John 17v20-26 ‘Four Cheers’

John 17v20-26 ‘Four Cheers’

16.05.2010 8am and 10.30am

Back in the bad old days of extreme tension between Catholic and Protestants, a hard-line minister apparently once accidentally advanced the cause of church unity. Three catholic ladies had been praying, and as they prayed they realised that Jesus wanted his Church to be united, and so they decided to go to the local Protestant chapel for one of the services there. They nervously walked up the chapel path, opened the door to the chapel, and as they entered every Protestant eye turned towards them. What would happen? Would they be welcome? Or would their actions be misinterpreted in some way as hostile? The Minister was of the old-school, a bit of a hard-liner, and he frowned at them as they stood at the back with nowhere obvious to sit. But he wanted to get on with the service, and so he asked the Sidesman to get some seats, gruffly saying ‘Three chairs for the Catholic ladies’. Not quite hearing correctly the Sidesman shouted out ‘Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip....’ Unity had accidentally come to Christ’s church!

Today, I also want to focus on three chairs, not necessarily of the hip, hip variety - although if the mood grabs you, feel free! Here are three chairs. Why are they here?

Next Sunday is Pentecost when we think about the coming of God the Holy Spirit into human lives. The following Sunday is Trinity Sunday when we grapple with our realisation that the Gospels have brought to us first God the Father, then God the Son, and then God the Holy Spirit; three Persons and yet One God.

There is a famous painting where this is represented by three chairs, and on the three chairs are sitting three people, signifying the members of the Holy Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit. The three are sharing an intimate meal, showing the eternal communion of love that they share. Father, Son and Holy Spirit live an ongoing relationship of sheer love.

But after a while, you realise there is a fourth chair, at the front of the picture, where you, the viewer, is standing. The figures are looking at you, and it dawns on you that you are being invited to join them at the table of love.

There is a seat for you at the table of God’s love! You and I are being invited into the inner relationship of God Himself, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

How incredible! And yet that is what Jesus prays in our Gospel reading.

This reading is about the fourth chair, and an invitation to sit on it.

1. An Invitation into God

Jesus is praying for us, not just the Apostles, v20, My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.

Jesus is praying for us! He revels in the unity that He has with the Father, v21, you are in me, and I am in you. Then he says something amazing: May they (that’s us!) also be in us...

Isn’t that incredible! and if you read the rest of the verses Jesus expresses the same truth in different ways. We are invited to sit on that fourth chair, we are invited into the Godhead.

I always enjoy the moment of being called to dinner. I am nearly always hungry, and so I have been anticipating the call for sometime. And then, ‘Dinners ready!’ I’m there! In some homes a gong is gonged! The family, or friends, gather round the table together.

Today we are invited round God’s table of love. Will you come?

2. An Invitation into Unity

The fourth chair also implies unity for the Church. As we sit on it we join others round the table of love.

Jesus several times prays that we will be one, v21, that all of them may be one.

Not that we create the unity - we are invited to live out the unity Jesus won. We are already united! Now live it out.

It is a scandal when we don’t live it out. When don’t demonstrate our true nature of unified love in Christ.

Usually it is such small worthless things that divide us.

We have a petty resentment because someone said something. So? - Christ died for you both.

We don’t like modern worship music, or traditional hymns.

So? - Christ died for fans of both.

We don’t like a particular style of worship.

So? - Christ died for those who do.

We don’t agree with them about baptism, of all things.

So? - Christ is present in both forms.

We don’t hold the same view about Communion.

So? - Christ is received in both sorts.

We are not in communion.

You are - communion is in Christ, not us.

Where are we not living out the unity God gives in Christ? Live out what sitting on the fourth chair implies. Will you come?

3. An Invitation to the World

The fourth chair is an invitation to the world. The whole world is invited.

Jesus’s prayer is not just for us, but for the world, v21, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Evangelism is not just arguing for what we believe, but the quality of relationships. It is not merely convincing people that God exists, or Jesus’s life and death. But revealing through the depth of our relationships in Church that he is alive in us.

We all have a part to play. Is your relationship with other Christians an attractive sign of God’s love. Do they see you at one with God and others. Attract them to sit on the fourth chair. Will you come?

