Dear Friends,"War has a way of distinguishing the things which matter and the things which don't." It was a line I heard recently in a drama about the First World War, spoken by a soldier, but it is something in which we can probably all recognise the sting of truth.This coming weekend our thoughts will be drawn back to the trauma, chaos, bravery and pain of those who endured the First and Second World Wars, in whose memory we wear the blood red poppies of Remembrance Sunday. In the face of what they experienced we are reduced to silence, a silence because all words are futile in the face of such heartache, a silence which reminds us of the silence of death, a silence that allows reflection and a silence which allows us not just to look back but look forward to the part you and I can play in the unfolding story of these islands.Inspired by the example of those we honour this weekend perhaps we can all reconsider or even consider afresh, how we are contributing to world peace or even peace in our own communities and homes, how we are confronting untruth and exploitation, speaking up for those who are weak and vulnerable and ensuring the dignity and rights of all those in the human family, regardless of race, language, gender, creed or social position.In the Christian tradition remembering is not merely to look back but to bring into the present the experiences of the past, to learn from them, the better to be inspired, equipped and energised to look forward.You and I were bequeathed a peace at a great cost, let us renew our commitment this weekend to using the opportunities before us to influence things in a more positive direction, through speaking words of forgiveness and reconciliation to others, through recognising our own self serving and choosing to serve others, by reaching out into others' lives with encouragement and healing and by consciously deciding on what is the more loving thing to do or say in any given situation.May the souls of the war dead be bathed in peace, find healing and know the gift of eternal life.With blessings and best wishesJeffPlease join us this Sunday 10 November for our worship as we remember with gratitude those who fought and died for our country in war, especially those from this community and the communities from which we come.REQUIEM EUCHARISTS will be celebrated at 8 am and 9.30 am, including the Act of Remembrance.10.45 am please join Jeff in his capacity as Mayor's Chaplain, at Radnor Gardens for the Borough Act of Remembrance.6 pm There will be a time of reflection accompanied by music supplied by the Howells Singers, especially for Remembrance Sunday.
My dear Friends,"Think all a mother should be, she was that." As I mentioned to those of you who were at church last Sunday, this is what is written on one of the grave stones at Oak Lane Cemetery, a photo of which is included here. For those of you who wish to see it for yourselves, it is in the north west section of the Cemetery, on the far right hand side as you go in through the gate, just near the blackberries!"Think all a mother should be, she was that." Motherhood offers us a potent image of nurturing love, compassionate care, someone from whom we learn the first lessons of how to behave. Many of us, myself included, have an overwhelmingly positive experience of motherhood, others are not so fortunate. But what Christians have been offered for centuries is Mary, patron saint of our church, mother of Jesus, as a positive example of motherhood and also the assurance of her continuing presence and prayer as part of how God chooses to use us in this life and the next.For some years, many congregants of St Mary`s have been making pilgrimage to Walsingham during the month of September. At a time when the Church was hugely bureaucratic and concerned with doctrinal formulae, Mary appeared to a young woman named Richeldis in Walsingham and instructed her to have constructed a simple building, of roughly the same dimensions as her house at Nazareth in which the young Jesus was brought up, stripping through all the rules and regulations of religion, and inviting the people of God to come to a simple building where they were assured of God`s listening love and experience for themselves the embrace of God`s acceptance, understanding and compassionate care.And we at St Mary`s have similarly been called to be a womb-like space at the heart of our community, where the presence of Christ can be experienced. We too are asked of God to bring forth His presence and to celebrate the power of His love through attentive listening to the scriptures; through receiving the touch of the sacraments upon our bodies and our souls; through our encouragement, support and friendship with one another and through the welcome we offer to all who find their way to us.We are called to called to be a nurturing, accepting, forgiving, empowering, creative, compassionate and believing force at the heart of Twickenham. This coming weekend at our Patronal Festival, as we recall the example and presence of Mary, we will remind ourselves of our calling by Christ to allow our church to be filled with His life-giving Spirit, His unconditional gift of love, His transforming message of a truth that sets people free. And you and I are called not just to celebrate and give thanks for that, but to offer ourselves to be part of that "making real of Christ." We, like Mary, are required to allow the Word to become flesh through our living out of the faith we hold dear. May be do exactly that, though our encouragements and support of one another, through our faithfulness to prayer and praise, and with the intercession of Mary and the influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.With blessings and best wishesJeff
We are soon to be joined by a new Assistant Priest who will also act as Chaplain at St Mary’s School.She is The Reverend Donna McDowell, who will be Licensed by the Bishop of Kensington on 1st July and her first Sunday with us will be Sunday 7th July. We are hoping to have a "Bring and Share" lunch on 7th July to welcome Donna, for you to have a chance to meet her and speak with her. Details of how you can contribute to this will be given nearer the time. I am sure you would all like to know a little more about Donna, so here are a few facts to be getting on with! Donna comes to us from serving her Curacy at St Paul's Marylebone, a community-focused church in the liberal catholic tradition on the Lisson Green estate, with an emphasis on social outreach. As part of her Curacy she spent time working in Christ Church Bentinck Primary School and the Church Army's Marylebone Project (a housing and support hub for women in crisis). Prior to Ordination she spent 7 years as Head of Schools & Family Learning at St Paul's Cathedral, before which she taught Religious Studies and Philosophy in Croydon for 7 years. Donna grew up on a rural council estate in Northern Ireland and lived in Japan and Canada for 10 years before coming to London 18 years ago to make her home. I know that she is thrilled to explore a different part of London and to get to know the people of the parish and St Mary's school. She says: “I am impressed at how St Mary's seeks to encourage faith through prayer and discipleship, and how much emphasis it places upon the nurturing of the spirituality of children and young people, and I am excited to participate in all of that. I am really looking forward to meeting you all, and to ministering alongside you as we share the Gospel together.” Please keep Donna in your prayers as she makes the transition from Marylebone/St Paul's to Twickenham/St. Mary’s.Father Jeff
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