Newsletter: March, 2005

Mothering Sunday

“Here is your mother.” (John 19.27)

Jack frowned at the rack of greetings cards. “Can I help you?” asked the shop assistant. “I’d like a card for Mothering Sunday,” Jack explained. “But they all say Mothers’ Day.” “Same thing,” came the reply, but Jack shook his head. “No, they’re not. The lady I’m buying it for isn’t my mum,” he said. “But she’s been like a mother to me.”

Jack was right. Mothers’ Day and Mothering Sunday might fall on the same date, but they’re not the same thing. One celebrates mothers, but the other celebrates mothering. Originally Mothering Sunday had little to do with human mothers: it referred to the Church, and indirectly to God, as mother of us all. Part of the observance of Lent, on that day the Church required Christians to worship at their “mother” church, the one that had nurtured them. As a result, people working away, perhaps in service, could return home and spend a day with their families. They might take a posy of spring flowers for their mothers. Mothering Sunday gradually became Mothers’ Day.

In St John’s Gospel Chapter 19, Jesus indicates that mothering isn’t restricted to our birth mothers. As Jesus approached his death on the cross, his compassion for those who loved him never failed. People often understand this scene only in terms of Mary being taken into the disciple’s home and receiving his protection. But Jesus is also asking his mother to love his friend. Knowing that his mother and his closest friend would each need support after his death, he commended them to one another’s keeping.

Jesus is saying to Mary, “Give a mother’s love to my friend, be like a mother to him — mother my disciple.” And to all of us who stand beneath the cross, and watch him dying for love of us, he says the same: “Mother my disciples.” To the disciple, Jesus says, “Be like a son to Mary.” Each would in some way be the son, the friend, and the loved one that Jesus had been on earth. Whether we are male or female, God calls us to share his love with others. We are called to be Christ to our neighbour, and to see Christ in our neighbour.

This reading reminds, too, us that mothering must have an object. The concept of mother only makes sense if there is also a child to be mothered: the “Here is your son” to Mary implies the “Here is your mother” to the disciple. There is a relationship here: a dynamic, not a status; a verb, not a noun. And it is a relationship, a dynamic that mirrors the very nature of God. The doctrine of the Trinity reminds us that God is loving relationship, the love of the Father for the Son and the Son for the Father, flowing through the Spirit and drawing us, too, into the very heart of God as the Spirit touches our own hearts.

A dictionary definition (Chambers) of the verb “to mother” is: “to acknowledge, adopt or treat as a son or daughter”. The Bible tells us that this is exactly what God does to us: God sent his Son, born of a woman, so that we might receive adoption as children, and he sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts so that we cry, “Abba, Father” (Gal 4.4-6). Whether we use the word Father or Mother, we are reassured that God is a loving parent and we are acknowledged as his children. God mothers us.

The love of a good mother for her children is an appropriate image for God’s love for us. It certainly captures the way God puts up with our naughtiness, our sin, and yet still loves us. God himself gives us the pattern for parenthood. But it’s also the pattern for all our dealings with one another: strengthening, encouraging and forgiving; serving, loving and surrendering. Let’s make a point of calling today Mothering Sunday, not Mothers’ Day, because today isn’t only for mothers. Nobody in church today should feel left out, because men can mother people, childless women can mother people. It’s surely no accident that senior nuns are called Mother!

So on 6th March, we give thanks: for our own mothers and all that they do or once did; for those who have been like a mother to us; and for God’s mothering love for each one of us.

Lorna C. Smith

NEWS IN BRIEF
Bishop Christopher will be visiting the Deanery on Monday 28th February and will be at St Jude’s Church at 2.15pm.

The revision of the Electoral Roll (prior to the Annual Meetings on 24th April) will be completed by Sunday 3rd April. If you wish to have your name added to the list, please ask for an application form (this will be available here on the website soon - meanwhile contact the webmaster and the form will be sent to you as an attachment).

FROM OUR BISHOP
‘On a personal level, I am delighted that the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles are to marry. The breakdown of marriages and remarriage are sad facts of life for many couples. I am sure many people in Guildford and the surrounding area will have great sympathy for them and for their decision.’ ‘Speaking as a bishop, I am also very grateful for the fact that their decision to have a civil marriage followed by prayer and dedication, respects the Church’s official position on marriage and remarriage as recently established by the House of Bishops and the General Synod of the Church of England. I greatly respect the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles for their respect for the Church’s position. I wish them well and will be praying for them.’
+ Christopher

ST JUDE'S KNITTING CIRCLE
The second consignment of Teddies and squares for blankets is now under way. This time we hope to send 100 teddies and, of course, as many blankets as we can. This is an ongoing project and will continue well into the coming year.

