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Pruning – Milo’s makeover

‘Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; … yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!‘ Habakkuk 3:17-18

We are all realigning our lives to adjust to a ‘new normal’. As I started social-distancing and isolation earlier than most, I have, out of necessity and perhaps for diversion, become a bit obsessive about trimming my dog, Milo. I was struggling to find him under his sheep-like coat, not ideal for an adventurous cavapoo puppy I’ve nicknamed ‘Dirt Sponge’.

I have new-found respect for anyone who earns a living manipulating sharp objects. However, the gold medal goes to groomers of reluctant, energetic animals. There is a reason why my puppy is less than enthusiastic about being chased by me with scissors, and a half-crazed look of determination.

It’s spring now as the coronavirus takes hold in temperate climates, where most of the current sufferers are living. What a blessing that we are heading into milder, sunnier and longer days! Yet it’s odd to be in the garden, pottering, seeing trees and plants cautiously begin to bud, and hearing birds sing, only to be reminded by a sudden sad, sinking feeling that we are in very difficult times. It’s interesting that we are in the more sombre season of Lent, when reflection, repentance and self-examination feature heavily in our spiritual lives.

We become one or the other of two opposites when trial strikes. We become the defeated, or we become disciples. The defeated looks at the circumstances, cannot see past them and shrivels to nothing like a thirsty, sun-burnt plant. Conversely, the disciple looks past the circumstances, even beyond his or her self and looks to God. The disciple recognises the opportunity He is offering us to learn from the situation, to grow in resilience. The dead branches will be trimmed away, the diseased leaves gently removed, allowing for a stronger plant to establish itself. As individuals and as a church we can submit to the master gardener to tend to us, to train us to his design for the garden, preparing us for paradise. The disciple trusts that the Creator, who sent His only Son to give life, will breathe afresh into Creation, and into each believer so they bloom and bear fruit again. By the power of his Holy Spirit, God will reach out and steady our steps like the agile deer of Habakkuk as we re-enter our world, in the weeks to come.

Until then, let’s take the strange gift that we have in these days of isolation, to let God prune us. Some of us will only be inconvenienced and feel a bit unnerved. Others will suffer greater consequences. Out of respect for their struggles it seems right to make good use of the opportunity.

Let’s turn to Him more often, with greater sincerity, and delve into His Word with more hunger. And let us rejoice in faith that God has always and will again restore our land and His people! (As for Milo, I hope this time also allows me to get better with the scissors and for him to get better at gardening.)

Laura Simpkins, discipleship coordinator

Additional resources

Suggested reading

Habakkuk 3 verses 2 and 17-19

2 Corinthians 1 verse 10

Suggested worship music

With all I am

Mighty to save

Prayer

Lord, you are well-versed in delivering your people from trouble. We repent from the things we have done to contribute to the brokenness of this world. We praise you for the beauty of the abundance you want us to enjoy. 

Lord, we know that you can move the mountains we now face. We ask in expectation that would restore our individual lives, and the stability of our global interdependence with all your children. Will you show us how to be better at loving each other and your Creation? Help us to accept your design with passion. Would you move us to praise you with jubilant hearts for your gifts on Earth and the promise of our eternal salvation in Heaven? We come to you with all that we are to be lovingly pruned and nurtured by your loving hands.

You are our only strength and everlasting hope for our nation and our world. All glory to our risen King, Jesus. Amen

Laura Simpkins gives some encouragements for Spring and Summer 2020

Free resources online or in apps

Tearfund – Lent_2020

Daily devotional for Lent – still time to join! there is an online resource; a booklet can also be ordered online. 

Church of England Lent 2020 

LiveLent: Care for God’s Creation is the Church of England’s Lent campaign for 2020

Daily devotional for Lent – still time to join!

24-7 Prayer – Lectio 365 – An Introduction 

A daily devotional and prayer resource from the movement led by Pete Grieg, on which our prayer workshop last autumn and the current (on hold) Prayer Course is based.

24-7 Prayer also has special coverage for the current world health situation.

CWR Spiritual Health Check

Excellent exercise for evaluating ‘spiritual health’ with teaching about how to ‘get serious’ about growing in your walk with God

CWR Spiritual Balance Check  

Similar to the ‘Spiritual Health Check’ (see above), this helps find and remedy imbalances between what we say we believe and how we live it out in practical exercises.

Every Day With Jesus Extra: The Prayer of Jesus  

A complete short course for studying the prayer Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane; intended for groups, but can be used individually, OR by a group trying to ‘meet’ virtually with some direction;

An entire list of ‘Everyday With Jesus Extra’ studies can be found here.

