Vicar's Blog

Love came down at Christmas

2011-11-22T11:12:00.000Z

‘Love came down at Christmas’ is the title of a Christmas poem by Christina Rossetti in 1885 – which is one of my favourites for this time of year. It reminds us of why it all happened.
Some Year 1 children recently told me that we celebrate Christmas “to get presents”. “But why”, I asked. “Because we have been good – all year”, they replied.

Well - I'm not sure about that; I know I haven’t been good enough to deserve the blessings of God at Christmas. That is the scandal of grace, though; that God came down to earth as a vulnerable baby – because he loves us so much. In truth, Love did come down at Christmas.

This love is something we need to share with those around – which isn’t easy with all the stress of getting everything just right. I found this poem, ‘The 1 Corinthians 13 of Christmas’ which I think helps us get the right attitude:

If I decorate my house with beautiful bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny baubles, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of mince pies, roasting a perfect turkey, and lay a magnificent table, but have no love for my guests, I am just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not have compassion in my heart for those in need, I am just another social service; it profits me nothing.

If I decorate the tree with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes and attend a myriad of holiday parties but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to help one’s wife with boring housework. Love puts the Christmas present shopping on hold in order to run the elderly neighbour to the doctor. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has more expensive presents, or even coordinated Christmas china and table linen.

Love doesn’t yell at the children to get out of the way; love is glad that they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, even irritating relatives. It believes all things, and encourages teenagers to aim high for their future. It hopes all things, endures all things, even a spouse who is depressed about their job prospects. Love never fails other people.

Computer games will crash, even cashmere jumpers will wear out, and golf clubs will get lost. But the gift of love will endure forever. Happy Christmas!

One more step along the world I go

2011-07-25T16:58:00.002Z

It's one of my favourite modern hymns: One more step along the world I go, One more step along the world I go. From the old things to the new, keep me travelling along with you. I come across it being requested for all sorts of services and events.

In baptism services it sums up well the journey of faith that a child, parents and godparents, are embarking on. ‘You are older than the world can be, you are younger than the life in me. Ever old and ever new, keep me travelling along with you.’

As wedding season starts I find couples asking for this hymn too. It speaks of making a commitment to each other, and a new journey ahead as one unity instead of two individuals, with God joining them and strengthening them on the way. In marriage we need God’s help and guidance: ‘As I travel through the bad and good, keep me travelling the way I should. Where I see no way to go, you'll be telling me the way, I know.’

Not so many people choose this for their funeral service, although the words are appropriate: ‘Give me courage when the world is rough, keep me loving though the world is tough. Keep me travelling along with you.’ Maybe I’ll choose it for my funeral one day?

As we see our curate, Jacky Wise, heading out to Melanesia with Mimi, our prayers go with them – that they will be richly blessed by the experience and the people they meet, and that they will be a blessing to them too. ‘Round the corners of the world I turn, more and more about the world I learn. All the new things that I see, you'll be looking at along with me.’

And it won't be long after Jacky’s return before they will be off to minister in Heswall Parish. They go with our thanks for all Jacky has given us, and our blessings go with her and the family for all that lies ahead on the journey of faith.

For Jacky and for all of us on our Christian pilgrimage, our prayer to God is the same: it's from the old I travel to the new, keep me travelling along with you. Amen.

True Love

2011-05-24T21:44:00.000Z

The June magazine seems to be filled with Love. There reports on the Royal Wedding and how church groups celebrated the love of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and their wonderful wedding day with parties of our own. Celebrations are definitely in the air as we come to summer months, and get together to eat and drink and enjoy time together.

Love is also evident as we think of our Time and Talents programme during June this year. It's not just about giving to pay the bills – it's all about the Love of God, and how we should respond to that love from the heart. God’s love should move us to give generously, what’s right to give to God in response to his love, not just what’s left in our purse on a Sunday morning.

This generosity of spirit should be the hallmark of Christians, whether we’re talking about giving money, or our time, or our skills and talents – or indeed in how we treat one another. If more people are getting involved, and things in our church are changing, then we all need to be generous in our response, and understanding. Growth and change can be challenging and difficult, but it is much easier if we have a generous spirit – and can be patient, loving and kind.

Of course these things are all Fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us gifts to use to build up the church, and as we work together with the Holy Spirit, we can see the result in our lives – becoming more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient with one another, kind, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. We reflect on these things especially at the Festival of Pentecost – and we ask for God’s Holy Spirit to be more evident in our lives.

May we be open to God’s Spirit this year, and may we see the result in each of us, becoming more generous of spirit, more understanding of each other, and more loving in response.

Christ is Risen

2011-05-24T21:43:00.000Z

And so we’ve made it to Easter – the crown of the Christian Year - a season that continues through to early June. Easter is the time for telling the good news that should be told every day. It is the joy lightening the darker times of penitence and sorrow.

Easter is the proof and the promise that Jesus, called the Messiah - the Christ, was not just an inspired teacher or a good man, but a man in whom was all the fullness of God. The incarnate Son who lived a fully human life, even to death, who overcame death and rose in glory.
His resurrection is our present strength and future hope, the guarantee of our own resurrection, a future in which our present already shares.

The signs of resurrection are all around us. In the yearly renewal of nature, in recovery from illness, in reconciliation after estrangement, in the knowledge of God’s pardon, in all new hopes and fresh starts, it's power is there. They draw their power from the one great moment, the centre of all history when Christ rose again.

The paradoxes of the whole Christian story are drawn together at this time. The twelve disciples, who often failed to understand Jesus, who deserted their Lord in his time of need, are now Apostles, messengers of the good news, transformed from fear to courage, from despair to hope. The change in them is a major piece of evidence for the historical Resurrection.
For the Christian every day is Resurrection day, but at Easter, above all, is a time for pure rejoicing. Do we always come to our worship with such joy and assurance? Sometimes we tend to be too formal or stuffy and lose sight of the joy -- but this is a time of triumph.

Nowadays Christians seem to have lost their confidence and are unsure of their faith, some are fearful of letting others know that they are Christians in case they cause offence. But at Easter time, let us not fear triumphalism – the triumph of the Cross and the empty tomb.
Remember, Christianity is a triumphant faith, the triumph of joy over sorrow, life over death; the conquest of sin. With all Christian people, may we be filled with renewed joy and confidence, as we greet the greatest of good news; Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, alleluia.

A controversial character

2011-05-24T21:42:00.000Z

I went along to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Lyceum Theatre a few weeks ago. It's something I had never seen before and wanted to take in. I’d been warned beforehand that there were some protestors outside – so I expected to see perhaps some militant atheists on the warpath. In fact the protestors were Christians, objecting that the rock-opera wasn’t the true Gospel according to the King James Bible.

Personally, I thought the musical was very well acted and produced and thought provoking too. I met people who found it helped their spiritual lives, others thought it just entertaining, and a few didn’t like it much. Many actors told me they found the experience life-changing.

Of course, in a way, the protestors were right – this wasn’t the undiluted Word of God – it was an interpretation of the life and death of Jesus by artists. It focuses too much on the interplay between Jesus and Judas, and the other disciples. Jesus is seen as ‘just a man’, caught up in events beyond his control – rather than the Son of God who is here on a mission of salvation. The musical ends with the desolation of the crucifixion and merely hints at a hope for the future – rather than showing the amazing historic events of the resurrection.

Christians have always wrestled with the issue of how to portray Jesus to the world. There have been some who don’t want any portrayal of Jesus, no images, paintings, plays, films or TV – because no matter how good they can be they will all miss something of Jesus’ divine uniqueness. It's safer to stick with the written Word.

Other Christians see Jesus as the image of the invisible God, come to show us what God is like, and they relish different interpretations in art and drama – because through each one we can catch a glimpse of something new in the divine character.

So it's with some trepidation that we put on the Good Friday Passion Play in the town centre, and stage Easter drama presentations for Crewe Primary schools. We take some artistic licence, but work hard to be true to the words and actions of our Lord, and always to encourage people to come to know him better for themselves.

Jesus will always be a controversial character; may we all be provoked, and grow in faith this Eastertide.

Count your blessings

2011-03-14T15:09:00.000Z

It's been a bleak winter, with cold weather, snow and ice, and miserable news about severe Government cuts and austerity measures. We’ve seen the pain and discomfort this has caused in our own town, around the country, and even across the western world.

We hear from our leaders that we’re all in this together, which is a wonderful sentiment; but we also know that it's the poorest and most dependent who suffer most at these times.
It's no wonder that we tend to focus on the down side of life, and the things that we don’t have. And now, on top of everything we have the churches season of Lent – and another chance to be even more miserable!

Certainly in Lent it's a chance for us to reflect on our own spiritual lives, to see how self centred we can be – and to take the opportunity for turning around, putting things right and asking forgiveness.

But I think that Lent is also a chance to focus on the good things we have, and to count our blessings – because despite the cut-backs, we still have so very much to be thankful for.
Count your blessings is the name of a programme by Christian Aid to help us make more of Lent.
As they write: “Lent is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and give thanks for even our smallest blessings, and to turn our thoughts to those in need in our own country and especially around the world. The Christian Aid programme ‘Count your blessings’ is a creative way to pray for, and give to, the work of Christian Aid. From Ash Wednesday to Easter there are some simple daily actions and reflections to help us have a meaningful Lent.”

We’ll have some of these in Church to pick up and use during Lent, and you can go online to find more information at www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/lent-2011/
This Lent, may God give us a fresh understanding of his love and grace, and the blessings we have been given.

For the love of it!

2011-02-08T13:44:00.000Z

It's the season of love, with St. Valentine’s Day cards and presents being advertised on TV and in the card shops. We are thinking of our loved ones, and trying to make sure that they have a special day. It's important to remember little things like saying ‘I love you’ which we can all do more often.

Love – has many facets – the passionate love of a girl and boyfriend, or of a newly married couple. The strong and steadfast love of an older couple reaching their Golden wedding anniversary. The love a mother has for her children, and the selfless love of a child caring for a parent in later years.

