December 2011
CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS
Christmas of course
provides a wonderful opportunity to renew old acquaintances and family ties.
This is done in a context of exchanging gifts whilst feasting with the best
food and wine. There of course is nothing wrong with that but I sometimes
wonder whether people know any more why on earth they are feasting at all?
To the Christian the
occasion centres around the birthday of Jesus – God coming into the world. We
should celebrate Jesus`s birthday in the same festive way as with the birthday
party of anyone we love. The day becomes focussed around one person and cards,
presents, greeting and kisses are addressed to that one person. Isn`t that what
happens when it is your birthday?
Perhaps you are the sort
of person who has few friends or family ties and you receive little attention
on your birthday? Perhaps you do not even bother celebrating because there is
nobody to celebrate the day with? Maybe you are the sort of person that people
want to forget about because you are awkward or difficult to know?
Most of you are not like
this and have friends and family who want to celebrate your birthday so that
you become the excuse for a good night out! So where does Jesus`s birthday fit
into Christmas? That might sound like an obvious question. `Of course Christmas
is about Jesus`s birthday` the cry goes up.
Even though folk all
celebrate Christmas with parties and great expense Jesus largely gets forgotten
about during the whole Christmas season. On Christmas Day many hold huge
parties and lunches and yet the name Jesus is not mentioned. How strange that
the world holds a birthday party for someone whom they are not interested in
and do not even mention on the day of the birthday!
Folk will go on for weeks
talking about what to get so and so for Christmas and who to invite where on
Christmas Day. People even fall out over such things as petty jealousies and
squabbles about who goes where hijack the season. People discuss at length what
they are going to eat and of what a great time it should all be for the kids
hoping that they have bought the right presents for them. Many queue for ages
at supermarket check outs with trolleys loaded with food and booze for
Christmas Day and Boxing Day as if they will starve to death during Christmas
Day closure.
So much energy, expense
and effort goes into Christmas and yet the one whose birthday it is it all
never even gets a mention.
How many folk see it as a
priority to go to church to say thank you to God and `happy birthday Jesus`?
How many say a thank you or `grace` at the lunch table before tucking into the
Christmas feast?
Personally I think it is
rather strange to spend so much on celebrating the birthday of someone whose
name we don`t even mention in our homes or in the media!
Jesus becomes friendless
at Christmas because many become obsessed with their own families and the
practicalities of buying presents and food preparation. For Jesus it is rather
like you having a birthday and folk holding a party to which you are not
invited. Fancy a group of people hosting a birthday party on your birthday but
then forgetting to invite you to it?!
This is what happens
around the country on Christmas Day. Folk forget to include Jesus in their
festivities or even have one drink or toast in His name. Greed and the
exclusiveness of our own family life tends to come first. Jesus is forgotten
and alone on His birthday and there is nothing worse than simply being ignored
on a day that is special to you like your own birthday.
Yes I`ll be queuing at the
checkout too for food and booze and I don`t want to sound like a grumpy old
ranter. It bothers me that we don`t tell kids why we are giving presents to
each other and that presents and objects become more important than going to
church to give thanks for an hour to the God who made Christmas possible at
all. I`m glad that there are those of you out there who do turn up and do not
forget whose birthday it is. I`m glad that there are those about who will
welcome Jesus into their hearts this Christmas and who will gently or loudly
remind others of just whose birthday it is we are celebrating.
To know Jesus is have more
questions raised in our lives. To welcome Him into your homes for His birthday
is invite change and a new pilgrimage or personal journey for the rest of the
year. Our problems and difficulties in life are transformed by His presence and
nothing is the same again. God came into the world and lived as we do so
parishioners let`s make an effort to remember this on Christmas Day and not be
embarrassed to speak His name naturally over the Christmas lunch table.
The present you can give
to Jesus this Christmas is your heart and commitment and the courage to dare
speak His name in a toast amongst your families and friends. Our homes must not
be like the inn at Bethlehem where the innkeeper said `sorry mate no room for
you in here`. Will you sat that to Jesus this Christmas?
A happy and true Christmas
to you all
Nick
Evans/Vicar
November 2011
A ROOF UPDATE
As you can easily see, the
church is surrounded by scaffolding, as the roof is being rebuilt following
problems due to age and copper theft. I explained more about this in the last
magazine issue and I appealed to you all as parishioners to help donate towards
the cost of the new roof.
Thank you to those who
have already donated towards keeping your parish church open – whether you are
church goers or not. I am endeavouring to write letters of thanks to all who
have given and to those who will contribute in the future.
The total cost is expected
to be around £116,000. Through
donations, fund raising events and grants we have raised £44,691.
As you can see, there is
still some way to go to reach our target!
I`ve been asked by those
who know more about finance than me, to produce the Gift Aid form opposite. If you
can donate to the parish church roof fund, and you pay tax on your salary or
pension, then please complete this form and enclose it with your gift. This
means that the church can receive an extra 25p in the £ for every £1 that you
give.
If you do not pay tax on your
salary or pension your donation will be just as gratefully received! In either
case please make cheques payable to:
`St
David`s Church Roof Fund`.
These can be brought to
the church or posted to the roof fund administrator who is:
RUTH MCMANUS
50 Guiting Road
Selly Oak
Birmingham
B29 4RD
I am very grateful for all
of your efforts and concerns about this important building which is used for so
many purposes within our community.
I wish I didn`t have to
write about the church roof again but winter is approaching and your Church
needs your help.
With every blessing
Nick
Evans/Vicar
October 2011
AN URGENT REQUEST
As you can see from the
pictures on the front cover the church roof is in a mess and your parish church
needs £115 000 to put it right.