Every Day With Jesus Exploring the Bible  

Another great series which teaches inductive Bible study methods; suitable for individuals or groups meeting virtually.

CWR Jeff Lucas podcasts  

The wit and wisdom of Jeff Lucas in short messages for growth and encouragement.

Church of England – Join us in a service of daily prayer 

Start here to find modern and traditional liturgy for Daily Prayer, online, by App for phones, or for smart speaker.

Church of England – Transforming the world 

A gentle way to explore how we can develop key areas of our belief and action to be more like Jesus and commune with him in a way that transforms the world.

Westminster Presbyterian Church – The Calm of Christ 

This Texan Presbyterian church provides The Calm of Christ, a series of full services based on offering encouragement in the current COVID-19 crisis, including sermons, prayer and lists of worship music links to choose from.

Some references from Scripture

Repentance

• Psalm 51:10-17                                          
• Psalm 139:1-6

Intercession and petition in our times of uncertainty and fear

• Psalm 69.1-3, 15-16                                  
• Isaiah 41:8-20
• Ephesians 3:12-21

Thanks and praise

• Psalm 27:1-6                                              
• Psalm 30: 1-12
• Psalm 139:13-17                                       
• Luke 2:25-35

In loneliness and fear

• Isaiah 26:3                                                   
• Matthew 6:25-34

For strength and perspective

• Psalm 46                                                      
• Proverbs 3:5-6
• John 10:27-30                                            
• Romans 8:35-39
• 2 Corinthians 1:3-7                                   
• 2 Corinthians 10: 3-8
• Philippians 4:4-9                                        
• Hebrews 12: 2-3
• Hebrews 13:5-6                                         
• James 1:2-6
• 1 Peter 1:3-9

Prayers

A Prayer Amid an Epidemic by Kerry Weber

Jesus Christ, you travelled through towns and villages ‘curing every disease and illness’. At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.                                                          

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.                                                                  

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.                                                                     

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.              

Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.                      

Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.             

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.        

Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace. 

Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.    

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.     

Jesus Christ, heal us.

Kerry Weber, is an executive editor of the Jesuit Review America Magazine;  a printable version of prayer is at here.

A Prayer of Thomas Merton

O God,                         

We are one with you. You have made us one with you.

You have taught us that if we are open to one another, you dwell in us.

Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts.

Help us to realise that there can be no understanding where there is mutual rejection.

In accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely, we accept you, and we thank you, and we adore you, and we love you with our whole being, because our being is your being, our spirit is rooted in your spirit.

Fill us then with love, and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse ways, united in this one spirit which makes you present in the world, and which makes you witness to the ultimate reality that is love.

Love has overcome. Love is victorious.  

Amen.

‘God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.’ (1 John 4:16)

Thomas Merton OCSO (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religion. 

St Patrick’s breastplate

This Irish prayer is known widely as ‘Morning Prayer’, ‘St. Patrick’s Breastplate’, or ‘The Lorica’.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.  Amen

Laura Simpkins, discipleship coordinator

Contact discipleship@stsaviours.net for further support and information. Feel free to share with others.

Caz Gatehouse suggests ways to support our children during this extraordinary time

As we have all been thrown into a different way of life, I have been thinking on Deuteronomy 11 verse 18-20.

‘Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates.’

What could this look like in our homes today? How can you as parents carry out this teaching in your homes? How can we as a church encourage and support our parents and families at this time when we cannot physically meet together?

How can I do my job as children’s minister from the confines of my living room? This is what I came up with!

Some ideas

1. Produce ‘Family Time’ materials for you to use together at home. Issue 1 was emailed out last week. If you did not receive one and would like to, please contact me with your email. I am pllanning to send one each week, with a special bumper one to use over the Easter period.
2. Keeping in touch via phone calls and texts.
3. Instagram –  a new venture for me! Planning to post encouragements and helpful links, along with our families sharing how they have been delving into God’s word and worshipping at home! Please do not put on pictures of your children if you do not want it to go on other social media – but please share pictures of things you have been doing. You can follow me on st.savioursparents.
4. Virtual groups – as a staff team we had our first virtual meeting!!  I am looking into how we could do this with different groups. So watch out for more details.

These are the main things I have looked at so far. I am sure we will develop these and other ways as we go along. Please feel free to share any ideas you may have!

You can contact me by email: caz@stsaviours.net or mobile: 07948 799332. 

Praying for God’s peace, protection and blessings on you all at this time.

Caz Gatehouse, children’s minister

PS – don’t forget to check emails, St Saviour’s website, Instagram (st.savioursparents) and St Saviour’s Facebook page for updates, encouragements, resources, etc.!!

Pauline Blunden encourages us all to do something creative for God.

