22 May 2024
FROM OUR RECTOR
The Gift of the Holy Spirit- part 1. The Spirit our Comforter.
Last Sunday, we celebrated the day of Pentecost - the day the Holy Spirit was first poured out upon the church. It was a dramatic day, a day which changed history as the small group of believers were suddenly empowered with divine strength to proclaim the gospel to the nations, just as Jesus (and a number of Old Testament prophets!) had promised. The first, and wonderful, result was that ‘about 3000 were added to their number that day’ (Acts 2:41)
But much as the events of that first Pentecost Day might cause us to pray for a similar response to the gospel message in our day, the coming of the Holy Spirit is of vital daily importance to each and every Christian. So, over the coming few weeks we’ll be considering what difference the Holy Spirit does make in our lives and how we might make sure that we ‘do not grieve the Holy Spirit’ (Eph 4:30) but instead, ‘keep in step with the Spirit’ (Gal 5:25) and so enjoy all the blessings and benefits the Holy Spirit brings.
In this regard I would have preferred to begin on an upbeat focus, how now that we are filled with the Spirit (as all Christians are) we can now ’do all things through Christ who strengthens (us).’ (Phil 4:13). But recent events, which I’ll come on to shortly, have led me down a different path. So, I want to reflect briefly on the Holy Spirit as our comforter.
If you were in church last weekend you’d have heard Gareth, Ben or Matthew explain that the Greek word Jesus uses in John’s gospel to describe the Holy Spirit is parakletos. It’s a word with many dimensions, including that of comforter- which is how the King James version translates the word. Today when we think of a comforter our minds are likely to turn to a warm blanket or cuddly toy that we might give a young child to quieten them. Or, we might think of someone putting their arms around us to comfort us in times of trouble or sadness. But the meaning of the word is far stronger than that.
To comfort someone in the parakletos sense is to draw alongside to strengthen them for the challenges ahead. It is to remind them that they are not on their own, that all is not lost, that together they can and will make it through. The parakletos brings renewed strength and hope by their presence and words and, in the case of the Holy Spirit, divine power to keep going, however steep the road or dark the way. How can the Holy Spirit do this? Because He is the Spirit of Jesus, possessing the power of Christ, bringing the love of Christ, through the gospel of Christ. The Spirit is the means by which Jesus does not ‘leave us as orphans.’ (John 14:18)
In the same way that the first disciples were strengthened and encouraged by the presence of Jesus, so we, as his disciples who have the Holy Spirit in us, are also strengthened and encouraged. We may not see Jesus physically, but his presence with us is no less real and no less important. That truth is a vital one to grasp, especially when times get hard.
Song for the week: God is for us City Alight
Grace and peace,
Dave
15th May, 2024.
Dear Friends,
Ascension Day Part 2
Last week we went over some of the details as to what Ascension Day is. This week, our focus is on this question: Why is Ascension Day so important? With the limited space available here, I want to suggest 5 quick reasons.
1: It teaches us that Jesus WILL return
This was the message of the angels to Jesus disciples: This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Jesus’ return HAS been a long time coming, and the Bible gives us some good reasons for that (see 2 Peter 3:9), but the fact that Jesus ascended means that he will one day descend again- this time, to bring in the day of Judgment and the full inauguration of his new and eternal kingdom. Now that is something to wait for with eager expectation.
2: It demonstrates that Jesus’ work is done.
Where is Jesus now? In heaven, and specifically he is ‘seated at the right hand of the father.’ (Ephesians 1:20) The fact that he is seated reminds us that Jesus’ saving work is now done. His death and resurrection accomplished everything necessary for our salvation and for his Kingdom’s coming to be unstoppable. What a great comfort that should be for us!
3: It shows us the ongoing power of Jesus.
Jesus demonstrated his divine power on earth through many mighty deeds and miracles: healing the sick, calming storms, casting out demons, raising the dead and forgiving sins. Can we continue to trust him now? Does he still have the power to save lives and change lives? Of course? How do we know? Well, consider where he is seated now. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, the place of ultimate power and authority. From the throne in Heaven Jesus is reigning over his church, bringing in his kingdom, ushering history to his chosen end. What a wonderful encouragement to stand firm.
4: It means there is a human being in Heaven now.
This topic is worthy of far more than a few lines, but in short, the fact that Jesus was raised bodily into heaven shows us something more about the true wonder of the incarnation, helps us understand something more about the physical nature of the world to come, and demonstrates to us the dignity and worth of all human beings. What’s more, our Saviour, who knows what it is to suffer and to be tested in every way, just as we are, is now at the right hand of his Father, interceding for us. How amazing is that!
5: It encourages us to continue to fulfil our calling.
Unlike Jesus’ first disciples, we are not waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live and work for Christ’s great glory and the building of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit HAS come. Now all believers have the Spirit within them, equipping them to be effective witnesses of the good news of Jesus in word and deed. So as we await with confident expectation for the final return of Jesus, we have work to do. The DAY is coming. Jesus’ ascension shows us that. So let us all be active now in fulfilling our Jesus’ given call as we wait for that day to come.
Songs for the week: Lord, Enthroned In Heavenly Splendour (youtube.com)
Grace and peace,
Dave
12 May 2024 Sunday after Ascension
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends
Ascension Day Part 1
Some of you may remember when, after a morning service in church or together in the hall, schools closed at lunchtime on Ascension Day. Nowadays, Ascension Day passes without a mention in most churches, let alone in schools. In our Benefice, there will be an Ascension Day service on Thursday evening at St Luke’s starting at 7pm to which everyone is invited, and we’ll be singing some rousing Ascension Day hymns in most of our churches this coming Sunday. I’m also going to be devoting the contents of this column this week and next week to the topic of the Ascension: what is it, and why it matters.
So what is Ascension Day?
It is the day 40 days after Easter day, and 10 days before the Day of Pentecost, when the church remembers and celebrates the bodily ascension of Jesus back into Heaven. Luke captures the moment for us in Acts Chapter 1. Having taken his disciples out to the Mount of Olives, and given them some final instructions…
Jesus was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Unsurprisingly, the disciples are left opened mouthed, staring into the sky, when 2 angels appeared and clarified the situation for them.
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
After 40 days over which Jesus has appeared to his disciples again and again, giving them many convincing proofs of his bodily resurrection and teaching them about the Kingdom of God, Jesus was suddenly taken from them. This time, unlike his sudden disappearance from the table in Emmaus, they were able to watch him go as he ascended upwards until hidden by clouds. It was a moment that marked the end of Jesus’ own earthly ministry, but one that led to his disciples being equipped with Holy Spirit power to carry on that mission in Jesus’ name. (More on that in 2 weeks’ time!)
We might have expected his disciples to be disheartened again, as they had been after the crucifixion, but that’s not what we’re told. There is no fear or dejection this time. Instead, the disciples devoted themselves to prayer, chose a replacement for Judas and waited, as Jesus had told them to, for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit to empower them for the task they had been given.
