Newsletter: June, 2003

Simone Weil

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

When some gospel readings recur, especially those on love, it can be tempting to sigh and switch off. We all know how seemingly impossible it is to live out Jesus’ brand of love within the conditions which surround us. Nevertheless, throughout history individuals have arisen who can restate the aims of Christ and re-enliven our jaded hearts into believing that it just might be possible.

Simone Weil was one of these. She was a French philosopher who died in England, at the age of 34, during the Second World War. Despite her passionate love for Christ, she was never actually baptised. In this way, she said, she was able to remain united with those outside the Church and, therefore, with all outsiders.

Simone’s definition of love was this: “intense, pure, disinterested, gratuitous, generous attention”. Attention, applying focused interest, clear, unequivocal and non-judgemental. Disinterested (very different from uninterested), impartial, not influenced by personal needs or concerns. Gratuitous, completely free, without strings or hidden agendas. Generous, given wholeheartedly with the others’ interests at heart. This is a love, in part or in whole, to which we might choose to risk applying ourselves.

Jesus knew our weaknesses. He was fully aware of the temptations, which beset us - greed, jealousy, competitiveness, anger and so on. He so often gives us teachings that allow for our frailty and fragility. He gives us flexible lessons, lots of choices and constant forgiveness. However, there is one thing about which Jesus is adamant and which is echoed by St Paul and subsequent Christian writers. The key to being a follower of Christ is love. Our expressed love for God and for Christ is meaningless unless it is fully inclusive.

Repeatedly Jesus tells us what is the suitable response to our brothers and sisters and it is always based on love, even when we are obliged to admonish them. God loves us and all those whom he has made, Jesus loves his Father and all creation, and so if we claim to love God and Jesus this must include all that they have made. We live within a unity of creation and love that can exclude no one. This is not a polite request or a necessary expedient but a raw, imperative commandment. There are no loopholes. We have no choice.

If we want to call ourselves Christians then we are obliged to love everything God has made, especially each other, whether Christian or not. This is the commandment, which Jesus lived out as his friends betrayed him by word and action and as his enemies nailed him to the cross. He tells us today that the prize for surrendering our pride and becoming as vulnerable as he was — is a permanent place abiding in his love. Which means being as close as we can ever get to the Father and experiencing the ultimate joy this brings.

Jesus never implied that this is an easy task to undertake but he persistently urges us to be steadfast in our attempts, which is why people like Simone Weil can help us. The love Jesus expressed is far away from the sentimentalised slush that passes for “love” in the world today. Love is all the things described in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13.4-7) It is also a tough, sinewy state of heart and mind. It has more to do with the exercise of will than the affections of the heart.

It is not just kind feelings towards other people, nor even to like them, for Christian love extends even beyond knowing its recipients, as in work for justice in other parts of the world. It is, put simply by Simone Weil, attention to others, their needs and concerns, their general well being, promoting the good in and for others equally. It is generosity beyond the odd handout. It is, like God’s love, impartial, not taking sides. Never seeking to make money or to achieve power by its expression, never expecting to be rewarded for what God has commanded. It is intense and pure, clear-eyed, without artifice. Here is a new vision of Christ’s commandment and a new way of practising the love, which proves our sincere intention to live like him, with a little help from those who learned the lesson well.

Lorna Smith

NEWS IN BRIEF
We were so sad to hear that Sylvia Hartnell died last month. Sylvia had been a member of our PCC, delivered this Newsletter for many years, been a sidesperson, always helped at the Summer Fair — the list is too long to give it all.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Derek, Geoffrey and Elaine at this sad time.

We have received an anonymous donation with a note saying that St Jude has, for their family, been a great help for lost causes/impossible cases. They have sent a small amount to our Church and one other with their best wishes. We are very grateful for their support and their kind comments about our church.

DAMAGE TO THE 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.

CHRISTIAN AID
Roy and Cassandra Gouriet would like to thank all the people who contributed towards Christian Aid Week, both in being collectors and those who gave money. Although we haven't a final total yet we are hopeful that it will be around £2000 including Gift Aid Tax refund. This is a healthy contribution from Englefield Green to a very worthy organisation.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Baptism:
(4th May) Joshua Peter Whittaker, Harry Samuel Whittaker, (25th) Jake Thomas Harry Smith, Jack Peter Reddin.

Confirmation:
Eric Bayes, Susan Hughes, Samantha Martin-Schneiter, Ian Orriss, Kay Robinson, Emma Sudderick, Louise Taylor and Sarah Whittaker.

Holy Matrimony:
(16th May) Richard Martin Murray and Nicola Louise Coppin; (24th May) Graham Michael Barnard and Nicola Jane Thorpe; Steven Paul Turner and Claire Louise Dodds.

Funerals:
(28th April) George Martin; (30th) Dorothy Margaret Clarke, Emily Elizabeth Poole; (19th) Sylvia Hartnell, Frances Prior.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

COFFEE MORNING
The next Coffee Morning outside St Jude’s Church will be on Saturday 14th June from 10.00am onwards. There will be jam, cakes biscuits etc as usual as well as a good supply of coffee and chat. Do come along!

GOLDEN FANFARE
There will be a Flower Festival in the Guildford Cathedral from Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th June to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Further details may be obtained from the Cathedral Office on 01483 565287 or the Refectory (where refreshments are served) on 01483 560471.

BIBLE STUDY GROUP
The will be the start of a new, probably monthly, Bible study group at The Mount, Malt Hill, Egham on Sunday 8th June at 8.00pm. The hosts are Geoff and Jenny Chew and the group will be studying Galatians. All are welcome.

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.

PARISH MISSION
You are welcome to come along to an open meeting of the Deanery Synod to engage with Dr Daleep Mukarji from his special vantage point of Director of Christian Aid, the third-world development charity, and his own past in the Third World.

We cannot turn our backs on the world when we proclaim the Gospel, as we are called to do. Around us, with the omni-present media, those we seek to reach know what the world is like. How in Surrey can we present a God who is both just and loving, when the world suffers?

This will take place on Thursday 26th June at 8.00pm at St John’s Church in Egham. All are welcome.

CALENDAR FOR JUNE
1 SEVENTH SUNDAY of EASTER 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
9.30am Youth Eucharist 12 noon Holy Matrimony
4 Wednesday 8.00pm Archdeacon’s Visitation at Lyne Church
7 Saturday 3.00pm 25th Wedding Anniversary Blessing
8 PENTECOST (WHIT SUNDAY) No Evensong at St Jude’s
6.00pm Thanksgiving Service at Royal Holloway College Chapel
8.00pm Bible Study Group on Galatians (see above)
14 Coffee Morning outside St Jude’s 10.00am – 12 noon
15 TRINITY SUNDAY 3.00pm Deanery Service
17 Tuesday 8.00pm Parish Centre “Brainstorming” discussion at the Vicarage
19 Thursday (Corpus Christi) 9.15am Holy Communion
21 Saturday Village Fair on the Green
22 FIRST SUNDAY after TRINITY
24 Tuesday (the Birth of John the Baptist) 9.15am Holy Communion
29 SECOND SUNDAY after TRINITY – St Peter’s Day