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Rector's Letters 2006Rector's Page
November 2006Dear Friends,All of our churches in Staplehurst believe we share a responsibility, with other individuals and organisations, in helping our youngsters to grow. We want to help them gain self confidence; learn skills and acquire knowledge; participate in social, cultural and political life as they get older; develop a sense of responsibility for others; and form sound values and beliefs which will under gird their lives as adults. Above all we want to help them find a meaning, as well as a sense of purpose, in life. “All Saints” is very fortunate in having a keen, if small, team of dedicated youth group leaders. During the summer the PCC agreed unanimously to appoint Marion Whatmore as our part time youth ministry coordinator, to extend this work. We have recently encouraged groups of youngsters to plan and deliver the worship for our Pentecost and Harvest services, a custom of youngsters leading worship from which we all benefit regularly, at our monthly evening youth services. Such awareness of the needs of our youngsters is widespread. While incomes in the UK have doubled in the last 50 years, research shows that the well being of children in the UK is rated amongst the worst in Europe. Many of you will have heard our Archbishop, Rowan Williams, speaking recently about the sort of childhood being experienced by today’s children. He is the Patron of “The Good Childhood Inquiry”, which is the UK’s first independent national inquiry into the conditions which lead to a good childhood. It has an impressive panel of experts and influential figures. The inquiry was launched in July by “The Children’s Society” and last year thousands of young people were asked what they think makes a good childhood. Their answers, both direct and challenging, make up part of the report but now YOU are being asked to contribute to the debate too. A national call has been issued for contributions from children, parents, professionals working with children or with specialist knowledge, and members of the general public. It would be good if Staplehurst could join in. We are asked to start by submitting our answers to the following questions: What do you understand by childhood? What does a good childhood mean to you? Then we are asked to answer the following: What are the conditions for a good childhood? What obstacles exist to those conditions today? What changes could be made that would be likely to improve things? These may be changes in the behaviour of parents, teachers, government, faith organisations or society at large. This is yet another opportunity to chip away at the edge of a big problem by making our small contributions, which will only cost us a little time and a stamp. Submissions may be made in hard copy, through the Children Society web site or by email between Sept 19th and November 13th 2006. (The final report will be issued in 2008) So address your responses to; The Good Childhood Inquiry Call for evidence The Children’s Society Edward Rudolf house 69-85 Margery Street London WC1X 0JL Take a look at the Children Society Web site www.childrenssociety.org.uk for more information regarding the Inquiry. And, if anyone reading this feels that they have abilities which could be used in helping our young people locally, then do get in touch with me. With much love Gill  Back to Top
September 2006Dear Friends,So it's back to work, back to school, back to ordinary everyday life, this month. The summer holidays are over. So too are those lazy days of beach picnics and countryside strolls, strawberry teas, barbecues and outdoor meals, and drinking with friends on the patio, late into the evening. I wonder if you, like me, are determined that things will be different when you get back to the ordinary routine again. We promise ourselves that we'll find more gaps, make time for work rest and play, resist those temptations which only we know cause our besetting sins and so on. So how can we nourish those good intentions? How can we help ourselves live the sort of balanced life we'd like to and be the person we'd like to be? That might well be the person God wants us to be too. After all, you and I know that the person people interact with when we're on holiday is often a very much nicer person than the one they have to deal with once we're home. Well I don't have any simple answers. I just know that many. many people are aware of the same need in their lives. Viewing figures for “The Monastery” and “The Convent” showed that. There were thousands of hits on the web sites of those community houses, after the programme's went out. Worth Abbey is now booked up for retreats for months in advance. Next spring the same production team will be working on a new TV series called “The Retreat”. This will be based at an Islamic retreat centre in Spain. Three Muslims and three non-believers will be tutored by six Islamic teachers. Perhaps this programme will serve to remind us that not all Muslims are extremists and that many men and women, of all faiths and none, are searching for a rhythm and a centre for their lives. Perhaps the one thing we need to keep reminding ourselves is that it is us, (you and I) who set the pace of our lives and we can make changes. I have found the book written by Abbot Christopher Jamison a helpful read in this area. It was written after the broadcasting of “The Monastery” in his community at Worth, as a response to the many enquiries the programme evoked. Do try it. It is called; “Finding Sanctuary (Monastic Steps for everyday Life)” by Christopher Jamison Pub: Weidenfield and Nicholson, London ISBN: 0-297-85132-2 With much love Gill Back to Top