All of these things should be remembered in this month of love. It's amazing what people will do for love – as well as buying expensive presents and cards – people are inspired to write beautiful poetry, songs and music, as well as more basic things like doing someone’s shopping or cleaning up after them. These are all acts of selfless love.

Why do we do it? For love. Sometimes we just do things because for the love of doing things – which is the origin of the word Amateur. The word amateur is an old French word that comes from Latin word ‘amator’, a lover. Nowadays we tend to think that an amateur is someone who isn’t particularly skilled or accomplished at anything - but just having a go. Given the choice we want a professional doing the job for money, rather than someone who does something for the love of it.

But I’m not convinced about the ‘professionalism’ of our current day – where we need certificates, police checks and vetting to do anything. I think we need to re-discover the value of amateurs, in the original sense of the word – those motivated by love. Whether it's working for the good of children, or helping older people, or because we love teaching and sharing our knowledge and experience.

One of our priorities for 2011 is to re-think how we use our time and talents – for God and for each other. Time and again I meet people who would like to do things, but feel they are not good enough – not professional enough. But it's important to have a go, and to take something on even though we’re not particularly good at it – but because we love doing it.

May the love of God motivate us to acts of generosity and service, towards each other and for the glory of God. I hope this won't be grudgingly, but lovingly, as a true amateur.

How Silently

2010-11-29T10:04:00.002Z

I don’t know how you prepare for Christmas, maybe making lists of things to buy for presents and some festive food perhaps. Personally, I have just returned from an 8 day silent retreat near Liverpool which was my way of preparing for the festive fun.

I try to have a retreat each year, I really belief it's an important thing to do in all of our spiritual lives – not just as a preparation for Christmas, but just for living the Christian life. Like those first disciples the key thing is to spend time alone with Jesus – to listen to him, and learn from him.

For thousands of years Christian saints and teachers have taught the importance of just being silent in Jesus’ presence. Silence is a difficult thing to achieve, because our daily lives are so full of noise all the time. TVs, iPods and radios are often on at home, and so many people out on the noisy streets have things plugged into their ears. Yet this noise also drowns out the voice of God, and our spiritual lives are the poorer for it.

It took a little while to get used to the quiet, as the people on the TV series ‘The Big Silence’ found out. But if you keep at it, it becomes easier. As I’ve sat silently, focusing my thoughts on God, and trying to quieten my restless mind, I have been surprised and touched by the things God has brought to mind.

Towards the end of my retreat I reflected on how Jesus came into the world, what we call the ‘Incarnation’. It's amazing to think that this was the beginning of God’s rescue mission planned since the creation of the world. That he chose to come to earth with the co-operation of a young girl about to be married, and was born into poverty and danger.

As we go about the next few weeks, I hope we can make a little space in our noisy lives for quiet, and take time out to reflect on the amazing story unfolding before us. As the Christmas Carol goes, “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given; so God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven”. May we be still enough to receive these blessings – because “Where meek souls will receive Him, still the dear Christ enters in” – which is the real point of Christmas.

The values of life

2010-11-02T22:34:00.001Z

It's remembrance time again and we focus on the effects of war around the world, and those who have paid the price. Of course, the war in Afghanistan has been in the news and in our minds all year long, and we have seen too many coffins brought home in funeral processions through Wootton-Bassett.

Sadly for every person killed in action, there are many more who are damaged, both physically and mentally. We see much less of these casualties – for those who have lost limbs there are no processions and cheering crowds to welcome them home, it's hard to see how many there are, or what happens to them once they’re home again.

After the difficulties and dangers of battle in Afghanistan these brave young men and women have another battle to fight – the battle to walk, to have independence, to live and work in civilian life again. Thankfully there are people to help them – beyond the doctors, nurses and physiotherapists, there are organisations like the British Legion, Help for Heroes, and a host of others who help, and support them through life, and help us all remember them.

We remember their commitment and loyalty, their courage and discipline, and values such as respect and integrity, which we see in so many ways. These values are at the core of our armed services, and they are core values that I see as Chaplain to many of the cadet forces in Crewe.

As Chaplain I see these values in the life and death of Jesus Christ; in his teaching of service and respect, the way he lived his life for others with total integrity; the way he courageously faced evil as he went to his death on the cross. Jesus died in our place in an act of self-sacrifice, that we may know God as our Father, and he gave us an example for life.

May we live out these Christian values on which our society is founded, and teach them to the next generations.

Where do we find hope?

2010-11-02T22:32:00.000Z

I’m not a Roman Catholic, but I was really pleased that Pope Benedict 16th visited our country, and that he came to encourage all Christians here, not just his own members.

He came with words of warning to a nation that is sliding into a dismal and hopeless secularism, where aggressive atheists take every opportunity to ridicule and undermine religious faith and banish it from public life.

I don't think most of the people in the country are atheists, but there is a tiny minority in humanist and secular groups who are dangerous to all of our spiritual health.

And what hope does the National Secular Society offer in return? They tell us that we are all random accidents of genetics, living out our lives in a scramble for survival, every person for themselves, with only oblivion to look forward to?

Not much hope there. In contrast the Christian story is full of hope in a loving God. A God who created the world in infinite beauty, with abundant resources, food and water. A God who has told us how best to live on earth, creating community, taking responsibility, putting love into action and caring for the weakest in society.

Our story is of a God who knows how difficult life can be, because he came here in person, as a baby born in a stable, who lived as a refugee, and under foreign occupation.

Jesus lived out his message of forgiveness and love, challenging the rich and powerful.

This God died on a cross, taking responsibility for the way we are—so that we can live in friendship with God and each other.

Our story is of a God of the living, who promises us a place in his home for eternity, a seat at his heavenly banquet—if only we accept the invitation. Now that’s what I call hope!

We get a foretaste of that banquet in our Harvest Festival services in October. I hope it will be an opportunity to build community, to thank God for all we have, and to share it with those who have less.

I hope this will also encourage us to reject the hopeless message of the atheists, and to remember the big story of Christianity and live it out.

Because those who give will get, those who place themselves last will come first, and those who appear powerless will know God’s power for their lives now and in eternity.

The oil of power, renewal and healing.

2010-07-23T18:03:00.000Z

In the news over the last few months we have seen the environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, where millions of barrels of oil have gushed out each day, to pollute beaches, kill fish and birds, and destroy the livelihoods of thousands of people.

It's been a sober reminder to us of the cost of our dependence on the oil we use to power almost everything in our economy. Even with the heroic efforts of BP to stem the leak miles under the ocean, it will take years to overcome the damage.

Of course, we will all be relying on oil this summer – to power our cars as we drive away on holiday, or the aircraft that jet us away to the sun. Away on holiday I hope we use protective sun-tan-oil and lotion to protect us from ultra-violet rays that can damage us. So oil has many good and healing uses.

In our services of baptism and confirmation we use oil to anoint and bless those who are making a commitment to Jesus Christ as a sign of the Holy Spirit of God. We also use oil to bless those who are sick and in need of God’s healing touch.

Anointing people with oil can be traced back to earliest times and is recorded in both the Old and the New Testaments. In the times and the place when and where Jesus lived, oil was used regularly in society. It was used to greet people who honoured the host by coming to his house. Oil was also used to give a blessing and a sign of protection on those who were travelling away, perhaps on a dangerous journey or on a specific hard task.

Like an increasing number of churches, at All Saints' we hold ‘Healing Services’ where people of all needs and none come together to pray for healing and wholeness. ‘Wholeness’ is intended to encompass everyone’s needs – for we all have broken parts and cracks in our lives.

I hope and pray that you will have a relaxing and refreshing August and September – a time of healing and wholeness; to mend broken relationships, bad memories, hurts unforgiven? And I pray that you will return with your strength renewed to face the rest of the year, empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.

It's Your Move

2010-07-23T18:02:00.001Z

Over the month of June we went into each of our parish Primary Schools – Brierley, Hungerford, Gainsborough and Wistaston Green, to work with children about to move up to high school. Jacky and I led an hour lesson with each Year 6 class, talked to them about their move to high school and gave them a book called ‘It's Your Move’. Altogether we gave out over 180 books to children in these schools, funded by generous donations from church members.

The book explores the hopes for the coming secondary school, the things that will be missed from primary school, and the fears of moving into the unknown. We end with some reflections on the fact that while all things are moving, God is still with them, and he will never leave them.

July is a time of ends, and people moving on to new things. Many young people will have had exams and results – and will be leaving behind schools and universities for new opportunities and new beginnings.

It's also a time of change for our Curate, Jacky Wise, with her ordination as Priest on 19th June. She has passed another milestone in her ministry, and new opportunities will be opening up for her in the coming months.

Another item raised in this month’s magazine is the call for us to offer a hand. There are so many things going on in our churches, and the work tends to fall to the same small group of people. It's no wonder that they feel tired – so maybe it's time to think again about what you are doing to support your church? Maybe you’ve been more involved in the past, and are now taking a break – maybe it's time for a new challenge? Whatever time or talents you can offer would be really appreciated, it will help build up our church life, and be an offering to God.

The thing that I appreciate is that whenever we do some church cleaning or helping out in any way – it always ends up as a time of fellowship, an opportunity for a chat and a chance to get to know people better. Fellowship, spending time together and belonging to one another are very important aspects of church life – and I’d like to encourage this.

Whether it's chatting over strawberries and cream, discussing movies, books or the history of Crewe – or even learning how to arrange flowers – there is a lot on offer. I hope you can get more involved and take the opportunities. It's your move.

Working together to build community

2010-07-23T17:58:00.003Z

This general election has highlighted the state of our society in this country – the good things and the bad. Most people can point to things that are broken, and could be better. The politicians respond by talking about ‘Community Cohesion’ – it's a buzz word that is all about our sense of belonging and responsibility.
In past generations we as a nation felt that we belonged – to our street, to our town, to our place of work – and to our church. Nowadays all these things are wearing a bit thin. We hardly know our neighbours, we often work away from the town where we live, we’re more socially mobile, and most people don’t feel that they belong to a church.

Nevertheless, belonging is an important thing for each of us – we need to feel that we belong somewhere – even if it's to the local gym or fitness club.
For our church members, belonging to the community of faith is very important – you only have to read our ‘Who’s who’ page month by month show just how people appreciate belonging.