As we approach Ascension Day, and the 10 days leading up to Pentecost Sunday, we could do nothing better than following their example and spending time in prayer that God would renew us by his Holy Spirit and re-empower us to play our part in the task he gave to his first disciples and to every disciple since- to be his witnesses in our own communities and to the ends of the earth. For that is the task of the church until Jesus comes again!
Songs for the week: Hail The Day That Sees Him Rise
Grace and peace,
Dave
5 May 2024 Fifth Sunday after Easter
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends
Resurrection Appearances Part 4: Peter by the Lake: John 21:1-24
Of all the post resurrection appearances of Jesus, I think this one is the most moving. Yes, there was great tenderness in how Jesus spoke to Mary, and kindness and patience in how Jesus treated Thomas, but Peter’s experience at that lakeside bar-be-cue shows the grace, mercy and kindness of the Saviour at an even greater intensity.
It seems that by this time, Peter had met the risen Jesus on at least 3 occasions. But whether by Jesus’ design or Peter’s skilful avoidance strategies, they hadn’t yet had ‘THAT conversation.’ You know the one. The one about Peter’s three-fold denial on the night Jesus was arrested. Throughout all the moments of post-resurrection joy Peter must surely have also felt a severe pain in his heart as he recalled his dreadful behaviour on that fateful night. Jesus was alive again. I’m sure he was thrilled about that! But could their friendship ever be the same again? Would Jesus ever trust him, love him, accept him as he once did?
After Jesus had caused there to be yet another miraculous catch of fish, Peter recognised that the man cooking some fish on the lakeside was, in fact, the risen Jesus. Suddenly the huge catch means nothing and Peter dives in to get to Jesus.
It’s not until everyone has eaten that Jesus speaks directly to Peter. “Simon of John, do you love me more than these?” Jesus uses Peter’s ‘old name,’ his pre-Jesus name when he asks this question. Taking him back to the beginning. The ‘these’ in the question might be the fishing boats and the fish and the old life, or the other disciples. Either way, Peter’s answer is just a straightforward admission of devotion.
Jesus asks again. And then again. Each question ratchets up the embarrassment at being singled out. Each question being followed by a command to feed or take care of Jesus’ lambs or sheep. Each question giving Peter a chance to erase his denials and reset his relationship with his Lord. It is deeply painful for Peter, as it must have been painful to watch. But Jesus is the great physician of the soul, and he knows what Peter needed to go through if he is to leave his past behind and go where his master would call. The tenderness of Jesus with Peter is wonderful to behold. But so is his decision not simply just to sweep things under the carpet. There is no ‘don’t worry about it’ with Jesus. Sin and failure must be confronted and confessed, but the full restoration Jesus offers to his most passionate disciple points us to the end result Jesus was after all along: a relationship not haunted by past mistakes, but one free of guilt and shame with full intimacy restored.
If you read through Peter’s letters and his exploits in the book of Acts, it’s clear that Peter was a changed man. Every encounter with Jesus has the potential to have that kind of effect, if we are ready and willing to let the master physician do his work. Are we?
Songs for the week: His mercy is more
Grace and peace,
Dave
28 April 2024 Fourth Sunday after Easter
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends
Resurrection Appearances Part 3: Thomas meets the risen Jesus: John 20:24-29
Putting all the different account of the resurrection together seems to suggest that Thomas had left the upper room when the Mr (and Mrs) Cleopas returned from their encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus and met Jesus again with the other disciples. What a day that must have been! No wonder they were eager to share the news with Thomas the next time they saw him.
Thomas, however, did not believe them. His words demanding first hand proof are now etched into history aren’t they: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand in his side, I will not believe!”
Thomas’ reputation as a doubter has now become a catchphrase for all who doubt. But I wonder if we would have reacted any differently. If the disciples had boldly told Thomas how he had missed Peter falling off his chair, or that he’d missed out on some particularly nice bread, he would, no doubt, have believed without a second thought. So let’s not be too down on Thomas for doubting something so shockingly out of the ordinary as a man rising from the dead.
But let’s also not miss Jesus’ great love and compassion for Thomas in allowing him to receive exactly the proof he needed. What grace and tenderness that shows. Having said that, can you imagine how Thomas would have felt when Jesus showed up the next time and offered him his hand and side to touch so that he might ‘stop doubting and believe.’ Embarrassed, humbled, perhaps even humiliated, but finally and completely convinced, is it any wonder Thomas falls to his knees and cries out: “My Lord and My God!”
Thomas’ reaction begs the question for sceptics today: do we need to see before we believe? The answer of course, is no. Trials in courts of law would crumble instantly if jurors needed first hand experience to be able to arrive at verdict. We believe lots of things without having seen things at first hand, because whilst first-hand experience is great, what we really need are honest and reliable witnesses; people who will speak the truth. If we have that, then we do have enough evidence to believe, however outrageous the news.
Perhaps that’s why God in his providence allowed Thomas to miss the first meeting, and to respond with doubt, so that by his being convinced, we too might be convinced and find our faith in Jesus’ resurrection strengthened. As John writes in chapter 20 verse 30 – “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name.” So if you still have doubts about the resurrection of Jesus, might I suggest it’s time to stop doubting and believe?
Songs for the week: This I Believe by Hillsong
Grace and peace,
Dave
14 April 2024 Third Sunday after Easter
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Resurrection Appearances Part 2: The Road to Emmaus. (Luke 24: 13 to 35)
Last week we reflected a little on Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene. After meeting her risen Lord, Mary did what she was told and went and told the disciples who she had seen, and the disciples responded with overwhelming faith and joy.
But that’s not right, is it? They didn’t believe her! They responded with doubt and bewilderment, thinking the women were crazy. Some went to check out the tomb for themselves. Others, including Thomas, were so overwhelmed that they headed out. Two of them, Cleopas and perhaps Mrs Cleopas, walked to Emmaus, a small place some 7 miles from Jerusalem.
As you might imagine, these two had plenty to talk about, and it’s as they were talking that Jesus drew alongside them. Playing dumb about the weekend’s events, Jesus joined in their conversation without letting on who he was. The two walkers were stunned how anyone could have slept through the dramatic events of the previous few days and explained to their new travelling companion some of what happened. Jesus responded with characteristic bluntness (“How foolish you are!”) and went on to explain how they really should have known better. And his reason for this is simply ‘Moses and all the Prophets’.
As I mentioned in my Easter Day sermon, the Old Testament speaks with great clarity about the coming of the Messiah, detailing his family line, his birthplace, his mission, his death and even his resurrection. For faithful Jews who trusted God’s Word and knew God’s Word, the events of that first Easter should not have been a surprise. The Old Testament is, ultimately, all about Jesus. He is the final prophet and the fulfilment of prophecies. He is the one true King all the failed kings could never be. He is Israel’s true teacher, their one true priest and one final sacrifice. He is their hope, their ultimate promised rest, their salvation, their Good Shepherd, their LORD. I can imagine Jesus unpacking many of these themes as he talked them through Old Testament passage after passage, showing them how He had fulfilled them all. And I can imagine that if I had been there with them, then my heart would have burned inside me as theirs did within them.
