Faith Building
| A letter from the vicar |
I heard a vicar from Botswana, talking about the parish where he ministered in Scotland, about a model of ministry from the Diocese of North Michigan and about the writings of a long dead missionary called Roland Allen who based his own work on the writings of St. Paul. These stories and examples of congregational life in Scotland and around the world led me to an understanding that my ministry comes primarily, not from my ordination to the priesthood but from my baptism. It was and is my baptism that enables, empowers and authorises me to minister. It follows that all the baptised have a ministry that comes from their baptismal covenant rather than by the permission of the vicar. It is not the congregation's task to share in the work of the clergy but for all of us as the baptised people of God to do God's work together.
Life for me has never been quite the same since. On sabbatical I saw for myself a form of baptismal ministry in Rothiemurchus Scotland that excited and intrigued me. In my reading and in discussions with others across the country and in the diocese I have come to believe even more strongly in baptismal ministry. I went to the United States in February to see for myself the impact of such ministry on some of the Anglican dioceses in North America and especially in the Diocese of North Michigan. In Chicago I attended a conference for the two dozen dioceses which have adopted Mutual Ministry. It was unlike any conference I have ever been to with most of the time given over to working groups where representatives from each diocese (often including the bishop) presented mutual ministry case studies to others in small groups. It was followed by lengthy discussion involving much listening and no attempt at giving trite answers. In the very airing of the issues, the reps were able to make sense of the problems and discover a way forward for themselves. It was a good example of mutual ministry where everyone was equally valued for their contribution and their ministries recognised.
The remainder of the visit was spent visiting the Diocese of North Michigan which under the last two bishops has pioneered Mutual Ministry. The Anglican communities we visited were small in comparison to Christ Church and apart from one exception had no full-time paid clergy in residence. What they did have were locally 'called' Ministry Support Teams in each congregation which were trained with help from the diocese, commissioned by the Bishop, and supported by full-time paid regional missioners. The teams included locally ordained priests, that is men and women who the local congregations recognised as exercising a priestly role within their community and who the wider church in the form of the bishop recognised by ordination. The team included permanent deacons, again ordained to that ministry and co-ordinators with a range of other gifts including music, education, hospitality and other ministries. Their collective work was to enable the whole of their congregations to minister as baptised people. I experienced wonderful examples of envisioned and empowered local congregations who lacked nothing in not having a traditional vicar as leader. One example stuck in my mind. Three years ago the congregation of Iron River was small and elderly. The remaining six members made a decision to spend their capital reserves on rebuilding their facilities which consisted of two dingy rooms and a small kitchen. They equipped one room as a large office with six computers. They now use it to run computer courses in the local community. The kitchen was refitted to a very high standard (enough to make our catering team jealous). The kitchen and wonderful refitted meeting room host numerous community meals which has brought new members to church and a growing children's ministry. They have grown rapidly in three years. They now have a vision for buying an unused local school to convert into accommodation for visiting relatives of inmates in the local prison. It all stems from the small group of members who began to fulfil their baptismal promises.
There are other exciting examples of motivated congregations who came to that point not by accident but because time was spent on their spiritual formation. They were taught about the significance of their baptism and encouraged to seek ways to live it out in daily lives. They have been taught not to rely on paid professionals to do God's work for them but to take up their calling to be God's ministers in church, at work in the home and in the community. Such a theological understanding comes from a willingness to learn about why they should minister and a reliance on God to empower them.
In the States and since I returned, I have found myself wondering about the role of vicar or priest in this different model of ministry. Several images attracted me and I am still working through them. One is drawn from the world of safaris where an experienced leader is needed to guide the group through a difficult and dangerous environment, a guide who recognises the signs of where the animals are and is able to help his party view them safely. I warm to the idea that my role is to look for the signs of God's presence in the world and help others recognise His presence. The other picture comes from American history and the great trek from the East Coast to the west. The pioneers required scouts to lead and to guide them in their journey to recognise dangers and provide places to gather in safety. I was struck by the comment of an Archdeacon from Nevada who described the role of the priest essentially as one who gathered God's people. Mutual ministry does not remove the need of leadership in the Christian community but recognises that leadership is of the servant variety where you are there to help guide the community on their journey, to gather the community together for support and protection; to lead but with the co-operation of the whole community. I continue to be excited by the prospect of being part of a church community which is seeking to use all the gifts God has given for the work He has chosen for us to do. I long for the time when the whole of the Anglican church recognises that we are all called to minister as the people of God, through our baptism. Please pray as I continue to work through the questions raised in me about my role and ministry at Christ Church and in the wider Anglican church. Pray also about how you may fulfil your baptismal promises in relation to our heavenly Father, the church community and the world we are called to be in but not of.