Unlike going to the gym or local pub, belonging to the body of the church means using the gifts and talents that God has given us. St. Paul writes about this in Romans chapter 12:
He tells us: “we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us.
If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; if it is to encourage others, we should do so.
Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully. … Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion.”

In our churches some of us are using their gifts well – and often need some help. Some of us may lack confidence and need some help to have a go – to discover what gifts we have. And some of us may not be aware that our help and our gifts are needed

As we come to the feast of Pentecost this month, we will be thinking more about the work of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul was convinced that the Holy Spirit gives each of us different gifts – no question about it. We just need to discover them, and put them to good use, to build up the community we belong to.

Easter - The most amazing story ever told

2010-07-23T17:58:00.000Z

It's amazing how much we see people on mobile phones nowadays, almost everyone you meet walking down the street has one glued to their ear. The most recent phones not only allow you to talk to people, but also to browse the internet, listen to music, and even find your way around with satellite navigation.
These little devices have transformed the way we relate to one another. We’re expected to always be available to others. Even in countries living under oppressive regimes, the evil deeds of Governments are soon shared across the world via video-phones and the world-wide-web.

One form of communication that is new to me has been Twitter – where people can share what’s on their mind in short messages of up to 140 characters. I have to say that it doesn’t appeal to me – maybe it's because I cannot sum up my thoughts within such a short space.

Most of these messages, or Tweets, are just idle thoughts, but some are more reflective, such as “What does Easter mean to you?” Tweeters and Facebook members have been sharing their feelings about Easter by answering this question on a new Lent twitter feed.

Looking at these, my favourite tweet was: “Looked like a disaster. Hopes gone, dreadful defeat. But it was the watershed of history, amazing victory, death was beaten.”

Of course, this kind of short, concise kind of writing is nothing new. The gospels written 2000 years ago were a real breakthrough at the time. They were the first real books, in an era of lengthy and bulky scrolls, these short writings about the life of Jesus were much more compact and easier to transport.

The gospels are like biographies, and yet different; they miss out much of what we look for a good read. For example, we don’t know about Jesus’ appearance, how he dressed, or what his hobbies are.

Instead, these ancient ‘tweets’ focus on different priorities – with over a third of each book dealing with Jesus’ arrest, trial, death and resurrection. Their writers are gripped with the drama of an amazing good man, strung up on a false charge, and put to death. When he appeared alive to his friends, he changed their world, and he still does today. Now that’s a story worth passing on.

Highs and Lows

2010-03-16T17:50:00.002Z

Lent is a thoughtful time, even sombre in places – but is full of highs and lows. Last month’s magazine helped us think about Ash Wednesday, about repentance and spiritual disciplines such as prayer – and I hope we take time out to think about our spiritual health. But there are also some moments of lightness in the season too.

There is an old Jewish saying: God could not be everywhere, and therefore He made mothers. Mothering Sunday is a high point when we remember all our Mothers.
Mother Church, Mother Earth, the Mother of God - our human mothers - all of them have been part of the celebration of ‘Mothering Sunday’ - as the fourth Sunday in Lent is affectionately known.

I’ve discovered that during the Middle Ages, young people apprenticed to craftsmen or working as ‘live-in’ servants were allowed only one holiday a year on which to visit their families - which is how ‘Mothering Sunday’ got its name. This special day became a day of family rejoicing, and the Lenten fast was broken. In some places the day was called Simnel Day, because of the sweet cakes called simnel cakes traditionally eaten on that day.

As we draw near to the end of March we arrive at Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday, when the Church remembers how Jesus arrived at the gates of Jerusalem just a few days before the Passover was due to be held. He was the Messiah come to his own people in their capital city, and yet he came in humility, riding on a young donkey, not in triumph, riding on a war-horse.

As Jesus entered the city, the crowds gave him a rapturous welcome, throwing palm fronds into his path. They knew his reputation as a healer, and welcomed him. But sadly the welcome was short-lived and shallow, for Jerusalem would soon reject her Messiah, and put him to death.

On Good Friday all the churches in Crewe will come together to act out these events on the streets of our town. I hope that you will accompany us on this Passion Play, amidst the shoppers and passers-by. Some of them will ignore it, others may shout abuse; but some will stop and stare and be reminded of the man who is God, who came to die for us all to know God as our Father and friend.

Give and take

2010-03-16T17:49:00.002Z

It feels like no sooner have we put away our Christmas decorations and crib sets from church, than we start getting ready for Lent.

It is a good spiritual discipline, though, and I have to admit that I need to cut down and lose some weight after my Christmas excesses. However, I need to keep reminding myself that just giving up a few chocolate bars now and then is not really the point, is it?

Lent is about giving things, and it is about taking things on.
Recently I read the latest finance statistics published by the Church of England. Nationally the average parishioner is giving £9 a week to their local church.
“In a time of significant economic pressure, the Church is grateful for the committed support given by so many to their local church.
However, this remains short of the five per cent of disposable income recommended again by the General Synod in the summer of this year.”

This sort of giving may not be very glamorous, but it is important – because our local Church of England is not funded by the Government, it’s not a part of English Heritage or the National Trust.

The painful truth is that if we don’t pay the cost of our church ministers and the cost of running our church buildings, then our churches will be faced with closure.
All we can do is to make sure our giving is prayerfully considered afresh each year, and proportionate to what we have. I hope this Lent we will each consider our own giving for this new year of 2010.

As well as giving, it’s a time for taking things on – spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting and Bible reading are all important. We will be running our Lent course this year, and there is the Good Book Club if you’d like to get into regular Bible discussions.

I pray that we will each be able to enter Lent, and have a good balance in our giving and taking.

Waiting and Hoping

2010-01-11T20:30:00.000Z

They say that Christmas is a time for children – the Christmas lights are up around town, the TV adverts have been going on about toys and games for months, and the excitement is building up for the big day.

My children are actually very good at waiting patiently for Christmas to arrive. They write their lists, and then wait expectantly for all the presents and food and parties to arrive, confident that Santa, or their parents, are going to deliver just what they have wanted and waited for.

I think adults have a lot to learn from children at this time of year, after all, Jesus did call us to have a childlike faith. I know how easy it is to be worn down with the busy-ness and work of Christmas, to lose sight of the real meaning, wonder and awe of this time of year.

That’s why I think the season of Advent is so important. It is a time of waiting and preparing ourselves for what is to come – and I do believe that we cannot really appreciate the wonder of Christmas unless we have held ourselves in the in-between time of Advent.

Week by week we will be reminded of how God spoke through the prophets of the arrival of the promised King, and God’s great plan of salvation. This child will be no ordinary human – he will be God with us, Emmanuel. And while we wait, we make ourselves ready for the coming King, in repentance and perhaps by spending more time with our Bibles and in prayer.

Finally – after all our waiting, Christmas arrives; and just like our children we can be confident that we haven’t been forgotten. There is a present ready for us – a gift of God for us and the whole world – Jesus the King.

I hope we can make an effort to enter into the season of Advent, to be as a child, waiting open hearted and expectant for the real present, Jesus, to arrive. We know that where meek souls will receive Him, still, the dear Christ enters in.
Have a happy Advent, Christmas and New Year.

We all need friends.

2009-11-17T18:43:00.000Z

We begin November with the church festival of All Saints, or All Hallows, which is the feast of all the redeemed, known and unknown, who are now in heaven. This feast day first began in the East, perhaps as early as the 5th century, as commemorating ‘the martyrs of the whole world’, and we can see in it the fulfilment of the hopes of Easter and Pentecost and indeed of Christ’s redemptive sacrifice and resurrection. It's a fitting start to this season of remembrance.
The ‘saints’ do not belong to any religious tradition, they belong to us all, and their lives and witness to Christ can be appreciated by all Christians. Richard Baxter, writing in the 17th century, wrote this:
He wants not friends that hath thy love,
And made converse and walk with thee,
And with thy saints here and above,
With whom for ever I must be...

As for my friends, they are not lost;
The several vessels of thy fleet,
Though parted now, by tempests tost,
Shall safely in thy haven meet....

The heavenly hosts, world without end,
Shall be my company above;
And thou, my best and surest Friend,
Who shall divide me from thy love?*

I find this an encouragement – that those we love, and countless other saints are with us in fellowship through life. We all need the support and fellowship of others to get things done – as we’ve found out in our ArtsFest and in our Harvest Festival celebrations – team work is important, and together we can achieve amazing things.
I hope these words will be a help to all those coming to our Remembrance Sunday and memorial services, and that everyone coming into our churches will discover just how loving and welcoming we are.

Thanks for life!

2009-10-01T20:47:00.000Z

And so we enter the month of October, and a busy time in the life of the Church. At the beginning of the month we are into the All Saints' ArtsFest – a celebration of creativity, art and design for all the community. Then we have our Harvest Festivals in Church and the Harvest Supper at St. Peter's – after all the hard work a chance for some fellowship over a hearty meal. A lot of hard work has gone into these events, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

I hadn’t realised that our Harvest Festival is a comparatively recent church service. Less than 200 years ago, harvest was not formally ‘celebrated’ in church, but in the taverns and on village greens of the countryside, with wild drinking and eating before the harshness of winter set in.

Then in 1834 an eccentric clergyman called the Rev Robert Stephen Hawker arrived in Morwenstowe, a tiny hamlet of a few farms perched high on the windswept cliffs of the north Cornish coast.

Rural life in those days was harsh, and Hawker soon realised the sheer effort needed to survive in those parts. Harvest was the only thing that got people through the winter: a poor one meant starvation. Each bad year Hawker buried some of his congregation.

But the summer of 1843 was perfect, and the harvest that year was exceptionally bountiful. The people of Morwenstowe were getting set to celebrate with their usual abandon, when Hawker stepped in. Who, he asked, did they think had given them the harvest? Were they not going to even say ‘thank you’ to Him?

Abashed, the people came to church, and Hawker led them in giving thanks to God for his rich blessing upon them. The ‘Christian’ Harvest Festival had arrived – in Morwenstowe.