It wasn’t until Jesus was giving thanks and breaking bread with them that their eyes were opened to his true identity, and at that point Jesus disappeared and they were left on their own.
Then, like the women earlier that day, they knew that simply had to pass on the news, so they ran back to Jerusalem and were with the disciples as Jesus joined them.
This encounter should encourage us to know the scriptures better, especially the Old Testament, and to make sure that we are reading it with the knowledge that Christ’s story is written upon every page. But this encounter should also give us greater confidence in sharing the Bible with others, so that God might speak directly to them. One excellent new resource for helping us do this is called ‘The Word One to One.’ See www.theword121.com It’s available in booklet form, or as a free app, and is amazingly easy to use. Why not take a look and give it a go with a friend! After all, the whole Bible is about Jesus!
Songs for the week: Speak O Lord (Live from Sing! 21) - Keith & Kristyn Getty and Laura Story
Grace and peace,
Dave
10 April 2024
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!
You may think that’s a funny greeting since Easter was almost 2 weeks ago, but since we are still in the liturgical season of Easter, and since the resurrection of Jesus is such a fundamental part of our faith, over the next 4 weeks we’re going to take a brief look at 4 of the resurrection appearances given to us in the gospels.
Obviously, there are far more than 4, and 1 Corinthians 15 lists some we know nothing about except that they happened. But like the miracles in John’s gospel, ‘these are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and that by believing, we may have life in His name.’ (See John 20:31) So let’s start with the very first one, described for us in John 20v11-18. The appearance of the risen Christ to Mary Magdalene.
If the gospel writers were inventing a story, Mary would be an unlikely choice for the first witness. Not only is she a woman - a fact that would render her testimony unacceptable in a court of law., but she was also on her own when she met Jesus. Perhaps stranger still, both Luke and Mark describe Mary as the one from whom Jesus cast out 7 demons. You can imagine some lawyers having great fun at that part of her backstory. Nevertheless, I think that the fact that Mary was the first witness adds a great deal of credibility to the accounts of Jesus’ rising from the dead. Why else would they choose someone who could be so easily discredited unless it were true?
But whilst the world might poke fun at Mary, look at the way Jesus treats her. Jesus is so patient, not jumping out with a great cry of “SURPRISE!” He gives her time to come to terms withal the shocking things she has seen, and then he speaks her name. “Mary.”
What more wonderful and incredibly personal way could Jesus have chosen to show to Mary that he was alive than this. The Lord spoke her name, in a way she would recognise, because she had heard him say it so many times before. It’s a beautiful moment.
Then Mary turns and runs towards him. John doesn’t describe her arms going around him, but Jesus does ask her not to hold on to him, so it’s a fair bet that she grabs hold and doesn’t want to let go! And who can blame her! Such is her love for her Lord and master. Jesus hints that there will be a time when she can hold on to him forever, but it isn’t yet. Then Jesus honours her with a special task: to be the first one to tell the disciples that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead.
It's a touching scene isn’t it. It tells us something of Jesus’ compassion and love for all his disciples, it reminds us that both men and women have a key role to play in proclaiming the risen Jesus, and it points us to a truth about the resurrection: that it was most definitely physical, not just spiritual. Let’s be encouraged by Mary’s encounter with Jesus and join her in passing on the news of his mighty and glorious resurrection!
Songs for the week: Led Like a Lamb to the Slaughter
Grace and peace,
Dave
7 April 2024 First Sunday of Easter
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Happy Easter! I hope that you have been as blessed by our services throughout Holy Week as I have. The annual walk-through of the events of that first Easter should never cease to humble us and thrill us. Nor should those things cease to have an impact on us for the other 51 weeks of the year. For whilst Christmas reminds us of the incarnation- God becoming one of us. Easter shows us God dying for us… and then rising for us. Two events that have turned the world upside down, and that should constantly be shaping and reshaping our lives as the truth of Easter and the implications sink into our hearts and minds.
So what might be some of the implications of the death and resurrection of Jesus? Here are 7 to be mulling over this week:
That God is just: The darkness of Good Friday shows us that God doesn’t ever ignore evil. That is great news for those who suffer injustice.
That we are deeply loved despite our sin and failings: For God so loved the world that he gave his only son… The best picture of God’s amazing love we can ever have, is Jesus stretching wide his arms on the cross.
That forgiveness is possible: The final cry of Jesus “It is finished!” and the curtain of the temple being torn in two show us that God’s saving work is done. Through Jesus’ death, all who come to him can be forgiven, cleansed and adopted into God’s family.
That we can us hope in our broken lives: Just as God brought victory through Jesus’ death, so God promises to work all things for the good of those who love him. It may take us a while to see it, but that hope changes how we view suffering.
That we can have real hope in the face of death: Just as Jesus died and rose so we will all rise to stand before Jesus our judge. But because of Easter we can die knowing that the judge is also our saviour, and that if we have trusted in Jesus, we will enjoy God’s presence and his perfect kingdom forever. Because of Easter, death holds no fear for the Christian.
That our broken world will be changed: On the cross Jesus defeated evil, and just as he conquered death so he will one day return as King, renew the earth, and bring in his eternal Kingdom of justice and peace.
That Jesus is who he claimed to be: Without the resurrection, we would never have heard of Jesus nor of his teaching. But the resurrection of Jesus proves that he was (and is!) the Son of God, our Lord, our Saviour, our King. Jesus’ death and resurrection have changed the world.
As we ponder the implications of the death and resurrection of Jesus this week, may the LORD strengthen our faith, fill our hearts with joy and send us out in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the risen Christ to our needy world.
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah! Songs for the week: Jesus Christ is risen today
Grace and peace,
Dave
31 March 2024. Easter Sunday
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends
Apparently at the end of the Live Aid concert, someone came up to Bob Geldof and asked him the question that became the title of his autobiography: is that it? For Geldof it was an existential question about the direction and meaning of the rest of his life. In the context of our miniseries, it is even more important. Is repentance it? Is that all that is required if we are to have our sins forgiven and enjoy a true and lasting relationship with God. Or is there something more? What happens next?
In one sense it IS all that is required. We are saved by faith alone, in Christ alone, through the cross alone. That faith is shown by repentance and trust in Jesus alone. However, whilst we are saved by faith alone, saving faith is never alone. It is always accompanied by good works. Those good works fall into two broad categories: A turning away from the sin of which we have repented and a turning, to a life of obedience in all that Christ calls us to do.
The confession below describes that in this way: serving God in newness of life to the glory of God’s holy name.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you
in newness of life to the glory of God’s holy name.
So as we approach the end of Lent and the cross of Jesus comes into closer focus, can I ask whether that is true of you? Can you point to things of which you have repented of, so that now, with the help and strength of God’s Holy Spirit working in you, you no longer behave or speak or think in those ways?
