THE REVEREND STEVE OSMAN WRITES
Dear Friends Do you pray? All the statistics tell us that prayer remains a regular practice for the vast majority of the population. Even grown men admit to praying – they just don’t let their mates know!
I guess for most people, prayer is kept for emergencies, like going to the doctor. And, for most people it is more of a one way street – a list of requests made without any expectation of a reply. In fact, if you heard God answer, you’d be convinced there was something wrong with you – who else hears voices in their heads?!
The fact that most people pray in one way or another, at some time or another, proves that spirituality is not dead in our country. There remains some sense of A.N. Other being around, though few would dare to define who or what she/he/it is like.
For the Christian, prayer is as natural as breathing. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it – Christian faith is not about religion, it’s about relationship. A Christian is someone who knows God because they have entered into a relationship with the living Christ, through the Holy Spirit. I’m sorry if that sounds technical, because it isn’t. It’s simply about having your best friend/partner/spouse/parent all rolled into one, there with you all the time, utterly dependable, utterly faithful. Seen in this way, prayer is simply a conversation with your amazing friend. It means talking with God, not just talking to God.
One of the weaknesses in the Church of England is that prayer is usually set down in written prayers. The result is that many church members have forgotten how to talk with God in the way they do with their best friend. There are a number of small groups meeting around the villages where it is possible to relearn and practise this wonderful art of conversation.
Just the other day I drove past one of the better church noticeboards in Daybrook. It said “Why pray, when you can worry?” Prayer is one of the best gifts God has given us, to actually converse with the Creator of the universe. My only question for you is this – do you know who you’re talking to?
Steve Osman
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Monday, 18 August 2008
September 2008 - Volume 30 Issue No. 9
Dear Friends
When we think of the Church I wonder what image comes most readily to mind – the building, or the people? We have some beautiful, historic church buildings, it is true, but the Church is the people – the family of God. This is a worldwide family and it’s good to be reminded of that, especially when we have the opportunity to meet Christian brothers and sisters from other countries.
During July the Reverend Moses Thabethe, his wife Thuli and their little boy Lungelo were in our area, staying in Gotham. Unfortunately Hope, their adopted daughter, was unable to come with them. Moses attended the ordination service at Southwell Minster and was at St. Mary’s Church, East Leake, bringing greetings from Natal, during the special service to welcome Claire as our Curate. There were also various social events and services around the Cluster of twelve parishes which gave many of us the opportunity to meet Moses and family. In addition, Thuli spoke at Deanery Synod about her work in South Africa. It was a joy and privilege to have Moses, Thuli and Lungelo with us, and we have now received a letter from Moses, which I hope you will find interesting. Please pray for them, living and working and serving the Lord in a situation very different from our own.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
_______________________________________
NEWS FROM NATAL
Greetings from a warm, Natal winter. We travelled safely from Birmingham through Dubai, then to Johannesburg. We arrived in Durban on Saturday (26th) at about 9pm. It was wonderful to see Hope after a whole month of absence. She enjoyed her stay in Pretoria with her uncle and aunt. Lungelo has really emerged out of his shell – perhaps this visit has given him a sense of freedom. Thuli is back at work and on the church front, it’s back to square one!
This is a simple note of thanks to you all for the warm hospitality you showed us. I know that there was a lot of preparation that went into our visit. I think Greg and Anne deserve a special mention as they were our parents, friends and companions for the entire month! I also know that the entire cluster worked together to make our visit comfortable and memorable. Even as I pen these few words, I am struck by the inadequacy of our language in expressing thanks. You have truly blessed us and we have the memory of every encounter written on our hearts.
We haven’t had time to digest all the experiences we had while we were with you. Experiences such as ours cannot be taken lightly, they take time to process. It wasn’t until I started writing this short reflection that I realized that the Companion Link is actually a work of mission – sending forth (silly me, that should have been obvious!). The mission of the church is always to proclaim the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ, in word and deed. It also involves recognizing and acknowledging the new life which God offers to all of us – from the North and the South, the East and the West. That was the reality of our encounter with you as we prayed, laughed and played together!
I remain convinced that one of the objectives of the Companion Link is for us as dioceses and parishes to know that we are not alone in this work of mission – that there are brothers and sisters in other continents who sing the same praises, battle the same demons and seek the same forgiveness from our compassionate God. Your cluster continues to wrestle with this work of mission in real and practical ways, thanks to your visionary leaders!
