Dear Friends
The countdown has begun!
I once heard the story of a new teacher arriving at a new school. On going into the staff room, she shaw on the notice board a line of big red numbers, reducing down to zero. Ome of the numbers has a big black lines struck through them. On asking what this was all about, she was told that these numbers represented the numbers of days left until the school holiday. “It makes us feel better when we can see the end in sight” said her rather harassed looking colleague.
I’m not sure if this how you are feeling today, but summer is here, and the traditional time for the holidays is near.
But there are other countdowns also going on at the moment. The end of of term for some young people will also mean the end of school, as they leave to venture on to University, or into employment. For others, like my youngest daughter, it means a change of school, as they move from Junior to Senior school.
And for our church, it means that two of our friends and colleagues will soon be leaving us. David Read, the Methodist Circuit Superintendent, will be retiring at the end of this month, and I am sure all of us will want to extend our best wishes to him and Mary as they settle to a new life in Lowetsoft. And Debbie Borda will shortly be taking up her new appointment as a probationer minister in the Methodist Church down in Taunton. Again, we shall be thinking and praying for Debbie and Freddie as they move into this new and exciting chapter in their lives. I personally would also like to than them both for the time and commitment they have given especially in the work with young people in our Circuit.
But as well as losses there is also gain, as we count down the days until Rev. Jean Quick will j0oin us as the new Circuit Superintendent in September. And we again pray for Jean and her husband as they prepare to move.
Countdowns mean change, and can be welcome as a holiday, or as daunting as a change of house, job or school. But in all of this, the best advice comes from the writer to the Hebrews, who said, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”.
As ‘Author’, Jesus is with us now. As ‘perfecter’, He is already there in the future, waiting for us.
Every Blessing Geoff Boxer
After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Jan died on the 6th June. But there is no way in which we should consider her death a defeat.
There is not enough space to include everything here that we would want to say about her. But I hope you will allow me to print one or two extracts from her funeral address:
On the Tuesday before she died Jan said to me- “You know
the hymn I want don’t you”.
And of course I did.
‘Shine Jesus Shine’, was not only Jan’s favourite hymn,
it was like her Theme tune. And I think when ever I heard that tune in the
future, I will always think of her. I can still see her now, as she so often
did, leading the singing from the front here (Garlinge Methodist Church), and
enthusiastically clapping along, in the MAYC tradition.
And I seem to remember on one occasion fairly recently,
when she could no longer stand during the worship, still clapping along from
her seat.
There is one particular line that says, “as we come to
Your Kingly Brightness, so our faces display your likeness”. And if that was
true of anyone, it was true of Jan. The light and the love of Jesus radiated
from her. So much so, that I am not exaggerating when I say she was a real
inspiration to so much of us ….
When Cancer was first diagnosed, Jan was initially given just six months to live.
Through God’s leading, (For example, opening up the way for Jan to be in the right place at the right time to try a new treatment). Jan’s intial 6 months has turned into 8 years.
And in those 8 years God has given us so much through
Jan, that we otherwise would not have had.
As I was preparing for this service, the story of the
Transfiguration of Jesus came into my mind. When shortly before His death, the
disciples were able to glimpse what Jesus would true be like in heaven. It was
as if Jesus was saying to them – ‘Even though I’m going to die, it’s alright;
it’s OK, God is in control. I know where I’m going.’
And in a similar way, in these last few years, the light
of Jesus has just shone through Jan’s life. Giving us a similar message: ‘Even
though I’m going to die – it’s alright; it’s OK, because I know where I’m
going.’
Sooner or later, death is something we all have to face.
But I for one will face it a little easier because of the faith and the example
of Jan’s Harris.
We thank God for her life, and continue to hold her husband Eric in our prayers.
Geoff Boxer
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
A man was complaining to a friend that his children did not come to see him unless they wanted something. ‘They never come,’ he said ‘Just for my own sake.’ The Lord’s Prayer begins with adoration. We come focus on the one whose name we hallow and whose will we seek to do. We come for ‘his own sake’, to worship, adore and reflect on the mystery of his being. Prayer is described as ‘the practice of the presence of God’. It is ‘all we are, delighting in all that he is’. Taking time to deepen our relationship with him is important, therefore, but does not preclude our seeking practical help. Indeed, asking is part of such a relationship.
Of course the man was upset that is children came to see him only when they wanted something, but he would have been devastated had he found out that one of them really needed help but was not able to trust hem enough you ask for it. That’s exactly how God is. He longs that we should come to him for his own sake, but when we do have needs, he wants us to bring them to him as well.
