April 2008

Vicar's Letter | Shepherd and Gatekeeper| Counselling Course | Coffee Morning | Annual Meetings | Crusaders

Carbon Fast | From the Registers | Suggestion | Bishopsgate W.I. | Calendar

From the Vicar

Easter this year was not only very early but also brought with it some remarkably unseasonal weather. I have heard of dreaming of a white Christmas…but never a white Easter. Happily the snow did not settle. It was spectacular while it fell (and very cold) but it was gone in a few hours.

Perhaps in that there is a parable of the season. We have been through the cold wilderness of Lent when we are taught to strengthen ourselves through the discipline of prayer, the study of the Bible and honest self-examination in the presence of God. Now the snow has gone and we can see again the daffodils and snowdrops brightening up the garden. So too with the Risen Christ our spirits rise with hope renewed that God’s promise of forgiveness and resurrection will be fulfilled in our lives as we continue the journey that leads into his kingdom, with the prayer that our example may draw others with us.

Mark Ewbank

Shepherd and Gatekeeper
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Ten per cent of the working population in the UK are migrant workers. Many come from former Eastern bloc countries like Poland and they come to seek better conditions and a more realistic rate of pay. They take on jobs, which are difficult to fill because those jobs are dirty, cold, and sometimes dangerous, as the scandal of the cockle pickers who drowned while working in unsafe conditions in Morecambe Bay in 2004 showed. And migrant workers are sometimes abused, receiving a very low rate of pay from which a large percentage is taken to pay for accommodation, even though that accommodation may be in appalling conditions.

Since they have no claim on any UK support system, it is little wonder that migrant workers occasionally resort to theft or break out into fights. Migrant workers have a bad press and are often despised and ostracised by some UK residents.

In first-century Palestine, shepherds had just such a press, especially if they were hired hands. Flocks were only allowed to be kept in the wilderness because any sheep that were found between Jerusalem and Bethlehem were considered to be a possible sacrificial victim. So shepherds spent their lives in the wilderness scratching for food for their sheep and facing the danger of wild beasts.

Consequently, those who were poorly paid hired hands tended to lead their flocks onto other people’s land and had a reputation for pilfering. Because they often worked for months at a time without supervision, they were frequently accused of stealing from the flock. The pious were warned not to buy wool, milk, or kids from shepherds, on the assumption that it was stolen property. Shepherds were not allowed to participate in the judicial system, not even as witnesses. Polite society considered that there was no more disreputable occupation than that of a shepherd; and Philo, a Jewish philosopher of the day, wrote about shepherds, “Such pursuits are held mean and inglorious.” So when we call Jesus “the Good Shepherd”, we may be saying something much more revolutionary than we realise.

In the Gospel Jesus refers to himself as something even lowlier than a shepherd: the door of the sheepfold. But in the ancient Middle East the door to the sheepfold was provided by the shepherd himself, who would lie across the open entrance at night, in order to keep the sheep in and wild beasts out. This entrance was the only legitimate way into the sheepfold, since any other entry involved climbing over the wall, a route taken by thieves.

Having thus referred to himself as a caring shepherd and therefore the one whom the sheep rightly trust to keep them safe and lead them to good pasture, Jesus tosses a final insult towards the religious leaders of the day. He implies that they were nothing more than hired hands, by asserting that all who came before him were thieves and bandits caring nothing for the sheep. Therefore, said Jesus, the sheep failed to listen to these religious leaders. But Jesus affirms that the sheep instantly recognise him, hear his voice and identify him as their shepherd.

By acting as the gatekeeper, Jesus both encourages his sheep into the sheepfold when necessary, but also leads them out to roam freely in the pasture. If the Church is the sheepfold, then perhaps we need to remember that its purpose is as a shelter to which we return to rest and recover. Our shepherd, Jesus, cares for us and keeps us safe from harm. But most of the time, he encourages us out into the world beyond, where we are to roam freely. And it is interesting that the sheep are mostly nourished not in the fold, but outside the fold. The sheep need to go out to find their own sustenance and, since the pasture outside the sheepfold is a wilderness, that may not be an easy task.

