WE WISH EVERYONE WHO VISITS St. Augustine's BLOG EVERY BLESSING IN 2014 AND A
For your diary
1st January Mary, Mother of God Mass 10.30 a.m.
Monday 13th January 7.00 p.m. Mass followed by PCC at 7.45 p.m.
Monday 20th January Deanery Synod: Bishop David’s farewell address.
Wednesday 22nd January 7.30 p.m. The Rosary
Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass and Father Mervyn read the Gospel, preached and concelebrated. Ann led our Intercessions. In his sermon Father Mervyn drew attention to the fact that the Holy Family were refugees seeking safety in Egypt. The fact was that they stayed in a part of Egypt which the Coptic Church describes as a slum. It should makes us very sympathetic to the plight of those who are refugees today. Only today, the Leader of UKIP Nigel Farage had reminded us that to take in refugees was not the same as having open borders to the UK. He had suggested that we should take 500 initially. We should keep refugees in our prayers always reminding ourselves that the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and the Infant Jesus were themselves, for a number of years refugees.
NEW YEARS EVE Church Party in the Hall – ALL WELCOME (no charge - bring food and your own drink)
We started our celebrations with our Christingle Service. During the service the children were asked to bring the Nativity figures to the crib. In the talk Father Mervyn asked Father Martin where Mister Monkey was (he is the mascot of our Sunday School – sometimes he’s very good and sometimes not) He had been left in the Sacristy so the servers went to fetch him. He came into church, complaining that he hadn’t been invited to the service so he had made his own Christingle. He used as the base a potato instead of an orange, a discarded post office red rubber band instead of a ribbon, he had five sticks: one with a brussel sprout, one with a baby sweet corn, one with a wiggly worm, one with a mushroom and one with a piece of broccoli. He had an electric tea light instead of a candle.Father Martin explained how a proper Christingle was made and explained the significance of each part. Mister Monkey was then given a proper Christingle and then every member of the congregation came to collect theirs. We sang the new Children Society’s hymn.
At the Midnight Mass, Father Mervyn presided and Father Martin concelebrated, preached and led our Intercessions. At the end of Mass the Crib was blessed and the Bambino placed in it. After Mass sherry, sausage rolls, mince pies and fruit juice were served in the hall.
Father Martin presided at Mass and Father Mervyn concelebrated, preached the homily, and led our Intercessions.
Father Mervyn presided at today’s Parish Mass and Father Martin concelebrated, read the Gospel, preached and led our Intercessions. In his sermon Father Martin invited a teenager, one of our teenage Christians in the congregation to do an interview with him. He pointed out that “L” was slightly older than Mary would have been when the events recorded in the Gospel had taken place. In the interview amongst the questions Father Martin asked “L” how she would have felt if an angel appeared to her: “Scared “ she replied. “L” acted the part brilliantly and gave us much food for thought.
Christmas Services 2013
Christmas Eve
Christingle Service with Carols – at 4.30 pm.
Vigil Mass – at 6.00 pm.
Midnight
SOLEMN MASS with Carols at 11.30 pm.
Mince Pies & Drinks in the Hall afterwards.
Christmas Day
Sung Mass with Carols for all the family at 10.00 am.
December 26th — St. Stephen’s Day
Said Mass at 10.00 am
Today Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass whilst Father Mervyn concelebrated, read the Gospel and preached. Our Intercessions were led by Ann. In his sermon Father Mervyn pointed out that the colour of the day was pink or rose. He talked about how pink was a colour of Joy, a joy shared by all little girls who loved pink especially his 3 granddaughters. For Christians we were now half way through the Advent Season and this Sunday we lit the pink candle of the Advent wreath. We need to remember that the word JOY reminded us that we should put Jesus first, others next and yourself last. John the Baptist put Jesus first as he proclaimed that we should repent and that he was sent to prepare the way. This was our task; to prepare our contacts, the people we mix with day by day, so they, and we, would be ready when Jesus comes again. In the meanwhile we have opportunity to meet him every time we come to Mass for he is present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £210
On Friday many of the congregation went to the YMCA for our annual Christmas Meal. We started by congratulating Betty who was celebrating her 80th Birthday, we sang “Happy Birthday” and enjoyed toasting her with Buck’s Fizz.
The meal was very good – three courses – with vegetarian options.
Today Father Mervyn presided at the Parish Mass in a church which was very nearly full. Father Martin read the Gospel, preached and led our Intercessions during which we remembered Nelson Mandela and his family and South Africa. In his sermon Father Martin spoke about “I’m a Celebrity – Get me out of Here” which is currently on ITV and which finishes tonight. He talked about locusts and honey and reminded us of how the Israeli’s had diverted a small part of the River Jordan so it is on Israeli territory rather than Jordan and Lebanon. He reminded those who recently visited the area that it was in the River Jordan that John the Baptist carried out his ministry of calling people to repent very much in accord with the ministry of the Old Testament prophets looking forward to the appearance of the
Messiah.
Yesterday’s Saturday shop took £132 plus the proceeds of a raffle which finished today.
Tonight Ann and I went to our Annual Advent Carol Service and 9 Lessons. We both read Lessons and I gave the Bidding Prayer and led the prayers at the end of the service. Father Martin gave a brief introduction to each reading and carol and gave the blessing. The church looked quite lovely in candlelight. Amongst the various choir solos I particularly enjoyed the choir’s rendering of Adam lay ybounden.