The Lord Prayer begins with our seeking God ‘for his own sake’. In adoration we focus upon the greatness and majesty of our father in heaven whose name and nature must be hallowed. We then commit ourselves to play our part in building his kingdom by doing his will. In following this with a request for daily bread, we are changing focus of our prayer from adoration to Intercession and petition. Having begun by seeking the face of God, we now seek the hand of God by asking for practical help.
God is our Father, We are his children, and He is there for us always.
Waiting for us to come to ‘Him’.
God bless Eddie.
How Many?
How many innocent lives does it take?
How many bitter angry tears must fall?
How many brave heroes must answer the call and on a cold and lonely
Place far from home fall?
How long do the oppressed suffer in painful silence?
How many crying babies, starving mothers must pass before or eyes?
Desensitised to such violence
How many lies and conspiracies can go unseen before enough is enough?
How long can one man call his bluff?
How long must a whisper be lost in the roar of an unjust war?
How many voices does it take to be heard?
How can one voice lost in the wilderness make a difference?
How many wailing people must cry before they are freed?
How long willit take for the great suffering and pain by all to be seen?
How long can one man scream for justice and equality?
How long can just a man pver the world have authority?
How long before action is taken that is just and fair?
How long before there is anyone to care?
How long glued to the screens will the world do nothing but stare?
How long befpre people hearts are opened and love inside revealed
No longer by greed sealed?
It takes but one man, to undo the wrong that has been done.
When danger and pain arise they will not run
One who isn’t a cowboy and disappear into the setting sun
One who will face the bullet from the enemy’s gun
Ann Marie
I would like to thank allwho prayed for the teams of Walk Wessex including myself ‘Eddie’. It was a hard mission, tiring inmind and body but a great jiy to all who took part. Many seeds were shown and we now pray that the local churches will reap the harvest. One of the many good things that came from the mission, ‘Was’ a school who would not let the churches in but will now, thanks to the team that visited the school, during the time of mission. Lots of prayer is still needed and will always be need, for all the work still being done and to be done by the churches. Through Faith Missions, and the walk of Thousand Man and their Women Associates.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news”.
Yours in Christ, Eddie.
The little worries which we meet each day
may lie as stumbling blocks across our way,
Or, we may make them stepping stones,
to be of grace, O lord to thee.
All Christians have the same employer.
They just have different jobs.
God give us all we need,
So that we can give to those in need
Those of us from Unio church, who attended the Pastoral Training Sessions, very much appreciated the help given by the Revd. David Read who shared with us from a wealth of experience in pastoral visiting.
JC
Flower Festival
This was a success with over a hundred visitors attending during the week. The visitor book shows their appreciation. Thanks to everyone who helped in any way.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who supported me in my Admission Service as a Local Preacher. Throughout my time of study abd trial preaching I have been upheld by the prayers, love and support of so many people. I now feel I should wear ‘P’ plates as there is always so much to learn. Please continue with your prayers and with God’s help I shall do my best to serve Him and you.
I am
enclosing this note just to some of you who receive this news to ask for
prayer for the town of Enniscorthy. It has just been on our minds of late
of the oppression that is over Enniscorthy. The river Slaney that flows through
Enniscorthy is frequently having young men commit suicide in it. This is
often no long reported as it is such a regular occurrence. Was just talking
to a young man who shared he had lost four of his best friends in the river
and he himself had tried twice. In his own words “when you sit by the river
long enough it calls you!!” We have such a desire to reach these people and
yet.. how? Was very encouraged a few weeks back when a friend knocked on my
door at 2.30 one morning in marriage difficulties, drunk and beaten up and
he told me “if you hadn’t answered, next stop was the river!” Only
last night one of our friends on entering her block of flats was assaulted
with a blow to the back of the head and beaten, knocked unconscious with
her one year old baby watching on! Enniscorthy isn’t the quite town it
looks to be in the day, with frequent fights and trouble at night. We feel
it a privilege to be called to Enniscorthy, it is great that in such
darkness the light of the Gospel can shine. But please hold this town, it’s
people and us up in prayer. Thank you. From
Stephen
Urgent Prayer Request
Lord,
We pray that we may go through this day with your name on our lips and in our heart, offering each moment for your glory.
Lord,
We know that you are there and that your love watches over us at all times, when thing go well and when things go badly. When my heart is joyful and when it is breaking. To know this is to know you are there. In your love lies all the comfort, strength and encouragement needed to keep on keeping on.
The pattern of our lives is formed with tender loving care,
And he who does the weaving, works in colours dark and fair.
We see odd strands of colour as the tapestry unfolds.
Not understanding why, there must be Greys among the Golds.
But in the Master Weaver’s eye the whole design is clear, for He alone know why and when the dark threads must appear :- and if we trust His guiding hand than one day we shall see.
The final picture woen in a Perfect Tapestry.