February 2003
Littleborough Methodist Circuit “The Lit-borough” Come and grow with us	From the Minister’s Study Peace¾Shalom Does the thought of Peace make sense to you as we stand on the brink of World War III? Peace is very much in our minds with the war on terrorism, Israel and Palestinians. Peace, however, is one of those things that everyone wants, but seems quite elusive. Most people would want peace, yes, but only on their terms. What if their terms do not engender peace? That is the big question, is not it? The paramount question in every ones mind is: How can we have sustainable peace in the world we live in? But a more pertinent personal question is: How can I have peace? What is Peace? On the latter question there seems to be a divergence between secular and sacred understanding of the meaning of peace. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the secular understanding of peace is ‘Freedom from or stopping of war, freedom from public disturbance or disorder, freedom from disagreement or quarrels, harmony and concord, an undisturbed, state of mind, absence of mental conflict, calm, quiet, tranquillity.’ The sacred understanding, however, seems to be different. According to Colin Brown in, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, The main word translated ‘peace’ in the OT is ‘shalom’ and in the New Testament is ‘eirene’ which is almost invariably used to translate the Hebrew Old Testament concept of ‘shalom’ occurring 250 times in the Old Testament. The principal meaning of both these words is not so much the absence of war, wellbeing in the widest sense, including both spiritual and social. ‘Shalom’ is closely associated with blessing (happiness), with the presence of Yahweh (the Lord God almighty). J. I. Durham, a leading scholar comments: ‘Shalom is the gift of God, and can be received only in his presence.’ If we define peace as ‘absence of conflict or problems’ we then make peace an unachievable academic exercise, for conflict and problems are part and parcel of human existence. In biblical terms, peace is personal and achievable, for it is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If it is a fruit, it is implied that there is a way we can cultivate peace. Peace understood biblically does not come by getting rid of our problems but by focussing our thoughts on God who is the source of peace. It does not mean the absence of storms, but comes in the presence of storms, if we allow Jesus to walk through the storms with us and if we focus our eyes on Him. The closest definition of the Biblical understanding of peace comes from The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart: ‘Peace is that calm of mind that is not ruffled by adversity, over-clouded by a remorseful conscience or disturbed by fear.’ One of the New Testament passages that can help us understand how we can have peace is Philippians 4:1–9. Philippi was one of the churches, which was very dear to the Apostle Paul. When he wrote to this church it did not have peace because of two women, Eoudia and Syntyche, whose disagreement hindered peace in that small community. In this brief passage, Paul highlights three keys to peace: Forgiveness, Lack of Fear and Positive thinking. In this month’s edition, in the interest of space, I will only focus on the first of these keys, FORGIVENESS (Philippians 4:2–3). Peace comes through a mind that forgives. Personal conflict, bitterness over wrongs done locks us in a prison of pain that hinders peace in our lives and communities. Forgiveness frees us from our own created prison of pain into peace. The way Paul describes the warring people shows that they were genuine Christians living without peace due to personal quarrels, which were insignificant compared to the greater calling of sharing the Gospel of Peace. According to Hebrews 12:15, when anyone allows bitterness and anger to take root in their lives, they not only destroy their own peace, but also the peace of others living with them. In Philippians 4:2, the word translated ‘to agree with each other in the Lord’ (NIV) and ‘to be of the same mind’ in NKJV means the same things. What Paul seems to imply is that although these two women could not change what had happened, they could change their attitude to one another in the Lord. Personal conflict comes when individuals insist on their own way. Paul’s exhortation in 2:5–8 must have been addressing the same issue by appealing to the submissive mind of Christ, as the missing key to peace. The mind of Christ is an attitude of humility and sacrifice, not self- seeking and pride. That is the kind of mind Euodia and Syntyche needed in order to bring peace to themselves and to their community. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God’ (Matthew 5:9). Do you need Peace? Are you prepared to put away pride, forgive whoever wronged you and get on with the business God has given you to do? Are you holding onto anger and bitterness and hurt against anybody or any organisation? That is preventing you from experiencing peace. You will never have peace in your heart until the poison of anger and bitterness is removed and replaced with forgiveness and love. When I do not have peace within my own heart it is extremely difficult for me to have peace with the people in my community. The peace of the community and the world at large begins with me. James 4:1-2 makes this point beautifully by asking the question: ‘What causes fights and quarrels among you?’ In his answer he points inwardly not outwards. In short, fights on the outside come from fights on the inside. If there is no peace within, there will be no peace without. As we contemplate world peace, may we start by reflecting our own attitudes to those people who are different from us or are the same as us but prefer to do things differently. As we pray for forgiveness and understanding in the world arena, may we contemplate our own personal broken relationships with those known to us. To sharpen our own thinking, let us think of what might happen if today, the Western World decided to forgive Saddam Hussein and vice versa. What would happen if the Israelis forgave the Palestinians and vice versa, if the Irish Protestants forgave the Catholics and vice versa. If the ethnic minorities in the UK forgave whatever ill feelings they had towards society at large and vice versa? May the words of the Hymn writer H&P 776: “Make me a channel of your Peace, where there is hatred, let me bring your love; where there is injury, your pardon, Lord … where there is doubt true faith in you, where there is despair in life, let me bring hope, where there is darkness, only light, … for it is in pardoning that we are pardoned …” be true in our lives at this Critical time of World Peace. (To be continued) Shalom, Daniel Leaking vessels There is a story told of a man who lived in the backwoods of Kentucky who always came to town when there was a revival meeting and an evangelist was preaching. At the end of the service, when people were asked to come forward and invite Jesus into their lives, he would walk down the aisle, arms raised, saying ‘Fill me, Jesus, fill me, fill me Jesus.’ He would then go back to his home in the backwoods and carry on just as before, nothing changed in his life. When the next revival meeting came round, he would go, again with the same prayer at the end of the service. One time he went and at the invitation walked down the aisle, knelt down, arms raised, saying, ‘Fill me Jesus, Fill me Jesus, fill me.’ A lady at the back of the Church stood up and shouted, ‘Don’t do it, Lord, he leaks!’ The truth is, of course, that we all leak. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a once-and-for-all thing. Our spiritual energies dissipate and we must find ways to be regularly refilled by the Spirit and re-energized by God. from a piece by Tony Campolo House of Hope, Bethlehem The House of Hope is a home for the blind and mentally handicapped. It was the brain-child and an answer to prayer for Michael and Rhoda David. As Jewish Christians, they were frustrated at the lack of facilities for both the blind and mentally handicapped Jews and Palestinians, in Bethlehem. The house is run on faith and depends solely on free gifts and voluntary house-mothers, who work for twelve-month periods just for food and lodging. On the list of house-mothers on the two occasions I was privileged to visit the home were young women from England, Germany, the United Sates and Australia. Every day, the home starts with morning prayers, with a Bible reading and singing of hymns. After breakfast, the children go to their various classes to be taught by the house-parents. The adults have a workshop where sewing and olive-wood ornaments are made, then sold on to the public to supplement the cost of running the home. Sadly, two years ago, Michael David was called to be with his Lord. Rhoda is carrying the work on and is supported by her son and daughter. All of us who went from this Circuit in 1993 will never forget the wonderful experience of visiting the House of Hope and the smiles on the faces of the little blind boys and girls when they sang, ‘Shine, Jesus, shine.’ What a humbling experience. It will be with me forever. Rhoda sends me a newsletter twice a year. I received one just before Christmas and would end this short letter with words from Rhoda’s last letter: ‘Last but not least, please pray for the peace of this land, that its leaders would come to find settlement that would give us, both nations, Jews, and Arabs, peace and stability.’ In Christian love, Jack If you would like to know more about the House of Hope, to pray for them regularly, or to help them financially, please contact Jack Leach, telephone: 838707. A Celtic Prayer Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me, Be thou a smooth path below me, Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me, Today¾tonight¾and for ever. Columba (c. 521-597¾Irish monk and missionary in Scotland) Respect and love Two eminent physicians in the United States are in the forefront of medical ethics. They found that they had profound disagreements on many aspects of their specialism. Both are committed Christians and they decided, despite or perhaps because of their differences, to write a joint book. In the preface to An Honest Conversation on Critical Issues, Doctors Koop and Johnson wrote: ‘We have come to respect and love each other even as we have learned that we disagree on many specific subjects related to medical ethics … We would both acknowledge that we have learned from each other, and that we have grown in our understanding of the human condition because of each other. We also agree that too often persons of opposing viewpoints conclude that there is room for God’s love for only one of them. We write this book to demonstrate otherwise; to suggest that it is possible to disagree, sometimes vigorously, and yet acknowledge that God loves us all, even while we are less than perfect in this human pilgrimage.’ Is this something we should be applying to our own Church life and family life? Maybe we should think about it. (From a sermon by Canon Nicholas Frayling at his installation as Dean of Chichester Cathedral, 28 September 2002, used with permission from the Chichester Diocese Magazine). How do we teach our children to pray? Children are often taught only the words of prayers, but not what prayer is, which means that sustaining a meaningful prayer life into adulthood becomes difficult. Helping a child to pray is one of the greatest gifts we can give, but parents can find this task difficult. How can it be done? We need to recognise that: · Prayer is not solely about words. · A child needs to know that his/her relationship with God is special, personal and private. · Children learn best by doing. Children are made for praying, they are curious, full of enthusiasm and as sense of awe and wonder. So from earliest days it is important that they are involved in prayerful activities. These need to be low-key but consistent, and it is good to encourage children to participate as much as possible … They need to come to an awareness of different types of prayer¾praise, saying thank you, asking, silent prayer and saying sorry. You could draw round your hand or theirs and write the names of the prayer types on each finger. The child could use this to help them remember the types and use them in their prayer times with you. Many adults worry about intercessory prayers, as God doesn’t always seem to answer prayers in ways that make sense to us, especially at the time. The important thing is to tell children that every prayer is heard. If a child asks a question that you can’t answer, don’t be afraid to say so. We could do worse than acknowledge and remember that trusting is a quality of childhood. Encourage the child to make a scrapbook of favourite prayers, or one the whole family can share. A grandparent or godparent can take a positive lead her, by gathering cards and pictures for their collection (the sort that cathedrals sell, or that are found on greetings cards). Silent prayer can be effective with a short spell of ‘candle quiet.’ Sit round a lit candle and breathing very gently, try to make the flame still. Look at the flame and listen to the stillness. Encourage the child to use the silence reflectively. (Always keep these sessions short and the candle out of reach!) All these activities should be fun. Resist any temptation to impose anything. Praying should be a joy. Older children can become self-conscious so encourage them to pray privately. It’s like cleaning teeth: one day you have to trust them to do it properly themselves. Remember to tell them that you pray for them constantly and that helping a child to pray gives enrichment and deeper insights into our own prayer lives and relationship with God. From an article by Diana Murrie (National Children’s Officer of the Church of England). Reprinted from Home & Family, the magazine of the Mothers’ Union. For subscription details, please ring 020-722 25533. Social Action: Important Notice Are you opposed to war on Iraq? If so, you can join a national ‘Stop the War’ demonstration in London on February 15th. There are coaches going from Manchester and Rochdale (price £20 standard fare and to help subsidise others, £15 waged, £10 unwaged). If you would like to go, or need more information, please contact: Rae Street at 01706 375266 or Sam O’Brien on 07815 144460. Any help with funding the campaign to stop war on Iraq would be welcomed by Greater Manchester CND. Contributions can be sent to: Greater Manchester and District CND, Bridge 5 Mill, 22A Beswick Street, Manchester M4 7HR. If you can’t make it to London, but would like to take some action locally: On the day the bombing starts (if and when it does), there will be a rally at 5:30 pm in Piccadilly Gardens, central Manchester. On the day the bombing starts, and on the following day, there will also be candlelit vigils form 5:30 pm on the steps of Stockport Art Gallery. Did You Know…? Read Matthew 22: verses1–14. Ever wondered what the last bit, about the man who turned up without a wedding garment, means? It seems this story was added to the original parable, perhaps to address a problem faced by the Early Church. Men heard and accepted God’s invitation, and entered the Church, but then failed to conform to its moral and spiritual standards. Just attending Church wasn’t enough: they had to change the way they were living and become worthy members of the community they claimed to belong to. One commentator (R. T. France) says that wedding garments were not special garments but the clean clothes (preferably white), which would normally be worn on special occasions. Turning up in dirty clothes was an insult to the host. Each guest was responsible for being dressed appropriately. So the lesson would be that, although God invites everyone to share His blessings, there are standards to be met and we shouldn’t take the invitation lightly. If we claim to belong to the Church without changing our lives, putting on the ‘clean garments’ provided by accepting Christ’s sacrifice and receiving the Holy Spirit, we are making an empty claim. This is not a doctrine of ‘salvation by works’. The rest of the New Testament makes clear that the ‘clean garments’ are provided for us by Christ: it is His righteousness we ‘put on’ when we accept Him into our lives, not our own. With thanks to Revd. Peter Davey, whose recent sermon at Smallbridge inspired this piece. (Any errors are the editor’s responsibility, not Peter’s!) I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything let me not refuse to do the something that I can do Edward Everett Hale (N. American Unitarian clergyman, 19th century) Notes· Quotes· Anecdotes JESUS SAID: ‘Lovest thou me?’ Just because you can’t see air it doesn’t stop you from breathing and… Just because you can’t see God it doesn’t stop you from believing LORD, Guard our tongues so what we say Won’t hurt and carelessly offend; Give us the gracious speech of love, With words that soothe and heal and mend. Sper What we weave in Time, we will wear in Eternity. Cameo Character Corner ZEBEDEE Had a family fishing business. Had two sons, James and John who left the business to follow Jesus. They became apostles spanning the Apostolic Age: James the first to die (Acts 12: 12), John the last. Zebedee would feel the loss of his sons in his business; but, over 2,000 years later, we are blessed by these two sons of Zebedee, becoming our gain through the Word. Florence More Thoughts before the Communion service The broken bread reminds the Church that Jesus’ broken and wounded body brings healing: ‘by His stripes you are healed.’ His blood¾symbolised in the wine ¾shows the communion, the fellowship, we have with a Saviour who died to save sinners. We are the present manifestation of that suffering¾as we are called to experience persecution. Jesus could say to Saul of Tarsus, on the Damascus Road, ‘Why do you persecute me (through my followers)?’ Acts 9. In taking, touching and eating the Bread of Communion, we have fellowship with Christ. The eating is a very intimate nearness to be treasured: indeed, it becomes part of our own body. A nearness that requires a close, personal inner examination of our souls, our inner lives, motives and attitudes. It is a nearness and a holiness to be feared and respected. The first Christians had seen how carelessness in that preparation and self-examination brought illness, sickness and even death (1 Corinthians 11). The Wine, the Blood, is the evangelist’s index finger pointing to forgiveness. There is no sinner (or so-called ‘righteous’ person) too dreadful and persistent, who cannot be washed clean forever from guilt, and declared acquitted: pardoned. Turning round from evil and trusting the Saviour brings us into God’s love and mercy. Every real Church member has come this way at some time. E. Lees A ‘Pure’ Church Consciously or unconsciously, most of us hanker after being part of a ‘pure Church’, a Church whose doctrine can be clearly understood by all and believed to the last full stop and comma by all. It sounds ideal – but we all know where it leads: to division, schism and (in theory at least) every Church a one-person Church, for where will you find two people who agree on absolutely everything? Far better, then, to begin with what unites rather than what separates, for it is that which will build up the Church of god and enable it to fulfil its mission in the world: to go and make disciples of all nations. Revd John Pangbourne (Christ Church, Ore, Parish magazine, used with permission form the Chichester Diocese Magazine) Young People & Church: a few facts and figures · In the UK less than 250,000 young people in the age range 15–19 regularly attend a Church. · Youth For Christ is working in over 50 locations across Britain¾week in, week out. · In an average week Youth For Christ contacts over 58,000 young people. 30% are new contacts. · Billy Graham started Youth For Christ in this country over 50 years ago. data supplied by Youth For Christ The Youth Club meeting each Friday at Dearnley uses material produced by ‘Rock Solid,’ a programme devised and run by Youth for Christ. Each week’s programme has a theme relevant to young people (such as loneliness, fashion, how to spend your time, bullying, etc.), and is framed within a series of interlocked games and activities. Each programme is well thought out and thought provoking. Anyone wanting more information should speak to one of the Rock Solid helpers or, alternatively, contact YFC at: PO Box 5254, Halesowen, West Midlands, B63 3DG. Telephone: (0121) 550 8055, fax: (0121) 550 9979. Web: http://www.yfc.co.uk/rocksolid.htm, or e-mail rocksolid@yfc.co.uk. To love one’s enemy is not just a piece of pious cliché or a meaningless inspirational dictum, but a profound and unique guide to human action and morality Vincent J. Donovan, Christianity Rediscovered The Gospel According to you You are writing a Gospel, a chapter a day, by the deeds that you do, by the words that you say. People read what you write, whether faithless or true, and say, ‘What is this Gospel, according to you?’ People read and admire the Gospel of Christ, with its love so unfailing and true, but what do they say and what do they think of the Gospel according to you? It’s a wonderful story, Christ’s Gospel of love, and it shows that His love is divine. I hope that its content will be there again in the story of your life and mine. You are writing each day a letter to others, take care that the writing is true¾ It’s the only Gospel some others will read¾ that Gospel according to you. Used with permission from the Chichester Diocese Magazine In spite of the various faults which at any time disfigure the Church, we also see from time to time what may be called ‘gleams of glory’, moments when the ideal nature of the Church, its true nature, shines out. John Macquarrie To supporters of Samuel and Christine Ochieng The Barnabas Fund has sent us the latest news about this missionary family in Kenya. Please keep them in your prayers. The Ochiengs are using tapes recorded in the Borana language to interact with the local Sakuye people. They are also involved in teaching children at the local primary schools as well as giving tuition in the evenings at their houses. They ask us to pray that God will use them to convey effectively the message of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many thanks to everyone at Dearnley Methodist Church for your prayers and support for this missionary family. Violence does even justice unjustly Thomas Carlyle In His will is our peace Dante Alighieri Apply yourself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to yourself Johannes Albrecht Bengel (1687–1752) Accept the fact that you are accepted Paul Tillich
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