The boards beneath the
roof have been wet and soggy for years and recent copper thefts have stripped
away any remaining protection from the rain. Consequently when it rains the
water is pouring into the main body of the building from many different positions
in the church. Church services and other events are having to be held in the
parish hall and have been so for several months now.
Work has started to repair
the roof and this will result in `turncoat steel` being used on the roof
instead of the more expensive and theft inducing copper.
The financial facts are
that we need £115 000 but have £20 000 through fundraising efforts. We are
having to borrow £70 000 and as things stand for the next 10 years St Davids
will be having to pay a huge amount per month just to service the interest upon
these loans.
St David`s is your parish
church and is used for a variety of local community functions. It is used for
concerts, public meetings and other community gelling events as well as for
baptisms, weddings and funerals. A number of funerals have had to be held in
the smaller parish hall recently.
On behalf of everyone who
is interested in this important building in the parish I am appealing for your
financial help. At some point most people use their parish church whether it be
for a baptism, funeral or wedding and for the other events listed above. I
remember well the community meetings that have been held in the church to
debate mobile phone masts, policing issues and other public issues.
St David`s is part of the
hub of our community in Shenley Green. It does not exist only for worshippers
even though the worship of God and prayers for the sick and distressed is an
important part of why St David`s exists at all. Anyone who lives within the
parish boundaries is a St David`s parishioner whether they attend the church
regularly or not. It is where you all belong!
None of us like to see
this landmark in our lives desecrated by copper thieves to the point where
rainwater has to be caught in countless buckets inside the church quite apart
from the ageing substructure in the roof presenting problems of its own.
The church receives no
money from the government other than the assistance of gift aiding upon tax
payer`s donations. Hence it is up to all of us to pull together to put this
problem right once and for all.
If you would like to help
by donating to the roof fund then please note the form below. I know that not
everyone is rich and that these are hard times that we live in but your help
would be very much appreciated for the maintenance of a Christian presence in
the area and for the continuation of a place for the community to meet when we
need to discuss important local issues.
Every donation – however
small will be blessed by God and donators will be recorded in a book that we
will keep on the church premises for all time. It is nice to know the names of
those who have helped in this important task.
I hope that you will be
able to search your hearts and help to save your church building for this and
future generations. If you feel you can help then please use the form below.
Nick
Evans/Vicar
Please make cheques
payable to `St David`s Church Roof
Fund`.
If you are a UK taxpayer
or pay tax on your pension then please complete the form below. Then the roof fund
will receive an extra 25p from the government for every £1 that you donate.
Name
Address
Date
Signature
Donations may be given to
the Vicar, churchwardens, Peter Abbott (chair of buildings committee), Jill
Walsh (church secretary), Diana Smith (church treasurer) or preferably posted
to:
RUTH
MCMANUS (building fund administrator)
At
50 Guiting Road
Selly
Oak
Birmingham
B29 4RD
September 2011
AUTUMN BUGS AND THE ROVER
I feel I`ve wasted so much
time since coming back from holiday. This is because I`ve got one of those
things that many women do not understand - a man flu bug that just won`t shift.
Most of the days recently have been spent trying to cough up some foul
substance that has glued itself to my lungs. Added to this are bouts of
dizziness that make it hard to focus on anything for more than five minutes. Even
to visit the sick in hospital would be a dubious thing to do with this ailment
unless one is aiming to increase the death rate!
The normal pattern of my
life has been disrupted by a bug that I cannot even see and the things that I
think need to be done just cannot be done at the moment. Of course it is highly
likely that this bug will eventually shift whereas many folk have their lives
disrupted by far more serious incidents than manful.
One day all can be going
well and then suddenly something unexpected and bewildering happens that turns
our life upside down. Things like:
Being diagnosed with a
serious illness
A close relationship
suddenly ends
The death of a family
member or friend
Losing your job
Your partner tells you
they don`t really love you after all
A natural disaster strikes
your locality
You win the lottery
You fall in love
You have a mystical
religious experience
You become a victim of
crime
Now I hope that none of
you experience all of the above in one day or you really will need a holiday
and some serious counselling! However most of us have experienced or will
experience some of the above significant events at some point during our lives.
I think it is fair to say
that the events listed above would throw us off our normal habitual daily
course and at least initially leave us wondering what on earth we do next. Some
people get sunk by such experiences and for others it is the making of them.
There is no telling when some of these big events are going to happen since
scripture tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust equally since
God loves us all and has no favourites.
The key is to not see big
events, even disasters, as irritations to be `got over` but rather as
opportunities to learn more about ourselves and God.
For example a few years
ago I met a man who had twelve months previously been made redundant from The
Rover at Longbridge. He had worked there for twenty years on the production
line and then suddenly one day the production track stopped never to start again.
Of course you all know the story of Longbridge and how hard it was and still is
for some families whose income and way of life was devastated by the closure.
However the man concerned
told me that his redundancy was the `best thing that had ever happened to him`.
He told me that in the insecure space and time he had after his redundancy he
had been able to sit down and for the first time in his life work out what he
really wanted to do with his life. The habitual monotony of the production
line, in his case, had dulled his mind from being able to see clearly what he
and God really wanted him to do with his life. He retrained and is now doing a
job concerning the welfare of people in what we call a `caring profession` and
is happier than he has ever been in his life. He would argue that enduring the
short term pain led to long term gain.
This realignment of our
lives happens too in the spiritual realm and tremendous knowledge and insight
can stem from what is initially seen as a disastrous experience in life. I am
constantly amazed at the spiritual power and strength that some terminally sick
people seems to develop as their hidden depths come to the fore as they grapple
with the ravages of illnesses that are far worse than man flu.