Today Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass on this Advent Sunday. Father Mervyn read the Gospel, preached and led our intercessions. When the children from Sunday School came to join us Father Martin blessed the Advent Wreath and the first candle was lit by Ann who is celebrating her birthday today.
In his sermon Father Mervyn remind us that the Advent message is “keep awake – you don’t know the time or day” He quoted C S Lewis’ Screwtape Letters and talked about the bombing of the New York Trade Centre with the very sad loss of life and the tragic helicopter crash on to the roof of a Glasgow pub which had killed 8 people and injured many. in instances like these the people had no time to prepare and so it was apposite that we keep in a constant state of readiness. We should forget all the tinsel, twinkling lights, decorations, cards and other unnecessary trappings etc. evidenced in Advent (well before the event they are supposed to celebrate) and instead concentrate on what is essential: that we should be being ready to greet Jesus at Christmas and when ever he come again.
During our Intercessions we prayed for those injured in the helicopter crash in Glasgow and those who lost their lives.
ADVENT BOOKLETS “WALK WITH ME” WERE PRESENTED TO THE ADULTS AND ADVENT CALENDARS TO THE CHILDREN
YESTERDAYS SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £192
Today Father Mervyn presided at the Parish Mass, Father Martin read the Gospel, preached and concelebrated and Pamela led our Intercessions which included a sung response.
In his sermon Father Martin highlighted the differences between Shepherds in the Middle East where they lead their flocks and the UK where they walk behind. Jesus, our Good Shepherd leads from the front even prepared to suffer death on the Cross for his sheep.
After Mass a card was presented to Ken who is currently exploring his possible vocation to the Sacred Priesthood. He currently attends a church in the Evangelical Tradition and the DDO wanted him to experience Anglo-Catholic worship which he has been doing for a number of weeks. He leave us, with our prayers, as he continues this exploration.
Following a meeting at the Town Hall a compromise has been reached over the proposed Parking Restrictions which were highlighted in the Blog last week. Father Martin attended the meeting on Thursday armed with the many signatures we collected at our Winter Bazaar and at Mass last Sunday; also the Council had received objections via the on-line petition we organised on our Web Site.
The new proposals introduce Free Parking Bays on both sides of the road, near to the junction with Rush Green Road, giving a maximum stay of 3 hours stay, Monday to Saturday 8.00 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. (with no return within 2 hours) There will be no restrictions on a Sunday. This will mean people attending Sunday and/or weekday Masses, Nursery School, Beavers, Rainbows, Cubs and Brownies or folk attending a funeral or wedding or the Saturday Shop will be able to park.
Please agree to these revised proposals which meet all our requirements by contacting Streetcare, at Havering Town Hall by email to schemes@havering.gov.uk : stating you are in favour of the proposals and if you wish to add further comment please restrict this to no more than 100 words
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £320 – AN INCREDIBLE RESULT.
DATES FOR DIARY’S
ADVENT SUNDAY 1st December
Mass at 8.30 a.m. and 10.00 a.m
ADVENT CAROL SERVICE
6.00 p.m. Service of 9 lessons and Advent carols and hymns
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FRIDAY 6th DECEMBER
Annual Christmas Meal at the YMCA Cost £13.50
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TUESDAY 17th DECEMBER The Rosary at 7.30 p.m. (Rosaries are available to borrow)
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SATURDAY 21st DECEMBER
CAROL SINGING AT QUEEN’S HOSPITAL
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The retired Archbishop of Canterbury Lord George Carey recently forecast that unless the church changed it could face extinction within a generation. Is that true? Many commentators have agreed with this statement but what about those churches which are growing?
Certainly my experience at St. Augustine’s, Rush Green is that it has been consistently growing for the past five years. There are more communicants; the Sunday School flourishes; there are many members of the congregation who are in their thirties and forties – also many who are retired and quite a few teenagers. I believe that churches who preach the undiluted Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are the churches that are growing and are either in the Catholic or the Evangelical sections of the church.
After the success of our Annual Winter Bazaar it was good to come together this morning to give thanks in our well-supported Parish Mass. Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn read the Gospel, preached and concelebrated. Father Martin led us in our Intercessions.
In his sermon Father Mervyn reminded those who had recently been on our pilgrimage to the Holy Land, that they had witnessed the truth of the prophecy of Jesus about the destruction of the Temple. Jesus had warned Christians that they were likely to be persecuted for their faith and he quoted several examples from around the world where there is persecution in our day and age. We should keep these Christians in our prayers: they have truly taken up their cross and followed Jesus. We must be prepared to do the same should we be called to do so.
TONIGHT THERE WILL BE SOLEMN EVENSONG AND BENEDICTION AT 6.00 P.M.
WEDNESDAY 20th NOVEMBER
THE ROSARY WILL BE SAID AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE LADY CHAPEL.
A rosary can be borrowed for the service if needed.
SUNDAY 1st DECEMBER – ADVENT 1
Mass at 8.30 a.m. & 10.00 a.m.
ADVENT CAROL SERVICE OF NINE LESSONS 6.00 p.m.
Today we held our Winter Bazaar, and a good number of people came to support us. All the stalls did well and the total came to £1,859.12 – a wonderful result.(There may be some small expenses of around £50 still outstanding)
We are very grateful to Paul at Hawkins the Butchers of Rush Green who supplied and donated bacon, sausages and eggs for our justly famous bacon butties and our sausage sandwiches. In fact, the kitchen was busy up until we finally sold out. Our many thanks to Hawkins & Sons Butchers. 94 Dagenham Road Rush Green Romford · Essex RM7 0TJ.
