Images

 

Doug writes                                        photos  by Ann Stephens Jones 

Jesus: “He is the image of the unseen God” (Colossians 1.15)

Images bombard us – we can’t avoid them; our eyes are drawn to them and they impact into our minds. We need images to help us understand our world for they can warn us of danger, give us joyful experiences and memories and even anticipate a positive future as we create pictures of where we are going. Alas, we can also form negative images where we misunderstand and misinterpret, where our thoughts become fearful or hostile to people and situations.

Today’s epistle is placed alongside the great prologue of John’s Gospel, which begins “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. It is the summation of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, the wonderful truth to which Christians understand all the Scriptures to be leading. It is saying that God is not far off but intrinsically involved in the world through Jesus, the Son. Amid all our problems and concerns, we have a faith which assures us that God is with us through the incarnation of Jesus.

The image of Jesus brings home to us that there is no gulf between us and God. The spiritual is expressed in the physical world, the eternal in specific years of this earth’s limited time. The images of Jesus express God’s love and righteousness. His birth, his preaching and teaching, his calling of followers, his healing miracles, his forgiveness, his ability to still the storms of life, his parables which speak of the kingdom among us: his bringing of light, his shepherding of his people, his opening of the Way to God. They are all glorious images of Jesus’ being, sent from God.

Yet Jesus also engages with the painful side of life in accepting the consequences of people forming negative images of him: blasphemer, enemy, disrespecter of traditions, prophet of future woes. He approaches the end faithfully, willing to endure the pain and lay his life down, and ultimately God’s affirmation of who Jesus is is shown in the resurrection. But first he had to accept the horror of the Crucifixion, and sometimes our images of the cross are overly sanitised as if it wasn’t really too bad after all. But it is clear that it was, but he died to bring us back to God, his pains have brought our salvation and the hope of eternity.

                                              

The epistle ends with the hard-won victory of the Crucified Jesus: “Peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 15.20). That is the message, and amid all we suffer, all our fears about our mortality, we have a hope borne to us by the image of the God who takes on our humanity and raises it heavenward. It is an image to celebrate and rejoice in at all times.

Farewell Captain Tom

 

How very sad that Captain Sir Tom Moore died this week. A man whose determination at the age of 99 to do what he could to encourage medical staff at the hard end of the pandemic is exemplary. The sight of him getting up and going, using his walking frame to focus on exercising in his garden. His humble desire to raise a few thousand pounds if possible really caught on in a totally unexpected way. After Gift Aid was added the national outpouring brought in around £39 million.

His death from Covid is perhaps no surprise, for there are still so many people dying, the majority of them elderly, and as a centenarian he would not have expected to go on forever. But losing such a sign of hope while the virus continues to spread goes against the grain. Yet we remember that he brought an amazed admiration from so many of us, and that will surely remain. As a man who fought for his country during the Second World War he knew what he was talking about when he said “Tomorrow will be a better day”.

There is now talk about a statue being created to commemorate Captain Tom. He absolutely deserves to be remembered, though I wonder whether that is the best way. I would prefer to give to help the living, like hard-pressed Intensive Care staff, much as he wanted during his final year.

I was saddened in a different way, and somewhat shocked, to see that an Anglican Priest from the City of London had posted words on social media denigrating Captain Tom, who raised funds for all who serve in our multi-cultural NHS. He has now apologized and removed the offending posting, but what a misjudgment. We are called to acts of charity and kindness, on social media and in the whole of life, and Captain Sir Tom has been a shining example of a person who can inspire care and hope in others and we should be rejoicing at his achievements.

 

Heavenly Father, thank you for Captain Tom’s courage and determination, for his inventiveness in doing what he could to support others. Help us all, at whatever stage in life we may be, to look to how we can love our neighbour and bring care and hope to individuals and communities. And thank you for Jesus’ way of love, of going the extra mile, of willingness to sacrifice oneself for others. By your grace help us all to follow the way to which you call us, and be signs of hope and strength in our troubled world, that all our tomorrows may be better days. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Slow down!