The Bible is full of
stories about how certain people turned disastrous events into salvation experiences.
The Old Testament tells of Joseph who was thrown into a pit, sold as a slave and
thrown into jail on a false charge. Yet he became the pharaoh`s right hand man
and one of the wisest and most powerful men in Egypt. That wouldn`t have
happened if the disasters hadn`t happened first.
So the things that go
`wrong` in life can be seen as opportunities to learn more about ourselves, God
and our true purpose and destiny in life. Without the shake up we may never
learn such wisdom because we can get stuck in the habits of a lifetime that
keep us pinned firmly where we are.
So next time disaster
happens sit and ponder what new and fresh things we may learn about ourselves,
others and God. This is to contemplate something to do with the resurrection -
how pain becomes transformed into something wonderful – if only we look to the
end of the story and be prepared to be surprised.
Nick Evans/Vicar
August 2011
MAKING THE MOST OF HOLIDAYS?
How do you relax when
you`ve time off? Maybe you are the sort of person who finds it hard to switch
off at all? Some people see holiday times as a waste of time and money designed
to line the pockets of the tourist industry. Others can`t get enough time off
and seek to shirk work at every possible opportunity so that most of their life
seems to become an endless `holiday`.
There are also those who
undertake holidays away only for the sake of the kids and who are relieved when
it is all over. Others dread holidays because they have to spend more time than
they want to with their partner or spouse. This happens when folk are trapped
in an unhappy relationship during in which they spend time trying to think of
excuses for not spending any more time than necessary with their partner. To
them they would rather go to work with people who they do relate fruitfully
with than go on holiday with a spouse with whom they have ceased to have much
in common with.
Why do we go away at all
then and why do so many buy new clothes for going away – or is buying a new
outfit a peculiarly British thing?! One hundred years ago people looked forward
immensely to perhaps the only weeks holiday they would have all year. These
days I meet an increasing number of people who seem to dread the thought of
time off and `nothing to do`.
I suppose that at the end
of the day one enjoys time off more when there is someone in our life with whom
we want to share that time off with – even if the time is just spent going on
local walks because we are short of cash. Holidays spent alone are not most
people`s cup of tea and we do live in a society where people are afraid of
being alone or going out alone. Some people have little choice about the
aloneness in their lives because they have lost people dear to them so it is
difficult to adjust to spending lots of time alone.
However it is still an
important part of spiritual growth to regularly spend time alone so that we can
connect with God in a deep and personal way. God himself sees us as unique to
him in a way that is special to him. This means that we have to make some time
during each day to be alone with the God who loves us more than anyone else in
the world.
This is not always an easy
thing to do since the demands of daily life can crowd out that special time
during which we could connect with God. It may be that we have to say to
families and friends that we are not available at certain times because these
times are the times which we give to God and God alone. In the Christian life
such times set apart for the contemplation of God`s glory have to take place
regardless of anything else, good or bad, that is going on in our lives.
If we manage this
regularly then things begin to change. Our inner nature begins to change and we
begin to see where prayers are beginning to be answered in ways that we can
discern.
Of course silent times
before God are not always easy to deal with because the affairs of the day come
crashing into the silence and our focus slides away from God. However if we
stay put and allow these things to exit our minds as quickly as they enter then
eventually after a while God begins to filter through.
When this happens a deep
sense of peace and God`s presence radiates from within and all of the day`s
problems can be viewed from a different perspective.
In short then we need to
give enough time to God to be able to have the chance of being able to unwind
towards true stillness of the soul.
We do not need to be
brainy theologians or philosophers to be able to do this. Setting sufficient
time and space apart for God and sticking at it day in and day out yields
results and this growing sense of God`s presence. It can be hard at first if we
are not used to it but it does work.
So holiday times can be a
great opportunity to create a space for God even if it is 15 or 20 minutes a
day to focus on the God who lies within and beyond the visible world. Part of
the advantage of being on holiday is that a different environment can provide
part of the stimulus to do and be something different for God. Journeying in a
different place in the UK or abroad can help us to spiritually journey too
since on holiday we are often in the frame of mind of enjoying doing something
different or new. After all discovering God as well as a new holiday resort is
exciting too. There is nothing that is boring about God in my experience!
So whether you are
dreading or looking forward to your holidays maybe you could use some of the
space away from the ordinary things of life to kick start a new relationship
with God? Even if you have to face a holiday alone or have the time but not the
money to go anywhere God can still become a companion during this time. Allow him
into this precious time that is set apart from the daily drudgery of life that
holiday time provides. It may produce exciting changes and opportunities that
invigorate our lives once the holiday period is over.
Such a holiday will then
be one we never forget.
Nick
Evans/Vicar
July 2011
THEY SEEK HIM HERE THEY SEEK HIM THERE
Do you remember the
Scarlet Pimpernel? He was an evasive hero who everyone wanted to show up and
defeat the baddies. Batman was a bit like that and like most kids of my 1960s
generation we sat avidly in front of the TV waiting for the next instalment of how
Adam West was to swoop down at the last minute and defeat the Joker, Penguin
and Riddler – aided of course by his sidekick Robin.
Of course much violence
accompanied any appearance by the dynamic duo since that seemed to be the only
way of taking the villains on at the time and clearing Gotham City of crime and
restoring law and order. Isn`t it great to know that if you lived in Gotham
City then when anything went wrong you would always be rescued from the heavens
by the caped crusader who would put right your life in an instant?! Superman
was just the same and oh how much the world needs a Superman to sort out the
baddies in this current world! One look at the news and we wish that Superman
or Batman would somehow intervene and sort out all the evil we see.
Many ask why God does not
intervene like Superman and prevent evil from happening to innocent people.
