Newsletter July 2007

Changing the World
Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” (Luke 10:25)
One of the greatest health challenges in the world today is HIV/AIDS. Governments, health officials and churches may have denied it for many years, but the suffering is enormous, especially in Southern Africa, and many are the sad stories of grandparents looking after grandchildren, children looking after even younger children, schools losing teachers, business and commerce losing active, young employees, and the churches reflecting their communities’ suffering, hidden pain and silence.

There have also been many articles and books written about responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and many uplifting examples of the Church rising up in the midst of the pain. Home-based care programmes are voluntarily supported, sermons have been preached, retreats prepared and Bible studies shared to help to publicise the situation and to prevent infection, as well as to encourage care of those affected and infected. Teaching in one group of churches in Southern Africa has led to the creation of “Teams of Life”, working primarily within the churches’ youth, children’s, women’s and men’s groups, with theatre, music, games and teaching. These teams are learning humour and humility, or passion and perseverance, or energy and hard work, or patience and calm. Many of those in the teams are being changed by their compassion, and are opening spaces for the churches to respond to the suffering around HIV/AIDS.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is well known, a wonderful story to re-enact with Sunday Schools and children’s groups. It brings the clear message at the heart of the Gospel about living with compassion for others, whoever they are. The story is Jesus’ response to two religious questions asked by the lawyer: How can a person inherit eternal life? Who is my neighbour? It seems that the lawyer had just heard Jesus’ teaching on mission and that the questions are testing Jesus’ response about the role of God’s law in the salvation preached by missionaries. Jesus’ responses show that the law is valid, and that the doing of the law leads to life, the fullness of life, which has its source in eternal life.

But a deeper understanding of the practice of the law is reached through the parable of the Good Samaritan. Here was someone outside God’s chosen people, the people in relationship with the promise-making and promise-keeping God of Creation, living out the truth of the law. The fulfilment of the law, as Jesus taught, is love, and in this parable Jesus shows by the conduct of an outsider how we are to live out the law in our lives and mission. Don’t ask to whom I should show the love of God – show love. Don’t ask what activity I should do – do love. Don’t ask whether the time and place are right – live love. When our religion is motivated by love, when we make it possible for others to know love, we are fulfilling the law. And those who do the law will receive life, the life that is God’s to share with those who love. This is what it means to observe God’s law. Breaking open the attitude that mission is for the special few, opening the minds of our church members to the needs around them, seeing all those we know as “neighbours” in need of even just a word or a smile – all these are steps towards changing the world. All Christians are missionaries – whatever their age, abilities, wealth, race, gender. And the mission field is where we find ourselves – even within our churches. Mission is crossing boundaries, whether they be ones created by culture and language in far-flung places, or boundaries caused by lack of understanding, pain, sickness and loneliness in those who sit next to us in our pews. Mission is reaching out with God’s love, saying “Yes” to life in everyone and in creation. Mission is doing what God intends us to do in the world and through Christ’s Body, the Church.

As we get involved with the lives around us, begin to give of ourselves where there is a need, we lay down the focus on ourselves, and find new expression in living out the love and life we know with God. This is fulfilling God’s law. That this engagement may change us might only be seen by others, but we all can know life as God’s gift for our world, our neighbourhoods, our families, our social circles, our churches. Being followers of the one who gives us both the law and the life makes us mission partners with God. Let’s go!

FROM THE VICAR
This month we will be marking the feast days of St Thomas and St James in St Jude’s Church. There are also a number of lesser saints, confessors and martyrs in the calendar. Notable amongst these is Thomas More.

Two aspects of his story have a remarkably modern ring about them. He was a knight of the realm, making him Saint Sir Thomas More. Since this honour came from Henry VIII who ultimately had him executed, at the end he had to live in the strange twilight world of being both honoured and condemned, on a matter of faith. This has some similarities with the row we have heard this past month about a knighthood. Thomas More was also a leader of the nation as the Lord Chancellor. While still a leader, he found he had to wrestle with his conscience about where the allegiance of his faith lay and he lost his life because he could not compromise on that allegiance.