David Proud
| Prayer event |
Faith Building |
The date has been set for Saturday May 10th 2003. Last year's event attracted 560 people - with 160 more having to be turned away. More information from Laura Hart, 01727-830802, E-mail lhart@stalbans.anglican.org.
| Martin’s Marathon |
 Bridge Building |
As the long, cold, wet and windy winters night start to give way to the warmer and longer spring days, we start to look forward to a new gardening season, a break at Easter or all those DIY projects we have been putting off. However for me this winter has been somewhat different. Whatever the weather I have been pounding the streets of Ware, Hertford and Hoddesdon in pursuit of a dream. Mine is to complete the London marathon on Sunday the 14th April. It will be my first (and probably last) attempt at this classic distance. As the training load reaches it peak, I need some added inspiration to keep the mind and body focused on the task ahead.
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I am running the race on behalf of a Christian charity called Toybox (www.toybox.org). Some of you will have heard of them because of their brightly coloured handicrafts. This though is only a small part of what they do. The money I raise will help them continue to resource their work amongst the street children of Guatemala, bring the love of Jesus into empty lives.They equip teams of street workers to bring friendship and fun to children who have nothing. Hostels and day centres are run, giving the children a temporary refuge before they are placed in homes run by houseparents, who give the children a loving and stable environment in which to grow.
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I would ask you to support me in this challenge by:
Thank you for your support
Martin Dudley, 01920-469883
| Wednesday Welcome |
Bridge Building |
These goods will be sent to Rwanda this month. A container was already packed with goods for Burundi. Our gifts will be distributed by the Anglican Church and African Revival Ministries. The letter I received from Containers of Hope thanked us for a delightful collection of knitwear and said that our knitting will wrap the children in wool and envelop them in love.
A few people who are not members of Wednesday Welcome are also knitting for this charity. It is possible to knit whilst watching T.V. I have patterns for jumpers which are highly valued and blankets which are always wanted.
Pam Robinson
| Services at Easter |
Maundy Thursday, 28 March
8pm Holy Communion
Good Friday, 29 March
10.15am Procession
10.30am Service at Rankin Square followed by short service in Centre
2-3pm Last Hour Meditation in Church
Saturday, 30 March
Decorating Church
Easter Day, 31 March
8am Holy Communion
9.30am Holy Communion
11am All Age Holy Communion
| Holy Week |
Faith Building |
So what happens during Holy Week? Well, Palm Sunday is the day when the Christian Church commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The gospels tell us that He had gone up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, and that when He entered the city, the crowds gave him a rapturous welcome, throwing palm fronds into his path. Today churches around the world distribute little crosses made from palm fronds to remember this occasion.
The next highlight of Holy Week falls on Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday focuses on one of the final acts concerning Jesus to be related in John's Gospel - the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus. The ceremony of the 'washing of the feet' of members of the congregation came to be an important part of the liturgy (regular worship) of the medieval church, symbolising the humility of the clergy, in obedience to the example of Christ.
'Maundy' is an unusual word, and relates to this medieval practice of foot-washing. In the Middle Ages, church services were held in Latin. The opening words of a typical service on this day are based on the words of Jesus recorded in John 13: 'A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.' In Latin, the opening phrase of this sentence is 'mandatum novum do vobis' The word 'mundy' is thus a corruption of the Latin 'mandatum' (or command).
In England, in by-gone years, as an affirmation of humility, the monarch would wash the feet of a small number of his or her subjects. This has now been replaced by the ceremony of the 'Maundy money', in which the Queen distributes specially minted coins to the elderly at cathedrals throughout England.