Have you ever asked yourself the same question? It is certainly a question that
many who are wary of God and church ask. Wherever I go out of uniform and
somebody clocks that I`m a vicar in disguise I`m always told by individuals and
groups that they are suspicious of a God who is supposed to be so loving and
yet doesn`t intervene to prevent terrible things happening to good people.
My immediate response is
usually to say that Jesus hadn`t done anything wrong either but suffered and
died on a cross and yet he was God Himself suffering. Of course there is much
more one could say but often people don`t really want to hear their question
answered because sometimes they are simply making excuses for not going to
church or they are trying to delight in catching the vicar out.
Nevertheless the question
of why God doesn`t intervene like Superman is a fair and valid one and some
people genuinely ask it for the right reasons because they are searching to
make sense of God and the world.
It also seems too glib an
answer to simply say that we don`t need to worry because we get resurrected anyway
when we die. God is also very much concerned with the here and now as well as
the world to come.
What is evident is that
God gave people the freedom to choose between good and evil and created the
world in such a way that people could practise their choices. If God intervened
to prevent people being evil then he`d be forcing us to do good and `good` that
is forced out of us isn`t true goodness. It would be a response to a heavenly
dictator before whom we have no real free choice at all.
This of course leaves all
sorts of people vulnerable to the actions of those who choose to do evil
things. We are all victims to that in some way or another.
The important thing to
stress is that God entered into this vulnerability himself and became a victim
of the same sorts of people who perpetrate evil to millions in the world. God
did not save himself from being crucified. He turned the world upside down and
evil inside out by practising forgiveness rather than revenge.
It is this that changes
people and draws us rather than drives us to God.
No other religion
proclaims a God who entered into the world and shared its suffering and pain.
That WAS God`s intervention. God still shares our suffering when we are damaged
and wounded even though sometimes we cannot feel that or see it. As for
suffering that is not caused by people - such as earthquakes and tidal waves –
well that is the subject of another article and more magazine space for another
time but there is a response to that too that is worth considering.
The way God intervenes
today is through our choice to be used by God to help the plight of those who,
for any reason at all, suffer. God gives us the privilege in sharing in the
redemption of the world through using our hands, minds and energy to make the
world a better place.
God works through people
and not by being a Batman like caped crusader who swoops in to provide quick
`fix its` that force people to be good every time they are about to harm
someone. He is not the God of Jason and the Argonaughts like Zeus playing chess
with people`s lives putting in a lightning show from the sky every time someone
displeases Him. The God of Jesus enters into the suffering of the world and
transforms the wicked through self giving love. This is the hardest choice of
all and God did not shirk it.
Yes miracles do happen but
even they are wrought by God through people – whether it be through another`s
healing hands or by their prayers. There are no `now do you believe me or else`
lightning bolts from the sky because God is not a bully and he never bullies
out of us a response to him. Those sort of responses never last and are never a
genuine movement of the heart borne of real love.
I for one don`t want to
worship a dictator in the sky and I`m glad that God doesn`t reveal himself
through thunder and lightning removing my freedom to choose. I`m glad that God
revealed himself in a vulnerable way and suffered as we all do when he came to
earth. I`m grateful too that he asks us all if he can work through you and me
to make the world a better place. That makes me want to love him more.
Nick
Evans/Vicar
June 2011
THE RELEGATION ZONE?
It is now the end of the
football season and teams will know for next season whether they have been
promoted or relegated. For some relegation will mean a loss of income and their
best players to higher clubs whereas for others promotion will mean a higher
national profile and higher wages. For folk like me I have to decide whether to
renew my season ticket to Villa and the answer to this will depend upon the
state of my wallet – since Villa are, unlike some local teams, still a
Premiership side and that means that it is more expensive to watch them. Having
said that though Aston Villa still remains one of the cheapest Premiership
teams to watch.
Some religious writers
have compared the religious life with striving to get up the spiritual league
table through our own efforts – rather like a football team clawing its way out
of the relegation zone as the season progresses.
I`m not so sure that this
is very reflective of God`s generosity to humankind since He doesn`t see us as
pawns in a spiritual league table of good and bad deeds. He wants us to accept
His help and wisdom as we struggle with difficult issues in life rather than
try to do everything in our own strength and limited perceptions.
The truth is more that few
people are wicked enough to be in the relegation zone or to be saintly enough
to be anywhere near the top of the `league table`.
Most of us are somewhere
mid table if we were to use football terms. We, like the Vicar, are a mixture
of the good, the bad and the grey shades in the middle. Sometimes the people
who we think are at the top of the `holiness ladder` are much lower down in
God`s eyes. Even folk I thought were
`holy` at some point reveal a nasty streak when you get to know them long
enough. The people they live with are aware of the `warts and all` of those who
others see as `holy`. Someone once told me the phrase that some people are `too
sweet to be wholesome`!
Similarly those we often
judge as well short of being as good as us may be higher up the table in God`s
eyes. Maybe they`ve had to contend with more in life or struggle more than us
despite their many imperfections. Everyone comes from a different starting
point according to what has happened to them in life.
So there by the grace of
God go I. Like the newspapers we are quick to point out people`s faults and
scandals but rarely see the positive side of others in the way in which we`d
like them to see us.
Mid table mediocrity is
where most of us stand in terms of being happy and perceptive about the
activities of God in the world.
The fact is we all need
each other, not only to survive in this world, but to learn from. God gives
perceptions which we may not have to others and we too may have helpful things
to share with others. God has designed us so that we learn many of life`s
essential lessons from each other.
This is why Church and
Community life is so important. God is implicitly and explicitly involved in
both. Where people love, care and support others then God will be involved
whether we feel Him there or not.