 

                                        The rushing River Lea yesterday     Photo by Ann Marie 

Used in Northumbrian prayers on Monday. I’m not sure that this is me but I’m sure it has a vital message, if only! Jo 

In the present moment

Hurry is an unpleasant thing in itself, but also very unpleasant for whoever is around it. Some people came into my room and rushed in and rushed out and even when they were there they were not there – they were in the moment ahead or the moment behind. Some people who came in just for a moment were all there, completely in that moment.

Live from day to day, just from day to day. If you do so, you worry less and live more richly. If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

So this is my prayer

Father, You are the Peace-giver, and the God who lives in each of my moments, who walks beside me, and who deserves my time. Keep me from being worried, stressed or distracted by things that rob me of the moments when you have directed me to people, situations or work that will build your kingdom on this earth. May I rest in the knowledge that you will care for the people and projects that are waiting for my attention so that I can stay focused on whoever you lead me to and whatever you desire me to accomplish.

 

Gradual but visible Changes

 

Some days feel bleak anyway at this time of the year.

Any happier, closer, warmer time seems remote.

Try as we may this time of isolation remains upon us.

How do we hope when life feels mired in uncertainty?

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.

I am not inclined to cling to false hopes; is optimism foolishly misplaced?

The scientific consensus remains uncertain, balancing the progress with those wretched graphs.

Every day we may be getting closer, I pray that this time we overcome

The virus’ mutations and our own human selfishness.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.                                                                Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

How do we live these days of pain and danger?

For ourselves and for everyone we know – there is no easy answer,

Yet trusting to the Lord who has ever been with me feels like firm ground for my future

His love is broad and eternal, it transcends our present plight.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows                                                             

                         

The green pastures are places where we can grow, and flourish,

Our minds can find renewed peace and hope.

Whatever comes I will seek to be faithful, though time may oppress with fear or doubt,

And the age-old trust of Psalm 23 shall hold me in life and death, for that is the promise.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Those were the Days, or were they?

 

Ann-Marie writes:  

We rather take for granted our Parish Magazines or information sheets whether in print or online.

Their roots go back to Victorian times when the first Parish magazine was launched by the Vicar of St Andrew’s, Derby in January 1859. From Derby the Reverend John Erskine Clarke went to Battersea where he started a school, a hospital and three churches. They are still there.

 

This was the time that the ‘ Penny Dreadful’ began to circulate and these sensational horror magazines were particularly targeted at the young. They caused near hysteria in the country and became a cause celebre. “Something had to be done” was the cry. Reverend Clarke felt children were being compromised by this cheap literature and decided to publish a weekly magazine also for one penny, called ‘The Children’s Prize. ‘

 

It was influenced by the Sunday School movement and used as their prizes to encourage the children. It was very moral in nature but as well as Bible stories included poems and articles about  nature, travel and sports. It was directed at both boys and girls.

 

When he was up at Oxford this clergyman rowed for the University when it won the Gold Plate at Henley - so he was  a man of many talents! Clarke later published the long-lived Chatterbox magazine.

  

Our Reverend John Erskine Clarke has much to be remembered for not least the importance of keeping congregations informed through Parish news. He was recognised for his contribution to Church life by being made a Canon of Winchester and a Prebendary of Lichfield where he was originally ordained.

 

Thank you to all at All Saints for keeping us in touch with each other.  

 

A prayer for the media

God, who spoke the world into being and communicates with us still today;

We pray for writers, producers, broadcasters and journalists, and all who work in the media.

May they be a voice for the powerless, a challenge to the powerful; bringers of knowledge and clarity to an uncertain and confused world.

Help them to reach for the highest professional standards, especially when budgets are stretched, time is tight, and competition increasing.

May they resist the temptation to follow the consensus, jump to easy conclusions, pander to prejudice or cut corners.

