Newsletter: April, 2006

Holy Week and Easter

“Those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ... Pilate spoke to them again, ‘What do you wish me to do the with the man you call King of the Jews?’ They shouted back, “Crucify him !”’ (Mark 11:9; 15:12-13)

Displayed in a showcase in the Great Hall of Lambeth Palace are the gloves which Charles I wore to his execution in Whitehall in January 1649. As he began to remove his outer garments, Charles gave his gloves to William Juxon, Bishop of London, who accompanied him to the scaffold. When Juxon later became Archbishop of Canterbury, he took the gloves with him, and they have remained at Lambeth ever since. Charles took great pride in his personal appearance, and dressed as carefully for his execution as for any other public occasion. It was a matter of honour that he should be seen to die well.

In his first letter, St Peter tells us that Jesus also died well: “When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.” But for Jesus it was more than just a matter of honour. Peter is telling us of Jesus’ complete and willing obedience to fulfil God’s purpose.

Relatively early in his Gospel, Luke tells us that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem”. When Peter suggested there might be another way, Jesus reprimanded him angrily: “Get behind me, Satan!” It is the utter self-giving of Jesus, even to death itself, that restores, to those who have faith, our broken relationship with God. This is the drama which is played out through the events of Holy Week. We separate out those events in order to concentrate on the special meaning of each one of them, but we have at the same time to see them as a whole — Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Eve, Easter Day itself. The crowd in Jerusalem were witnesses to this unfolding drama, and found themselves caught up in it.

Crowds are notoriously fickle, and easily swayed. Those who had clamoured for the head of Charles I fell silent as the executioner raised his axe, and uttered a deep groan as the royal head was severed from the body. There was some kind of latent understanding that this was a unique moment. Never in the long history of England had the monarch been brought to public trial and execution. Perhaps some similar kind of awareness permeated the crowd who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem. They welcomed him in words reserved for, and applicable only to, the Messiah, the long-expected anointed one of God. But as the days passed, and events became ugly, the mood of the crowd changed. The voices that had been raised in welcome now called for his death: “Crucify him!” The soldiers made the most of their opportunity to beat up the condemned prisoner, and no doubt the crowd approved of what they saw. Even that was not enough for some. As Jesus hung upon the cross, “those who passed by derided him”. The whole range of instincts and emotions which are at work within a crowd, even in our own day, were focused on Jesus during those last few tumultuous days of his life.

We would naturally want to dissociate ourselves from any suggestion that we might be caught up in the mixed instincts of a crowd. We identify ourselves with the Good Samaritan, and condemn the priest and the Levite who passed by on the other side. Yet honesty demands that we recognise within ourselves the same fickleness which was at work amongst the crowd in Jerusalem. We may sing, “Thine be the glory”, yet there is little glory in our lives. Or we may sing, “Make me a channel of your peace” — while conflict dominates our church or personal life. We want to believe, as did the crowd on Palm Sunday, that Jesus represents the answer to our hopes and prayers, while knowing that having faith does not protect us from life’s problems. As we share the uncertainties of the crowd, we perhaps feel unworthy and discouraged.

But if we do, we load ourselves with unnecessary guilt and fail to grasp the meaning of Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter. “While we still were sinners,” wrote Paul, “Christ died for us.” And he rose again. Our response is one of faith. No matter how fickle that faith may seem, God accepts us through the crucified and risen Lord. So on this Palm Sunday, as we head together into this most holy week, let us be encouraged as well as challenged by our most holy Lord.

NEWS IN BRIEF
We were pleased to welcome our new Archdeacon, the Venerable Julian Henderson to a Sunday morning service on Mothering Sunday.

ANNUAL MEETINGS
The annual meetings take place on Sunday 30th April immediately after the 9.30am service (allowing for the serving of a quick cup of coffee). The first meeting (Vestry meeting) is the time to elect the Churchwardens for the coming year and some members of the PCC are elected at the second meeting together with the sidespersons for the year. This is also an opportunity to look back over the past year, receive the annual report and accounts and say thank you to all those who have worked so hard. Terms of office on the PCC expire this year for Robert Pitt, Susie Harben and Dawn George but all are eligible for re-election if they wish. Other nominations are also invited.

THE SILENT SERMON
Andy was a regular member at his church. He was always in the same pew every Sunday and always at every church event. But Andy had an argument with someone at church and stopped coming.

So the Vicar decided to pay him a visit. It was a chilly evening. The vicar found Andy at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for the visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The Vicar sat down but said nothing. The two of them watched the dance of the flames around the burning logs.

After some minutes, the vicar took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word was spoken.

The Vicar glanced at his watch and realised it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As he shook Andy’s hand at the door, he could see the tears in his eyes.

Andy was back in his regular place in church the next Sunday.

From Ralph Milton's RUMORS, a free Internet 'e-zine' for Christians with a sense of humor."

OUR NEW VICAR
You will be interested to hear that the post of Vicar of Englefield Green has at last been advertised in Church Times. The closing date for the post is 2nd May and the interviews will be on 1st June. A copy of the Parish Profile is available from St Jude’s for anyone who is interested in applying for the job.

SATURDAY AFTERNOONS
As you may know, we keep St Jude’s Church open for visitors each Saturday afternoon between 2.00 and 4.00pm. To do this safely and adequately requires at least 3 people at all times. To keep this running, we must have a rota of people who would take a turn — obviously the more offers we have, the less often each one would have to do. If you can help with this, say, once every two months, please contact the Churchwardens (telephone numbers are shown above) or by email to saturdays@stjudeschurch.info. Your help would be appreciated.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Baptism:
None

Funerals:
Funerals: (30th March) Ann Elizabeth Pym; (31st) Odette Delphine Harris.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

NARNIA
There will be a showing of the film “Narnia” on Good Friday in St John’s Church, Egham for children, while parents are on the March of Witness. They suggest that this is really suitable for 8 years old and over. Supervision will be in place and there is no charge. Parents can collect their children after they have had coffee, although the film may not have quite finished.

Children should arrive between 9.30 and 9.40am. For more details please contact Rachel Upcott at St John’s Church.

COFFEE MORNINGS
Coffee Mornings and Afternoon Teas at St Jude’s Church are being given a rest for a while.

Coffee is served in the Porch of the Methodist Church building in Victoria Street at 10.00am on the first Saturday of each month. April’s was on the 1st.

CALENDAR FOR APRIL 2006