Good Friday is of course the day on which Jesus died on the cross. It is the most solemn day in the Christian year, and is widely marked by the removal of all decorations from churches. In Lutheran church, the day was marked by the reading of the passion narrative in a gospel, a practice which lies behind the 'passions' composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750). Both the St Matthew Passion and the St John Passion have their origins in this observance of Good Friday.
The custom of observing a period of three hours' devotion from 12 midday to 3 pm on Good Friday goes back to the 18th century. The 'Three Hours of the Cross' often take the form of an extended mediation on the 'Seven Last Words from the Cross', with periods of silence, prayer, or hymn-singing.
Lent ends with Holy Saturday. The Eastern Orthodox churches hold the 'Paschal Vigil' - a late evening service which leads directly into the following Easter Day.
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Bridge Building |
Christian Aid is collecting any foreign coins (and notes!) that you may have left over from holidays. They will exchange them and put them to good use. Search out at home and give in at Church in a marked envelope or into the Church office. Thank you.
| You took my place |
Faith Building |
The visitor went inside for the service, and began looking at the periodicals on display. He was about to pick one up, when a member of the congregation came along and said: 'I always read that copy. You took my magazine!' The stranger graciously bowed and turned away.
He went into the sanctuary, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!"
The visitor again quietly moved away, but still said nothing. The service began, and the congregation fervently prayed for Christ to come and dwell among them. Suddenly, the visitor stood up. He slowly walked to the front of the church and held up his hands. They looked terrible, all scarred and torn. The congregation was appalled, and someone called out:
“What happened to you?”
The visitor replied...
"I took your place.”
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Hospitality Month 3rd to the 24th of March i.e., the first 4 weeks |
 Body Building |
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Women in Mission Regional Day - Broxbourne, Hertfordshire Saturday March 16th, 10.00am - 4.30pm |
Body Building |
"It’s good to talk, Lord"
Always ready to chat, but... about Jesus?
At Broxbourne Primary School with a fully equipped crèche provided
Michelle Moran is the keynote speaker and there will be a large choice of workshops including:
Who wants to be a millionaire?
The challenge of sharing the gospel in a society where money is king
Please don't speak when I'm interrupting you!
In an age of instant communications have we forgotten how to listen?
Gifts? You can't mean me, I haven't got any!
Parenting - minefield or missionfield?
Knowing the love of God
Prayer - it's a lottery?
Life in Christ is more than just a game of chance.
For further information and booking forms contact:
Mrs Rosemary Ryan, 01992-442260
5 Baas Hill Close, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. EN10 7EU
www.women-in-mission.co.uk
| What is Love? |
When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.
Love is when my Mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.
Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mummy and daddy are like that. I think they look disgusting when they kiss, but they look happy, and sometimes they dance in the kitchen while they're kissing.
Love is a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they've known each other so well.
My mummy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.
Love is when mummy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.
Love is when mummy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.
| How the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury will be chosen |
Body Building |
"In the Church and in the world, the role of the Archbishop in presiding as spiritual leader of over 70 million Anglicans world-wide is more than ever recognised, thanks not least to the tireless work of Archbishop George Carey for mission, for justice and for peace. "A sacred responsibility now rests on the members of the Crown Appointments Commission and everyone else involved in the selection of Archbishop George's successor. We ask all members of the Church of England, as well as those in partner churches, to focus in the coming months on sustained prayer for all involved that, working with the Holy Spirit, God's will for His Church may be done."
And a recent report by Lord Hurd of Westwell has underlined the many different dimensions of the role - ecumenical and interfaith, as well as national and international - and the challenges and opportunities each dimension offers for the Gospel.
So - what actually happens now? Here is a brief outline of the procedure for appointing a new Archbishop of Canterbury:
| Book reviews |
A Closer Look at New-Age Spiritualityby Rob Frost The author explores various aspects of the new-age movement and warns of the dangers of some of these activities, but also looks at their positive elements and the possible Christian response to them.
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Our Little SecretMy life in the shadow of abuse by Tori Dante This is an astonishing story of God's power to heal broken lives as the author, wife of the former World Wide Message Tribe's Cameron Dante, relates the traumatic tale of how she was regularly abused by her father.
