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2. christianity
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Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
St. George's Church Directory
Churchwardens: Mrs Jan Payne
Mr Livingston Dallas
Assistant Wardens: Mr Jonathan Bentley , Mrs Margaret Ziolek (
Members of the PCC
Mrs Heather Barker ; Mr Jonathan Bentley ; Mrs Penny Bloss ; Mrs Elaine Cook ;Mr Derek
Hands ; Mr Brian Morgan ; Mr Alastair Newman; Mr Andy Reynolds ; Mr Eric Webb Mrs Margaret Ziolek
Hon. Secretary PCC.
Mrs. Vivienne Windheuser
Treasurer
Mr. Derek Hands
Deanery Synod Representatives: Mr Gareth Morgan ; Mrs Serena Newman; Mr Ray Wheeler
Stewardship Covenant Secretary
Mr. Colin McHugh
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Services at St. George's Church
Sundays: 7.30 am Morning Prayer
8.00 am Said Eucharist
10.00 am Sung Parish Eucharist followed by refreshments in the Church Hall.
Children are welcome at all services.
Weekdays: See page 3
Sunday Groups for children and young people
Junior Church:
Age 3 years – Year 5/6 Penny Bloss
Youth Church:
Yr 5/6 – Yr 11
Revd Barry Hengist
8654 8747
Youth Emmaus: Yr 5/6 – 17 years +
Revd Barry Hengist
8654 8747
There is also a well-resourced, carpeted area at the back of the Church for the Under 3s.
(Note: All groups for children and youth are supported by at least 2 approved adults)
Electoral Roll Officer
Mr. Owen Whalley
For Baptism, Banns and Marriage, Communion of the house-bound, and other pastoral matters:
please contact Reverend Barry Hengist on 020 8654 8747 Please try to avoid Friday, his day off.
Organist and Choir Mistress
Miss Sophie Clayton
Safeguarding Representative
Mrs. Susan Wheeler.
Priest in Charge: The Reverend Barry Hengist
The Vicarage, Elstan Way, The Glade, Shirley, CR0 7PR
Senior Hon. Curate: The Reverend Carol Jones
Church Flowers
Mrs. Marion Sheehan
Hon. Curate: The Reverend Andy Dovey
Acting Senior Server
Mr Gareth Morgan
Southwark Pastoral Auxiliary: Mr Melvyn Demmen
Baptisms
Miss Lucy Lawrence
Southwark Pastoral Auxiliary: Mr Andy Reynolds
The Parish Magazine
barryhengist@gmail.com
020 8654 8747
andy.dovey@me.com
Reader: Mr Brian Cook MSc
Editor : Mr. Brian McGinnis
Reader: Mr Ray Wheeler
Circulation
Mrs. Hazel Styles
Accounts
Mrs. Janet Fitt
Advertising and Proof Reading
Mrs. Pam Hooks
Website: www.stgeorgeschurch.co.uk
Parish Office: parish.office@hotmail.co.uk
© St. George’s Church, Shirley unless otherwise stated.
© PP is copyright of the Parish Pump Ltd, PO Box 236, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4GJ
PAGE 28
The Church is open on Saturday mornings from 9 30a.m. to 12 noon.
The Lady Chapel is open for private prayer on Mondays 10.30 am - 12 noon
PAGE 1
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
A view from the Vicarage
A number of our young people are in the process of being prepared for Confirmation which will take place at St George’s on 14 th June. But they are not
the only ones who need to be prepared. All those who consider themselves
part of the parish family have a role to play in preparing the church to receive
them. I’m not talking about the obvious preparations such as cleaning the
building or making sure the lighting is programmed. I’m not even talking
about preparing the words and practising music for the service important
though they all are. As a church family we must prepare ourselves to welcome them by praying for them regularly.
It is tempting to think that as adults we have learned all we need to know and
can stop. Truth is we need to be lifelong learners in life in general and in faith
in particular. We all need the challenge of new ideas and fresh perspectives if
we are to grow in our understanding. There are many ways in which we can
do this and the season of Lent offers some opportunities.
Lent Courses - This year there are two Lent courses from which to
choose, and daytime and evening options available for each. There are details
of all of these options in this magazine. (See page 5.)
Lent Books – I am recommending a choice of Lent books
this year. The first is the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent
book for 2015 ‘In God’s Hands’ by Desmond Tutu.
(Bloomsbury £9.99 ISBN 978-1-4729-0387-7) As Arch-bishop
Justin says in the foreword “In times of conflict we are tempted
to react instinctively rather than in obedience to Christ. This book is
different, demanding and dramatic – because it
holds us to his call. You will not look back.”
The second recommendation is ‘The Little Book of Lent’ Daily
wisdom from the world’s greatest spiritual teachers. A reflection, scripture reading and a prayer for each day from Ash
Wednesday to Easter Day. (William Collins £4.99 ISBN 978-00075-6446-2)
Lenten Devotions – Stations of the Cross, Compline and other opportunities for meditative prayer will be offered nearer Holy Week. (See the March
magazine for details.)
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Organisations Continued
St George’s Club (in the Church Hall
Tuesdays
8p.m.
Chris & Wendy Brightman
Whist Drive (in the Church Hall)
Wednesdays
7 45p.m.
Inquire in Hall Wednesday 7 - 7 45p.m.
