Captain's Blog April 2017

Captain's Log April 2017

Free Range Dairy - I attended a fascinating one-day conference on ‘free range farming’ http://www.freerangedairy.org/.  The main concept is that the cows must be out to pasture for at least six months.  There is also a strong driver for the farmer to engage with a local market and not simply ship the milk off to a large dairy.  The other key message is that milk is not milk is not milk – i.e. milk carries different chemicals and taste different according to what the cows are fed and their environment.  With the rise of Coffee Shops, we are now used to the idea that coffee comes in a variety of forms and we make a personal choice.  We need to begin to adopt the same principle for milk, recognizing that the choice will be reflected in the price. Cheap coffee taste like cheap coffee - cheap milk taste like cheap milk.  (I have a short report of the Day if you want to know more about speakers and the issues addressed)

Keeping with farming, we had another excellent ‘Chewing the Cud.’  This is our informal FCN gathering over coffee with friends from farming and involved in support networks such as Agricultural Chaplains and R.A.B.I. 

Further involvement with FCN was an exploratory meeting with representatives from Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. We are exploring a way of offering mutual support across the three counties. http://www.fcn.org.uk/

Only one preachment this month at St Anne’s, Brown Edge for my regular second Sunday visit.

http://gordonnewsupdates.blogspot.co.uk/

Stafford Half Marathon – the weather was a challenge with some sections having to battle into a strong head wind. My time was a tad slower this year, 2.19.10 (last year 2.13.00.) To date I have raised around £350 for ‘House of Bread.’  Retrospective sponsorship is welcome!

www.localgiving.org/gordonbanks

The end of the month was another ‘rural’ conference, “Brexit & the Rural Future” with an excellent line up of speakers.  (As acting RO for the Diocese, I was drawn onto the planning team). A report will be available in due course from RuSource.

Then another great project I have become involved with is a NHS Prayer Walk. www.nhsprayerwalk.co.uk. I am helping with publicity and social media. 

There is also a FB Group (closed) -  if you want to engage ask me to add you to the group or give you an invitation. (You will need your own FB account)

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/338479939880665/

Some upcoming engagements....

Sunday 2^nd April

St John’s APCM

Tuesday 4^th

Personal Quiet Day

Saturday 8^th

St John’s Away Day with John Coyne as Speaker. As we move into a Vacancy in the summer this will be an important time for the Church to gather and take stock and plan for the future together.

  Palm Sunday 9^th

Preaching at St Anne’s, Brown Edge

Tuesday 11^th

On Call Emergency Chaplain Cover for Stafford Hospital 4.30pm – 8.30am (next day)

Wednesday 12^th

‘Chewing the Cud’

On Call Emergency Chaplain Cover for Stafford Hospital 4.30pm – 8.30am (next day)

Good Friday 14^th

‘Walk of Witness’ – Love Stafford

Easter Sunday 16^th

Pulling together ‘SonRise’ Service at Stafford Castle 5.45am.

Thursday 20^th

On Call Emergency Chaplain Cover for Stafford Hospital 4.30pm – 8.30am (next day)

Monday 24^th – Thursday 27^th

‘On Fire Mission Conference’

https://www.onfiremission.org/

Friday 28^th

Meeting with tax consultant

Sunday 30^th

Church Army Preachment at St Michael’s, Lichfield.

Then if all goes according to plan, Jane and I will be taking a short break…

 Monday 1^st – Tuesday 9th May 2017

Reflecting God's Glory - transcript of sermon Second Sunday in Lent 2017

Sermon – Second Sunday in Lent 2017

St Anne’s Brown Edge

Genesis 12.1-4a Psalm 121
Romans 4.1-5,13-17 John 3.1-17

Nicodemus knew, just as we all know that for something to ‘be born’ it requires a preceding act.  

This is the season for spring lambs and spring calves. This only happens because some time back around October the ewes were put to the tup and cows if not AI then to the bull around June time last year. Even in agriculture, the seed has to be planted and fertilised, it will not grow sitting in the dark in a barrel or bag.