So our place is to rest and relax here in church knowing that we are kept safe by Jesus, but then to go out into the world. Fortunately, we have a good shepherd. Jesus will guide us out to the places where we need to be and will gather us back into the fold, keeping us safe. If we hear his voice and go out and come back in through him, we will find our nourishment in the most unexpected places. And when that happens, then all of us, migrant workers included, begin to experience life as God intended.

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10 WEEK COUNSELLING COURSE - April 2008
The counselling group is an environment where you can discover more about yourself and explore issues with other people. You can make new friends and connections and benefit from the experience of sharing your thoughts and feelings within a secure group setting.

The group starts on 23rd April 2008 on Wednesday evenings for 2 hours and will run with 6–10 people for 10 weeks, costing £5–10 per evening depending on income.

Who can join?
The group is open to women and men from any faith or culture. Single, married, divorced, hetero- or homosexual, whatever your status and age, you will benefit from the group if you have the curiosity and the courage to discover more about yourself. You need a willingness to listen to others and to give and receive feedback in the aim of obtaining greater self-awareness and insights into beliefs, habitual roles and patterns which may be hindering you from leading a rewarding life.

The group can support you if you have issues with relationships, loneliness, anger, addiction, depression or simply want to discover yourself.

How to join
If you are interested in joining the group, please call Brigitte Jeffries on 01784 740402 in order to arrange a free meeting to discuss the group and find out more. This will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions which may help you decide if you would like to join. If you decide the group is right for you, you will be asked to pay a deposit of three weeks (minimum £15) to secure your place.

Brigitte Jeffries
Brigitte is a qualified counsellor working with both individuals and groups. She has attended workshops and sat in groups for a number of years in which she made experiences that have lead her to believe in the uniqueness and healing power of a group. Brigitte has trained in counselling for 3 years at the Gestalt Centre London where she successfully completed the Diploma in counselling. She is also working as a public relations manager within the IT industry so has personal experience of the challenges and pressures of the commercial and corporate sectors.

Location
The group takes place in the Methodist Church in Victoria Street.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality and trust is an important aspect of therapy. Clients may share difficult feelings and thoughts and in doing so can expect that any details about their personal identity will remain confidential.

COFFEE MORNING
There will be a Coffee Morning in the porch of the Methodist Church in Victoria Street on Saturday 5th April from 10.00am.

ANNUAL MEETINGS
The Annual Vestry Meeting (where the Churchwardens are elected) and The Annual Parochial Church Meeting will take place at approximately 11.00am (after the 9.30am service) on Sunday 27th April. The Annual Report and Accounts will be presented and two members of the Deanery Synod and several members of the Church Council will need to be elected this year and changes may be made to the Electoral Roll. It is also an opportunity to say thank you to all those who do so much for St Jude’s Church throughout the year.

CRUSADERS
Life would be made easier for those who help at Crusaders if some one would offer to be their Treasurer. It really is not an arduous job but nonetheless needs to be done. Please contact Andrew (436576) or Rita (433560) if you would like to help.

CARBON FAST
A suggestion from TEAR Times is a carbon fast. You are invited to join a time of carbon fast as a wake-up call to consumption and an opportunity to think about the way our lifestyle impacts on poeple living in poverty. It could be composting, re-using envelopes, lowering temperatures. Rita has booklets (433560).

NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS!
Another suggestion from TEAR Times is all year round presents, Living Gifts. For instance, £9 provides a mid-day meal for 144 slum children at a pre-school in India and of course there are many possibilities. Please telephone 0845 241 7782 or there is a website - www.livinggifts.org.uk

BISHOPSGATE W.I.
Bishopsgate Women's Institute is holding a Coffee Morning and Spring Fair on Thursday 10th April from 10.00-11.30am at the Jurgens Centre in Harvest Road. Stalls include Handicrafts, Cakes, Books, Plants, Bric-a-Brac and a Raffle. All are welcome.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Holy Baptism:
(9th March) Edward Chapman.

Confirmation:
(22nd March at Guildford Cathedral) Rachel Brooking.

Thanksgiving for Marriage:
(15th March) John and Carol Evans.

Funerals:
(28th February) Rose Margaret Shaw; (4th March) Patricia Ann Tait; (12th) Claude Roy Turner; (18th) Joan Wintrip; (20th) Gladys Trumper.

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CALENDAR FOR APRIL 2008

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