Medau (in the Church Hall)
Tuesdays
1.30-3.00p.m
Mrs Gammon
Townswomen’s Guild
1st Friday in month 7 45p.m.
Mrs Walls
Goslings Pre-School: Tuesdays 9 30 –12; Wednesdays 9 30—2 30; Thursdays 9 30—12;
Fridays 9 30—2 30. Mrs Chris Marchant
Shirley Neighbourhood Care Scheme 8662 9599 sncs/1970@gmail.com
Police Contacts: Safer Neighbourhood Teams
Ashburton Ward: Longheath Estate, Long Lane, the Playing Fields and Wood, and The
Glade, Gladeside and Woodmere Avenue and the adjacent roads, including the church.
Also Northampton Road to Arena, Shirley Road and Ashburton Park.
Telephone: 020 8721 2474 or 07920 233885.
Shirley Ward: Orchard Avenue, Orchard Way and the adjacent roads, including Tower
View and the Lawdon Estate. Also Upper Shirley to Bromley Border, including Shrublands,
Wickham Road and Shirley Oaks.
Telephone: 020 8721 2469 or 07920 233890.
URGENT 999 (Other crime reports 101)
In our schools, it is right and proper that we have a clear distinction between
teachers and pupils. In our lives, we really have to be both teachers and pupils - if
we aren’t, we lose out, and so do all those we meet.
Barry
PAGE 2
PAGE 27
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Organisations
Overseas Missions Committee
Chairman
Mr Brian McGinnis
8654 6190
St George’s Fellowship
Contact
Group Scout Leader
Beavers (in the Scout Hut)
Wednesdays 5-6.15p.m
Thursdays 5 45-7p.m
Cubs (in the Scout Hut)
Wednesdays 6.30-8.00p.m
Scouts (in the Scout Hut)
Mondays 7 30-9.00p.m
Rainbows (in the Church Hall)
Thursdays 4 .45-5.45p.m
Brownies (in the Church Hall)
Tuesdays 6.15-7.30p.m
Guides (in the Church Hall)
Fridays
6.00 -7 30p.m
Mr Clive Southwell
Mrs Jenny Thairs
Mrs Jenny Thairs
Mr Trevor Thairs
Mr Stephen Gallagher
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
(Deadline for March Magazine: Sunday February 22nd )
Services during
Sundays:
7 30a.m. Morning Prayer, 8a.m. Said Communion ,
10a.m. Sung Eucharist (Communion)
Mondays:
7 45a.m. Morning Prayer, 5p.m. Evening Prayer
Tuesdays: 7 45a.m. Morning Prayer, 5p.m. Evening Prayer
Wednesdays: 7 45a.m. Morning Prayer
Thursdays: 7 45a.m. Morning Prayer, 9 30a.m. Communion , 5p.m. Evening
Prayer
Fridays
7 45a.m. Morning Prayer 5p.m. Evening Prayer
Saturdays: 9 30a.m. Morning Prayer (Church then open 10-12noon)
(The 10a.m. Sunday service is held in the main part of the church. Other services are normally held in the Lady Chapel.)
Mrs Wendy Lawson
Note: Very occasionally, weekday services have to be cancelled at short notice. Please forgive us if you are affected by this. We do our best not to let it
happen.
Miss Sheila Fenner
Diary : Regular Events
Mrs Ruth Clery

Pop In (in the Church Hall)
Mondays 10.30-12noon
Mrs Pam Hooks
Hall Bookings
Please contact Jan Payne 020 8776 0185
hallmanager@stgeorgeschurch.co.uk
The Hall is ideal for Children’s Parties (Children up to 8 years)



There was not opportunity for this edition to use the proof reader.
PAGE 26
The Pop In is open in the Church Hall every Monday from 10 30 a.m. to
12noon, with refreshments and companionship on offer for anyone who
would like to come. (Most, but not all, of the members are above retirement
age.)
The Lady Chapel is open every Monday from 10 30a.m. to 12 noon, for anyone who would like to find a place of peace and prayer. Prayer resources
are available, and there are usually two members of St George’s on hand.
The Bible Reading Group meets on Mondays at 8 p.m., at the house of a
Group member. New regular or occasional members are always welcome,
The group is currently reading Jeremiah.. (See Bible Reading Group Blog on
Parish Website)
The Book Reading Group meets monthly, on a Thursday. The February
meeting is on Thursday February 12th at 7 45p.m. for 8p.m. to 9p.m. We
shall be reflecting on “God in Our Midst” by Trevor Dennis..
PAGE 3
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Church Diary for February
Sunday 1: Presentation of Christ in the Temple: Communion 8a.m. & 10a.m
Thursday 5: Churches Together in Shirley Prayers 7 30p.m. At All Saints.
Sunday 8: 2nd Sunday Before Lent: Communion 8a.m. & 10a.m.
Youth Emmaus 5p.m.-7p.m.
Thursday 12: Book Reading Group 7 45p.m. for 8p.m. - 9p.m.
Sunday 15: Sunday Next Before Lent: Communion 8a.m. & 10a.m.
Monday 16: Lent Course 7 30p.m.
Tuesday 17: Pancake Party 3p.m. - 5p.m. (See page 23)
Bible Lecture 8p.m. (See page 25)
Wednesday 18: Ash Wednesday: Lent Course 10a.m.
Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes 8p.m.
Thursday 19: Toddlers at St George’s 1 30p.m. - 3p.m.
Standing Committee 8p.m.
Sunday 22: Lent I: Communion 8a.m. & 10a.m.
Monday 23: Lent Course 7 30p.m.
Wednesday 25: Lent Course 10a.m.
Thursday 26: PCC Meeting 8p.m.
Saturday 28: Church Cleaning and Gardening Group 10a.m. - 12noon.
Concert 6 30p.m. (See page 24)
Sunday 1 March: Lent II: Communion 8a.m. & 10a.m.
Sunday 19 April: Annual Parish Meeting
Note: Palm Sunday Play ( See Page 7) Rehearsals every Sunday. Those
involved, please check your schedule.
Dogs and Cats
Some of us are fond of both dogs and cats, and will stop to talk to both—getting
mixed responses. (Some of us also talk to birds, squirrels, foxes. And occasionally even a banded snail - the nicer sort of snail.) However, you do get the impression that if a dog found you, as a friendly human, seriously incapacitated, the
dog would think “keep company “ or “get help”; whereas the cat would think “O.K. I
need to find someone else to feed me”. Is this unfair? Similarly, dogs like sharing your space, whereas cats are rather reluctant to share their space? Dogs
welcome you home because they like you; cats because you can open the cupboard and use the tin opener?
PAGE 4
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Reading the Book of Revelation;
What’s Behind the Numbers?
Croydon Addington Faith Exploration
A Lecture by Canon Barry Goodwin
8p.m. - 9 30p.m.
Shrove Tuesday: 17th February
St George the Martyr, Shirley
Refreshments 7 45p.m.
Sharing
As you make your faith journey, or your doubt journey... or, as with most of us at
some time or other, our journey of faith and doubt, you get different messages
about faith being personal or faith being collective. A Sunday morning service
can speak to you personally, because prayers and hymns and sermon shared
with others chime in very neatly with how you feel and where you are. But sometimes the collective church and you, the individual pilgrim, seem to be in very different places. Pope Francis, in one of his heavenly down to earth, bits of advice
(Evangelii Gaudium. If you want it in Latin) reminds us of the importance of togetherness—whatever our feelings at any particular time.
If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also
have to realise that every person is worthy of our giving. Not for their physical
appearance, their abilities, their language, their way of thinking, or for any satisfaction that we might receive, but rather because they are God’s handiwork, his
creation.”
PAGE 25
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Lent Courses 2015
This year, you are spoilt for choice! There are two course options, and four meeting options. There are booklets, and perhaps notes, for both courses - which you
can study at home if you are interested but not able to get to the meetings.
The Gospel in action: A Us (Missionary Society) course, exploring the
power of the Gospel in action in different parts of the World Church:
(i) 10a.m. on Wednesday mornings at 31 Woodmere Avenue: February 18th
and 25th, and March 4th, 11th and 18th. Please book with Brian McGinnis.
(ii) Probably Wednesday evenings at 185 Wickham Road. Please book with
Brian Robins (8654 4887)
Praise Him: A York course looking at Songs of Praise in the New Testament:
(i) Mondays at 7 30p.m. at St George’s Vicarage: February 16th and 23rd,
and March 9th, 16th and 23rd. Please book with Sheila Fenner or Sue Hengist.
(ii) Tuesdays at 2 30p.m. At 79, Shirley Way: February 24th, and March 3rd,
10th, 17th, and 24th. Contact Liz Bebington (6777 4840)
Book now, or you may find house room is fully booked, and/or extra copies of the
booklets have to be ordered, and are not available in time.
As always, in signing up, you are not promising to get to every session.
Jeremiah, the current Monday Evening Bible Reading Group choice, is sometimes called “The Crying Prophet”, because he felt so deeply for the people to
whom he carried his message (or rather God’s message) of Judgment and Hope.
Do join us from time to time. Follow us on the parish website.
PAGE 24
PAGE 5
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
A Parish Prayer
Lord, help me to own my past, to value my
present and to offer my future. Amen.
Caroline Wareham R.I.P.
News of the death of Caroline Wareham came just as work on the February
magazine began. Caroline is daughter to Mike and Chris Wareham, and sister to
Nicholas, Louise and Melanie - to all of whom we send our love and prayers.
Caroline was very much part of the St George’s family when she lived in Shirley
with her family, and a familiar figure in church. Most of us have not seen Caroline
for some years, because her severe learning disability and severe epilepsy meant
that she could, as she got older, be better looked after in a specialist sheltered
community - specialist care, but very much a community of people who care for
each other and link through volunteers and supporters to the wider community.
Those who know people with severe disabilities, whether from birth (as in Caroline’s case) or acquired later in life, value those people for who they are. It is all
too easy to devalue disabled people because of who they are not. We are actually none of us perfect human specimens, with no impairments or shortfalls in
physical, mental, or indeed spiritual, functioning.. Those whose disabilities lie
outside the “normal” range of human imperfections are - whatever some academic
commentators may say - no less human, and no less divine. That means they are
of infinite value.
