concern and offer "non-judgmental" support. Listening is helpful — side-taking is not. It will also help if this non-judgmental attitude can be extended to those already separated or divorced, as they struggle to rebuild their lives and find a niche in the family of God. "Christian divorce" is not a contradiction in terms but a fact of modern life and needs working at, just as marriage itself does. Real spiritual growth can flourish from a broken life, but it needs nurture, care and love.
PAULINE DRUIFF
Saturday morning in June? It was the Deanery Pilgrimage, comprising members from virtually each church, complete with their own TV crew, on their way to Winchester Cathedral. Our first view of it was from above as we made a sweeping approach to Southampton Airport - if they could have dropped us out at that point it would have meant that we were back on schedule!
After a rather dramatic touchdown, we were, unlike James Bond's dry Martini, definitely shaken but unstirred - though we were reassured by the sight of two fire appliances apparently rushing out to meet us, but I think they were just on a routine drive around the airport. Eventually, now only one hour adrift from the timetable, we were taken by the two slowest coaches imaginable to the ancient capital of Wessex - King Alfred might have made the journey quicker while still having time to burn the cakes!
A warm welcome, complete with coffee and the most scrumptious, and quite delicious, croissant I have ever tasted, awaited us at the Cathedral Refectory. Thereafter a team of guides revealed various parts of the Cathedral, from the roof of the tower down into the crypt, from the Morley Library with the mediaeval Bible to the Silkstede Chapel newly refurbished with a most modern altar, candlesticks and seating in celebration of the life and work of Izaac Walton, and much else besides.
Having enjoyed a splendid day of discovery we attended Choral Evensong, with two of the Jersey clergy reading the Lessons. And so, back to the airport, and back to Jersey, for another emphatic landing which ensured that any weary bodies that might have nodded off were abruptly awoken.
Our thanks to Michael Calle and Archdeacon Alec Knight who supervised the Winchester end, and to Francis Mason who from this end organised the transport, and to Channel Television who recorded the whole trip for some possible future programme.
As an experience it helped to close the gap of distance, and establish a better sense of familiarity; between the centre of the Diocese and this Deanery, its most distant outpost. It also helped build up the fellowship of the church members from the different parishes. We are the one Body of Christ, in the parishes, and at the Cathedral. Many said it would be well worth doing it again - but with gentler landings!
JOHN SEAFORD
A COMMENT heard in a sermon recently that "Nowadays even Christians are being divorced" was disturbing to me, not only because the divorce rate includes a percentage of Christian people, but because the preacher may be unaware of the effect that the trauma and sadness of separation and divorce has on those Christians who experience it.
Many churchgoers express views such as marriage is taken too lightly; marriages fail because the partners are unwilling to work at it; people marry with no intention of making a lifelong relationship. Comments like these and the remark quoted above exacerbate the feelings of guilt, failure, worthlessness and rejection felt by divorced Christians.
The majority of marriages take place between young people who may not always appreciate the magnitude of the promises they are making. They cannot know how much they will each change and grow as they move through life. Whilst that in itself is no reason to rub out the marriage, it can be a cause of conflict, of difficult or even abusive behaviour, or rebellion against what may feel a "prison" of a marriage. It can be the opening of a chink through which a third person may enter the relationship.
The divorced Christian faces the problem of reconciling the ideal of marriage with their own reality. Promises for "better or worse" are made in sincerity. Divorce is a no-go area — which later becomes a horribly real possibility. Confronted with the starkness of breakdown in a relationship, the Christian is quite likely to deny or disbelieve that such a thing could be happening, trying again and again to make the marriage work. It can be months, even years, before either or both partners are able to accept that the marriage is not working, and most likely will not work again. Those months and years can be the nearest thing to "hell on earth" that many ordinary people will experience.
By whatever route the final decision is reached, divorce is rarely approached lightly and usually only after a great deal of heart and soul-searching.
It would be helpful if all Christians could be aware of those in their communities who may be having marriage problems and show real concern and offer "non-judgmental" support. Listening is helpful — side-taking is not. It will also help if this non-judgmental attitude can be extended to those already separated or divorced, as they struggle to rebuild their lives and find a niche in the family of God. "Christian divorce" is not a contradiction in terms but a fact of modern life and needs working at, just as marriage itself does. Real spiritual growth can flourish from a broken life, but it needs nurture, care and love.
PAULINE DRUIFF
TAKE YOUR PARISH ON A PILGRIMAGE
WITH the anniversary of the arrival of Augustine, many Christians will be visiting sites of importance to the faith over the next year, but you can take your parish on pilgrimage without travelling so far.
One way to do it is to arrange for a day when members of the congregation can spend time together. During this period there could be time for prayer, worship and Bible reading.
If you have a suitable building, someone could talk about the history of the parish and the faith that led to the building of the church.
Another possibility is to go on a "pilgrim-age" to another parish. This could have the added benefit of building relations between parishes, or even other denominations.
Sharing together in this way could, be a good way to encourage people to draw on their Christian heritage as an inspiration for modern Christian action.
WITH the anniversary of the arrival of Augustine, many Christians will be visiting sites of importance to the faith over the next year, but you can take your parish on pilgrimage without travelling so far.
One way to do it is to arrange for a day when members of the congregation can spend time together. During this period there could be time for prayer, worship and Bible reading.
If you have a suitable building, someone could talk about the history of the parish and the faith that led to the building of the church.
Another possibility is to go on a "pilgrim-age" to another parish. This could have the added benefit of building relations between parishes, or even other denominations.
Sharing together in this way could, be a good way to encourage people to draw on their Christian heritage as an inspiration for modern Christian action.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment