Hello Everyone
Today we have sad news to share – Eric Marsh a staunch member of the Baptist Church, a man who was involved in so many things in Meltham and a man who was know and loved by lots of people, died this last week. He will be missed by many and we think of his family and friends at this sad time.
CROSSROADS PROJECTS
Reading “The Crossroads Projects Annual General Report” it is heartening to see how much has been achieved by “Meltham Churches Working Together” through all the difficulties experienced during 2020. There was a complete transformation of the Shop and the moving of the Centre into the old Town Hall, made possible by hard work, energy, and commitment to the Project. Sue Priestley, Chair of Trustees, ended her Report with the words from the following two Psalms below.
‘PSALM 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – For many of the volunteers they have missed the fellowship, and friendship of meeting together.”
“PSALM 33:22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. – looking forwards to a brighter future.”
Around 25 years ago a very apt verse of scripture was chosen which fitted the location of the charity shop.
Jeremiah 6:16 – “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
In the report we are given a prophetic word from Scripture by Roger Furmeage – “He believes the future is bright for the Crossroads Project –Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The Food Bank has been a life saver for the many people it has helped. Debbie Still, Food Bank Leader and the helpers work closely with the Crossroads Shop and with those who offer Debt & Legal Advice (Chris Smith & Nigel Priestley) to provide support to those in need in our community. In her report Debbie chose a mantra from Matthew 25:37-40 New International Version.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Debbie writes “My Prayer is that these verses will remain the guiding ethos of the food bank as they continue on their journey.”
When we look back over the years the Prayers of our churches in Meltham have been open and supportive of the Crossroads Project.
P.R.A.Y
PAUSE AND REFLECT
Take a moment to Pause being aware of God’s presence with you and Reflect on His greatness.
Reflect on all God has done through the Crossroads project and give thanks for this work.
ASK
Ask God to increase the Vision and Hope for the future of church, community, and nation alike through His Holy Spirit.
Ask God to work in your own life in new ways listening to His voice, ask for the ancient paths, ask where the
good way is, and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.
YIELD
Spend time with verses of scripture chosen by me from the first ten psalms of the Bible.
Think on their content – see if they are applicable to you at this time. You might read the psalms for yourself and see if other verses stand out.
Psalm 1 v 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 2 v 8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalm 3 v 3 &4 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain.
Psalm 4v 1 Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 5v 3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice.
in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Psalm 6 v 3&4 My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?
Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 7v7 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 8v3&4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind
that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
Psalm 9 v 1&2 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart.
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
Psalm 10 v 17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.
Closing Prayer
Father, help me to live this day to the full, being true to You, in every way.
Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, being kind to everyone I meet.
Spirit, help me to love the lost, proclaiming Christ in all I do and say.
Amen.
AN EXTRACT FROM A LETTER TO THE NATION FROM
The Most Revd & Rt Hon Justin Welby Archbishop of Canterbury and The Most Revd & Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell Archbishop of York
‘As we reach the terrible milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, we invite everyone in our nation to pause as we reflect on the enormity of this pandemic. 100,000 isn’t just an abstract figure. Each number is a person: someone we loved and someone who loved us. We also believe that each of these people was known to God and cherished by God. We write to you then in consolation, but also in encouragement, and ultimately in the hope of Jesus Christ. The God who comes to us in Jesus knew grief and suffering himself. On the cross, Jesus shares the weight of our sadness.
None of this is easy. Very many of us are experiencing isolation, loneliness, anxiety, and despondency like never before. Many people have lost their livelihoods. Our economy struggles. Also, the necessary restrictions we live with have also prevented us from being alongside loved ones as they died, or even at their graveside. All grief profoundly affects us, but this pandemic grief is so hard. Therefore, we need to support each other. We do this by following the guidelines. But we also do it by reaching out to each other with care and kindness. One thing we can all do is pray. We hope it is some consolation to know that the church prays for the life of our nation every day. Whether you are someone of faith, or not, we invite you to call on God in prayer. Starting on 1 February we invite you to set aside time every evening to pray, particularly at 6pm each day. More than ever, this is a time when we need to love each other. Prayer is an expression of love.”
So, let us take up this invitation, setting aside time to pray each day
Let us remember the work in the NHS, the sick and all those bereaved.
Let us pray for the safety of all front-line workers.
Let us pray for our government the economy, the nation and the world as we battle with this pandemic.
KEEP SAFE, KEEP PRAYING
Peter
HELLO EVERYONE
PAUSE & PRAY
As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly; to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God.
For more than a year, the world has been passing through a Gethsemane of sickness and sorrow.
The name ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘oil press’ – a place where olives are gathered to be crushed. Take a moment to imagine the scene in Gethsemane watch Jesus crushed by the sorrow of the world. Am I waiting and watching with Him, or have I fallen asleep?
REFLECT
Today, I ask to wait with You, Lord, on behalf of grieving nations, tired doctors, exhausted nurses and other frontline workers. “Comfort those who mourn. Give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. May they soar on wings like eagles; may they run and not grow weary; may they walk and not grow faint.” (Isaiah 40:1, 29, 31)
I reflect on a moment in the Gospel story where Jesus himself mourns…
‘Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will Matthew 26:36-39
‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ Jesus says, to most of his disciples. But he takes Peter, James and John with him and says, ‘Stay here and keep watch with me.’
ASK
Am I close enough to Jesus to hear his invitation to watch with Him?
What sorrow might He be asking me to share?
Could I watch and pray with Him for an hour today?
YIELDING
Lord, I yield to Your invitation to watch with You, to share in Your grieving, to wait patiently with You, to mourn for the hurt of Your wounded world, and not to hide from the pain of those I meet.
Not my will, but Yours be done.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I prepare to take this time of prayer into the coming day, I echo Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians, ‘The God of all comfort… comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
Closing Prayer
Father, help me to live this day to the full,
being true to You, in every way.
Jesus, help me to give myself away to others,
being kind to everyone I meet.
Spirit, help me to love the lost,
proclaiming Christ in all I do and say.
Amen.
KEEP SAFE -=KEEP PRAYING
Peter
Hello Everyone
This Week’s Prayers are once again in the shape of LECTIO 365, a National & International Aid which exists to help us pray in groups or as individuals. The aim is that our prayers, wherever we are, at whatever time we pray, are being prayed to our Father in heaven 24-7 every day of the year.
Together, each day we pray (P.R.A.Y) – ‘P’: PAUSING to be still. ‘R’: REJOICING with a Psalm and REFLECTING on a scripture. ‘A’: ASKING God to help us and others and ‘Y’: YEILDING to His will n our lives, come what may.
SO, WE TURN TO GOD IN PRAYER
PAUSE
As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly; to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God. (Pause and pray)
Prayer of Approach
Loving Father, I still my soul now and remember that You are here with me, you are here in me, You are here for me. Lord Jesus, I worship You. Holy Spirit, I welcome You.
REJOICE and REFLECT
Rejoice and Reflect Psalm 10 v 17
Lord you know the thoughts of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
ASK
To help us in our prayers this week we have three prayers written by Nick Fawcett “For Such a Time as This”.
When faith is shaken by the crisis that has come upon us Why, Lord?
Why have you let this happen, this dreadful virus descend upon us?
Yes, I realise that the whole business, in the final analysis, is not down by you, but can’t you do something, anything, to offer a helping hand?
Why do you seem simply to sit back, unmoved, unconcerned?
Don’t you care?
Aren’t our prayers reaching you?
That’s not fair, I know that, for you’ve made the world in such a way that you cannot simply intervene when it suits you; your hands instead being tied by the laws you have set in place.
Yet I’m asking you, I’m pleading with you, look kindly upon us, and reach out to our aching world, ministering your love and binding up its wounds. Amen.
For those selflessly supporting others, and those who think only of themselves.
In this time of crisis, Lord, you call us to pull together, as families, as friends, as communities.
Thank you for those who are leading the way in doing that: relatives helping loved ones, neighbours helping neighbours, support groups reaching out to strangers, individuals responding to the plight of the vulnerable.
Thank you especially today for the efforts of shops and supermarkets to do likewise, setting aside shopping times and delivery slots for those most at risk.
Forgive the heartlessness, the greed, the selfishness, that looks only after number one and cares nothing for anyone else. Challenge and shame such behaviour and prosper the efforts of all who are seeking to show compassion, concern, and care to those least able to help themselves.
We are all in this together. Prompt each and every one of us to realise that. Amen.
Trust that God is with us, however much it may seem otherwise.
Lord, it’s hard to glimpse your presence even at the best of times, and now, with this disease causing such havoc among us, it’s harder than ever, our prayers appearing to go unanswered, your face seemingly turned away from us. Yet it is at such a time as this, more than ever, that we need to keep faith you are with us.
Though we feel abandoned, we are not.
Though we feel alone, we are not.
Though we feel forgotten, we are not.
Though we feel hopeless, we are not.
Though we feel left high and dry, we are not.
Draw close to us, Lord, and envelop us in your love.
Draw near and help us to recognise that you are by our side. Amen.
YIELD
Yielding prayer
Lord I yield to your invitation to watch with you, to share in your grieving, to wait patiently with you, to mourn for the hurt of Your wounded world, and not to hide from the pain of those we meet.
Not my will, but yours be done.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I prepare to take this time of prayer into the day, I echo Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians, ‘The God of all comfort…. Comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ’ 2 Cor 1 v3-5
Closing Prayer
Father, help me to live this day to the full, being true to You, in every way. Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, being kind to everyone I meet. Spirit, help me to love the lost, proclaiming Christ in all I do and say. Amen.
KEEP SAFE – KEEP PRAYING
Peter
Hello Everyone
This Weeks Prayers are in the shape of LECTIO 365, a National & International Aid which exists to Help us pray in groups or as individuals. The aim is that our prayers, wherever we are, at whatever time we pray, are being prayed to our Father in heaven 24-7 every day of the year.
SO, I TURN TO GOD IN PRAYER
PAUSE
As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly; to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God. (Pause and pray)
Prayer of Approach
Loving Father, I still my soul now and remember that You are here with me, You are here in me, You are here for me. Lord Jesus, I worship You. Holy Spirit, I welcome You.
RESPOND AND REJOICE
I choose to rejoice in God’s goodness today, joining with the ancient praise of all God’s people in the words of Psalm 100.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving.
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Having begun the new year after the birth of Jesus I am reflecting on the birth of the Early Church in the book of Acts and also a key moment in the life of the church in the 1700s.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them Acts 2:1-4
At 3am on New Year’s Day, 1739, the Holy Spirit also came to an all-night prayer meeting in Fetter Lane, London. ‘The power of God came mightily upon us,’ recorded John Wesley in his journal, ‘insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy and many fell to the ground.’ * Echoing the experience of those who were propelled out of the upper room in Jerusalem to preach the gospel, John Wesley, too, was propelled out of that prayer room in London to ride 125,000 miles preaching the gospel, while his brother Charles Wesley began writing 6,000 hymns. And their 25-year-old friend, George Whitfield, crossed the Atlantic to stir the fires of America’s First Great Awakening. The world would never be the same again.
ASK
Jesus said that the Father loves to give the Spirit to those who ask (Matthew 7:11) – just as John and Charles Wesley asked that day in London.
And so, as I open my hands in front of me, I ask You, Father, to fill me with Your Spirit. Fill me with new power for this new year, just as You filled those disciples 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, and 282 years ago in Fetter Lane, London.
And now, I lift up my hands and I pray for my community, for my nation, and for the nations of the world. I ask You, Father, to stir the fires of another Great Awakening of Your Spirit.
As I return to this familiar passage, I try to imagine what it was like to be in that room, seeing what seemed like tongues of fire dancing in the air, being filled with the Holy Spirit for the very first time.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them Acts 2:1-4 (NIV UK)
The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in other tongues. As the story continues, the Spirit enabled them to speak about Jesus with boldness, to endure hardship and persecution, to perform miracles, to serve the poor, to discern and make difficult decisions, and much more. These are the kinds of things that Spirit-enabled people do. What might the Spirit be enabling me to do this year?
YIELDING PRAYER
The Methodist Covenant prayer, written by John Wesley himself in 1755, is prayed by millions of Methodists at the start of every year. It’s a liturgy of profound and beautiful surrender, and so I join with sisters and brothers in Christ around the world as I pray it now.
I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,
Exalted for you or brought low for you.
Let me be full,
Let me be empty,
Let me have all things,
Let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious, and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.**
Closing Prayer
Father, help me to live this day to the full,
being true to You, in every way.
Jesus, help me to give myself away to others,
being kind to everyone I meet.
Spirit, help me to love the lost,
proclaiming Christ in all I do and say.
Amen.
*‘The Journal of John Wesley’, John Wesley
**Methodist Covenant Prayer, https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-church/what-is-distinctive-about-methodism/a-covenant-with-god/
Keep safe, keep praying.
Peter
Hello Everyone
New year Faith in an unknown future
As we look forward together for a better new year, we pray for God’s Holy Spirit to lead us into the unknown future that lies before us.
Matthew 6:31-34 gives us sound advice as we enter into 2021
So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.
Thoughts for this week are taken from a book of Christmas thoughts written by Eddie Askew. I know that a good number of you own several of his books. Christine and I have seventeen of his books, written and illustrated throughout with his watercolours. I was fortunate to spend three retreats with him, once at Scargill in the Dales and twice at Lee Abbey in Devon. Eddie and his wife Barbara worked for 15years for the Leprosy Mission in India and who on return became Its International Director.
Christmas thoughts – Eddie Askew
Over Christmas, a friend said something that made me look at the nativity story with new eyes. Usually, when we look at it, it’s with all the information we’ve inherited. All we know about Jesus’s life and death, and resurrection. We interpret it through nearly two thousand years of theology and church life. But Mary and Joseph had none of that. They knew their baby was special in some way.
The visits of the shepherds and wise men pointed to that, but it wasn’t very clear. The vision they’d had told them to name him Jesus. It meant “saviour”, but il was a common name. Even being told that he’d save people from their sins wasn’t very explicit, seen from where they were. It was made harder by other events.
Mary and Joseph weren’t in control of their lives.
They had been compelled to go to Bethlehem for a census, on Roman orders. Then, King Herod’s soldiers got in the way, and they had to run for safety to Egypt as refugees.
Looking at later events, I’m sure it was a blessing that they didn’t know in detail what life held for them all, especially about the baby’s call to preach and die. There are times when we wish we knew more about the future. Moments when we’d like to feel in better control of life, but we can’t. Life’s not like that. Each day we walk into the unknown as Mary and Joseph did. And, like them, we find strength for that one day, and then the next. We have one advantage though, that they didn’t have. We do know who Jesus is, and what he’s done. And we have the confidence of walking into each day with him
Extract from No Strange Land, first published 1987.
It’s easy talking, Lord, about not being anxious. Taking each day as it comes ‘No point in worrying’ they say. I’m not so sure of that, the things I worry about don’t usually happen
I look at Joseph, and his responsibilities. A wife. New baby. Away from home and pushed further by forces he couldn’t control. Did he have the same moments of panic that I have? Bleak moments, when it seems that nothing I know will help me through the day. And I’m running scared, tail down, ready to jump in the nearest hole,
Sometimes, Lord, I wish you’d tell me more. Prepare me. Whisper in my ear a weather forecast of a sunnier day tomorrow. Or warn me of the storm to come, So I could grab a spiritual umbrella and stay dry,
But then I realise I know all I need to know. And that’s a fact, that you know all my needs. And, wet or dry, In calm or storm, you’re in it with me. And that’s enough. Just for today.
Extract from No Strange Land first published 1987
Thought – Hope – Psalm 62:5-6
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress,
I will not be shaken.
Keep Safe, keep praying
Peter
Hello Everyone
MARY – A Lifetime of waiting
“Mary, Did You Know?” is the title of a Christmas song addressing Mary, mother of Jesus, with lyrics written by Mark Lowry in 1984, and music composed by Buddy Greene in 1991. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991. It has since been recorded by many artists – more recently by The Pentatonics. Many versions can be found on Youtube or itunes and you may like to reflect on the words as you listen to the song.
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you nw?
This child that you’ve delivered will soon deliver you.
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kissed your little baby You’ve kissed the face of God.
Oh, Mary did you know? The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb.
Mary, if you knew, how wonderful for you that he’d choose you to bring to us the King of Kings.
God bless you Mary.
Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding Is the Great I Am.
Mary is called to a task of gargantuan proportions. Her initial fear gives way quickly into bewilderment “How can this be?” and then acceptance “Let it be to me according to your word”. Mary may at this point have grasped the life changing significance of her calling, which few of us do when we say that first tentative yes to god’s summoning. She would almost certainly, have, grasped the immediate significance of her own personal disgrace and exclusion from the community in which she lived and deserves our admiration for saying yes.
Luke 2. 22:34-35 – When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed, and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
The words of the song ask Mary if she knew of the events that were to happen around the ministry of Jesus. From the time of presentation in the temple onwards, as Jesus’ ministry unfolds, we are assured that Mary would ponder them in her heart. Mary would spend her life waiting for the words Simeon spoke to her to come to pass.
A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS EVE
Lord Jesus, Light of the world,
0vercoming the darkness of fear and doubt.
As we celebrate your birth
In the company of Mary and Joseph,
may we begin to see the world emerging from
the shadows with new hope and joy.
As you chose the poor and lowly
the outcast and marginalised
to receive the Good News,
so may we worship you with the angels and shepherds
In the meekness of our hearts.
As we draw near to Bethlehem we pray for its people
that they will know the peace of the Child born in their midst
and may share with us and all people the joy of this Holy Night
NEXT PRAYERS FOR THE WEEK WILL BE 4TH JANUARY.
UNTIL THEN KEEP SAFE- KEEP PRAYING
WISHING YOU A HAPPY & JOY FILLED CHRISTMAS & WE PRAY FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR
Peter
(A thank you letter)
Dear Richard Whiteley,
There’s only one thing certain in these uncertain times – it’s a time to pull together and support each other.
We hope you are staying safe during these uncertain times. We are incredibly grateful for your amazing donation of £4,510.24 through your virtual coffee morning and pop-up shop in Meltham. It’s a fantastic amount and we are so grateful that in times like these you have managed to continue fundraising.
With your help, we can continue to provide our members with the support they require during the pandemic.
Our amazing frontline workers are determined and committed to keeping our services running – providing advice, helping people find somewhere to live and supporting people with their health and wellbeing. A coordinated response will help more people, so we’re funding local groups and organisations through our emergency grants fund, helping us work together and meet the current needs of those experiencing homelessness across the UK.
We have been calling for governments to put in place robust support for people facing homelessness, and we have already begun to see some action. Governments in England and Wales have made clear to local councils that they should ensure everyone sleeping rough or in night shelters is given self-contained accommodation straight away. But we have much further to go to make sure that people facing homelessness are properly housed and provided with the support they need.
Thank you once again for your generosity, and please take care.
Best wishes,
Becky King
Community & Events Fundraising Team Manager
Hello Everyone
14TH DECEMBER Advent 3 “The Meaning is in the waiting”
In church on Advent Sunday, we light the first candle of the four that are placed round an Advent wreath. Each coloured candle is dedicated to a biblical character for that week. The central candle is white representing Jesus the Light of the world. After the character has been introduced a child or children are often called to light the candle for that week.
So – Week one Abraham and Sarah are called as examples of father and mother of the faith and of people whose calling draws them into a lifetime of waiting the fulfilment of Gods promise to them. Our ancestors in the faith are called to wait.