Yes, it is perfectly proper to look forward to a post-resurrection life in which those
we now label as disabled won’t be so labelled. On that we can only speculate and
hope: our visions of heaven/heaven on earth are probably an appallingly mundane
version of God’s vision/reality. What is certain in this life is that severely disabled
people very often bring out the best in others. That doesn’t mean they are in this
life for the benefit of others...at least no more and no less than the rest of us are
here for the benefit of others. They are here as part of a God Plan that one day
we shall understand better than we do now.. And which now we often see quite
darkly. Fortunately, we can work (and are invited to work) with that Plan. It has
been a privilege to have known Caroline.
PAGE 6
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Readings for February
February 1: Presentation of Christ in the Temple
Malachi 3:1-5 - The Day of the Lord.
Psalm 24: 1-10 - The King of Glory.
Hebrews 2: 14-18 - Christ knows our trials from the inside.
Luke 2: 22-40 - Jesus and John: different lives, same message.
February 8: 2nd Sunday before Lent
Proverbs 8: 1, 22-31 - The Wisdom of God.
Psalm 104: 26-37 - Praising God in and for His Creation.
Colossians 1: 15-20 - Christ, the visible image of the invisible God.
John 1: 1-14 - The Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us.
February 15: Sunday next before Lent
2 Kings 2: 1-12 - Elijah departs in style.
Psalm 50: 1-6 - God is Judge.
2 Corinthians 4: 3-6 - Light shines out of darkness.
Mark 9: 2-9 - The disciples see the divine glory of the human Jesus.
February 22: Lent I
Genesis 9: 8-17 - God’s covenant with Noah, and with us.
Psalm 25: 1-9 - Teach me your paths.
1 Peter 3: 18-end - Christ suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous.
Mark 1: 9-15 - The Kingdom of God has come near.
God in Our Midst - Gospel Stories and Reflection: Trevor Dennis
The February Book Reading Group book choice.. (See Page 3)
“Teacher, is it nothing to you that we are perishing?”, the disciples say.
They call him “teacher”, not dreaming they might have the mystery of God in the
boat.
They do not hear the echoes of those ancient prayers, nor catch the irony of their
own words.
It is not the time to savour the niceties of language—there is too much salt on their
lips,
Too much water threatening to spill down their throats.
PAGE 23
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Palm Sunday Play 2015
Mardi Gras
A Kind of Faith
Sunday 29th March 6p.m.
Come and join the pancake party
with a difference !
There will be crafts, races, quizzes, music,
and pancakes !!!
Rehearsal are in progress, and have been very encouraging so far. The cast list
is given below. Sophie is in charge of music, and singers and musicians will play
an important part. Please keep the cast in your prayers: this is very much a joint
parish effort, across the whole age range and all degrees of enthusiasm for
“performing” in public. To enhance the experience of those with hearing impairment, copies of the script will be provided for all those who would like a copy to
follow. Young and old actors and actresses are doing really well with voice projection, but that not may be enough - in the absence of a loop system in the Hall.
(Maybe my next year........)
Tuesday, 17th February 2015
St George’s Church Hall
from 3.00pm – 5.00pm
(pancakes from 4.00pm onwards)
All welcome—this is an “all-age” event.
(children need to be accompanied by an adult)
£2 charge per person payable on the door
Come dressed in bright
carnival colours !
PAGE 22
A Sunday morning St George’s Congregation: Adam 1 - Andy Reynolds, Eve
1 - Jan Payne, Adam 2 - Robert McHugh, Eve 2 - Abbie Burnett, Adam 3 - Evan
Russell, Visiting Preacher - Brian McGinnis, Eve 3 - Helen McMullan.
Disciples/Apostles: Mary Magdalene - Heather Barker, Judas Iscariot - Colin
McHugh, Thomas the Twin - Tony Aufenast, Lysias (Thomas’s Twin Sister) Philomena Mukerji, Disciple A - Ian White, Disciple B - Derek Hands..
Disciples/Apostles as Young People: Thomas - Luke White, Mary - Ayodele
Magbagbeola, Lysias - Emma Mukerji, Judas - Ryan Coltress,
Jesus - Alastair Newman.
Young Jesus - Tom White.
Tramp - Jonathan Bentley.
Visitors from other churches: B = Andrea Cordery, C - Tanya White, D Marjorie Russell.
Messenger - Aaron Mukerji.
PAGE 7
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
February 2015
Missions Weekend 2015
Saturday May 16th - Sunday May 17th
A Trailer, ad an Invitation to be involved
The Missions Group is planning two days of awareness raising and fund-raising.
On the Saturday there will be a “Light and Dark for Spring” concert of words and
music in church, followed by a meal in the church hall. The theme will be Light
and Dark, and we are inviting adults (18+), young people (12-17) and children (11 and under) to compose a poem or short prose passage on Light
and Dark. Suitable compositions will be read at the Concert, and printed in the
Concert programme. The meal will be quiche (no doubt an alternative for those
allergic to quiche) and salad, pudding, and tea/coffee/soft drinks. On the Saturday
and Sunday, we shall be using Selvyn’s elegant shelves in church for a Church
and Mission exhibition. On the Sunday, we hope to have a speaker from our
Overseas Missions society (Us) at the 10a.m. Service, with an opportunity to talk
to him or her over coffee and perhaps over lunch.
May is some way off, but some advance preparations are needed; and it would be
good to have the date in diaries. As for you, dear reader: 1) Please note in diary;
2) Mention the weekend to others; 3) Please have a go at writing a piece on
Light and Dark - forget about “I couldn’t possibly....” ; 4) Please think about a
poem, piece of prose, Bible passage, piece of music, on the theme of Light and
Dark, that you would like to read/play or would like someone else to read/play; 5)
If you could sign up to quiche or pudding preparation, that would be great rather
than premature. Contacts: Pam Hooks, Brian McGinnis.
This, of course, faithfully reproduces the piece that appeared in the December/January magazine; but nobody responded to that, so the invitation is
repeated.
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
Emperor wasn’t properly dressed.
SEEING THE WORDS
All the words hidden in this wordsearch are things you see with or look
at:
SEEING AND UNDERSTANDING
SPECTACLES
LECTEVIDYC
GEAGLEOPEE
SWNAEPBSSN
EAKSVIDEOE
STCLICELFO
SCOOSTGGRW
AHLOIUOGEE
GAMENEUGOV
Many people had seen the steam lift
the lid of a kettle, but it took a James
Watt to see it and go on to think of that
power becoming a steam engine. It is
* clock * eyes * game * glasses *
all a matter of how we see things. We
goggles * lens * picture * scene * speccould see something a thousand times
tacles * television * video * view *
and not make the connection.
watch
Jesus explained why he taught with

parables, stories that explain something in simple ways to do with every- What gadget
day life that people of the time would do we use to
recognise. He explained that it was be- see through a
wall?
cause people look without seeing, and
A
window.
listen without understanding (Matthew
chapter 13, verses 13-14).
We all do this, and that is why we need
other people to help us learn more
about what the stories in the Bible
mean. People who can explain and
help us to see with ‘new eyes’.
Optician:
What can you
see out of the
window?
Patient: Only the sun.
Optician: How far do you want to see,
then?
Optician: You need glasses.
Patient: But I’m wearing glasses.
Optician: Then I need glasses
PAGE 8
But don’t be afraid of seeing things
your way, if your way s different. Re- Boy One: I can see my reflection in the
member the small boy in the adult window.
crowd cheering the Emperor. He was Boy Two: I can see the stars through
the only one to see and say that the the window..
PAGE 21
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
St George’s Church Hall
Update!
An
St.
George’s Church Hall is your Church Hall. It is regularly used
for social activities, uniformed organisations, sports groups,
and for party bookings; but do you really know what goes on
there?
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
AM Church Pop-In Goslings Goslings Goslings Goslings Yoga
PM
Football Medau
EVE
Weight Brownies Whist Rainbows Guides
Bookings Watchers St G. Club Drive
TWG
Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings are always
available (and regularly used) for private bookings.
Not all of these activities are listed at the back of this magazine so if you are interested in any of them the Hall Manager
has more information.
The hall also operates a 100 Club, supported by church members and hall users, which helps to provide additional finance
for the hall and offers a monthly cash prize to one lucky recipient. There are still unused numbers in this year’s Club so again,
if you would like more information or a form, just ask!
For any further information about Hall activities and facilities,
the 100 Club, or to hire the hall for an activity, group, event, or
private party help is just a phone call or email away!
St. George’s Hall Manager
020 8776 018507702 756913
hallmanager@stgeorgeschurch.co.uk
PAGE 20
Jan Payne
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
That odd business of praying: Number 58
Is God listening?
This month’s contribution is based on a first reading of Marjorie Suchocki’s “In
God’s Presence—Theological Reflections on Prayer”. The author is, as you
might guess from the title, a theologian. But she is also someone who, like the
rest of us, has prayed for things to happen that didn’t happen. In particular, she
has prayed for people not to suffer pain (which they did suffer), to get better
(which they didn’t), and to be born healthy (and they died in the womb). So she
isn’t one of those happily short-sighted exponents of prayer who claims that “Ask
and you shall receive” can reliably be expanded with the words “what you want to
receive”. Neither is she one of those prayer writers who helpfully reminds us to
end all our prayers with the Jesus addition “But Your will be done”; and does this
in such a way as to appear to be saying that actually God’s will will be done whatever we say, and indeed whether we pray or not.
If we picture God as a super-human sitting on a throne in heaven, somehow totally separate from “His” Creation and indeed detached from it, sifting though the
multi-billion prayers “He” has received and continues to receive (from people of all
faiths and none), our parallel of the harassed mother somehow paying attention to
all her squabbling children doesn’t make the scenario wholly convincing. Marjorie
Suchocki tries the rather different image of God as a mighty ocean filling the universe and interacting with all of “His” Creation, as earthly oceans receive from and
give to the world. (Maybe we could say that the universe is filled with God matter,
even more than with dark matter.)
She puts it this way: “If we have a situation where God’s power and freedom interact with our power and freedom, then we have a situation where God’s power
and freedom are limited by our own.” Now, in a way, that is less comfortable than
an image of an All-powerful God able to zap all our enemies and solve all our
problems. But her tentative picture is more consistent with an Old Testament God
who didn’t get even the Chosen People to stick with Him; a New Testament God
on whom most of his hearers turned their backs; and A Church and World today
God who is at large within a very troubled world where “His Will” seems very definitely not to done... even by those who claim to be listening to Him.
If we are prayer partners with God, that means prayer is very important indeed.
PAGE 9
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Poetry Page
Is this you - Hal Bitner
I woke up early one morning and rushed right into the day.
I had so much to accomplish I did not find time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task.
Why doesn’t God help me, I wondered, He answered “YOU did not ask”.
I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, grey and bleak.
I wondered why God did not show me. He said “But you did not seek”.
I tried to come into God’s presence. I used all my keys in the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided: “My child, you did not knock.”
I woke up early this morning; I paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
4. Irons uniforms (5)
5. See 11.
7. Initially elude venerable and dignified example. (5)
10. Own goal the French leer at. (4)
11, 5 and 23d. Pray for a new hype in January. (5,3,4)
14. Head of NATO downloads ap and fall asleep. (3)
15. Love changes bearing at last to embellish. (5)
17. Father Mat may produce outcome. (9)
18. Histrionics - that’s Eric for you. (9)
19. Snake losing head of riser. (5)
20. Meadow located in Leatherhead. (3)
22. Cat twin (7)
23. See 11.
25. Wherewithal of averages. (5)
26. Seabed loses note to be rooted. (5)
28. Kept on for observation. (3)
4
2
Thanks to Solon for
Crossword and
Soduko
5
7
9
3
5
7
8
Spanish Weather and English Weather
Greetings from a very sunny Spain, and a Happy New Year to you all. Readings
taken 2/12/14 - 16/1/15: o/8 cloud 17 days, 8/8 cloud 5 days. It rained on two
days: 14th and 15 December. Average 9a.m. temperature 10.8c. Average 1p.m.
Temperature 14.7c. Lowest 9a.m. Temperature 10c on December 5th. Highest
1p.m. Temperature 33c on December 19th.
Christmas Day 9a.m. before church it was 8c. At 12noon after church it had increased to 18c.
Watching British TV, some of your temperatures have been quite comparable in
December. I will not comment on January’s figures!! Still, let’s look on the bright
side: the evenings are beginning to draw out.
Weatherman
PAGE 10
3
5
1
1
9
2
3
8
2
7
3
8
1
8
9
6
4
Through deeper self-knowledge, there is literally more of who we are to be utilised
in dealing with the problem (Suchocki) Or, to put it another way, don’t rush into
deciding I can’t, until you have thought long and hard about “maybe I could”. Underestimating what you can do, with a bit of prayer and a bit of help, is quite as
bad as over-estimating yourself..
PAGE 19
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
The Decade of Evangelism Re-visited
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2
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12
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27
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31
Across
1. Tops all country’s mountains except
Scotland. (5)
5. Ranges about and annoys. (6)
8. Put back remainder of mineral. (7)
9. Sounds like digit on the trails by the canal. (7)
12. Adds commentary by throwing rubbish
in objectors. (7)
13. Enil is in the team. (6)
15. Drink found in Wales. (3)
16. Score part of cast.
17. Play with junction appropriately. (5)
19. Piece of land in church. (5)
21. Rows can make you cry we are told.
(5).
23. Urge for capital of Japan.
24. Lady date injury.
26. Anger at race in degree goes to the
head.
27. Fielders exercise in backs. (7)
29. Resort in home counties undertone. (7)
30. Beasts? Could be dog. (6)
31. Quick, he ate a saint! (5)
Down
1. Order Gran ear operation. (7)
2. She takes gallery’s lies. (9)
3. Ripple to broadcast on. (9)
PAGE 18
In 1994, Pam Hooks was a member of St George’s Decade Committee for the
Decade of Evangelism. Under the heading “I AM ALWAYS [WITH YOU]”, she
wrote:
Scripture contains some references which suggest that whenever one acts in
faith, Jesus is there to support and encourage. With such a promise, who can
really doubt that evangelistic efforts will succeed! It seems that whatever we do to
further God’s Kingdom, and whenever we do it, Jesus is likely to be alongside us.,
if not at least one step ahead.
God has used many signs to reveal his intentions. It has always been His will that
the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ should be available to all, regardless of colour or status, to Jew and Gentile. He arranged for the humble
shepherds to receive the news of Jesus’ Birth, through the angel appearing to
them while they watched their flocks. They would have been Jews of little status
[or Bedouin - outsiders to Jews at that time and to Muslims when the Qu’ran was
written]. Then He used the guiding star to lead the Wise Men from the East to
where Jesus lay. They were Gentiles, maybe with some status.
After Jesus’ death, God sent the Holy Spirit to guide and empower Christians in
spreading the Good News. There was a dramatic increase in the number of believers at the first Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is a formidable aid, just as available
today if we perceive and follow the signs. Unfortunately, His nudging are often
side-stepped or ignored, because they make considerable demands on our time,
possessions and efforts.
Pam wrote at a time when “our” Missionary Society, then called USPG, was struggling with the financial gap between its aspirations and its resources. She invited
support for the work of the Overseas Missions Committee. USPG is now Us which is a useful reminder that we all have a role in mission, not just the professionals. Please keep Us in mind during Lent, and when we take a collection after
the Palm Sunday Play and the May Light and Dark Concert...and of course
throughout the year.
On your doorstep in Shirley, at stations and in shopping centres, you are very
likely to find ordinary men and women with a JW Org badge evangelising. Even
financially, we are a bit shy about evangelising.
PAGE 11
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Local Places of Interest
Over time, as we all know to our cost or our pleasant surprise, eating places
change hands - for the better or the worse, according to what you are looking for.
If you liked Cafe Rouge in Sevenoaks Market Place, you might be sad to have lost
it and a little apprehensive about the Italian Restaurant opening on the same site.
Though if you like Italian.... and this firm apparently has another well-established
restaurant not many miles away. Sevenoaks is keeping its other French Restaurant (the Cote Brasserie), in London Road, which has wheelchair access through
the backdoor, a good menu even if you aren’t really fond of French food, and helpful staff. On the other side of the road is the Loch Fyne Restaurant (wheelchair
access through side door), which isn’t terribly Scottish, but which does do some
excellent fish dishes - often sourced from Scotland.
The Fox and Hounds at Brasted Chart changed hands recently, but is developing
a good menu. Manual wheelchairs probably OK for front door. Electric wheelchair better through backdoor. This is a pub restaurant with really good outdoor
eating space in good weather; and is popular with walkers, cyclists, and the occasional horse rider. You have to go quite a long way up Toys Hill from Brasted to
get there. Further away, and nearer Sevenoaks is The Woodman - the address
is Ide Hill, but you have to go through Goathurst Common towards Sevenoaks to
get there. This is another character pub in a rural setting—with the added attraction of an aviary, and rabbits and chickens in cages. As well as a good British
menu, there are South African specialties; and you may well hear South African
voices. There is ramped access. (A Friends Card gets you a free glass of wine,
but apparently not a soft drink for abstainers.)
Nearer home, options include the popular White Bear at Finkleshole, Featherbed
Lane - a very busy pub restaurant with a lot of tables inside and out, and OK
wheelchair access to some inside areas. There is a large menu, and service is
usually quite quick even at busy times. (Those with Club Cards get a discount.)
The Harrow at Chelsfield (on the back way from Selsdon to Warlingham) is another good bet, with easy access inside and out, and a good menu. If you have a
small appetite, but don’t like to miss pudding altogether, the coffee and minipudding deal is excellent.
Disabled access usually means there is a disabled access toilet, though some of
these have more room than others.
PAGE 12
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Miracles and Reality
The cartoon is there for no better reason
than that it is the February cartoon available from magazine editor’s resource,
the Parish Pump. (The alternative was
rather less relevant.) St George’s servers don’t wear that sort of uniform, at
least not at 10a.m. But it does call to
mind a piece in the news letter of a local
church complaining that young servers
in that church did not behave like angels. Even with rather limited knowledge
of angels, it seems not only improbable
but actually undesirable that young (or
older) servers should behave like angels. It would be a miracle if they did!
But, do miracles happen; or is that just
history or indeed myth? An article in a recent edition of “War Cry” suggests that
the cynical among us would do well to revise upwards our estimation
[expectation] of miracles.. In brief, and using the language of coincidence to
keep the determined cynics happy., a young German man happened to meet a
young German woman wit the same ambition to train as a doctor and then serve
inn the developing world. The two of them happened to get the right training
opportunities; happened to stick together; and happened in due course to get
married. They then happened to have a training gap which they used to travel;
and happened to visit a place in Peru with desperate need for, and no hopes of
getting, a hospital.
A lot of sheer hard work went into planning, negotiating, fund-raising. But coincidences continued. They needed a civil engineer to design the whole thing unpaid, and they happened to hear of someone, and happened to ring him at a
time when he happened to be praying for such an opportunity. Then, having
been turned down by one electronics firm, they happened to meet the boss of a
rival firm who was only too happy to give them the communications system they
needed. Now there is a hospital. OK, stick if you like with determination supported by coincidence; or say “Only God can do a lot with very little, and
everything with nothing.”
PAGE 17
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
The Salvation Army is 150 years old this year
William Booth began his meetings outside a pub in Whitechapel, and in a tent
on a disused Quaker burial ground. He was trying to reach out to people who
were not much interested in going to church... and who, to be honest, most
churches were not much interested in having in church. The Booths were concerned about people’s eternal salvation, but also about how they lived here and
now—about poverty, homelessness and unemployment. They were not satisfied with the sort of Christianity that reckons you can’t change much in this
wicked world, but you can at least look forward to a better world hereafter.
(That other-[worldly approach was particularly attractive to folk who were not
doing too badly in this world, and who could see dangers, for themselves, in
revolutionary change.)
In some ways, the Sally Army has changed more in how it does what it does
than in what it does. There is the on-going work (and, of course, worship) of
which we are vaguely and gratefully aware; and there is the emergency work
which gets highlighted whenever there is a man-made or “natural” disaster. It
is a feature of current work that both the victims of the disaster and the emergency services benefit from the SA presence.
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Answers to December/January Bible Quiz (Fathers & Sons)
Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. 2. Nun and Joshua. 3. Elkanah and Samuel.
4. Saul and Jonathan. 5. Noah and Shem, Ham and Japheth. 6. Joseph and
Manasseh and Ephraim. 7. Solomon and Rehoboam. 8. Zebedee and James
and John. 9. Zechariah and John. 10. Paul and Timothy. 11. Simon of Cyrene
and Rufus and Alexander. 12. Paul and Onesimus.
