Dear Friends,

Autumns colours are already giving way to winter’s as the mists hang heavy over street and field. We are passing through remembrance-tide, celebrating All Souls, All Saints, and Remembrance. Advent and preparations for celebrating the Christ-Mass beckon. The year may seem to be vanishing before our eyes!

Yet in that space the Church celebrates an unlikely season as our liturgical year draws to its close. We remember Christ the King.

Image: nighthawk101stock

Kingship is a strange idea to our modern western minds. Our monarchy is valued and celebrated but we are aware that ultimate authority does not rest with our hereditary monarch. We tend to consider other nations with ruling dynasties to be dictatorships with the assumption that they are seldom benign.



Christ’s Kingdom is different, a fulfilment of the Kingdom of David. David was a shepherd boy, who I am sure you remember defeated the mightiest military force of his time (Goliath) with five smooth stones. When Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of heaven he does not speak of courts and hierarchy but of the lowliest being brought up to the highest places, of the first being last and the last being first. Following on from the teaching of the Old Testament, the writer of the book of Hebrews confirms that within this new Kingdom we are all part of a royal priesthood. At baptism I always anoint the new member of the family of God with oil as sign and symbol, just as the Queen was anointed at her coronation. Jesus’ Kingdom includes rather than excludes. It reaches out to the streets and draws in the lost and homeless. It confronts the principalities and powers of this world with the smooth stones of service and love.

The stones that David used were washed by the living waters of a river. Later the cloud that broke the drought in Israel in the time of Elijah was ‘a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand’, suggesting a fivefold shape as much as a size. The ministries of the church are described as fivefold by St. Paul as he speaks of the episcopal ministry of apostles, the diaconal ministry of prophets and evangelists, and the priestly ministry of pastors and teachers. Where the church has hierarchy it is anchored in these small things, watered by the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps this Kingdom season we too can find 5 small things to change how we engage with the world and bring in Christ’s Kingdom? We may not all be apostles but we certainly have oversight over our own households and buying choices, how can we do so in a way that honours those less fortunate? We may not all be prophets and evangelists but can we speak out on areas of injustice and share the love of Christ with others? We may not all be pastors and teachers, but can we give more time to caring for others and teaching them by example the best way to live their lives?

Then with confidence we can pray together the words of the Lord’s Prayer, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

God bless,

Eddie

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Watch the video about our Action Groups.

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Dear Friends,

When was the last time you went to Mass?

The answer is of course probably last Sunday or, one of the midweek services at All Saints. We don’t tend to use the word Mass very often, but most of us go to a service named Mass at least once a year – at Christ- Mass for Midnight Mass.

The different words we use for Holy Communion have different meanings and origins.



We might talk about the Lord’s Supper which reminds us that we are sharing a meal. St Paul writing to the Corinthians admonished them however:

When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.

The Corinthian practice was to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as part of a meal, a ‘bring and share’ if you like. However it was clear that there was more bringing than sharing going on! We can’t assume that all early celebrations of the Eucharist were informal – the Last Supper itself was part of a very ritual meal. However the language of Eucharist as a shared feast, both now and pointing towards the heavenly banquet is part of our worship and liturgy.

We might use the term Holy Communion. Again to the Corinthians Paul writes:

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Communion speaks of being made one body with Christ, of the real presence of Christ in bread and wine, of holy intimacy with God. God does not force intimacy upon us, but in the Eucharist it is always available - God is reaching out to us in Jesus. The danger is that Communion can become a private devotion, Communion must be shared with one another as well as God.

At All Saints we refer to our main service as the Eucharist. This again comes from Paul

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me".

Eucharist means ‘Thanksgiving’ and this was the term used by many of the early Christian writers. When we gather at the table we give thanks to God for all he is and has done especially in Jesus. ‘Eucharist’ suggests far more than just saying ‘Thank you for the bread & wine’, it suggests a full prayer of Thanksgiving just as we use. In the early church these Thanksgivings would have had space for extempore prayers and have lasted far longer than the shorter Eucharistic prayers we use today – be warned!

Another term was also used by early Christian writers was the Offering. The Eucharist was understood not just as a supper, not just as intimacy with God, not just as thanksgiving, but as a sacrifice. Not that we need to re-sacrifice Jesus every Eucharist, but that at the table we participate in that sacrifice. This is most explicit in John’s Gospel where the story of the last supper doesn’t involve the ‘words of institution’ (‘This is my … Do this’) over bread and wine, but the images of bread and wine, body and blood encompass the whole of the crucifixion.

Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot … Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips … One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

For John what happened at Holy Communion was what happened at the crucifixion. The use of the term Offering by early writers also suggests that that they understood Jesus’s words ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ to mean ‘Offer this as a memorial offering of me’ although Greek scholars don’t all agree!

So what then of Mass, the term that many Lutherans and Catholics use on a regular basis, and Anglicans use less often – sometimes only at midnight? Mass comes from the conclusion of the service in Latin ‘Ite, missa est’ (‘Go; it is the dismissal’). Mass refers to the mission God gives us at every Eucharist, to take the Good News and share it with the world in word and action. The Mass then is a starting point rather than an ending point in our Christian lives. We express the term Mass as we ‘Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord’.

