Hymns of Praise

Just before Christmas Christine and I spent a few days in London. While we were there we took the opportunity to go to see Les Misérables. We’ve seen the show before but a long time ago so it was like seeing it for the first time. In his notes, Sir Cameron Macintosh says that the first night reviews, in 1985, were very negative, none of the major critics liked the show. However, the public took no notice of the critics and flocked to see it – something which continues to this day. Surprisingly the story is quite dark with the outcasts being persecuted and downtrodden but the songs and music are quite uplifting and the ending gives hope for the future.

In many respects the story of Christ is also a dark story – his persecution by the Jewish establishment and his death at the hands of the Romans. Yet this story ends in Christ rising from the dead and giving us hope for the future. This story is also accompanied by some most wonderful music – the hymns.

I love music and often wish I was a musician able to make beautiful music, I’ve sung in choirs but I’m not as good a singer as I would wish to be. However, I do like hymns and I like singing them in Church (and sometimes in other places!).

Do you ever think about the words when you sing hymns in Church, or are they just to be sung along to the tune? I know that I have a reputation when it comes to certain hymns by my favourite composers, Newton, Watts and Wesley. I hope that I’m not becoming a bore but I really like the language and poetry of the old hymns.

To me hymns have always been ways of expressing my faith in words which are far superior to my own and they are more like prayers than devotional songs.. I was really pleased when Penny chose to end one of her recent sermons by getting us all to read the words from a hymn. The words were a most fitting ending to a talk on God’s grace.

I don’t have one particular hymn as favourite but you may like to look at the words of some of the ones in my long list of special hymns –MP 37, 755, 756 and the modern version of psalm 23. Perhaps you’d like to think about your favourites and what they mean to you.

God bless, John

Faith

In mid September Christine and I were away and so missed the Pope’s visit to the UK. However, thanks to Sky and the BBC we were able to view some of the highlights.

What amazed me was the amount of time given to the Humanist society to create a “balanced” view. One of their speakers obviously could not cope with the numbers of people who turned out to see the Pope and stated that they were not Christians but tourists who just so happened to be visiting the various cities. I wish he could explain how he knew with such certainty.

Why is it that some people are so quick to denounce those who show themselves to be Christian? Why are some people quick to complain about Christians coming together? Do they find it strange that people have faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ?

I can’t answer these questions but I feel saddened when some people decry the faith held by others. I remember a simple saying - “I don’t agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it.” Nowadays we seem to have many people who do not wish to extend that right to others. They have a right to say what they like but they do not wish us to profess our faith.

Everyone has a complex set of faiths, they have faith in themselves, in their Doctor and some even have faith in politicians but these are lesser faiths when compared to Biblical faith. This is faith in a person not of this world who has powers infinitely greater than any human.

The Bible, as always, addresses the question of faith - Hebrews (Chapter 11). “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see..........,By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what we see was not made out of what was visible.......................”

If you ever feel your faith faltering read Chapter 11 and remind yourself of the Biblical characters who showed great faith. Then take time to reflect on all of the blessings brought upon us by our God and rejoice in our faith.

God Bless

John

Proclaiming the Faith

On January 6th, Twelfth night, Epiphany, we were driving on the motorway system around Madrid. We couldn’t understand why, although there were up to six lanes available, ours was the only vehicle on the road for quite long periods of time. A quick check in our trusty handbook gave the answer to our lack of understanding. It was a national holiday – it was the day on which Spanish children were given their Christmas presents.

Over the years we have spent several holidays at the time of religious festivals in Spain and other Catholic countries and we never cease to be amazed how involved the whole community becomes in their celebration. We have seen the most amazing statues carried on the shoulders of numerous men, each statue or tableau showing the important features of the festival. People seem to live their faith more openly at these times.

More years ago than I will admit our Chapel used to have three Sundays before our Anniversary when we used to parade around the village singing hymns and advertising this important time. On the third Sunday we often had a silver band to accompany us as we finished our parade. People in the village had no doubt about the commitment of the couple of dozen people who took part each year or of the strength of faith of our congregation.

On anniversary Sunday the chapel would be packed afternoon and evening as villagers joined us in our celebration of faith. Sadly, like many old traditions it no longer happens.