St David`s premises is
used by many for church and community events and in many ways is a focal point
for our local community. Some brush up against God as they enjoy themselves at
various events or they may get to know people who worship regularly here.
The thing is that nobody
is `better` than anyone else – be they church or non church. Nobody is at the
top or bottom end of the spiritual league table in God`s eyes. We`ve all been
put at the top by Jesus who has already redeemed and saved us through His death.
The difference between
worshippers and non worshippers is NOT a difference based on being better or
more moral people. Church people are not superior to others and they would
agree with me on this point.
The difference is that
worshippers seek to engage with the God who is behind all people`s acts of love
and kindness. In seeking to engage with God and learn more about Him through
church and conversation. In everyday life and in church worship they often
experience the living God.
This doesn`t make us
church goers necessarily better people but it does make us feel we want others
to know the same God who loves all of us equally – the God who has given
Himself for us all on the cross and forgiven us by paying the price of a whole
lifetime of our follies and hurts against other people.
Often when folk have had a
`God experience` they want to share it so that others in the community can
benefit too. Conversations about God should be as natural as talking about
other everyday topics. Nobody needs to `preach` at anyone. Sharing what has
happened to us concerning God is much more interesting. Good news is always
something we tend to want to share!
So if you are not a
worshipper be patient with those who are. They aren`t better than you or trying
to be religious freaks. They simply want to share some eternally significant
good news with you. Lend an ear and open the God shaped hole in your heart and
mind that only God can fill. If you do listen and respond your life will never
be the same again. Exciting isn`t it?
Nick Evans/Vicar
May 2011
`SHOOT THE LOT OF `EM?!`
The death of Ossama Bin
laden has eclipsed the Royal wedding fervour in the newspapers at the time of
writing this. I think that this is a shame because the assassination of the
world`s greatest hide and seek champion will probably only lead to some revenge
attack in the weeks to come whereas the events of the royal wedding are more
likely to have a positive effect upon the nation`s morale and sense of unity.
We all know that the media is more fixated on negative events rather than
positive ones even though I can see the arguments for the assassination rather
than capturing Bin Laden.
International politics is
complicated and politicians have a difficult job in making decisions that are
not always as clear cut as we sometimes like to think. A caller on a radio chat
show this week said that all politicians were corrupt and should be `taken out
and shot` and that the country should be run by Alan Sugar and Richard Branson
– as if they`d take the job anyway!
Such views aren`t helpful
or constructive and are oblivious to just what a hard job our local and
national politicians have to do. Of course there are some corrupt politicians –
as there is corruption in every sphere of human life. We are all imperfect in
the eyes of God but that does not mean that we dispense with every political
and religious human institution. Imagine abolishing the Health Service just
because there may be a minority of corrupt doctors within it?!
Royalty isn`t perfect either
but as an institution a constitutional monarchy has a useful role within the
country and is part of the gel that holds diverse elements together within this
nation.
Note that Jesus was well
aware of the corruptions of the religion of his day and yet he always
encouraged people to keep going to the synagogue to praise God – as he did
himself. He never argued for the abolition of the system or to stay at home
just because some within the temple were anything but Godly.
The danger is to develop a
generalised view of everything on the basis of the imperfections that we see in
an institution or in an individual. Then we can miss the inherent value of
something because we are focussed on the negative.
Things are similar in
church life at a local and national level. Synods struggle to come to clear
policies on some issues and debates can drag on under the media gaze for years.
Then the Church is criticised for not clearly supporting one view or another
and is labelled as being `behind the times` or being full of `dinosaurs`. Some
complicated issues cannot be easily legislated upon and need lengthy research
and debate since generalisations can be dangerous, cruel and divisive.
Furthermore when a
religious person gets caught with their hand in the till the media swoop down
like vultures and create the impression that all church goers are somehow
corrupt criminals and that the case in question is just the tip of an iceberg.
The Church is different
from the world anyway in the sense that it is a body of faith that welcomes
those who are not perfect and tells them that God loves them whatever society
thinks. We work out our problems and errant natures within a Christian
community which tries to offer love and support to all those who, like the
Vicar, are imperfect.
There is no such thing as a
perfect corrupt free church. However the message that is eternally proclaimed
is that despite all that we do and have done that is wrong God has paid the
price for us – with His own blood. We try but we keep falling and yet we are
held in God`s arms the whole time. The natural justice that our wrongdoings
deserve has been meted out already and forever on the cross. We focus on what
God has done and not upon our own weakness or the weaknesses of others.
In this context lives are
gradually, or suddenly in some cases, transformed. Love, not judgement and
fear, is what transforms people`s hearts. True loyalty and heartfelt devotion
is never borne out of a relationship of fear and judgement.
It is written in a fable
that the sun and the wind had a bet to see if they could make a man take off
his burdensome overcoat. The wind tried to blow it off but the man only felt
colder and clasped his overcoat around him all the more tightly. When it was
the sun`s turn the sun simply shone warm rays upon the man. Within a short time
the man willingly took his coat off and lapped up the warmth.
So it is with the love of
God because you cannot ultimately force people to be good. We have national
laws to compel people not to commit crime and this is necessary but at the end of
the day true goodness emerges when people feel loved and not constantly
criticised for not being perfect. It is always tempting to criticise others for
the array of particular sins that we don`t have!
So the church exists as a
community of sinners who admit to struggling with our imperfect natures before
a God who loves all mankind and personally paid the price of our wrongful ways
on the cross.
God doesn`t put anyone
against the wall and shoot them. Nor does he snuff us out because parts of our
nature are corrupt. He sees us for what we truly are – which is a complex mixture
of the good and the bad. Like a good parent He tries encourage us when we do
and think rightly and guide us when we are off the rails.
The glue that holds us all
together isn`t royalty or any political party.
It is worship through Holy
Communion together on a regular basis with others who are as good and bad as we
ourselves are. This is God`s glue.
Hopefully you`ll let him
pour buckets of it upon you in the weeks and months ahead.
Nick Evans/Vicar
April 2011
HEALING
Frequently
Asked Questions
Do I need to be
`religious` or a church goer to
experience healing?
No! Healing
comes from God and is dependent upon
the faith and gifts of the healer and NOT upon the person being healed.
You
don`t need to be a spiritual giant or religious freak but being relaxed
and
open minded can help the process of healing! Try to have a positive
outlook
during your healing session but don`t worry if you`re feeling gloomy
when you
come in. Healing is done in a friendly and relaxed environment.
Why is it
needed? We have doctors, nurses and
medical services to help us.
Healing is not
an alternative to medical care. It
is complementary to medicine. All healing comes from God, whether
through the
skills of medicine, through prayer and sacrament, healing words or
touch.
Is this
something new?
No. It was the
normal practice of the early church
and continued through the early centuries. It fell into disuse during
the Dark
Ages. Its use was revived by the Church of England in the 19th
Century and is now found in most cathedrals and parish churches as well
as in
many other denominations.
How did it
start?
It started with
Jesus who healed the sick and
suffering. The Church continued his ministry through Communion, prayer,
laying
on of hands and anointing with Holy Oil blessed by a priest or bishop.
The love
and care of the Christian community can also help with healing. The
Church was
responsible for the first hospitals (eg St Bartholemew`s London) and
still
today provides much of the medical care in many Third World Countries.
What happens
during a healing session?
You sit
quietly, try to relax in silence or with
gentle background music playing. Then two people who are gifted in this
area
lay hands on your shoulders or the sick part of the body
if appropriate! They quietly pray for
several minutes or longer.
You may
experience heat or cold from their hands
or tingling sensations – which is usually a sign that something
positive is
happening. If you don`t experience such things then it doesn`t mean
that
nothing is happening. Everyone is different!
Anything you
share about your physical or mental
difficulties is treated confidentially since sometimes folk ask for
prayer for
relationship problems concerning their family or friends. Healing can
still
work if you don`t share anything at all though!
What
are the results?
Recovery from
disease may be speeded up. Sometimes
people are helped to accept their illness or disability along with a
deep sense
of peace within.
Sometimes God
steps in where medical science has
exhausted all other healing avenues. God is able to touch the parts the
doctors
cannot reach!
Some people may
suddenly feel very emotional
during healing. Don`t be embarrassed by this because this can be a sign
of a
long standing problem rising to the surface. Tears can be a sign of
inner
healing taking place. We all carry some psychological baggage from the
past
around with us which may need God`s healing touch. If you feel
emotional the
healers won`t pry and snoop unless you want to share something. You may
want to
talk to the clergy alone at a later date due to something that arose in
your
heart during your healing session. That can easily be arranged.
The only `side
effects` of healing are positive
ones. You may feel sleepy or relaxed!
The authority
for healing is in the Bible:
Are any among
you
suffering?
They should pray. Are any
cheerful?
They sould sing songs of
praise.
Are any among you sick?
They should call for the
elders of the
Church and have them pray
over them,
Anointing them with oil in
the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will
save the sick,
and the Lord will raise
them up;
and anyone who has
committed sins will be forgiven.
. . .pray for one another
so that you may be healed.
The prayer of the righteous is
powerful and effective.
(James 5 v
13-16)
Is there a
financial cost for a healing session?
Absolutely not!
Some like to make a small donation
but this is not expected or required.
FINALLY –
ENJOY YOUR HEALING EXPERIENCE!
God only wants
the very
best for you!
Myself and the
healing team who are usually about
on Tuesday and Thursday am when folk can just drop into the coffee shop
without
an appointment for healing.
Healing can
also be done by appointment by ringing
me on 0121 475 4874.
Nick Evans/Vicar
March 2011
ROOSTING
CHICKENS
As I
write the world is waiting to hear what will
happen to Colonel Gadaffi. Recently he appeared in a TV interview and I
was
left wondering if he was singing from the same hymn sheet as the rest
of the
civilised world. His denial that there was visible unrest against him
by his
own citizens was an astonishing proclamation!
Dictators do
not seem to learn the lessons of
history. Clearly dictators eventually fall before they have lived their
mortal
lives on earth. Hitler, Milosovic, Ceaucescu and Mussolini were all
ousted by
their own populations who saw how out of touch their leaders were with
the real
needs of the nation.
I suppose that
dictators stay in power so long
that they think that they will always be there and so do not need to
seriously
address people`s actual material, political and spiritual needs. They
become
cocooned within their own fantasy world while their own people suffer
various
forms of deprivation. While the Russian army surrounded Berlin Hitler
spent his
time creating architectural models of what a future Berlin would look
like when
he won the war. He also tried to persuade his generals that German
forces were
ready to recapture Berlin and that all would soon be well comparing
himself to
Frederick the Great!
When one is
shielded from the world to this extent
then unreality rules the mind and bad decisions are made by those who
take
their position for granted. Eventually a bad ruler is rooted out by the
masses
and a completely new regime takes precedent. The higher up people are
then the
harder and further they fall as the chickens of neglect and
egocentricity come
home to roost.
This can also
be the pattern of our personal lives
if key problematic issues in our lives are not addressed. Lent is a
time to
focus upon personal issues that always seem to be swept under the
carpet. Why
do we sweep some problematic personal issues under the carpet? Probably
because
we tend to shy away from things that involve pain to ourselves or
others close
to us. This can happen within the family, our friendships or in the
workplace.
