JULY 2011 - Vol. 33 No.7

Dear Friends 

Many of you will know by now that I am planning to take ten weeks sabbatical study leave in September and October.  This will include a retreat at Loyola Hall, Liverpool, followed by time reading, reflecting and gathering resources for accompanying people on their spiritual journey, and leading quiet days and retreats.

Jesus often set aside time to be with God the Father and it’s a good basic principle of Christian life to set aside time for God in the midst of our busy lives.  If Jesus needed that time of spiritual refreshment, then so do we.  Prayer first thing in the morning works well for many people, while others find that their best time to be still and quiet before God is at some other time of the day.  Setting aside a regular time for prayer is a discipline.  There’s always the temptation to get on with the tasks we have to do, and to skimp on our prayer time.  Perhaps some people feel they don’t know how to pray, although prayer is something most of us do, even if it’s only the occasional plea to God for help in times of trouble, or asking God to watch over and bless those we love.  At the heart of prayer is time spent with God.  He is our heavenly Father and we are his children.  Parents and children need to spend time together.  That’s important for bonding and building up a loving, caring, trusting relationship.  We can have that kind of relationship with God, but like any relationship it will not thrive on neglect.  Time spent together is important.

From spending a short time each day with God in prayer, we can build up to longer prayer times, which may include praying with others in small or larger groups.  Retreats offer time and space to be still and there are leaders and spiritual directors to guide and suggest approaches to prayer and how to use the time set aside. Retreats can be short, just a weekend, or a week or longer.  The retreat I am planning to attend is for five weeks, and will focus on a particular approach to reading the Bible and praying, as taught by St. Ignatius, following what are known as the ‘spiritual exercises’.
It is my hope that this time away will bring me spiritual refreshment and will deepen my relationship with God and that I will have more to offer in my ministry as I get alongside others who want to draw closer to God in prayer.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

June 2011 - Vol.33 No. 6

Dear Friends 

Millions of people at home and abroad enjoyed the splendour and pageantry of the royal wedding.  It was wonderful to see such happy and well behaved crowds in London. Many more watched on television. William and Catherine have been prayed for in our churches, and I’m sure we all wish them well. It’s good to join in celebrations whether these are religious festivals, national events or family occasions. 

 As I was wondering what the next big story would be to displace the royal marriage from the headlines, it was announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed.  We saw pictures of jubilant crowds celebrating outside the White House, but some Christian leaders have spoken out against such rejoicing.  It is to be hoped that the removal of the al-Qaeda founder will lead to greater safety and security, and that there will not be reprisals. Undoubtedly bin Laden was the instigator of unspeakable evil, but should we not also feel sorrow that a man’s gifts and abilities were so misdirected?

There is a prayer which begins “Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather than he may turn from his wickedness and live...”   A popular hymn includes the words, “The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”  We often sing it with great gusto, but do we really believe that the vilest offender, even someone like Osama bin Laden, could have been forgiven if he had turned from his wickedness?  Christians believe that, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,  sin and selfishness are put to death, the slate is wiped clean, and a new life can begin.  The offer of forgiveness is for all, whatever the scale of our wrongdoing, but we have to turn away from all that is wrong, and allow our hearts to be changed.

The war against terrorism goes on. Removing one vile offender who has not repented will not remove the threat of terror, nor the reality of suffering in a world where there is much wickedness.  What really makes a difference is a complete change of mind and heart. Then God’s healing, forgiving love can flow into a person’s heart, making them new.  In the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 9 we have the story of Saul who persecuted Christians until he had a dramatic experience on the Damascus Road. Saul, otherwise known as Paul, went on to become the most ardent follower of Jesus Christ, spreading the good news, bringing people to faith and starting churches.  Jesus Christ still changes lives today and, ultimately, it is changed lives that will make the world a better place.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

