Hello everyone,
Welcome to the latest issue of our church newsletter. I hope you are all keeping well. Our church is now open for Sunday services but we will continue to live-stream our services and send out our newsletter regularly for the foreseeable future. Please note that there will be no newsletter next week as Louise is taking a break. The next newsletter will be sent out on 13 August.
You can find previous issues of the newsletter here. We would love to hear from you and are always looking for uplifting and encouraging content to share in future issues of this newsletter. If you have any ideas or content that we can share, please do email them to Louise (publicity@christchurchuxbridge.org.uk)
We start with our opening prayer:
Dear God,
As we enter this next phase of ‘Freedom’ with fewer restrictions, may we realise that we were always ‘free’; free to love, free to care, free to give joy. With the lessons learned from this past year, may we be unleashed to love as you do by being of service to our fellow brothers and sisters with renewed energy and commitment. For in this way, we not only exercise our freedom, but also our faith.
Amen
(Alexandra Priddy, Elder & Children’s Church Leader, Trinity Mill Hill URC, from the URC ‘Prayers during the pandemic’)
Reflection from 25 July: See what you hear
Reading: Ephesians 1.5-23
Paul’s prayer: with the eyes of your heart enlightened
To see Jesus as he is – Lord of all
(The authority from whom all true authority derives).
Mark 4: 24-25: Jesus said: SEE what you hear
Strange instruction: Read the Statement Concerning the Nature, Faith and Order while I preach! [you can find this here]
Whenever we meditate on Authority within the Church, and those who are called and ordained to bear authority, we are drawn to Jesus as the highest Authority.
Jesus was born and judicially killed under a legal constitution of the Roman slave empire, the biggest and most vicious ever. It took the Church of Jesus many centuries to rid itself of a love affair with an empire based on hierarchical order.
Our own history, as heirs to European religious wars (the Reformation) struggled to accept a church arrangement that accorded with the emerging political democracies in Europe and America.
A work ever in progress as we prepare to ordain and induct Stephanie and Cathy and Louise. A work in progress in which we honour the struggles of John Wesley who was forced by the Holy Spirit to form non-hierarchical fellowships stripped for world mission and to learn from his mother, Susannah, parallels with Baptists, Independents, Moravians and the Society of Friends which left forms of eldership modelled on the radical Jewish ministry of Paul, himself from the Stoic city of Tarsus, with its teachings of inner freedom. Paul learned his ministry with the key word “Apostello” – I send.
God, through the Holy Spirit of Jesus, sends and elects. And this is where we are now reviewing our collective ministry as adult Christians in Uxbridge.
Both readings today centre on the churches’ emphasis on the INSIGHT needed for our equal ministry. In Paul’s summary epistle to the Ephesians he prays for our equal, re-formed elders on this day:
Ephesians 1:15-23
That the eyes of our heart may be enlightened to know what the hope is to which you are called which is nothing less than living continuously “in the heavenly places”.
This returns us to the Jesus of the Resurrection when he bids the disciples (Mark 4:24-25) with what I pray may be the take home words:
(From the parable of not putting the lamp under the bed)!
“See what you hear.”
Jesus bids us to have constant visualization of Him as Teacher of the Church and daily learning of the equality of discipleship and leadership within the Church.
As Paul wrote: “Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” (Ephesians 1.18)
We pray for insight and imaging, never to lose sight of this heaven on earth which is the one vision which endures.
And this is what we are conscious of in the Statement of Faith and Order, which you have been internalizing, as I speak!
And I append some words of the great Catholic liberal historian, John Acton, on the church revolution brought to the English constitution by our radical Christian ancestors:
Lord John Acton (Catholic Historian) from ‘The History of Freedom’ (1922)
On a high point in English Constitutional Liberty and the role of Protestant Nonconformity in its formation
“The power of Independency was not in relation to theology, but to Church government. They did not admit the finality of doctrinal formulas, but awaited the development of truth to come. Each congregation governed itself independently, and every member of the Church participated in its administration. There was consociation, but not subordination. The Church was governed, not by the State or by bishops or by the presbytery, but by the multitude of which it was composed. It was the ideal of local self-government and of democracy. Institutions which are the work of History were abolished in favour of popular control; and an Established Church, a Church connected with the State, was the supreme abomination, and went by the name of Babylon.
