Dearest friendsAs I write this, the sun is beautifully bright and it feels warm ... as I look out on my back garden, the rhyme "Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where my garden is" feels very appropriate!There are so many signs of spring, hope, light and beauty around us. If you walk along the path next to the church hall, you will see a wonderful Spring garden has been developed, and even in those places that just a couple of weeks ago may have looked a bit forlorn, the determination of the Spring bulbs has resulted in pockets of colour and fragrance.I don't know about you but I need this reminder of hope breaking through. The outpouring of love and generosity towards those seeking safe haven from the Ukraine feels like a sign of God at work through his people, which couldn't contrast more with the violence and destruction reigning over the country of Ukraine. Many people are asking what they can do to help. Various pieces of advice are coming in from the national church, and from our own Bishop Viv, and we will aim to send the latest information out in Monday's email. There is the "heart" response, of course, but this needs to be tempered with the head, "wise" response of what is the best and most appropriate each of us can offer. Our Gospel passage this week reminds us that we are not helpless, so I hope you will join me in continuing to pray about how to respond, as well as the ceaseless praying for Jesus, Prince of Peace, to be known.I also need to be reminded of hope when numbers of those infected with Covid remain high. It is almost more unusual now to hear of people who don't know someone with the virus. I'm thankful that hospital admissions remain low, but that doesn't diminish the impact for those who are experiencing anything from exhaustion and flu like symptoms, to a slight cold, to being symptom free but inconvenienced by having to self isolate. It is not easy.As a church we have not escaped the impact this weekend, which means our 10.30am service is not a Eucharist this week, and instead will be a service of Morning Prayer with hymns led by Chris Dursley and Steve Purnell. I'm so thankful that they have been able to step in at short notice, and I hope that you will support them in what is likely to be a beautiful service. For those who would like to receive communion, we will have our usual 8.30am traditional Eucharist service.So I continue to pray for you all, as well as the 7500 souls that live, work and rest in this wonderful parish. I pray each of us can reflect something of God's light, love, and hope, in the coming days.With every blessing Becky
For anyone who would like Holy Communion, you are all welcome to our 8.30am service, and at 10.30am we will have Morning Prayer with hymns. We look forward to seeing you there.<br>
Dear friendsAs another week draws to a close, and another weekend arrives, with it's promise of gathering together to worship on Sunday morning, I wonder how you are feeling about the circumstances we are living in? Close to home, covid cases continue to rise, and only a short distance away, war continues in the Ukraine. It can feel overwhelming, and I have to confess to limiting my tuning into the news coverage. We might also feel helpless in our ability to respond, either because we don't feel there is anything we can, or because our capacity to respond, alongside all the other things going on in the world, in our country, even in our own lives or those of our friends and family, feels limited.The initial invitation to respond by donating to the DEC humanitarian appeal last week resulted in almost £300 cash donations through church services and other sources, and I know some of you have made your own donations online. Thank you. Our contribution to the fund that is helping those who most need it, on the ground, can make a difference.Our ability to pray is also a mighty weapon, for peace keeping and peace makers, for limitless compassion, for resilience and capacity for those who can help practically. But as we acknowledged in Morning Prayer this morning, sometimes there are no words, and our pray is simply a sigh - please God, be God. And of course, as we pray, prayer changes us. For if we pray that God will reveal to us the world as He sees it, and people as He sees them, even for the revelation of what our prayer should be, we may discover there is something we can do, in the way we live our lives, in the way we speak to and about others, in the way we seek solace or company ... and for us as a Church, as a way to be the Parish church for the 7500 souls that live in our parish. How can we reflect the light and love of Jesus, Prince of Peace?There will be the opportunity to find space to pray on Monday in church, from 4pm until 8.15pm. With different areas in the church with prayer pointers, or even simple activities that may help you engage with prayer, or the solemnity and stillness of praying in the Lady Chapel, there is something for all ages and all preferences available to support you in the way you pray. For those who enjoy praying corporately, or who may have specific prayer needs that they will to talk about, there will be a prayerful conversation between 7 and 7.30pm, before a space to gather for contemplative prayer from 7.30 - 8.15pm. Even if you simply would like to come and light a candle, please come. This is God's church, and your parish church, and it is a sacred space in which people have prayed for many many years. Why not come along and join your prayers with theirs?As we look forward to gathering on Sunday morning, just a reminder that we have a traditional said Holy Communion service at 8.30am, and Cafe Church at 10.30am: the informal space for talking around tables, as Jesus often did. Cafe church includes breakfast pastries, worship and prayer. This really is suitable for all agesand all faith perspectives, and is a space for the 'praying', 'learning' and 'growing' characteristics I have spoken of in recent weeks.Finally, we met as a PCC on Wednesday evening and reviewed our Covid protocols. The PCC have decided that our 8.30am Communion service should remain a space where mask wearing and social distancing remains the expectation, for the time being. At 10.30am, mask wearing is optional for all services, including when singing, and there is an opportunity to use notices on seats either side of you if you would prefer to maintain a social distance.It is hoped that in having one service every week where protocols remain in place, those who are either more vulnerable, immuno-compromised, or have a preference to be in a gathering where everyone will be wearing a mask, will feel their needs are met.I continue to hold you in my daily prayers With every blessingBecky
Dearest sisters and brothers in ChristThe news this week continues to tell us about the escalating crisis in Ukraine, and the terrible conflict taking place. As we commented in Morning Prayer today, God has given us such a beautiful world, and humanity does such a good job of creating hell for each other. We pray for all of those affected, for peace makers and peace making, and for support to reach those most in need. The standing committee has taken the decision to hold a retiring collection for the DEC Ukraine humanitarian crisis after both services on Sunday, more details are in this email.You will remember over recent weeks I have spoken of the building blocks, or foundation stones that I believe are core to our identity as church here at St Martins. From "Praying" and "Learning" I want to add a third element of "Growing".There are a number of ways we can aspire to grow, as individuals and as a church. Firstly, through our praying and learning we will grow, I hope, in our relationship with Christ. This may be growth in the realisation of being loved without condition, it may be growth in our commitment to follow the ways and teaching of Jesus, it may be growth in our commitment to our church family, or growing in the desire to participate in the life of the church. For some, it is growth in the awareness of a vocation. Whatever the individual level of "Growing", this leads to an inevitable "Growing" of who we are as the body of Christ: awareness of each others gifts; growth in fellowship; building up of the body. We can then "Grow" as a presence in the community, being present in our Christian identity in whatever 'frontline' we face - our places of work, where we socialise, even at the school gate. Growing isn't limited to age or size; I think the more profound growth is what happens to our characters, our inner selves, even our souls. Growing up in our faith also means sometimes letting go of those things that are no longer helpful to our lives as Christians, or behaviours, attitudes or judgements that we no longer need to choose to live by. Growth means being open to being shaped and formed, being open to things we don't yet know, and as the best gardeners will know (indeed even Jesus had something to say about this!), growth sometimes requires the pruning of unhealthy parts!Going forward I would love these themes of "Praying" "Learning" and "Growing" to marinate with us, to get used to these becoming more than words, and instead to become intention for each one of us. How are you praying? How are you learning? How are you growing?On this first Sunday of Lent, where we turn again to Christ, and the journey ahead of us, praying, learning and growing can become part of the spiritual discipline of this timeThroughout Lent there will be many opportunities to pray, learn and grow, through our gathering as a worshipping community, through corporate and private prayer, through the Lent Study material, and supported by whatever you are choosing to do to shape and form your own journey.I pray that Christ will give you the grace to grow in holiness, to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him.With every blessing, as everBecky
