St Martin’s Golden Jubilee

St Martin's Church was consecrated on the 22^nd October 1960 by the Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Reverend Arthur Stretton Reeve. Today fifty years on, we are delighted to welcome to St Martin's the present Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Reverend Jonathan Gledhill, who is leading us in our Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Although today we mark St Martin's Golden Jubilee, the reality is that the history of St Martin's goes back more than fifty years. Plans to build a church on the site of St Martin's go back to the 1940s, and for two years before the church was consecrated services used to be held in the Red House pub (now the Longhorn).

In the Bible the only church that is mentioned is one that is made of living stones (1 Peter 2:5). This is a reminder that St Martin's Church isn't a building, but people, and today we thank God for the faithful witness and service of all who have been part of St Martin's during the course of its history.

The Bible also describes the church as being like a family (John 1:12), a place where people can experience a real sense of love, fellowship and support in good times and bad. It fills me with great hope and joy when I see the church family coming together to support one another and the wider community. As a church I believe we have so much to be grateful for, and so much to look forward to.

Our mission statement is In Christ: Seeking, Growing, Sharing and Spreading the Kingdom. Archbishop William Temple said "Church is the only organisation that exists for the
benefit of its non-members." Our mission statement reminds us of this fact, and that Christ calls us to work in partnership with him in growing God's kingdom. Our society has changed a lot since St Martin's opened its doors in 1960, but our mission and calling remains the same, to make Jesus know, to share God's love and to make new disciples. Our Golden Jubilee is an opportunity for us to rededicate ourselves to the task of bearing witness to the love of God, as revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last." (John 15:16)

God bless

Simon

Back to Church Sunday

Today is Back to Church Sunday. Welcome to St. Martin's if you are visiting us. I hope you will find it a positive experience. Last year in the Lichfield Diocese over 300 churches took part and 3000 came " back to church" on that day.

It may be that the word " church" brings certain images to mind: somewhere cold and uncomfortable, where people whisper and children have to be quiet, where strange clothes are worn or Sunday best and you have to stand up or sit down at the right time. Church can seem to be detached from reality, a place of false solemnity and even somewhat hypocritical. I find St. Martin's a place of welcome, laughter, friendship and hope. Worship with others transforms my small faith. The home group provides an opportunity to learn and discuss within a small group of people and it is refreshing to find that we all have doubts and no-one has all the answers!

A recent survey showed that more people prayed than actually professed a faith which seems a contradiction in terms. At times of crisis it seems many challenge God ( if I get better, I'll come to church) or at least think that as there appears to be no human solution it might be worth trying a divine one! God does respond sometimes in obvious ways to these prayers but at other times " God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform".

Evidence of the Holy Spirit at work at St. Martin's is not hard to find – just think of the Café, support for the Glebe centre, our mission giving not to mention the joy, healing and support for each other. If you are returning to St.Martin's today or visiting us I hope you will take away a feeling of friendship and a taster of what the Holy Spirit can do. Maybe this is the nudge you need to find or renew your relationship with God.

Liz Dunthorne

Treasures in Heaven

Treasure is used by Jesus to explain what the kingdom of heaven is like and to encourage us to think about building a treasure store in heaven. Treasure is easy to understand in earthly terms but I find it hard to define what treasure is in the spiritual sense. Given that we are assured of our place with God, not through our efforts but through the grace of Jesus, it is difficult to know what the purpose of this treasure is. Yet we are encouraged by Jesus to build up a treasure, where it lasts eternally.

These days it is normal for us to get points for using our credit cards and the more we use them, the more points we get. Is there a heavenly reward scheme whereby the more good we do here on earth, the more points we get in heaven? This, on the face of it, seems fair as we are rewarded in proportion to the good we do and some people may point to the parable of the talents to back this idea up. However, it leaves me with the feeling that there is more to it than that.

I would love to think that part of my treasure will be seeing family, friends and others in heaven and to know that somehow, despite my awkwardness and clumsiness, despite all my doubts and fears, I have played a part in encouraging them in their walk with God. It is always a miracle to me that God can take whatever I give Him and use it to encourage others in their faith. This not only gives me a deep sense of joy now, but it also encourages me to keep on investing through prayer and action.

I am no theologian and I could be totally wrong - usually I am (ask Jackie). However, whatever your idea of heavenly treasure is, the message I get from Matthew 6 is that it is good to keep on storing it up!

Yours in Christ

Martin