 |
|  |
|---|
|
1989 Women's Chain of Prayer 1989 Meditation Retreat at Launde Abbey 1991 The Reader's Anniversary Knees Up 1991 The Place of Laity in Evangelism 1992 CPAS Workshops -Karen Herrick and Others 1993 What is the Future of the Family? 1994 Living Churchyards Project 1995 A Day of Shalom and Prayer 1998 Identifying People with Pastoral Gifts -Roger Freestone 1999 Treasures of Darkness -CPAS Ministry Among Women Day 2004 'The Listening Church' -Valerie Durkin and Yvetta Jacques 2005 Women's World Day of Prayer 2005 Working Well by Working Spiritually -John Prentice Women's Chain of Prayer (February 1989 edition of magazine) Women of the world are praying together on Friday, 3 March, the Women's Day of Prayer. This year the order of service has been used in around 170 countries and has been written by the women of Burma on the theme 'Lord, teach us to pray'. Meditation Retreat at Launde Abbey (October 1989 edition of magazine) It is difficult to stop talking for more than twenty hours at a time! Three of us from St.Thomas' attended a four day Meditation Retreat at Launde Abbey a few weeks ago, and silence was a significant part of the programme. Betty and Wilf Wilkinson from Southwell led us into relaxation, stillness and meditation using a Benedictine form of concentration on Biblical texts. We had Bible study sessions to deepen our understanding, and the silence to deepen our ability to listen to God. This quiet was to me initially irritating, then natural, and with effort I found that the "chattering monkeys" in my mind, could be stilled. I would ignore and then forget, the day to day niggles, problems, noises and irrelevances. It is only then that I could become aware of God's marvellous creation about us and appreciate His goodness. Then I could begin to listen to Him, and begin to see where I should be going. Launde Abbey is a beautiful manor house set in a fold of fertile hills near Oakham in Leicestershire. One word can describe the house and grounds peace and that is what we found there. Doug Inger The Reader's Anniversary Knees Up (October 1991 edition of magazine) If you had stood in the rainswept car parks of the Birmingham NEC around lunchtime on June 22nd you might be forgiven being a little puzzled. Who were all these respectable people climbing- out of cars and putting on black gowns? A convention of Sumo wrestling referees? If you had followed the crowd into the cavernous spaces at the NEC Arena you would have seen the gowns disappear under white surplices and blue scarves. 8000 Readers and guests were celebrating the 125th anniversary of the revival of the Reader Ministry. Inside the arena the Readers and their guests sat in diocesan blocks, a sea of blue and white with splashes of red provided by bishops from each diocese. On the stage was the All Souls Langham Place Orchestra. Above the stage an enormous screen carrying pictures from the video cameras around the place, so no-one would miss a close-up of the event. The first half of the afternoon was devoted to looking at the Reader Ministry, past, present and future with drama, video presentations and talks. On video Brian Redhead interviewed five very different Lay Readers. After a break we had a communion service. And what a service! Communion was celebrated by the Archbishop of York, the sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury and everything else done by Readers. Brenda and I found this service immensely uplifting, both reverent and joyful. The hymns and songs were a heady mixture of Wesley and Kendrick, George Herbert and Timothy Dudley-Smith. The Reader who read the epistle was a drama teacher and she could not have read more beautifully and meaningfully. The gospel was read with suitable gravity by a barrister. Our intercessions were focussed by photos and video film on the screen. The Archbishop's sermon looked back to the re-introduction of the reader Ministry and the opposition it aroused in some quarters, the expansion of the Ministry, the introduction of women readers in 1969 (there are now 2,000 out of 9,000) and the importance of the reader Ministry today. He encouraged us to accept and work with the many other forms of lay ministry growing in the church today. Before the Archbishop of York said the eucharistic prayer two Readers from each diocese brought their bread and wine and stood with he Archbishop on the stage or in the body of the arena in front of the stage. After the prayer these Readers took their bread and wine back to their bishop who then administered communion to more readers who in turn passed the bread and wine along to the rows in their part of the arena. In this way over 8,000 people took communion in less than a quarter of an hour. There was no chatter either! One of the most memorable parts of the service was at the end after the dismissal. The two Archbishops left rather humbly in a small procession while the orchestra played Majesty. The congregation spontaneously joined in. Everybody seemed to know the words and nobody wanted to stop singing. This was not a traditional 'Anglican' celebration. There were no pointed arches and cathedral choirs and, beautiful though these things may be, it was all the better for it. By good organisation and with a little technological help all 8,000 people present were able to take part in a joyful celebration that was more 'ordinary' than a cathedral service. We were affirmed in a vast fellowship and were better able to see where we fitted in this particular part of the Body of Christ. One couldn't help also being struck by the thought that the choice of music and the way it was sung and performed was quite like how it is done at Sunday evening communion services at St. Thomas'! Robin Dawson The Place of Laity in Evangelism (December 1991 edition of magazine) Report on the Lay Conference held at Lady Manners School, Bakewell on 19th October 1991. Gavin Reid Ordained in 1960. Seconded to work on Decade of Evangelism issues, Member of General Synod started by defining "Evangelism", a word loaded with connotations. "Evangel" (Greek) - to share the Good News centred on the story of Jesus. "Ism" - the activity which helps the Good News to be known and understood. Evangelism is therefore the process of helping people to discover and know the Good News of Jesus. Some questions and answers which provide us with clues to making this happen: 1. Why do people come to listen? ¨ already agree (come to share with others) ¨ invited by friends ¨ curiosity 2. Who got them there? 3. What happened before? 4. What happens afterwards? - need for ongoing friendship. Gavin then obtained the following statistics from half the 300 delegates attending. Ways to Faith: ¨ through family 36.07 ¨ through evangelism 4.37 ¨ through drama/film 0.57 ¨ through reading 7.07 ¨ through Church 26.07 ¨ through Christian friends 14.51 ¨ through Christian Union (Coll) 5.3% ¨ through other ways 7.07 65 to 80% of Christians took significant steps towards their faith before the age of 13 years. These statistics show that the major factors in becoming a Christian are relationships with fellow Christians and a building up of faith, over a considerable period of time. This is highly significant in our approach to any programme of evangelism. Doing ¨ stepping stones on the way to discovery ¨ from non to pro Christian ¨ becoming pro seeing Christ in others W Witness I Invitation N Nurture are important aspects of evangelism ¨ Do you or I reach out towards others? ¨ Do our churches have "Entry Points"? and are we "outsider friendly"? ¨ Do we go out into the community? ¨ Do we provide the opportunity for them to come to us? ¨ Could we meet in the middle ground; houses, pubs, work or daily life? Need for guidance and prayer: We know not how O Lord, but put our trust in you. Christina Baxter, Vice Chairman Synod House of Laity - Teacher at St. John's College, Nottingham. Throughout her address Christina referred to the story of Naaman (2 Kings Ch. 5) to illustrate how a motivated Christian (a slave) used a God-given opportunity to share her faith and the consequences which ensued. How do we perceive our own faith? Are we struggling up a ladder to heaven? No, we are already loved and accepted by God's grace. Therefore we must live this love our in out lives when the right circumstances present themselves naturally. 1. Spirituality - we have the integrity of our faith. Wherever God has place us as laity we should use opportunities in work or in our social life to build up relationships from which we can proceed to share our faith. 2. Kingdom perspective - to be effective we must have a corporate approach to prayer or others, particularly in world-wide issues. Also, we may have hard decisions to make in sharing our faith in places of work, standing up to criticism for which we need guidance and confidence through prayer. 3. Corporate approach - What is a church without fellowship? So with evangelism. To achieve this we must know our own capabilities and that of our colleagues, so that we can share responsibilities and work together in activities for elderly or other needy groups. 4. Taking a risk - We may need to take risks and step outside the circ e o our own security. We have security in God, which in turn brings freedom to expand our contacts and experience. 5. Long term perspective - don't expect a rapid response. The majority o people come to their faith gradually. However, there is a need to be persistent, we may never know how we have influenced others. 6. Prayer - to be effective in sharing our faith we need a bedrock of prayer in: a) Church b) of friends c) of the heart God will show us the way to share the good news of the gospel with others. In his summing up Bishop Peter said that his Initiative for 1992 will be for "young people and the Church". Young people represent the potential for the future. Statistics show that many return to faith in later life provided they have experience of Christian fellowship. The church needs to give priority here. Adrian Marsden-Jones CPAS Workshops (December 1992 edition of magazine) Saturday 10 October 1992 at St. Chad's Derby Christian Discipleship Today : Exploring Micah 6 v 8 The aim of the day was to help us think about our Christian discipleship today and to apply that to our church membership and witness in the local community as well as personal and family life. Three of us attended the day each pursuing a different seminar. We have tried to portray what we felt God was saying to