So as someone stands at the back wondering whether to join; as we stand at the back wondering whether to be united in community love; as we stand at the back wondering if God really loves me that much, we hear the voice ‘Four chairs for Unity!

Unity with God Himself! Unity with One another! Unity with the world!

Four chairs for unity! Hip, hip.......

Split Infinitives....

Matthew 28v1-10,16-20 ‘Split Infinitives’

9.5.2010 6.30pm Evening Service.

Do you split your infinitives?

In some circles apparently it is a terrible mistake to mistakingly do! It is wrong to occasionally do!

Was that a split infinitive? I think it is, but I am really not sure! I was brought up and educated in the 60s and 70s during the period when it was considered inappropriate to teach rules of grammar. The theory seems to have been: ‘Just let the children write creatively without the restriction of rules’. So I find all these things a mystery. I think I can just about tell a verb from a noun, but that is about it. Grammar I am useless at! To badly do is what I am resigned to!

I expect you are familiar with the most famous example of a split infinitive. Which one am I thinking of? ‘To boldly go where no man has gone before’ - the famous strap-line of the Star Trek television series.

‘To boldly go’, however, might be a good description of the disciples after the resurrection. In Matthew 28 that is certainly what they are challenged to do. And us also! Are we boldly going in God’s name?

Our infinitives it is good to boldly split! Since the word ‘infinitive’ is obviously related to ‘infinite’, splitting them is appropriate from a Christian point of view. The resurrection brings us into the realm of the infinite; we taste the beginning of eternal life and God’s infinite Kingdom rule. But our full enjoyment of that is still to be. Our infinite is split, as we wait in hope. And in our split infinitive we are to boldly go in Christ’s name into all the world to share his love. Our infinitive is supposed to be split by Christian service!

That is what our reading from Matthew is all about. And perhaps Matthew’s telling of the resurrection suggests another split infinitive to the Star Trek version: ‘To joyfully go’.

We are looking at some of the endings of the Gospel at the moment, and we heard last week, as we looked at the closing words of Mark’s Gospel, that the disciples were described in brilliant realistic fashion by Mark as ‘Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid’ (Mark 16v8)

Matthew is careful to add in his version that they were also joyful. They may have been full of fear and failure - but they were certainly joyful, v8. ‘So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell the disciples.’ Christ was risen!

And Matthew wants to emphasise, in his closing of his Gospel, that in their resurrection joy the disciples were to ‘go’ to share the great good news. The women went to the disciples - and they rejoiced. The disciples went to Galilee - and they were sent. The disciples were sent to the world - and we rejoice and are also sent. Will we also ‘joyfully go’?

It seems to me that Matthew emphasises three things as he tells of the disciples joyfully going.

1. Worshipping - to gratefully worship

In v9 the women, when they meet the risen Christ, they clasp his feet and worship him. In v17, when the disciples see him, they worshipped him - although it seems some still also had stubborn doubts in their heads. Worship was the inevitable attitude as they were confronted with the risen Christ.

How about us today? Are we are worshipful people? Not just outwardly, but deep in the heart?

It seems, according to Matthew, that to truly worship involves meeting the risen Christ. It was only as they met Christ that they were truly caught up in worship. Do you know him? Are you open to meet him afresh?

I was reading about a man whose life seemed to him to be bland, boring and meaningless. Disgusted by a saccharine sermon, he rushed home to verify for himself what the priest had been saying. He turned to the Gospel of St Mark, and began to read. He later wrote:

The feeling I had occurs sometimes when you are walking along in the street, and suddenly you turn around because you feel someone is looking at you. While I was reading, before I reached the beginning of the third chapter, I suddenly became aware that on the other side of my desk there was a Presence.

This was so striking that I had to stop reading and look up. I looked for a long time. I saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing with the senses. But even when I looked straight in front of me a the place where there was no one visible, I had the same intense knowledge: Christ is standing here, without doubt.

I realised immediately: if Christ is standing here alive, that means he is the risen Christ. I know from my own personal experience that Christ is risen and that therefore everything that is said about him in the Gospel is true.

