Newsletter: July, 2003

Home or Away

“So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.” (Mark 6:12)

When it comes to sport, the home team is agreed to have the upper hand in any match. There will be more locals in the crowd, willing them on, cheering their attacks, celebrating every point scored and commiserating with their misfortunes. Travelling to another team’s ground may prove to be a rather less comfortable experience, for there the crowd will probably be indifferent, at best, to the players’ efforts, while at home the majority were right behind them. It’s a different matter when the name of the game is “imparting a message”. Instead of cheering on one of their own, the crowd may well turn on them.

This is precisely the situation in which Jesus found himself. The problem was he could not deliver only messages the crowd wanted to hear it is as though he is scoring goals for the other side. No matter if his genius was still obvious in the manoeuvres he executed, what he was doing was not what the many desired or expected - their minds were narrowed by habit and prejudice.

For this reason Jesus achieved little in the way of miraculous works on home territory: the conditions were simply not favourable. His fellow townspeople were too affronted by his presumptuousness to be receptive to any works of power he might perform in their community. The problem with prophets, which you never find in sporting heroes, was that they would insist on challenging the audience; the crowd’s response was more important than the action.

Voicing a familiar proverb, Jesus notes the impossibility of being an honoured prophet among one’s own people, and, consequently, he adopts a different strategy in commissioning the disciples for their prophetic and pastoral ministry. He sends them out, to places where they are literally and metaphorically unencumbered by baggage, although not entirely alone. The reaction of the hearers elsewhere should be less prejudiced by familiarity - the disciples will play on a “level field”. The message itself is all-important, and the Lord wants it to be plain, undisguised by the livery or identity of its presenters.

As we think about this story, perhaps we must consider where we are when the Lord’s message is spoken to us? Are we at the “home” or “away” ground? Too often, I think, we tend to become the insiders, the partisan crowd. Many of us have grown up with Jesus and he — and his disciples — have almost become ‘ours’: the domesticated home team. They are at our disposal, their job is to please us and not challenge us, their targets should be the ‘outsiders’ rather than us. The more we hear the words of scripture, the more we become comfortable with what they say: we practically know Jesus too well. So we must try to be foreigners in our listening, to hear the Gospel as if it were new every time.

Initiating a response in their audience was what the disciples, John the Baptist and the Old Testament prophets had in common with Jesus. Their vital proclamation was enhanced by plainness and strangeness, it was not the crowd-pleasing of the home team, but a stark wake-up call from somewhere else. Yet it is not only a change of heart that is required of those who hear the Gospel. For we are less obviously challenged in turn to bear the message ourselves, like the disciples, without baggage or additional protection: we too must carry the kingdom abroad.

Our whole life can become part of God’s message and you will find that you make a difference simply by being ‘on the pitch’, both home and away, without ever resorting to your soapbox! Essentially re-evaluating your life in the alien light of Jesus’ teaching and changing your ways accordingly, amounts to ‘repentance’ and by thoughtful living, you will be proclaiming his teaching to others.

Lorna Smith

NEWS IN BRIEF
We were sorry to hear that Mrs Joan Roberts has died. She and her husband had been regular worshippers at St Jude’s for many years until increasing ill-health meant that they could no longer come to Church.

DAMAGE TO THE CHURCH
Following the minor damage to a few panes of leaded glass in May, a far more serious act of damage and breaking and entering took place in June. A large portion of leaded window was wrecked to enable the perpetrator to gain access to the building where they left behind several personal possessions which are now in the hands of the police. A fire extinguisher and a wheelchair were stolen. Any information about the whereabouts of these items would be gratefully received. In particular, the wheelchair was very useful (in instances of anyone being taken ill in church).

If you see anyone vandalising the Church at any time, please telephone 01932 425060 (Safer Runnymede) and ask them to turn the cameras on to the Church.

Meanwhile, if anyone has a wheel chair in good condition which they no longer need, St Jude's Church would be very grateful.

PARISH CENTRE APPEAL
A small group of us met recently to discuss progress of the Parish Centre Appeal and to think up ways of increasing awareness of the project and raise sums of money for this new building.

Some of the ideas included a flower festival later in the year, a sponsored walk, a 100 Club, concerts and recitals and many more.

There will be another meeting to take these thoughts further on Wednesday 2nd July at 8.00pm in the Church. If you would like to be part of this team, please just come along to the meeting and join us.

SEA SUNDAY — 13th JULY
On two Sundays running, Eduardo, whose ship was in a Chinese port, set off to find the church he had been told about. It involved an expensive taxi ride but he didn’t mind as he wanted to attend his first Communion of the year. On the first occasion, the church was locked.The second time, a Bible study was in progress which he couldn’t understand. Never mind, he thought. He could go to a Sunday service at his next port, Pusan, South Korea. But then bad weather delayed the ship.

He visited The Mission to Seafarers Pusan centre and told the chaplain, Vic Vivian about his disappointment. Vic immediately said he would hold a service in the Mission. Other seafarers joined in it was a very special time for them all.

On the other side of the world in Rotterdam, seafarers returned to the Centre after setting out for a disco. One explained, “People looked at us strangely, so we came back home here.” Another added, “This is our place. We’re not different from other people here.”

