From The Rectory - Build My Church A few years ago I watched a university hall of residence being built. Great beams were brought on-site to form the framework, pre-formed panels made the walls then vast amounts of concrete were poured in to make the floors. It was quick, looked efficient and built, I’m sure, a strong structure; fit for purpose. On a smaller scale, our new home is brick-built; uniform, neat and tidy. In contrast to these modern structures, many of the older properties in our villages are faced with plaster which covers a multitude of materials. Scrape away the surface and from church to cottage, we see an, at times bewildering, collection of materials beneath. Often it looks as if no two stones, no two timbers are the same. Not all materials are equally helpful. One generation’s solution becomes a headache years later. Nevertheless, each generation builds on what they receive from those who went before them. Over many centuries, skilled builders and careful amateurs alike have combined to build homes and churches that have passed the test of time. Looking at the seemingly random collection of stones beneath a recently cleared area of plaster I thought how Jesus builds his church in people the way our ancestors built in bricks and stone. Jesus told his disciple Simon, ‘you are Peter (the rock), and henceforth on this rock I will build my church.’ (Mat 16:18). Peter may have been Jesus’ foundation stone but soon showed himself to be a stone with plenty of rough edges. From the beginning, Jesus built using stones of all shapes and sizes; from the stone the builders rejected (Ps 118; 22, Mat 21:42 et al) through an assortment of unlikely characters roundly branded by the scribes and Pharisees as ‘tax collectors and sinners’. Young and old, big and small, polished or rough around the edges; like the master mason he is, our Lord can find the right place for each living stone. When we come to him, he finds a place for us; carefully crafting a church to outlast even the most solidly-built parish building. Rev’d Philip. 28 July 24
FROM THE RECTORY - STILL LEARNING This morning’s traffic is lighter than normal for a Monday, was the repeated message on the radio as I made my way along the A14. It was the morning after England had faced Spain in Berlin. The assumption was that many had planned a late start to accommodate the celebration or commiseration appropriate to the result. Time now for commiseration? In football, as in most competitive sports, there can only be one winner. Spain 2: England 1 is a clear statement of victory and defeat, but the all or nothing nature of competition masks much more of value. On the same Monday morning drive, I heard an American commentator observe how many celebrated moments in our history (such as 1066 and Dunkirk) are defeats. He observed, too, on how the recent landslide election victory which has led to our new government, was an equally massive defeat for the previous government, yet the transition from one party to another has been smooth, good manners, peaceful. His point, I think, was that learning how to lose, how to handle disappointment and loss, and come back stronger is an important skill. For all the inevitable disappointments of defeat, there is much to be gained; much to be won. I am not a football fan. The Euro semi-final was the only complete football match I have watched in years. Nevertheless, I understand that commentator after commentator has remarked how much the national team has improved and how so much of that improvement boils down to team spirit, a team spirit fostered by the manager. The team may not have lifted the trophy but they performed to the best of their collective ability, an ability that far exceeds what the team might have been capable of a decade ago. On Good Friday, Jesus’ followers and foes alike saw only his defeat. His resurrection signalled victory, but not in the way they had expected it. In the years that lay ahead they were to learn a new, living way. Today he still teaches his followers. The question is are we, his followers, still learning? Rev’d Philip 21 Jul 24