Week two it’s the Prophets who have expectations of Gods intervention in the world waiting for Jesus return.
Week three is John the Baptist whose ministry existed between the old and new and pointed to things beyond himself.
Week four looks at Mary whose whole life was shaped by waiting for the events beyond her control.
The Welsh Poet and Anglican Priest, R S Thomas, would have taken many Advent Services in the Churches he served. In 2008 Dr Paula Gooder, a Biblical Scholar, chose the last line of his poem ‘Kneeling” as the title of her book for Advent. The last line says – ‘The Meaning is in the Waiting.’
Kneeling
Moments of great calm,
Kneeling before an altar
of wood in a stone church
In summer, waiting for the God
To speak; the air a staircase
For silence; the sun’s light
Ringing me, as though I acted
A great role. And the audiences
Still; all that close throng
Of spirits waiting, as I,
For the message.
Prompt me, God;
But not yet. When I speak,
Though it be you who speak
Through me, something is lost.
The meaning is in the waiting.
R S Thomas
In the church, the four weeks of Advent are set aside, in both waiting and preparation for the celebration of the coming of Christ. Antipathy to waiting is exacerbated, if not encouraged, by the world we live. All around us we encounter, day after day, the encouragement not to wait but to have what we want now. Our credit driven society urges us to abandon all thought of waiting and to buy now; so many adverts have as their underlying message ‘why wait’? Improvements in communication only erode the notion of waiting further: We are told that people feel aggrieved if they have to wait for more than 24 hours to receive a reply from an email and mobile phones help us to be available even when we are out. Waiting is, increasingly a strange notion. We have become accustomed to immediacy and swift action.
Given all of this it seems almost ludicrous that the church should have Advent – four weeks dedicated to waiting. Is this not the church yet again, looking backwards to bygone days, to ideas irrelevant to our society, out of touch and out of date? Would it not be a better idea to abandon Advent altogether and simply accept that it is no longer in tune with our culture.?
Part of the clue to a reinvigorated and renewed vision of Advent lies in waiting; a waiting that rests not in frustration but in stillness; not in frenzied anticipation but in the embracing of the present. We are living in strange and difficult times – what will Christmas be like this year, with its various tiers of regulations up and down the country. People are being interviewed for their thoughts daily about the five days surrounding Christmas and what it means to them.
The meaning of Christmas to the populous in general is lost. There is some evidence that churches are looking hard, with some success, at delivering and getting the Christian message across. Within our churches and with the help of the Holy Spirit, may we wait patiently through the difficulties and joys of those people mentioned at the lighting of the four candles in our Advent Wreaths.
R S Thomas’ famous poem ‘Kneeling’ from which the title of Paula Gooder’s Advent book is drawn, articulates the fact that sometimes the really profound moments of our lives occur in the in-between time just before something happens. Truth lurks in the moment between the out breath and the in breath or the moment just before someone speaks. Thomas in his poem recognises the paradox that sometimes the fulfilment of that which we wait robs us of what we were waiting for and that we discover to our surprise that the meaning is in the waiting and not in the fulfilment. Once we recognise this, it becomes clear that Advent is not an irrelevant, cultural dinosaur but vital to our very well- being. If we are able during Advent, to relearn the skill of waiting, then it will have value not only for Advent and Christmas but for the whole of our lives.
ADVENT READING
Luke 1:8-16
.8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
ADVENT PRAYER
Blessed are you, Lord God for raising up you servants Zechariah and Elisabeth,
Mary and Joseph, to prepare the way for Jesus
Blessed are you for coming to us.
We rejoice as you enter this world with peace and love
and turn our darkness into the light of your presence.
Keep Safe, Keep praying
Peter
Dear All,
As you know we had to plan our fundraising differently this year but we are delighted to announce that at the moment we have a total of £4,406 for ‘Crisis’.
We have had some very generous donations of time, items to buy and money and our thanks go to everyone who has made this possible.
Alison and Richard