On our return, we were saddened to learn of the resurgence of xenophobic violence in some parts of the country (especially in the Gauteng Province). Please pray with us that these and other ills of our time may end. We also ask that you continue to pray for the full recovery of our bishop, Rubin Phillip. He is recuperating well, albeit slow.
So what next about the Link? Well, here are some words of comfort and hope that Thuli and I learned from one of you:
“Thank you Lord, for this life-enhancing experience,
help us to know what to do with it…”
This prayer sums up my aspirations for the Link. While we celebrate these face – to-face encounters, we also ask God to help us remain open to new possibilities in building our Communion.
With love and prayers,
Moses Thabethe (Natal Link Officer)
When we think of the Church I wonder what image comes most readily to mind – the building, or the people? We have some beautiful, historic church buildings, it is true, but the Church is the people – the family of God. This is a worldwide family and it’s good to be reminded of that, especially when we have the opportunity to meet Christian brothers and sisters from other countries.
During July the Reverend Moses Thabethe, his wife Thuli and their little boy Lungelo were in our area, staying in Gotham. Unfortunately Hope, their adopted daughter, was unable to come with them. Moses attended the ordination service at Southwell Minster and was at St. Mary’s Church, East Leake, bringing greetings from Natal, during the special service to welcome Claire as our Curate. There were also various social events and services around the Cluster of twelve parishes which gave many of us the opportunity to meet Moses and family. In addition, Thuli spoke at Deanery Synod about her work in South Africa. It was a joy and privilege to have Moses, Thuli and Lungelo with us, and we have now received a letter from Moses, which I hope you will find interesting. Please pray for them, living and working and serving the Lord in a situation very different from our own.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
_______________________________________
NEWS FROM NATAL
Greetings from a warm, Natal winter. We travelled safely from Birmingham through Dubai, then to Johannesburg. We arrived in Durban on Saturday (26th) at about 9pm. It was wonderful to see Hope after a whole month of absence. She enjoyed her stay in Pretoria with her uncle and aunt. Lungelo has really emerged out of his shell – perhaps this visit has given him a sense of freedom. Thuli is back at work and on the church front, it’s back to square one!
This is a simple note of thanks to you all for the warm hospitality you showed us. I know that there was a lot of preparation that went into our visit. I think Greg and Anne deserve a special mention as they were our parents, friends and companions for the entire month! I also know that the entire cluster worked together to make our visit comfortable and memorable. Even as I pen these few words, I am struck by the inadequacy of our language in expressing thanks. You have truly blessed us and we have the memory of every encounter written on our hearts.
We haven’t had time to digest all the experiences we had while we were with you. Experiences such as ours cannot be taken lightly, they take time to process. It wasn’t until I started writing this short reflection that I realized that the Companion Link is actually a work of mission – sending forth (silly me, that should have been obvious!). The mission of the church is always to proclaim the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ, in word and deed. It also involves recognizing and acknowledging the new life which God offers to all of us – from the North and the South, the East and the West. That was the reality of our encounter with you as we prayed, laughed and played together!
I remain convinced that one of the objectives of the Companion Link is for us as dioceses and parishes to know that we are not alone in this work of mission – that there are brothers and sisters in other continents who sing the same praises, battle the same demons and seek the same forgiveness from our compassionate God. Your cluster continues to wrestle with this work of mission in real and practical ways, thanks to your visionary leaders!
On our return, we were saddened to learn of the resurgence of xenophobic violence in some parts of the country (especially in the Gauteng Province). Please pray with us that these and other ills of our time may end. We also ask that you continue to pray for the full recovery of our bishop, Rubin Phillip. He is recuperating well, albeit slow.
So what next about the Link? Well, here are some words of comfort and hope that Thuli and I learned from one of you:
“Thank you Lord, for this life-enhancing experience,
help us to know what to do with it…”
This prayer sums up my aspirations for the Link. While we celebrate these face – to-face encounters, we also ask God to help us remain open to new possibilities in building our Communion.
With love and prayers,
Moses Thabethe (Natal Link Officer)
Friday, 18 July 2008
August 2008 - Volume 30, Issue No. 8
Dear Friends
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…” according to a well-known song. Just how easy depends on personal circumstances. Certainly in summertime life is more relaxed for many people. It’s easier for teachers relaxing after a busy term, even if there is preparation to do for the new school year starting in September. Summertime is easier for the pupils, even though for some there is that anxious time of waiting for exam results. A lot of people take holidays in August. Not everyone is tied to the school year, of course, and for some their annual leave has been and gone for this year, while others may be planning a later break.
