MAY 2013 - Vol. 35, No. 5

Dear Friends

In Chapter 20 of John’s Gospel we read that, on the evening of the day Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, he appeared to a group of disciples who had gathered together, and he greeted them with the words “Peace be with you”.  After the trauma of seeing Jesus arrested, humiliated, abused and crucified, the thoughts of his followers must have been in turmoil.  They must have longed for peace in their hearts.  In our troubled world today, when many people are anxious and afraid, this peace that Jesus offers is something we all need.  This is the peace of God which can calm our fears and help us to weather the storms of life.  On one occasion a group of disciples were literally caught in a storm at sea, with Jesus asleep in the boat.  They awoke Jesus and he spoke words of peace to the wind and the waves, stilling the storm and calming the fears of the disciples.

The risen Christ, after speaking words of peace, breathed on his disciples, saying “Receive the Holy Spirit”. Seven weeks later, the disciples gathered together for the Feast of Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit came to them in a far more dramatic way, experienced as wind and fire.  From this moment they were empowered to share the good news of Jesus and the Church was launched upon the world. The Church celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, sometimes known as Whitsun. The gift of the Holy Spirit is a promise for all Christians.  No matter how the Spirit comes, as wind and fire or the gentle breath of God, the result is transformed lives.  The Spirit shows us what is wrong in our lives and helps us to change, and assures us of God’s forgiveness and love.

A third thing Jesus said to his disciples on the day of resurrection was that, if they forgave anyone’s sins, they were forgiven, but if they retained the sins of any, they were retained.  This Bible passage is usually included in ordination services. It is an immense privilege and an awesome responsibility to pronounce words of forgiveness during worship, or to offer reassurance of forgiveness and the chance of a new beginning to a troubled individual who is sorry for what is wrong in his or her life.  Although that is part of a priest’s role, all of us are called to exercise forgiveness towards those who hurt or upset us.  When anyone retains sins and holds on to feelings of resentment, a barrier is built up, making it hard to come close to God and others.  An unforgiving spirit can eat away at us, causing untold damage to the person who is unforgiving as much as to those who are on the receiving end of a judgmental attitude.  In the First Letter to the Corinthians chapter 13, Paul writes, “Love does not keep a record of wrongs” * and Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”.

At the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is forgiveness of sins, the grace to forgive others and God’s love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, bringing us peace.  It is a peace that the world cannot give, and a peace that the world desperately needs.

With my love and prayers

* Good News Bible                                Glynis Hetherington

APRIL 2013 Vol. 35 No. 4

Dear Friends

The first day of this month, the day after Easter Sunday, is April Fool’s Day.  Over  the years there have been some clever hoaxes on 1st April that have duped many people.  A classic that a lot of people still remember was a feature on the BBC television programme Panorama broadcast on 1st April 1957.  The show’s presenter, Richard Dimbleby, reported on a bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland. Last year Palm Sunday fell on 1st April and Radio 4 featured an item about donkey rustling.  Listeners were told that many churches, unable to hire donkeys, were using llamas instead for their Palm Sunday processions. 

Some people think that the Christian Gospel is a hoax and we who believe it are fools. We claim that Jesus Christ, who was crucified, was raised to life again.  This is an amazing claim and it’s hardly surprising if some people find it hard to believe.  There have been plenty of attempts to explain why the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid was found to be empty on the first Easter Sunday. The Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describe appearances of Jesus to many of his followers, convincing them that he was alive.  In the Easter season we read some of those stories in church as we celebrate the resurrection. Forty days after the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven, returning to God the Father. The Church celebrates Ascension Day on 9th May.  Then at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to the disciples filling them with power to proclaim the good news of Jesus who had overcome death and who offers us the gift of eternal life. Pentecost (Whit Sunday) is celebrated this year on 19th May.

Saul of Tarsus (better known to us now at St. Paul) was one who rejected the Gospel message and who persecuted followers of Jesus. Then one day as he was travelling to Damascus a blinding light flashed from the sky, and he heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him.  His life was turned right around and he became totally committed to winning others for Jesus.  In the New Testament we have some of Paul’s letters.  In one of them he wrote, “The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  That’s in the First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 1 verse 18.  Paul has more to say about foolishness and wisdom in the verses which follow.

People have different experiences of coming to faith in Jesus Christ, mostly in a less dramatic way than Paul.  Many people are convinced of the truth of the Gospel message, foolish though it may seem in the eyes of the world. There is evidence for the truth of the message in the difference Jesus still makes in people’s lives today.  We cannot prove that the Gospel message is true, but neither can anyone prove that it is false. It is a matter of faith and of accepting that what may look foolish in some people’s eyes is, in fact, true wisdom. 