us. "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God..." Micah 5 v 8 Act Justly -looking at the way we live today; our personal lifestyles and our responsibilities to others. Exploring the use of time, world resources, the needs of others. Here holding in my head The knowledge of injustice. Rich; So poor in spirit. Sear my heart Pierce the and hardness And layered selfishness. Break through the wall of possessions and desire. I build to separate Myself from the need of others. Lord, untangle my self imposed complicated lifestyle To have in my heart and hands the means to justice. Love Mercy -considering God's generosity to us and how we need to respond to that in personal, family and community life. The workshop examined what the Bible actually says about forgiveness. Forgiveness is a thorough acknowledgement of our pain and anger and not simply about forgetting. It entitles us to say "yes, it does matter, but I choose to lay aside my pain in order to restore a relationship with you". God has ordained forgiveness not just as a responsibility but as a release. Walk Humbly -exploring a closer relationship with God through prayer, fasting, Bible reading and meditation. We first talked about prayer; the practicalities and possibilities. Most of the group opted to briefly look at meditation. The meditation was led by a lovely, gracious, retired couple named Joan and Matthew. Joan gave us a creative picture of a bridge flowing over a clean, fresh stream and the associated images she talked through really helped us to concentrate and enjoy our Lord's presence as He became more real to us through creation. Matthew led us in a meditation based on a New Testament passage. The quietness and reverence in his delivery of the text and his thoughtful comments were marvellous. All in all a wonderful growth experience on reflection. Karen Herrick and Others What's the Future of the Family? (December 1993 edition of magazine) On Wednesday 20th October 1993 about 25 of us met to discuss questions about families and relationships and the role of the church and government in these areas. We began with a multichoice quiz which revealed our ignorance about marriages and households in Britain today. Did you know that 48% of couples who marry in the U.K. live together before marriage and that the most likely time for a divorce to occur is from 5 - 9 years? Figures about households are interesting though averages hide regional variations. Do you realise that in Britain 27% of all households contain only one person, 6% are lone parents with dependent children and only 25% are married or cohabiting couples with dependent children? Also 15% of adults in the U.K. are carers, looking after an elderly or disabled person. We then went into groups to answer the various questions posed by the General Synod Board for Social Responsibility. The following is a short summary of a lively discussion which formed our response to the Board for Social Responsibility. There was agreement that relationships work well when there is respect, commitment, communication and honesty, time for each other and forgiveness. The lack of these things damages relationships along with financial worries, illness, violence, alcohol and other abuses. The church can encourage members to help others in their relationships, to welcome people in all circumstances, to provide counselling support to those experiencing difficulties and care for those with broken relationships. Church life can be more inclusive and teaching on relationships, about mutual submission and respect, could occur, along with teaching and example on caring and supporting each other. Many ideas about what the Government could do to support families were put forward. These ranged from a flexible housing policy and flexible working patterns to comprehensive health care with more resources for education on the way. All in all it was an interesting evening but in 2 hours these huge issues can only be briefly mentioned. The challenge now is to consider how we in this parish support people in differing circumstances and how by our example and teaching we encourage loving, stable relationships. Living Churchyards Project (August 1994 edition of magazine) Three members of our Parish were able to attend this very interesting Training Day, coming away with a wealth of ideas on various subjects relating to the improvement of our own churchyards. The morning programme was divided into four sessions. After watching slides about "Wildlife in churchyards", there was a talk on "The care of trees". The next session gave advice and information on "Involving people - opportunities and grants", and the final talk of the morning was about "The care of churchyards and the law". We were well supplied with tea and coffee by the ladies of Old Brampton W.I who also provided the packed lunches. Their hard work was very much appreciated by everyone. After the lunch break, the Old Brampton churchyard was explored and discussed in small groups returning to the hall for an open forum. This brief summary of the day can't begin to give any idea of the wide range of subjects discussed - geology, lichens, flora and fauna, local history, safety in churchyards, the responsibilities of the P.C.C., to name but