Psalmists Cry on the Beach When I had my right hip replaced in 2012 the surgeon asked me about my expectations for it afterwards – what did I want to be able to do? My reply was something about being able to sit on the floor to play with small grandchildren and walk the dog – perhaps even the walk from Godrevy to Hayle along the beach.He was reassured that I was not intending to go climbing, do a parachute jump, go trampolining or surfing or sit in sports cars with very low seats and prescribed a hard wearing ceramic job for my needs. Since then I have done a bit of bouncing on the trampoline in the garden and I have sat in a sports car but in the main I have followed orders and the hip has walked over 5000 miles at a very conservative estimate however until Friday I had not done the beach walk I had set as an early target.On Friday I dropped Lez (my wife) at St Michael’s hospital in Hayle to have the offending lump removed from her breast and set off for Godrevy at 7:30 am to walk and pray. The tide was not due to turn for a couple of hours and there was the incentive of breakfast at Godrevy café afterwards. There were very few people about at 8 am; just a few surfers, dog walkers and joggers so it was a solitary experience for a couple of hours –it would have been lovely to have had the company of a dog!Its amazing how much praying one can get done on a solitary walk with miles of open empty beach stretching out before you and the gentle sound of the sea to accompany you. It was as much a pilgrimage for me as any journey to a holy shrine and I found myself in full psalmist mode pleading (rather than the complaining or moaning ones) not just for Lez and her surgical and care team but for all those on my “Readers-Plus” prayer list. I got back to the car park a couple or hours later with somewhat achy feet and hips and was somewhat dismayed to see that queue for the café stretched down the path and into the car park – it seems Friday morning is a popular day. So I cut my losses and headed home to make myself a healthy mackerel salad and telephone the hospital for an update. Those calls really bring to mind all the people in the same position across the land worrying for the health of a loved spouse or family member. It seemed that she had not gone to surgery yet but she was quite happy and did not need anything and to phone back in a couple of hours!The next call was a bit of a déjà vu moment as she was still waiting and I had to phone back in a couple of hours. So I busied myself with Sunday’s sermon…
st andrews arts week brochure 2019 r2 click here to see the brochure and programme of events. Really looking forward to seeing how this works in church....Yskynna Vertical Dance Company welcomes you to a web experience of Vertical DanceYskynna are a vibrant company based in Cornwall who believe in making and taking extraordinary performance to new heights!With sights set on non traditional venues, high walls, cliff faces, tall buildings and large open spaces, Yskynna welcome new challenges and the chance to create in such inspiring places. With our work we aim to generate and invigorate audiences, and we recognise the value of gifted/free performance accessible for all, which enables us to reach a wider demographic of the public. We are determined to entrust our legacy to the youth which are at the heart of all of our educational and outreach initiatives, by building long lasting links with schools and communities.
ArnoldWe met Arnold last week officially though we suspected he was an unwelcome guest a week earlier but had to wait for confirmation. We now have a date, the last day of May for his eviction – then it will be the slow mopping up operation. The little, roughly drawn, illustration is from my prayer journal late last week after my wife’s breast cancer was confirmed – she named it Arnold. She had a dream that she had either a reluctant dog on a lead or possibly a small child on reins, or possibly both as they seemed to merge. Whatever they were / it was, through a convoluted narrative in which she was supposed to go places and get things done, Arnold was holding her back and making her rather cross with frustration. As a metaphor it seems to work rather well. The prognosis is good and it seems to be caught quite early though treatment will include surgery, radiotherapy and some sort of hormone reduction medication. It has been wonderful with folks rallying around to tell us positive recovery stories and the more positive stories we can hear the better. The prayer support has likewise been wonderful and though I feel very stretched and have been somewhat melancholic, we feel the security of Gods loving embrace.So ‘Lez’ is another name on my lengthy prayer list that I rehearse in my head several times a day – when I wake, when I walk, before I sleep or sitting in a waiting room. She slots in nicely with Lesley M and Lesley B – what is it with Cancer and the name Lesley? (that’s not to do a disservice to Margaret and Anna and Paul and the rest who are also living with an Arnold of their own – or trying to make sure he does not come back!)The thing about this sort of intrusion into one’s life which was totally unexpected as it followed a routine screening rather than the discovery of symptoms, is that it that it does present a challenge to faith when it comes to healing and miracles. I thought it might be more tricky than it is…My own personal mantra is that ‘stuff’ happens, bad things happen to good people. Occasionally there are visibly tangible miraculous healings but I suspect that most of the time it is down to the health service backed up with the positive attitude of those who have a deep belief in the love and power of Jesus.The temptation is to be a bit like the bloke dangling from a cliff shouting to God for help. When God tells him to let go and trust in him he yells, “Is there anybody else up there?” The staff at the Mermaid Centre at Treliske were wonderful, and we are thankful that we have the wonderful NHS and don’t have to worry of we have medical insurance that will actually cover us as one continually reads in the USA.So thank you Lord for…
