Newsletter: March, 2006

Casting stones

Jesus said, “Let anyone among you who is without sin, cast the first stone.” (John 8:7)

When the British MP George Galloway was called before the US Senate in May 2005 to account for his actions in meeting with Saddam Hussein prior to the Iraq war, he neatly turned the tables. He was asked by the Senate how many times he had met with the Iraqi dictator and replied that they had met just twice, the same number of times as US Secretary of State for Defence Donald Rumsfeld had met with Saddam Hussein. “The only difference,” added George Galloway, “is that I was not selling him arms.”

In one sentence George Galloway succeeded in removing the whole Senate from the moral high ground which they had claimed for themselves and showed that they were all at least equally culpable. Jesus did much the same when an adulterous woman was brought to him.

When a crowd of virtuous and upright citizens dragged the terrified and naked woman before Jesus, they expected Jesus either to condemn her for her adultery, or to make light of her sin. Either way they would have trapped Jesus. There was no question that she had committed adultery, for she had been seized in the very act. The punishment decreed in the Old Testament was death, and that decree was expounded by specifying stoning. But although it was enshrined in law, such a brutal punishment had all but ceased by the first century.

If Jesus agreed that the woman was guilty, then he might be forced to participate in a gruesome stoning in which the woman would be killed. If he denied her guilt, he would be denying the Jewish law, which was regarded as an appalling offence. Jesus was caught between two stark choices, either of which would at the very least seriously damage his credibility and perhaps lead to charges being brought against him.

But Jesus refused to be drawn into an either-or situation. Instead, he gave himself time to reflect by doodling in the sand. He knew that although adultery was forbidden to men as well as to women, it was only regarded as a really serious offence for women. Hence the man who had committed adultery with the woman is not even mentioned in the story. Jesus was well aware that most of the men, especially those in important positions, would commit adultery without thinking twice about it. So he took the risk of inviting anyone present who had not sinned in this way to throw the first stone. After this challenge he returned to doodling, allowing the sheepish crowd to disperse silently.

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

We can sometimes be trapped into sin by feeling that we are faced with just two choices, either one of which can at best be regarded as the lesser of two evils. But if we refuse to respond immediately, instead taking time out for reflection and prayer, a third, previously unconsidered way very often becomes apparent. The more God is there in our lives, there will be less sin and more choice.

There is no doubt that the woman had committed a sin, and a sin which was regarded as a serious moral outrage in the first century, but Jesus sees beyond the sin. He does not question her about her conduct, he does not display any disapproval and in fact pays no attention to the sin whatsoever. Jesus is concerned only with the woman and her accusers. He condemns neither the woman nor her vitriolic accusers, but merely points out that no one has the high moral ground, for all are sinners. The story ends with everyone, including the woman, melting away, ashamed of themselves.

It is so much more comfortable for us humans to point the finger at other people, because by contrast, we seem so much better than them. Thus in tones of grave censoriousness we condemn “yobs”, “hooligans”, “vandals” and even those who adopt a certain style of dress, often despising them as we seize the high moral ground. Yet we are all sinners. We cannot compare ourselves with other people, because, we have no idea of other people’s difficulties or backgrounds. We can only compare ourselves with the best that we ourselves have the potential to be, and we all fall well short of that mark. But despite our failure, Jesus does not condemn us. Because he loves us, sinners that we are, he merely suggests that we, too, “go, and sin no more”.

We human beings are incapable of preventing sin. Only God can clear sin out of our lives and enable us to live the sort of life he has planned for us. And God can only do that if we allow him plenty of time and space. We need to keep in close contact with God, if God is to deal with our sin. Meanwhile, let us melt away ashamed of our sin but determined to stick close to Jesus, in order to live the amazing life he has promised us.

NEWS IN BRIEF
We were pleased to welcome Bishop Ian (Bishop of Dorking) to St Jude’s Church in February. He offered us much encouragement that the process of selecting a new Vicar would under way soon.

We will be welcoming our new Archdeacon, the Venerable Julian Henderson, to a Sunday morning service this month.

We were very sorry to say goodbye to the Revd Tom Bayliss who has been looking after the Methodist side of our united church for the last year or so. He has gone to a new post as minister at the Portsmouth Road United Church, Guildford and we wish him and his wife Deborah all our prayers and best wishes in their new life.

For the first time in many weeks, members of the congregation were seen to be removing their overcoats recently. This is because our central heating system has been fitted with a new pump and has had some pipes flushed which has made a tremendous difference.

CRUSADERS
One hundred years ago a man called Albert Kestin started a Sunday afternoon meeting for lads who were fed up with Sunday School. From that beginning the nationwide Crusaders movement began, with tentacles reaching out into Europe and Africa as well. In our small group we are getting geared up for the Big Day (the Centenary) at the Albert Hall on 20th May (we've got a sponsored swim coming up in March to raise funds for tickets — watch out for children with big smiles, waving pieces of paper) and for Camp in the first weekend of June.

Please come along to a Coffee Morning in aid of Crusaders on Saturday 4th March at 10.00 am in the Methodist Porch. There will be books, cakes bric-a- brac, as well as refreshments. Please join us for coffee, a chat and helping the on-going work.

MOTHERING SUNDAY
There is an old Jewish saying: God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.

Mother Church, Mother Earth, Mother of the Gods — our human mothers — all of them have been part of the celebration of ‘Mothering Sunday’ — as the fourth Sunday in Lent is affectionately known.

In Roman times, great festivals were held every Spring to honour Cybele, Mother of all the Gods. Other pagan festivals in honour of Mother Earth were also celebrated. With the arrival of Christianity, the festival became one honouring Mother Church.

During the Middle Ages, young people apprenticed to craftsmen or working as ‘live-in’ servants were allowed only one holiday a year on which to visit their families — which is how ‘Mothering Sunday’ (25th March this year) got its name. This special day became a day of family rejoicing, and the Lenten fast was broken. In some places the day was called Simnel Day, because of the sweet cakes called simnel cakes traditionally eaten on that day.

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:
(5th February) Hannah Short, Harry Short; (12th) Tyler Pullen.

Funerals:
(1st February) Lucy Cole; (2nd) Fred Barr; (10th) Janice Broughton; (13th) Francis Dickenson; (17th) Mary Olive Sturt.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

CRUSADERS COFFEE MORNING
This will take place in the porch of the Methodist Church in Victoria Street from 10.00am on Saturday 4th March. All are welcome.

LENT 2006
Ash Wednesday falls on 1st March this year and details of Lent Groups available at the time of going to press are as follows:
Tuesday evenings (8.00pm) at 12 Larksfield (Roy and Cassandra Gouriet on 01784 435602).
Tuesday evenings (8.00pm) at 9 Larksfield (Bob and Sue Kensey and John and Maria Walsh on 01784 438392)
Thursday mornings (10.00am–12 noon) at 29 Alderside Walk (Val Ward on 01784 436541)
Sunday evenings (8.00pm) 10 Englehurst (Andrew Sheer)
Each group will select its materials — for more information, please telephone the appropriate person.

WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The Women’s World Day of Prayers is Friday 3rd March and the local service will in the Church of the Assumption, Harvest Road at 2.00pm when the theme is Signs of the Times written by the Christian Women of South Africa.

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. March’s will be on the 4th.

CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2006