Perhaps we have become too self conscious about proclaiming our faith or perhaps we are too politically correct and prefer not to cause apparent offence to those of other faiths or to non believers.

Yet, if either is true, how are we going to grow God’s Kingdom? We, as a Church, need to think carefully how we can involve ourselves more in proclaiming our faith in the wider community. I have no answers – I wish I did. Perhaps we could use the weeks leading up to the Church’s greatest festival to think about how to proclaim the Risen Lord.
God bless
John

Cross Talk Church Link: Newsletter 17th June 2007

Over the past few months Simon has been working to set up a prayer link with Holy Trinity Church, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia. (On a map of Malaysia find Kuala Lumpur and look north about 200km). The idea of this link is to encourage our two churches to pray for one another.
Holy Trinity Church is very similar to ours in that it has around the same attendance and a congregation made up of the middle socio economic background. They also have similar challenges in that they are also trying to grow their congregation.

We feel very excited about this and have formed a little working group to service the link. The group members are: Simon, Diane Sainsbury, Margaret Carter, Jane Quinn, Jackie Brown, Christine and me.

It is our intention to provide you with as much information about the prayer link as we can and to provide photographs of Revd. Jesvinder Singh and his church and congregation. (Today we are hoping to take some photographs of our congregation to send to them so don’t be shy, join in the group photo!).

We’ve asked them to join us in praying for the success of last night’s film night in starting to build the bridges which will, hopefully, bring young people into our church.

We’ve also asked them to share in our thanksgiving for the 38 members of our cluster churches who were confirmed on Pentecost Sunday and especially for the seven from St. Martin’s.
In our turn we are using their prayer request in our weekly intercessions and at home groups and the Saturday morning prayers.

Some of the prayers will also be printed in the prayer diary.

To finish, I quote some of the words used by Revd. Jesvinder – “We are looking forward for this partnership to open the view of the Church to ministry and mission.” Let us all use our personal prayers to echo his wish.

God Bless
Christine and John

Dedication

It’s been a really good year for major anniversaries. During the year we remembered two 60th anniversaries; the end of the war in Europe and the end of the war in the Far East.

In October we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar when the English Fleet under Nelson and Collingwood defeated the combined fleet of the French and Spanish.
Just last week we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the failed Gunpowder plot to destroy James I and his Parliament.

Today, on Remembrance Sunday, we remember, principally, all those men and women who died in the two world wars. Yet British service men and women continue to die in the service of this country. Throughout the whole of the twentieth century there were only three years when British service men and women did not die on active service.

Perhaps, as we remember all of those who have died for our continuing safety, we should take note of Nelson’s prayer before the battle of Trafalgar:

May the Great God, whom I worship, grant for my Country, and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious Victory; and may no misconduct in anyone tarnish it; and may humanity after Victory be the predominant feature in the British fleet.

For myself, individually, I commit my life to Him who made me, and may his blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my Country faithfully. To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen, Amen, Amen.

Yes he does pray for Victory but he also prays for humanity in Victory. More importantly he dedicates his life to God and asks for his blessing on his endeavours. We may not be as great as Nelson but we can all dedicate ourselves to serving God in whichever way he chooses for us.

John

Prayer

A few weeks ago, in my role as Pastoral leader, I was asked to take one of the House assemblies. I readily agreed but it was only after agreeing that I found out that the theme was “Prayer!” At this point I began to ask whether the House leader’s meeting was really that important! Consequently, I began to think about what I was going to say.

Two days before the assembly one of my prayers was answered when one of our cover supervisors offered to take the assembly.

His assembly was a million times better than I could have done. He pitched the level just right and the pupils were truly attentive to his interactive presentation.

Yet at the end I was left with the feeling that something was missing. It took a while for me to realise that he never once mentioned giving thanks to God. It reminded me that we are very quick to ask God for help and advice but very slow to say “thank you”.

I’m not very good at formal prayer; but the lines from one of the ‘Crocodile Dundee’ films, where Mick Dundee says, “God and me, we be mates!” gives me great hope. So I tend to have conversations with God for, as it says in the prayer diary, I try to “pray as I can, not as I can’t”.
In our busy lives we can still find time for informal chats with God. Prayer in all of its forms is powerful.