Many thanks to all those who worked so hard to make today such a resounding success: the stallholders, those who donated items for us to sell, the cake, pastry and pie makers, our in-house electrician who tested items for sale, Father Martin and his team for their cooking, those who set up the Bazaar and those who helped clear up afterwards and especially all those who came and spent their money.
Please sign the online petition to Havering Council objecting to the proposed restrictions which will have a very detrimental effect on worshippers and hall users:
Please click here to sign
This will go direct to Havering Council
First, an apology; as many of us were in The Holy Land it wasn’t possible to post details about the Parish Mass at St. Augustine's last Sunday. We were attending Mass at St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem where the Dean made us very welcome. The Cathedral was full. After Mass we enjoyed refreshments in the beautiful gardens around the Cathedral and then we had an enjoyable lunch in the Refectory after which we drove to Tiberias.
Today, Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn read the Gospel and preached. In his sermon Father referred to the great number of saints in the Calendar many of which we celebrate but he then pointed out that there are many other saints, men, women and children, who were unknown. The Solemnity of All Saints gave us the opportunity to remember those we don’t know as well as those we do. He pointed out we were all called to be saints and the Beatitudes gave us a pattern for a way of live we should aim to achieve. He reminded those who had been on the pilgrimage that it was only a few days ago that we were standing on the Mount of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave these wonderful words to his disciples and through them to us. After the sermon Father Martin led us in the Litany of the Saints.
Monday 4th November at 7.30 pm.
Saturday Shop
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took over £240.
Despite appalling weather this morning we had an excellent number present for the Parish Mass today at which Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn played the organ and preached. In his sermon Father Mervyn talked about the lepers who had been healed by Jesus and how only one, a Samaritan, had said thank you to Jesus for his healing. We need to constantly say thank you to God for all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. He quoted Meister Eckhart, the 13th century mystic and theologian who said “The most important prayer in the world is just two words long: Thank you”
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £238.
Please pray for Father Martin and Father Mervyn who are leading the pilgrimage and all those who are visiting the Holy Places in Israel.
WINTER BAZAAR
Saturday 16th November
from 10.00 a.m. -1.30 p.m.
Any offers of help to Father Martin, please.
GRAND DRAW
Tickets for the Grand Draw are now available 20p each/£1 per book
The Draw will take place at the Bazaar
Today Father Mervyn presided and Father Martin read the Gospel, preached and concelebrated at today’s Parish Mass. Ann led us in our Intercessions. In his sermon Father Martin recalled the time he was a guest at the Oxford and Cambridge Club in Pall Mall.
It is a custom in the club not to thank members of staff i.e waiters as they are doing their job. Father Martin found this very strange and disconcerting. He pointed out that we were all called to be servants to each other; Jesus called himself the servant of his people. We must emulate him in our dealings with each other.
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £158
WINTER BAZAAR
Saturday 16th November from 10.00 a.m. -1.30 p.m.
Any offers of help to Father Martin, please.
GRAND DRAW
Tickets for the Grand Draw are now available 20p each/£1 per book
The Draw will take place at the Bazaar
Today Ann and I filled her car with Harvest Gifts from St. Augustine's and delivered them to one of Havering's several Food Banks. Whilst there we heard a little about the work they are doing and how every person who receives three day's food is referred by an agency such as School Welfare, Citizen's Advice, Clergy etc. At this one outlet they are giving 1.3 tonnes of food to hungry people a month. We were told how many local children are going hungry; we heard how one teacher takes packets of biscuits to school for kids in her class who haven’t anything to eat. We learnt how one teenager has just been given a job and a contract by a national shopping chain of 3 hours a week at the minimum wage. This, it appears, is considered a job by the Employment Agency. This youngster can only pay his rent and buy food if, and when , he is employed doing “overtime” which he sometimes gets taking his hours to 20 a week.
Today Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn concelebrated, read the Gospel, preached and led our Intercessions at the Parish Mass. Special prayers were said for those injured and those who continue to be held hostage at the Shopping Mall in Nairobi in Kenya and we prayed for the repose of those killed by this terrorist atrocity . In his sermon Father Mervyn related a story about an Indian boy who had attempted to steal a bottle of medicine because his father was ill. The chemist caught him and threatened to call the police but a neighbouring shop keeper paid the bill, and owning a food take away gave the child food as well. Years later that same man had a heart attack in his shop so his daughter called an ambulance and he was admitted to hospital where his daughter was presented with an invoice for the treatment he would need amounting to many thousands of rupees. As they didn’t have the money she put their business up for sale but when she returned to the hospital she found a fresh invoice showing “no charge” for any treatment. The boy who had stolen the bottle of medicine was now a surgeon who could repay the kindness showed to him.
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £215
“O Sing to the Lord with joyful voice”
We need more voices for our choir. Could you join and help “Sing to the Lord” For more details come to church on Sunday morning at 9.15 a.m. Preparations will soon begin for our Christmas Music.
HARVEST APPEAL
Harvest Festival next Sunday
This year there are two options for Harvest Gifts. One is for cash donations to US(PG) for famine relief; the other is for items for the Havering Foodbank which is desperately in need of supplies following an increased demand during the children’s Summer Holidays.
