March 2009

Lent | From the Vicar | 150th Anniversary | Pictorial Exhibition | The Revd James Rattue

Knit and Natter | Lent Groups | Methodist building | Book Stall | From the Registers | Calendar

Women's World Day of Prayer

Lent

"For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?" (Mark 8:36)

In the first chapter of Mark's Gospel, Jesus was baptised by John and a voice from heaven, the voice of God, declared that Jesus was "my Son, the Beloved". After this act of commitment and affirmation Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness to work out the implications of his revealed identity and how to live out that identity in accordance with God's will. Mark doesn't go into details of the temptations Jesus faces, but from Matthew and Luke we get an idea of what they were: the temptation to be a Messiah of miracles and dramatic signs; to perform superhuman feats to prove that God will protect him and to take for himself kingship and power over all the known world. Jesus deals with each of these temptations in turn and holds steadfastly to his commitment to do things God's way and not his own.

Then in Chapter 8 we see a similar pattern of events, this time involving the disciples of Jesus, especially Peter. Peter has just made his memorable declaration that Jesus is the Messiah. His voice echoes the voice of God claiming Jesus as his Son, the Beloved.

Jesus now tries to teach the disciples what he understands the role of the Messiah to be: a painful understanding reached through hardship in the wilderness and a great personal struggle with temptation.

Peter has not gone through this process as Jesus has. For him, and the others, it is still quite inconceivable that God's Anointed One should suffer and die; it goes against everything they have always believed about the Messiah. Even after all these centuries, it is no easier for us to understand the strange form that God's victory takes. Now Peter's voice echoes the voice of the tempter in the wilderness. Jesus once again hears that voice disguised in the voice of a friend which is perhaps much more difficult to resist.

Once again, Jesus turns on the one he calls Satan, who is using Peter to undermine his integrity and strength of purpose. Once again, Jesus insists that it is the things of God, the divine things, that must come first, not self-interest and worldly concerns. Then Jesus has to explain to his disciples, and to us, what it will cost to follow him and to try to live like him. He says, "If any want to become my followers let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me." Especially in Lent we perhaps tend to think that "denying ourselves" is something to do with giving up things we enjoy, be it wine, chocolates, music, dancing or television. Or we might even think of it as some kind of punishment for our sins.

But perhaps there's a different way of understanding it. We don't know what form "Satan" took when Jesus was in the wilderness, but it clearly was something Jesus recognised as being in opposition to God. In the Gospel it's the voice of Peter that tries to pull Jesus away from his intended path.

Now Jesus is saying to those around him, and to us, that if we're serious about following him we are going to have to resist our own inner voice which tries to distract us. And that won't be easy. Our own inner demons know only too well where our particular weaknesses lie and they may have nothing to do with chocolate, wine or time-wasting.

Perhaps our weaknesses lie in enjoying gossip, hearing and passing on rumours; making judgements without knowing the whole story; reacting with impatience when we're inconvenienced in some way or breaking rules for our own advantage. We each have our very own temptations and failures and these are what we need to deny ourselves; the things we need to recognise and bring to God asking for forgiveness, healing and the grace to begin again.

Jesus' message is that having everything we want and having everything going our way is worthless if in achieving that we have sacrificed our integrity, our honesty and our identity as God's beloved child in whom he is well pleased.

Similarly the message is that even if our lives in worldly terms seem lacking in achievement, possessions, or status, if we still have our integrity, are being our true selves and following what we believe to be God's will for us, then we have a life caught up in divinity and in the eternal kingdom of God.

FROM THE VICAR
St Jude's Church celebrates its 150th anniversary or sesquicentenary this year, having been part of the village a bit longer than the college. Its plain exterior, reminiscent of dour, northern stone churches belies the richness of the brickwork inside, bequeathed to it by the architect Buckton Lamb, despite some unfavourable early comments. It reminded me of Keble College, Oxford, when I first saw it. From small beginnings as something of a mortuary chapel for the new cemetery, St Jude's has filled out with glass, decoration and fittings that counter other comments that it was not painted a la mode, to become a parish church in its own right that fits well into the spectrum of local churches so that people in the area can find a range of spirituality being lived out locally.

In its anniversary year, the church is holding a series of events to celebrate the occasion and the past life of the village. Towards the end of last year, a special calendar was printed. There are still anniversary coffee mugs available. There is an exhibition, mostly of photographs, in the church remembering early benefactors and records. A programme of free concerts in the church has started and will continue through the year, with a range of musicians performing. Later in the year, there will be a flower festival. On St Jude's Day, 28th October, there will be a special service when the Bishop visits us. We hope villagers and visitors will feel free to come into the church, particularly on Saturday afternoons when it is regularly open between 2 and 4, to look around because it is there for everybody and is intended to celebrate village and church alike, as they have grown over the years. And our hope and prayer is that what was true of the past will be true of the future: that St Jude's will continue to be a focal point for the life of the village, with God at its centre.

Mark Ewbank

THE REVD JAMES RATTUE
The Revd James Rattue's last service with us in St Jude's Church was on Sunday 8th February. We are very grateful to all of you who gave so generously to enable us to present him with a cheque for £930 as a leaving gift. And, of course, we are very grateful to James who looked after so well while Mark, our Vicar, was away from the parish.

BOOK STALL
For two Sundays, 1st March and 8th March, Cassandra Gouriet and Pat Craik will be having a book stall in Church. There will be a variety of new best selling Christian books for adults and children.

WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The services this year will be held on Friday 6th March at 2.00pm in the Church of the Assumption, Harvest Road and at 8.00pm in the United Church in Egham.

This year the service has been prepared by the Christian Women of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea comprises 600 islands, has an area of 178,700 sq miles (UK has 70,600) and a population of 5.8 million (UK 61 million). It is estimated that PNG has more than 1000 cultural groups and over 800 spoken languages. 96% of the population are Christian.

The Women's World Day of Prayer gives us all a chance to learn something of these people and their faith. All are welcome at these services - men and women!

LENT GROUPS
There will be no Lent Groups this year due to the length of the Alpha course. People are very welcome to attend this course on Tuesdays at 7.00pm at St Jude's School in Bagshot Road.

150th ANNIVERSARY
On 28th October 2009, St Jude's Church will be 150 years old. To celebrate this anniversary throughout 2009, there will be regular events of many kinds. The celebrations have been launched with a special calendar featuring some spectacular photographs of places of significance in and around Englefield Green. These calendars which will make excellent Christmas presents for family and friends, are available for you buy at £6 each from the Church. We now also have celebration mugs on sale.

Details of the concerts recitals may be found on a link from the home page.

PICTORIAL EXHIBITIONS
As from Saturday 31st January, there will be pictorial exhibitions at St Jude's on Saturday afternoons, with reproductions of documents and historic images illustrating events and personalities in the life of the church and the parish over the past 150 years. These will change from time to time during the year. Some of them may need the help of the public in identifying people shown in them, so we hope for your contributions!

KNIT AND NATTER
The group meets at Church on Saturdays between 2 and 4 pm and is going from strength to strength.

Since January 2006 they have sent nearly 300 blankets, knitted and crocheted, over 1000 jumpers, 570 hats and scarves and more than 700 teddies to various charities via a collection point in Guildford. The main distributing charities are "Mustard Seed" and "Teddies for Tragedies" and the contributions are going to Eastern Europe and The Ukraine where many orphanages and hospitals have little or no heating. World-wide destinations include India, South America and many regions of Africa. The need is immense.

This wonderful work is made possible by the unfailing support of all the friends who come on Saturdays to bring their contributions, knit and chat and supply tea for visitors to the church. Anyone who is interested to join would be most welcome - enquiries Di 473404 or knitandnatter@stjudeschurch.info. Even if you don't knit, help with sewing up blankets and teddies is needed..

The group add a plea for donations to keep up the stocks of wool as they supply to our enthusiastic knitters with approximately 15 x 100 gm balls every week!

METHODIST BUILDING
Please note that the Methodist Church in Victoria Street is now called The Village Centre.

FROM THE REGISTERS

Holy Baptism:
8th February) Rachel and Leo Barker.

Holy Matrimony:
(6th February) Elaine Barrett and Daryl Wake.

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CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2009

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