This certitude in the reality of Christ permeated Metropolitan Anthony Bloom’s life, making him a much sought after speaker, spiritual father, and confessor. Someone who became caught up in true worship.

So, worshipping - to gratefully worship.

2. Making Disciples - to energetically witness

The church, v19, was to go and make disciples. The good news was to be shared energetically in the power of the Holy Spirit, people baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and taught everything Christ had commanded.

That is what we are doing in our church isn’t it? ‘Springboard to Discipleship’ is doing it explicitly - seeking to teach the faith so that we grow in discipleship. We are about discipleship training! Maybe we should have a big banner outside the church saying ‘Discipleship Training Centre’. That is why we are here.

But is the church ‘going out’? I fear that sometimes when Alpha is mentioned, when Springboard is mentioned, people are shutting off and not thinking, “I could invite that person or this person.’ Who are we thinking of going to, in order to share the faith that people become Christ-followers, baptised, and taught the Way to life? Who are you praying for, and longing for an opportunity to share the gospel?

So making disciples - to energetically worship.

3. Obedient to the teaching - to fully obey.

That was to be the third mark of these Christians as they joyfully went. They were, v20, ‘to obey everything I have commanded you’, says Jesus.

As we meet the risen Christ are we willing to obey him? Many people are not. They want an easy going Christ who they can occasionally cheer from the stands. They don’t want a Master who tells them how to live. Yet if he is the risen Lord then we are called to radical obedience and radical discipleship. That is what discipleship means - to follow. And to say ‘No, Lord’ is an oxymoron. If he is Lord, then we have to say yes.

Yesterday was VE Day. Imagine a soldier in the army. As he stands there, Field Marshall Montgomery walks past, stops, and commands ‘Soldier, you are needed! Run this message to General Smith.’

What would you do?

You could say, ‘I must say I am impressed by your uniform!’

What would he say to that?

Or, ‘I was very excited about your earlier victories, Sir’

Would he be impressed?

Or, ‘I promise to think about you warmly once a week with a few other keen fans!’

Would that be ok?

It most certainly wouldn’t. You have to obey a Field Marshall.

How much more the Risen Christ, Lord of All.

Obedient to the teaching - to fully obey.

So, do you split your infinitives? I hope so! The infinite is here in the risen Christ. But we don’t just wait comfortably for eternity. We are to split the infinitive - in worship, in witness, in obedience. Split your infinitives. To joyfully go!

And Finally......

Mark 15v46-16v8 (And Daniel 6) ‘And Finally....’

2.5.2010 6.30pm

What closing sentence would you use to finish a Gospel if you were one of the writers?

I asked that question to a lot of people via Twitter and Facebook..........

I got one answer from a Bishop! And it was blank - which I thought was really profound, a way of saying: ‘how could you possibly end a Gospel, it is unending’ - until he later apologised that he had left his phone on in his pocket and accidentally sent me a blank message!

But some other endings read like this.....

"In the end, God only walked the earth for a short time. But what he did changed the world."

‘and there they found that the tomb was empty’

"and now we can all live happily ever after".

Or more doubtfully:

"Or at least that's what the bloke in the pub said"

But, again, more in keeping with the Gospel accounts:

‘I know... I was there’

‘Daunting! It stopped me in my tracks.’

‘I hope you lot are writing all this down!’

Now you might say 'That's a far fetched story' but it all really happened, and that's the gospel truth!"

And to make it more personal for today:

‘This is what God did when Jesus was on earth. To learn more of how he's working now, come and meet him yourself.’

And in anticipation:

‘That's the end of news: now for the weather forecast: gale force winds sweeping around the world...’

‘The next chapter belongs to those who believe' (from the wife of a soon-to-be elected MP)

And finally:

'... and the women said: "well if the men keep on faffing about perhaps we'd better get on with it". :)!’

So that is how some people would finish their Gospel, if they were a writer. Turning to the actual Gospels I love the true last verse of Mark! If we did an opinion poll on what people thought the real last words of one of the Gospels might be, I wonder what people would come out with? I doubt very much they would be the words Mark wrote.