It is no wonder that in the Eastern Church avoids all these terms and simply call the Eucharist ‘The Holy Mysteries’ as one word cannot encompass all that God does for us at every Mass! All of these terms are found in our liturgy, so why not prayerfully listen for the words ‘Supper’, ‘Communion’, ‘Thanks’, ‘Offer’ and ‘Send/Go’ at your next Eucharist?

God bless,

Fr. Eddie

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Something to do

This month’s idea comes from several sources. The 17th century French monk, Brother Lawrence, working in the monastery kitchen, found it just as easy to converse and pray to God there, as in church. Pat, leading the mid-week service at my friends’ church last week, included a prayer/poem which used each day’s activity as a starting place for a prayer: Monday: Washing Day and being cleansed from sin, etc. One week last month in the Tearfund Prayer Diary, each day took a different regular activity such as cleaning our teeth, going to school, etc., as a reminder to pray for those who may not have easy access to water, education, etc. So that is this month’s suggestion, that you choose some everyday activities, and use them as a starting point for prayer, either for yourself, or for others whom the activities remind you of. If you would like to write them down, maybe next month we could gather together and pray each other’s prayers.

Something to pray for

Please read and pray about the need for action on Climate Change, and Christian Aid’s Hunger for Justice campaign.

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Dear Friends,

After this the Lord appointed 72 others. He sent them out two by two ahead of him. They went to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.
Luke 10:1-2

I have to say the last 8 months since I arrived at All Saints have been very busy. As a Christian community we have achieved so much, and I am delighted to be a part of the All Saints family. There is a buzz at All Saints, and it has been noticed further afield in the Diocese too. Recent events celebrating Sue’s Licensing, and Bishop Alan’s visit to bless our roof have underlined the huge range of people involved making All Saints so vibrant.

The work and changes that I have arrived in the midst of have raised questions about what happens next! In the short term we need look at our organ and supporting our choir and musicians, building on our warm welcome and invitation to new people, and how to best care for members of the congregation and community. In the medium term we need to think about how to provide a Christian presence for the whole parish of Leavesden. Longer term people have lots of different ideas about how to make best use of our fantastic hall and how best to seat people in Church. In all of this we need to hear the voice of God – and that is not something I can do alone, just as Jesus shared his ministry with the 12 and the 72.



Having spoken with the wardens and PCC what I would like to do is form action groups working on three areas. These groups will be open to anyone with an interest and heart for that area, who is willing to get involved. The groups are ultimately accountable to the ‘Vicar and PCC’, and coming along is likely to get your initials next to an ‘Action Point’ at the end of the meeting!

The first area is Worship. This group will be meeting together to reflect on our worship and the way the space in church is best used for worship. Both practical and spiritual the group will be a place to think about regular services and to contribute to them. It may be involved in planning special services too. The layout of the church building over the coming years will also be considered.

The second area is Mission. All Saints has remained a healthy and lively church over the years by sharing the Christian Faith with others and by serving the community around it. Mission can mean a simple invitation to a neighbour, or it can mean helping our neighbours in need. This group will also look at how we welcome new people to church and follow up on our many weddings and baptisms.

The third area is Pastoral. When a church is as successful as All Saints pastoral care of the whole congregation becomes more challenging. However we are blessed with a gifted group of people who can provide pastoral care. This group will meet to consider how best to reflect the pastoral needs of different groups and ensure that no one falls through the gaps.

A number of people have already expressed interest in these different areas, and if you are interested then please speak to a member of the ministry team or a warden. I am committed to all three areas of church life but am excited about sharing ministry as Jesus shared his with the 72.

Fr. Eddie

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Something to do

Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God.” As we come to the Harvest Festival, and thank God for His provision for us, I wonder if you generally say Grace at meal-times? Sadly, I only tend to remember when I have guests and there hasn’t been a crisis in the kitchen! Perhaps now is a good time to start, using your own words, or reading one. Some of you may have one of those wooden cubes with a prayer on each side. If not – why not make one from card? – And here are some prayers you may like to use:

Thank you for the hands that sow the grain, 

Thank you for the hands that fish the sea, 

Thank you for the sunshine and the rain, 

Thank you for the hands that care for me. 

Amen

Food for our hunger, water for our thirst, 

Shoes for our little feet, but first things first: 

Thanks be to Heaven, Thanks be to God 

That we go satisfied, sheltered and shod.

O God, to those who have hunger give bread, 

and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice. 

Amen

That last prayer provides a link to other matters we may pray about: justice and provision for the poor and needy; care for God’s earth; the practice of welcome and hospitality.

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Something to do

- Choose a spot that may be special for you: maybe a corner of your garden, or a seat in the park, or a church, or - - - ; or if you are away on holiday, maybe a place with a beautiful view, or a beach, or - - - . Spend time there praying, thinking, listening, meditating, knitting, reading, - - - . Buy a post-card of that place, or draw it, or take a photo, - On the back of the card maybe write about how you feel when there, or copy a poem about that place, or write a prayer, or - - -. When back in the busy world, use the card to remind you of the quiet times in that special place. Next month there will be the opportunity to share those special places.

Something to pray for

• Remember friends and family away on holiday, that it will be a time of enjoyment, & relaxation, and that they will be safe.
• Remember those who cannot manage to go away, that they too will be able to find fun and a chance to rest at this time.
• Remember the organisations who work to provide holidays for those in need.

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