So there we all were for Sunday lunch discussing who was to blame for the sinking of the Titanic with the four grandchildren. Not quite as random as you might think because Jonah had been doing the Titanic for a school project and that had been the subject for debate. So was it the designer, the owner or the captain? Ellie, aged 9, muses, "perhaps it was God that sunk the Titanic..."we look quizzically in her direction."Well God might have been cross with some people on board."Eyebrows are raised from the adults..."Think about Noah's Ark..."The looks on our faces convey the general feeling that all on the ark were saved.."Look..." says Ellie "God, he or she.... let's just say she shall we - killed everyone else who wasn't on the ark."Erm........
Lent and Easter Personal ReflectionI began this blog on Holy Saturday - -the Carn Brea Cross empty on the hillside – stark white fibreglass against the rocks and the heather reflecting the empty wooden cross of two millennia past. It is amazing how many people you see making their way up to it and around it and how many people ask about it and complain if it does not go up!Lent this year has been a difficult trudge with a chesty cough lingering through the weeks, the sort of thing, that always leads me to a state of morose melancholy. The latter, seems a good excuse for munching biscuits and eating extra helpings of pudding on at the basis that, if I feel miserable, I deserve physical comforts to make up for it! It of course ignores the fact that it is lent and that I should be persevering and focusing on things spiritual.Then of course I feel more miserable when I realise I have put on half a stone and feel fat and unfit – if not actually ill.I think the lowest point mood-wise was probably after a ministry team meeting discussing the Easter Sunday gospel which is surprising since it was the essence of the good news but there is no accounting for man-flu moodiness!Tuesday afternoon was rescued by a quite entertaining committee meeting about Bishop Philpott’s library. Alan Bashforth and Roger Bush on top form lending humour to an otherwise unremarkable, if important agenda. There will be more news on the library in the future with details of access.On Maundy Thursday I went to the Chrism mass at the cathedral where I had been asked to read the second lesson which I was delighted and very privileged to do. The Old Testament reader, Dr Michael Todd, is a worship leader amongst his many other jobs. I didn’t robe, which was fine by me although Michael and I did feel a little out of place surrounded by all those white albs in our little corner by the pillar. It was lovely that there was a bit in the service where those in lay ministry could reaffirm their promises - but it did cross my mind that it would have been even 'nicer' if the ranks of robed readers had also been there to make their re-commitment alongside Bishops and other clergy. I know we have the Readers’ service in October but there is surely a growing feeling about the need to bring ministry closer together. There is a tricky balance here about wanting to be closer to the clergy in terms of ministry and distinctive from Worship Leaders and Pastoral Ministers without upsetting someone!Thursday evening was my favourite and possibly the only social event I enjoy at St Andrews in the whole year- the Annual Seder Meal - with lamb stew, crumble, fellowship, worship and foot (or hand) washing. Over the years we have done it in a variety of ways from the highly traditional to this rather more…
Celtic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction The Highspot of recent weeks was the Spiritual Direction Training Day focussing on Celtic Spirituality with Canon Pat Robson. The St Crida website is well worth browsing https://stcrida.co.uk/ with details of quite days and pilgrimage activities.I bought a copy of one of Pat's books which is still avaialble on Amazon and worth a read! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Heart-Anthology-Prayers-Tradition/dp/0281061912 Pat’s talks were both fascinating and compelling though by the end of the day most of us were looking at St Mawgan in a new light – he who to the Roman name Pelagian and had a heresy named after him. We were pretty sympathetic! Here’s a link to some of the letters of Pelagius to give you a taste. http://www.seanmultimedia.com/Pie_Pelagius_Letters.html The Wiki article is quite informative: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagius
Christian Bookshop Cornwall – sad news that SACREdplace is closing down. “We are very sad to announce that the Trustees have decided to close SACREdplace, as our financial situation is no longer tenable. The intention is to remain open to the public until 17th May, with a stock clearance sale beginning on 30th April.”15 High Cross Street St Austell Cornwall PL25 4AN • Map - Phone: 01726 63945 Contact: Kathy Pope or Carolyn Rowse sacredplace@btconnect.com Website: www.sacredonline.org.uk SACREdplace have provided a bookstall at Readers Day events- the service will be missed by those who used it.