And can you see things in your life that you now do which you would not have done before you came to trust in Jesus? Perhaps in the way you speak to people or how you react to criticism or in what you watch on TV? A new life should be a new life after all. A life that is now spent with the aim of doing all things for the glory of God’s name.
For those of us who have grown up in Christian homes and who generally live what might be called ‘respectable’ lives, that isn’t always easy to see. Hence the need to pray that God would search us and know us (Psalm 139), and the need to daily seek God’s help and strength to know ourselves and know God’s Word and submit ourselves to it.
That, of course, isn’t a one-off event. Just as repentance isn’t a one-time only thing! It’s the basis of our Christian lives. We recognise our sin. We come to the cross for forgiveness. And then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we go out and seek to live for the glory of God at home, at work, at rest and play. May that be our resolve and may God’s glory be seen in us.
Songs for the week: May the Mind of Christ My Saviour (Tune: St Leonard - 5vv) and More Like Jesus
Grace and peace,
Dave
24 March 2024 Palm Sunday
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
On our journey through our prayers of confession, we’ve seen that we confess to God, because it is his world; that it is necessary, because sin is serious; that we fall short in 3 ways (thoughts, words, and deeds) and that our sin occurs through our negligence, our weakness and sometimes even because of our deliberate fault. Last time we reflected on the fact that true repentance cannot just involve words but must be heart-felt, an honest sorrow for our sin.
All that may help us understand the nature of our sin and how serious it is, but so far, we have seen little hope that God would answer our prayers and forgive us. Our two questions today answer that question: CAN God forgive us? And WILL God forgive us?
"Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past"
CAN God forgive us? That is, does God have the moral authority to wipe away our guilt and cleanse us from our sin, no matter what it is?
The answer we find in all our prayers of confession is a resounding YES. But the basis for that is not in God’s compassion or unending love, wonderful those traits are. Because God is holy, he must treat sin seriously; he cannot simply wave our sin away as if it doesn’t matter. Sin must be punished, and punished fully if God’s justice and holiness are to be satisfied.
But that is what happened on the cross. In what CS Lewis called the great exchange, Jesus died in our place, for our sins, and as our substitute. Willingly taking all the sins of the world upon himself, Jesus died as “the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Jesus himself spoke of how he would “give his life as who died for us, a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28) and that’s what he did.
As a result, God’s justice was satisfied, and our debt, which we could not pay, was cancelled by virtue of Jesus’ substitutionary death. That’s why Jesus cried out ‘It is finished!’ as he died. Not because He was finished, but because his task was complete. By his death, sin was atoned for, death (the wages of sin) was conquered, name. and a way to God and eternal life was opened up for all who repent and trust in Christ. So wonderfully, because of Jesus, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
So YES, God can forgive us and remain both just and holy. But WILL God forgive us? Yes! The promise of God’s Word is clear:“ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. We do need to confess honestly and humbly; we do need to place our trust in Jesus as our only plea. But such is God’s grace and mercy to us, and such is the power of Jesus’ blood to cleanse us from every sin, that God’s promise is clear and certain: God forgives all who truly repent!
That isn’t the end of the story of course. Forgiveness isn’t a free pass to repeat the same sins again and again with impunity. We’ll reflect upon ‘what happens next’ next time. But for today, spend some time thanking God for Jesus, for the wonder of the cross, and for the promise of forgiveness that allows sinners like me and you to be completely cleansed.
Song for the week: In Christ Alone - Keith & Kristyn Getty, CityAlight
Grace and peace
Dave
17 March 2024 - The Fifth Sunday of Lent
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Last week we reflected on the fact that we fail to obey God both through negligence, through weakness, and through our own deliberate fault. I’m sure we’d all admit to this. We may not murder or steal, we probably haven’t had a fist fight since primary school, but we all know that in large and small ways, we don’t live as we should. We fail to reach God’s perfect standards. There is, in the words of the Book of Common Prayer: “No health in us.”
The next question is, how should we feel about this?
"Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy Divine Majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable."
Do we brush our failings off as ‘part of being human?’ Do we excuse ourselves because ‘everybody does it’ or because ‘there are plenty of people far worse than me?’ As a primary school teacher, I came across plenty of excuses for misbehaviour. ‘It was an accident.’ ‘I didn’t mean to.’ ‘They started it.’ And even where there was an admittance of guilt, the only sorrow in sight was the sorrow of being caught! But when the confession we looked at last week asks us to say that ‘we are truly sorry’ that isn’t what it means! True confession does not involve sorrow for being caught, but sorrow for the act itself, for the harm it has caused, and for the great insult to God’s glory involved.This is where the Book of Common Prayer pushes in. In language that is both strong and challenging, the General Confession teaches us that true repentance requires us to abhor our sins and failings. Is that how we feel, I wonder?
I think it’s generally true that the more we love someone, the more we grieve when we cause them pain, or disappoint them or break a promise. The closer the relationship, the more precious the fellowship, the worse it feels when that is harmed or threatened. So if God himself is our greatest love and joy, the most important person in our lives, then grieving him should lead us to deep sorrow. And rather like a spouse remembering cheating on their marriage, or a best friend remembering betraying a confidence, so for a Christian, recalling the times when we have failed our Lord and saviour should bring us similar sorrow. To not feel this, at least to some extent, must surely bring into doubt the closeness of the relationship with the one we have failed.
I don’t write this so we will seek to wallow in our sins or imagine that there is no way back, rather that we might see the seriousness of the problem, and the true sweetness of the forgiveness and reconciliation that follows from a true confession.
The account of Peter’s denials and subsequent reinstatement at the end of John’s gospel shows us how the Lord Jesus deals with those who fail him and are weighed down by a heavy load of guilt. There on the beach, Jesus draws Peter to confront his failings and then gently, lovingly, tenderly, he restores him to true fellowship, even calling him to serve him in a unique way. Such is the great mercy and grace of God that Jesus will deal with our sorrow over our sins and failings in exactly the same way.
So let’s not try to excuse what we have done, or brush our sins under the carpet. Instead, let’s ask for God’s help to know the grievous nature of our sins, that might also grasp the true wonder of God’s grace and mercy to us. That joy and astonishment is summed up in a hymn we’ve sung recently: And can it be… May its words minister to your soul today.
Song for the week: And Can It Be - Stuart Townend
Grace and peace
Dave
10 March 2024 - The Fourth Sunday of Lent
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Last week we reflected on the fact that we fail to obey God in 3 ways: in our thoughts, words, and deeds. But the confession probes our hearts further than that and reminds us that we can fall into sin in three different ways as well: through negligence, through weakness, and through our own deliberate fault.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you to the glory of your name.
Amen
Notice there’s no category here of ‘the devil made me do it!’ or ‘It’s all the fault of the government/my family/my neighbour/my diet/hormones/etc etc. Confession is a prayer that requires to accept that the blame for all our sin rests on us, and on us alone. That doesn’t mean that all our acts of rebellion are just as wilful and deliberate as each other, nor as bad as each other. It is a reminder to be vigilant and to keep watch over every aspect of our lives.