HARVEST SOCIAL EVENT
Saturday 5th October
3.30 pm – 6.30 pm
A family centred session of Harvest type games with snack food and cakes provided
Under 5’s free 5-11 £1 11 & over £2
Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass and Father Mervyn concelebrated and preached. Sunday School reopened today after the holiday with a reasonable number of children attending. After the Gospel, and before the sermon Father Martin read a Pastoral Letter which had been prepared following Monday’s meeting of the PCC outlining the provision of care we are making for very young children.
In his sermon Father Mervyn referred to the attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees who criticised Jesus for eating with sinners failing to recognise the love God has for sinners who repent. If we are not careful we can become like them finding unnecessary fault with people.
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £182
VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE http://www.staugustinechurch.co.uk
Today Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass ; Father Mervyn was at St. Andrew’s, North Weald. Father Martin blessed the new flagon given in loving memory of Jean who had been a member of the parish for many years. This will be used for the first time next week.
In his sermon Father Martin talked about commitment. He used the illustration of the chicken and the pig. For breakfast the chicken makes a contribution in her egg whilst the pig shows total commitment making a sacrifice in giving bacon. When the Apostles followed Jesus they made a total commitment becoming “vagabonds” i.e. giving up their homes and families in their commitment to Jesus. If we want God to be the centre of our lives we need to make a commitment to him.
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP MADE £353 WHICH INCLUDED THE SALE OF RAGS.
In his sermon, based on today’s Gospel,Father Mervyn said how the Pharisees were very good at doing the right things but for the wrong reasons. Jesus reminded people present at the Sabbath meal with him, that they should take the lower place rather than the higher so that they can be invited to go up higher When they were giving a banquet they should invite the poor, the lame, the outcasts in society who would not be able to reciprocate by inviting them back. Jesus reminds his listeners and us: “Everybody who exalts themselves will be humbled” 
Today Father Mervyn presided at the well-supported Parish Mass, preached and led us in our Intercessions. After several of our severs having been away for holidays we had a full complement today. In his sermon Father talked out how children would often exclude other children from games etc. He recalled how at a Bible Study when he was in Bristol quite a few years ago a number of people present had talked about whether some one “was one of us”. It was only later that he discovered it meant whether a particular person supported a certain political point of view. Father pointed out that as Christians we should always seek to include people as we ourselves hoped and trusted that Jesus would included us.
THE SATURDAY SHOP WAS CLOSED ON THE 24TH BUT WILL REOPEN FOR BUSINESS NEXT SATURDAY THE 31ST AUGUST
Today Father Mervyn presided at the Parish Mass, preached and led our Intercessions. Father Mervyn took as his text part of the Letter to the Hebrews which formed our second reading: “surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses” He pointed out that the witnesses are the Communion of Saints which include people from every nation and, of course, people who have been worshippers at St. Augustine’s, people who have served here faithfully. We are grateful to those who gave themselves for us. No one compelled them, no one forced them, but they freely gave their time, abilities and financial resources. It is because of their faithful witness that we have our parish today. As their successors it is our responsibility to "persevere in running the race" with our eyes fixed on Jesus, through the Sacraments but especially through receiving Him at Mass.
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £202.
THERE WILL BE NO SATURDAY SHOP NEXT SATURDAY THE 24TH AUGUST
Please note there will be no Sunday Evensong during the month of August.
As Father Martin is now away on holiday, Father Mervyn presided and preached at the Parish Mass. Our prayers of Intercession were led by Pamela. In his sermon Father Mervyn talked about the statement often heard from teenagers: “it isn’t fair". He quoted President J F. Kennedy who said at a press Conference in the 1960’s “Some men,” he said, “are killed in a war and some men are wounded, and some men never leave the country, and some men are stationed in the Antarctic and some men are stationed in San Francisco. It is very hard in the military or personal life to assure complete equality. Life is unfair.”
Natural disasters are not fair; illness is not fair neither are storms and tornados. But we need to remember that life was unfair to Jesus; he suffered and was crucified. It will only be fair when we reach the perfection of God that everything will be fair. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Such things as Justice, Truth, Beauty, Knowledge and Goodness exist in an ordered universe that far transcends our natural world. They are ideals, ideals that are found in God, not in our world. As one writer said “(These) are things hoped for, not yet fully realized. Fairness is one of them.” We will only achieve these things in the perfection of God.
Yesterdays Saturday Shop took £174.
“O Sing to the Lord with joyful voice”
We need more voices for our choir. Could you join and help “Sing to the Lord” For more details come to church on Sunday morning at 9.15 a.m. Preparations will begin, after the Summer Holiday, for our Christmas Music.
21st – 30th October 2013
There are still a couple of places available for our comprehensive 10-day pilgrimage based in Jerusalem and Galilee fully escorted and with a Daily Mass.
led by
FATHER MARTIN HOWSE SSC
AND
FATHER MERVYN JENNINGS
Fully inclusive (breakfast, lunch, dinner, gratuities, entrance fees)
organised on behalf of the Parish of St Augustine of Canterbury and Ilford Hospital Chapel of St. Mary & St. Thomas of Canterbury by McCabe Pilgrimages.
Contact Father Mervyn for more details
On the Sunday Matt canoed again Leaside in East London in the single sprints and gained a bronze medal in the under 16s sprints.
