Newsletter: February, 2003

A Favourite Passage

Not just for Christmas

There is a series of wonderful books for children which tell the adventures of Little Bear, who lives with Big Bear in the Bear Cave. One of them tells how one night Little Bear cannot get to sleep. It turns out that the problem is that he is afraid of the dark. Big Bear produces ever-bigger lanterns but Little Bear is still afraid of the huge dark outside the Bear Cave. Eventually Big Bear takes Little Bear outside and shows him the moon and the stars, lighting up the sky, and then Little Bear falls asleep. We can light up our own little world, but sometimes the bigger picture is frightening even for Big Bears. The world can seem a random and terrifying place, containing who knows what dangers, and threatening extinction in all kinds of horrible ways. Both Genesis Chapter 1and St John’s Gospel Chapter 1 speak to those fears.

The Genesis story speaks of the creation of the universe, at the very beginnings of time, a time beyond the capacity of the human brain to imagine. The beginning of St John’s gospel speaks of God incarnate, the creator of the universe somehow living a human life among us. How can we speak of such matters? The biblical writers know well that only the language of poetry will suffice.

Prose often gets tangled in its own logic, and scientific language reaches its limits; only poetry can hope to convey the mystery of these huge ideas. Therefore, the prologue to the Gospel of John uses imagery to convey its message. The Word became flesh. The light shines in the darkness. We have seen his glory. The language is magnificent, and this passage deserves its fame for its poetry alone.

The author echoes the language of the book of Proverbs, which describes Wisdom being beside God when he laid the foundations of the earth. The writer also echoes the language of Genesis, which also begins with the phrase, ‘In the beginning’. Therefore, he makes the connections between God’s actions in the beginning and his actions in Christ. The Word who became flesh ‘was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him.’

The one who brought the very first light out of the dark wastes described in Genesis is the one who now shines in the darkness. The one who breathed life into the very first of God’s children on earth is the one who now brings new life, ‘the power to become children of God’. God’s Wisdom, God’s Word, is there in the very beginning, and comes to live on earth.

So how can such deep matters of theology speak to our fears? First, they show the consistency of God, and in a changing world, that consistency is important to us. Jesus does not appear from nowhere as a kind of random teacher and miracle worker, John’s Gospel asserts.

The incarnation of the Word is all of a piece with God’s acts from the very beginning. Creation and recreation belong together. We can trust God, because it was he who formed our world and us in it and it was he who cared enough for our world to come and live in it. The God we worship today is that same creator God, known to us through Christ. We are not an accident and nor is our world. The creation of the world is purposeful, and so is its salvation. The world began when God spoke his Word, and it will not end until he says so. From the Greek for ‘word’ we get our word ‘logic’. There is logic in the universe, and it is God’s own logic, his purposes being worked out. The world out there may seem a dark, dangerous, and meaningless place sometimes, but we are assured that ‘the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’. It may be difficult to see God’s purposes as more than a flickering candle in the dark, but the incarnation of the Word means that at least we have seen them in our own shape, in Jesus. These thoughts alone should help to prepare us for the coming of Lent.

Lorna Smith

NEWS IN BRIEF
We were sorry to hear that Tom Crooks, a well known figure in the village, has died. His funeral will be on Wednesday 29th January at 12.30pm in Woking St John Crematorium. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

BRIDGE TOURNAMENT
Congratulations to Audrey Mattingly on raising £812 from her Bridge Tournament at the Jurgens Centre on Wednesday 22nd January. Over 70 people attended and the money raised is for the Parish Centre Appeal.

BOOKAID
As you know, Christians and Missions in Africa are crying out for copies of religious books (including any version of The Bible or New Testament on its own etc). BookAid is a charity which ships good quality Christian literature, especially Bibles, out to them. A car will be leaving Englefield Green with a number of books which will be sent out to Africa. Can you help to fill the car? Do you want to clear your bookshelves? Please let Jessica Richards know (01784 431730) if you would like books collected. Alternatively, drop them off at the Church between 1.00pm and 4.00pm on Saturday afternoons.

WANTED — BUTTONS AND BOWS!
The Saturday Afternoon Club (those who mind the Church between 1.00pm and 4.00pm) has decided that St Jude’s Church’s stall at the Royal Holloway Garden Party in June will sell interesting buttons dating from Victorian times to the 1960s, pre-decimal coins (real money!), and old lace etc as well as other collectable items.