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

MARCH 2013 Vol. 35 No. 3

Dear Friends

At the beginning of February fifty-four people of all ages from three to eighty-something enjoyed a parish holiday weekend at Willersley Castle in Cromford, Derbyshire.  That was the weekend when the Church celebrated the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, sometimes known as Candlemas.  That’s not such a well known festival as Christmas and Easter, but it is a pivotal moment in the Church’s year.  At Willersley we were given two helpful ways to think about this. During our Saturday evening service Janet Gorick likened it to an elbow, with the upper part of the arm representing Christmas and Epiphany, and the lower part representing the time leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  On the Sunday we celebrated Holy Communion, with chairs arranged in a circle.  Pat Edwards asked us all to stand facing outwards, looking back to Christmas, and singing a verse of Away in a Manager.  Then we turned around to face the centre, and to focus on what is coming next.  I thought  these ideas were worth sharing, in the hope that they will be helpful during Lent and as we prepare to move through Holy Week towards the joyful celebration of Easter.

If Candlemas is a pivotal moment in the Church’s year, then the coming of Jesus Christ to share our human life is a pivotal moment in the history of the world.  From the perspective of his birth, his life, his death and resurrection, we discover, in the Old Testament, signposts which point to Jesus, and we find parallels in the story of the Hebrew people which resonate with our own faith story.  Of huge significance is the Passover, God’s great saving act in delivering the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt and, through Moses, leading them towards the promised land.  It was Passover time when Jesus shared the Last Supper with his friends, and gave new meaning to the breaking of bread and pouring of wine, which he spoke of as his body and his blood.   Christians believe that through his death on a cross all may be delivered from slavery to sin and self and receive the gift of eternal life.  We, too, are on a journey towards our promised land.  We look back to the events of Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter, and we look forward to the day when Jesus Christ shall return and everything will be made new.

That’s a brief summary of the ‘big picture’. On a smaller, personal scale, the Christian year mirrors our own lives. The seasons of the Church’s year will not always coincide with how we feel.  For instance it is possible to be utterly dejected at Christmas and to be full of contentment and joy during the penitential season of Lent.  The point is that, during the Church’s year, all the highs and lows of human life are reflected, as indeed they are during public worship, which includes penitence and praise, prayers for those who suffer, and thanksgiving for God’s blessings. For those who have felt the anguish of Good Friday there will be great joy in celebrating the resurrection and the gift of new life on Easter Day.

With love and prayers a joyful and blessed Easter

Glynis Hetherington

FEBRUARY 2013 VOL.35 No.2

Dear Friends

February already, and we are well into another year.  Where do the years go?  I can scarcely believe that I have been in post as Rector of this Benefice for almost fourteen years. Prior to that I was in self-supporting ministry. Ron, my ‘other half’ has been a Reader in the Benefice for even longer.  Now the time has come to retire. By the time you receive this edition of Compass an announcement will have been made in all our churches.   We are both planning to retire from our respective ministries in the Benefice this coming summer.  Our final service will be held on Sunday 30^th June and more information about that will be given out nearer the time.

In Church ministry as in any walk of life there are many blessings and rewards, and some frustrations. One of the things I most enjoy is meeting so many delightful and interesting people of all ages in the church and the wider community. It has been a real joy to meet and get to know many of you. Sometimes that has come about through a happy occasion, such as a wedding or baptism.  I have also met many people through funeral ministry.  Sharing with people in times of sadness and trying to bring some comfort and hope into their situation is a huge privilege. I am acutely aware that the pain of separation can take a long time to heal, and people never stop missing the loved one they have been parted from by death, yet I dare to hope that God can use me and my colleagues to help people in the process of grieving and coming to terms with their loss.

People often turn to the Church at significant moments in their lives. Some people find that these events cause them to stop and think about what they truly believe, and some feel drawn to further exploration of the Christian faith.  Whenever I see someone coming to faith, or re-kindling the faith they once had, or growing in the faith they already have, that is most rewarding. The work of the Church is mission – that’s what we are called by Jesus to be doing.  He commanded his disciples (and that’s all of us who seek to follow his call and learn from him) to go into all the world and make disciples. I long to see more people becoming disciples of Jesus – but be warned!  Once you respond to the call to follow Jesus, you never know where he will lead you.  When I first committed my life to following Jesus I never for one moment thought that it would lead to ordination, let alone to becoming Rector here!

                                    With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington

 

JANUARY 2013 VOL. 35 No.1

Dear Friends

Halfway through the season of Christmas we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.  Some people will be enjoying parties, while others won’t feel much like celebrating.  The year just ending has brought happiness for some and sadness for others, and for many there will have been a mixture of good and bad things.  Some will be facing the coming year with feelings of expectation and hope, while for others there will be anxieties about the future.

On 6^th January the Church enters the season of Epiphany, which follows on from Christmas.  We think on that date of the wise men who were led by a star to the infant Jesus.  We don’t know much about their journey, but Matthew’s Gospel tells us that they went first of all to the palace of King Herod, an understandable mistake since they were looking for a newborn king.  Yet this error led to tragedy when Herod, in his jealousy, ordered the massacre of innocent children. After the wise men had presented to Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, they were warned about Herod in a dream, and so they returned to their own country by another way.  Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and the holy family fled to Egypt until it was safe to return to their home in Nazareth.