In the life of the Church there is usually less going on in August. Church councils and committees tend not to meet and Church groups usually take a break until the autumn. We don’t take a break from worship, though. Sunday worship continues throughout August, although there are a couple of Sundays when we shall not hold a service in every church. On 24th and 31st August there will be an opportunity to join in a united service, and you can find the details under ‘Benefice Notes’ in this magazine.
Whether life in summertime is easy or easier for clergy and others involved in ministry rather depends on what comes along. There are some things, such as weddings, that are usually planned well in advance, while other situations can crop up and have to be dealt with at short notice. I’m hoping that August won’t be quite so busy as the rest of the year, partly so that I can catch up on a few things. If August does prove to be a quieter month that will also give time for planning and preparing for the coming months. It’s good, if the pace does slow down for a while, to take the opportunity to rest and relax and re-charge our batteries.
While lots of people take time off in summertime, God never takes time off. We can call on God at any time, and a good way to re-charge our spiritual batteries is to spend time with God in prayer. That needn’t involve lots of words. It can be just finding a quiet place, to be still in God’s presence. Some people find it helpful to come into a church building to pray, or to sit quietly and focus their thoughts – but prayer can happen anywhere – on the beach, in the countryside, in the garden, or at home.
Whether your situation is easy or not so easy, whatever you are doing and wherever you are this summer, take time to be still in the presence of God and receive the peace that he alone can give.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…” according to a well-known song. Just how easy depends on personal circumstances. Certainly in summertime life is more relaxed for many people. It’s easier for teachers relaxing after a busy term, even if there is preparation to do for the new school year starting in September. Summertime is easier for the pupils, even though for some there is that anxious time of waiting for exam results. A lot of people take holidays in August. Not everyone is tied to the school year, of course, and for some their annual leave has been and gone for this year, while others may be planning a later break.
In the life of the Church there is usually less going on in August. Church councils and committees tend not to meet and Church groups usually take a break until the autumn. We don’t take a break from worship, though. Sunday worship continues throughout August, although there are a couple of Sundays when we shall not hold a service in every church. On 24th and 31st August there will be an opportunity to join in a united service, and you can find the details under ‘Benefice Notes’ in this magazine.
Whether life in summertime is easy or easier for clergy and others involved in ministry rather depends on what comes along. There are some things, such as weddings, that are usually planned well in advance, while other situations can crop up and have to be dealt with at short notice. I’m hoping that August won’t be quite so busy as the rest of the year, partly so that I can catch up on a few things. If August does prove to be a quieter month that will also give time for planning and preparing for the coming months. It’s good, if the pace does slow down for a while, to take the opportunity to rest and relax and re-charge our batteries.
While lots of people take time off in summertime, God never takes time off. We can call on God at any time, and a good way to re-charge our spiritual batteries is to spend time with God in prayer. That needn’t involve lots of words. It can be just finding a quiet place, to be still in God’s presence. Some people find it helpful to come into a church building to pray, or to sit quietly and focus their thoughts – but prayer can happen anywhere – on the beach, in the countryside, in the garden, or at home.
Whether your situation is easy or not so easy, whatever you are doing and wherever you are this summer, take time to be still in the presence of God and receive the peace that he alone can give.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
Friday, 20 June 2008
July 2008 - Volume 30, Issue No. 7
Dear Friends
Lots of children know the song “The wise man built his house upon the rock”, but I wonder how many know that it’s based on a parable that Jesus told - a story with a meaning. It may seem obvious that a house built on a solid foundation is more likely to withstand the onslaught of wind and rain than the house built on sand. Buildings need a strong foundation, and they also need to be well constructed from good quality materials.
Recent disasters in Burma and China have resulted in many homes being destroyed and a vast number of lives lost. Cyclones and earthquakes are no respecters of persons, and claim the lives of young and old, rich and poor alike. However, listening to a radio broadcast covering the tragedy in China I heard a description of strongly constructed buildings still standing, and one man whose home had been destroyed was asking why his and other humble dwellings had not been more solidly built. Often when disaster strikes it is not so much the house of the foolish man but the house of the poor man that falls flat.
