Dear FriendsAs we approach midsummer in the glorious month of June , we delight in the fulness of God’s creation: birds singing , bees buzzing and flowers displaying a multitude of colors, and as followers of Jesus we move into a new season of the Church’s year . On a sunny afternoon last month we sat in the garden and listened to the bells of St Nicholas ringing for the Feast of Ascension and ten days later we celebrated Pentecost praying that the Holy Spirit might be poured upon us as it had been upon the disciples so that we might be renewed and refreshed in our own lives and in the lives of our churches .The Holy Spirit is the power of God and the presence of God in each one of us, enabling us to discover more and more about our faith, guiding us through our lives, coming alongside us when we need comfort and strength and giving us confidence to share our faith with others. Someone once said “God’s love is a great ocean yet undiscovered by us, and the Holy Spirit is the navigator of our ship leading us to further and further discoveries.The presence of the Holy Spirit in our churches brings new experiences of worship and a growing love for each other. Time and time again throughout Christian history we read accounts of renewal and revival and we continue to hear such stories coming from the worldwide church today .Some years ago, Lizzie went to Malawi, the poorest country in Africa, visiting the various projects which supplied Fairtrade products. One Sunday morning she asked if she could go to church and was taken to a tin- roofed church, crammed with two hundred Christian men, women and children all praising God together. She said she’d never seen a service like it for its worship was vibrant and exciting and powerful and when the service was over every one of those two hundred people came up and shook hands with her!As we look forward to Julie’s Ordination to the Priesthood, the Confirmation Service, the continuation of the exciting Alpha Courses and the flourishing Life Groups – signs indeed that the Holy Spirit is at work amongst us - let us pray that this new season of Pentecost will continue to bring about a new experience of the power and presence of Jesus in the lives of each of one of us and in all the churches of the Minster.Enjoy the month of June! With Christian greetings Revd. Julian
At the time of writing, my house looks like a giant greenhouse. You see my husband loves to grow things from seed. He likes the initial tending of the growing shoots, dividing and putting them into bigger pots until they are ready to plant out. He has taken an old bookcase and covered it with clear plastic to provide a warm space to encourage germination, and each windowsill in the house seems to have something interesting growing on it.However, he doesn't enjoy gardening and certainly he's not great at keeping things alive once planted out. That's where I come in. I do enjoy gardening, although I wouldn't claim to have the greenest of fingers. I like to potter about, do a bit of weeding and help things to flourish. During May we are also encouraged not to mow our grass, encouraging biodiversity and allowing wild flowers to bloom, which provides a nectar feast for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and beetles. A break to the grass cutting routine can often create space for something new to flourish.Between us, we generally get the garden to look fairly pretty during the warm summer months here in Alcester. Later in the summer holidays we will host our garden party once again so you can come and have a look for yourselves!This is often a good picture for the church as well. Some of us are good at one job, others at another. Very few of us are gifted in a large range of jobs although a number of people take on more than they have capacity for. Some of us have expertise in offering care and support, looking after our friends and neighbours. Others have practical skills and can get jobs done. Some offer excellent hospitality, some know just how to share stories about Jesus, and some are faithful in prayer for the needs of the world and our communities. This last month we have held our APCM’s and celebrated all the things that have taken place over the past year, in our churches, enabled by so many people. We have offered our grateful thanks to the vast number of volunteers who keep our churches alive and open, and we have recognised the dedication of many as they serve in particular roles. The Apostle Paul in the Bible talks about the church working together much like a body, each with a different part to play to enable the whole body to function well. We are all essential and our Christian faith encourages us to take responsibility, not only for our own growth in faith, but also in the flourishing of the church and its mission to tell the world about Jesus. So, as we enter the warmer weather and see our gardens begin to bloom with early summer colour, perhaps we can take stock of our own involvement in the church. Have we been planted in the right place? Are we helping others by using our gifts? Are we nourishing our own spiritual life so that we and the church continue to grow? Or do we need a season where we stop for a while to see what else might flourish?If you are not sure, please drop me a line, I’m sure we can work it out together.Rev Katie Cross
