Hello Everybody,We wish everybody a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. Our joint parish Holy Communion service on Sunday is at St Peter's Church, Hascombe at 10am. If you can't join us in person please click on this link to be connected via Zoom.https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86996526961?pwd=cEVORjI1NWJlZmlXbUdJVmhpOXNhZz09
The death of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (always known as Arch) is news that we receive with profound sadness – but also with profound gratitude as we reflect upon his life. My prayers and condolences are with his family and all who loved him, with the Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa, and all of the people of South Africa.Arch’s love transformed the lives of politicians and priests, township dwellers and world leaders. The world is different because of this man.Archbishop Tutu was a prophet and priest, a man of words and action, one who embodied the hope and joy that were the foundations of his life. He was a man of extraordinary personal courage and bravery: when the police burst into Capetown Cathedral, he defied them by dancing down the aisle.He was a man of enormous vision: seeing the possibilities for building the Rainbow Nation long before anyone else, except perhaps President Mandela.His vision and bravery were allied with a canny political sense and wisdom, enabling him to be a healer and apostle of peace while so many still saw wounds and war.He was a pioneer, the first Black Archbishop of Capetown, the pioneer of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.He was a great warrior for justice who never stopped fighting – whether it was for those in his own country, for inclusivity in the South African Constitution, or for those suffering injustice around the world.When you were in parts of the world where there was little Anglican presence and people weren’t sure what the Anglican church was, it was enough to say “It’s the Church that Desmond Tutu belongs to” – a testimony to the international reputation he had and the respect with which he was held.Most of all he was a Christian disciple – that was the root of everything else.After meeting him, many would speak of being in the presence of one who brought God close to them. His joy, grace, laughter, hope and life caught up those around him with a sense of Jesus Christ.It was Jesus’ love we saw in his eyes, Jesus’ compassion we heard in his voice, Jesus’ joy we heard in his laughter, Jesus’ face we saw in his face. And it was beautiful and brave.His greatest love is now realised as he meets his Lord face to face.We are thankful today for such a life so well lived, even as we feel the sorrow of such great loss.
There is a lovely story told of St John of the Cross, a 16th-century Spanish monk, mystic, poet and theologian. By all accounts, John wasn’t always the most contented of individuals, and given the tough life he led, that’s hardly a surprise. He spent nine months in prison. If he’s known at all, it is for his astonishing theological vision about knowing God through God’s absence as well as God’s presence; through God’s darkness as well as God’s light. In that stifling cell, measuring no more than ten by six, he wrote the intensely beautiful Spiritual Canticle, probably his most well-known poem. It was, then, with some amusement and not a little astonishment that his fellow monks found him in their church early one Christmas morning, dancing. It’s not the sort of behaviour you’d expect from such an obviously holy man. Especially not this one. But having prayed before the crib set up in the Church, this austere monk had taken up the figure of the baby Jesus, and overcome by sheer unadulterated joy, his only response was to dance.For all the words he wrote; despite his wisdom, his prayers, the force of his vision of God beheld in darkness, and even though John of the Cross had already given everything he had to God, this little episode speaks of how his life was changed and shaped by his encounter with Jesus Christ — an encounter that took him out of himself and into a place of pure joy, a place of bright light. Put simply, when Jesus shares our life, our lives are never the same again.The Gospel accounts of Jesus’s birth make this point over and over again. Mary in her obedience to the will of God and in the way she points to Jesus, treasuring what she experiences in her heart, has her life changed. The shepherds, who are the first to come and see Jesus, return “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2.20). Their lives will never be the same. The wise men are overwhelmed with joy (Matthew 2.10). Their journey to the manger sees them return home, not simply by a different way, but as different people. And of course this encounter with the light of Christ happens in the depths of darkness.This year an opinion piece in this newspaper questioned the leadership of the Church of England because we have said we believe the Church can grow and have seen evidence of this in some of the fledgling mission initiatives in many of our parishes, but were realistic about the huge challenges we face.The weekend that column was published I confirmed, among others, seven young adults in York Minster.Why were they there?What was their motive?Well it wasn’t that the rituals and traditions of the Church of England comforted them (though I’m sure they do). It was God. What they saw in Jesus Christ, not just his teaching and example, but how he showed them who God is and brought them into community with God, was offering them a way of life and an agenda for the world that was compelling and hopeful. Also deeply challenging. It would help them confront the darkness as well as live by the light.Having encountered Christ, their lives had found a new direction.“To him I gave myself,Gave all, without reserve;There to be his bride I sealed my Word.My soul is now employedTo serve him . . .”The Most Rev and Right Hon Stephen Cottrell is Archbishop of York and primate of England
On Boxing Day there are no services at Dunsfold or Hascombe Church.If you wish to attend a live church service your nearest is at St Nicolas Church, Cranleigh. They will be holding services there at 8am and 10am.The Diocese of Guildford has pre-recorded an all-ages Boxing Day service video which you can join from 9am on Sunday. Please go to our main index and simply click on the link called "A special Boxing Day Service".https://youtu.be/Vymdyaqe4dA
