March 2008

Vicar's Letter | Leading up to Easter | Congratulations | Coffee Morning | Annual Meetings | Methodist Eucharist

Stay and Play | From the Registers | Evensong | Women's World Day of Prayer | Calendar

From the Vicar

The row about the Archbishop of Canterbury and Sharia Law seems to have blown up and blown out very quickly this month. However, I suspect it has left an unpleasant aftertaste. The standing ovation given to the Archbishop at the General Synod was not audible at parish level. Not least because the Archbishop acknowledged his 'unclarity' and yet I cannot find this word in any manual or online dictionary. Does it mean anything? Which brings us to a central issue. Since the initial furore, I have seen the full text of what he said and heard the opinions of some erudite people. None of them is entirely clear what he meant. So he was open to interpretation and we all know the message that went out: Sharia Law in all its forms is inevitably coming to Britain. It is hardly surprising that it was not well received, particularly coming from the Archbishop. If this sorry business told us nothing else, it is that the public leaders of the church are not free to float abstruse theses for general discussion. That is better done in university common rooms. And the post hoc justifications have not helped. The less said the better, really.

But it is an ill wind that blows no good, for it gives us our Lenten penance for this year. It is not one that we planned in advance, like a new year's resolution, but one that comes uninvited. It is to bear with our fellows in faith, near and far, even when we seriously disagree with them, as we bear with difficult members of our own congregation. We are also reminded that we ourselves do not always get it right and on those occasions we look to our fellow believers for a bit of charity, and, as we expect to receive, so should we give.

Mark Ewbank

Leading up to Easter
“This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” (Matthew 27:37b)

On 16th May 2000, some 40,000 people gathered in Birmingham in England to call upon the leaders of the G8 summit to cancel the crippling debts of the world’s poorest countries. It was one of the initiatives of the Jubilee 2000 campaign. At a particular time it had been arranged that everyone should hold hands to make a circle round Birmingham and make as much noise as possible for two minutes.

A woman joined in with her whole heart, clasping the hands of those next to her and shouting at the top of her voice. When the two minutes were up, she turned to her neighbour and asked, “Can you tell me what this is all about, please?” She had no idea – she had been in Birmingham shopping that afternoon and just found herself joining in. There must have been others like her in that six-mile circle of protesters.

There must have been even more like her in the crowds making a lot of noise on that first Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. People shouting at the tops of their voices, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Jesus’ journey was a significant one because it directly fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy. There had been signs all the time that Jesus was the Messiah, but this was more than a sign. Those who knew their scriptures knew that the king, of David’s line, would ride into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

And so it happened, exactly as the scriptures foretold. And the crowd went wild, following Jesus, following each other, shouting and chanting in praise. But there was confusion too – when they reached the city, people started asking, “Who on earth is this? What’s going on?”

We might wonder what was in Jesus’ heart as he rode along on the donkey. He knew the shallowness of much of the praise. He understood that many of the people who were proclaiming him king in fact just happened to be there that day, and were caught up in the crowd, like that woman in Birmingham. And he knew that this ride of triumph was in fact a ride towards his death, and that this same crowd who praised him would in a few days’ time be shouting for his crucifixion, with just the same ignorance and lack of understanding.

The majesty and triumph of the moment were laced for him with fear and sadness at the pain towards which he was journeying. Perhaps at one level he fervently wished that things could be different, for he was human; and humans usually try to avoid pain, not to walk into it.

But there was no turning back. And even if there had been a way out, Jesus would not have taken it. His mind was set on what was ahead, for he was motivated by love. And while, in this week of all weeks, we need to remember his pain and his suffering, we must not lose sight of the reason for it. When Jesus looked round at all those people shouting his praise, he loved them. Every single one of them. Even the ones who hated him.

Love was the reason why he was willing to walk into the hands of those who despised and misunderstood him so much that they wanted to murder him. Love was the reason why there was no turning back for Jesus.

Everybody failed Jesus; even the ones who loved him the most. His disciples fell away, even denied that they knew him. His family did not understand him. His community disowned him and the authorities killed him. Despite all that, Jesus went on loving. As St Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13, “Love never ends. It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Because of such love, the people who had failed Jesus were given new beginnings, and hopes that had died would be rekindled.

When Jesus looks around at everyone on this earth, he loves us all, whatever our colour or creed. In all our confusion, in all our weakness and hypocrisy – he loves us. Even as we continue to cause him untold suffering with our selfish pursuit of material wealth, which may even be threatening the planet itself – he loves us.

Let us take hold of Christ’s love in the period leading up to Easter, and let it take root in our hearts, so that as we follow Christ’s journey to the cross we may experience his true resurrection when we celebrate Easter.

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CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Colin and Jane Belson who celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the end of the month.

COFFEE MORNING
There will be a Coffee Morning in the porch of the Methodist Church in Victoria Street on Saturday 1st March from 10.00am. This is in aid of Urban Saints (Crusaders) and there will be cakes, books, bric-a-brac, etc. Offers of help in advance, and many customers on the day, will be welcome.

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. Members of the Deanery Synod will need to elected this year and changes may be made to the Electoral Roll.

METHODIST EUCHARIST
Please note that on Sunday 30th March, 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 service according to Common Worship as usual.

STAY AND PLAY
Stay and Play for babies, toddlers and their carers is on Tuesdays from 10.00am –12.00noon. A volunteer to do refreshments on Tuesday is greatly needed.

The Childminders' group has moved its day from Thursday to Monday, also 10.00am–12.00noon. These groups meet in the Methodist hall.

FROM THE REGISTERS
Weddings: (2nd February) Colin Revie and Emily Louise Harben; (16th) Stephen Anthony Elliott and Birgit Maria Tomisch.

Funerals: (6th February) Betty Church; (12th February) Angela Smith.

EVENSONG
There is a service of Evensong according to the Book of Common Prayer in St Jude’s Church at 6.30pm on the second Sunday of each month. In March this will be the 9th. Although Evensong in larger establishments with big choirs can leave the congregation with little to do except listen, here in Englefield Green we have three or even four hymns and the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis to sing as well as join in with the said passages. The congregation is small but regular and it would be so good if more people came along to ensure that this old traditional service can continue to be conducted in our Church.

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The Women's World Day of Prayer is on Friday 7th March.

In St Jude's Church, there will be a service at 2.00pm. The preacher will be the Revd Sally Rogers, Anglican Chaplain from Royal Holloway. The service, prepared by Christian Women of Guyana, will last about an hour and will be followed by tea and cakes. Men, women and children are welcome. Please come and bring as many friends as possible.

Services will also be held at Christ Church, Virginia Water at 2.00pm (preacher the Revd Judith Allford) and at St John's Parish Church, Egham at 8pm (preacher Mrs Margaret Willis).

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CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2008

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