Rectors Ramblings Dear Friends, Two things struck me as rather challenging in the news this week. Firstly, the water in the River Thames is cleaner now than it has been for 200 years. Fish and other aquatic creatures can live quite happily in the heart of the city of London. Even seals sometimes venture upstream to London. The downside is that whales can become disorientated and beached. A minke whale got stuck in rollers at Richmond lock and having been freed from there got caught again at Teddington lock. It had become injured and distressed, and the decision was made to euthanise it. Perhaps it is easier to recognise signs of distress and being lost in a whale than it is in a friend or colleague but being lost can be equally fatal in human beings. An acute sense of direction is not a gift given to all, and everyone on occasion gets lost. I must confess that reflecting on the news, it feels like there was more coverage about the stranded whale than there was about the new born child found dead in a London canal, and I found myself wondering whether we care more for the plight of a lost mammal than we do for human beings in need? Secondly, the results of the elections threw up the need for a couple of by-elections. Tracy Brabin’s victory made her ineligible to hold her seat in the House of Commons and Jonathan Seed’s drink driving conviction from 28 year ago made him ineligible to take up the post of Police and Crime Commissioner for Swindon and Wiltshire to which he had been elected. Our reading this week from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the election of Matthias in a ‘by-election’ to replace Judas. It would be wrong to equate either Ms Brabin’s or Mr Seed’s need to stand down with the need to replace Judas as one of the Twelve. However, it reminds us that the Holy Spirit can work through something as seemingly mundane as our casting a vote in a ballot box, and as Matthias who finds himself catapulted into the limelight, the call to holiness both then and now is often demanding and surpassing. On Thursday evening last, we celebrated Ascension day. The Ascension of Jesus links Luke's gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Before he leaves them, Jesus enables his followers to understand the scriptures. He encourages them to wait confidently to be fully equipped by the Holy Spirit for their ministry. This ministry will be to call people, in the name of Jesus Christ, to turn their lives around and return to God. After watching Jesus ascend into heaven the disciples returned to Jerusalem from where they will spread the good news to all the nations. What do you feel about the idea of ‘winning people for Christ’? Is there still a place for language about winning, losing and being lost when it comes to speaking about the Gospel? This week may we be reminded of the call that Christ places upon all our lives, to share His Good News, to love each other as much as we love ourselves, and that God’s love extends to all people of all nations, creeds, colours, sexuality or gender, and that showing this begins through our worship of God and through our service to our communities. Don’t forget to be praying for 5 people through these 10 days of Thy Kingdom Come and prayer journals are available from both churches and the Rectory. You can watch the introduction here Have a good week, keep safe and keep in touch. Paul There is an 8:00 a.m. Holy Communion at both St Mary’s and St Peter’s this week Our 10:00 a.m. Streamed services will be available on - St Mary’s Church, Newick-Facebook https://www.facebook.com/saintmarysnewick/ or https://vimeo.com/stmarysnewick or on the website https://newickchurch.org/
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Transcript
Rectors Ramblings
Dear Friends,
Two things struck me as rather challenging in the news this week.
Firstly, the water in the River Thames is cleaner now than it has been for 200 years. Fish and other aquatic
creatures can live quite happily in the heart of the city of London. Even seals sometimes venture upstream to
London. The downside is that whales can become disorientated and beached. A minke whale got stuck in rollers
at Richmond lock and having been freed from there got caught again at Teddington lock. It had become injured
and distressed, and the decision was made to euthanise it. Perhaps it is easier to recognise signs of distress and
being lost in a whale than it is in a friend or colleague but being lost can be equally fatal in human beings. An
acute sense of direction is not a gift given to all, and everyone on occasion gets lost. I must confess that
reflecting on the news, it feels like there was more coverage about the stranded whale than there was about the
new born child found dead in a London canal, and I found myself wondering whether we care more for the
plight of a lost mammal than we do for human beings in need?
Secondly, the results of the elections threw up the need for a couple of by-elections. Tracy Brabin’s victory made
her ineligible to hold her seat in the House of Commons and Jonathan Seed’s drink driving conviction from 28
year ago made him ineligible to take up the post of Police and Crime Commissioner for Swindon and Wiltshire
to which he had been elected.
Our reading this week from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the election of Matthias in a ‘by-election’ to
replace Judas. It would be wrong to equate either Ms Brabin’s or Mr Seed’s need to stand down with the need
to replace Judas as one of the Twelve.
However, it reminds us that the Holy Spirit can work through something as seemingly mundane as our casting a
vote in a ballot box, and as Matthias who finds himself catapulted into the limelight, the call to holiness both
then and now is often demanding and surpassing.
On Thursday evening last, we celebrated Ascension day. The Ascension of Jesus links Luke's gospel and the Acts
of the Apostles. Before he leaves them, Jesus enables his followers to understand the scriptures. He encourages
them to wait confidently to be fully equipped by the Holy Spirit for their ministry. This ministry will be to call
people, in the name of Jesus Christ, to turn their lives around and return to God. After watching Jesus ascend
into heaven the disciples returned to Jerusalem from where they will spread the good news to all the nations.
What do you feel about the idea of ‘winning people for Christ’?
Is there still a place for language about winning, losing and being lost when it comes to speaking about the
Gospel?
This week may we be reminded of the call that Christ places upon all our lives, to share His Good News, to love
each other as much as we love ourselves, and that God’s love extends to all people of all nations, creeds,
colours, sexuality or gender, and that showing this begins through our worship of God and through our service
to our communities.
Don’t forget to be praying for 5 people through these 10 days of Thy Kingdom Come and prayer journals are
available from both churches and the Rectory. You can watch the introduction here
Have a good week, keep safe and keep in touch.
Paul
There is an 8:00 a.m. Holy Communion at both St Mary’s and St Peter’s this week
Our 10:00 a.m. Streamed services will be available on - St Mary’s Church, Newick-Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/saintmarysnewick/ or
https://vimeo.com/stmarysnewick or on the website https://newickchurch.org/