August 2006Dear Friends,I nearly stopped attending church altogether in my early twenties. It seemed as if all that went on there was absolutely irrelevant to my life outside, from Monday to Saturday. Although I had a passing acquaintance with God, I really was not at all sure that going to a Sunday service did anything to foster that relationship. Indeed, sometimes I just used to come away angry when I heard some elderly cleric speaking dogmatically on an area of everyday life of which he had no experience or knowledge whatsoever. Somehow I never quite got away from church entirely and when I married, I found a local church which seemed different. I was fortunate to arrive in a church where ministry was really shared so we had people who knew their stuff in the world of education speaking on Education Sunday; members of the farming community addressing us at Harvestide; a Hospice matron speaking to us at St Lukestide (when the church focuses on healing) and so on. We relied on one another to keep us abreast of things going on around us. We, and our vicar, were looking at areas of our workaday world through the eyes of those closely involved in those specific places. They were trying to make sense of their faith where God had planted them. We reflected with them on what it meant to hold on to Christian principles in their sphere of daily work and inevitably our interest and concern for them spilt over into our prayers which became far more outward looking. I remember once hearing the comment of one person from another church, “I spend an hour a week teaching Sunday School and they haul me up to the front of the church to pray for me. The rest of the week I am a solicitor and the church has never prayed for me. That says it all”. I want all those who join us at “All Saints” to feel we have an ear, an interest and a heart for their challenges at work and home. So I want to give all our magazine readers a chance to help us make our preaching and our prayers more relevant. If you have time, drop me a note (at church or home) telling me; What are the major issues you are facing in your life right now In your home life? In your work/school life? In your spiritual life? How might the church help you better in any of these areas? What two or three issues would you really like us to address in our preaching programme in the next six months? And finally, for those of you engaged in business and commercial life, please look for a small blue booklet at the back of our church (open everyday, which suggests some principles which could be used as a guide or devotional aid and as a reminder of your Christian vocation, in whatever role or field you might be working. Do take one away with you. And have a good summer. Much love Gill Back to Top
May 2006Dear Friends,A group of us from “All Saints” celebrated the Passover Meal, or the Seder, during Holy Week last month. It reminded us of the freeing of the Hebrew people from slavery and the subsequent Exodus from Egypt, which Jewish people mark with special foods, in this meal, to help them tell the story. Of course, for us Christians, it now has another layer to it, as we believe Jesus's last meal before his crucifixion was probably the Passover meal. The bread and wine, at that meal, took on a very special significance for those present and, we still use bread and wine, made special for us, in our regular celebrations of the Eucharist. But sharing in the Passover meal, rather as a Jewish family would have done, also reminded me of Jesus of Nazareth who spent much of his earthly life eating and drinking with friends. It was on those occasions that he built relationships, taught and challenged people. It also reminded me of the early church we read about in the letters at the end of our Bible. I thought again of those groups of early Christians whose acts of worship revolved round meals together. Paul even had to reprimand one greedy lot who were getting stuck into the meal with such vigour that they weren't leaving much for everyone else! It is no wonder then, that many Christian groups are recapturing the real meaning and significance of “breaking bread together”. Many of you will have read about one fresh expression of church, known as “café church”. Through it, many people in churches around the country are coming to know God better as they eat and drink together in groups, whilst sharing in worship. All Saints is, of course, a bit more traditional than that! But we are recapturing some of the fellowship priorities of the early church on the occasions we share meals or refreshments together. How wonderful that we can do that so much more easily, now that we have our new kitchen up and running. The church which Jesus left as “his Body” is not just a group of individuals making a relationship with Him, but a group of people building close relationships with each other, so that they can serve him better together. Jesus knew shared meals were important. So, come and join us for coffee after service, or a parish breakfast (a chance for 8 o'clockers and 10 o'clockers to get to know each other better) or doughnuts and coffee before our monthly Praise service. And Thank You Robin Oakley for all your hard work in keeping the project moving. Thank you Mike Fann for your fundraising efforts. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED TO OUR NEW KITCHEN. A WARM INVITATION IS EXTENDED TO EVERYONE TO COME TO OUR OPEN MORNING, TO VIEW THE KITCHEN AND SHARE IN SOME REFRESHMENT TOGETHER ON SATURDAY MAY 27TH from 10.30am till 12 noon. DO JOIN US AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS Much love Gill Back to Top
February 2006Dear FriendsOh dear I've just entered my 60th year of life! I suppose the time has come to take life more seriously and to behave in a more sensible and mature manner, or has it? I had a wonderful collection of birthday cards. On the cover of one were the words, “If God was a woman” and then,inside, there were all sorts of possible results
Sadly we “religious people” have for far too long given people the idea that our God is one who wants to make people feel guilty, stop enjoying themselves, and constantly point the finger of blame at others. Yet the God we actually read about, in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, seems to be one who tells jokes, goes to parties, has his arms wide open for those who've made a mess of things and even changes insipid water into vintage wine to make a wedding feast go with a swing. This month (February) might just be one in which some of us are preparing for the season of Lent which begins on March 1st. Traditionally for Christians that has been a time of fasting and self denial and some of you might wonder why I'm not speaking somberly about what you should give up for the next few weeks. By all means make some sacrifice if that is right for you, but not if it makes you unbearably miserable. Instead let's remember that our God is the generous God who wants our happiness more than anything else and longs for us to greet others radiating an inner joy and contentment. So think about it. What might you do this Lent which gives you energy, inspires you, makes you a more pleasant person to be with? Look out for what God offers you. It could be really beneficial and enriching for you and those around you, considerably more so than “Gin in the water supply”! Have a good Lent. Much love Gill Back to Top |
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