Nowadays Harvest Festivals are enjoyed by both regular church-goers and visitors, making it one of the most popular services in the church year – even in the middle of industrial Crewe. Maybe people appreciate something that re-connects us with a simpler way of life, and with the basic stuff of our existence – food.

Of course, in the Bible Jesus reminded us that we cannot live just on bread alone – we need more than this to be truly alive – we need God in our lives. Jesus called himself the ‘bread of heaven’ – the one that brings us life and sustains us all. So while we celebrate all these good things this month, let us not forget that to be fully alive we need Jesus, and all we now have comes from him.

Creativity & God

2009-08-07T09:51:00.001Z

As we come to holiday time again it's a chance for rest and recreation. That word ‘recreation’ shows that it's about allowing God to create us anew – physically in rest, but also spiritually. We need this re-creation after all the work of the last few months.

At the end of the school term I’ve been to see many displays, presentations and performances. Each has been wonderful – perhaps the best was Gainsborough Primary’s ‘Joseph’ staged at South Cheshire College. It's been fantastic to share with teachers, parents and children in this explosion of artistic talent and creativity.

We believe that creativity is a gift from God. Indeed, part of what it means to be made in the image of God is that we are endowed with the gift of creativity that is ours to use freely. Every song written, every poem; every painting or sculpture; every construction of stone and steel or of the mind; every thought, word and deed is an outcome of the great truth that we are made in the image of our Creator.

I hope you will come and share this truth with us, and marvel at human creativity in the All Saints' ArtsFest – and so I’d like to leave you with a poem by Gerard Kelly, about our creative God: This God

This God,
Who watches worlds,
Sees my heart.
This careful calculator,
Counting countless millions,
Counts me in.
This artist,
Whose canvas outstretches
Eternity at both ends;
Whose palette out-colours planets,
Paints my portrait.
This lover,
Who dreams in universes,
Dreams of me.
This creator,
Whose breadth of vision spans time
And spawns a cosmos;
Whose woven tapestry of purpose,
More compound than chaos,
Eclipsing complexity,
Rolls out like a highway through history;
Whose heartbeat deafens supernovas:
This father
Kisses me.
This playwright,
Playing
With the deaths and entrances of stars;
Scripting
The end from the beginning;
Knowing
The purpose of the play:
Watches
My feeble audition,
And writes
Me
In.

You can find more on Gerard Kelly's poetry here

The power of thin air.

2009-05-20T08:01:00.002Z

I love aircraft and flying – I even tried to join the RAF as a pilot. From being an Air Cadet as a young man, crashing hang-gliders as a student, to going on holiday by air – I love it. I remember going on a huge Boeing 747 some years ago – and gently hopping up and down in the aisle – just amazed that it was so solid and stable.
What is it that can keep hundreds of tons of metal up in the air? The answer is thin air, the wind.

When I wake up in the morning, I sometimes turn on the TV to see what the weather is doing. There are some mornings that I don't even have to look at the TV to know that the wind is blowing because I can hear it! I can hear it whistling through the trees, down the chimney, and around the windows and doors. We can't see the wind, but we can see it blowing trees and fences, and feel it against our faces.

On 31st May our church celebrates Pentecost Sunday. It was on the day of Pentecost that God sent his Holy Spirit to the church. The Bible tells us that the apostles were all gathered together when suddenly there was a sound like a mighty, rushing wind. Then, it says, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. God's Holy Spirit is like the wind, we can't see him, but we can know that he is there, just like we can know that the wind is there.

We can know that the Holy Spirit is there because we can hear him speaking into our hearts and making us alive to God. We can see him moving people to do God's will -- we can't see God, but we can see people doing things that God's Holy Spirit has moved them to do.

We know that without fresh air everything becomes flat, stale and lifeless – and the same applies to human beings and the church without God’s Holy Spirit. May God throw open the windows of our hearts and our church and blow in some of his freshness, power and life at Pentecost.

They're Not There!

2009-04-03T19:24:00.000Z

Truth is something that we are uncomfortable with in our society nowadays. We are happy with each of us having our own, personal, individual truth – but many think THE TRUTH is only for fundamentalists to talk about.

I'm all for allowing personal choice, but I think as Christians we need to stand up for the fact there is TRUTH. Of course, we are not the only ones in possession of truth – but as we come to Easter, and the resurrection of Jesus, we are celebrating something that is amazing and true.

Gautama Buddha, Guru Nanak, the prophet Mohammed - you can visit the tombs of the founders of all the great world religions except one. Or rather, you can visit his tomb, but it’s conspicuously empty. It's the truth that Jesus’ body WAS NOT THERE which Christians all over the world celebrate at Easter.

When a group of women disciples visited the tomb of Jesus on the third day after his death, they were surprised to find the huge stone at its entrance rolled back. They were even more surprised to discover a ‘young man in white robes’ sitting inside it. The third surprise - the greatest of them all - was what he told them. ‘You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified’, he said. ‘He is not here; he is risen.’

The women had come to anoint a corpse, but instead they were to celebrate a new life. 'Go and tell his disciples'. Nothing could more powerfully express the heart of the Easter message than those simple but life-changing words: ‘Not here.’
Rather like those women, at Easter many of us go to the cemetery or the crematorium as an act of love, to leave some flowers and perhaps say a prayer at the grave of a loved one. But in our heart of hearts we know that they are not there. They have ‘gone’ - but where?

According to the apostle Paul, they have ‘departed to be with Christ, which is far better’. Perhaps the very best notice for the gates of a churchyard would be those simple words: ‘They are not here. They are risen’ - seven words that speak the heart of the Easter faith, for what was true of Jesus is true for all those whose faith is in the risen Saviour.

That - not hot cross buns, chocolate rabbits or Easter Eggs - is what Easter is all about. Death -- the Final Enemy has been defeated.

Get rid of the clutter!

2009-02-26T20:42:00.002Z

One of the things I hate in life is clutter! I hate seeing things out of place and spread all over, piles of unread papers, books and CDs, even left over wrapping paper from Christmas! Unfortunately my office is full of clutter, and every now and then I blow my top and do some tidying up.

It's surprising how we take on these little bits and pieces almost un-noticed, and they just get dumped, getting in the way, often a trip hazard. I'm one of those who thinks everything should be tidy and have a place, even if that place is the bin. So, hopefully I shall find some spare time to have a spring clean in the next few weeks and I'm sure I'll feel better for it.

This made me think that the same thing applies to our spiritual lives too. I know as I go through life that my life gets very cluttered, I take on all kinds of bad habits and activities almost un-noticed. These things clutter up my life, often getting in the way of more useful things I should do, and sometimes causing me to trip-up. It may be watching too much TV, unhelpful stuff on the internet, or bad habits.

Maybe we need a spiritual spring-clean? A time to throw out the clutter of our lives, so we can be healthier in body, mind and spirit. The Christian season of Lent is a good time for reviewing our lives, taking stock of the clutter and sorting it out. It's not about giving up everything we like, as much as doing something positive with our time and energy.

The Church of England has a 'Love Life, Live Lent’ programme, that promotes the idea that doing something positive for friends, neighbours or the wider local community. Suggested acts of kindness include having a clear out of unwanted clothes and toys and donating them to a charity shop, producing simple home-made gifts for Mothering Sunday, creating a prayer space in the understairs cupboard, making a bird cake or learning some basic first aid skills.

As the Archbishop of York said: "With God's help we can change the world for good a little bit every day.” Find out more at the campaign website - www.livelent.net, and this year live more at Lent.

Love is all around

2009-01-22T22:29:00.000Z

As we enter February we find that love is in the air. The shops are full of St. Valentine cards, encouraging us to buy the perfect gift for the one we love.

Here at St. Peter's and All Saints’ Church we will also be celebrating love and marriage – after all God invented human love, and gave us the gift of marriage. So do invite your friends and neighbours to come along and celebrate their love, not just with cards and chocolates, but by thanking God.

Of course, St. Valentine wasn’t a famous lover. In fact there is a legend about the very first Valentine card – it goes like this.

The Roman Emperor Claudius II needed soldiers. He suspected that marriage made men want to stay at home instead of fighting wars, so he outlawed marriage.
A kind-hearted young Christian priest named Valentine felt sorry for all the couples who wanted to marry, but couldn’t. So secretly he married as many couples as he could - until the Emperor found out and condemned him to death.

While he was in prison waiting execution, Valentine showed love and compassion to everyone around him, including his jailer. The jailer had a young daughter who was blind, but through Valentine’s prayers, she was healed. Just before his death in Rome on 14 February, he wrote her a farewell message signed ‘From your Valentine.’

So the very first Valentine card was not between lovers, but between a priest about to die, and a little girl, healed through his prayers.

As we go through February we will begin the churches season of Lent, and we start to think about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, and his journey to his execution, his death on a cross.

It's a sombre time in the Church, but it's also a time of hope, because in a way the cross is also a message of love, from Jesus Christ, our high priest and king, to each of us whom he loves, who are healed by his wounds.

As we enjoy our pancakes, let us remember God’s message of love to each of us.

Keeping Hope

2008-12-16T21:25:00.001Z

Last year at this time I wrote about the hope that we have for the new year; indeed HOPE has been our banner as Christians in Crewe throughout 2008. It has been a privilege to work together with people from all sorts of Christian traditions. We have demonstrated the transforming love of Jesus Christ, and tried to give people hope wherever we have been.

Twelve months on, and we find ourselves caught in financial crises and recession. Many families are facing Christmas with the fear of unemployment, uncertain income, rising debt and worries about the security of their homes. The need for hope is even greater now than before.

And so we come to Christmas in hope, but for many people this time of year brings even more anxieties. The TV adverts will be louder than ever, fuelling demands for ever more spending, on ever more presents – it can be hard to remember what Christmas is really about.

