May 2008

VICAR: The Revd. Martin Fredriksen Tel: 694109

PARISH OFFICE (Mondays to Fridays 9.30am - Noon) Tel: 697641

FROM THE VICAR: People have different ways of expressing their worship and each of us has something to teach the other. When expressions like ‘happy-clappy’ or ‘bells and smells’ are used affectionately to describe differing wings of our tradition, then we can all smile, but occasionally they can be expression of contempt for one another – which cannot be good. Our God is so great, that words, pictures and actions, can never be adequate to express the great truths of the Christian faith – it is always all our experiences put together, and then infinitely more besides.

Worship is, what its name implies, acknowledging the ‘worth’ of God. Life is full of surprises, full of mundane things, full of joys as well as sorrows – to me, if the Christian faith cannot address all these differing situations for us, then it is of little value. Worship, well done, can lift us and inspire us – giving that snapshot of glory that we believe will be our eternal destiny.

This year, with Easter having been so early, the month of May contains four major celebrations in the Christian calendar. Ascension Day (on Thursday, the 1st), forty days after Easter, marks the completion of our Lord’s work on earth and his return into his rightful place in Heaven; so that the work continues with the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Sunday 11th); the acknowledgement of the revelation to us of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Trinity Sunday 18th – with Confirmation) and on the following Thursday (22nd) Corpus Christi – or as the Church of England calendar puts it ‘Day of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion.’ Sunday worship will be at the usual times and the two Thursdays at Waterloo at 10.30am plus a Solemn Eucharist at the High Altar on Ascension Day only, at 8pm

As always, there will be a warm welcome. Do join us in worship as we celebrate these great and wonderful mysteries of our faith and in particular, please make a special effort to support the five adult candidates who are to be confirmed by the Bishop of the Diocese on Trinity Sunday.

Martin Fredriksen.

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