Sometimes our sin comes through our negligence. When we have become lax in our spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading scripture and public worship, it becomes easier to forget God’s commands. Taking our eye off the ball of godliness means we can be more easily led astray. Just as our car might break down through lack of care, or the dog escape through a fence that has been left to rot, so we can fall foul of sin and temptation through negligence. Are we doing all we can to ‘walk in the light as Christ is in the light’? (1 John 1 6-7)
Sometimes our sin comes through our natural weakness. The doctrine of original sin isn’t that we are all as bad as we might be, but that our natural inclinations are towards self, in newness of life rather than God; towards rebellion and not obedience. (That’s why we never need to teach a child how to be naughty!) That natural weakness or pull towards sin is exacerbated when we get tired or hungry or stressed, and it’s also strengthened when we spend time with those who live by very different standards. It’s often easier to follow the crowd than it is to obey God and look odd. You may know what your points of weakness are and what weakens you further. I know my own all too well.
Only growing in the knowledge and love of Christ and the power of the Spirit through those regular disciplines will help us grow strong enough to resist and stand firm, whatever those around us may say. Is that true of us?
Sometimes, however, we sin deliberately. We know something is wrong and we do it anyway. We know God forbids something, and we just don’t care. Sometimes we may argue with ourselves and make a case that we know better, or ‘it’s only a small sin’ or ‘everybody else is doing it.’ But deep down we know what we should do (or should not do) and we make a decision to do the opposite. I’m not immune to that. Even the Apostle Paul wasn’t immune to that! (See Romans 7) You won’t be either. Of course, it’s nothing to be proud of. In rejecting God’s ways we are rejecting God and turning our backs on the one who loved us and gave himself for us, whose ways are good, and whose laws bring true freedom and flourishing. We may think we are behaving in a way that will make us happier, healthier and wealthier, but as we turn from God the opposite is true. Can you think of ways in which you have done that?
The wonderful thing, however, is that whether our sins are through negligence, through weakness, or through our own deliberate fault, there is no sin that God will not forgive if we truly repent. We’ll examine what it means to repent next week, but for now, be comforted and encouraged by the news that it was whilst we were sinners that Christ died for us. When we were at our worst, Jesus died for me and you. What amazing love that is!
Song for the week: How Deep The Fathers Love For Us : Worship from Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle, Belfast. 2008
Grace and peace,
Dave
3 March 2024 - The Third Sunday of Lent
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Last week we reflected on the seriousness of sin, this short reflection focusses on the ways we sin. Remember, that sin is a falling short of God’s perfect standards, to use an archery analogy, missing the mark and failing to hit dead centre. Next week we’ll think about why we sin happens. This week it’s about how we sin, and our confession gives us 3 ways: thoughts, words, and deeds.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.
Sinful deeds are perhaps the easiest to spot, and the commandments point a number of them out. Murder, theft, adultery to name but three. In Jesus day, Sabbath breaking was also easy to spot - you just looked for a person carrying a mat, harvesting their crops, or walking more than a mile from home!
At various times in church history, there have been people who have said that it doesn't matter what you do with your body, because it's the soul that counts. But St Paul tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and so it matters what we do with them.
It also matters what we do with our tongues, so it's possible to sin through our words. The book of James speaks about this saying: “with the tongue we praise our Lord and father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. My brothers and sisters, this should not be!” And so whether we are telling lies, spreading gossip, or simply saying things that are unkind or unnecessary, our words can cause real harm. James likens the damage the tongue can do to a spark that can set a light a great forest. How many of us have fallen into that trap? How many of us have been hurt by the words of others?
But our deeds and words only reveal what lies in our hearts, and so we can sin with our thoughts as well. Our private thoughts, opinions, and daydreams may not constitute crimes in our country's legal system, but God's standards are far higher. How we think and what we think about matters to him. Jesus himself teaches that having hateful thoughts is as much a sin as murder, and having lustful thoughts is as much a sin as adultery. That is deeply convicting. Our sinful thoughts show us that our problem isn't just skin deep. It can't be rectified by simply doing the right thing and saying the right thing (as if we ever could!) What we need is a new heart and a new birth so we live a new life. Wonderfully that is what God offers to us through repentance and faith in Jesus, as the confession makes clear at the end. Through Christ, God our Father gives us not just a clean record but a new heart. Yes, we still battle with the OLD ME, but God’s plan for us and promises to us is that as we follow Christ he will gradually and increasingly transform us into the likeness of Jesus, where we behave more like him, speak more like him, and come to think more like him. That process won’t be complete until we reach glory, but it is where we are heading.
In writing this I’m aware of how often I fail in each of these 3 areas. But I’m also reminded that Jesus has paid the price for all my sin, past present and future. So when I am convicted of my guilt, I can come to God and seek and receive his forgiveness. What amazing grace that is, as this song wonderfully makes clear. CityAlight - Grace (youtube.com) May it warm your soul as you listen.
Grace and peace,
Dave
25 February 2024 - The Second Sunday of Lent
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
Last Sunday I took 2 services in a neighbouring parish around the theme of Baptism and Confirmation, and after one service, a member of the congregation commented that I had spoken a lot about sin. I knew I had mentioned the topic. It would have been strange not to, given the fact that baptism and confirmation liturgies both include lots of references to sin and the need for repentance. I checked when I got home. It turns out I’d used the words sin or sinners 7 times in a 15-minute talk, which doesn’t sound much to me, but the comment does highlight a question lots of people ask: Why does God worry about Almighty God, sin? Why is sin such a big deal?
The general confession in the Book of Common Prayer gives us a number of reasons for this.
"Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy Divine Majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Firstly, because our sins are manifold or many. We’ll think next week about the ways in which we sin next week (in thought, word and deed) but the fact is that we transgress God's commandments far more than we realise. Remember that God's standard is perfection. We are to love him with ALL our heart, soul and mind, and love our neighbours as ourselves. That means obeying God's will perfectly in every single situation. Only Jesus has ever done this. We may not regard many of our sins as serious, we may not even notice some of them will stop but God does and we would find it impossible to argue against the truth that our sins are truly many.
Secondly, because it matters who we sin against. All crimes should be taken seriously. But a crime committed against the king or the Prime Minister would be dealt with far more severely. In previous generations, certain crimes against the king or the state would be classed as treason and carry the death penalty. Our sins are against God's divine majesty. In one sense, every time we disobey one of God's commands, we are committing an act of treason. Denying God the obedience, which since this is his world and we are his creatures, he rightly deserves.
That means that thirdly, our sins and wickedness rightly provoke God’s righteous indignation against us. For God to say that our sins don't matter, that the way we treat him, his world and his creatures (other people), is a matter of no consequence, would be a terrible thing. It would require God to deny his holiness, to deny his sovereign rule over his world, and mean that he would need to ignore the cries for justice from victims of terrible abuse and violence. Such a God would not be worthy of our worship and praise. We might want him to overlook our sins, especially if we think our sins are only minor, but the fact is that all sin is serious and all sin deserves God’s judgement.
