St Andrew's Anglican Church in Moscow is situated only 10 minutes walk from the Kremlin, the physical and geographical centre of power. The Ministries of education, culture and defence are near neighbours. We are in the centre of power and yet we are powerless. Today, as many of our dear friends have left Russia, and as we nervously wonder whether or when we should leave, we are even more conscious of our powerlessnessConflict was predicted and we were helpless, unable to do anything to prevent it. Now that 'special military operations', as they are called here, have begun, there is nothing that we can do to stop them. But it is precisely our powerlessness which means that there are things that we can do. We are gospel people, who serve a crucified but risen Lord. We are the 'nobodies' of 1 Corinthians 1, and it is our very powerlessness and insignificance and foolishness that can also be our strength, if it is handed to God. First of all we are simply here. We are a community of very messed up people, but as we gather together to hear the Word of God and to receive bread and wine, a community of Russians and foreigners gathered together, centred on and receiving from Jesus Christ, our simple presence can be a witness of what the world can be like, of the future kingdom.Secondly, in our powerlessness, we can worship and pray. We pray for peace. That is far more than just praying for the absence of war. We praise God for the coming Kingdom, for the hope he has given us. I am struck that in both Mary's song and Zechariah's song we praise God for what we hope will happen, as if it already has happened; and we cry out for God, as we pray and long for the coming of God's Kingdom. We pray for the time when there will be no more 'fake news', lies, betrayals or violence, and no more fear and death. And it is our very powerlessness which opens to us our dependence on God and on him doing wonderful works.Thirdly, we can still speak truth. There are some things that we cannot say in Moscow, but we can still preach Jesus Christ crucified and risen and reigning. We can call people to repentance and offer people hope. In my 30 plus years of ministry, I have never known a time and a place when people are more hungering for God. And fourthly we can love and serve our neighbour. We read the news and feel powerless. Most of us are in no position to solve world problems or to bring peace. The job advert for Moscow said that the person appointed could make a difference for world peace. On those grounds I have been a spectacular failure!But we can make a difference where we are, and love the actual physical neighbours who God has given us. For some, the neighbours are Ukrainian refugees.Yesterday I heard from the woman who I ran our college Christian Union with. Since leaving university, she has been working with Polish Christians, witnessing and serving mainly among addicts and street women. She wrote of how her team met a family of homeless Ukrainian refugees and they are now living in her flat. There are many stories like that."In my 30 plus years of ministry, I have never known a time and a place when people are more hungering for God."Revd Canon Malcolm Rogers, Chaplain of St Andrew's Anglican Church in Moscow
A community has come together to keep a church open after a tweet showing empty seats went viral.On 16 January, nobody took part in communion at All Saints Church in Barmston, near Bridlington.Dwindling numbers led to the Reverend Richard Townend considering the future of the 900-year-old village church. Parishioners have since set up a rota system so there is always a congregation at Sunday services, with a 'Bums on Pews' campaign being launched.A photo showing the empty church (see photo from tweet) went viral when it was tweeted in January.Mr Townend said one person did turn up to the service, but did not want to take part on their own.When residents heard of the possibility of All Saints closing a campaign was launched and villagers, even those who are not religious, have been attending Sunday services to keep the church open.Parishioners Joan Barnby and Margaret Marshall help clean and maintain the church, but admit it needs new blood.Ms Barnby has lived in the village for most of her life and was married at All Saints, said she hoped people would give it a try."It's such a beautiful building and we do try really hard to keep it as it should be kept," she said.Mr Townend appealed for people, religious or not, to use the church to keep it at the heart of the village."It's amazing that this church has been here for 900 years and we want this church to be here and functioning in this community for many, many more years to come," he added.He said people would be welcomed "with open arms".
The Bishop of Guildford has announced that Reverend Rutton Viccajee will be the interim minister for the parishes of Dunsfold and Hascombe for two years. Rutton will be licensed by Archdeacon Paul Davies on Palm Sunday, April 10th in the joint parish Holy Communion service at St Peter's Church, Hascombe. We sincerely hope that Reverend Rutton will receive the welcome he deserves as he takes on his next challenge. Due to the importance of the service at St Peter's Church we will shelve the relaunch of our Cafe Church at Dunsfold until May.