Help us, who read, watch, listen and contribute to the media, to play our part by being wise and discerning, so that truth and beauty will be the hallmarks of our media.

We offer these prayers in the Name of the One who brought the Good News, declared himself as the Truth, and gave himself for a world in need, Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen

Stream those sacred Ayres?

 

We miss Soundbites at All Saints, along with so many other things, and I notice that one of our artists’ music has just been released by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge. The composer is Paul Ayres, who visited us a couple of years ago, playing his unique mix of organ music. Paul played his own compositions plus his own special arrangements of old and new.

Paul’s organ music has been released on Priory Records, entitled “Rainbow Toccatas”. Who can forget his Mostly Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor? Classic. Then he melds Bach’s Ich steh’ mit einem Fuss im Grabe with Hey Jude so that they imperceptably come together, so to speak. Perhaps lyrically,  too, the German for ‘I am standing with one foot in the grave’ fits well with ‘Don’t make it bad, take a sad song and make it better’ although we may have to wait a long time for a choral version.

The new release of Paul’s collected music for churches is now available on CD or streaming, and it features a selection of anthems – When I consider, God be in my head - and hymns – Be thou my Vision, Let all Mortal flesh keep silence - and some very interesting spirituals such as Deep River and Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel. Classics. It is called Sacred Ayres. If streaming, search for the choir not the title, though. I would single out his re-imagining of The Lord’s my Shepherd, which brings to it a special touch which brightens up the slightly dreary Crimond tune to suit the inspired, comforting, hopeful words of Psalm 23. Paul has made the organ backdrop to sound like J.S.Bach, perhaps as in Jesu joy or the Brandenburg Concertos. It is impressive how Paul brings something special to well-known church music, and Selwyn College Choir have presented a beautiful collection of his sacred arrangements.

Just in case, Paul's website is https://www.paulayres.co.uk/cd/sacredayres for the CD and much more!

Candlemas

 

 A Sonnet by  Malcom Guite: Candlemas

 

They came, as called, according to the Law.

Though they were poor and had to keep things simple,

They moved in grace, in quietness, in awe,

For God was coming with them to His temple.

Amidst the outer court’s commercial bustle

They’d waited hours, enduring shouts and shoves,

Buyers and sellers, sensing one more hustle,

Had made a killing on the two young doves.

They come at last with us to Candlemas

And keep the day the prophecies came true

We glimpse with them, amidst our busyness,

The peace that Simeon and Anna knew.

For Candlemas still keeps His kindled light,

Against the dark our Saviour’s face is bright.

 

The feast of Candlemas that we celebrate today comes at a significant time in our country’s struggle with the pandemic. On Tuesday we marked and passed the heartbreaking number of one hundred thousand lives lost in this country and over two million worldwide. ‘Who can compute the sorrow?’ our Prime Minister asked, which, although an unusual turn of phrase, as his vocabulary often is, focused attention on the countless people who are also grieving loved ones who have died. I am not at all sure that sorrow – or joy – can be computed, but I imagine that only a computer could quantify the sheer human cost if it could somehow be assessed on a spreadsheet of miserable graphs as on the “next slide please” brought forward by the well-meaning Professor Chris Whitty.

Candlemas marks the end of the season of Epiphany, this bittersweet celebration reflects on the sadness and hope of the characters in the story. Anna had been a widow for over seventy years, a long time to be alone and waiting – who can compute her sorrow? - Simeon, also a great age patiently going to the temple, daily looking forward to the Messiah; Mary for whom this would have been a great and joyful occasion presenting her child to God in the temple, hearing how Jesus was destined to cause division amongst his own people and to die. The hope of the season of Epiphany and its revelation of the light of the world now turns towards the road to the cross. The cross points through death to the hope of resurrection, a glory yet to be known, good news for all people.               

In the service the blessing of candles or our lights in our houses expresses the hope of the light of Christ permeating that darkness, overcoming death, suffering …