There has been some talk that the out-going prime minister is considering making a declaration of allegiance once he has left office. (There is no concrete evidence of this. It might just be the chattering classes at work.) True or not, these examples are a challenge to us also. What price honour? What price allegiance? What is the bottom line of our faith? What is non-negotiable? Hearing of the journey of faith of others calls us to ask ourselves fundamental questions.
Mark Ewbank

NEWS IN BRIEF
Congratulations to Guy and Louise Bunce and all those who helped them in putting on such a fantastic concert on Saturday 23rd June in Royal Holloway Chapel. With the sale of CDs made of the occasion, the total raised will be over £1000 for St Jude’s Church.

DIOCESAN PRAYER CYCLE
After many years in its old form of a twice yearly booklet, there is now a change in the way that the Diocesan Prayer Cycle will work. It will be produced monthly and will therefore be more up to date. It is available either by registering for an email copy or by logging on to the Diocesan website (www.cofeguildford.org.uk). Look under Prayer & Worship, Calendar of Prayer and download the .pdf file.

STUDY GROUP
Did you know that there is one study group which meets regularly throughout the year and not just during Lent?

This is run by Geoff and Jenny Chew and it meets on the first and third Sunday evening each month. It is normally at The Mount, Malt Hill, Egham (almost opposite Middle Hill where it joins the A30). Please telephone Jenny on 435664 for more details.

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.

METHODIST HOLY COMMUNION
Please note that on Sunday 15th July, the 9.30am service will be a Methodist Holy Communion and will be conducted by Linda Ashford, Methodist Lay Pastor. The 8.00am service will be a said Holy Communion according to Common Worship as usual.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Baptism:
(27th May) Alaina Howard; (10th June) Thomas Peppin; (17th June) Philip Howley; (24th June) Phoebe Merritt, Jessica Davies

Funeral:
(13th June) Albert Sleep

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

KATHLEEN CHATFIELD
Those of you who remember of our congregation, Kathleen Chatfield, might like to attend a little commemorative tea party with a few recollections of her, near the time of her birthday and first anniversary of her death.

This will take place at Val Ward's house, 29 Alderside Walk, on Thursday 2nd August from 4.30pm to about 6.30pm. If you wish to attend, please let Val know and lifts can be arranged. If you wish to do so, you are invited to bring along something that reminds you of Chatty, or a reading or a prayer etc.

This may possibly be followed by the deposition of her ashes at the Friends Meeting House in Egham, which Chatty also attended regularly.( Val's tel : 01784 436541 )

SUMMER FAIR
The Summer Fair will take place around St Jude’s Church on Saturday 14th July from 1.30–4.30pm. Tickets for the Grand Draw will be available soon in Church. Offers to help on stalls or even to run a different stall would be very welcome. Please contact the Churchwardens.

TABLE TOP SALE
This will take place on Saturday 8th September outside St Jude’s Church from 2.00–4.30pm. (setup from 1.00pm). Tables are limited and will cost £7.50. Apply to tabletop@stjudeschurch.info or leave a message on 01784 434254.

COFFEE MORNINGS
There will be a Coffee Morning on Saturday 7th July from 10.00am–12noon in Englefield Green Methodist Church porch.
All welcome.

CONCERT
There will be a Concert in aid of Amnesty International in The United Church of Egham on July 7th 2007, 6pm. It will feature Music for Wood Winds and Strings with the Schack family, Jackie Ratcliff, cello, Emma Adlard, oboe, Valerie Ward, piano. There will be retiring donations and campaign materials for Amnesty International, Campaign Against Arm Trade and Peace Direct at the door. This will be followed by a Social Evening at Dorothee and Ruediger's, 27 Spring Avenue, Egham. Please bring drinks and food.

CALENDAR FOR JULY 2007

Back to 2007

Back to Newsletters