The Return of the Prodigal Son: Newsletter 23 March 2008

During Lent we have been reading and discussing “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Henri Nouwen, a meditation on Rembrandt’s picture. Nouwen, a Dutch born theologian, describes first seeing a poster of this picture while staying at the L’Arche, a community in Trosly, France, for people with learning difficulties and their assistants. Later he was to commit his life to L’Arche and to join its community in Toronto. Just before he left Trosly he had the opportunity to view the original painting in St Petersburg. He describes how he was enabled to study the painting very closely for several hours.

In the book, he meditates on the picture, concentrating on each of the three main characters in turn. He identifies with the younger son, who demanded his inheritance and went abroad where he wasted all he had and lived miserably until he came to his senses and returned home. He also identifies with the elder son, who stayed at home and worked for his father, but who could not share in the joy of his brother’s homecoming.

Nouwen commented that the guides in St Petersburg described the painting as one of the compassionate father and he describes the parable as ‘The Parable of the Father’s Love’. In the painting he sees not only the love of a human father for his sons, but also the love of God for His children. The hands of the father in the portrait are interesting. One hand is strong and masculine and the other gentle and feminine. Nouwen sees in this the motherhood as well as the fatherhood of God. Nouwen also sees in the father a challenge to reflect God’s love in his own life.

We found that studying and discussing the book and the picture brought us to a deeper understanding of the story. The fact that it was a personal meditation rather than an explanatory text encouraged us to consider the issues for ourselves.

Chris Dunthorne

Giving Thanks Newsletter 2nd March

Today is both Mothering Sunday and also our annual Church Gift Day, it also happens to mark the mid way point of the season of Lent. No one can be certain about the origins of Mothering Sunday although it seems to have had some links with people visiting their ‘Mother Church’ in their particular area or diocese. It was also the one day in the year when those people working as domestic servants were allowed to visit their family.

Today Mothering Sunday has become a time to celebrate and give thanks for the love and care we have received from our mothers. Mothering Sunday can however be a difficult time for some, especially if their relationship with their mother was not easy, or for those women who have lost children or who have not been able to have children of their own. So on Mothering Sunday we give thanks for those who in our lives have supported, nurtured and loved us, irrespective of who they may be.

Giving thanks is an important aspect of the Christian faith. St. Paul teaches: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) It is important to thank God for the good things in our lives, and also to remember the ways in which he shows his love and care for us. There are many ways we can do this: through prayer, worship, and our giving – of ourselves, our time, our gifts and abilities, and also our money. As we celebrate Mothering Sunday it is an opportunity to think not only about our own mothers, but also about how much we have received from God, and an opportunity for us to give back to him to support the work of the church of which we are all a part.

Sing Hosanna? Newsletter Palm Sunday 16 March

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O most High
Psalm 92 v. 1

Today is Palm Sunday and we remember the shouts and cheers that greeted Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. Maybe there was also singing.

As you can see, the choir has moved. We felt that we could not lead the singing with our backs to the rest of the congregation. We will move to the pews during communion. Choir members and Penny would welcome feedback from you – this is for a trial period.

Singing and music have always been an important part of worship. St. Augustine observed that “ to sing well is to pray twice” ( and I don’t think he meant technical expertise when he said “well”). The range of Church music is vast; Gregorian chant, Black Gospel, Taize chant, choruses, Wesley, Watts, Graham Kendrick and Stuart Townend for a start. Music enables us to praise, express and learn religious truths and to respond in spirit, either corporately or on an individual basis. It has the power to move and certainly reaches the parts other things don’t! If you join in with music making and singing you get that wonderful feeling that corporate worship gives. Isaac Watts paraphrased the words from Psalm 92 as “ O may my heart in tune be found”.

St. Martin’s choir is now the only one in our cluster of churches. We may be small in numberbut we feel that our ministry is an important one in helping to lead worship and enabling new songs and hymns to be introduced. We are so lucky to have such a talented musical director in Penny, without whom the range of music used in our services would be very limited. We all have our preferences in terms of the music used in worship and it is good to have a mixture in every service. I’m sure feedback would again be welcome.

I hope you enjoy the music today and that you are able to “make a joyful noise “ as we are encouraged to do.

Come let us sing for joy to the Lord;…..Let us….extol him with music and song”
Psalm 95 v1-2