Newsletter: May, 2005

Pentecost

“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17

Fire can be frightening; even the tiniest flame can prove unpredictable and intense: leaping and dancing, crackling and roaring, or smouldering unseen. For early mankind fire may have been the most obvious indication of its supremacy over other species. Harnessing its power, and especially discovering how to kindle it for ourselves, may have seemed to give almost godlike status to humanity. Nevertheless, while fire was prized for supplying heat and light, as a means of cooking food and later for generating energy to drive machines, it was still obvious that it was dangerous and tricky - to be treated with enormous respect. However human beings tried to domesticate it, there was still a chance that it could escape our control and quite literally backfire on us.

If we stop to think about it, the idea that the Holy Spirit first appeared like fire, irradiating the disciples, is quite unnerving. For in a secret, enclosed location in Jerusalem, two of the most fickle and elusive elements known come together: fire and a strong wind. Unreasonable flame, and invisible, erratic currents of air. Materialising from nowhere, they rush over the apostles like waves… and something extraordinary happens to them: they can suddenly do things that they never could before.

So startling is their transformation that bystanders seek an explanation; in human terms, this simply isn’t possible. One minute these men are a demoralised remnant, the next they are leaders and preachers, visionaries and martyrs; before they are a ragbag of northern labourers and after they are the “A” team: skilled in communicating the gospel across the culture and language divide. For the average Pamphylian or Egyptian, finding the man who had to wave his hands to make himself understood at your market stall yesterday, suddenly fluent and persuasive in your mother tongue, is odd to say the least! Something is out of control, behaving, as it ought not to: this is something we humans don’t like much.

Some years ago there was a British Gas advertising campaign, where various celebrities would snap their fingers and a blue flame would spring up at the end of their thumb: “Don’t you just love being in control?” was the slogan. It was seductive. Of course we love being in control: air conditioning, central heating, 24-hour supermarkets, cable TV, flexitime… we want to choose, to please ourselves in as many ways as possible. In the prevailing Western culture, the will of the individual is supreme. So God is becoming confined to smaller and smaller boxes, domesticated and sugar coated for Sunday TV programmes, crammed into a shape and size that seeks to place him at our disposal. We might imagine that we are in command and feel rather sorry for those who are less able to snap their fingers and get whatever they desire. The people of the developing world, for example, the poverty and uncertainty of whose daily lives are scarcely imaginable to us, can choose little. Yet in many ways they display an openness to God, and especially the enabling power of his free-flowing Spirit, which does not impose the same human limitations on divine capabilities. St Paul has seen the Spirit in action; he describes to the Corinthian Christians the way it brings to light different gifts in different people.

Somehow we must come closer to the Spirit’s flame, removing the narrow limits we seem to have applied to God, in all his persons. It’s not easy. We are embedded in a culture that often cannot hear the claims of a higher authority. Accepting that God is God, that Jesus uniquely revealed him on earth and that his Spirit abides with us — not a destructive force, but a constructive, saving one — moves us to commit ourselves to a mutually trusting relationship; to hear ourselves called and to be open to possibilities.

That may mean that we are in for a surprise — for the divine spark may turn us into something new: prophets, dreamers, even visionaries. The tiniest chink of openness to the Spirit can enable us to do things we never believed we could, help us weather storms of great devastation, uphold us in the deepest sorrow… even make us heard in languages we have never studied. This is why the Church is here: to proclaim who is really in control and to participate in his mission. Each with our various complementary gifts, we are the ones who, like the apostles before us, can, together, make God known and his kingdom come.

Lorna C. Smith

ANGLICANS + METHODISTS
You may have noticed that this Newsletter now has the title “St Jude’s United Church” on the front. This is because, with effect from 1st May 2005, the Anglicans and Methodists in Englefield Green have amalgamated to form the new United Church. This is an exciting time for both Churches and has the full approval of everyone from parish to diocese.