MAY 2011 Vol. 33 No. 5

Dear Friends

Travelling along the A46 these days feels a bit like a parable of modern life. The landscape is constantly changing. It’s even getting a bit like that (albeit on a very, very small scale) on the journey from East Leake to Gotham! New roundabouts and re-routed roads can make the traveller feel disorientated. A much travelled and hitherto familiar route suddenly requires concentration. So many things in life change, sometimes gradually and imperceptibly, at other times rapidly. Change can feel exciting or threatening. One thing is certain – nothing stays the same for ever.
In a changing world the Church faces many challenges. Some of the old traditional ways of doing things just don’t resonate with the modern generation, or even with some older people who have come to a new understanding of what it means to be a Christian or who find different things feed their spiritual lives now than in earlier years. For others the older traditions have more appeal later in life, or there is a longing for the Church to provide stability and constancy, giving comfort and help in coping with other changes going on all around.
The journey theme is prominent in the Bible, in both the Old and New Tesaments. The key event in the Old Testament is the Exodus. Through Moses, God led his people Israel out of slavery in Egypt. God led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the pillar of cloud or fire settled, the people stayed in that place until the pillar began to move again. There are times when God is telling us to stay in one place, and other times when he leads us on the next stage of our journey. For many of us the difficult thing is discerning when God wants to move us on. It can be hard to leave behind what is familiar and to set off into the unknown. Long before the time of Moses, Abraham responded to God’s call to set off on a journey, trusting God’s promise to give him a land, and to bless him with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Abraham is remembered today as the Father of all three monothestic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
When old routes disappear and new roads are constructed, we need to follow the signs or listen to the satnav. As we travel through life, let’s look for God’s signposts and learn to listen to his directions, knowing that God is with us whether the landscape is familiar or strange. Jesus promises his followers that he is with us always, and if we put our faith in him we can be assured that our ultimate destination is to be with God in glory.
With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

APRIL 2011 - Vol. 33, No. 4.

Dear Friends

You may have seen a Mothers’ Union poster on display which says ‘Make a Mother’s Day’. This is in connection with a campaign to encourage the purchase of ethical gifts which will help mothers and their families, at home or overseas, who are facing difficulties. Anyone who takes part will receive a card depicting the chosen gift. This may be a card to send to the person’s own mother, or it can be in memory of a mother who has died. Mothers’ Day is advertised widely by companies who want us to buy cards, gifts or flowers, or to treat our mothers to Sunday lunch. The Mothers’ Union advertisement reminds us of the Christian origins of this day.

Mothering Sunday always falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent and is sometimes known as Refreshment Sunday. The idea is to have a break from the austerity of Lent and to be refreshed for the final part of the Lenten observance, leading up to Holy Week and Easter. On this Sunday in times gone by young people in service in big houses were allowed to visit their families. The custom developed of picking flowers from grass verges and hedgerows along the way to make posies for their mothers. People would attend the church of their baptism, or families who normally worshipped at small village churches might attend the larger church in town, sometimes called the Mother Church. That title emphasises the Church’s role in nurturing Christians in their faith. There was, and still is, an emphasis on Mary the Mother of Jesus on this particular Sunday. So there are three strands to Mothering Sunday celebrations – Mother Church, Mary the Mother of Jesus, and our own mothers. Much of this is lost in today’s celebrations which owe more to the American Mothers’ Day held in May, with its emphasis on thanking and showing appreciation for mothers.

There are many celebrations associated with the Christian faith. This month we shall also observe Palm Sunday, recalling the occasion when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Holy Week follows, which includes Maundy Thursday when we recall the Last Supper which Jesus shared with his friends. Good Friday is a solemn day when we focus on the crucifixion. Then comes the joyful celebration of Easter, when we celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead, and the new life he offers to those who believe in him. If you come along to one or more of our services this month you may discover something about how these festivals began, and their meaning for us today. It’s also worth mentioning that holidays began as holy days. So as we enjoy our holidays and celebrations this month, let’s not forget their origins in the Christian faith.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

MARCH 2011 - Vol. 33, No. 3.

Dear Friends
Are you planning to give up something for Lent? I think I may have to give up mince pies! Yes, I know, Christmas was over weeks ago, but I made a lot of mincemeat and am still using it up. It’s curious, isn’t it, that the mince pies you can buy in the shops go on sale in the time leading up to Christmas, but they soon disappear from the shelves once we are into the new year. Hot cross buns, on the other hand, are now on sale all the year round. At one time you could only buy them on Good Friday, the day when Christians commemorate Jesus’ death on a cross. I wonder how many people these days understand the symbolism of the cross on these buns.

On Shrove Tuesday, some of us will enjoy pancakes. This day takes its name from the practice of being ‘shriven’, that is making confession of one’s sins and receiving absolution. Some people speak of ‘Pancake Day’ and may be unaware of its origins. In times gone by Christians were not allowed to eat rich foods during Lent, so pancakes were made on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday to use up the leftovers. Lent was a season of abstinence and austerity, with the purpose of entering a time of self-examination and penitence, as part of the preparation for the great festival of Easter. Lent was the fast before the feast. Even if we are less rigorous today in our observance of Lent, this is still a significant season in the Church’s year. We may go without something we enjoy in order to focus more on our prayer life and our relationship with God, as we move towards Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter.