The political consequences reached far. The supremacy of the people, being accepted in Church government, could not be repudiated in the State. There was a strong prejudice in its favour. “We are not over one another,” said Robinson, “but one with another.” They inclined not only to liberty, but to equality, and rejected the authority of the past and the control of the living by the dead. The sovereignty of the yellow parchment fell before the light of reason. As there was no State Church, there could be no right of coercion over consciences. Persecution was declared to be spiritual murder. The age of Luther and the Reformation was an age of darkness. All sects alike were to be free, and Catholics, Jews, and Turks as well. The Independents fought, as they expressed it, not for their religion, but for liberty of conscience, which is the birthright of man. There was no place in their creed for a special prerogative of Englishmen over other nations, or of Independents over other churches. All this was in the stringent logic of the system, the immediate consequence of their dogmas on the constitution of the Church, and this gave to their liberalism the invaluable foundation of religion. Not every one of them saw equally far, or applied principles with equal courage. In the matter of tolerance they were supported by the Baptists, and after the appearance of Penn, by the Quakers.
In 1641 there was only one congregation in London, and it consisted of sixty or seventy members. Ten years earlier Lord Brooke writes that there were not above two hundred Nonconformists in all England. It is clear that the rapid growth of numbers baffled all calculation. The Independents did not bring on the Civil War, but they were strong enough to bring it to a conclusion; and when all the direct effects of their victory passed away, their ideas survived.”
Rev’d Jon Dean
Our readings for this week
John 6:24-35 (NIV)
24 Once the crowd realised that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
Jesus the bread of life
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’
26 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’
28 Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’
29 Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’
30 So they asked him, ‘What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’
32 Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’
34 ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’
35 Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Further readings from the lectionary this week are as follows:
- Ephesians 4:1-16
- Psalm 78:23-29
- Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Readings for w/c 8 August
John 6:35, 41-51 (NIV)
35 Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ 42 They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven”?’
43 ‘Stop grumbling among yourselves,’ Jesus answered. 44 ‘No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: “They will all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’
Further readings from the lectionary this week are as follows:
- Ephesians 4:25-2
- Psalm 34:1-8
- 1 Kings 19:4-8
Our worship
We meet at 11am for our Sunday services, which are also live-streamed on our Facebook page. If you wish to view our services online, you can find them at www.facebook.com/christchurchuxbridge. You do not have to be a Facebook user to watch them – our services are publicly viewable. You can also view a recent service on our church website. This week’s service will be led by URC lay preacher Lilian Evans. . You can find the order of service here.
If you are unable to join us in person or online for our Sunday services, but would like to receive a recording of them on a memory stick to watch at home, please let us know.
Forthcoming services
8 August – Christ Church worship group
15 August – Mrs Joanne Davies (Methodist local preacher)
22 August – Christ Church worship group
29 August – Rev’d Dr Claire Potter (Methodist minister) – communion service
5 September – Christ Church worship group
Bible exploration
Our final Bible exploration session before our summer break focused on immersing ourselves in God’s word as we discussed our thoughts on the Bible and how we apply it to our lives and the things that deflect us from Scripture. As always we were left with three challenge ideas, as follows:
1. Listen to the Psalms
Sons of Korah are an Australian band who give the Psalms a fresh hearing through their music. To enjoy a dynamic, rich way to meditate on the Psalms, visit sonsofkorah.com to access their music.
2. Listen to the New Testament
Over the next 40 days, you could commit yourself to listening to the whole of the New Testament! You can purchase a dramatized audio CD/MP3 version of the New Testament from Bible Society or search You’ve Got the Time on Spotify to listen for free!
3. Lectio
Take five to ten minutes each day this week to focus on a small section of Scripture. Read it aloud slowly three times, allowing for a brief time of silence between readings to meditate. In the first reading, listen for a word or phrase or idea that captures your attention. Then focus or meditate on that word/phrase. During the second reading, pay attention to how the word or phrase speaks to your life right now. What could it mean for you? How does it resonate in your life right now? During the last reading, focus on what you sense God might be calling you to do or to become. The Psalms are a good place to start with lectio.
Our Bible exploration group will be back in September – look out for more details nearer the time.
Louise George
Church charity news
News from Christian Aid
We are delighted to share with you the incredible news that Christian Aid Week has already hit a milestone total of over £3 million and counting.