a few. Different churchyards produce different problems, and it was helpful to share ideas and expertise with other people. A delicate balance must be achieved between the encouragement of wildlife interests, and the needs of the people of the parish who may wish to visit family graves. The first step towards this ideal is a survey of the whole area to establish what is needed to improve the site, taking expert advice if necessary from the Wildlife Trust, or other groups. The final crunch, of course, is actually organizing and carrying out the work, with the approval of the P.C.C. and other interested parties! A Day of Shalom and Prayer (August 1995 edition of magazine) Crich, Central Methodist and our own parish to St John's Church for this CPAS event. The feedback slips provided us with great encouragement and the following notes are, we hope, an indication of how special the day was in achieving a time of peace with God, and sharing with others. MARGARET ABBOTT: The day was spent with many thought provoking and searching questions. I thoroughly enjoyed it, being both relaxing and meditative. I came home quite elated, as I had been able to concentrate on some serious praying time in a quiet relaxed atmosphere. The day just glided along with no hitches, everyone seemed so relaxed and free from troubles. The few days following seemed to be more stress free. The miming of the Lord's Prayer was particularly meaningful and gave me a somewhat different outlook. My highlight was the lighting of the candle and praying while focusing on this light. RACHEL DUNKLEY: The day of Shalom at St John's was a day to be long remembered. The organizers, leaders, speakers, music makers, led us in a wonderful day of faith and fellowship. Many thanks to them all JACKIE BEAN: This was an exceptionally fulfilling and rewarding time bringing the Christian faith into my day to day life. The evening was spent discussing the Day of Shalom with Phil, my husband, who says it has had a true effect on me. I felt at peace with myself and nearer to our Lord. Thank you to those who made the day possible. Identifying People with Pastoral Gifts (June 1998 edition of magazine) There are people in every church who are gifted in caring for people. St Thomas' has such people who are already available and are "there" caring but there are probably a lot more who are waiting to be called into this kind of ministry. God calls us to care for His people. He calls to us as He did to Isaiah "Comfort, comfort my people" (Isa 40:1). God does not want people in our churches to lament as the Psalmist did in Psalm 142:4 "There is none who takes notice of me ... no man cares for me". How many people in our churches today cry this because the professional clergy are the only ones pastoring. People are neglected because we are not pastoring God's way, which is equipping Lay people He has called to tend his flock. At St Thomas, church from November last year to January we ran a pilot study course "Learning to Care", the few who attended have indicated that they found the course extremely useful and that it has helped them to identify people with needs and to come alongside and pastor them in a caring and Christian way. The course is designed by Waverly Christian Centre and provides for six weeks study using a comprehensive work book accompanied with a video training programme. The video presentations are by Selwyn Hughes and Trevor Partridge. Course members are required to have their own study book as it is an integral part of the course and is used on almost a daily basis. Each session has four elements:
Roger Freestone Treasures of Darkness (June 1999 edition of the magazine) CPAS Ministry among Women day at St John's led by Jane Grayshon "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places so that you may know that I am the Lord the God of Israel who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:3 (NIV) The day started with registration, coffee and greetings in the church centre. Then we moved into the church. Jane started by inviting us to think about our own pain, then to write of it briefly on a piece of paper and put this into a basket which she passed round. She then offered these to God. She spoke briefly of her own prolonged bouts of life-threatening illness, and said she identified with Psalm 18:4-6, but found comfort in verse 19. Jane referred to the verse from Isaiah quoted above and made the point that although God has the desire to bless us, we can refuse to accept his blessings from wilfulness or woundedness. She then gave us six "treasures of darkness", some of God's blessings which often only begin to have real meaning for us when we are in pain, when our suffering is great. We were reminded that God created the darkness as well as the light, and that we can see things in the night sky which are not visible to us in the day. This is true spiritually also. Jane talked about prayer and shared the following, which had been given to her by a nun: -Prayer is not an easy way of getting what we want but a difficult way of becoming who God wants us to be. Before lunch we went back into the centre and in small groups discussed the six "treasures". In the afternoon Jane told us of the reaction of her