The first signs of spring are always welcome, and never more so than when we have been through a harsh winter. Seeing the snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils lifts our spirits and brings a resurgence of hope. After the dreary dark days there is new life appearing all around. Even though March often brings cold and windy weather, we feel that summer is on its way. At the end of next month we shall celebrate Easter, and that is all about new life. Having gone through the anguish of Holy Week and Good Friday, when the focus is on Christ’s suffering and his death on a cross, we turn to the joy of the resurrection. The journey through Lent might be compared with those difficult winter days, and Easter to the glorious explosion of life and colour as spring bursts upon the world. As with many good things in life, the enjoyment and appreciation are all the greater if we have been deprived of them for a while.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

FEBRUARY 2011 - Vol. 33 No. 2.

Dear Friends

The King James Bible is a remarkable literary work which has had a profound influence on the English language. May 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of its publication. Events to celebrate this will include the Southwell Lecture on 17th June to be given in Southwell Minster by Frank Field MP, and an exhibition from 17th May to 19th June in the Minster. Members of our staff team are working on ideas for marking the occasion in the Benefice. Bishop Paul has drawn attention to a website http://www.kingjamesbibletrust.org/  and to the project ‘Biblefresh’. He is encouraging us to read our Bibles and one initiative to help with this is the E100 Bible Reading Challenge. You can find out more from the website www.scriptureunion.org.uk/You/BibleReading/E100BibleReadingChallenge/129240.id

I remember my first encounter with the King James Bible at the age of six. Beginning at the beginning, with the Book of Genesis, I didn’t get beyond the word ‘firmament’ before I gave up! I was very young, but even then, with my limited vocabulary, I sensed that this was a special book and I was stirred by the rhythm of the language. At primary school I enjoyed Scripture lessons and loved hearing Bible stories. At secondary school the teacher of Religious Instruction managed to make the subject abysmally boring! Years later I discovered what a treasure trove the Bible is, as a source of great stories, but most importantly as God’s word to those who believe.

When I first read the Bible in its entirety I was thirty something. I read the Good News Bible in a year, then I started on the New International Version, which took just a little longer. Some years later, when training for ordination, I turned to the Revised Standard Version, and these days I mostly read the New Revised Standard Version. We have various translations here at the Rectory and it is often useful to compare different versions. Whilst there is some wonderful poetry in the King James Bible, which is appreciated by many who have a love of the English language, many of today’s Bible readers will find a good modern translation more helpful. The Bible needs working at, whichever translation you choose, and Bible reading notes can help. There are also some delightful illustrated Bibles and Bible story books for children. If we are to read and gain understanding, we need a version of the Bible which is appropriate to our age, reading ability, and where we are in our journey of life and faith. So how about it? Make 2011 the year to discover, or rediscover, the Bible.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

JANUARY 2011 - Vol. 33 No. 1

Dear Friends
Well, that’s Christmas over for another year. It will soon be time to dismantle the tree, take down the cards and put away the decorations. Then there are the “thank you” letters, emails or text messages to send and, for some, the tiresome business of changing items that aren’t quite right. Thinking of that line in the poem “Christmas” by John Betjeman about “hideous tie so kindly meant”, I wonder how many of us pretended to be pleased with a garment we’re never likely to wear, or an ornament that will only be on display when the giver comes to visit. With this comes a feeling of guilt because we know that a relative or friend has spent time and money on this gift and we should be grateful. Then there are the toys that are soon discarded or broken, and the gadgets that don’t work properly, not to mention the chocolates, biscuits or toiletries that come in handy for us to give to the person we’d forgotten to buy for, or which find their way in the new year to a charity raffle or tombola.

I’m sure most of us have, at some time, given or received a Christmas present that failed to please. Yet some people seem to have the knack of choosing just the right gift, which might be simple and inexpensive, but which shows an understanding of the needs and tastes of the recipient, and which is given and received with love. The greatest Christmas gift of all was just what the world needed, even if the world didn’t know its need. This gift, the child born at Christmas to be our Saviour, was given with love, by God. For those who have received that very precious gift with gratitude Christmas is not over after all. This is a gift for life, and a gift that gives life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

As we go forward into another year, the Church follows the story of Jesus Christ through his life, his ministry and his teachings, until we come to his death and resurrection and his ascension into heaven. Then we see how Jesus continues to be with his friends, through the gift of the Holy Spirit who empowered the first Christians to spread the Gospel message, and who empowers Christians today to live for Jesus and to share his love. Whether we gave and received many Christmas gifts or few, and irrespective of how much they were appreciated and enjoyed, there is a far greater gift which can be ours. Those who accept this gift and open their hearts to Jesus can know his presence with them, not just at Christmas and New Year, but always.

With love and prayers that God will bless you in the coming year,
Glynis Hetherington