As we dive into April and the spring flowers begin to bloom in abundance, we can see that winter is behind us, the better weather coming. We celebrated a tremendous Easter together and now the clocks have sprung forward we can enjoy lighter evenings. Perhaps this has inspired you to think about planning summer holidays, or what you will grow in the garden this year. May I offer something else to contemplate? Easter is an important time in the Christian calendar as it invites us to reflect on the real life story of Jesus and his message of bringing God’s Kingdom into our lives and communities. Our Christian faith needs cultivating like a garden, if not the weeds of life, distractions, worries and troubles might overwhelm us. From time to time, it can be helpful to think about the key elements of the Christian faith, either for the first time or to revisit some well-known truths. Our regular LIFE Groups take place during the week to provide a friendly space for reading the Bible, discussion, prayer and mutual support. This may be the best place for you to reflect on your own Christian journey in the coming months. If you are not a member or would like to talk about hosting a new group – do chat with a member of clergy who can offer support.Equally, confirmation can be a time when a person decides for themselves to take on board the Christian faith that was begun at baptism and hopefully has been growing ever since. For many, baptism takes place as a young person or child, however, many adults realise that they missed the opportunity to ‘confirm’ their own faith and take this opportunity to affirm the faith they hold.The Christian faith is one of journey, whether we are far down the road or just beginning. To help those who might be interested in exploring what the Christian faith says and has to offer, we will be running some groups after Easter to allow people to hear and ask questions. One will be designed for young people and one for adults. Attendance at the group will not oblige someone to get confirmed but rather give an opportunity for discovery and to get to know a few friends.Some people discover that they have not been baptised and the service we are planning will combine both baptism and confirmation for those who wish to do both.We have booked the Bishop to join us on Sunday 21st July for a confirmation service so we will be working towards that date.If you are interested in coming for confirmation, baptism or both, please get in touch with me so we can work out the best days and times for the groups. Whatever your reason for attendance, we would be delighted for you to join us and consider getting confirmed, or to join one of our LIFE Groups.Rev Katie Cross
Welcome to March when the season of Spring officially begins, and Daylight Savings commences at the end of month. Almost all this month will be the season of Lent, when we Christians have traditionally given up things that give us pleasure to focus on our spiritual journey.Lent is the period of forty days before Easter which began on Ash Wednesday, on which we also celebrated Valentines Day this year. We marked our foreheads in ash from burnt palm crosses and olive oil to recognise that we came from dust and to dust we return. By observing 40 days of Lent, we copy Jesus’ sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert at the start of his ministry.Lent is a significant season for Christians – often a time self-reflection and withdrawing from various habits, treats and activities, after which we emerge with Joy at the Easter celebration. It is a movement from one space to the other, a movement in being transformed from one interpretation of life to another. It is like the new shoots of spring bulbs pushing through the earth to reveal colour and shape that has been missing for a season.Our culture screams at us from the lifestyle sections that the way to real fulfilment is getting what you really desire. The idea that giving something up might be good for you, other than as a grudging acknowledgement of post-Christmas weight gain, is anathema. Consumerism works by creating desire and then offering to fulfil it, the sooner the better. But our strongest desires are not necessarily our deepest ones. Giving things up or fasting can get us in touch with these deeper desires that only God can satisfy. There is evidence that restricting calories by intermittent fasting or turning our mobiles off is actually good for us physically and psychologically. Giving something up can create the space to discover more about ourselves and sometimes the truth we would rather ignore. Life is to be lived with God and by creating space we allow ourselves the opportunity to discover more of Him everyday. This period of self-denial heightens our awareness and we discover that there is a joy that is enhanced by the waiting. So, as well as helping us grow closer to God, our Lenten restraint can amplify the joy of Christ risen when we get to that glorious Easter celebration.
