Look out, Lent not far away

Last week Sunday saw four services at our Church.
The 8am holy communion was a quite, gentle start to the day.
Then there was at 9am "Book of Common Prayer" matins, for those who like traditional language.
The final service of the morning was the sung eucharist at 10am. Here, we explored the names for Jesus given in John's Gospel (read up Chapter 1.29 to 42) if you are interested.
The special service was the 4pm Wholeness and Healing service, which we do from time to time. This is a service of deep stillness, where people may come forward for prayer in a particular way.

Next week, we celebrate the Conversion of St Paul (with especial passion because St Paul is one of the saints who gives his name to our rather lengthily monikered church!) An amazing moment in history.

Not far away is the start of Lent on Feb 6th (Ash Wednesday). Look out for details of our Lent programme.

Fr Robert

Healing service and Burns Night

A couple of 'extra's to our normal run of events.
First, there will be a healing service this Sunday (Sun 2oth Jan) at 4pm.
This will be a quiet, peaceful service in which people can receive prayer in a special way, prayer for their healing, however that might be.

Second, on Friday 25th Jan, the women's group and the men's group will be celebrating Burns Night jointly. Should be great fun.

Of course, people are always welcome to our main service, the eucharist at 10am on a Sunday morning.

Fr Robert

New Year and remembering Ruby

New Year comes and things start to swing back to normal. The school is back, work starts up again and by now you will have an inkling of whether you will keep up with your New year's Resolutions.
Here's something I would like to share with you that may inspire.

Ruby (on the right) died before Christmas but her funeral was only last Friday.
At funerals, sometimes family members pay tribute themselves: sometimes they leave it to the clergy.
In this case, Ruby's sister, Myrna, paid a short tribute: she had cared for Ruby in the final two years of her life, after Ruby suffered a stroke. I feel that what she had to say was absolutely extraordinary so (with her permission) I am sharing it with you now:
"On Tuesday 11th December, I sat with my sister Rubina for four hours. I did not realise it was my goodbye. She died the next morning.
do I truly praise and exalt the Lord above all, even if just with my being?
When I was given the task of helping with both my sisters, I was called on many occasions by various peoples of social services and hospitals.
In life, we don't know what to do; the path we are on changes radically, ends abruptly or is enveloped in darkness. At such times, how does God lead us? how does he show us the way?
One way God led me was through prayer. By sitting patiently and trusting, gradually feeling for the next step, a comment from a good friend, scriptures, sacrament, a word from a spiritual director - for me, the best spiritual director is life itself, because God teaches us and leads us the way we should go. My sister Ruby's total dependence and vulnerablility was hard to bear; she was such a free spirit.
She was unable to cope with such a situation but sometimes this vulnerability and complete dependence is also the mystery we call God.
My dear sister, lots of love till we meet again.
Good bye, Myrna."
Fare well, Ruby. One of several loved members of our congregation who died in 2007.
But then death is part of life.
Fr Robert

Happy New Year

We had wonderful Christmas celebrations this year, with more people attending than ever before: perhaps you joined us at one of the services, or even attended the Christmas lunch, put on for various old people in the parish community. At all the events, there was a wonderful spirit.
But now is the time to focus on 2008.
This will be an exciting time for this church as our new Chapel in the old Christ Church building comes on stream.
It may be as early as March, it may not be till June, but this space brings with it exciting new opportunities.
At the same time, the sadder events happen too: the first half of January has brought a cluster of funerals. People will gather to remember and honour loved ones, people who have been special in their life: the Christmas past will have been unbearable for many of these families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
It says something important about Church life too. Just as we are part of joy as at Christmas, we are part of grief. That is God's plan for his church, and we must try to fulfil it.
Fr Robert