Over the coming months we will continue to process a high volume of donations from fundraising such as church and house to house collections before we can share the amazing final result you achieved together. Thank you so much for all your support this year and for the generosity of communities, churches and individuals across the UK and Ireland.
We have been thrilled and humbled by the fundraising stories shared with us this year, you can find a selection of fundraising sucesses alongside a thank you message on our website.
Church social at Tiled Lodge – 14 August, 1pm
Please join us for a bring your own picnic on Saturday 14 August, 1pm at Tiled Lodge, Slough Road, Iver Heath SL0 0DZ. There will be shelter available in case of rain. There is no charge but donations for our church charity are welcomed. There will be a collection pot available, or you can donate online via our JustGiving page (see details below)
You can find more details about our church charity fundraising events and items on our virtual sales table on our church website here.
To make a donation to our church charity online visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Hopenothate-Christchurch
The Birds and the Bees
Well, mainly bees. In our garden were tiny geraniums and the bees loved them. I always thought bees were intelligent so I was intrigued by their behaviour. One bee would visit a geranium flower, pick up (presumably) some nectar then go to another flower and do the same, then on to other flowers. Another bee would go to the original flower and do the same thing. While I watched dozens of bees visited the original flower. Now this struck me as inefficient. If the first bee had taken all the nectar from the first flower and then all the nectar from the next, he would complete his load in a less time. He could return to the hive, unload his collection then set off again. Less time would be taken and it would require less flying.
I discussed this with learned friend who explained that they required a selection of nectar in the hive. Although all the flowers looked similar to us to a bee each one was different. Similarly, to a bird, each blade of grass looks different. A bee going from flower to flower produced a mix of nectars. Look at it from a bee’s perspective he said.
I’m sure he’s right but if each bee concentrated on a different flower surely the hive would get the desired mix.
I think I’ll write to the queen bee – she won’t take any notice as I’m only a drone.
Brian Moere
I Remember…
Les Marsh and Tim Smith were great friends of mine during our childhood days and later. Les was the youngest son of that family. They ran the ‘Hercies Farm Dairy’ which was situated at the bottom of Lawn Road where it met with The Lynch and their shop was in Chapel Street where Mahjacks took it over as part of their tool shop.
Hercies Farm and the dairy belonged to the Fountain family. They lived in a historic house halfway down Honeycroft Hill and they attended Old Meeting House church. Len Fountain, the son, ran the Boys’ Club at church.
When we were eleven years old, we had to leave Whitehall School and go to the elementary school at The Greenway. The school times were 9-12 and 2-4. This made it necessary to have a bicycle. I remember my mother taking me up to Gamages in Holborn because you could get the cheapest cycles there.
Having left school at 14, I got a job at King & Hutchings. That job was urn boy on the London van. The driver was Eddie Howe. At lunch time we went to park in Essex Road in Islington. I stayed in the van while Eddie went into a café. My favourite sandwich was brown bread and dripping. Opposite where we stopped was a row of stalls selling a variety of things. One of them sold American DIY magazines at sixpence each. They were far superior to English DIY magazines.
When Les and I were sixteen, we decided that we would like to try camping and to do this we really wanted better cycles, so we went to Ray Dutfield’s shop in Windsor Street and explained what we wanted to do. He showed us the new BSA Gold Vase cycle. The handlebars were just right, not too bent. So we agreed to have them on the never-never at two shillings and sixpence per week.
We both had a tent which had been our father’s. Our mothers had provided us with plenty of sandwiches so off we went. We got as far as Farnborough and decided to camp. We found a field that looked OK as other people were camping in it. So all was well. We erected the tents, had some of the sandwiches and went to bed in our tents. At about three o’clock came a thunderstorm. It came through the tents as though there was nothing there. Nothing to do but pack up and go home!
A year later we did the same again, only we had modern tents complete with floor. That trip went very well and we had a beautiful summer night. We did this several times over the year, 1939 being the last one as I had joined the Territorials.
Syd Wilson
Children’s Corner
Praying for other churches
This week we hold the following churches in our prayers:
- Northwood Methodist
- St John’s, Northwood, URC
w/c 8 August
This week we hold the following churches in our prayers:
- Pinner Methodist
- Ickenham URC
Closing prayer
As we seek to do what you want, Lord,
may we bring bread to the hungry –
food for bodies and food for souls,
strength for the journey, and hope for the future.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
(Taken from Roots)