21 December 2011
From the Vicar... December 2011
I wonder if you have held a baby this year? Or enjoyed gazing at a little one in their buggy or their parent’s arms? They are compelling and draw our attention like nothing else. They are a delight, a blessing and a wonder. They point to the mysterious gift of life. And it is this life we celebrate at Christmas.
‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us’. God takes on frail and dependent flesh and blood: bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh. He loves flesh and blood. He comes and makes our bodies holy as he lives among us, one of us: and continues to do so by his Spirit dwelling in our hearts. God with us, Emmanuel. Christmas is a time to celebrate our humanity, loved and cherished by God.
So maybe instead of heeding the advice of a recent headline, ‘‘Tis the Season to be
When you do your Christmas shopping how you choose gifts for those you love? How do you decide what to give them? Do you set a limit on your budget? Do you know them well and set out to buy something you know they would like or have asked for? Do you browse for inspiration? We do all sorts of things I think.
The recent research we conducted through The Children’s Society here in St Ann’s reflected the answers children give nationally. They told us that what they value most in their lives is love and time with their families and friends. What they dislike is the absence of those they love.
I wonder if the best gift we can give anyone this Christmas time, is the gift of ourselves—our time, attention, love. Perhaps this is the most costly of all gifts, and one of the hardest to give, but I suspect that it will be the most appreciated.
At Christmas we celebrate God’s giving of himself to his beloved creation—his time and presence with us. Christina Rossetti in her hymn puts our response so well. She describes our giving the gift of ourselves to to God.
‘If I were a wise man I would play my part,
But what I can I give him, give my heart.’
That is the best gift to God and to those we know.
The lasting image from Christmas shopping for me this year was a woman in a café surrounded by bags and hustle and bustle, quietly feeding her tiny baby as everything happened around her. She was completely focussed on her child. She had given her time, attention, and love. Maybe she was giving her heart.
Have a blessed Christmas, Karen
Christmas Communion
If you know someone who is unable to get to church at Christmas and who might like to have a short service of communion with one or two people from our fellowship in their homes, please inform one of the clergy.
Thank You
Joy!
It was an occasion of great joy when Bukky Akinrogbe and Razia Kingston were baptised and confirmed at St Nic’s Church on Sunday 27th November. A number of us where able to be at the service with them. Razia shared her story of deepening her faith in the months following the death of her grand-daughter Kinara. Both Bukky and Razia have expressed their heart felt thanks to all those in church who have made them feel so welcome and supported them on their journeys. May God bless to you both your believing and your serving.
13 September 2011
From the Vicar
The kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls, and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that pearl. Matt 13:44
I wonder if you know someone like this? Someone who has a particular obsession or passion: who spends a great deal of their time and energy in pursuing something? Perhaps they are a football supporter or a collector, a music fan or workaholic. Maybe you have something which makes you feel alive to which you give your time and energy?
I was struck recently by the commitment and passion of the friends of young Kasseam Chatterie. Kasseam was 21 when he died from Ewings Sarcoma, the most common form of cancer in teenagers. His friends had been there for him throughout his illness: caring for him and spending time hanging out with him. At his funeral they followed his hearse along Brewsters Road and wore specially printed T-shirts and caps bearing his pictures or name. At the end, they filled his grave, laying him to rest and honouring him with their hard work and determination in the pouring rain. They reminded me of this pearl hunter: faithful, focussed and loyal to who (what) they treasure and value.
Pete Rollins, a leading thinker in the emerging believing communities (church) in the UK and US, poses this question. ‘Where do we find the truth about ourselves?’ Is it in our inner life and personality? Do we really know someone when we know about their private life, as the media would have us believe? Neither, he suggests. Rather the truth of us, who we truly are, is seen in what we do.
The truth of the pearl hunter is a passion for beauty, and persistence. Kasseam’s friends are loyal and there for each other. So , what might we (and others ) say is the truth of you and I? Where do we put our energy?
Jesus places a high value on curiosity. He rewards the lengths to which Zaccheus goes (risking being seen, climbing the tree) by going to his home & accepting his hospitality, and Zaccheus is a changed man. He taught using parables: stories which were not obvious , inviting the hearer to find out more, think more deeply, ask more questions, to seek. ‘Seek, and you will find.’
As we begin a new term and return to our routines, September is a chance to put some energy into who we really are: to seek to go a bit deeper; to put some effort into finding answers to our questions, and to let go of things that aren’t really consistent with who we really are, so that we can ’buy the pearl’ and take hold of what matters. Each of us is different and only you know what the ’pearl’ is at this moment in your life.
As you do so, you might find it helpful to make use of the different opportunities we have (overleaf and on the church notice board) to deepen your engaging with God and His world. Training, finding out about work with the marginalised in the city, diocesan conference, cell groups, learning new ways of praise, exploring baptism, a day about Prayer and the Holy Spirit…..
I hope these will help you to find the pearl of who you are in God’s world and the treasure that is the love of His Son, Jesus.
Karen
Hovering Over the Waters
Hovering Over the Waters
The Holy Spirit for Everyone
A day to discover and experience living traditions of prayer
with guest speaker: The Revd Canon Dr Adrian Chatfield
Director of the Simeon Centre for Prayer and Spiritual Life.
Saturday, 1st October 2011
At Southwell Minster—9:30am for 10am until 3:30pm
Bring and share lunch
A range of workshops will be available exploring prayer
and the Holy Spirit in different Christian traditions:
Charismatic, Orthodox, Evangelical, Ignation & Benedictine
To book: catriona@southwell.anglican.org or tel 01636 817232
HARVEST FESTIVAL
HARVEST FESTIVAL
October 2nd
Please bring household cleaning materials; toiletries, and non perishable foods to donate to local projects working with homeless and vulnerable people.
Diocesan Conference 2011
Diocesan Conference 2011
4pm Mon 10th October– lunchtime Wed 12th October
at Swanwick Conference Centre
Workshops, worship and speakers.
Rt Revd Dr Stephen Croft, Bishop of Sheffield
Ann Morisey, Community Theologian
Palestinian Christians
Christmas Meal
Christmas Meal
If you wish to come out on the church Christmas Meal on Tuesday, 13th December, please sign the list in the Foyer.
Thank You.
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