Such a thought should humble us and drive us to our knees. But as we'll see as we work through this series, because of Jesus’ death on the cross in our place and for our sins, God's forgiveness is readily available to all who ask. And it is on the cross that we see God's love most clearly shown to us. For whilst we might be more sinful than we ever imagined, through Christ we are more loved than we ever dreamed.
So do we take sin as seriously as God does? Or are in danger of minimising God’s holiness to help us feel better about our failure to love God and others as we should?
As you reflect on these questions, you might like to listen to this beautiful song and use it to brings your sins to God. Lord Have Mercy
Grace and peace,
Dave
18 February 2024, The First Sunday of Lent
FROM OUR RECTOR
Dear Friends,
This Wednesday sees the start of Lent, traditionally a time of self-examination and fasting in the run up to Easter. So to help us reflect, the coming series of articles is going to look at the subject of confession of sins, and focus on some of the words we use as part of our regular worship. Each week I'll include a confession and suggest some questions that might be helpful to reflect on as we pilgrimage together through Lent.
Rather than starting with a whole lot of definitions, I’m just going to jump right in. But if you still have questions at the end of the series, please get in touch!
Today our focus is the first 4 lines of this regular confession.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen
Notice first who we are addressing in our prayer. We confess our sins to Almighty God.
Why? Because this is God’s world, a world he made, where he rules, and where he sets the standard for right and wrong where he and lays down the law.
So, whilst we sin not just against God but against our neighbour, because our neighbour also lives in God's world, was also made by God and is loved by him, every sin is against our neighbour is ultimately also a sin against God.
Does that help us see why God is concerned how we treat one another?
But the prayer doesn’t just address God as the Almighty One - but as our Heavenly Father. For the Christian, God is not a distant deity, one who is unconnected with his world or unloving towards those he has made. No, when we place our trust in Jesus through repentance and faith, we are adopted into his family. His Father becomes our Father; his Spirit becomes our Spirit. That is why we can rightly address God as our Heavenly Father and why we can be confident of his mercy towards us when we do confess our sins to him.
Perhaps you had a father who was rather distant and unconcerned, who didn’t care what you did. Or perhaps you had a father who was a strict disciplinarian, one to whom you would find it hard to admit any failure or wrongdoing. Our Heavenly Father is not like that. God is both perfectly holy and all good. He already knows everything about us, so there is no point hiding anything from him, and his love for his children knowns no bounds. What’s more, God our Father has promised to forgive us when we truly repent – however many times we need to come and confess the same sins!
Does that thought encourage you to come to him? What stops or hinders your confessions?
One final comment for this week. Notice that in the prayer we say that we HAVE sinned against God and neighbour. At various times in history, there have been Christian preachers who have preached a message of spiritual perfection in this life, meaning that it is possible for us reach a point where we no longer sin. Although we should certainly be sinning less as we grow in faith, there's no indication anywhere in the Bible that perfection is possible in this life. So if we feel that we have nothing to confess, we will need to examine ourselves more closely. Honesty is vital in any relationship, especially our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
So do you know God’s commands and do you know where you struggle to live by God’s standards of holiness? Are you seeking with God’s help to overcome these failings?
As you reflect on these questions, you might like to listen to this beautiful song and use it to brings your sins to God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgUzA9EuC9E
Grace and peace,
Dave
11 February 2024, The Sunday next before Lent, Quinquagesima
FROM OUR VICAR
Nurturing Faith in Education: My Journey of Impact and Engagement
Across our county, there are many schools, all of which differ in some way from their size to their setting or the communities they serve. Our Parish is no different having 9 Primary schools, 2 secondary schools and a few alternative provision schools.
I wanted to take some time to share how we serve these schools with joy, sharing a Christian witness in a variety of different ways. This can vary a great deal depending on the type of school they are, there are now a few ways to type schools, those that are standalone and those that are part of a federation or Multi Academy Trust. They can also be split into Faith schools and Community schools, in the parish we have 3 faith schools, 1 Roman Catholic (St Joseph’s) and 2 Church of England (All Saints Marsh and Wolborough primary), these 2 C of E schools are part of the 134 schools that the diocese supports across the county.
Naturally, we have the strongest contact with our church school, where I am present in Wolborough weekly to lead one collective act of worship per week. For both church schools I support them as a foundation governor, and we enjoy them visiting us for their termly church services. Wolborough has just changed from a stand-alone school to join a multi-academy trust, this has been a fascinating process that I believe will produce better outcomes for the children.
We have an understandably lower involvement in our community schools, some schools Highweek and Bradley Barton) make use of us for Christian festival teaching at Christmas, Easter and Harvest, Canada Hill likes to make use of Ogwell church for their annual Carol service and visit St Mary’s to support their RE syllabus. Haytor View and Bearnes visited Abbotsbury this last December for the Christmas Journey.
This last academic year has seen a significant change in the level of contact we have with one of our secondary schools, Newton Abbot College, where around 270 year-7 children visited Abbotsbury church. I have led an introduction to Christianity lesson for years 9 and 10 RE classes and answered some very challenging questions from the year 12 A-level philosophy class. This has been all due to my working as a trustee for the multi-academy trust that they are part of.
One thing that I have noticed recently is that there seems to be a change in how we can be a positive influence on our schools. 10 years ago, it was either a governor and take on all the responsibility that comes with that or do nothing. However, now in multi-academy trusts, there are positions on their Ethos Groups, which are all about preserving and supporting the Christian distinctiveness of All Saints Marsh or Wolborough primary schools. You can also get involved in sharing the joy of the Christmas message, by offering to help on “the Christmas journey”. Your involvement, whether big or small, can make a meaningful difference. Let's join together in prayer for all the children, teachers, and support staff we come into contact with, and let's also consider how we can actively contribute to the flourishing of our school communities.
Blessings,
Gareth
4 February 2024
Dear Friends,
As promised, here is a summary of events at our Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held last week.
We began, as we always do, in worship. We looked at Article 6 of the 39 Articles of Religions, and reflected on the sufficiency of the scriptures in all things pertaining to salvation and our Christian lives. We then prayed, and sang a hymn which you can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmBcTrDu404
After the usually formalities of minutes and apologies, we reviewed the style and pattern of our Christmas services. There were many positives and points of praise to God for his blessings and encouraging responses. It’s likely that our programme, with one or two minor tweaks, will be similar next year.
Gareth then led a discussion regarding a new policy to determine who we will allow to reserve a grave space in our church yards. More work will be done on this before it is agreed.