Meanwhile there’s a happy crew in the seafarers’ centre in North Tees. They are on a regular run between North Tees and the US. Because of increases security post September 11, they are not allowed even to set foot ashore in the US ports. But in the UK, the transport provided by The Mission to Seafarers means that, even if they only have a few hours in port, they can get off their ship to relax, and telephone and send emails home. It means a great deal to them.

These are just three examples of The Missions to Seafarers’ care in ports around the world. Every day chaplains and volunteers show the love of Christ in countless ways.

John Clark is a seafarer and Reader in the Diocese of Chelmsford shows just how much the Church’s maritime ministry means to the men and women on whom we all depend for so many of our daily needs.

John wrote “It is my firm belief that seafarers need the ministry of The Mission to Seafarers more than ever. There are so many abuses perpetrated today which the Mission has to deal with and seeks to address. There are also many thousands of Christian men and women at sea who are away from their families and home churches for many months, who rely on the Mission for spiritual support.

If you would like to know more about this ministry, please telephone Gillian Ennis on 020 7248 5202.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Matrimony:
(31st May) Christopher John Patalano and Helen Rebecca Shorthouse; (1st June) Ian Alan Orriss and Susan Elizabeth Sarah Hughes.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

COFFEE MORNINGS
There will be no Coffee Morning outside St Jude’s Church in July. We hope everyone will come along to the Vicarage Garden in Willow Walk (No. 21) for the Garden Party on Saturday 12th July from 1.00pm to 4.30pm.

There will, however, be a Coffee Morning at 40 Bond Street on Thursday 17th July from 10.00am to 12 noon. There will be Coffee, a Bring & Buy stall and a Raffle. This is in aid of WorkAid, the organisation which strives to get all sorts of tools and small machinery no longer needed here in Britain to the parts of the world where they are desperate.

The August Coffee Morning will be on Saturday 16th August at 45 Laurel Avenue from 10.00am to 12 noon. All are welcome.

ST JUDE’S SCHOOL
St Jude’s School in Bagshot Road will be holding another of their Car Boot Sales on Sunday 13th July. They charge just £5 per car or pitch and £7 for small vans. Set up is between 12.00 noon and 12.30pm and the gates open at 1.00pm. Admission is 50p but earlybirds are admitted at 12.30pm for £1.50. There will be refreshments and a cake stall. More information from 01784 477922 or 433869.

ST JUDE’S GARDEN PARTY
The Garden Party will take place at the Vicarage, 21 Willow Walk, on Saturday 12th July from 1.00pm.

There will be all the usual stalls, lunches from 1.00pm, afternoon teas and an opportunity to win £100 and many other prizes in the Grand Draw.

Of course, to put on an event such as this, we need help from people to organise and run stalls, people to give us items to sell and people to come along on the day to support the stalls and buy.

In particular, we need people to help with the lunches, afternoon teas, cake stall and tombola and people to provide items for the tombola (new items only please), cake stall (nothing with meat or cream as we do not have facilities to keep them cold), books and small cakes for the teas.

Any offers of help to the Churchwardens, please.

Help is needed on Thursday 10th July evening to put up gazebos, on Friday 11th July evening to collect furniture from the hall and the Church and on Saturday 12th July from 8.30am onwards.

BISHOPSGATE W.I.
The Englefield Green Bishopsgate W.I. will be giving a Village Lunch on Wednesday 30th July at the Jurgens Centre, Harvest Road at 12.30pm for 1.00pm. Tickets cost £3.50 to include a glass of wine or fruit juice, tea or coffee and may be obtained from members of the Group or by telephoning 01784 433372.

ST JUDE’S PLAYERS
The group will stage The Importance of Being Earnest at the St Jude’s Theatre in the Social Hall, Harvest Road on Thursday 17th, Friday 18th and Saturday 19th July at 7.45. Tickets are £6 (children £4) from 01784 464132.

CALENDAR FOR JULY 2003
2 Wednesday 8.00pm Parish Centre meeting in Church
3 Thursday 8.00pm Meeting for Christians together in Egham
6 THIRD SUNDAY after TRINITY 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 9.30am Youth Eucharist 11.30am Holy Baptism
7 Monday 8.00pm PCC meeting in St Jude’s Church
12 Saturday 1-4.30pm Garden Party at the Vicarage, 1.00pm Holy Matrimony
13 FOURTH SUNDAY after TRINITY Evensong and Sermon 6.30pm
St Jude’s School Car Boot Sale — gate opens 1.00pm (earlybirds 12.30pm)
16 Wednesday 8.00pm Churches on the Green Committee at the Methodist Church
17 Thursday Coffee Morning at 40 Bond Street from 10.00am to 12 noon
20 FIFTH SUNDAY after TRINITY 2.00pm Holy Baptism
5.30pm Churches on the Green Shared Tea followed by Songs of Praise
at the Methodist Church at 6.30pm
25 Friday 5.00pm Marriage Blessing
26 Saturday 1.00pm Holy Matrimony 3.00pm Holy Baptism
27 SIXTH SUNDAY after TRINITY 9.30am Celebrant and Preacher,
The Ven Mark Wilson, Archdeacon of Dorking