husband, Matthew, to a sculpture in the Northern Tate Gallery of Jacob wrestling with the angel (Genesis 32:22-32), just after Matthew had been told that Jane needed another emergency operation which she might not survive. The sculpture showed that the angel was holding Jacob in a secure and protective embrace, whilst Jacob appeared to be tiring of the struggle. Jane was very open and honest, and said that despite seeing all these blessings, she would not choose to have the body she has. She would prefer not to suffer. Jane showed that it is alright to express our deepest feelings to God when we are suffering, even if these feeling are anger towards God, even if we feel God has wounded us. God can transform the bad we bring to him. Jane has written a book entitled "Treasures of Darkness" which I recommend. I would also encourage those who are able, to attend future CPAS events. This was the first I had been to, and the whole day was a blessing. Pat Calow 'The Listening Church' (December 2004 edition of magazine) The Derby Diocesan Lay Gathering 18th September 2004 We didn't realise that usually every two years the 'Lay Gathering' of Derby organise a one day seminar. Note, this is the ordinary people organising a day, based on things that interest them, not something directed by the hierarchy of the Church. This year the subject was 'The Listening Church'. What caught our attention was the opportunity to hear Bishop Jonathan and Elaine Storkey speak on the same day and we weren't disappointed. Bishop Jonathan in his usual easy style reminded us of the importance of listening to God. The key points were:
Elaine Storkey, Sociologist & director of Tearfund dazzled us with 'Listening to the World'. She talked of modern society and the way it is changing so fast; she quoted modern secular prophets who point to doom and gloom, but most importantly spoke of the hope we have as Christians have.
Listening is a healing ministry - 'listen to what each and every person has to say before making a decision' - Nelson Mandela. Listening is all about relationships. Listening is vital in a time of change. There were also fourteen workshops to choose from, where we were able to interact with members of other churches throughout the diocese. As you can see it was a busy but well organised day, which gave us a lot to think about. We recommend you to join us at the next such seminar, which will be held in two years time. Valerie Durkin and Yvetta Jacques Women's World Day of Prayer (February 2005 edition of the magazine) The Women's World Day of Prayer Movement will celebrate its annual Day of Prayer on Friday, March 4th 2005. This year's service will come from Poland and the theme of the service is, "Let Our Light Shine". Poland is situated in east central Europe. It is slightly larger than twice the size of England and Wales combined. Over75% of the country lies beneath 200m and historically it has been an area of conflict because of the flat terrain and lack of natural barriers on the North European plain. At the end of World War II, Poland found itself within the zone of Soviet influence, with the imposed political and economic ideology of a socialist system. However, 1989 brought independence to Poland. 2004 was an important historical milestone for Poland when it became a member of the European Union. In 1979, Pope John Paul II visited his native land and Catholicism was reinforced in the officially atheist country. The Polish Ecumenical Bible, containing the New Testament and Psalms, is a contemporary Polish translation and has the support and encouragement of eleven denominational leaders. Women, men, children and young people from many different backgrounds and in more than 180 countries will celebrate this Day of Prayer. We invite you to unite with them and join in a service in your own locality. Working Well by Working Spiritually (December 2005 edition of the magazine) A seminar led at St Thomas' by Geoff Shattock, The National Director of 'Worknet'. This seminar held in September was aimed at supporting those in work but was equally relevant to everyone. Geoff based his teaching on the seven sayings of Jesus on the Cross showing that His death for us was the culmination of His life's work. The first session covered "Dealing with Personal Pressure and Stress." Jesus' default reaction was to pray and forgive. "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing ". Luke 23:34. It is important that we define our worth in terms of our relationship with God the Father and although forgiving is difficult, especially if you are angry, it is a key stress management skill. The second session looked at "Being Good News to Others". Geoff acknowledged that this was hard and sometimes we miss the moment but, whilst Jesus was dying on the Cross he was good news to a thief. "I tell you the truth: today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43. Session 3 dealt with "Work Life Balance" by looking at how Jesus considered his family in a very difficult situation. Jesus commended his mother to the care of the disciple John. John19: 26-27. Feedback from those who attended was very positive. We were all very appreciative of the lovely lunch provided by Kathryn Shemwell and her team. John Prentice |