In the familiar Christmas hymn, ‘O little town of Bethlehem’, the author reminds us that in the birth of Jesus the salvation of the world was being played out in Bethlehem.
In thy dark street shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

The gospel of Luke makes it clear that this is an occasion of great joy and hope – that it is Good News. He tells us what the good news is: a Saviour is born! He is Christ the Lord! God’s answer to the needs of the world was to send a baby!
People everywhere were looking for a deliverer, perhaps another Moses; for a king coming in glory and splendour; for a long-promised Messiah. And God sent a baby! A baby, yes, but this Baby was the Incarnate God!

And he came to bring the light of the love and mercy of God to us lost sinners and to guide us in the way of peace. So I pray that we can put aside the pressures and demands, and come together to meet this Baby of peace and hope:

Loving God, meet us in our fear and hear our prayer:
be a tower of strength amidst the shifting sands,
and a light in the darkness;
help us receive your gift of peace and hope,
and fix our hearts where true joys are to be found,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Staying Connected

2008-10-18T19:13:00.000Z

As summer comes to an end it's harvest time. If we think we’ve had a miserable summer with so much wet weather, we should spare a thought for our farmers, trying to cope with harvesting damp crops and rising fuel costs. In our harvest festivals we will be giving thanks for all they have done for us, and thanking God for the food we eat, and this fruitful land we live in.
In John 15, Jesus reflects on the need for us all to be fruitful, as individuals and as a Church. We are reminded that Jesus is the true vine, and the Father is the gardener. We can only be fruitful in life if we stay connected with him – rooting our spiritual lives in the disciplines of prayer, study and worship, if we do we are promised that will bear fruit.
Any gardener will tell you that sometimes hard decisions need to be taken. Sometimes good and healthy plants need to be cut back to make room for new growth. Jesus makes the same point: that even branches that bear fruit will be pruned to be even more fruitful.
As a Church we need to be ready for this, pruning for growth may involve cutting off things that may be dearly loved, and making space for green shoots of new life. In our worshipping life we feel God is calling us to be more welcoming and inviting to those around us, for older folks and young families. We may need to change our current pattern, cut out some things we do now to make way for more family-friendly services.
I'm sure pruning is an uncomfortable experience for a plant, but we know it's for it's own good in the long run. I hope we can learn from this passage and be open to God’s pruning for us and our Church too, and then look hopefully for signs of new growth. It won't be easy, but we trust it will be for our own good.
And in all this, the Bible reminds us, that we need to underpin all this with constant prayer and worship—staying connected to Jesus the true vine.

A culture of invitation

2008-08-18T08:39:00.000Z

I was reading in the papers about the beginning of the Lambeth conference, the gathering of bishops from all over the Anglican Communion that happens every ten years.
880 bishops were invited, some chose not to come this time, but over 660 bishops have come from all over the world, representing a wide range of colours, races and cultures.
Prior to attending the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury the visiting bishops have been invited to stay all in English Dioceses over the country. Bishops from Trinidad and Tobago have stayed in Chelmsford, Canadians and Australians in Durham, and South Africans in Lichfield to name just a few.
Four bishops from The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and five African bishops, and their wives, were in the Diocese of Chester enjoying local hospitality. Our diocese has strong links with the Church of Melanesia (The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) and with Anglicans in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Invitation, hospitality and welcome are essential parts of our Christian faith. We all know how good it is to be invited in, especially when we’re in a strange place and don’t know anyone. Many of Jesus’ parables speak about our God throwing a party and inviting us all; Jesus certainly put that into practice by inviting people of all sorts to come and share a meal, and follow him.
That’s why I think it’s important for our Churches to focus more strongly on creating a ‘Culture of Invitation’. We need to realise that coming to church can be like going to a foreign country for most of the people in our neighbourhoods.
I would like us to have the ‘Culture of Invitation’ as the basis for our worship and ministry. As we plan our worship and our social events, to consciously make it easier to invite people to them. We will need to publicise them more widely, and make it easy for all our people to give out invitations to friends and neighbours.
This should mark all our celebrations in the Church’s calendar, including Christmas, Easter, Harvest and of course ‘Back to Church Sunday’ on 28th September. I’d love us to have a programme of events covering each month of the year, including worship services that are easy to come along to, and social events full of fun and fellowship.
We can invite family and friends, neighbours, and those we meet in happy and sad times, such as baptism families and those who have been bereaved. As with the Lambeth Conference, not everyone will accept our invitation. But some will, and they will discover what a warm and welcoming church we are, and what a loving saviour we have.

Looking to the future

2008-05-31T20:00:00.000Z

A lady had driven her car into a ditch, and there she sat. When the police arrived, they asked her what had happened. “I was looking in the rear view mirror, instead of looking at the road ahead,” she explained. What a thought! There is no way to go forward if your eyes are focused on what’s behind – either in driving, or in life. A lot of people ‘ditch’ themselves because they can’t take their eyes off the past, focus on the future, and move ahead, with hope in God.

We have to admit that we can’t change the past. Instead, consider that there are over 500 verses in the Bible that tell us that God is merciful and longing to forgive us and restore us, if we only turn to him. Listen to these words from Isaiah: ‘Do not remember the former things, neither consider the things of old. For behold, I am doing a new thing…’ (Is 43:18,19) Don’t let the past ruin your future – let God begin to do that ‘new’ thing in your life. The same principle applies to church life as well as to individuals.

Recently the Parochial Church Council (PCC) at St. Peter's and All Saints' have been thinking about this very topic. We have been asking ourselves some hard questions about what we are here for, and how are we doing.

At St. Peter's the PCC took an evening out to ask themselves how healthy is the church. They came up with some ideas to make the church fitter and better equipped for ministry in the 21st Century.
Recently the people of All Saints' took a morning out to pray and write down ideas of what God is calling us to do to be more effective in mission to our community.

This is the beginning of a journey. It will take time, prayer and courage to work out the way forward. It will mean changes in how we do things, and change is a difficult thing to cope with. Some will be bursting with excitement and want radical changes, others will dread even the smallest change. But even though the way may be difficult, we must look to the future, and follow where God is leading us.

After all, we are here with a purpose, to love and to care for people, to share the gospel with them, and to be Christ’s hands and feet here in Crewe. Christ is counting on us, and that means you and me together.

Searching for the Spirit

2008-04-26T10:19:00.000Z

Last week my youngest daughter had some R.E. homework, she had to find stories in the press or internet about the work of the Holy Spirit.

Luckily I had some things she could look at, so she settled down to read through them. She came over after a while and complained that there wasn’t very much there – at least not much specifically talking about ‘the Holy Spirit’.
I realised she was right. The Holy Spirit doesn’t get much credit in our Church – we seem to find it much easier thinking about God as our Father, and God as our saviour, Jesus.

I suppose it's partly because the Holy Spirit works within us to make us more like Jesus, part of the family of God, for without him we cannot develop our relationship with God. Every person who has committed their life to Christ possesses the Holy Spirit, as Paul says, ‘if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.’ (Romans 8:9).

Perhaps most importantly, the Spirit assures us of God’s love and acceptance in our lives, despite our fears, doubts or failures: ‘God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us’ (Romans 5:5).
Paul wrote about our adoption as daughters and sons, our new status, family and future. This means that we can now address God as father, ‘abba’, which is Aramaic for ‘daddy’, the very word used by Jesus himself.

As the Helper (or Counsellor) the Holy Spirit is also alongside to enable us to pray: ‘In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans’. (Romans 8:26).

That first Pentecost day in Jerusalem, when the Holy Spirit arrived in all his fullness, Peter stood up and preached the first ever Christian sermon to the astonished Jews in the city, and 3,000 were converted that same day. But it started with Christians joining together from across the city in constant and faithful prayer.

Perhaps that is something the Holy Spirit is calling us to do too.
We need the presence of the Spirit, as an experience and living reality, only then can God transform us, and our church, and our town.

What about the Resurrection?

2008-03-31T14:52:00.001Z

April fools day is upon us again, and we will have to run the gauntlet of practical jokes and pranks aimed to embarrass us or send us on a fool’s errand. It's a tradition that has gone on for hundreds of years, and is still going strong.

As Christians we are quite used to being made fools of – and it was always so. Even two thousand years ago most believed that the humiliating death of the ‘King of the Jews’ on a brutal cross alongside common criminals was foolish. To suggest that God would actually come to earth to die in such a way is just ridiculous!

Saint Paul spoke to the people of Athens about the story of God, and he was listened to politely, until he came to the cross and the resurrection of Jesus. This was just too foolish for them, and they stopped listening. (Acts 17.15-32).

The story of the death and resurrection of Jesus is strange to many in our society, but it's a story nobody would have made up, and there is plenty of historical evidence that it actually happened – so what does it mean for us?

Like those first disciples, the resurrection gives us a new perspective on our lives, we have a new purpose in life now and hope for life that goes on after we die.

The resurrection shows us that Jesus’ death on the cross was not a tragic defeat but a victory over sin, death and Satan, ‘But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him’ (Acts 2:24).

The resurrection confirms that Jesus truly is the Son of God as he claimed to be. It gives us a confident hope for our own bodily resurrection, rather than a vague wish that everything will be alright.

The resurrection ensures that we can know the reality of Jesus’ risen life today. Millions of Christians around the world share this foolishness with us, and are proving by their way of life that Jesus Christ is alive and lives in them, and in us.

We look forward in April to explore the meaning of the resurrection for each of us, and to celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. God hasn’t finished with us yet! He’s still working in us! He has given us his Holy Spirit! And he will bring us finally to completion, to resurrection, to glory and to be with him for ever!

The Cross – a Symbol of Hope

2008-02-28T23:00:00.001Z

The cross is the badge of the Christian. Yet it was the cruellest form of execution known in the ancient world until it was eventually banned in the 5th century AD. Paradoxically as a horrifying instrument of torture and death, it is also a symbol of love, peace and hope.
The cross is...
a picture of violence, yet the key to peace;
a picture of suffering, yet the key to healing;
a picture of death, yet the key to life;
a picture of utter weakness, yet the key to power;
a picture of capital punishment, yet the key to mercy and forgiveness;
a picture of vicious hatred, yet the key to love;
a picture of supreme shame, yet the Christian’s supreme boast.