Janet
“So it is with those who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich towards God”
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £182.
(THERE WILL BE NO SATURDAY SHOP ON THE 24TH AUGUST)
So far this year the Saturday Shop has contributed £5,075.55 towards our family purse with a further £900 from our trading on E-Bay
Please note there will be no Sunday Evensong during the month of August.
I was a bit apprehensive at first but I soon got into it. The other singers from choirs throughout Essex and East London were very friendly. We were organised into four parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) and were really put through our paces. John Rutter is an extremely warm and friendly man and he managed, with his humour and encouragement, to get us singing to our full ability and really enjoying it. He wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I had feared.
We sang ten pieces of music altogether, which included:
Amazing Grace
Laudate Dominum (from ‘Solemn Vespers’)
God so Loved the World – John Stainer
This is the Day (composed by Rutter for the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton in 2011)
It was possible to buy CDs and sheet music of John Rutter’s works and he was kind enough to sign the sheet music for those people who wanted him to (including me).
I was also impressed with Chelmsford Cathedral which I had never visited before. There is a lovely mix of old and new in the art and the artefacts around the cathedral. Also, the acoustics are very good because the building is large enough for the sound to reverberate but not so big that the sound gets ‘lost’ in the rafters. I was not surprised to learn that concerts are held there regularly and I would be happy to return to listen to music there one evening.
I had a wonderful day singing with some really nice people conducted by renowned British composer in a beautiful setting and it was all in a good cause.
Wendy
Don’t just say it, do it!
Next year, 2014, is the Centenary of the Diocese of Chelmsford and in his infinite wisdom Bishop Stephen has decided, with the agreement of his Diocesan Synod, that every parish in the diocese is to celebrate this by holding a mission weekend. In pursuance of which each parish is being encouraged to try something that (preferably) they have not done before as a way of reaching out to those around them.
As an idea it is linked to the Five Marks of Mission that have been a key point of the Anglican Communion for many years and also to Bishop Stephen’s initiative for the future of the diocese, ‘Transforming Presence’. For those of you who do not have the five marks of mission permanently etched into your memories I have reproduced them here for you. (Even I had to look them up to make sure I got them right).
To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom.
To teach, baptise and nurture new believers.
To respond to human need by loving service.
To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation.
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
It is Bishop Stephen’s intention to visit every deanery in order to give some training on holding such weekends, and he is coming to Havering Deanery on the evening of Thurs 28 November. In each of his suffrage areas he has appointed a mission advisor to ensure every parish takes part (“Resistance is useless”, as the Daleks like to say) At the P.C.C. meeting that we held on June 26th we discussed our initial response to this decision and decided that we would hold our mission weekend over the second May Bank Holiday weekend, more commonly known as Whitsun.
Our ideas are very much in the early stages but centre around the idea of an Open Weekend featuring a ‘Super Saturday’ with not just our own stalls, but stalls from all our usual charities, as well as from our uniformed organizations and other hall users, the Rush Green Regeneration group, our Primary School and indeed everyone who is involved in our community. In addition we propose to invite all our local shops to either be present or to take an advert in a specially produced magazine about our church and our community (to be distributed throughout the parish). Some of you may remember that many years ago we had just such an occasional production called (I believe) ‘On the Green’
Over the weekend itself it has been suggested that we hold a flower festival in the church as well as, some short impromptu organ and other musical or choral recitals. Members of the church will be available to answer questions about the church and selected members will also be available to talk to and pray with anyone who wishes to do so. The Saturday event would start at 11.00 hrs and run primarily for 3 or 4 hours, though we would have the church open until evening prayer at 18.00 hrs.
On the Sunday Mass would be at 08.30 hrs and at 10.00 hrs (or it could be a bit later) we would have a celebration and thanksgiving service for both our Diocese and our mission as the Parish Church of Rush Green. We have yet to decide whether this would also be a Mass or whether it would be a more praise (Hymn) orientated service; again the church would then remain open until Evening Prayer at 18.00 hrs, possibly sung and possibly with Benediction.
Now these, I must stress, are the thoughts that we are working on, it is not impossible that things will change as we move slowly towards the actual day itself, indeed if you have an idea that could expand on our thoughts or even replace them with another idea completely then I and the P.C.C. want to hear from you. There is no doubt that what we are proposing is ambitious, it will require a lot of effort from
all of us and no doubt a fair bit of sacrifice as well, but then that is something that as Christians we should be no strangers too.
Talking and writing about this is the easy bit, doing it will be the hard bit, after all talk is cheap. It was very much in our thoughts, at the PCC meeting, that we wanted to be in control of what happened rather than having something imposed on us of which we had no control and which might actually run contrary to what we are already doing so successfully.
Compared to many churches around the country we are very fortunate in that we are growing in size and are starting to attract many new people, especially younger families. It was with this in mind that I decided to try re-introducing an earlier Sunday Mass, as you probably know by now this is initially going to be on the first Sunday of each month at 08.30 hrs starting from September, though I am open to other Sundays if there proves to be a need in the future.
This is not intended as a way of splitting the church and indeed I will not allow it to do so, nor do I intend that it should become a ‘niche’ service as it is in some parishes, where the eight o’clockers have a Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion Service and the ten o’clockers have the modern service and never the twain shall meet. Our strength lies in the fact that we are one family within the body of Christ and that we meet and worship together around the altar.