Elizabeth Rowe was inspired by the description of light through the stained glass windows in my story. Beatrice Goodden painted this work drawing togther a number of themes from the opening worship including the roots of the Chaplain's Cross. Beatrice says "Here is a photo of the painting I made today called ‘make clean our hearts within us’ " Beatrice writes, "another image I began last year at the end of a retreat and am still working on "
Click to go to The Barnabus Fund Website This morning at the Reader Training Day School, Matt Frost who is in his second year of training led a thought-provoking service of prayer for persecuted Christians. As you might expect the main focus was on Christians persecuted around the world and especially in highlighted trouble-spots. Matt concluded with a reading from a Tweet he received earlier from the @BarnabusFundHis service sheet is below followed by my reflection and thoughts which went a little wider as my brain began to wander through the subject. A Service of Prayer for Persecuted ChristiansGREETINGThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.(from Isaiah 49) Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing!For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones INVITATION TO PRAYERLet us pray for the persecuted church, for their oppressors, for nations that foster persecution, and for those who ignore it.Let us read the Holy Scriptures, finding there the stories and witness of hope borne by those who lived through ordeals to the glory of God, and hear the promises of the gospel for all who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.In our prayer for persecuted Christians, let us not narrow our compassion for all who suffer, whatever their profession or creed; let no hatred or prejudice enter our hearts for anyone.Called by the Holy Spirit to unity with the persecuted, let us enter into their suffering, repenting of our ignorance, refusing to be silent, ready to reach out to them in their isolation.SCRIPTURE READINGSREADING 1. Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love: Romans 8:31-39Reader: We also recognise all the martyrs and persecuted Christians who have gone before us. Hear the account of the persecution and martyrdom the young woman Perpetua.A violent persecution being set on foot by the emperor Severus, in 202 {AD}, it reached Africa the following year; when, by order of Minutius Timinianus, (or Firminianus,) five catechumens {new Christians being instructed in preparation for baptism} were apprehended {and jailed} at Carthage for the faith: {among them} Felicitas and Vibia Perpetua. Felicitas was seven months {pregnant}; and Perpetua had an infant at her breast, was of a good family, twenty-two years of age, and married to a person of quality in the city. The father of Perpetua, who was a pagan, {wanted her to offer sacrifice to "the well-being of the emperor."} Perpetua, before her death, wrote: "We were in the hands of our persecutors, when my father, out of the affection he bore me, made new efforts to shake my resolution. I said to him: 'Can that vessel, which you see, change its name?' He said: 'No.' I replied: 'Nor can I call myself any other than I am, that is to say, a Christian.'"Perpetua and Felicitas and the others refused to offer sacrifice and they willingly accepted death in the amphitheater at the hands of gladiators and wild animals.READING 2: A Vision of the…
This October for the Readers Service I have been asked to preach which is a huge privilege. So I said I would of course! Then a week went by and I started thinking about readings and a sense of mild panic set in- a blank sheet - what readings? I don't usually choose my own - I have always preached whatever the lectionary has allotted for the week. So I asked the Readers in training who initially suggested Isaiah 6:1-8 or 1 Samuel 3:1-21 but while excellent choices for those about to be licensed I wondered if they were a tad obvious. I asked the Readers in Training Management Group and Derek suggested on of the old testament harvest readings.... but he couldn't remember exactly what it was.... So what are your thoughts? Any good suggestions serious or teasing, challenging or comforting, suitable or the opposite? Let me know!