Among the harrowing stories from China were reports of children trapped under the rubble of a school. The anguish of the parents is heartbreaking, particularly in view of China’s policy of couples having only one child. The enormous scale of this and other tragedies is hard to comprehend, but every person who has died was a unique, precious individual. For each life lost there is a grieving family. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances, whether in a large scale disaster, or in a single incident. There is deep concern over the number of young lives being lost in violent incidents in our towns and cities. A few weeks ago we heard of the murder of Jimmy Mizzen, who had just celebrated his 16th birthday. Jimmy’s parents do at least have the consolation of other children, but that does not lessen the pain for the family. Parental love is not diluted just because there are more children to be loved.
I have been impressed by the dignity of Jimmy’s grieving parents. His mother has said she does not blame the parents of the young man who committed the murder, and she has spoken wise words about trying to forgive and not becoming embittered. This attitude is in line with the teachings of Jesus. Some people have criticised Mrs Mizzen, and some cannot understand how a mother can speak like this. They are missing the point. Forgiveness does not mean denying the seriousness of a crime, or dispensing with justice. It does mean not thirsting for revenge, which can only make things worse. It is an attitude that can open the way for healing for the victim’s family and for the perpetrator. However, forgiveness also calls for repentance – a turning away from sin and wrongdoing, and turning to God.
The Christian faith of Jimmy’s parents is the firm foundation on which their family life is built. The meaning of the story that Jesus told is that the wise, who build on faith and belief in God, are better equipped to withstand the storms of life, and are less likely to fall apart, even when their hearts are breaking.
Our country has been built upon this solid foundation, but over the years we have seen that foundation being eroded. We hear lots of ideas about how to tackle the problems in society, when what is needed is to strengthen the foundation and re-establish our communal life on a solid base. To build again on the teachings of Jesus and to regain reverence for God in our national life would benefit all, including people of other religious faiths or of none.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
Lots of children know the song “The wise man built his house upon the rock”, but I wonder how many know that it’s based on a parable that Jesus told - a story with a meaning. It may seem obvious that a house built on a solid foundation is more likely to withstand the onslaught of wind and rain than the house built on sand. Buildings need a strong foundation, and they also need to be well constructed from good quality materials.
Recent disasters in Burma and China have resulted in many homes being destroyed and a vast number of lives lost. Cyclones and earthquakes are no respecters of persons, and claim the lives of young and old, rich and poor alike. However, listening to a radio broadcast covering the tragedy in China I heard a description of strongly constructed buildings still standing, and one man whose home had been destroyed was asking why his and other humble dwellings had not been more solidly built. Often when disaster strikes it is not so much the house of the foolish man but the house of the poor man that falls flat.
Among the harrowing stories from China were reports of children trapped under the rubble of a school. The anguish of the parents is heartbreaking, particularly in view of China’s policy of couples having only one child. The enormous scale of this and other tragedies is hard to comprehend, but every person who has died was a unique, precious individual. For each life lost there is a grieving family. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances, whether in a large scale disaster, or in a single incident. There is deep concern over the number of young lives being lost in violent incidents in our towns and cities. A few weeks ago we heard of the murder of Jimmy Mizzen, who had just celebrated his 16th birthday. Jimmy’s parents do at least have the consolation of other children, but that does not lessen the pain for the family. Parental love is not diluted just because there are more children to be loved.
I have been impressed by the dignity of Jimmy’s grieving parents. His mother has said she does not blame the parents of the young man who committed the murder, and she has spoken wise words about trying to forgive and not becoming embittered. This attitude is in line with the teachings of Jesus. Some people have criticised Mrs Mizzen, and some cannot understand how a mother can speak like this. They are missing the point. Forgiveness does not mean denying the seriousness of a crime, or dispensing with justice. It does mean not thirsting for revenge, which can only make things worse. It is an attitude that can open the way for healing for the victim’s family and for the perpetrator. However, forgiveness also calls for repentance – a turning away from sin and wrongdoing, and turning to God.
The Christian faith of Jimmy’s parents is the firm foundation on which their family life is built. The meaning of the story that Jesus told is that the wise, who build on faith and belief in God, are better equipped to withstand the storms of life, and are less likely to fall apart, even when their hearts are breaking.
Our country has been built upon this solid foundation, but over the years we have seen that foundation being eroded. We hear lots of ideas about how to tackle the problems in society, when what is needed is to strengthen the foundation and re-establish our communal life on a solid base. To build again on the teachings of Jesus and to regain reverence for God in our national life would benefit all, including people of other religious faiths or of none.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
June 2008 - Volume 30, Issue No. 6
THE REVEREND STEVE OSMAN WRITES
Have you ever felt misunderstood? I have a vivid memory from my school days when I was made to feel even smaller than I was then. In an English lesson we came across a letter that, to me, looked like a very big number 2. I had never seen it before, so when the teacher asked me what it was I didn’t know. She thought I was being stubborn, I just hadn’t a clue. (It was a capital Q – anyone else seen that?)
It seems to me that the church and Christianity in particular suffer from being misunderstood. It’s been said that most people who reject Christianity are rejecting a misunderstanding of Christianity. There are all sorts of (to me) strange ideas going around about church and faith. Like church is just for children and old ladies. Like faith is just a crutch to get you through life. Like a church isn’t a church without pews. Like faith is a private matter. Like you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. All these betray a misunderstanding of what church and faith are about.
The question is, if these are misunderstandings, how do you find out what is real? The starting point has to be the Bible – that’s the foundational document. But even there we have misunderstanding. “The Bible’s full of contradictions.” The Bible’s totally out of date.” The Bible has changed with all the different translations.” None of these statements are actually true, but folk are happy to accept them rather than check out the truth. The Bible is still a bestseller but still the least read book.
To be fair, the church hasn’t helped all these misunderstandings. Poor teaching, vagueness about belief and ethics, divisions within the church and hypocrisy, all help push people towards misunderstanding. The church has not made faith accessible, which is why it’s best to start with the Bible. But for anyone serious about finding out about faith and life, you have sooner or later to get to grips with the church. There you’ll find other folk trying to sort out truth from fiction, trying to make sense of life through the lens of faith in Christ.
So if it’s all misunderstood, what’s the truth? Try starting with John 3:16 - supposedly the best known verse in the Bible. If you’re not sure what it means, check out your local church and ask!
Steve Osman
Have you ever felt misunderstood? I have a vivid memory from my school days when I was made to feel even smaller than I was then. In an English lesson we came across a letter that, to me, looked like a very big number 2. I had never seen it before, so when the teacher asked me what it was I didn’t know. She thought I was being stubborn, I just hadn’t a clue. (It was a capital Q – anyone else seen that?)
It seems to me that the church and Christianity in particular suffer from being misunderstood. It’s been said that most people who reject Christianity are rejecting a misunderstanding of Christianity. There are all sorts of (to me) strange ideas going around about church and faith. Like church is just for children and old ladies. Like faith is just a crutch to get you through life. Like a church isn’t a church without pews. Like faith is a private matter. Like you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. All these betray a misunderstanding of what church and faith are about.
The question is, if these are misunderstandings, how do you find out what is real? The starting point has to be the Bible – that’s the foundational document. But even there we have misunderstanding. “The Bible’s full of contradictions.” The Bible’s totally out of date.” The Bible has changed with all the different translations.” None of these statements are actually true, but folk are happy to accept them rather than check out the truth. The Bible is still a bestseller but still the least read book.
To be fair, the church hasn’t helped all these misunderstandings. Poor teaching, vagueness about belief and ethics, divisions within the church and hypocrisy, all help push people towards misunderstanding. The church has not made faith accessible, which is why it’s best to start with the Bible. But for anyone serious about finding out about faith and life, you have sooner or later to get to grips with the church. There you’ll find other folk trying to sort out truth from fiction, trying to make sense of life through the lens of faith in Christ.
So if it’s all misunderstood, what’s the truth? Try starting with John 3:16 - supposedly the best known verse in the Bible. If you’re not sure what it means, check out your local church and ask!
Steve Osman
Thursday, 24 April 2008
May 2008 - Volume 30, Issue No. 5
Dear Friends
We’ve certainly had some wintry weather during April. During a slightly milder spell I ventured out into the Rectory garden armed with secateurs and loppers. Attacking the overgrown shrubs is something I find most therapeutic! Not that I’m an expert gardener. Ron, my husband, knows much more about gardening than I do, having been brought up on a small farm and market garden. Perhaps that explains why he avoids gardening like the plague! In fairness, though, he is the one who remembers to water the house plants.