For humans beings the most important preceding act goes back to Genesis 2.7 – ‘then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. ‘

For many Christian this was referenced on Ash Wednesday to mark the beginning of the Lenten Season with the Imposition of Ashes with the words,

‘Remember o mortal that you are dust and to dust you shall return.’

In John’s Gospel 20.22 we read ‘And with that he (Jesus) breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.”

This is quite literally a life giving second breath, a second birth – offered as gift.

When Jesus talks about being born again, Nicodemus begins to think through the mechanics, ‘how can you enter your mother’s womb a second time.’ 

However, in the wonderful prologue to John’s Gospel we read, …’But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of God.

Our inherited breath from Adam is tainted with sin and brings death; the second Adam offers us the breath of new life – a life that offers life in all its fullness. (cf. John 10.10)

O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
a second Adam to the fight
and to the rescue came.

O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
which did in Adam fail,
should strive afresh against the foe,
should strive, and should prevail;

To be fully, gloriously and wonderfully human we need to born of the water and the spirit.

Two ideas are carried in the image of being born of water. One is the natural process of birth when we are quite literally born of water. The other idea is spiritual cleansing as in Baptism.

However, natural birth and being born again are acts of grace freely given, to be lovingly accepted and embraced.

With reference to Abraham, Paul argues in the passage we heard from Romans about grace and the life of Faith being a gift that we cannot earn.

‘For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Now the wages of the workers are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

 

This is picked up even stronger in the Letter to the Ephesians,

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.… Ephesians 2.8-10

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.…

There is a tradition in the Orthodox Church called Theosis,* which is about our growing into the very likeness and fullness and stature of Christ, picking up passages such as we find in Ephesians 4.13,

‘And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature.’

What a joy, what a calling and what a privilege to be the image bearers of God towards His good creation and towards others – Imago Dei reflected in the mirror you look into.

Imago Dei - the image of God, in the faces of those around you today.

In those who have been born of the water and of the spirit.

In those who have been born again.

In those who have opened up their hearts and said…

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
 

The second century St Irenaeus said, ‘the glory of God is living man.’ 

                              (“Gloria Dei est vivens homo.”)

That is our true destiny, our one true calling – to reflect back glory to God through our humanity enlivened by God’s Spirit.   

Just what might that mean, to reflect glory back to God in each and every situation we find ourselves in.

In each and every conversation we have.

In each and every engagement that we have with people.

In particular just what does that mean, to reflect back glory to God, when we face challenging or difficulties – as surely we all do from time to time.

There is a line in a beautiful and very meaningful contemporary worship song ‘In Christ Alone’, that has caused some controversy -

Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied

Some change that line that talks of God’s wrath and instead sing…

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The Love of God was glorified.

‘For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.’  (John 3.17)

Even as he was lifted up, as Moses lifted up the snake to bring healing to all who looked upon it, so Jesus, in his death brings healing for all who will look to him with the eyes of faith and accept by grace that we can now be inheritors of the Faith of Abraham. Born not of flesh and blood, as ethnic Israel, but rather born again of the Spirit of God.

As we go out into the world this coming week, to our places of work, to the school, at various clubs and gatherings, and to the shops, how we going to testify that we have been born again and reflect glory back to God.

Maybe by heeding Matt 5.16…

‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.’  

Therefore, the question to each and every one of us here this morning is just how bright is the lamp of faith in our lives?

 Let us pray…

Prayer –

O Holy and Ancient of Days, Good Father and Mother to us all; we thank you that we are most gloriously made and most wonderfully born again in Christ. May we reflect your glory in all that we do, think and say and help us to call forth from your creation your praise and glory. To the end that Your Kingdom may come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen




*

http://www.antiochian.org/content/theosis-partaking-divine-nature

 

Captain's Blog - March 2017

 

I had my first meeting on the Executive Committee of Love Stafford last month. Great to hear what is happening around the town and in particular the deepening relationship with the Local Authorities.  They are increasingly recognising the added value Faith Communities bring to the town through a whole range of projects and programmes.

An FCN Staffordshire Group meeting this month. I have also been involved in a ‘case’ that is ongoing with a difficult family dispute that has been rumbling on for years. Please pray for wisdom and a good resolution. I do hope that if your church is in a rural setting that you are are in contact with your local FCN Group.  They would value your support and prayers and there may be an occasion that an FCN volunteer could signpost someone to something that you are doing that may be of help. Perhaps you run a dementia café or something similar. www.fcn.org.uk

St Bartholomew's MAP Group. This is proving to be a little difficult. Prayers again welcomed for a good resolution to some very sensitive issues.

A I ran the final session of Faith Pictures for St Peter's Rickerscote.  I know I mentioned this last time but it really  is very good and perfect for small rural churches to help people gain confidence in sharing their faith story.

Only one preachment this month with my friends at St Anne’s, Brown Edge. We have had refreshments on the last couple of occasions that I have been for my monhtly visit and it does make quite a difference. Encouraging people to chat and get to know each other a little better.  Here is a link to the transcript of the sermon.

http://gordonnewsupdates.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/looking-backwards-to-go-forwards.html

We have had a trip to Cornwall this month. Our daughter-in-law Tracey had organised a ‘Secret Hen Party’ for Tabitha that included a Princess Party in the afternoon with the two flower girls, her young neices, Kerryn and Lowenna. Then in the evening a meal out in Fowey plus a few cocktails.  Tabitha didn’t know we were going to be there nor three of her bridemaids who made the trip down to Cornwall. A fabulous occasion all round.  Us men, Peter, Daniel and I (plus dog) went off for a walk in the afternoon, going around one of my favourite walks in Mevaggissy and then Fowey.

On the way back Jane and I stayed at the Sheldon Centre for a four day self-led retreat. This is such a joy. To be totally free from the diary and things that must be done. Time to walk, pray, chat, read and even watch a bit of TV without that nagging feeling of I should really be doing, x, y or z. http://www.sheldon.uk.com/

However, it was straight back into a Webinar for Rural Mission Solutions on the Saturday morning. Then on the Sunday driving down to Chelmsford to work with Barry Osborne on a Rural Consultation Day with the Diocese of Chelmsford on Monday.   www.ruralmissionsolutions.org.uk

 

Captains Log for March  2017

Ash Wednesday 1^st

Tabitha’s Birthday (A significant one!)

Thursday 2^nd 

Meeting with Michelle exploring CA training.

Monday 6^th

Meeting with JC as his Spiritual Companion

Tuesday 7^th

Attending a day conference by the ‘Free Range Diary Network.’

Wednesday 8^th

FCN ‘Chewing the Cud’ 10.30am Amerton Craft Farm

Thursday 9^th

‘Love Stafford’ leaders Bible Study and Prayer Meeting

Sunday 12^th

Preaching and leading Service of the Word at St Anne’s, Brown Edge

Wednesday 15^th

Combined Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire FCN Group meeting to discuss possible new clustering for mutual support

Thursday 16^th

Diocesan Rural Mission Group

Sunday 19^th

Stafford Half Marathon and seeking sponsorship for House of Bread, a great local charity that works alongside the homeless and vulnerable. www.localgiving.org/gordonbanks

Tuesday 21^st

Jane’s Birthday

Wednesday 22^nd

‘Chew n Chat’ at Rising Brook Baptist – informal lunch time meeting

Thursday 23^rd

Spiritual Directors Gathering

Friday 24^th

Mothers’ Union Quiet Day (going as a Member)

Monday 27^th

Meeting with my own Spiritual Companion

Tuesday 28^th

Meeting to begin reviewing the ‘Rural Evangelism Course’ on the Germinate ARC website.  In the afternoon meeting with Steven Dyson, ‘newish’ vicar for St Lawrence, Biddulph. Going to be talking about the parish running a year long LICC package. www.licc.org.uk

Wednesday 29^th

Stafford Show planning meeting

Thursday 30^th

Day Conference ‘BREXIT AND THE RURAL FUTURE’ Implications for churches and communities.  Full Programme and booking: https://tinyurl.com/hst2wbx