The much loved story of Christmas and Epiphany has its dark side too, though the central message is of the Light of Christ, coming into the world and shining in the darkness.  The wise men were among the first people to see and recognise that light.  In the years to follow others would be drawn to the light and love they saw in Jesus.  His followers came to recognise that he was the Messiah, or Christ, whose coming had been foretold by prophets long ago.  These events happened 2000 years ago, yet today Christians still believe that the light and love of God that came into the world at Christmas can shine in our hearts and lives and bring us hope in our times of darkness.  In the Church we trace the story from Jesus’ birth, through to his ministry, his death and resurrection and ascension into heaven. He is our Saviour and Lord, and through the Holy Spirit we can know his presence with us always.  The wise men had a star to guide them on their journey.  We too need guidance and help, as we journey into the new year, and in our journey of life. All of us have a mixture of sorrows to bear and good things to celebrate.  If we put our faith and trust in God, through Jesus Christ, we can look back and give thanks for the blessings we have received, and we can face the future without fear.

Wishing you God’s blessing and peace in the coming year,

Glynis Hetherington

December 2012 Vol. 34. No. 12

Dear Friends

At this time of year lots of people attend carol services and concerts.  Some carols are played and sung every year.  Much as I love many traditional Christmas carols, I have other favourites which are less well known.  One of these is “God’s Surprise”.  We sing it to the tune “Scarlet Ribbons”.  The birth of Jesus is a surprise for a number of reasons.  In Bible times there was the expectation that God would send the Messiah (that’s a Hebrew word meaning “anointed” – the Greek equivalent is “Christ”).  First century Palestine was occupied by the Romans, and the Jews were anticipating a leader sent from God who would deliver them from their enemies.  There were various ideas about the kind of leader this would be, but a king who would lead them into battle was what many were looking for.  So the birth of a baby to a couple far from home, who found no room at the inn and who had to take shelter among the animals was not what they were expecting.

When that baby grew up he attracted followers, but upset many of the religious leaders, with all his talk of forgiving enemies and praying for those who hate us, not to mention healing people on the Sabbath.  The Roman rulers were upset too, because they feared Jesus would lead a revolution.  Jesus came to show a different way to be great, and to save us all, not from occupying armies but from the consequences of human sinfulness.  He came to bring about a revolution all right – a revolution in people’s hearts, to turn us right around from going our own way and to turn us back to God.  Some understood his message, but many missed the point – just as many failed to notice that God had come among human beings that first Christmas in the form of a tiny baby, wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.  Those who did see and believe were just a handful of shepherds who saw a vision of angels, and some wise men who followed a star.  I wonder how many people who celebrate Christmas this year will see the sign of God’s love in the baby in the manger, and receive him into their hearts and lives, and how many will miss the point.

To quote a couple of lines at the end of each verse of that carol, “God surprises earth with heaven, coming here on Christmas day.”  Are you ready to be surprised by God this Christmas?

With my love and prayers for a blessed and peaceful Christmas,

Glynis Hetherington

November 2012 Vol. 34 No. 11

Dear Friends

I asked some young people what they thought about when I said the name of their church.  There were some interesting responses including ‘the stained glass windows’, a favourite worship song, and ‘people going up to the altar for the bread and wine’.   The last answer led us into thinking what the Church really is – a building, what goes on in the building, or the people who use the building as a place to meet.  We went on to think about the Church as a family.  When I baptise an infant I talk to the parents about being born physically into a family, and baptism as a symbol of spiritual birth and being welcomed into the family of the Church.  Some families are close and meet often, so that warm and loving relationships grow and there is always help, support and encouragement and a deep level of commitment and sharing.  Family members are there for each other and from that secure family base each member can grow and flourish.

Other families don’t see much of each other and members drift apart.  I find that sad.  The same can happen with the Church family.  There are many who belong to the Church through baptism, yet who rarely meet with their Christian brothers and sisters for worship and prayer. The Parish Church is there to serve people in the community, whether or not they have any involvement in its life and worship, but some of our smaller congregations have concerns about how much longer they can fulfil that role. Maybe the Church of the future will be centred on the larger towns and villages. The faithful few in small villages might meet in one another’s homes, as happened in New Testament times.  Our relationships with God and each other are more important than buildings, and yet, if one day some small churches have to close, I wonder how many people will regret not sharing in the life of their Parish Church when they had the opportunity.

Staying connected to our families provides a network of friendship and support, and the same goes for the Church family.  In our individualistic society it is important to foster relationships and a sense of belonging.  Together as we grow in our relationships within the Church family we can also grow closer to God, helping one another in our quest to discover meaning and purpose for our lives.  For Christians, Jesus shows us what God is like, and demonstrates in his own life and teaching, and in his sacrificial death, God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. As children of the same heavenly Father it is important that we stay connected to each other.  Those who are already committed to meeting regularly would be delighted to welcome newcomers, or to welcome back members we haven’t seen for a while.

 

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington