The Vicar Writes
December 2008
A New Church For Christmas
Dear Friends,
No Room in the Inn
The story is told of the boy who was demoted in the Sunday School nativity presentation. Cast at first as Joseph, his bad behaviour resulted in him doing a swap with the first inn keeper. Now, the only line that he had to commit to memory was "I'm sorry, there is no room here."
The big day dawned and the Church was packed for the production. Parents and grandparents were full of the usual restless excitement and the ' took everything in their stride. Each child was word-perfect: the greatest story that the world has ever known was being told brilliantly well, until...
Mary and her recently-promoted husband, with the proverbial donkey, arrived at the first inn; instead of being told politely that there was no room, they heard the vengeful inn keeper depart slightly from the script. "You can come in," he said, pointing to Mary, and then, looking at Joseph, he continued, "but you can go to..." His final word was muffled as he was enticed from the stage.
There is nothing quite as entertaining as a children's nativity presentation. Yet somehow children do manage to get to the heart of the Christmas story. A young, vulnerable couple were exhausted after a journey that resulted from the power politics of the time. The need for any kind of shelter and hospitality was critical. We can imagine many refugees relating to this ancient tale, especially later when the by-then young family found themselves fleeing to Egypt for safety.
One of the messages of Christmas is that the God who sent his Son to the world always invites us to find our true home with him. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (John 3:16) That eternal life results from finding our home with God, in both this world and the next.
The New Church: a place of hospitality where people can find God
Over the past few weeks people have asked me about little except how the new church building is progressing and when it will be finished. The builders were telling me that they have never had so much public interest in a job. Thanks to the competence of those builders and the 'home team' who have been overseeing this whole project, I have been able to report that all goes well and that we should have a new church for Christmas. Not many vicars can say that! All of which makes me grateful to God, to the people whom I have just mentioned and those who have given financial support. I am aware that great commitment and much self-sacrifice has been needed.
The building of the new parish church is significant for both this community and the wider diocese. It is also truly historic in our contemporary society. It bears miraculous witness to the determination to keep alive faith in the God who is revealed in that child of Bethlehem. It also shows that as a worshipping community we want to be able to extend adequate hospitality to those who would come and take even the most tentative interest in what we proclaim and practise.
This new parish church, like the old one, belongs to the whole parish: it is for everyone. It is a sacred place where we can all be reminded of the love that God has for us; a place where we can find a welcome and find ourselves at home with each other and with God. It stands on ground that has been sanctified by prayer and worship over the past seventy years. It is now up to us to ensure that the same happens to the new walls!
The End of a Journey
During the last service in the old church, I said that rather like Israel setting off from Egypt, we were beginning a journey that would make us different as individuals and as a community. As with the forty years in the wilderness, I warned, the conditions would not be ideal and there might even be some grumbling but God would provide and sustain. I have to say, I never expected the journey to be as smooth as it has been, with worship in the hall working so well and being so refreshing. God has indeed provided and sustained!
I guess like Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem, some of us will be pleased to find rest; not least from the extra work of setting up the hall for worship! It is true that we all will be pleased to be back on our holy ground, but the travelling has proved to be a blessing in so many ways. I suspect that the lessons we have learned will continue to become apparent in the coming months.
At the time of writing, we are expecting to begin using the new church for worship on Sunday, 14 December. I hope that as many people as possible, including friends who don't normally worship with us, will join us for the last stages of this amazing odyssey. Such a privilege is not an every-day opportunity! Also, there is an opportunity to have a preview on the previous day: Saturday, 13 December from 10.00am until 12 noon. And just to help, there will be coffee, mulled wine and mince pies on sale in the Millennium Centre. Bring your friends!
The Journey goes on!
It will be amazing to celebrate Christmas in the new church. As we thank God again for the gift of Jesus, we will be starting out on the next stage of the journey of this parish and on that of our lives. The wonderful thing is that we are assured in Christ that God is always travelling with us.
Next year, as a parish, we will pause to consider how God is calling us forward from this point. What priorities does he now want us to have? The PCC has already started organising the process of discernment: it promises to be a lot of fun! But more of that next year! More information about this will begin to be shared with you in January. For now, let us thank God for the gift of his Son, for the gift of his Church and for the fact that he has brought us home to this place together, rejoicing in his goodness and love.
A Prayer for Every Parish Church
O Lord Jesus Christ,
Who did go, as your custom was, to the synagogue on the Sabbath day:
Bless with your abiding presence the life of the Church in the parishes;
And grant that every parish church in our land may be as a city set on a hill,
A witness to your claims upon our worship and service,
A power-house of prayer,
And a joy and comfort to your people.
Hear us from your throne in heaven,
where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, One God, now and forever.
Amen.
With my very best wishes
John