Oh, almost forgot, yes I did remember to say “thank you”
for God’s intervention in the assembly.

God Bless
John

Dr. Edward Jenner

This week marks the anniversary of the birth (17-05-1749) of one of the most important figures in British Science – Dr. Edward Jenner. I would guess that most of you would not have heard of his everlasting contributions to the progress of science.

His first important contribution was that, as a young man, he observed and recorded the habits of one of the most important signs of summer – the cuckoo. He was the first to expose this parasitic bird as a nest destroyer and layer of eggs foreign to the nests of many birds.

However, it is his second contribution for which he receives the thanks of mankind, for it was Edward Jenner who discovered the process of vaccination. Through his work as a country doctor he was able to use a disease of cattle called “Cowpox” to provide an inoculation against the dreadful disease Smallpox. In the eighteenth century this was one of the most feared diseases on earth – no country was spared. His breakthrough meant that millions of people gained long-lasting protection against this disease. By 1978 this disease was eradicated from all countries.
Yet, what about Jenner? Some countries feted him as a hero, others gave him a money prize but he remained as a country doctor, often suffering from sarcasm and lampooning. He could have made enormous amount of money but, in line with his strong Christian upbringing (his dad was a vicar!), he preferred to continue serving God and his fellow man.

Jenner used his God given skills to provide help and relief to his patients; in our small way can we do less? We need to pray that God will use us to serve others and use what gifts and talents we may have.

God Bless,
John

John Newton

Just recently I have had the opportunity to re-read the story of John Newton. Alongside the Wesley Bothers and Isaac Watts, Newton remains one of my favourite hymn writers with hymns like: “Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God”; “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear”; and “Amazing Grace”.

Newton’s early life was a catalogue of foul language, blasphemies and general vile behaviour. In fits of conscience he prayed for forgiveness but only saw it as wiping the slate clean and allowing him to continue as before.

It was only during the enormous storm which was gradually destroying the ship he was on (The Greyhound) that he really confronted the enormity of his past life and his sins and really asked for forgiveness. It was reading the words of Christ: (Matt. 7 vv 7&8) “ask and it will be given unto you: seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened unto you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” and Luke 15 (The Prodigal son) which caused his conversion.

However, he could see that while God would forgive sinners he was worried that this would not include him. In everyday life, one is able to forgive a friend but would you forgive your arch enemy? His answer lay in Acts chapter 9 where we are told of Saul’s conversion.
From this time on Newton believed and understood the massive sacrifice that Jesus made in atoning for our sins and so he spent the remaining years of his long life thanking and praising God for his forgiveness.

We may not feel that our sins are as enormous as those of John Newton but we all fall far short of perfection. We must ask for forgiveness on a regular basis as well as strengthening our faith for it is by faith that we as sinners will be justified before God.
God Bless you all.

John

Are we Listening?

When I was growing up and attending the local Methodist chapel we seemed to spend more time in studying the Old Testament rather than the New. Even now I find myself drawn to the stories of the developing Israelites and their covenant with God.

In particular I have been reading part of the books of Samuel and it is apparent that people in those times turned their back towards God and ignored Him and His covenant. For this they were severely punished. Not even his priest Eli was spared for when his sons Hophni and Phinehas sinned against the Lord they were killed in battle and the Ark of the Covenant was captured. (1 Sam. Ch. 4 on.)

Yet at this same time we have the young boy, Samuel, who had been given to the service of the Lord by his mother, Hannah. Samuel was called by the Lord three times and each time he ran to Eli thinking that it was him who called. Eli eventually realised that it was God calling the boy and instructed him to reply “Speak, Lord for your servant is listening”. (1 Sam. Ch.3)

I wonder if we are the same. Do we choose to ignore or do we just misunderstand what God is asking us to do?

Perhaps on this Father’s Day when we each remember our own father we would be well to give praise and thanks to our Heavenly Father and ask him to speak to us as he did to Samuel. We will never be as great or as powerful as Samuel but we can each be faithful and try to do what we can to grow the Church.

God Bless
John