A lot of people might anticipate the majestic words of Matthew, although I doubt they would structure it so brilliantly: ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’ (Matthew 28v19-20)

Some, with an awareness of the coming Pentecost gift of the Spirit, might nod to Luke’s bridge to the book of Acts: ‘Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.’ (Luke 24v52-53)

Or, perhaps we can understand John’s awareness that even he, in the most profound of the Gospels, had only scratched the surface: ‘Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.’ (John 21v25)

But Mark? Would anyone who knows of the incredible contents of the Gospels ever imagine that one of the writers would end it the way he did?

And Mark’s ending, which I love, is this:

‘Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid’ (v8)

What an incredible understatement! We have the amazing Gospel teaching and miracles, the painful struggle and death, the wonder of the empty tomb.... and then this! ‘Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid’

Couldn’t you do better than that, Mark? Leaving people trembling and bewildered, fleeing from the hope of the empty tomb, saying nothing to no-one, afraid.

A lot of people thought they could improve on it. We have one early attempt in v9-20, although, as it says in our translations, the most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not include it - so it probably is not part of the Gospel, or even the work of Mark. Others have suggested that maybe Mark lost the end of his Gospel - perhaps his dog ate it in true ‘homework excuse’ fashion. Or maybe he was disturbed and distracted from finishing, when a candidate in the General Roman Elections knocked, asking him to support the Nero party.

But it seems to me that this is the true ending. And, actually, once we have got over the shock of the incredible understatement, this ending is brilliant! It is meant to be an understatement! For that is true to life, isn’t it. We are like this.

We come to the empty tomb, we even meet the risen Christ - and we become super-men, super-heros, never with any doubts or failings, don’t we? The Easter Story makes us forever faithful Christians, who never stumble, doesn’t it? Super-Christians, isn’t it? Not, not, not.....

Mark’s Gospel ending is brilliant because it describes us, doesn’t it?

The tomb is empty, Christ is risen, Allelluia! - but we are still humans who fear and fail. ‘Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid’

Not that Mark is being negative. He knows the Spirit will transform these women, and the Spirit is transforming us now. But the Spirit works within our fears, bewilderment, trembling, fleeing and fearing - and in the failure creates life from the chaos.

Mark is encouraging us that although we know ourselves too often to be fearful and failing, that Christ is still risen, and the living Christ is at work within us. The glory is kept in earthen jars. The glory of the Spirit and the Risen Christ shines through our fallen humanity.

Someone has said, ‘God doesn’t define us by our history. He looks at us through our destiny.’

Was Daniel fearful when he was thrown to the lions? I am sure he was. The King certainly couldn’t sleep, fearful of his fate. And as we struggle with our own lions, as we wait for the victory, Mark encourages us in our humanity. We are sometimes fearful and failing - but Christ is still risen. The Spirit is still at work in us, even fearful us, especially fearful us.

It is as if Mark finishes his Gospel with dots...... Yes, we are weak like this..... But Christ is risen..... You finish the Gospel with his power with...... Over to you!

How would you finish your Gospel? Any suggestions?

Listen again to the genius simplicity of Mark’s understatement, inviting us to fill in the dots........‘Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid’...... Yes, that’s me! But Mark perhaps invites us to also add ‘But Christ is still risen. Within my weakness, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!’

Small Things

Acts 12v34-13v5 ‘Small Things’.

28.04.2010 9.30am Wednesday Communion

Small things. Tiny specks of dust.

It has been very frustrating in recent weeks for millions of people stranded by volcanic ash in the atmosphere. Imagine! Tiny specks of ash floating in the air, preventing huge Jumbos and Airbuses hurtling through the sky. Millions left stranded and stationary, far from their homes.

Today, in this service, we think of other ‘small’ things. But these, instead of preventing travel, caused amazing movement, to go to the ends of the earth. And, these ‘small things’ are vital springboards for movement and action for you and me today. If the volcanic ‘small things’ grounded Europe, these ‘small things’ motivate a brand new world. What are these small things?

But first lets meet the cast? Verse 1: there is Barnabas who was from Cyprus (4v36), Simeon whose nickname Niger probably meant he was an African; Lucius from Cyrene meaning he was a Libyan, an Arab; Manaen who appears to be an aristocrat, brought up with King Herod, and coming from Antioch in Syria; and Saul the Jew from Tarsus in Turkey. In other words, we have here an astonishingly diverse group. In the Roman world these people of different cultures, ethnicities and classes would have kept their distance from one another. Today, the BNP would have been demanding their repatriation!

What ‘small’ things incredibly brought them together, and then sent them to change the world?

1. A Small Thing - a Word.

Words are cheap, ten a penny. The world is drowning in words. Especially during this election time we are especially aware of the billions of words being spewed into the atmosphere, just like that volcanic ash, clogging up our travel. Words are very small things indeed.

Incredible then that God chose to communicate in words. He comes to us as a verbal God, using the medium of small words to reach us, even calling His Son the ‘Word’.

v24 The word of God continued to increase and spread. The amazing word of God, although from the world’s view just a ‘small’ word, revolutionised these people, and sent them to travel throughout the world, changing it forever.

And that ‘small’ word, as we take the effort to read it, hear it, meditate on it, allow it change us - revolutionises us also. Some it literally send to end of the earth like a modern Paul or Barnabas. Most of us it sends to the world around us, our community, to serve it and bring them God’s word of healing.

Are we receiving that small word into our hearts and letting it change us?

The word of God continued to increase and spread.

2. Another Small Thing - Prayer

What a small, insignificant thing prayer appears. Something some religious people do before getting on with real life.

But no, it seems these people found it the well-spring to life itself. They were worshipping and fasting (v2) - and discovered the Holy Spirit sending Paul and Barnabas out into the world. They fasted and prayed - and sent them off to change the world forever with the new good news of the gospel.

It wasn’t insignificant. It connected them to God Himself. It wasn’t inactive. It motivated action. It wasn’t small really. It was hugely important.

Are we giving time to pray? Individually? Do we carve time out to pray? And corporately? Why not come to the morning prayer sessions, the prayer meetings, the meditation group, the prayer days we have from time to time.

They prayed and fasted.

3. Another small thing - Going.

They went, v4. It seems such a small thing. In the massive powerful Roman Empire two small people started a journey. It seemed to be so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. It wasn’t reported on Sky or the RBC, the Roman Broadcasting Corporation. Not even the Antioch Herald picked it up as a small local story. No, they just quietly went - and the Roman Empire was never the same again. The world was never the same again. The world was, and is, being changed.

We are also called to go. Not probably to Cyprus, like Paul and Barnabas and John - although that sounds nice! But to serve Stopsley. In our individual lives, to our families, friends, neighbours, colleagues, and all we meet. And in our church life, to young people, older people, people in need, people struggling through. Through the Toddler Group, the Listening Space, the Lunch Club, the Care Team, and many other ways to come.

They ‘went’. They did something small - and it was massive.

What are we doing for God? What is he calling us to do? Are you going? It will change the world.

They went.

Conclusion

So, small things - they can make such a massive difference.

A small little word. A small little prayer. A small little going.

Think big! Do the the small things! Hear, pray, go. Be big!

The Future's In Us

The Future’s in Us.

Acts 11v1-18.

At morning services, just before election.

The title for this morning’s sermon is stolen! Stolen from one of the candidates for our election in Luton South this coming Thursday.

I am not going to tell you which candidate - you will have to find that out yourself, if you don’t already know - or even if I will be voting for them or not (that’s between me and the ballot box). I am definitely not canvassing for them this morning - I don’t think a Vicar’s job is to tell you who to vote for, that is for each church member to prayerfully consider. Only I do think it is a Christian responsibility to vote. Don’t forget!

But I like a phrase from this particular candidate’s manifesto, and hope they don’t mind me nicking it! It says, ‘I believe in Luton. The future’s in us.’

1. Believe in Luton.

I also believe in Luton. It has been interesting to see Luton South on the telly quite a lot in the last few days election coverage. I really believe Luton is a great place. We run it down too much. Of course, it has its problems, and no straight-talking Lutonian would ever pretend it is perfect. But it is a great, stimulating, interesting, vibrant place to live. Let’s believe in it!

I think the Bible encourages us to believe in Luton. Leviticus 65v3 says ‘Verily, thou shalt believe in Luton, Bedfordshire.’

Well, actually it doesn’t! But the passage we read today from Acts 11 does - in effect! It challenges Peter to reconsider his perspective.

It’s actually about what he considers unclean and impure. He is given a vision of what Jewish people consider impure animals -about which he shudders with revulsion as he pictures them. Horrible!

But God says, v9, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’. Now God is not primarily talking about food here - of course he is challenging the preoccupation with dietary laws that Peter, as an observant Jew, followed - but the main focus is on people. He is challenging Peter to accept uncircumcised, non-Jewish people, to mix with them, value them and see them as recipients of God’s grace too.

Many people consider Luton to be unclean. Something they had trodden in. Something to despise, and avoid like the plague. Even people who live in Luton sometimes run it down. And within the town some despise other people who are different from them, people of different cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. This is just like people of old, considering others impure or unclean.

Verse 9 again: ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’. God has made Luton, and all the diverse people within it, clean by his Son dying for Luton on the cross. That is how God showed his incredible love for all, including all Lutonians. No one is beyond God’s love, no-one is impure or unclean. Of course we need to receive that love personally, to know that we are truly clean and pure and precious, to receive our sins being forgiven. God makes all clean.

So, come today to God and receive that assurance of his eternal love deep in your hearts. Don’t write yourself off. Ask God to make it real in your heart that you are a precious child of God. Believe in yourself. God does.

And don’t write off Luton. Believe in Luton! God does!

Particularly, this week use your vote for Luton. Vote for what you believe is best for our town. Believe in Luton. God does.

And don’t write off any community in our town. That was Peter’s error. God loves all the diverse people of our community. Believe in all God’s children in Luton. God does.

‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’

So believe in Luton.

2. Also, the Future’s in us.

Acts 11 also says the future is in us. Not just because we are all special unique precious individuals, made in God’s image - which you all are. But because God Himself comes within us to enable us be God’s people, to be the future. Look at v16, ‘You will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’

What an incredible promise! You will be baptised with the Holy Spirit of God.

Now, you may be thinking at this moment, ‘David, that is lovely. Isn’t it nice that especially holy people will be full of the Spirit. Lovely!’

It doesn’t say that! Remember Peter is just discovering that smelly Gentiles like us are being baptised in the Spirit. The scum of the earth - and God’s Spirit has fallen on them!

God does not discriminate!

• He doesn’t give His Spirit just to holy people.
• He doesn’t just give his Spirit to clever people.
• He doesn’t just give his Spirit to one particular type of person.
• He gives it to you! He gives it to all!

• The future’s in us, because we all have a part to play, and something to offer.
• The future’s in us, because God wants to fill us with his Holy Spirit.
• The future’s in us because that Spirit gives us the resources to change the world.
• The future’s in us, because God’s agenda for the future is the Spirit working in frail human flesh like yours and mine.

It is for everyone. As we move towards Pentecost let us each open ourselves anew to the Spirit of God who changes us. Are you open? Are you asking for the Spirit. He will come to all who sincerely ask. ‘You will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’.

The election is here. Who will you vote for?

I believe in Luton. Cast your vote for the good of all the people of Luton - God’s love is for us all. Let’s believe in ourselves, as God believes in us. Let us believe in God, who entrusts himself to us.

The future’s in us. We are all special with a part to play. The Spirit is offered to us all. Will you receive it? Who will you choose? Whoever you choose in this human election, let us crucially choose and receive the Spirit within.

Then, the future’s truly in us!

AGM Report

Vicar’s Report AGM 2010

‘Actions speak louder than words’

And so, here it is! The Hall! Our non-verbal, concrete, report for this last year! It is here!

It is right and proper that we celebrate the success of building this hall, after many years of hard work and planning, setbacks and final success. We give thanks to God, and I give thanks to each of you; to every person, present and absent, who contributed in giving time, talents and money to fulfilling this dream. It is a time to celebrate; a time to step back for a moment and appreciate the arrival of this moment. Just as a hiker, after a long hard walk up a steep hill, will stop, and appreciate the view, glance back at the rough terrain she has has travelled, and catch breath - so we do the same.....

.....But not for too long! The hiker must not stop for so long that muscles become stiff, the body become cold, and the sense of determination wane! And neither must we!

We must walk on (and to quote the song), we ‘walk on, with hope in you heart’. (All together now!)

And I believe we stand now, as a Church community, at the start of a new section of our walk together with our God. An exciting, promising and challenging section of our walk together.

As we prepare set forth, to move forward together, we hear the words of Scripture.

‘He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ Micah 6v8

We are being invited by our gracious God to walk humbly with him into the future. Are you coming along? Are you ready? Let’s go!

And may I remind you of our Gospel verse at our morning services today: John10v27 ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’.

Our Lord knows us, personally, you and me. And we seek to hear his voice - of guidance, encouragement and challenge. And we mover forward, following Him. Are you coming along? Are you ready? Let’s go!

Where do we sense God is leading us? To serve this community of Stopsley. We now have many more opportunities for that. Whether it is the lunch clubs, the listening space, Tommy’s Toddlers, the youth group, and many other things. Are you coming along? Are you ready? Let’s go!

Whether it is serving the elderly, the bereaved, carers, toddlers, parents, young people - and many others. Are you coming along? Are you ready? Let’s go!

So let us mover forward together. We all need to be a part of this, every one. I would like to particularly challenge you to do one thing today as part of your commitment to move forward with us. Join an ACT. We are forming an ACT for each area of our church life. An ACT is an ‘Action Committee Team’. Not merely a committee, a talking shop. We want actions, not words. The stress is on action and teamwork. Working together to get things done.

Ideally we want everyone to be part of at least one ACT. To be part of a team that is working for our move forward together. Not having endless meetings discussing things, but getting on with serving God, his Church and our community and world.

So please fill in the slip (below) indicating the ACT you feel you might like to be involved with. You might not be certain - you can always change later, it is not a life sentence! You might not be certain in what way you can be involved - or you might have very clear ideas! We are keen on ideas developing, not being fixed in stone. You might not be sure of how much time and energy you can promise. That is fine, we are aware that different people have different possibilities, each in their own situation. We are not looking only for people with lots of energy and time on their hands. But everyone to be committed, even if you have little time available to do much, to one area of Church life, one ACT.

So please fill in your slip. How are you going to be involved? How are you going to ‘walk humbly with our God’? How are you going to follow the Good Shepherd?

Are you coming along? Are you ready? Let’s go!

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Copy this, fill in, and email to me :

Name:

Tel No:

Email:

Which ACT would you consider joining?

Pastoral Care

Fabric

Finance

Children & Youth

Mission

Community & Social

Evangelism & Communication

Worship & Teaching

Comments..............

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Before I finish some words of particular thanks, although I am aware that I am bound to miss someone important out - please forgive me, I thank you all for your support.

Jane, John and Donna, John, Sarah, Grace, Gabriel.

Bob Gunn and Peter Alexander.

Arthur Devlin, Jim Hearnshaw, John Kairis, and David Newbound

Alan Murkett (now retired), and the PA to the Vicar, Linda Clitheroe

Churchwardens, Bryan and Janey.

Sanctuary assistants, servers, sidesmen/women, readers and intercessors

Jean Stephenson, Anne Dolby, Maureen Austin and others who provide refreshments.

Treasurer, John Kingham, and our Stewardship Secretary, Les Sims.

Tony Clitheroe and all involved with the magazine

Pastoral Care Team

John the Organist, Janey, Choir

David and Debbie - pastoral and meditation

Cleaners, decorators who gave much time!, those who have worked in the churchyard, especially Ian Clitheroe

Sunday Club leaders and all who work with young people

And this year especially everyone involved with the Church Hall ACT: Jim Gabriel in his meticulous attention to detail in the design, Peter Raven in his supervision of the work in his role as our Site Agent, and John Kingham and Les Sims in their handling of the finances and fundraising.