I recall the first time I ever pruned the roses. I cut them back so severely that I thought I’d killed them. I hadn’t. The roses survived and flourished. Jesus often referred to growing things when teaching about the Kingdom of God. He also spoke of God the Father as the gardener. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a rose tree or a shrub and to come under the pruning knife. I do know what it’s like to receive attention from the divine gardener. There are times in all our lives when God has to do a bit of pruning.
In John chapter 15 Jesus speaks of himself as the vine and Christians as the branches. We are to remain firmly grafted into the vine, attached to Jesus, if we are to grow and bear fruit. Jesus says that the gardener cuts out the dead wood, and cuts back fruit bearing branches so that they will yield yet more fruit. Being pruned can be a painful business, but every gardener knows that it is necessary. When the plant grows and bears fruit we see the purpose of the pruning.
In these days of diminishing numbers of clergy we are having to think and pray about what can and cannot be maintained in the life of our churches. Steve Osman, myself and our lay leaders in the Cluster are committed to doing our very best to provide pastoral care and to arrange for worship in each parish church. Having said that, some changes will be necessary, in order to produce a pattern that can be maintained with a reduced ministry team. To begin with we plan to change certain services around. If the time comes when we need to cut back, the question will be how to do that in a way that will produce more abundant growth.
Of course, much of the life of our churches goes on, led by able and gifted lay people, with support and encouragement from clergy where needed. I wonder, though, how much of what we do is really producing fruit in the lives of our churches and our communities. Is there any dead wood that needs cutting out – activities and groups begun, perhaps, a long time ago, and which have served their purpose or are becoming burdensome for the leaders? Are there other activities that are achieving some results, but which could do better with a bit of pruning? This could be a good time to look at our churches with a gardener’s eye, and decide what needs attention if we want to see growth and fruitfulness.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
We’ve certainly had some wintry weather during April. During a slightly milder spell I ventured out into the Rectory garden armed with secateurs and loppers. Attacking the overgrown shrubs is something I find most therapeutic! Not that I’m an expert gardener. Ron, my husband, knows much more about gardening than I do, having been brought up on a small farm and market garden. Perhaps that explains why he avoids gardening like the plague! In fairness, though, he is the one who remembers to water the house plants.
I recall the first time I ever pruned the roses. I cut them back so severely that I thought I’d killed them. I hadn’t. The roses survived and flourished. Jesus often referred to growing things when teaching about the Kingdom of God. He also spoke of God the Father as the gardener. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a rose tree or a shrub and to come under the pruning knife. I do know what it’s like to receive attention from the divine gardener. There are times in all our lives when God has to do a bit of pruning.
In John chapter 15 Jesus speaks of himself as the vine and Christians as the branches. We are to remain firmly grafted into the vine, attached to Jesus, if we are to grow and bear fruit. Jesus says that the gardener cuts out the dead wood, and cuts back fruit bearing branches so that they will yield yet more fruit. Being pruned can be a painful business, but every gardener knows that it is necessary. When the plant grows and bears fruit we see the purpose of the pruning.
In these days of diminishing numbers of clergy we are having to think and pray about what can and cannot be maintained in the life of our churches. Steve Osman, myself and our lay leaders in the Cluster are committed to doing our very best to provide pastoral care and to arrange for worship in each parish church. Having said that, some changes will be necessary, in order to produce a pattern that can be maintained with a reduced ministry team. To begin with we plan to change certain services around. If the time comes when we need to cut back, the question will be how to do that in a way that will produce more abundant growth.
Of course, much of the life of our churches goes on, led by able and gifted lay people, with support and encouragement from clergy where needed. I wonder, though, how much of what we do is really producing fruit in the lives of our churches and our communities. Is there any dead wood that needs cutting out – activities and groups begun, perhaps, a long time ago, and which have served their purpose or are becoming burdensome for the leaders? Are there other activities that are achieving some results, but which could do better with a bit of pruning? This could be a good time to look at our churches with a gardener’s eye, and decide what needs attention if we want to see growth and fruitfulness.
With my love and prayers
Glynis Hetherington
Friday, 4 April 2008
April 2008 - Volume 30, Issue No. 4
Dear Friends
If you have been reading recent editions of Compass you will know that closer relationships are being forged between this Benefice and other parishes in the South Notts Cluster. As part of this, the Reverend Steve Osman and I will be taking it in turns to write the letter for our parish magazines. The month Steve writes:
Yet again, the church has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Archbishop of Canterbury gives a lecture to a bunch of lawyers, mentions Shariah law and British legal system in the same sentence, and for the next few days the media has open season on the church. What worried me was that many, in and out of the media, jumped to conclusions and made harsh judgements without bothering to check the facts.