ANNUAL MEETINGS
The two meetings took place on Sunday 24th April following the 9.30am service. Geoffrey Chew and Brian Hooker were elected as Churchwardens for a further term of office and Norman Critchlow, Aidan Hopkins and Brian Summers were elected to the PCC and Brenda Meyer, Andrew Sheer and Joan Wintour were elected as our representatives on the Deanery Synod.

We welcomed Mrs Pat Poulter from St Jude’s School to the meeting and were delighted have an opportunity to say thank you to all those who work so hard for the Church during the year and to those whose term of office on the PCC had come to an end.

USE YOUR VOTE says Bishop Christopher
We all have political views. We have views about politicians! But not all trouble to use their vote. It is part of the Christian's civic and social responsibility to exercise their right to vote. How would we feel if we did not have the vote — as many human beings still don't.

Jesus wept over the City of Jerusalem, so consecrating local loyalties. St Paul tells us to respect civic authorities as 'given' by God. Part of that 'respect' is our participation in democratic process.

On their part we also expect politicians to expound coherent policies, not simply stirring up controversy on particular issues to catch votes.

As Bishop of Guildford it would be terrible (and ineffective!) if I were to try to tell people how to vote. But it is my Christian duty to encourage every Christian and every citizen to exercise their vote!

GREETINGS FOR A NEW POPE
Last week, the Archbishop of Canterbury offered his best wishes and prayers for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on his election as successor to Pope John Paul II. He said: “We wish Pope Benedict XVI every blessing in the immense responsibilities he is about to assume on behalf of Roman Catholics round the world.

His election is also of great significance to Christians everywhere. I look forward to meeting him and working together to build on the legacy of his predecessor, as we seek to promote shared understanding between our churches in the service of the Gospel and the goal of Christian unity.

He is a theologian of great stature, who has written some profound reflections on the nature of God and the church. His choice of the name Benedict suggests that he wants to connect his vision of the Church to the monastic spirit of service and contemplation.

He will be much in our prayers in the days and weeks ahead.”

CONFIRMATION AT ST JUDE'S
At the 9.30am service on Sunday 1st May, the following were confirmed by the Rt Revd Ian Brackley and the Revd Tom Bayliss:
Tobias Christopher Betts, Jamie David Burson, Richard Ashley Burson, Susannah Jane Cornish, Donald Keith Goldsmith, Mary Sharon Goldsmith, Lucy Hovland, Yu Jules Omura, Victoria Louise Pearce, Samuel Gregory Peach, Colin Peters.

This was particularly exciting as it is the first joint Confirmation Service after the inauguration of the new United Church in Englefield Green.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Baptism:
(3rd April) Donald Keith Goldsmith; Luke John Burson; Simon John Willis; Keeley Jane Pashley; Emma Catherine Windle; Zara Clare Matthews; (17th) Jacob Stuart Scott; Victoria Louise Pearce.

Funerals:
(4th April) Marian Whitten; (5th) Tony Wakeling; (11th) Reginald George Ernest Furlonger.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

COFFEE MORNING
The next Coffee Morning will be outside St Jude’s Church on Saturday 14th May from 10.00am to 12 noon. Do come along for coffee and a chat as well as to buy home-made cakes, biscuits, etc. We hope to have some jam and preserves this time and there will be some geraniums as well. The last one (in April) raised over £100 and we are very grateful to those who came along to buy and have coffee with us.

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
15th–21st May 2005

“We believe in life before death”

What? A week of fundraising, prayer and action for the world's poorest people.

Why? Because poverty is a scandal, and because we believe in life before death.

Who? A movement of 4,000 local organisers, 20,000 supporting churches and 300,000 dedicated collectors.

How? Through the UK's biggest house-to-house collection, millions taking action for trade justice, a national advertising campaign, and thousands of special events and church services.

We believe in life before death. We have a vision of how the world can be without poverty. By giving and by taking action for trade justice, you can help make that vision a reality this Christian Aid Week. Collectors will be visiting as many houses in Englefield Green during the week beginning 15th May. Please give as generously as you are able to do.

CALENDAR FOR MAY 2005