The cross really is the key to everything!
Like a cut diamond the cross has many facets. On the cross the powers of death and evil were defeated; Jesus identified with our sufferings and set us an example of self-sacrificial love. However, above all Jesus died to deal with the problem of our sin.
Saint Peter described how this terrible death brings us hope, ‘He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed … Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God’ (1Peter 2:24, 3:18).
What was the purpose of the cross? Peter answers this question in five short words: ‘to bring us to God’. Jesus is like the bridge that provides access between us and God, reaching across the barriers we put up around ourselves, and draw us closer to our Father in reconciliation.
When Jesus died, really died, his body was laid in the tomb. But early on Sunday morning, on the third day, God raised his Son from the grave.
We celebrate a living saviour, not a dead hero, Jesus is alive and is risen. He had a real body, but a resurrection body, like the one we will have some day.
It’s the dramatic conclusion of heaven’s greatest story. It’s the very foundation of our faith. It’s the most decisive event in human history. It’s also a key ‘high point’ on our Hope08 journey. Easter is upon us.

Words and Actions

2008-02-05T15:24:00.000Z

Thinking about the Baptism of Jesus last month made me think about the way Jesus put his words into action. He came with words of love, forgiveness and humility, as God coming alongside ordinary people, to accept their help and ministry, and to bring them salvation – from oppression, darkness and ignorance.

And here he is, the Son of God at the beginning of his mission, not standing on any airs and graces, getting in with the crowds, being ministered to by others, being washed clean alongside them – doing all that God requires.
On that day His actions spoke louder than words, and it was something he kept on doing throughout his ministry. People listened to his teaching because they knew he was totally believable, he was living it, putting it into practice right in front of them.

As we mentioned last month, Hope 2008 is the focus for churches across the country this year. It's all about ‘word and deed’, helping to transform our villages, towns and cities across the UK through practical works of love.

We have made a start in our town centre ‘fun day’, but we need to think of practical things we can do in our own church. It isn't something for a small group to run on their own – it's up to each of us - that’s me and that’s you!
Can you befriend somebody? Can you make a nice cup of tea? Can you run a five-a-side football tournament? Can you cook? Do the washing-up? Are you a good gardener, a doyen of do-it-yourself or a master mechanic?

All those skills and abilities – and many, many more – will come into their own if we want to transform our community. Think of it. Ordinary people reaching out to ordinary people, with an extraordinary message of God’s love for them.
Maybe we can start by looking at the people in our own church community, and asking if they have a pressing need? They may be in need of a bit of re-decorating or gardening that we can help with?

Perhaps we can start in Lent by offering some of our time and talents to each other in practical ways like this – and then see if we can extend it to those around us. Maybe people will take more notice of our words if they can see our love in action.

December - Hope for all

2007-12-07T11:45:00.000Z

Christmas is a hopeful time of year – especially for children. They will be hoping that Santa has them on his list, and they will be getting the presents they’ve been asking for. Hope is an important part of human life – life is difficult if we have no hope.

Many people will be hoping for some time off from work, for a time of celebration, and for some time with the family. For others, though, this will be a difficult and a hopeless time. For all of us I believe the Christian message is full of hope, especially at Christmas.

We celebrate that Jesus, the light of the world, has come into a dark world marked by pain and suffering, disappointment and frustration, despair and hopelessness. In him there is hope. In him there is life. Here is good news!!

We can also celebrate a lot of good things achieved in 2007, our first year as a united benefice of All Saints' Church and St. Peter's Church, working together. We can also look forward with hope for the new year

As we look forward we welcome our new Associate Minister, the Revd. Tony Foster, and his wife Mary. Tony will be ministering at St. Peter's and All Saints', and you can get to know him a bit better here.

Another sign of hope is the new life in ‘Churches Together in Crewe’, our ecumenical group in the town. We are signing a covenant, in which we commit to working together as Christians in Crewe, to share the message and hope of Jesus Christ. I hope you can be at the Oakley Centre on 22nd January to see the covenant signed.

Next year the churches in Britain are launching a new initiative, called Hope 2008. It's about churches working together to transform our community by doing something practical and constructive to give young people and old people hope for the future. We need ideas of how we can improve people’s lives - perhaps by visiting those who are housebound, or by turning an odd patch of ground that no one uses anymore into a communal garden.

But whatever we do, the aim is to bring tangible signs of God’s love to the area. We believe people are tired of living a hopeless existence. They want to lead a different kind of life – which is why Jesus came to this earth.
So may I wish you a Happy Christmas and a Hopeful 2008.

Remembering, Remembering and Remembering

2007-11-07T22:32:00.000Z

November is a time of remembering. We gather together at the beginning of the month to celebrate All Saints and All Souls tide – remembering that we are not alone as Christians here and now, but we are surrounded by a great cloud of saints in glory. I find this encouraging in the work and mission God has given us, to know that we are continuing in a great tradition of Christian saints.

We are remembering those we have loved and lost in our Memorial Services too. Everyone who has lost a loved one is invited to come together, to hear names read out, to light a candle in their memory.

And of course, on 11th November we will commemorate those who have died in the service of this country, to defend our homes. We honour their sacrifice and commit ourselves to work to make a country that is worthy of them.

But remembering is more than this. The word literally speaks of putting ourselves back in touch, re-member-ing. It speaks of an act of will, to consciously bring together everything that makes us whole – knowing that without their memory, and without each other we are incomplete.

Remembering should change us and empower us for a life of service today.
This poem by Daphne Kitching brings us back to Christ, whom we encounter in the Holy Communion, who helps to make us whole:

We remember, while we live,
We who breathed with them.
Photographs and anecdotes hold meaning now,
But our children's children will see only images in boxes,
Flat and far-away strangers.

And those who lived and loved,
Who fought and died,
And those who stayed at home and soldiered on
And bravely to their pillows cried,
Will we remember them, as November claims, or just the sadness of that list of names?

A different remembering there is,
A re-enactment, a continuing
Through past, present, and future of his gift.
Linking lives of faithful witness.
In this remembering we live, who believe,
Knowing the love poured out for us.

Christ died, is risen and will return,
Do this in remembrance of me
Do this in remembrance of me
We will eat, We will drink,
Living our remembering in love
Until he comes.

Something Permanent?

2007-10-15T10:40:00.000Z

It seems to me that more and more people are getting tattoos – from pictures and symbols to the guiding principles of ones life, and even prayers.

Actress Angelina Jolie has written “a prayer for the wild at heart kept in cages” on her left forearm. Robbie Williams etched “Elvis grant me serenity” on his right arm, while singer Pink has written “What goes around comes around” on her wrist. Others are less insightful – actress Lindsay Lohan's right-wrist reminds her to “Breathe”, while singer Amy Winehouse tells the world “Hello Sailor”!

The range and diversity of these comments are amazing – but they all have one thing in common – they are permanent. I expect that many of these celebrities will come to regret having these things tattooed on their skin, but I think it shows a real desire for something that lasts, a longing for something indestructible.

As a Christian I can understand that search for permanence, it is the same search that led me to meet Jesus and to be baptised. The same desire was evident at our recent Confirmation service, where ten people, young and old, chose to stand up and 'confirm' their commitment to God. At the font they made the sign of the cross on their foreheads, renewing the sign made at their baptism years earlier.

It was a reminder to me that all of us who have been baptised have this mark of God on us – like an invisible tattoo. It is a sign of God's love and commitment to us, that is permanent, and will never fade. It is a sign of our commitment to God too, that gives us purpose in life, and someone to live for.

Seeking the lost

2007-09-17T16:04:00.000Z

The plight of little Madeleine McCann has been in the news for more than four and a half months, since she disappeared in Portugal. Her parents, Kate and Gerry, have made huge efforts to find her, going around all the major European countries to raise awareness and to campaign for those who are lost.

Despite the police interest and media speculation, her parents are pushing for more TV adverts to be shown to focus public attention back on their little girl. Its an amazing show of dedication to find one little lost girl – and it shows how far some will go to find what has been lost. I believe they are going to such lengths simply because of love.

It reminds me of the story Jesus told about a lost sheep. Once upon a time a shepherd had a hundred sheep. They are not in a nice green field surrounded by a fence to keep them in – they are in the wide open Judean wilderness stretching for miles around.

The sheep should be following the shepherd to find good grazing, but one sheep isn't! One sheep is wandering from one patch of grass to the next, straying farther and farther away from the flock and the safety of the shepherd. The shepherd realises that something is not right. Ninety nine sheep are safe – but one sheep is missing.

The choice is stark. Stay and protect the flock that he has – or leave the ninety nine to wander alone in the wilderness to look for the solitary lost sheep.

Only a fool would risk everything for the sake of one sheep. And yet that is exactly what the shepherd does in the story. Jesus tells us that this shepherd leaves the rest of his flock to find the lost sheep. And when he finds it he goes straight home, calls his friends and neighbours around, and has a party.

I don't know about you – but I think this shepherd goes over the top. He risks everything to find one sheep, and then he goes overboard with a huge party! No sensible person would do that.

But I think that's the point Jesus is making. That God's love is not sensible. God's love is amazing and over the top. It doesn't count the risks or the effort. God's love doesn't worry about how good the sheep is – it never gives up. God's love is extravagant – no matter how small the victory, when even one lost sheep is found its a cause for a huge party.

Christians call this crazy, unconditional love of God, GRACE. We all need this love, because we live in a world of lost-ness. I think we all wander like sheep at some times, straying far from God and feeling lost. Many people go through dark and difficult times of suffering in life, and can feel like running away from God.
Some people think they're so bad and worthless that God cannot love them, and so they go away from God – wanting to lose themselves. And some have a distorted view of God, thinking he is an angry father who just wants to give them a beating, and, understandably, they'd rather not be found.

But I think that Jesus is telling us that, from God's perspective, we are all precious and loved, and no-one is worthless in his sight. So we should all be searching for the lost in our society, knowing that God will always welcome us, and will never give up on us.

Making Choices, counting the cost

2007-09-10T15:43:00.001Z

As we run our baptism preparation sessions in the parish, we have a whole pack of cards with different words on them. They all say something about baptism and the Christian faith. Some are easy words, like the responding to the love of God, and receiving the blessing of God – or baptism being a good excuse for a party!
Other words are less comfortable. They speak of baptism being a challenge, and a commissioning for service. The words death and sacrifice are there too – which reminds us that being a Christian is not all easy.

I sometimes reflect that its not all that surprising that the Christian faith finds it hard going in this self-obsessed, materialistic and ambitious society we live in. After all, the Christian message goes against much of what we see on our TVs, newspapers and magazines.

In the Bible Jesus tells his disciples that we need to count the cost of following him, we need to be totally committed, loving God more than our possessions, our own families, or even our own lives!

Jesus is not denying the importance of close family. But when there is an urgent task to be done, as there now is, then everything else, including one's own life, must be put at risk for the sake of the kingdom.

The same is true of possessions. Many of Jesus' followers, then and now, have owned houses and lands, and have not felt compelled to abandon them. But being prepared to do so is the sign that one has understood the seriousness of the call to follow.

That may sound very unrealistic to us today in Crewe. Surely we don't need to get worked up about our faith – we don't face any urgency, or danger or persecution do we?

But we need to remember that Jesus is talking about the decision to follow him. We all face decisions in life – but the most important decision we face is whether we will follow Jesus or not.

Perhaps you might say, "Oh, that is an easy decision. Of course I will follow Jesus," but Jesus warned that it isn't always easy to follow him. He said that we should sit down and count the cost.

In many parts of the world today being a Christian is truly costly and dangerous. In Islamic countries you can be denounced and killed for becoming a Christian. In South America and Africa Christians are targeted for siding with the poor and powerless against unjust governments.

Here in this country its becoming more difficult and uncomfortable to stand up for God and his standards. Will we choose to follow him if it means giving up friends who are making bad choices? Will we choose to follow him if it means we will never live in a big house or drive a fancy car?

Jesus may demand everything from us, but we need to remember what he gives us back in return.

He gives us his love and support throughout our lives through good times and bad, never leaving us abandoned. He forgives us our sins, setting us free from all that drags us down. He sends us his Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us. The Holy Spirit gives us gifts and helps us become more like Jesus – full of love, joy, peace, kindness, courage and strength.

More than that he invites us to be part of his family here on earth, where we can be loved and supported as we work to build the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

And he invites us to live on with him when we die, when we are called home to live in peace and joy in paradise with the saints in glory.
So – let us count the cost and the benefits. It may cost us our money given freely to church and those in need, our time spent in works of love and generosity, and maybe difficulty and hardship. But compared with the wonderful gifts of God that are ours for all eternity perhaps they aren't so much.

Keeping things in balance - September 2007

2007-09-10T15:32:00.000Z

I hope you've had a good summer break, and had a chance to get away from things — to have a holiday, spend time with loved ones, and to relax. Its important to keep things in balance in life – a healthy life includes work, rest and play – all three are needed.

Traditionally Christians have worked out a rule of life to help to keep things in balance physically and spiritually. People like St. Benedict, St. Francis and St. Columba built religious communities around a 'rule of life' to help people to have a balanced life of prayer, worship, reading the bible, and hard work.

For me, personally, the Christian Cursillo movement taught me a simple rule of life that I found helps me to keep a balance. It’s based on Piety, Study and Action.
These terms may sound boring, or even archaic.

Piety, for example, sounds really old fashioned and off-putting. But piety is simply about our spiritual life – how we encounter the living God and show our love and devotion to God. It is about our prayer life and our worship, and this affects our whole life.

Study sounds dull and boring, and only for the clever among us – but it needn't be so. We can study God through reading books, especially the Bible, but also through music, films and in discussion with others. Of course, God also reveals himself in the natural world, and we can study God in all these ways. Study is an important part of our rule of life, and it’s good to see the All Saints Bible Study, and the St. Peter's Bible Reading Fellowship getting started in September – I hope you'll find them useful.

Action is the final part of our spiritual life rule. The Christian life cannot just be about a personal, secret, faith that we keep to ourselves. Our faith should motivate us to action – in our workplace, at home helping those around us, sharing our faith with others, or inviting them in on
'Back to Church Sunday'.

As you read through the pages of this magazine you'll see there are many exciting things happening – that can help us to have a balance of piety, study and action in our lives. I hope you will get involved in many ways – because we all have a part to play.

Overcoming Greed and Anxieties

2007-08-08T21:48:00.000Z

Then Jesus said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Luke 12:15 (New Living Translation)

If you put the TV on today, you may well hear an advert that goes like this: with glossy pictures of beautiful people enjoying a care-free life, with beautiful homes and furniture, and a shiny new car. They urge us to buy now, pay later, with guaranteed credit or a loan.

If you struggling with debts and credit card bills, don't worry – consolidate all your different bills into one easy monthly payment. If you're in real trouble they can help to wipe out your outstanding debts, and set you free.

I was talking to a man who turned out to be a financial advisor who told me that we're creating not just a buy now-pay later society – we're building a buy now-pay never society! Just keep spending, and racking up the debt – then get someone to come in and write it off so you can start again.

This world thrives on people setting higher and higher goals for themselves, and each other, so that they can worry all day whether they will meet them. Its ironic that in this country where levels of wealth and the standard of living has grown so much, there is still such a high level of anxiety, worry and stress.

We've been seduced by our consumer society, we've absorbed the standards of greed and materialism of the world. As with so much of his teaching, what Jesus says here goes to the heart of the problem, to the heart of who we are.

Remember that Jesus is speaking to a crowd in Jerusalem, a crowd of people who weren't all that well off. Many of his hearers only just had enough to live on, and there was always the prospect that one day they wouldn't have even that.

So Jesus is speaking to simple people, without a great deal. He's talking about the Kingdom of God, and he tells them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a person's life does not consist in the abundance of their possessions."

The Kingdom of God is, at its heart, about God's sovereignty sweeping the world with love and power, so that human beings, each of us made in the image of God and dearly loved, may relax in the knowledge that God is in control. This is where God wants us to get our identities and priorities for life.

That's a question for all of us. Is our identity found in our jobs, clothes and gadgets around our home? Or is our identity found in the relationships we have – our relationship to God and to each other?

The world would have us identify ourselves as customers – where companies and organisations value is for how much we can spend with them.

Capitalism in the west is no longer about making and building things, where we are a creative part of the process. Capitalism is now about owning brand names, and our value is merely as customers.

That's all OK as long as you keep spending, keep consuming, and keep the cycle going. But if you fall down, you're no longer of value, and you can lose your identity in society too.

So – if you're sick of the rat-race, greed and consumerism in society – hear some fresh wisdom: Jesus says, “a person's life does not consist in the abundance of their possessions”.

We can proudly be different from society. We can help those around us in financial difficulties to break the habit and take control. We can value people for who they are, not what they own. And you can give up greed and anxiety, and live in trust in our Father God who made you, loves you and watches over you.

What’s Your Next Step? - July/August 2007

2007-06-25T09:54:00.000Z

Does this month spell the end of school, college, or even a job, for you? Then congratulations are in order: you have completed a significant step!

Now it is time to consider your next step. The dictionary defines ‘step’ as a physical movement that advances you in a desired direction. You take a ‘step’ forward in order to get somewhere specific, not just to stop yourself falling flat on your face. Each ‘step’, however small, can take you towards a specific goal.

The Bible reflects this. It is filled with the metaphors of stepping, walking, running and goals, pilgrimages, journeys, all to describe the years of our lives.
When we were babies, we clung to our parents’ hands as we learned how to take our first steps. They stayed right by us, to keep us from falling, and to steer us in the right direction. In the same way we need to walk near to God – and let him guide us in the steps we should take.

Choosing your next step in life this year is important. The good news is that you don’t have to do it on your own. The Bible makes clear that in God, you have a divine ‘life coach’. He knows you perfectly – and he has a plan for your life. Most of all this involves a personal relationship with him.

We’ve all seen toddlers staggering towards danger, ignoring their parents’ cries of warning. We’ve all seen adults making a mess of their lives. They are ignoring their very own divine Shepherd, Guide, Teacher and Helper.

A baby learns to walk safely by listening to its parents. We learn what God’s will is for us through daily reading of his word, in the Bible, and putting it into practice.
Of course, when God guides us, he doesn’t hand down a divine map of our lives. His guidance is more like that of a torch – light for our daily path, showing us the way.

God’s final ‘step’ for you is that you should know, enjoy and glorify him forever. Throughout our lives, we are to be taking small daily steps towards the Eternal City and he will see that we reach our final goal.

Meanwhile, the Lord wants you to succeed in the earthly goals that he has for you! Ask God to be your guide and helper as you take your next step – and God bless you.

The 'L' plates are off! - June 2007

2007-05-31T18:17:00.000Z

In the Vicarage we have been celebrating with my oldest children, Paul and Jennifer, that they have each passed their driving tests. They have had months of driving lessons, and gaining confidence driving around in our family car too. It’s a nerve-wracking business, letting someone else behind the wheel, but they have been really very good, and they deserved to pass. It was an important milestone to achieve.

So, the red ‘L’ plates are off, and we can now put on some green ‘P’ plates, because we all know that just because you pass a test, it doesn’t mean that you are a brilliant driver. I think the ‘P’ stands for ‘Provisional’, and should help other drivers to be a little more generous and understanding to someone gaining confidence as a new driver – we’ll see how well that works out in practice!

In May I passed an important milestone of my own. I was invited onto the First Incumbent’s Course – a training course for those becoming a Vicar for the first time.

A group of seven new incumbents spent three days at Foxhill retreat centre, learning some new things, and sharing our experiences with each other.

We each had to give a 20 minute presentation on our respective parishes to the group and then lead a discussion on our findings. It was really interesting to hear about the situation in parishes across our diocese – from really poor urban priority areas, to leafy rural parishes, from small struggling churches to large popular ones.

As with many courses nowadays, the real work was done before we got there. We had to complete an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing our parish – and what we now need to do to be a growing and more effective church here in Crewe.

There are harder places for ministry within our Diocese, but we know that we face difficulties here in Crewe. Despite this we have lots of strengths, mainly in our faithful people at St. Peters and All Saints, who work so hard and with great love. The opportunities for ministry and mission are all around us, and the need is great – so we do need to focus our efforts.