Sometimes we
have to muster up the courage to say
and do things that need to be said and done – and this is usually
hard for most
of us. Involved in this process is also the pain of self realisation
that maybe
some of the difficulties that need clearing up are our own fault.
Some are better
at apologising than others when
this is so – and it takes a lion heart to put right where we have
erred. Even
if we are genuinely only a tiny bit to blame for something then we have
to put
that tiny bit right. Jesus said that `those who are faithful in small
things
will be faithful in greater things also`. To put things right in our
relationships as far as is possible is to put things right with God
because God
loves the person we are putting things right with as much as he loves
us.
Sometimes
putting things right may mean distancing
ourselves from or even severing unhealthy relationships such as the
friendship that never works or perhaps a marriage that permanently only
ever
makes both or one party deeply unhappy but neither partner dare speak
clearly
to each other about it in case of tears or anger.
In these cases
courage, honesty and clear
communication is necessary and a recognition that maybe some
relationships were
just not God`s will in the first place so that mutual and self blame is
fruitless. Some things in life are not `patchable up` and we have to
hold such
situations before God for guidance when we`ve exhausted our inner
resources
trying to repair a given situation or relationship. In the Bible
Abraham and
Lot just couldn`t agree so they decided to just walk away from each
other
rather than constantly feud. Sometimes that is all we can realistically
do.
If such
repairable and irreparable issues are not
thought about, prayed about and acted upon then they can have a
corrosive
effect on our inner lives and can come back to bite us. It is easy to
become
enmeshed in a private world of self righteousness – and like the
dictators
surround ourselves with people who agree with us. We can easily become
like the
Colonel Gadaffies of the world if we don`t recognise that sometimes we
see
things in the wrong way. God, and people other than those who only ever
agree
with us, may offer a perspective that we may find painful to
contemplate when
we hear some home truths.
Lent is a time
of deep personal learning and this
requires courage to face things about ourselves and others. No wonder
we are
tempted to sweep things under the carpet and take the easy way out by
pretending that all is well with everything. This is what Jesus meant
when he
said that the road to true life is narrow. He didn`t mean `narrow
minded`. He
meant `single minded` about our quest for God and how honest we can be
before
him, others and to ourselves.
Dictators only hear what they want to hear and see what
they want to see. They
fail to learn the lessons of history and everything eventually catches
up with
them – and they fall. Remember the old saying, `those who fail to
learn the
lessons of history are condemned to repeat them again`. They fail to
deal
appropriately with their pain deep within and take it all out on the
rest of
us!
If you take
Lent seriously
it is a painful time but when real issues are tackled then the pain is
eventually replaced by joy. It all points towards Easter Day and what
we mean
by pain usually preceding a resurrection experience. Have courage this
Lent to
face those people and situations that need to be dealt with and the
pain that
this may involve. You never know - some may say, `thank goodness you`ve
at last
raised such and such an issue out in the open!`
Don`t let the
chickens come home to roost.
Nick
Evans/Vicar
FEASTING FOR
LENT!!
Do
you remember the days at school when teachers
used to throw board rubbers and pieces of chalk at you if you were
chattering
or being cheeky? I can remember the French teacher throwing a stick of
chalk at
me when I wasn’t paying attention. Her aim was pretty good and
several of the
lads were hit frequently by flying board rubbers as they refused to
imbibe the
eloquent romanticism of the French language!
Those
were the days when most of my school lived
in total fear of several members of staff. One of these teachers would
drag a
screaming child across the floor for inattentiveness whilst another
would pinch
and hold your ear if your work wasn’t up to scratch! Nobody
messed about in
their lessons and the advantage of all this was that at least you could
concentrate on your work without being distracted by the usual handful
of
`class clowns`.
Now
I’m not arguing for a return to the days of
violent teachers as a means of maintaining silence in class but it does
make me
think how useful the silence was in these teacher’s classrooms.
One could
actually think about the subject at hand and even daydream in peace too
if one
wasn’t interested in the subject matter being taught. Nowadays we
are told that
some background noise and even personal ipods are supposed to aid the
concentration of some pupils.
I am
one who needs total silence to be able to
focus on most things and if the ipod music is that good then I’d
be listening
to that rather than concentrating upon the material in front of me.
Maybe I
can’t multi-task as well as some and am a `doing one thing at a
time person`.
My problem in being a Vicar is that I frequently have to engage in
concurrent
tasks – each of which requires time to silently come before God
– and there
sometimes never seems enough hours in the day to pray each issue
through and
listen properly and attentively to God.
However
most religious writers would argue that
being alone in silence is a crucial part of learning to listen to God.
This is
why so many of us say that knowing God is about more than the noise and
corporate worship on Sundays – although public worship is equally
crucial for
the Christian.
The
temptation is to avoid silence in our lives.
Many would rather turn the TV on or play a CD or seek out a chat with
somebody.
Maybe we are insecure in ourselves and don’t like our own company?
Silence
though is not just about our own company.
We are in the presence of God – alone. It
is a chance for God to get through and reach us. It
may take some time before we experience
the PRESENCE of God in silence. It can often take many minutes or
longer before
our souls even begin to still from imagining all the things we have to
do or
haven’t done today or yesterday. Everyday issues keep constantly
bubbling up
and `getting in the way` of listening to God.
This
is why it is useful to spend quite a bit of
time in silence so that these thoughts are allowed to bubble up and
flow away –
leaving us eventually with an internal empty space where things can
finally
happen – where God can get in. It is rather like slamming a
bucketful of water
down onto the kitchen floor before mopping it. For a while the water
swirls
around like our thoughts. Eventually, given time, the water will be
still. The
same happens when everyone leaves a swimming pool at closing time.