The idea behind this re-introduction is to enable those who might not otherwise be able to get to church on that Sunday to be able to do so. In our modern world we have to accept that the country does not almost shut down on a Sunday, the shops now open and many other activities once prohibited on the Sabbath are now common place. You and I might regret this turn of events, but we cannot ignore them and as a priest I cannot condone keeping people from the opportunity of receiving the sacrament just because I’d like a lay in (note from Mrs. Vicar, Is that some kind of industrial action in a hen house because it’s never about him staying in bed!)
I have been talking about doing this on and off now for some time, but have always been told by people who I thought might find it of benefit that it would not actually help them in their own situation. However, in truth if I do not try then I will never really know. If just one person comes who otherwise would not have been able to make their communion on that Sunday, then it will have been a success, after all remember who it was who said that “when two or three are gathered together then I am there”.
Another thought that I have talked about in the past and have quite literally just discussed with the Worship Committee (July 9th) is that of having a regular monthly service of Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. We have always held such a service, coupled with Evening Prayer (said or sung), on the Sunday at the end of the Christmas season and also on Easter Sunday, now we propose to have such a service on the evening of the third Sunday of each month as part of our regular offering of services.
To some this service is a bit of an acquired taste as they feel that it is a little to close to the Roman Catholic Church, however it has been fully accepted within the Church of England, especially the Anglo Catholic part, for many years. It has certainly been a part of our parish’s regular spiritual life in the past given that the necessary equipment was already here when I came some 10 and 1/2 years ago now.
It is rightly said that none of us knows the future; I have in the recent past written and spoken about how things are likely to change in our Deanery and Diocese, based on what is known about our future clergy numbers and the proposals of ‘Transforming Presence’. The idea of an outreach weekend and the proposed extra services are a part of our response to those challenges and begin to put into reality the words that have been said. I very much doubt that this will be the end of things, more likely this is but the start of the start!
God Bless you all.
Fr. Martin
Today we had a packed church for the Baptism during the Parish Mass of our Church Secretary’s son Harry. Father Mervyn, back from a short break in Devon presided, and Father Martin baptised Harry, concelebrated and preached. Afterwards we enjoyed Harry’s Baptism Cake in the hall with our tea and coffee. Despite reduced numbers due to the holidays, our choir sang an anthem.
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £150
REMINDER THAT THERE WILL BE NO SATURDAY SHOP ON SATURDAY 24th AUGUST
“O Sing to the Lord with joyful voice”
We need more voices for our choir. Could you join and help “Sing to the Lord” For more details come to church on Sunday morning at 9.15 a.m. Preparations will begin, after the Summer Holiday, for our Christmas Music.
Father Martin presided and preached today; Father Mervyn and family are having a short break in Devon.
The Saturday Shop took £121
In his sermon, based on the Gospel of the Good Samaritan, Father Martin said we are all very good at walking by on the other side, like the priest and the Levite. This could be understandable when some one begging in Romford was discovered to change into an Armani suit when he arrived home. The priest and the Levite didn’t help because they wanted to retain their ritual cleanness. being compassionate could be costly and not everything works out as you think it will. Father Martin related the incident in the last when two teenagers had crashed their scooter into the vicarage doing considerable damage to the front porch. As one was injured an ambulance was called but, when they heard the siren, the two youngsters thought it was the police and ran away. Despite the cost we must not walk by on the other side.
YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £142.
Today Father Martin presided and preached at the Parish Mass on a wonderful summer’s day in Romford. The church was near capacity with some 21 children present. Father Mervyn was officiating at St. Alban’s, Romford as many of that parish are on their annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. In his sermon, preached on today’s Gospel, Father Martin reminded us that the rule of Leviticus required there to be two witnesses, hence Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs. They were to accept the hospitality offered them and give their peace to the homes they visited. This was reminiscent of the hospitality and peace offered by the Ishmaelites. We needed to ensure our souls were “clean” so we too could be witnesses and we should work to ensure our names, and the names of others were stored in heaven’
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £175.
DATES
Tuesday 9th July Mass according to the Book of Common Prayer 7.15 p.m. followed by a meeting of the Worship Committee.
Wednesday 17th 7.30 p.m. The Rosary.
Tuesday 23rd July 7.30 p.m. Mass followed by a meeting of the Building Committee.
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ADDITIONAL SUNDAY MASS ON THE 1st SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH
Starting from the 1st September there will be an additional Mass on the FIRST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH at 8.30 a.m.
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The General Synod are meeting in York. Please keep the members in your prayers that in all they do and the decisions they make, may be inspired by the Grace of the Holy Spirit.
COME holy ghost eternall God procedinge from above,
Both from the father and the sonne, the God of peace and love:
Vysyte oure myndes, and into us, thy heavenly grace inspyre;
That in all trueth and godlynesse, we maye have true desyre.
Thou art the very comforter, in al woe and distresse:
The heavenly gyfte of God moste highe, whych no tongue can expresse.
The fountayne and the lively springe, of joye celestiall:
The fyre so brighte, the love so clere, and Unction spirituall.
Thou in thy gyftes arte manifolde, whereby Christes Churche doeth stande:
In faythfull heartes wrytinge thy lawe, the fynger of Goddes hande.
According to thy promes made, thou gevest speache of grace;
That throughe thy helpe, the prayse of God, may sounde in every place.