ROYAL HOLLOWAY AT ST JUDE’S
We are delighted that the RHC Choir will be singing Evensong at St Jude’s Church on Thursdays 30th January, 6th February and 13th February. This is while the organ in being overhauled in the Chapel. The services will take place at 6.15pm and all are welcome.

Music on 30th January will include the Herbert Howells Gloucester Service and William Byrd’s Laudibus in sanctis. The 6th February service features Kenneth Leighton’s Collegium Magdalenae Oxoniense and William Walton’s Set me as a seal and 13th February, Bryan Kelly in C and Love of the Father (H.K. Andrew).

ELECTORAL ROLL REVISION
Following last year’s complete replacement of the Electoral Roll , it is now time to update the current list. If you would like your name to be included, please collect an application from Church either after services or between 1.00pm and 4.00pm on Saturdays. This revision will be completed by Sunday 16th March.

APCM
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting will be in St Jude’s Church on Sunday 6th April following the 9.30am Eucharist service.

ROYAL HOLLOWAY CHAPLAINCY LECTURE
The annual Chaplaincy Lecture will take place in College on Monday 24th February at 5.30pm when the Revd Dr Jeremy Begbie will speak on The Music of God and the God of Music.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
The official Anglican Cycle of Prayer designated Sunday 26th January as a day of prayer for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Coming just one month before the 104th Archbishop of Canter-bury will be seated in the historic Chair of St Augustine in the Cathedral Church of Christ, Canterbury, the intention of the prayer is one of thanksgiving for the ministry of Archbishop Rowan Williams and for the office and unique role of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the worldwide Communion. The ancient enthronement service will be held in Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday 27 February.

Please join the whole Anglican Communion in praying for the new Archbishop:
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified, receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, and especially at this time for your servant Rowan, the Archbishop of Canterbury, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Funerals:
(13th January) Lilian Agnes Smith; (20th) Joan Whitington; (21st) James Edward Adams (Ted); (23rd) Albert Clarence Pontin.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS AND INFORMATION

COFFEE MORNING
Coffee Mornings (and the people who organise them) now take a well-earned break. The next one will be on Saturday 12th April from 10.00am in Church.

CHURCHES ON THE GREEN ECUMENICAL SERVICES AND EVENTS 2003
Sunday 19th January at 6.00pm in the Chapel of Royal Holloway
Sunday 23rd March at 4.00pm in the Church of the Assumption Service with ‘Stations of the Cross’
Sunday 18th May at 6.30pm in the Jurgens Centre, Harvest Road ‘A Question of Faith’ A Christian Question Time chaired by Lord Archer of Sandwell.
Sunday 6th July at 6.30pm at the Methodist Church Songs of Praise preceded by ‘bring and share’ tea party at 5.00pm at the Methodist Church.
Sunday 26th October at 4.00pm at the Church of the Assumption
Sunday 2nd November at 3.00pm in St Jude’s Church Annual Memorial Service arranged by F. Harrison & Son (Funeral Directors)
Sunday 21st December at 4.00pm in St Jude’s Church Carol Service followed by tea

DEANERY CONFIRMATION
It has now been announced that Bishop John will officiate at the next Deanery Confirmation which will be in St Jude’s Church on Wednesday 14th May at 8.00pm.
Anyone who is interested should give their names to the Vicar — preparation will start in March. This will also be an opportunity for those aged 10 years and above to be baptised and confirmed, and for anyone who wishes to renew their confirmation vows.

SHROVE TUESDAY
Pancakes and popcorn will be served at a Musical Evening (Music by Scott Joplin, Gershwin, etc, poetry and prose) at the Vicarage on Tuesday 4th March. Tickets are £5 available from the Vicarage.

CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY
2 PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE (Candlemas)
8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 9.30am Youth Eucharist (Dedication of the Scout Group new Union Flag)
4 Tuesday 8.00pm Worship Committee at the Vicarage
6 Thursday 6.15pm Royal Holloway Choral Evensong at St Jude’s Church
9 FOURTH SUNDAY BEFORE LENT 6.30pm Evensong and Sermon
13 Thursday 6.15pm Royal Holloway Choral Evensong at St Jude’s Church
16 THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT (Septuagesima)
22 Saturday Last chance to give books for BookAid (before 4.00pm in Church)
23 SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT (Sexagesima)
27 Thursday 9.15am Holy Communion (a special service to mark the occasion of
the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams)