All the latest happenings at All Saints.
Happy Easter! Together this lent we have travelled with Jesus through the wilderness and the road he walked to Jerusalem. We have watched and prayed as Christ suffered and was crucified. We have discovered the empty tomb and met Jesus on Easter Sunday. Now the journey goes on through the Easter season.
The wonder of that journey is one that we may struggle to fully understand. Yet we know the ending of the story, one of Resurrection and Ascension and Pentecost. The disciples did not, even though Jesus gave them plenty of clues in the time before the events of the first Easter.
Jesus said:
That pattern of death and new life reaches out beyond that moment in history. It is seen in the blood of the martyrs, in the sacrifice of countless individuals. It stands in stark contrast to the obsession with self that sometimes dominates our culture.
Jesus says:
That pattern of death and new life goes beyond us as individuals. It applies to whole movements in the church. Throughout history, different expressions of church have grown up and withered away. This is hard for all of us.
The catholic tradition, which originally established All Saints, that was so successful in the Church of England that many parishes that embraced it began to view themselves as Middle of the Road, is waning. Not the faith and spirituality, but rather the lifestyle. Not so much the what and why of what we do, but the how. As a movement we have to let go of some of the externals we cherished, allow them to fall into the ground and die so something new may be born.
For me the reality of this came home a few years ago, as I discovered that those who shared my passion for people falling in love with Jesus were people that worshipped in a very different way to me. I had to abandon some prejudices and anger. I went back to the spiritual desire of those who first longed for catholic renewal in the Church of England. Then to be catholic – or apostolical as they called it - meant personal daily prayer, a focus on the Eucharist and an openness to the work of God in peoples lives. It was a simpler time - much of the richness of our tradition at All Saints would have been considered far too ‘Continental’!
But that richness is one thing that still has much to offer people searching for Jesus today. That heart for God present among us in sign and symbol is as vital as ever. I am committed to both.
Yet the challenge remains. What that we do as a church needs to fall into the ground and die that we may bear much fruit? What within us as followers of Jesus has to fall into the ground and die that we may know the fullness of new life?
As we celebrate together the Easter season let our hearts be open to God to hear the answers that together we may be filled with resurrection life.
God Bless,
Fr. Eddie
The wonder of that journey is one that we may struggle to fully understand. Yet we know the ending of the story, one of Resurrection and Ascension and Pentecost. The disciples did not, even though Jesus gave them plenty of clues in the time before the events of the first Easter.
Jesus said:
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit”If Jesus is the seed, then we here today are a part of the fruit. We may confess boldly that Jesus died and rose for us, and in the simplest sense, it means this: That unless Jesus as the seed had fallen into the ground and died then there would be no resurrection and no Church. The death of Jesus was not just a historical accident, tragic in its inevitability, but through the resurrection becomes the turning point of God’s plan in history.
That pattern of death and new life reaches out beyond that moment in history. It is seen in the blood of the martyrs, in the sacrifice of countless individuals. It stands in stark contrast to the obsession with self that sometimes dominates our culture.
Jesus says:
“Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”The world life does not just mean a biological process, but rather who we are. Today we might talk about our lifestyle, and Jesus says we must be willing to let it go to have the fullness of eternal life. Sacrifice and loss are essential in following Jesus.
That pattern of death and new life goes beyond us as individuals. It applies to whole movements in the church. Throughout history, different expressions of church have grown up and withered away. This is hard for all of us.
The catholic tradition, which originally established All Saints, that was so successful in the Church of England that many parishes that embraced it began to view themselves as Middle of the Road, is waning. Not the faith and spirituality, but rather the lifestyle. Not so much the what and why of what we do, but the how. As a movement we have to let go of some of the externals we cherished, allow them to fall into the ground and die so something new may be born.
For me the reality of this came home a few years ago, as I discovered that those who shared my passion for people falling in love with Jesus were people that worshipped in a very different way to me. I had to abandon some prejudices and anger. I went back to the spiritual desire of those who first longed for catholic renewal in the Church of England. Then to be catholic – or apostolical as they called it - meant personal daily prayer, a focus on the Eucharist and an openness to the work of God in peoples lives. It was a simpler time - much of the richness of our tradition at All Saints would have been considered far too ‘Continental’!
But that richness is one thing that still has much to offer people searching for Jesus today. That heart for God present among us in sign and symbol is as vital as ever. I am committed to both.
Yet the challenge remains. What that we do as a church needs to fall into the ground and die that we may bear much fruit? What within us as followers of Jesus has to fall into the ground and die that we may know the fullness of new life?
As we celebrate together the Easter season let our hearts be open to God to hear the answers that together we may be filled with resurrection life.
God Bless,
Fr. Eddie
Jesus had gone into death with the power of life and could not be held there. He broke out into a new kind of life which was never going to end. The offer of forgiveness and eternal life is there for each one of us
In St.John’s Gospel chapter 20 we see how Jesus stood among the gathered disciples and announced “Peace be with you.” Jesus breathed on his disciples and said receive the Holy Spirit - he had to do this physically so they would believe and the Holy Spirit is still with us to-day and assures us of communion with God.
Sometimes we get weighed down with problems which overcome us and just like candles with wicks which get too soaked in oil and will not burn – we flicker and waver and drift away from the light of Christ. This can easily happen as the year progresses. After over 2000 years that promise is still with us – God is with us – the tomb was empty – through Christ we have been put right with God.
At Easter tide surely our faith should be stronger than any other time in the year, we need to hold onto that throughout the coming year.
Keeping the light of the risen Christ alive in our hearts shining brightly in our lives – lighting our paths: Psalm 119 v 105. “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” But we must continually keep our path alive with God through prayer – through faith that the Holy Spirit of God is continually with us – do not allow it to become saturated with doubts – like the candle flickering and wavering in oil.
In the book of Revelation to John we are asked to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches in the first century. God is saying the same thing to the churches in this century. We must share with others what God has shared with us – (As St.Francis said “not only in words but in our actions”) we have all been given a gift by God which he expects us to share with others.
To-day our hearts should be alight with the knowledge of the presence of the Holy Spirit. The church is the creation of the Holy Spirit – not the building - but a group of believers who owe their spiritual life to Him so let us open ourselves to the Holy Spirit – and allow Him to direct our lives – Open our hearts to the gift of God’s Grace which he gives freely to each one of us. May we know the joy of leading others through the door of salvation and out through the doors of service.
To-day we are alive with the Holy Spirit let us keep our hearts alive to Him in the year ahead. I wish you all a Holy Easter tide and God’s Blessings on the year ahead.
Wendy Simpson
May I suggest you simply spend time holding or focusing on a cross – maybe your Palm Sunday Cross, and remembering our Lord’s death and resurrection.
Services for Holy Week 2015. Please contact us for details
Monday of Holy Week
19.30 40 Reflection
Tuesday of Holy Week
12:00 Reflection & Lunch at the Harvester
19.30 Stations of the Cross
Wednesday of Holy Week
19.30 Eucharist & Anointing
Thursday of Holy Week
19.30 Eucharist & Foot Washing. Watch.
Good Friday
09.30 Children's Workshop (until 13.30)
14:00 The Liturgy of the Cross
Holy Saturday
20.00 The Service of Light
Easter Day 5th April
08.00 BCP Eucharist,
10.00 Family Eucharist
18.30 Evensong
Easter Monday
08.30 Breakfast then Easter Pilgrimage
Dear Friends
When we gather to worship on Sunday we are in a way taking part in two different services.
The first is the Ministry of the Word: A welcome, a reflection on our sins, the reading of Scripture and the proclaiming of the Gospel, Sermon, Creed and prayers.
The second part is the Ministry of the Sacrament where are focus switches to the table and the offering of bread and wine, Christ’s Body and blood.
In the early church the first part of the service would have been open to all, and very close to the services in the synagogue that Jesus was a part of. The second part of the service would have been more private - those who were not yet baptised would have left before the bread and wine were offered. Being baptised wasn’t a case of booking a service either. Baptisms frequently happened at Easter and adult candidates would undergo forty days of prayer, fasting and preparation before they became full members of the church. This discipline was eventually adopted by all Christians and became the season we now celebrate, Lent.
At the hinge of the first and second parts of the service we now have the peace, rooted in Paul’s and Peter’s commands to “Greet one another with a Holy Kiss of Love”. It may seem to be a disruptive break in our worship, but then so would have been the leaving of the unbaptised in the earliest church. The children come back in, we move around and greet one another, sharing Christ’s Peace.
And it is the Peace of God that we share.
New Zealand Anglican Priest Bosco Peter’s writes:
“The Peace is part of worship …To seek out our friends and ignore the stranger or visitor or the one with whom we really need to seek reconciliation is to miss the point of the Peace. The Peace anticipates the coming kingdom … it is the Peace which should shape the atmosphere of morning tea after church, rather than the atmosphere of … morning tea being that which shapes the way we relate at the Peace.”
Jean Lebon lays down a challenge:
“It (the Sign of Peace) is a point where one sees whether the liturgy holds together. If the congregation has not really been welded together during the course of the Mass, then it is useless and inappropriate to perform this action.”
None of this is a criticism of how we share the Peace at All Saints! Rather it is a reminder of why we share the Peace with one another. And not just one another. At the end of the service we ‘Go in Peace’ – taking all that we have shared out into the wider world. Bringing God’s peace and the joy of our Christian family to our friends, family and neighbours.
So Peace be with you this Lent,
Much Love,
Fr. Eddie
Spring – the time for sowing and planting – and it’s nearly here!
Perhaps as you choose and sow your seeds, in the place you have prepared, and water them and watch them grow, until you can harvest the crop, or enjoy the flowers, you may consider your spiritual life, and include the thoughts in your prayer time.
- How have you prepared yourself to receive God’s word?
- What choices have you made?
- What could you do to nurture God’s life within you?
At the same time, we need to remember and pray for those who struggle with these matters, and, on a much more practical note, to pray for farmers everywhere as they work to produce food: this is a Coptic prayer from Egypt printed in the Christian Aid Prayer Diary:
Bless, O Lord, the plants, the vegetation and the herbs of the field,
that they may grow and increase to fullness and bear much fruit.
And may the fruit of the land remind us of the spiritual fruit we are to bear.
Amen
Something to do
Light a candle and sit quietly, watching the flame. Think how a flame gives warmth and light: both of these are essential for life. Remember how God spoke to Moses from the burning bush. Remember how Jesus came as ‘The Light of the World’. Pray that your heart will be warmed by hearing God’s word, and your path lit as you follow Jesus.
A Prayer of St. Columba
My dearest Lord,
Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me,
Be thou a smooth path beneath me,
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
Today and for evermore.
Dear Friends,
This month I want to say two simple words – Thank you.
Thank you to all the people who volunteer at All Saints and contribute to our life together. People who volunteer in different ways, some practical, some spiritual, many that are both. Churches run on volunteers and they are frequently not easy to replace when for whatever reason they are no longer able to continue their service.
Service is a good word for volunteers. We may think of the servers as those who robe and assist at the altar during Holy Communion. We may think of ‘The Service’ as what we gather for on Sunday (or during the week). Both are related to worship. When we volunteer at church it is a part of our worship – our offering to God. And like all of our worship volunteering not only is a gift to God but enriches each of us spiritually.
So do we have enough volunteers at All Saints? Well I have never known a Vicar who said that we had enough Volunteers! At All Saints we do pretty well however. Many congregations struggle, especially for the more spiritual roles such as serving, welcoming, hospitality, interceding or leading children’s work. There are many other areas of church life where we are well served too – after 16 months I still feel I am only exploring the tip of the iceberg of who does what! Whilst we would always welcome more people in these areas I am very impressed by the quantity (and quality) of those who give of themselves in these roles.
However where we struggle a little is in volunteers for some of the more one off practical things that need doing - working parties for example! There are a number of things that need special attention through this year. One is the impression we give at the entrances of the Church – our car park entrance is in good condition, but many people walk through the vicarage driveway. Another is the impression we give from the front of our hall, which is beginning to look a little tired. Those of us on the Mission Action Group have been thinking about these and other areas as we look towards the future.
Volunteering should never be about compulsion but vocation. Vocation means every one of us being who God has called us to be - it is not just about the ministry team! God has called each of us to a rich and rewarding life with him as part of his family the church. The Bible speaks of how we are one body with many parts – each with an essential role to play. If you would like some help reflecting on what your part may be in the body of the church then please drop me a line – I will be glad to talk and pray with you.
So here’s to the volunteers in all aspects of All Saints life. Every single one is valued and appreciated.
God bless,
Eddie
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
1 Cor 12:27
This month I want to say two simple words – Thank you.
Thank you to all the people who volunteer at All Saints and contribute to our life together. People who volunteer in different ways, some practical, some spiritual, many that are both. Churches run on volunteers and they are frequently not easy to replace when for whatever reason they are no longer able to continue their service.
Service is a good word for volunteers. We may think of the servers as those who robe and assist at the altar during Holy Communion. We may think of ‘The Service’ as what we gather for on Sunday (or during the week). Both are related to worship. When we volunteer at church it is a part of our worship – our offering to God. And like all of our worship volunteering not only is a gift to God but enriches each of us spiritually.
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| http://www.cartoonchurch.com/ |
So do we have enough volunteers at All Saints? Well I have never known a Vicar who said that we had enough Volunteers! At All Saints we do pretty well however. Many congregations struggle, especially for the more spiritual roles such as serving, welcoming, hospitality, interceding or leading children’s work. There are many other areas of church life where we are well served too – after 16 months I still feel I am only exploring the tip of the iceberg of who does what! Whilst we would always welcome more people in these areas I am very impressed by the quantity (and quality) of those who give of themselves in these roles.
However where we struggle a little is in volunteers for some of the more one off practical things that need doing - working parties for example! There are a number of things that need special attention through this year. One is the impression we give at the entrances of the Church – our car park entrance is in good condition, but many people walk through the vicarage driveway. Another is the impression we give from the front of our hall, which is beginning to look a little tired. Those of us on the Mission Action Group have been thinking about these and other areas as we look towards the future.
Volunteering should never be about compulsion but vocation. Vocation means every one of us being who God has called us to be - it is not just about the ministry team! God has called each of us to a rich and rewarding life with him as part of his family the church. The Bible speaks of how we are one body with many parts – each with an essential role to play. If you would like some help reflecting on what your part may be in the body of the church then please drop me a line – I will be glad to talk and pray with you.
So here’s to the volunteers in all aspects of All Saints life. Every single one is valued and appreciated.
God bless,
Eddie
JANUARY TASKS
And, have you made any New Year Resolutions? Mine is almost always the same (- which tells you how bad I am at keeping it!): I vow to be better at keeping in touch with my friends and relations by visits, letters and ‘phone calls. I reckon it would be good to include God in that list as well, and to try and spend time listening and being more alert to His presence!
Sun 18th Jan Pulpit Swap - Revd Duncan Campbell will be preaching
Mon 19th Jan 8pm Kingswood Baptist
Tues 20th Jan 8pm Garston Community Church
Wed 21st Jan 12.15pm North Watford Methodist
Thurs 22nd Jan 5.30pm - 7.30pm Leavesden Road
Baptist Family Flexi Church with singing, arts and crafts, activities and family food all welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult
Fri 24th Jan 8pm Woodside Church of the Nazarene
Sat 25th Jan 10.30am Grace Communion at St Peters
Sun 26th Jan 4pm Christ Church
Happy New Year!
In the New Year it is traditional to take a thoughtful look at ourselves and where we are – even who we are. I was reminded of this early December when I had to fill in a form describing the worshiping tradition and spirituality of the parish. Like many of these things the form soon descended into ‘Christianese’!
One option was Central – or ‘Middle of the Road’. Every Parish I have ever worshiped in thought it was ‘Middle of the Road’. Unfortunately the ‘Middle of the Road’ is always moving about - and there is a lot about us at All Saints that is not ‘Middle of the Road’. We have votive candles, incense, a robed choir, processions, servers, statues of saints, Stations of the Cross, and our main Sunday service is always Holy Communion. Not only do we have these things but we inhabit them - they are a part of how we pray, how we live and how we worship. We are not ‘Middle of the Road’.
So perhaps we are High Church - well this wasn't even an option! High always seems to come with a following ‘and Dry’ and All Saints is anything but dry. There is an infectious enthusiasm to our worship and family life, evidenced in how we share the peace, greet one another and wave flags. I know a few folks in a Matins congregation who would consider us rather Happy Clappy!
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| http://www.cartoonchurch.com/ |
Happy Clappy was also not on the list, but Charismatic was. You may associate Charismatic with Evangelical teaching and loud worship bands. Yet in Anglicanism the Charismatic started in churches much like All Saints and spread through places of pilgrimage like Walsingham. Archbishop Ramsey was a great supporter of the movement too. At All Saints we have an openness to the Spirit, especially expressed in prayer ministry and the laying on of hands, and in some of the more modern hymns, chants and songs we sing.
Inclusive was also (sadly) not on the list. At All Saints we have an openness to all people and their ministry irrespective of their gender or who they have fallen in love with. Fr. Jeffry John is an inspiration to many of us too. Last year Fr. Jeffrey visited All Saints with other ordained men and women who are members of the Society of Catholic Priests - he would describe himself as Anglo-Catholic.
As would I.
I am an Anglican Catholic, which ddoesn'tmean I am secretly a Roman Catholic, any more than an Anglican Evangelical is secretly a Baptist Evangelical. What it does mean is that I see Anglicanism as part of a great family of spirituality that includes Lutherans, Wesleyans, Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Middle and Far Eastern Christians. Catholic to me is a broad inclusive term that speaks of spirituality and depth. It sums up the richness of sign, symbol and sacrament we treasure at All Saints, and our welcome to all.
And so I put Catholic. And to reflect our openness to the work of the Spirit among us in action, prayer and song I went for … Contemporary Catholic.
Which doesn't really matter that much – forget the label, it was only for a form! But I hope the process of getting there reminds us of what is so special and unique at All Saints, as individuals and as a worshiping congregation. We bring together different paths and experiences into a community rooted in a precious history, centred on breaking of bread and sharing of wine as we offer our all to God. This New Year, may we all grow into the fullness of what God has called us to be.
With love.
Fr. Eddie