Within half
an hour the water is as still and smooth as a pane of glass.
When
you’ve internally reached that place where
the buzzing thoughts have stopped then the real inner journey begins.
When
you’ve stopped mentally swirling around then ask God to enter
your thoughts and
heart. Then wait in silence and drink in the stillness. Don’t
start asking God
for this, that and the other because the task is to first ENCOUNTER the
presence of God. It is a great shame that so often prayer is seen as
plaguing
God with endless petitions – before we’ve even got to know
Him!!
The
last two
paragraphs can take half an hour at least so don’t give up after
five or ten
minutes! If you don’t have half an hour to spare to discover God
then you really
are TOO busy in life and need to give a few things up!
As
for the next stage – well I cannot predict how
God will communicate with you but I could perhaps confidentially help
you to
interpret what you may have experienced.
That
is my and Angela’s role as priests – to try
to specialise in helping people to understand what God may be saying to
them.
Of course one doesn’t have to necessarily be a priest to help
people to do
this. It is just that we have more time to be able to give than most
who are genuinely
busy with their work and family lives and who may only have half an
hour to
spare but aren’t sure what God has communicated in that half an
hour. I am
privileged to be able to have the time to be able to think about what
folk have
said about their prayer/silent times helping to meaningfully interpret
their
encounters with - or even to help discover whether something that has
happened
internally in folk’s silent moments is actually from God or not.
So
as Lent approaches
FEAST upon the silence times that only you can create to be before God.
Your
spiritual food lies in the silence that is the gateway to true wisdom
and God.
Nick Evans/Vicar
IS YOUR
SWITCH ON OR OFF?
Shaving,
showering, opening the large quantity of
work mail that I receive, sorting my domestic bills, filling the car up
with
juice and tidying the house are but some of the daily things that we
all have
to do. If we don't then life starts to get very complicated –
especially if I
don't sort out that flipping incorrect bill from the gas company!
There
are some things in life that we simply have
to endure and put up with. The daily routine enables us to cope with
the
minimum that is required of us to survive in terms of our family and
working
lives. Taking the dog for a walk is part of my routine since she is
dependent
upon me in order to survive!
These
regularities are punctuated by also having
to organise the things that give us relief from the daily chores. With
me sport
and the odd meal and movie out of the house keep me on the straight and
narrow.
So
there is much in our lives that follows a set
pattern and there is nothing that we can do about that. In fact many
people run
the risk of inwardly falling apart without the daily disciplines that
are part
of our lives in this world. Even if dreadful things happen to us then
the daily
chores somehow hold us together in body and soul. In fact I've heard
many say
that when horrid things happen to them in life – like bereavement
- then it is
the daily routine of taking the kids to school, washing and cleaning
that
prevents the individual from 'going under'. The things we HAVE to do
act as the
cement that holds us together. I find this with myself too – that
the things we
have to do propel us back into normal life and contact with the rest of
the
world outside our front door.
All
this is a constant test of our inner resources
and spirituality. However it is appropriate to say at the start of 2011
that
there are other important aspects of life that can get missed in the
hustle and
bustle of the daily routine.
There
is a danger that sometimes the daily
habitual routine can blind us from seeing the significance of new ways
of
seeing ourselves and the activity of God in our lives. There comes a
point when
we really ought to sit down and contemplate where all of our frenzied
activities are leading us in life. What is the actual goal of our life
and why
are we here in the first place?
Such
big questions cannot be answered in a quick
five minutes of contemplation with a cup of tea or a can of beer when
each day
is over!
Each one of us
is immensely important in the eyes
of God who created us. He longs for us to connect with him from the
very deep
place inside us. To begin with we have to actually want to discover the
purpose
of our life – to have a taste and zest for the answers to such a
mega question.
Some take such
heart searching very seriously
whilst for others this whole topic is a blank canvas which has not yet
been
painted upon. Some are afraid perhaps of breaking away from the habit
of
actually not asking such questions about existence, God and that sort
of thing.
Some close their hearts and minds because of bad 'spiritual'
experiences in the
past. Perhaps some people hide behind the habit of being too busy to
address
the 'God' issue for themselves?
Everyone
is so different and at a different place
on this spiritual journey whether they attend church or not. I am not
here to
judge the spiritual pilgrimage of others but what I can do is suggest
that we
try to consciously further our spiritual growth in 2011. I'd like to
urge
everyone, if they are not doing so, to consider that spiritual growth
can be
exciting and dynamic as well as quietly fascinating.
So
often anything 'spiritual' is perceived as
something to do with growing into a 'goody goody' or a religious
fanatic rather
than something which liberates us and gives us an added huge extra
dimension to
life. In short God is NOT boring! Anyone who has created such a
diversity in life
and so many different kinds of people cannot be dull - or by definition
uninteresting!
Learning
to attune with God (praying in religious
jargon) can lift us from the stodginess that the daily routine can land
us in.
Even daily chores can take on a new significance when we increasingly
discover
God's purpose for each one of our lives.
There
is a spiritual switch inside each one of us
that needs to be turned ON. There is a spiritual shaped hole in us that
only
God can fill – as a fellow army padre told me on a helicopter
base in Croatia.
Maybe
a new year's resolution could be to consider
whether your spiritual switch is on or off. If your switch is somehow
stuck and
you're not sure how to move it then talk to someone who is already
further
along the journey. Read something new, come to church or try to
ascertain why
you think your switch is stuck – ask
God
for help.
He
always responds.
A
happy and fruitful new year to you all – and
happy seeking too!
Nick Evans/Vicar