There is also an important way that those of us that do not knit can help. We need new, brightly coloured double knitting wool which may be brought to church on Saturday afternoons between 1.00 and 4.00pm or at any of the services and cash contributions towards this would also be appreciated.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Baptism:
(6th February) William Ryan Smither

Funerals:
(31st January) Ethel Thomas; (3rd February) Kenneth Puddle.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

PICKING UP THE BATON
This year’s day of prayer at Guildford Cathedral launches “A Year of Prayer for Surrey” and is entitle “Picking Up The Baton”. The launch is on Saturday 19th March at 3.00pm in the Cathedral with an evening celebration at 7.30pm in Woking (Christ Church) led by Dave Bilbrough with guest speaker, the Revd Selwyn Hughes.

CHURCH ACTIVITIES
Coffee Mornings (and Afternoon Teas) at Church continue to take a break now for a while. The next one is likely to be a Coffee Morning on Saturday 9th April.

Meanwhile, knitting blankets/Teddies for Tragedies continues both at home and in Church on Saturday afternoons. Forty blankets have just been delivered to Guildford on their journey to devastated areas of Asia. More help would be appreciated for the sewing up the squares into blankets. Suck items may be brought along to Church on Saturdays between 1.00 and 4.00pm.

WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The Women’s World Day of Prayer service is this year being held on 4th March in St Jude’s Church. The service has been prepared by the Christian Women of Poland. The theme is "Let our light shine". The speaker will be Mrs Linda Ashford, Methodist Lay Preacher. Please join us for this important service and afterwards for refreshments.

DEANERY CONFIRMATION
The next Deanery Confirmation will be on Saturday 14th May at St Paul’s, Egham Hythe. The Vicar is collecting both adults’ and young people’s (aged 10 and above) names. Preparation will be organised depending on individuals wishing to be confirmed.

SEDER MEAL
Churches on the Green will once again be organising a Seder Meal on Tuesday 22nd March beginning at 7.00pm at the Jurgens Centre, Harvest Road. The cost will be £6 per head and tickets will be available at the Church of the Assumption, Englefield Green Methodist Church, Bishopsgate Evangelical Church and St Jude’s Church.

The Seder Meal is celebrated by the Jews at Passover and it is from this that the Christian Church derives its Holy Communion, Lord’s Supper, Mass and Eucharist.

WALK OF WITNESS
Walkers meet at Egham Library at 10.00am for a short opening service and then walk to the United Church in Egham High Street for a Good Friday devotion. Following the service, refreshments will be served in the new Pastoral Centre.

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

Sunday 20th March (Palm Sunday)
8.00am Holy Communion (said)
9.30am Procession of Palms and Liturgy of the Day

Monday 21st March
9.00am Morning Prayer
9.15am. Holy Communion
5.00pm Evening Prayer

Tuesday 22nd March
9.00am Morning Prayer
11.00am Blessing of the Holy Oils, Renewal of Vows at Guildford Cathedral
5.00pm Evening Prayer
6.45pm for 7.00pm Seder Meal at the Jurgens Centre

Wednesday 23rd March
9.00am Morning Prayer
10.00am Holy Communion
5.00pm Evening Prayer

Maundy Thursday (24th March)
9.00am Morning Prayer
5.00pm Evening Prayer
8.00pm Liturgy of the Day and Watch until Midnight

Good Friday (25th March)
9.00am Morning Prayer
10.00am Walk of Witness
(meet at Egham Library)
12 noon Good Friday Liturgy
5.00pm Evening Prayer
8.00pm in Methodist Church Hall
For Such a Time as This
Prayer for children and young people

Holy Saturday 26th March
9.00am Morning Prayer
5.00pm Evening Prayer
8.00pm Lighting of the New Fire and the Pascal Candle, Holy Baptism

EASTER DAY (27th March)
7.00am Sunrise Service on the Green
8.00am Holy Communion
9.30am Sung Eucharist

CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2005