They say that in his first year a new Vicar can do no wrong in the eyes of his people and that in the second year he can do nothing right in their eyes. I suspect the first half is untrue, and I am hoping that the second is, too, for my second year here is about to begin!
I had not been here long when I began discussing with the PCC the direction we should be taking, and much of what I suggested in those first few weeks has been begun, notably the emphasis on children's work and the adjustments to Sunday worship to accommodate the children. We are also embarking now on the stewardship and funding programme to try to put behind us the financial difficulties which impede almost everything we try to do. All being well we should be able to start 1999 in confidence, with a growing congregation and sound financial and human resources which will see our mission and ministry expand into the next century as we serve the community in Christ's name.
But the "nuts and bolts" things the PCC organises on behalf of the parish church are simply the earthly part of the resources we need to carry on Christ's work. Even more important is the base of prayer which underlies all that we do, and the continuing round of worship we offer to God. The strengthening of these vital aspects of our Christian life needs to occupy our minds at least as much as the more physical matters. As far as worship is concerned, the orders of service we use at the Thursday morning and Sunday 10am services will lose their authorisation at the end of next year, so perhaps we should take this opportunity to think about all of our worship and how we wish to organise it, so that if we think some further change would be good, we can do it all at once.
As with most churches, I am sure that our prayer could be improved, both personal and corporate, and to this we must also attend. I am glad to see that we now have a second prayer group which meets in the evenings once a month, and I am sure that there is more which can be done so that each of us can move closer to God and that the Christian fellowship here can be deepened. May I suggest that a start can be made in this direction by paying attention to the note in the Rite A Holy Communion order that careful devotional preparation is recommended for each communicant? Silent reflection either before leaving home or on arrival in church, or both, will help us to draw away slightly from the bustle which distracts us from our relationship with God.
Please note that owing to holidays etc., there will be no celebration of the Holy Communion on Thursday mornings in August, or on Sundays at 8am. The Sunday 10am sung Eucharist will continue as normal, and Evening Prayer will be said at 6pm on most Sundays. The weekly notices will continue to be published, giving the readings and information needed for the month.
It is proposed to re-instate the creche for younger children and babies at the Sunday morning Eucharist. Offers of help are requested to form a rota to look after some of the younger members of our congregation.
Please contact Margaret Merchant (346727) for further details
2nd August: 8th after Trinity (With Holy Baptism)
10am: Colossians 3: 1-11; Luke 12: 13-21
9th August: 9th after Trinity
10am: Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16; Luke 12: 32-40
16th August: 10th after Trinity
10am: Hebrews 11: 29 - 12: 2; Luke 12: 49-56
23rd August: 11th after Trinity
10am: Hebrews 12: 18-29; Luke 13: 10-17
30th August: 12th after Trinity (With Holy Baptism)
10am: Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16; Luke 14: 1, 7-14
6th September: 13th after Trinity
10am: Philemon: 1-21; Luke 14: 25-33
6pm: Jonah 3: 10 - 4: 11; Revelation 8: 1-5
The steering group which has been planning our stewardship and funding campaign has now expanded and is moving forward plans for a campaign this autumn, expertly assisted and guided by Mr Keith Bourne, diocesan parish resource development adviser.
The Funding Programme will be launched at the Harvest Festival Eucharist, to be held this year on 11th October. During the following few weeks invitations will be sent a wide range of people connected with the Priory Church inviting them to social events at which the principles of parish funding will be explained. Leaflets will give more detail and invite everyone to respond as they think appropriate, and volunteers will visit to collect the responses after the events. The steering group will soon be asking for volunteers to help with the social events and to collect responses: full information will be given nearer the time. Meanwhile, please pray for the group and for Keith, and especially for God's guidance on all that we do in his Name.
Would Ray Bates please contact Jim Haw on 342441 where a Bottle of Wine awaits him as a prize in the 'Tin Tumble' at the Rose and Sweet Pea Show.
This is the second of two parts of extracts that the Priory News is publishing from the Bishop of Lincoln's address to a conference considering the new Cathedrals Measure which was approved by General Synod in February:
Well, so much for vision and aspiration, but what does this mean in real terms, and how does this new Cathedrals Measure help? Let me again focus on four particular points:
Please remember this work in your prayers and pray for the Cathedral in its ministry to the Diocese, the County and the wider world.
Spaces are available on the rota for providing altar flowers - if you would like to participate in this offering (either by arranging flowers personally or providing them for others to arrange) please do have a word with Joan Dyke.
If you are unable to do flowers on your allocated week, it would be appreciated if you could let Joan know so that alternative arrangements can be made.
Whether we like it or not, change is on its way in the services of our Church, as "Common Worship" replaces the ASB in a couple of years' time. I have already written to the clergy about this, but all of us need to prepare ourselves for what will take place, and use the Opportunity to think through our worship and liturgy. Few of us, I suspect, really work hard at this, and the summer period, when many of us worship in an unfamiliar church, can help us pause and reflect on what we're about in our worship and service of God.
When Christians gather to worship, something of God is communicated. What we receive is the Church's picture of God, or, more accurately, a series of pictures of God. Because we are a religion of "the word," our liturgy presents us with pictures or Stories that reveal the God in whom we believe. So we're right to care deeply about the words we use, for the kind of words with which we worship indicate a lot about the nature of the God in whom we believe. Those who fight to ensure that the language they use to address God in worship is as near the language of the "man in the Street" as possible, are giving a different picture of God from those who are happy to worship him in language far removed from that of every day. Those for whom the beauty and the poetry of language is a matter of first order have a different picture of God from those whose primary interest is in its easy accessibility.
But language is only half the story, for Liturgy involves all the senses and the whole human being is engaged. Worship is about action and gesture, about touch and symbol. Long experience has taught us that actions speak louder than words. The Church understands this, and so communicates God in sacramental form - supremely in the water of baptism, and the bread and wine of the eucharist - but also through the little gestures of worship that speak of friendship, community, prayerfulness and blessing. We live in an age where many are confused by symbol, but notice how any human tragedy from a road accident to a sudden death produces its bunches of flowers and collection of candles. The language of symbol is not as alien to our culture as many might think..
Yet worship is also song and silence, and that brings us up against the mystery of God, his otherness and inaccessibility, as well as a majesty and wonder that draws us on and stirs our heart. We dare to stand in God's presence, yet are also brought to our knees. The disinterested who stumble into worship may be puzzled, bored, fascinated, touched or even swept off their feet. But only when there is the beginnings of relationship will there be the kind of communication of God's nature that can turn into communion. It is in that communion that God reveals as much of himself as we can receive.
This is only an extract from some of our magazine. Residents of Deeping St James can subscribe to the printed version.