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God Save the Queen: the Spiritual Dimensions of Monarchyby Ian Bradley On the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne, Ian Bradley explores the past and present role of royalty in Britain in his provocative new book. Ian Bradley uses a historical framework in order to explore the current situation and contemporary converts, including the monarch's role as Defender of the Faith, Roman Catholic accession to the throne, the relationship between the Crown and the churches, and the issue of establishment. He reaches some radical conclusions, including: 'The monarchy should be freed of its exclusive link with Protestantism.'
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| Proverbs |
To give you a little insight, a bit of mission awareness and some reading fun the next story.
African proverbs express the wisdom of the African people and are a key to the understanding of African ways of life in the past and in the present. One challenge is how to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ to Africans in an African context, in African accents, in an African handwriting. The happy solution is to tell an African story. Everyone likes stories.
What do you think of the next African Proverb from Lesotho,
Lepotla-potla le ja poli; lesisitheho le ja khomo.
The "hurry-hurry" person eats goat; the one who takes his or her time (or hesitates) eats beef.
Sesotho (Lesotho and South Africa) Proverb
This proverb (often only the first half is quoted and the rest is taken for granted) is an excellent warning for time-conscious Westerners in time-oblivious Africa. Life is too short to spend hurrying. Only the person who takes his or her time in life will ever "get to eat beef," that is, be deeply satisfied by the truly meaningful things in life. Perhaps the West is starting to learn this lesson. An American writer has recently noted, "Almost nothing of any lasting spiritual significance is ever done by anyone who is in a hurry." He adds the observation that the Gospels never describe Jesus as being in a hurry. Jesus knew better, and so do the Basotho people.
Rob Vermeij, e-mail: rvermey@yahoo.com, presently student at All Nations Christian College, attending Christ Church Ware, served for the last 10 years as missionary in Lesotho in the southern part of Africa.
| Under His Wings |
Faith Building |
After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.
One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.
She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.
Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live.
Psalm 91:4 "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler."
Praise the Lord for His goodness and protection for all those who put their trust in Him.
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Left Behind (or not time to go)! Vic Van Den Bergh |
Like Frank Peretti's book 'This Present Darkness', which brought the question of Angels (Angelology) into focus for so many for the first time, this book might be commended for bringing the Second Coming and the end times into focus. This work is pure fiction with a little Bible thrown in for good measure. It is not a definitive nor Biblical approach to the end times, but merely a re-writing of that which has gone before. This book commends the Gospel of Christ, and salvation through it, but the reader would be well served to understand that it represents just one view of theological thinking on the end times, salvation and more, bringing together Bible (with questionable interpretation), imagination and personal baggage
What this book offers is a good story, fast paced and an undoubtedly good read. It holds its own well against other works of fiction and is definitely a good choice if that's what you're looking for.
I'm sure the intentions behind the book are good, acting as a sort of wake up call for those who read it…get your life right now, don't be like the characters in the story. There is no doubt as to the writers' views of conversion, just read the account of salvation as told in chapter eleven. There is more than a hint of 'do it today and avoid being left behind', which in itself is not wrong, but the motivation is questionable. Although parts of the book reflect the end times as seen through the Bible, we must not forget that the bulk of this book is fiction, treating it as anything else is potentially dangerous.
One area of disquiet stems from the authors use of this book to support their own views on a number of issues. As I read it, I found myself becoming more uneasy as ONE of the theories relating to the end-times is presented as the only reality (for no others are mentioned). It's a story, not a theological work, so there's no need to present the other theories I hear some mutter. True, but then so many who have read this (and others in the series) don't know that and therefore see only one scenario portrayed, which is then adopted as truth.
The theology of the end times is preached thus: “Our senior pastor loved to preach about the coming of Christ to rapture His Church, to take believers, dead and alive, to heaven before a period of tribulation on the earth.”
The authors take the position that the order of events for the final days is:
I'd rather build a people ready for fight than flight! This is a good book, but should be read as fiction taking into account that we're not supposed to be able to interpret Revelation like we were reading the newspaper. It's meant to be difficult to understand. If you'd like to know more, take a look at………..
(Oh, no, Vic’s been raptured and we’re all Left Behind! No, seriously this article is part of a series and if you’d like to know more, take a look at the next instalment!)
References: