St Thomas' Brampton and St Peter's Holymoorside, Chesterfield Rector's Letters February 1999-January 2000 Our vision statement: Sharing the love of Jesus

---

Home Church Magazine Letters 2008 Letters 2007 Letters 2006 Letters 2005 Letters 2004 Letters 2003 Letters 2002 Letters 2001 Letters 2000 Letters 1999 Letters 1998 Letters 1997 Letters 1996 Letters 1995 Letters 1994 Letters 1993 Letters 1992 Letters 1991 Letters 1990 Letters 1989 Letters 1988 Letters 1987 Letters 1986 Letters 1985 Letters 1984 Letters 1983 Letters 1982 Letters 1981 Letters 1980

The Rector's letter is printed in each edition of the Church Magazine February/March 1999 April/May 1999 June/July 1999 August/September 1999 October/November 1999 December 1999/January 2000 February/March 1999 by Petra Owen, Curate This is what the Lord says: Do not dwell on the past - See, I am doing a new thing.' Isaiah 43:18 & 19 I once heard a story about a man who was walking his dog. As they walked beside a pond, he threw a stick into the water for the dog to chase. The dog walked over the top of the water, picked up the stick and walked back! The man threw it again and the same thing happened. In his excitement, the man called a passer-by to watch. He threw the stick and once again the dog walked across the top of the water and brought it back. 'Now,' he said to the onlooker, 'did you see anything unusual? 'Yes,' said the other. 'Your dog can't swim.' All of us, at some time, when forced to look at things in a new way, find it difficult. We like the security and safety of the `familiar' things always staying the same! Nobody really likes change. It makes us uncomfortable, insecure, challenged. It can feel too scary and risky. And yet all around us there's change: birth, marriage, death bring change to families and individuals. Technology and politics force change on us and our world. With any major form of change there has to be a sense of loss in order to gain. Change in our lives, whether it is moving house, jobs or change in church can bring a tremendous sense of loss in order for us to gain. The chosen people of God when they went into exile in Babylon, were crying out to God for assurance that he would rescue them from exile (this was one change they really wanted!). They were remembering God rescuing his people from Egypt and God tells them: `forget what I did then, I'm going to do something even greater.' But he asked them to adjust their lives and ways to His way, to hear, believe and trust. To be actively co-operative and then witness to God and His great works. He lead them into unfamiliar territory. They had to lose to gain. God has promised us too that He's doing a new thing. Indeed, our God, whose nature is unchangeable is a God who, by His action, desires change. The new heaven, new earth, new church, new person, are the work of God's hand. This is exciting. Change, when ordained by God, is challenging, exciting, bearable, achievable and profitable. It brings Him glory. As we go into this new year, let's pray that we will all have the courage and faith to allow God to do "new things" in our lives, as individuals and as a church. Petra Owen From the February 1999 edition of the magazine April/May 1999 These are exciting times at St Thomas'. It's a big contrast to feeling mediocre and perhaps, stuck in recent years. Since the last Ploughshare we have had a terrific Gift Day. A total of over £60,000 was given including returned tax. two enthusiastic work parties have achieved a great deal the "exile", worshipping God at 3.30pm on Sundays at St John's is proving an enriching experience, getting to know each other better, learning from doing things differently, sensing that God is at work in us in a new way. an atmosphere of co-operation characterises Church life, despite a few inevitable tensions. the redecoration and reordering seem to be progressing well. both St John's and St Peter's seem to be encouraged and buoyant. We have had just three Sundays in "exile" as I write. By the time this is read, the remaining four will have come and gone, much more progress will have been made, I trust, and we will be preparing to celebrate Easter with the grand return. The resurrection of Jesus brings a message of new life. It can be more compelling than ever for renewed people, meeting in a renewed building, ready to face a renewed challenge to reach out to those around us with the Love of our risen Lord. Quite a vision! Risen Lord, please help us fulfil it. Christopher Frith ps Thank you for all good wishes and support offered when I was made a Canon. I like to think it is an acknowledgement of the contribution of our churches to the life of the Diocese, as much as that of the Rector. (Read about the Collation and Installation of the Revd C J C Frith as an Honorary Canon of Derby Cathedral here). From the April 1999 edition of the magazine June/July 1999 There is still a smell of new carpet. The walls look beautifully clean and bright. The extensive platform looks dignified with its curved front. The comfortable, solid wooden chairs follow the curve nicely. The new St. Thomas' is pleasing. Mind you, it would have been much better (in my opinion) if the Victorian Society had kept out of it and we had been able to create space in the chancel, with just one Holy Table to be a focus and not two. I mustn't complain, however. What we have is very fine. It's certainly a privilege to preside at Holy Communion services at our new Table. It is large and solid and imposing, yet it has something of a carpenter's bench feel. Sadly we no longer have the text "We preach Christ crucified" to catch our eye, but instead the Table is a strong reminder that our Lord gave his life for us. This is where bread is broken and wine is poured out, and now everyone can see these powerful symbols. "Thanks be to God, for his indescribable gift!" (2 Cor9:15) We still need a lot more chairs. Until we have them, the building will not be flexible as we intend it to be. We still need to look humbly to God constantly to renew us his people by His Holy Spirit. God has given us so much; he surely won't stop now! Christopher Frith From the June1999 edition of the magazine August/September 1999 by Judith Henderson, Curate Dear Friends... It is a delight to be writing especially in a time when there is so much change in the air. Some developments are already accomplished; Petra now a priest; the interior at St Thomas' settling into being; discussions well underway about the future of St John's; and St Peter's building work will have begun by the time you read this. St Peter's are moving temporarily into another church and worshipping atanother time. This has made me think hard and long about the nature of 'church'. Yes - we do need familiarity and tradition, but much more than that we need the right time and place to express our worship, based on Jesus as our foundation. Realising that we are the living stones which make up the place where the Holy Spirit holds sway, we need to be able to incorporate each one into our fellowship. On a broader front devolution has brought a very different local government suitable to Scotland and Wales. There have been representations that each region should have its own parliament. A parliament for the Peak?! Each church in the parish has a distinctive community which they serve and St Thomas' and St John's have the opportunity to have different morning services to help people to be in the 'right' place for their needs at their particular stage of life and learning; we try at St Peter's to have something for everyone at our one morning service. Evening services offer the opportunity to have more variety: at St Thomas' special services for young people and a different style of music; St Peter's go back in time and use the Book of Common Prayer for evensong and monthly communion. We are really blessed by the rich variety available to us in the parish. Can any organisation provide exactly what is needed to reach each group within it? Within the Parish we continue to try and are learning. Love is the bond that we have in whichever group we belong to. Love for Jesus and love for our fellow believers and seekers. Love always demands sacrifice: we only have to read St Paul's first letter to the Corinthians chapter 13 to realise the high standards we are set. Love can help us to set aside our own particular (sometimes selfish) desires. "Love never fails" Judith Henderson From the August 1999 edition of the magazine October/November 1999 The only government in the world planning anything to mark the millennium is ours, or so I gather. "The nation is putting on its party frock," I heard someone say the other day, "but it's not sure whose party it is." We entirely approve of the party - but want to tell everyone whose birthday it is. The nationwide Millennium ALPHA initiative was launched recently with a street party in Covent Garden. Organisers handed out "Millennium Survival Kits", each one containing a party hat, balloon, party popper, sachet of Alka Selzer, corkscrew and an invitation to an Alpha course. ALPHA appropriately is an opportunity to explore the meaning of life - being based on Jesus Christ. "But we are a multi-faith society," many say. "We mustn't offend the other religions." Various responses to that spring to mind. For a start, only 7% of the population of the UK are estimated to be adherents of other faiths. Secondly, many such people are amazed that Christians are so bashful. A Sikh, speaking on Thought of the Day said, "the Millennium doesn't make me want to look at Ferris wheels. I want to hear about Christianity." A Rabbi involved in Millennium celebration planning, said, "We have our Festivals. Why can't you?" The Bishop of Maidstone, the Rt Revd Gavin Reid who has been heavily involved in planning on a national level says that he suspects that leaders of most other faith communities want Christianity to be stronger in our nation. In no way are they objecting to Millennium celebrations being centred on Jesus Christ. The nationwide Millennium theme is "A New Start" - especially for the world's poor, at home and with God - and we encourage everyone to take this really seriously. We need to pray that, in God's grace, there will be a New Start for our country, our town, our churches - and ourselves. Christopher Frith From the October 1999 edition of the magazine December 1999/January 2000 During October we did something unusual at St Thomas' (for a change!) On three Sundavs, at each of the three services. we had a very short sermon followed by contributions from two or three members of the congregation. They gave their "testimonies", explaining simply how their faith had materialised and what a difference it was making. The title, "The Lord has done great things for us" proved apt. Each story was remarkably moving. We heard how faith in Jesus had developed very gradually and how it had come fairly suddenly after bereavement. We heard about the excitement of Christian service; facing failure at work and seeking demotion; coping with a broken marriage; being a single parent; having a very sick wife; coping with extreme stress at work; the benefit of doing an Alpha Course and, in one case, doing it a second time. Our Lord has shown himself to be real in all these everyday situations, and was making a difference in ordinary people's lives. It did me good to hear it. I am genuinely encouraged in my Christian pilgrimage. And so, 1 believe, are many of us. It's what Christmas is about. The Word has become flesh and lived among us. God is still very near, two millenniums later, still making a profound impact on the world, still just one prayer away from every single person. Happy Christmas! May the Lord Jesus make a big difference for you. Christopher Frith From the December 1999 edition of the magazine Rector's Letters 2000