O holy ghoste, into oure wittes, sende downe thyne heavenly lyght;
Kyndle our heartes wyth fervent love, to serve God daye and nyght.
Strength and stablishe all oure weakenes, so feble and so frayle:
That neyther fleshe, the worlde, nor devyl, agaynste us do prevayle.
Put backe oure enemie farre from us, and graunte us to obtayne:
Peace in our heartes with God and man, withoute grudge or disdayne.
And graunt O Lorde that thou beyng, oure leader and oure guyde;
We may eschewe the snares of synne, and from thee never slyde.
To us such plentie of thy grace, good Lord graunt we thee praye:
That thou mayest bee oure comforter, at the laste dreadfull daye.
Of all stryfe and dissencion, O Lorde, dissolve the bandes:
And make the knottes of peace and love, throughoute all Christien landes.
Graunte us O Lorde, throughe thee to knowe the father most of myght;
That of hys deare beloved sonne we may attayne the syght.
And that wyth perfect fayth also, we may acknowledge thee;
The Spirite of them both alwaye, one God in persones three.
Laude and prayse be to the father, and to the sonne equall:
And to the holy spyryte also, one God coeternall.
And praye we that the onely sonne, vouchesafe hys spyryte to sende;
To all that do professe hys name, unto the worldes ende. Amen.
– Book of Common Prayer (1549)
Today Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass and Father Mervyn read the Gospel, preached and concelebrated. In his sermon Father Mervyn focussed on “vocation”. He stressed how God took us as we are and used us and our talents and abilities to promote his kingdom in the world. He reminded us that at this time of year people are being ordained to the Sacred Priesthood and the Diaconate. We should pray for them as they take up their God-given vocation. But we also need to be aware that God calls people to serve him in other spheres as well as the ordained ministry. At the end of the service Father Mervyn gave everyone present a Prayer Card about vocations.
Marjorie celebrating her birthday on Friday provided cake for our after Mass refreshments. Frequently people celebrating birthdays buy us cake and we reward them (reward?) by singing “A Happy Birthday”.
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £175.
The church was packed for Mass today; Father Mervyn presided at the Parish Mass and Father Martin read the Gospel, preached and concelebrated. Our Intercessions were led by Ann. In his sermon Father Martin mentioned the recent death, in Italy, of James Gandolfini of the TV series The Sopranos whose character in the series had inspired fear. He then went to explain why pork was a forbidden meat because it was considered unclean. In the Holy Land which is often very hot pork would go bad very quickly so it was a small step from it being considered unclean to pork being considered evil. So when Jesus healed the possessed man he sent the demons into the herd of pigs thus evil was sent to evil ridding the local people of two evils. The healed man proclaimed how Jesus had saved him and we must do the same proclaiming how much Jesus has done for us. Our Sunday School resumed this morning after closing for Half Term.
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £136
REMINDER
Wednesday 26th June 7.00 p.m. Mass followed by a Meeting of the PCC
Monday 1st July Mass 7.30 p.m. followed by a meeting of the Social Committee
YEAR OF FAITH
SOLEMN PONTIFICAL MASS
Saturday 20th August St. Alban’s Cathedral 12 noon with the Bishop of Richborough.
Book you coach seat with Father Mervyn asap
Today Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass whilst Father Mervyn played the organ as our organist was away; he also preached. In his sermon Father Mervyn talked about the inhospitality of the Pharisee who had invited Jesus to his house for a meal. He didn’t provide the usual water for the washing of feet whereas the woman who acknowledged her sinfulness had bathed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and then anointed him. The Pharisee had judged the woman but had failed to acknowledge his own sinfulness. We have to be very careful before we stand in judgement on people as we could so easily get it wrong.
Yesterday’s Saturday Shop took £178.
THE ROSARY
Tuesday 18th June at 7.30 p.m.
Wednesday 16th July at 7.30 p.m.
ROSARIES ARE AVAILABLE TO LOAN FOR THE EVENING IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR OWN
400 years ago: on 29th Jun 1613 that the original Globe Theatre in London was destroyed by fire.
175 years ago: on 28th Jun 1838 that the Coronation of Queen Victoria took place.
150 years ago: on 7th Jun 1863 that Franz Gruber, Austrian organist and composer, best known for composing the Christmas carol ‘Silent Night’, died.
75 years ago: on 9th Jun 1938 that London’s Trooping the Colour ceremony was televised for the first time.
65 years ago: on 24th Jun 1948 that the Soviet Union began a blockade of Berlin, cutting off all routes between West Germany and West Berlin. The Allies launched a massive airlift.
60 years ago: on 2nd Jun 1953 that the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey, London.
50 years ago: on 5th Jun 1963 that the British Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, resigned after it was revealed he had lied to the House of Commons about his affair with Christine Keeler.
Also 50 years: on 26th Jun 1963 that US President John Kennedy visited West Berlin and made his famous declaration ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ (I am a Berliner) to demonstrate the USA’s support.
15 years ago: on 1st Jun 1998 that the European Central Bank was established in Frankfurt, Germany.
10 years ago: on 26th Jun 2003, that Sir Denis Thatcher, British businessman, husband of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, died.
Doubtless elsewhere in this edition of ‘The Pioneer’ there is an article about last month’s Baptism and Confirmation Service, as part of the course that they have been on with me Alice, Jill, Daniel and Duncan have looked at the Creeds including the Nicene Creed that we use each and every Sunday. After one of our sessions and as I was just putting a few things away in church I found myself reflecting upon the meaning of the words in this modern era and especially on the phrase "We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church ", this is the claim, after all, that we all make each time we join together to say the Creed.