Try a Mothers and Children Quiz:
1.
E..... Must have had many a sleepless night over C....... and A.........
2.
L......had R........., S............, L........, J........., I..........., and Z.............
3.
R........... had J............ and B.....................
4.
B............... had D........ and N...........
5.
Z................. G............ and A................. (2,3,4 and 5 had the same partner)
6.
We hear very little about Z............ and her son G............, but a great deal
about Z’s husband who was the most famous of Bible leaders.
7.
B............... lost her first child because of her husband’s sin. Her next son
was S.............., who was famous/infamous.
8.
Grandmother L...... and mother E...... taught Timothy his faith.
9.
H.............., the rather troubled mother of S.............., also rather troubled.
10. In Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, T........ was the mother of P...... and Z......;
and R........ the mother of B..........
If you take literally the stories of the miraculous feedings in the New Testament,
it wasn’t only the crowds that benefited: the disciples hadn’t got enough to eat
either. You will recall that Jesus, when the disciples approached him to say
that somebody needed to do something about all the hungry mouths/ empty
stomachs, said “You feed them!” The Sally Army, throughout its long history,
has not been slow to campaign for wider social justice; but it has also got on
with the job of feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless.)
Unity Prayers
February Unity Prayers are advertised in the Church Diary on page 5 - All Saints
Church at 7 30 p.m. Now it has to be admitted that in all probability for most
members of most participating churches, church unity is a fringe activity; and
maybe seen mainly in terms of “It would be nice if all the others wanted to join us”.
Unity prayers do not attract multitudes. But a number of wise commentators have
suggested that really agreement on worship style or even on the details of doctrine matters a great deal less than praying together and working together.
PAGE 16
PAGE 13
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Rotas for February
Sidespersons Rota
Feb 1 8a.m. Mr Keith Bowen
Feb 8 Mr Mike Hooks
Feb 15 Mr Peter Symes
Feb 22 Mrs Pam Hooks
Mar 1 Mrs Jean Jarrett
Sunday Coffee Rota
Feb 1 Mrs Valerie Hands
Feb 8 Mrs Julia Bedwell
Feb 15 Mrs Janet Fitt
Feb 22 Mrs Marion Sheehan
Mar 1 Mrs Elaine Cook
10a.m. Mrs Heather Orton, A.N. Other.
Mr Andy Reynolds, Mrs Chris Reynolds
Mr Eric Webb, Mr Mark Hare
Youth Church
Mr Fred Styles, Mrs Hazel Styles
Mrs Camilla Wicks
Mrs Elizabeth Birchenhough
Mrs Sonia Jacobs
Mrs Alma Vosper
Mrs Vivienne Windheuser
Monday Lady Chapel Rota
Feb 2 Mrs Hazel Styles
Feb 9 Mrs Heather Orton
Feb 16 Mr Brian McGinnis
Feb 23 Mr Brias McGinnis
Mar 2 Mrs Hazel Styles
Saint George’s Parish Magazine
February 2015
Street Pastors
A January article in the RC newspaper “The Universe” made me rapidly revise
my idea of what Street Pastors are and do. I suppose I had, despite all the evidence to the contrary, an image of middle-aged moral vigilantes on the look out
for late night revellers with too little clothing and/or too much drink, to offer them
Gospel salvation instead of the demons, of drink, sex and drugs. This seemed
to me an entirely proper way of spending the small hours, albeit a bit countercultural.
The article I read featured a 22 year old woman doing her street pastoral work in
Kingston. She recounts her work as someone who admits that there have been
times in the past when encountering a street pastor might have been useful to
her. “It’s mainly drunk people that need help. The most memorable being a guy
in his mid-20’s who we found asleep/passed out behind a wall and who ended
up being ill all over himself. So we had to call his mum to pick him up at 3a.m.
Our ethos is only share the faith when asked, we just go out to care and talk to
people.”
As you might expect, most of those helped are between 18 and 25; and immediate safety and, where necessary, safe escort home, are the front-line concerns
rather than church membership and eternal salvation. “Even if I only get someone to smile, or be thankful for a pair of flip flops on tired feet, I know I have
done the right thing.”
Images and Reality
Giles Fraser’s articles in “The Guardian” always make the reader think, even if the
reader’s thoughts take them in a different direction from the writer’s thoughts.
One of his articles offered the fascinating thought that the cartoonists killed for
their iconoclasm had much in common with the iconoclasts who killed them. Both
were concerned (are concerned in the case of those who carry on the fight) to
destroy false images. False images in this context are all our attempts to create a
representation of God/ Ultimate Reality that actually gets in the way of recognising
and serving the real God/Ultimate Reality. The images are a human invention,
and at best second best, at worst positively damaging. Hence, the Second Commandment. The iconoclasts who smash religious images and pictures at least
stop short of smashing people, as do iconoclasts who smash political images.
There is no excuse for murder. However, the iconoclasts may have their own
mental false images which also need sorting out.
PAGE 14
A Street Pastor Team can only be established if there is support from at least
four local churches; and volunteers come from this inter-denominational base.
New would-be pastors get 42 hours training, and do what are in effect supervised assignments as part of their preparation. The Ascension Trust is the relevant umbrella body. info@ascensiontrust.org.uk Or, wwwstreetpastors.org.uk
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