In my Rector’s report I mentioned, amongst other things, some of the joys and struggles of Parish Life, the recent appeal for additional giving and our coming Lent study book. As well as approving some minor and urgent repair works in several churches, we also agreed our pattern of services for Lent and Easter. These are shown below:
Ash Wednesday:
10am Holy Communion with imposition of Ashes at St Paul’s 7:30pm Holy Communion with imposition of Ashes at St Luke’s
Holy Week:
Wednesday 10am Communion Service at St Paul’s
Thursday 5pm Maundy Thursday meal at Abbotsbury
Thursday 7:30pm Maundy Thursday Communion Service at St Paul’s
Good Friday 10am Walk of Witness begins at the Methodist Church
Good Friday 3pm All-age gathering at Abbotsbury
Good Friday 3pm An Hour at the Cross:
Good Friday 3pm Hymns and Meditations at All Saints Highweek
Easter Saturday 10-12 Easter Fun Day at St Paul’s – Easter Egg Hunt, games, crafts and refreshments.
Easter Sunday 6:15am Sunrise Service on the hill at All Saints Highweek
Easter Sunday 9:30am Contemporary Celebration at Abbotsbury
Easter Sunday 9:30am Easter Holy Communion at St Bart’s Ogwell (Sung Eucharist)
Easter Sunday 11am Easter Holy Communion at St Mary’s Wolborough (BCP)
Easter Sunday 11am Easter Holy Communion at St Paul’s
Clare Lillington, our Treasurer then took us through the draft end of year figures for 2023. Now that some other costs have been included, these actually show a deficit of over £17,000, which is far worse than previously thought.
Rob Palmer, our Lead Safeguarding Officer spoke about the need for DBS checks and training to be carried out for those in positions of authority and for those working in our Pastoral of Children’s teams, and asked all PCC members to support him in encouraging those who need checks or training to get them done as quickly as possible. Arrangements will be made for ‘drop in’ sessions to have ID documents approved, and for those without internet access at home to complete training in church. New Safeguarding files will be established to help Church Wardens in their roles. (If you have any safeguarding concerns, please do speak to Rob. His contact details are displayed on the contacts list on page 6, in every church and on our website)
Each Church Warden then gave a report on the worship, work and ministry in their churches, and as always, there was much to give thanks for. As part of the this, the PCC approved a motion to push ahead with improvements to the toilet and kitchen facilities at All Saints’ Highweek. This would be funded from a restricted legacy, not general church funds.
In the final item, 4 charities were selected to be recipients of funds from the Parish Coffee mornings at St Paul’s. These were: Christians Against Poverty; Operation Christmas Child (the shoe box appeal), Barnabas Aid- who support Christians in persecution and natural disasters, and a fund to support schools with transport costs to our ‘Christmas Journey’ event next December.
Dates were arranged for our next meetings and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting which would be held at St Paul’s on Monday 15 th April from 7pm. Please put this date in your diary and plan to come along. The meeting then closed in prayer.
If you’d like to know any more details, do please speak to your church PCC reps.
Grace and peace,
Dave
28 January 2024
Dear Friends
New Year. Renewed you?
This January more than ever before I’ve been bombarded by video adverts for various fitness regimes, all promising to give me the body of a 25-year-old with just 5 minutes exercise a day. It seems too good to be true, and it probably is! But I still feel a little guilty every time I scroll past! Maybe you know the same feeling.
I suspect those adverts will die down as we pass from January to February, and away from the new year resolution window. But then we’ll hit Lent, and for Christians the focus changes from the body to the soul.
I’d be hugely surprised if I spot anywhere near as many adverts pushing a spiritual health check or soul make-over, but that will be a major theme of our Christian worship over the weeks leading up to Easter. That’s why we’ll be looking at the book of Jonah on Sunday mornings, and hearing how the reluctant prophet came met God and learned some valuable lessons.
It’s also why in small groups and as individuals, many of us will be studying a book over Lent called A Christian Manifesto by Alistair Begg. The book takes us through Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Plain’ and asks us to examine ourselves to see if we are living it out. (If you’d like to read the book, we will soon have copies on sale for £5 each including a study guide) Even though I’ve avoided signing up to an internet get fit programme, I know I’d benefit from doing more exercise. But I also know how easy it is to become a spiritual couch potato. There have been many times in my life when my spiritual fitness has been poor. Even in those times, I was usually happy going to church, and keen to talk about faith and discuss Jesus’ teaching, but if I’m honest; there have been many times when it was just talk and routine. Perhaps you can relate to that.
The season of Lent gives us an excellent opportunity for a spiritual health check; to take a good look at ourselves and see if we are actually living out what we say we believe. To take time to seek God and to ask him, in the words of Psalm 139: “Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Physical fitness is of real value. I’m sure we all know that. But spiritual fitness is of even greater importance since our souls, unlike our bodies, last into eternity. So why not take the chance Lent brings and give your soul a health check too? You could join us reading our
1 Lent book, either on your own, with a friend, on in one of our small groups. Or perhaps commit yourself to reading through the 4 gospels, or even the whole New Testament in 40 days.
As with getting physically fit, spending time focussing on improving our spiritual health will involve effort, and perhaps some pain. But seeking a closer relationship with God is always worth the effort. So, will you make the time and effort this Lent to review your faith and ask God to draw close to you? I pray that you will, and I know that your soul will thank you for it.
Grace and peace,
Dave
17th January, 2024
Dear Friends,
New Year. Same Issues.
In each church this coming Sunday, there will be named letters for all those on the Church Electoral Roll. There will also be unnamed letters for everyone else in our worshipping communities. It is quite a long letter, running to 4 pages, because the matter it speaks about is complex and serious and often clouded with misunderstanding. But because some people might be put off by the length, here is the tabloid version.
It's about money and giving.
Church Finances in 4 bullet points
- Our churches receive no money from the Diocese of Exeter or Church of England- instead our Diocese has asked us for a Parish Share of £84,000 in 2024.
- We must raise money ourselves to pay this and all other bills/expenses
- We do have some money available from trusts or legacies, but this is almost always restricted in how it can be used- for example, on repairs and building projects. (This is why we can continue to repair and improve our buildings)
- We are only being kept afloat by income from hall rentals, the car park, phone mast and grants from the WEC (The Wolborough Ecclesiastical Charity).
Our current financial situation in 2 pie charts and 9 bullet points:
- These charts show a summary of our 2023 accounts and reveal a deficit of almost £10,000 over the last year. However, we also still owe the diocese £16,000 from our 2023 Parish Share, so in reality, 2023 showed a deficit of nearer £26,000.
- Our church finances are in a very poor state and we have virtually no cash reserves.
- Being behind on our Parish Share makes the appointment of future curates unlikely.
- To help balance our budget, we have cut office hours by 20%, substantially raised hall and car park charges and have sadly had to make our 2 cleaners redundant.
- Our lack of income from congregational giving is THE major factor in this.
- To balance our budget, we need to substantially increase our congregational giving.
- Congregational Giving currently makes up only 29% of our income. This works out as an average of £6:83 per person per week for all those on our Electoral Roll whereas the Church of England estimates that the cost of a very basic Parochial ministry is around £15 per person per week.
- Not everyone will be able to give at this level; others will be able to give much more.
- Reaching this level of average giving would make a vast difference to our finances.
What happens now?
Rather than cutting our costs, we want to be investing more in mission and outreach, seeking to grow our witness and grow God’s church. We would love to appoint a youth and children’s worker, and invest in our church music, but things like this can only happen with increased giving. Please read the full letter and prayerfully consider how you might respond.
Grace and peace,
Dave
14 January 2024
Dear Friends,
New Year. New Opportunities. New Faces
So how are your New Year’s Resolutions going? 10 days in, have you managed to keep them all, or are you slipping already? Or perhaps your only resolution is that you didn’t make resolutions! If so, you get to feel both smug and saddened at the same time!
For those of you who have taken up the Bible Reading Challenge from last week, I hope that’s going well. There are 2 rest days (or catch-up days if you miss a day) every week to make things easier! That also means there’s still time to start now! There should be some hard copies in each church, but do email me if you need one sent to you.
On Sundays our preaching programme will include sermon series from both the Old and New Testaments, and across difference genres as we study Mark’s gospel, the book of Jonah, Genesis chapters 12 to 24, and 1 Corinthians. Alongside those main readings we’ll be listening to the rest of Lamentations, Psalm 119, 1 Timothy and the first 6 chapters of John’s gospel. There will be plenty there to get our teeth into!
This LENT all our home groups, and an extra day-time gathering on Wednesday mornings at 11am, will be working through Alistair Begg’s book on Jesus Sermon on the Plain entitled The Christian Manifesto. Books will be available to buy at £5 which will include a study guide. From Sunday, there will be sign-up sheets in church to order your copy- and we’ll ask for your money when the books arrive. Whether you read it on your own or join in a small group, I‘m sure you will be blessed and challenged as you read and consider Jesus’ call to live a kingdom shaped life.
Later in the year we’ll be holding the occasional Sunday Evening seminar, similar to the one by Professor John Bryant on Science and Religion, to stretch our minds and help us apply our faith.
Work will continue in all of our churches on the practical implications of our Mission Action Plan for each worshipping community, and I hope that soon the Pastoral team and the maintenance team will be up and running to put our Christian love and commitment into action. And next December we hope more schools will join us on our Christmas Journey! In between there will be special events for Ash Wednesday and Easter, some summer outreach and Harvest Festivals. We’ll continue to work with other churches in the town – and there will be a new look walk of witness this year, ending (God willing) with an open-air service in the town centre.
So, lots of new opportunities to be involved with. Where will you be serving this year? Is it time to give something new a try? Time to receive some training and learn some new skills to serve in a new way? With so much going on, and so many people to reach with the good news of Jesus, there are roles for everyone!
Wonderfully the LORD brings new people along to strengthen his church – some as they come to a new faith in Jesus, and some when they move into the area. From mid-April, the Benefice Clergy team will be bolstered by the arrival of Rev Matthew Cashman who will take on the role of Team Vicar at St Luke’s Milber and Vicar of St John’s Bovey Tracey. (you can read more about Fr Matthew later in the newsletter!) Do pray for Matthew, and his family as they move house this spring. We won’t see Fr Matthew much on Sundays, but he’ll be around from time to time at other events. Do watch out for him and make him welcome.
As for new faces… perhaps you will join me in praying for 10 new households to join each church worshipping community by the end of the year. That might be a 10 single people, 10 couples or 10 families with children, or more likely, a mix of all the above. When it comes to church growth, prayer is our greatest weapon! So let’s be praying people. But let’s also be inviting people. Recent surveys have shown increasing numbers of people who would come to church if only someone invited them! Can we, with God’s help, find greater boldness this year, so that our prayers and our invitations become the means by which the prayers of God’s church are met? Considering the size of our Parish 10 new households per church isn’t really very much, is it. But what a difference it would make to their lives, to our churches and to God’s glory and fame across the town!
A new year brings new opportunities and new faces. May our faces reflect the glory of God to the watching world, and draw others into the family of our glorious king Jesus.
Grace and peace,
Dave
7 January 2024
Dear Friends,
New Year. New Challenges. Unchanging God.
Let me start by wishing you a very Happy New Year, and God’s blessing on you and your families for 2024.
The coming year will, no doubt, have its challenges and joys, as every year does. That will be true in our corporate life as well as our personal lives. But in both situations, by far the best starting point is with our eyes on Jesus, our trust in his Word, and our hearts set on his glory. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in chapter 1, verses 15 to 23 of his letter is a wonderful example of the kind of prayer we might consider praying for each other over the coming year. In those verses, Paul prays that the Ephesians would:
• Have greater wisdom and revelation of God so they would know him better.
• Know more of the glorious hope, rich inheritance and life-transforming power that are ours in Christ.
If God is to change our town and grow his church, then He must first change and enliven us. Our part in this transformation is to seek him more, through prayer, scripture and worship. So if you haven’t done so already, why not collect a copy of our 2024 Bible Reading Plan and commit to reading the whole of the New Testament and the Old Testament wisdom literature, (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs) by the end of the year. It will only take you 10 minutes or so a day for 5 days a week. A copy is attached as a separate document and paper copies are in church.
Can I also encourage you to come along to a prayer gathering at least once a month. The Church Prayer Meeting is the engine room of the church, and restarting next Monday, our gatherings will alternate between 1pm at St Paul’s and 7:45pm at the Rectory, 5 Coach Place. If you are a little nervous, just come and listen and join in the ‘Amens!’
Whilst spiritual growth is absolutely vital to our hopes for God’s kingdom to grow amongst us, we also plan to be active in practical ways. This will include building projects at All Saints and St Paul’s (using money from various trusts), increasing our focus on reaching out with the good news of Jesus in the town centre, schools, nursing homes and door to door, and a concerted effort to get our Parish Finances onto a stable basis. I’ll write more on the latter of these over the coming weeks, but with increasing costs and a very low level of Parish giving, our finances are in such a poor state that we are currently behind in paying our Parish Share for 2023 and sadly have had to make our 2 paid cleaners redundant. There is much we’d like to do, and much more we dream of being able to do, but as things stand our hands are tied by a lack of financial resources. Do pray for your own response when the time comes.
In the meantime, we will finally get around to establishing our Pastoral Care Team (see the notice later in the newsletter) and a Church Maintenance Team (ditto), and churches that have lost their cleaners will be setting up rotas to make sure our buildings are always clean and ready for action. We’ll also be looking for people to join in our ministry with Baptism families, with people enquiring about the Christian faith and in our outreach to nursing homes. St Paul’s is also aiming to start children’s work twice a month from March, and with other opportunities coming our way, I’m sure we will be in for a busy, and God willing- an exciting and encouraging year.
So can I urge you to pray, and to pray, and to get involved. Wonderfully, though the world changes our God is the unchanging one; still all-powerful, all-mighty, all-knowing and allgood! So let us seek the LORD together and ask for his Holy Spirit to be at work in us and through us, that his glorious light might shine more brightly and reveal his glory to the world.
Grace and peace,
Dave