The Church of which we are members is apostolic, and it is prophetic, quite simply because it has, as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone." The Apostles were missionaries, witnesses to his own ministry and teaching, and witnesses, too, of his Resurrection, whom Jesus chose and subsequently sent out to make disciples of all the nations.
We are the descendants and successors of those Apostles. Ours is the responsibility to continue, as a Church, their mission.
The Apostles made disciples by their preaching of the Good News of Jesus and by their example of living, as far as they possibly could, the way of life of Jesus. They also appointed their own successors, Bishops or Elders of the Church, so that the teaching of Jesus could be, was, and still is, preserved.
For two thousand years the teaching has continued. The Church, left by Jesus to those eleven remaining Apostles, has flourished and grown so that it now covers the world and has hundreds of millions of members. But as it has grown, so it has changed. It has many times fallen into sin and error. The Good News of its founder has been too often ignored and the Church has become the plaything of men rather than the instrument of God it should be.
If we believe in the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church then it is our task and our duty as its twenty first century missionaries once more to listen to the words of Jesus as passed down to us by and through his Apostles and their successors. We must listen again to the wisdom of the Church's early Fathers. We must pay heed to the Scriptures and to the Church's Tradition.
Organisations such as the SSC or Forward in Faith or Reform are neither fundamentalist nor indeed trapped in a time warp, but they do believe that we must return to the basic truths of faith, to the Word of God made known through Jesus rather than continue, as so many in the church are doing, in the belief that present-day, scientific, materialistic Man has all the answers and knows best, and that the Bible and the Apostles were simply of their time and largely unrelated to us and our own lives now.
It is a mistake, frequently made, by those of the more Liberal tendencies to try and marginalize organizations such as the SSC or Reform or Forward in Faith by saying that they are ‘one issue’ or ‘fundamentalist’. It is true that they and their members have chosen to take a stand on certain issues of the faith, as they understand it to have been handed down by the Lord and that because a certain point captures the media’s attention it appears that this is there only reason for being, but such is not true. Their true aim in every case is the preaching and teaching of the truth of the faith as revealed in Holy Scripture for the salvation of mankind.
Jesus healed the sick, made the lame walk, the deaf hear and the blind see. He told his Apostles and disciples to do the same - and they did, but in his name and not in theirs. He invited them, as he invites us, to share in his life of service, to take up our cross as he took up his.
The teaching of the Apostles comes as a package, which in itself is unattractive to the prevailing culture of rights over responsibility. People are being encouraged to pick and choose which bits of the faith they will accept and which bits they will reject or ignore; This cannot be right for it breaks with the very concept of the statement ‘We believe’. A recent study speaks of 'bespoke religion', wherein we create our own faith to suit us at anyone particular moment. But is that faith in anything but ourselves? Does God exist in that, other than as a product of our own creation and imagination? God, it would seem, no longer created us, but we created God.
Both Fr. Mervyn and I are members of the some of the organisations mentioned earlier, we believe in the truth of Jesus Christ and thus we believe in the apostolic Church and in the Apostles as the messengers and missionaries of Our Lord. It is to the teaching of Jesus, handed down to us by them that we must return and in which we, and the world, may rejoice.
The concept advanced in many parts of the Liberal Church that we must accept our brothers and sisters in every respect and not judge them or ask them to change their ways is fundamentally wrong. Yes we should love all people and respect them as His creation, but to be a follower of Christ is to embrace his teaching and follow it totally, not to ignore the hard bits or the bits that get in the way of our own hedonistic or perhaps perverted pleasures. The way is not easy and we cannot make it so! If it was then everyone would be saved without effort and the bible clearly tells us this is not the case.
The book of Revelation tells us how the Beast will lead many astray and how he will place his mark upon them, it also tells us how those who refuse to follow the beast and renounce God will be persecuted and tortured. These are the Saints who have laid down their lives for the true faith; they are to be the first to be raised from the dead, whilst those bearing the mark of the beast will be consigned to the fiery furnace for all time.
To make the statement "We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church " is to accept that we are different, that we live in this world and that yet that we are not of this world, but of the kingdom of heaven. That we accept, embrace and indeed actively promote the laws of the country we live in providing they do not contravene the laws of God. As the early church father Diognetus wrote “Any Christian is free to share his neighbour’s table but never his marriage bed.” He continues “They show love to all men – and all men persecute them. They are misunderstood and condemned; yet by suffering death they are quickened into life.” Meaning the heavenly Kingdom
The secular world and those who would chase numbers in Church and pounds in collections are not interested in hearing of things that stand in the way of the ‘Do as I please culture’ For them the statement "We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church " has no place, they want to say at the end of the statement, ‘So long as I can do what I want, when I want, where I want and with whom I want’
I put it to you that if we are truly his followers then we must not desert the true faith and we must not surrender it into the hands of those who would use it for there own ends. Those of us who were at Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham on the late May Bank Holiday Monday heard the Archbishop of York challenge them to shout out as loudly as possible ‘I’m for Jesus’. The noise of the several thousand pilgrims was truly inspiring to be a part of and reminded me that in the pursuit of the true faith there can be No Desertion and No Surrender.
May God be with you,
Fr. Martin