When it comes to Creative Expressions I think that many of us feel a bit like “Ye …” in the cartoon, but that is really the point – when we seek to do something creative for God, we need to hear His call to step out in faith.

The Creative Expressions group has been formed to encourage worship and joy in His church; this may come in many forms, whether it is in decorating the church with flowers or other displays, e.g. when the home groups helped to illustrate harvests in the Bible.

Some people join the group for particular projects, e.g. making and painting the new crib for Christmas, the Brownies decorating the font so beautifully for Harvest and Easter, and our children’s groups doing various displays in the church. We would love more input from the young people’s group – do let us know your ideas!

All the banners have been photographed and itemised into a folder to help us find them more easily. There is a group making two new banners for Pentecost and needing help to get them finished on time. They are next meeting in the Link at 1.45pm on Thursday 19 March; do join them.

Paintings have been lent to us for particular festivals in the church year.
Photos of some of the creative displays are going to be made into a calendar for sale next Christmas – proceeds to the flower fund.

We are sure that there are many more people who would like to be able to use their creative gifts in the church. Anybody who would like to find out more is welcome to join us at our meeting on Saturday 14 April at 2.30pm in the Link or see Pauline Blunden.

‘We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10

Pauline Blunden, Creative Expressions

Pat Smart shares some good news and asks ‘What kind of giver are you?’

We recently had a Finance Committee Meeting for the end of our financial year, and there is a mixture of good news and bad news!!

The good news is that during the year we have enjoyed some lovely fun days at our fundraising events, such as the Talent Night, the Auction of Promises, a table top sale, the cream tea at Richard’s, and of course our famous quiz night. These events raised about £3,300. A gift period (over a couple of weeks in the Autumn) brought in just over £12,000. (See January’s PCC minutes if you want more details.) So thank you, and well done everybody for your help in achieving this.

It was hoped this would kick-start our fabric fund, as the church needs new doors, some re-pointing, ongoing repairs to the roof, repainting inside. But I’m sorry to say that most of our plans this year have not yet been realised, because as a church we are really struggling to meet our commitments. To this end, after much discussion at PCC halfway through the year, it was reluctantly decided to reduce our monthly contribution to the Common Mission Fund (which pays clergy wages, house, pension fund, sickness, etc.) as we felt it was more important that we retain our youth ministry.

To get everything back on track – me, you, us – we really need to look at our regular giving to the church. As with any organisation or club, we need to have a regular income to cover normal running costs and then some extra to cover any unforeseen events, such as a broken-down boiler. The church is not a government-run outlet, but is sustained by its congregation – you. So …

Come along to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday 25 April, from about 11.45am (after the 10.30am Morning Praise service) and hear how we are managing the church finances and what you can do to help swell the coffers.

I heard that there are three kinds of givers:

Flint: you have to hammer it hard to get anything

Sponge: you have to squeeze hard to get anything

Honeycomb: it just overflows with goodness and sweetness

What kind of a giver are you? Remember – God loves a cheerful giver.

God Bless you in your giving.

Pat Smart, Treasurer

Tanja Patten considers the long-term impact of the work of Compassion UK

At my home group last week, I showed them a picture of a boy and said, ‘We have a new addition to the family.’ Confused, they started asking questions. That was my opening to talk to them about Compassion UK and the child we chose to support.

Working in the church office, I had the opportunity to meet Michael Robins, from Compassion UK, when he came in to discuss the service he talked at on 12 January. When he spoke about the children, you could really feel his enthusiasm and excitement about how some of the Compassion children’s lives were being changed.

It was infectious. I wanted to know more. He relayed a number of stories. I know many of you will have heard about the chap he sat next to on one of his flights and how that man turned out to be a Compassion Child. Small world! He told Michael about how Compassion UK helped change and shape his life … he was on his way to the US to study for his third degree! He also explained how he now goes back home to help Compassion UK support children similar to himself.

This really struck me. In the tedium and routine of everyday life it’s hard to think about the standing order we have coming out of our account and the impact that will have on someone’s life as a whole. The conversation Michael had on the plane proves that it really does make a difference. We think of our child, write to them, and pray for them, but forget about the long-term impact when the money goes out of our account each month. It’s like the servant woman and the jar of oil she shared with Elisha. The small amount turned into enough to clear her debt and provide a good living for the rest of her and her life (2 Kings chapter 4).

After the service on 12 January we trebled the number of children we support through St Saviour’s partnership with Compassion UK. That’s 16 children who will one day be able to tell someone the story of how their lives were forever changed.

Tanja Patten, office administrator

It’s never too late to sign up. If you’d like to do so, either speak to the office (Clare or myself) or visit www.compassionuk.org.