A similar thing happened to me in my last parish. I wrote an article for the parish magazine about parenting. I mentioned that, in my observation, in the estate where we lived, a lot of parents talked to their kids like I sometimes talked to my dog. The local press got hold of the article and I was headline news for a day. I received 3 or 4 letters of abuse from animal lovers who assumed I was maltreating my dog! What was funny if it wasn’t so sad is that a) they never bothered to check out what I was really saying and b) they were more concerned about animals than the children on our deprived estate.
It is an unwritten rule that you never talk about religion or politics in polite company. I want to challenge that point of view. Our Archbishop will probably be wishing he had kept to that rule – his comments were about both religion and politics – no wonder he stirred such a reaction. But it seems to me that religion and politics are both about real life; both are about ideas; both affect decision making, personally and corporately. They’re simply too important to keep private.
I know why they’re subjects usually avoided – it’s because they stir such deep emotion, they affect the basis of our being. If I hold a deep-seated belief and someone else presents an alternative, I’m going to feel threatened. However, what I would hope I could do was hold a reasonable and reasoned conversation, not scream and shout at them. From the Christian point of view, I believe Christianity holds up to the closest scrutiny and the fiercest criticism, for me it is a reasonable faith. I sometimes think those who scream and shout do so out of insecurity; they’re not sure of their ground so they attack rather than defend.
Over the centuries the church has been guilty of unreasonable attack, using blasphemy laws to stifle opinion. It was Forrest Gump’s mother who said life was like a box of chocolates. So is the church. Some churches are like nougat – hard and unyielding, some are like strawberry creams – soft all through with nothing to get you teeth into. The best church is like the hazelnut caramel – a firm centre, sure of what it believes, but soft on the outside, open and welcoming to all who seek a reasonable faith.
Steve Osman
If you have been reading recent editions of Compass you will know that closer relationships are being forged between this Benefice and other parishes in the South Notts Cluster. As part of this, the Reverend Steve Osman and I will be taking it in turns to write the letter for our parish magazines. The month Steve writes:
Yet again, the church has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Archbishop of Canterbury gives a lecture to a bunch of lawyers, mentions Shariah law and British legal system in the same sentence, and for the next few days the media has open season on the church. What worried me was that many, in and out of the media, jumped to conclusions and made harsh judgements without bothering to check the facts.
A similar thing happened to me in my last parish. I wrote an article for the parish magazine about parenting. I mentioned that, in my observation, in the estate where we lived, a lot of parents talked to their kids like I sometimes talked to my dog. The local press got hold of the article and I was headline news for a day. I received 3 or 4 letters of abuse from animal lovers who assumed I was maltreating my dog! What was funny if it wasn’t so sad is that a) they never bothered to check out what I was really saying and b) they were more concerned about animals than the children on our deprived estate.
It is an unwritten rule that you never talk about religion or politics in polite company. I want to challenge that point of view. Our Archbishop will probably be wishing he had kept to that rule – his comments were about both religion and politics – no wonder he stirred such a reaction. But it seems to me that religion and politics are both about real life; both are about ideas; both affect decision making, personally and corporately. They’re simply too important to keep private.
I know why they’re subjects usually avoided – it’s because they stir such deep emotion, they affect the basis of our being. If I hold a deep-seated belief and someone else presents an alternative, I’m going to feel threatened. However, what I would hope I could do was hold a reasonable and reasoned conversation, not scream and shout at them. From the Christian point of view, I believe Christianity holds up to the closest scrutiny and the fiercest criticism, for me it is a reasonable faith. I sometimes think those who scream and shout do so out of insecurity; they’re not sure of their ground so they attack rather than defend.
Over the centuries the church has been guilty of unreasonable attack, using blasphemy laws to stifle opinion. It was Forrest Gump’s mother who said life was like a box of chocolates. So is the church. Some churches are like nougat – hard and unyielding, some are like strawberry creams – soft all through with nothing to get you teeth into. The best church is like the hazelnut caramel – a firm centre, sure of what it believes, but soft on the outside, open and welcoming to all who seek a reasonable faith.
Steve Osman
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