Over the next few months we will be working together with PCC members to see the best way forward. We want to celebrate the good things that are happening, and to see which areas can be improved. We’ll be thinking about what kind of Church God wants us to be in the future. I hope we can all think about these things and share our ideas.

So, in lots of ways I do feel that the ‘L’ plates are off, and some kind people have even given me a set of green ‘P’ plates to celebrate. That does mean I will still make mistakes, and I’ll still need your generosity and understanding as we journey on together.

One People - May 2007

2007-05-31T18:16:00.000Z

For our Easter holiday we went to Spring Harvest. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a Christian festival held at the Butlins camps in Minehead and Skegness, over a three week period around Easter each year. In each week thousands of Christians gather to hear inspirational speakers talk on a range of topics, to worship together, to discuss issues and to enjoy a break from work.

We went to Skegness, and while the rest of the country baked in an early heat-wave, the Lord saw fit to send us cloud and a chilling sea-mist.

The theme for this year was ‘One People’, and was about the unity and purpose we have as the people of God. In Bible studies, art and drama we followed the life of St. Peter, from he when he first met Jesus by the beach on the Sea of Galilee, through his ups and downs, inspiration and denial, to his forgiveness and restoration by Jesus on that same beach over a breakfast of grilled fish.

Day by day we looked at what it means to be one people that is Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Familiar words that we say in our creeds every week – and they sound very impressive – but what do they mean?

Holy is about being called, and set apart for a special purpose by God. We are holy when we are rooted in God and act as God wants us to act, when we do what Jesus would do. So holiness is an active word that speaks to us of peace, righteousness and justice.

Catholic is from the Greek word for universal, and reminds us that God’s plan of salvation includes all people – for God so loved THE WORLD, that he gave his only Son. It reminds us that we are one people, our colour and nationality doesn’t matter – what we have in common is more important.

Our word Apostolic is from the Greek word for being sent. All those who were called and sent by Jesus came to be known as apostles – not just the twelve disciples we remember, but also Mary Magdalene, Paul of Tarsus, and whoever was sent out to tell others about Jesus!

I’m very proud of the one people of St. Peters and All Saints, a united benefice of parishes working together. And I'm inspired to know that beyond our parishes we are united with Christians throughout the Crewe area, of different denominations, and around the world.

In May we celebrate Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit. So this is a good time to live holy lives for God, united with other Christians, and being sent to tell others about Jesus. Maybe you can invite your neighbours to come to church with you – they may be just waiting for a personal invitation.

Just tell them, ‘Come and see what Church is like, and meet our new vicar. He’s really youthful / old / strange / interesting / odd (delete as appropriate), and the people are very warm and welcoming.’ You never know what might happen.

Held by love - April 2007

2007-05-31T18:14:00.000Z

I’ve been reflecting on depictions of the crucifixion in art down the ages as part of my Lenten devotions. I’m no expert on art, but its amazing to see how Christian understanding of the passion of Christ has developed, and been expressed in film, painting and sculpture.

One of the most striking examples is by Salvador Dali. It shows Christ on the cross distant above the world, serene and at peace, like many of our crucifix imagery. Christ is held to the cross not by nails, but by his love for us. Part of me struggles against this view – surely death on the cross was more violent than that?

By contrast the film The Passion of the Christ, by Mel Gibson, is full of violence, blood and gore. Some say it is too violent – but surely this is what really happened, as we read in the gospels. We read of Jesus being beaten with a grotesque flesh-ripping leather and metal whip; we read of Him having a crown of thorns forced down over his head around his eyes; we read of Him struggling to carry a huge wooden cross through the streets of Jerusalem; and all before the crucifixion had even started!

But surely the point was, and is, that Jesus' death was horrifying. It was unjust, it was brutal, it was barbaric and yet this was what Jesus always knew that he had come to do - to die the most awful death on the cross in order to identify with the most awful suffering of humanity and in some mysterious way to achieve something that would change the whole course of history.

Jesus could have avoided being crucified. He could have stayed at home and not entered Jerusalem. He could have kept quiet through the Passover or hidden with his disciples. He even could have got down from the cross in some miraculous manner as He was jeered at. But it was for the very purpose of his death that Jesus came to confront ultimate evil and to come through it. So what held him to the cross was not in fact the nails in his hands and feet – but his love for humanity – for you and me.

But of course, the story doesn't finish there. The bloody and broken body of Jesus is not the end. Just three days later came the most amazing and wonderful turn-around - Jesus' broken body somehow transformed and restored to life, to health and to the future. And so arrives Easter Day - the ultimate miracle and most important victory of all time.

Christ gave everything for us – March 2007

2007-03-09T15:26:00.000Z

As we move into Lent we turn away from the Christmas crib and look to Jesus’ journey to the cross. It is a time of sacrifice, when we think of our own spiritual lives, give up some luxury, and take on something in devotion to our Lord.Here at St. Peters and All Saints we are also thinking of all God gives us, and how much we offer back to God through the Church. The term for this is Stewardship – and it encompasses everything we have been given – including ourselves, our gifts, talents, and time, and of course our money.

Firstly, a big thank you for all of you for your support over the years, especially during the long months without a vicar. The Church wouldn’t have been able to keep going without you — thank you.I know it’s never popular to talk about money in Church circles, it seems far too earthly and not at all spiritual. Surprisingly when you turn to the Bible they don’t have the same problem.

The Old Testament law is very open and precise about giving. Our God is the Lord of everything on earth, everything we have belongs to God and we are his stewards. So, whenever we receive anything the first thing we should do is to give, at least a tenth, back to God. This isn't narrow legalism, we are encouraged to give out of gratitude for God’s overwhelming generosity to us.

In the New Testament the emphasis is even more on the grace of God, that we receive so much from God that we don’t deserve – most importantly we are given salvation by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Our eyes are drawn away from ourselves, our possessions and money issues, to the cross. The last verse of the hymn ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ comes to mind: “Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

I hope this Lententide, as we come to Stewardship Renewal Sunday, on the 25th March, we will all be moved to respond to God’s amazing love and generosity with this same spirit in mind.
Yours in Christ, Steve

One body, many parts - February 2007

2007-03-09T15:24:00.000Z

I should have expected it. After all the interest in my bike-riding, and with photos on the cover of local newspapers saying ‘on your bike vicar’, it was only a matter of time before I fell off spectacularly. So I was suitably embarrassed to be sitting in the Accident and Emergency department after I crashed the bike and broke my arm.

It has been a real eye-opener for me, it’s the first time I have broken anything or had to be a patient in A&E. As broken bones go this has been quite a minor break, it hasn’t been too painful and it has healed very quickly. I do appreciate all your prayers and kind words throughout December. Of course, it has cramped my style a little. I haven’t been able to get out and about visiting as much as I would have liked to, I have relied on others to give me lifts around town. Even small things like dressing, washing and eating were difficult, one broken arm affected my whole being. Funnily enough, I am grateful for the experience of my broken arm. It has helped me to get a small glimpse of the kind of difficulties disabled or infirm people have to put up with every day, and I have learned how to do things with my left hand.

Our Sunday readings in January led us through St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, where he explains that the Church is really one body made up of many parts – and like our own bodies when one part suffers, we all suffer, when one part is honoured, we all rejoice. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul makes the point that each of us are different, with different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit -- different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

St. Paul is convinced that all of us have a gift and a ministry of service that is given for us to do. We all have a part to play, no matter how old or young. Being the church is about each of us realising our unique gift and ministry together, it isn’t a personality cult about the vicar, or a job for trained professionals only.

For example, our worship should involve everyone, whether it is reading the Bible, leading intercessions, administering communion, praying and singing. At other times we can all show love and concern to those who are ill or in need of a visit, and do let us know so we can pray and visit too. St. Paul reminds us “Now you are the body of Christ”, may God show each one of us that we are a special part of it, with a unique contribution to make.
Yours in Christ, Steve

All things new! - December 2006/January 2007

2007-03-09T15:08:00.000Z

There are lots of new things happening as we approach a new year together, with a new vicar, and we are about to become a new united benefice – two parishes working together to the glory of God. Personally I have a new job – my wife Christine and our children have a new home to settle into and lots of new friends to get to know. Straight away we had a new task of driving the children to school and to work out the best route.

I’m very aware that you have a strange new vicar to get to know. Every vicar has their own way of doing things, and it will take a little while to work it out, but I think we’ll make a great team together. I’m pretty good at remembering names, and at remembering faces – but sadly not too good at putting them together, so everyone seems familiar to me as an old friend! So please take pity on me and remind me of your name, and excuse me if I keep forgetting.

I’d like to take the opportunity of thanking all those who have worked so hard to keep things going so well during a long and difficult vacancy. I know there has been a lot of uncertainty, and we wouldn’t have come through so well without the fantastic work of our Church Wardens, our Reader and Church officers – so a special thank you to Derek and Graham, and Marlene,
Pam and Anne, and many more.

I’m sure everyone knows about the new united benefice that is being created with All Saints and St. Peters – and it may even be official by February! It has been a long time coming, but when it is finally approved by the Church Commissioners it will give us another excuse for a party. I’m already impressed by the friendly and collaborative way we have begun working together, and
I’m convinced this will lead to many fruitful friendships and ideas.

As we enter the season of Advent and Christmas we hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, in chapter 43 “See, I am doing a NEW THING! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” It reminds us that while God never changes, he is always active, always moving, and always surprising us in new ways with new things.

No-one expected the Messiah to come in the way he did, even though it was written in the prophets. God was taking a big risk and doing something new and unexpected to reach
out to the human race – and all because of his amazing love for us, for you and me. The fanfare news went out first to the poor and excluded, the shepherds on a hillside, and they had the privilege of welcoming the new king to the world.

I think this sets our agenda for the new year – to take risks, to boldly do new and even unexpected things to reach out to those around us – especially for the young and the old. I am looking forward to many new possibilities and challenges ahead, because God is always giving us new hope for the future.
Yours in Christ, Steve