Dear Friends

Since the weekend, our lives in this particular part of Brunswick have been blighted by a high pitched whine, emerging (we think) from one of the large new buildings that have gone up by the estate. Bearable (just about) by day, when competing with the other sounds of the city, together with the building works going on, it invades the night time quiet and dominates everything else. Sleep has proved really difficult! Indeed, it’s the sort of noise that once you are aware of it, it’s hard to focus on anything else. Last night I tried ear plugs (to no avail), tonight I shall attempt to concentrate on something positive, such as singing a hymn or chorus in my head. 

Last week when reading one of Psalms together at morning prayer, Jess and I reflected on the many choruses and hymns that had originated from it, and what an inspiration it was to be reminded of them. Certainly in this household, singing out loud is one of the current deprivations that we feel the most when it comes to the current restrictions. But it also reminded me of what an amazing back catalogue of songs over the years that I can draw upon, especially those rooted in scripture, that can speak, be an encouragement (or a least a helpful distraction) to me, even if sung inwardly rather than outwardly. This Lent, within our small Sunday group,  the general consensus has been to look to “take on” rather “give up” things for this particular season. We are indeed choosing as the author of the letter to the Philippians would put it, to: “….fill  (y)our minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable.”

May we all, whatever distractions, restrictions or limitations we find ourselves living under, be encouraged to fill our minds with good things, and not obsess on that which might bring us down.
 
Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith.

Simon

Hi Everyone,

Question of the day: where is your favourite place in the house?

If you are anything like me, you are probably sick of the sight of the inside of the house. Although I do have a few favourite spots. I am fortunate enough to have a little box room in our house that I use as office space. It's a great place to work because it has really big windows and so it is nice and bright with lots of natural light. I have a little old settee in there that sits against one of those windows - it's not the most comfortable place to sit but, if I pull up a chair and put my feet up, it's a really lovely place to read. I like it because, most of the time, I am not disturbed by the busyness of the rest of the house. In there I find it easy to think and often it's also a great place to pray.

I know that I can meet with God anywhere and yet invariably I find that there are particular places where I find that easier. Perhaps it is because those spaces are free from distractions or perhaps it is the connection that I make with them that helps me to be in the right mindset. Whatever the reason, those spaces become sacred spaces.

I have also noticed that that sense of sacred space isn't always present for me when we are worshipping online. I suspect this is because I am not sitting in the place where I most connect with God. Instead of in my nice cosy window seat, I am sat in the lounge where I watch TV or I am sat at my desk where I work. Neither of these spaces are where I would usually go to pray or to worship but they are the most practical places to have a Zoom call. 

I wonder if any of you feel like me?

I wonder if these practical spaces could become sacred spaces with a little bit of thought?

Often in church buildings we create an atmosphere of sacred space by our adopting a particular mindset as we enter the building. Those of us who lead try to help this by attempting as much as possible to create a calm and quiet environment for people to come into or by using candles, music and images that remind us of the presence of God. In reality, church buildings are just buildings but the way that we use the building and the atmosphere that we create makes that space sacred. 

I do think we can recreate the sense of sacred space at home even amongst the distractions. Here are some of my top tips:

• Have a tidy around before you join the service so that any bits and bobs that might distract you are out of the way.
• We love to see your face on screen when we are in Zoom services but if seeing yourself distracts you, go into the video options and turn off self view so that we can see you but you don't have to continually look at yourself.
• Think about lighting a candle, having a cross on the table with you, an image to look at or a bible to help you to focus. 
• Try to give yourself a bit of time before you come online to help you get into the right frame of mind and perhaps play a worship song.
• Put your phone in another room (unless you are using it for the Zoom call) so that it doesn't distract you.
• Think about where and how you are going to sit. What posture helps you to worship?
• Try to join in the prayers, the responses and songs that are on screen – it can sometimes feel weird because we can hear our own voice much louder than we would be able to if we were all together in the church building but the more you do it, the less strange it feels.
• Try to avoid chatting with others in your household during the service and focus in on the service or prayer meeting.
• Once the service is finished, why not go out for a short walk or take yourself off to a quiet corner of the house to have space to process.

We are desperately hoping to be able to be back together soon and the news this week has given us much to be hopeful about. Whether you join us in the building for worship or are worshipping from home this week, may you know God's drawing close to you as you draw close to him.

With love

Jess

Dear Friends

Last Monday, I went through the a bit of a rollercoaster in terms of fitness. Having taken up running again during lockdown, I was appreciating running at my best pace in ages as I clocked up my 7th kilometre. Then suddenly without warning, my calf muscle popped, I was forced to hobble the remaining 3 kilometres back home! And then, to add insult to further injury, as I was compensating for a bad leg, and putting greater pressure on  the other one, my back went into spasm!! I am officially becoming an old crock.

In our Ash Wednesday prayer service earlier this morning, we were all reminded not so much about the fragility of simply growing old, but of that concerning our mortality.  “From dust”  of course refers to our and all humanity’s creation, drawing from the accounts in Genesis as to how God formed Adam from the earth, and of course “to dust” refers to the demise of our mortal remains, after our deaths. 

Now if I’m honest, despite attending funerals in my teens, and actually taking them from the tender age of 25, my own mortality only really dawned on me in my 40’s. As such, I baulked at the prospect of introducing the concept of death to Ash Wednesday services in the past, particularly when daubing the forehead of infants brought along by their parents. But if these Covid times have taught us anything over the last year, it is that life is precious and shouldn’t be taken for granted, whatever age we are. 

Indeed after the introduction: "Remember that you are from dust, and to dust you shall return” comes a further invocation, which again can apply to any age. In the past we have used a number of options. Last year's was: "Turn away from sin, embrace God’s hopes for you, and live your life, to the full.”
Previously we have had: "Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. Repent and believe the Good News: God longs for you to be whole." This year, (to fit the card that Millie designed) we reverted back to the traditional: “Turn away from sin, and be faithful to Christ”.

All however, move away from simply an absence of negatives, “turn away from sin”, and look ahead in hope faith and trust to the God who we believe wants something better for us.

This Lent, as we now enter another period of waiting and preparation, please be encouraged to continue to be faithful to Christ, and seek His face as we discover and live out the hopes He has for us all. 

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith
​​
Simon

Download a printable card here.

Hi Everyone,

I wonder what you do when you are feeling under pressure? What are those tell tale signs for you?

When I'm feeling under pressure I start to get ultra organised. My to-do lists have sublists with actions and dates by them, I begin to organise the space around me. I become frustrated by anything that seems disorganised. What I am essentially trying to do is to control my world when it feels out of control. 

You might recognise some of those behaviours in yourself or perhaps you go to the opposite extreme - doing nothing because you feel like your world is out of control. Perhaps you stop eating properly, or struggle to get motivated. Or perhaps escapism is your thing; watching hours of boxsets or films. All of these things, while they seem different to one another, are really about us going into that fight, flight or freeze mode. We feel the pressure and our natural instincts kick in to protect ourselves.

There is another alternative though. Psalm 121:1-2 says this:

I lift up my eyes to the hills - from where will my help come? 
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

I don't suspect that I will stop trying to control my world by organising it but perhaps by lifting my eyes up, I might gain some perspective and maybe I will be able to relinquish some of that control that I am seeking. Organising my world my help me to feel better in the short term but it is not where my help ultimately comes from.

Lent begins next week and it's an invitation once again to lift our eyes up. It's a time to draw close to God and in that time know God drawing close to us. 

May we enter this season with joy, hope and peace as we take time to dwell in the presence of our heavenly father.

With love 

Jess

P.S. Just a reminder, Helen is looking for help with choosing songs on the 1st and 3rd Sundays when we’re on Zoom. This will involve choosing between 1 and 3 songs (depending on whether you just want to choose the ‘worship slot’ song, or the opening and closing songs too). You can introduce all three songs, or two, one or none; and you can choose whether or not to pray after the worship song. Helen and the service leader can offer support with this if you’d like to have a go but aren’t sure what might be involved. If you would like more information or to offer your help, please email Helen. Thanks for considering.

Dear Friends

So it’s official – as of last Tuesday our Christmas decorations, including the tiny fibre-optic Christmas tree we have grown to love here in the Rectory, must come down. Tuesday (or the feast of Candlemas as it is remembered), marks 40 days after Christmas (give or take some dodgy accounting), and personally speaking, it’s been a welcome extension whereby light (sparkly mainly) has continued to shine in the darkness of these present hard times. However, as the nights slowly become shorter, and indeed the weather occasionally has perked up, perhaps it’s time move on and look ahead.

Candlemas celebrates the presentation of the Christ child in the Temple where Jesus is acknowledged by both Simeon and Anna. It’s a kind of thanksgiving for that which has already taken place, together with the dedication that looks ahead in prayer and hope to what is to come. Indeed, for me, last Tuesday held elements of both beginnings and ends. At teatime, I participated in evening prayer at Westcott House, where after a long period of uncertainty, we were glad to witness the licensing of Helen Dawes, our new Principal. Earlier on that day, wife Helen and myself had attended the requiem mass for her godmother, held at Newport Cathedral. Both occasions were optimistic, affirming God’s presence with both individuals, and steeped in prayer. In the church in Newport, I also had the opportunity to appreciate the amazing old font, symbolically positioned at the entrance of the church. A font, which for hundreds of years has served the immediate community and beyond, and where just over 50 years ago it was also the means by which my good lady wife was baptised too, again surrounded by the prayers of those present, who it must be said (although I am a touch biased) didn’t do a bad job in their intercessions too!

In all situations: beginnings, endings, as well as the long slog in the middle, may we continue to be encouraged, to take all things in faith, to our Lord in prayer.

Keep safe
Keep in touchKeep the faith.
Simon