15/11/2009 by admin.

On  15 November the Senior Curate, Andreas Sistig shared his eight “Desert Island Disks” on music that had been influential to him. He also gave some fascinating insight into incidents in his life that have built his faith. We hope to have more details in the parish magazine but these are his eight choices - for the record! 

1. J.S Bach                        Toccata & Fugue
2. Dire Straights                On every street
3. Herbert Groenemeyer     Ich hab dich lieb
4. Toten Hosen Unplugged  Das Madchen aus Rottweil
5. Hubert Von Goisern        Weit weit weg
6. Les Miserables                Who am I
7. Sting                               I was brought to my senses
8. Handel’s Messiah            He trusted in God

His Luxury - A bottle of single malt

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22/04/2009 by admin.

was when he came to talk to the men’s breakfast meeting at the Church on the Heath.  He spoke about his involvement in the historic wartime Conferences (1943-1945) in Teheran, Yalta, Potsdam and Moscow between Winston Churchill, Presidents Roosevelt and Truman and Stalin.  These meetings have been much written about; Hugh’s comments gave a refreshing slant.  

He started by reminding us just how much our country is indebted to the Americans.  Without their help the outcome of the last war might have been very different.  Notwithstanding recent difficulties Americans are both warm-hearted and very generous: without Marshall Aid Europe would never have recovered in the way it did. He continued by recounting those occasions when Churchill found Roosevelt particularly difficult and how Churchill often felt sidelined when Stalin and Roosevelt went behind his back.  Like most histories not all the traditionally accepted written accounts of their tripartite dealings are entirely reliable. 

He then gave examples of leading public figures between the two World Wars and the media in the last World War giving very distorted accounts of the Soviet system and Stalin’s leadership.  His great evil, immense cruelty and duplicity were masked by the admiration accorded to the outstanding victories of the Red Army over the German forces.  Those victories, added to the deliberately modest front Stalin presented to Churchill, Roosevelt and other foreign leaders bestowed an image of urbane respectability on ‘Uncle Jo Stalin’ and Russia’s communist system.  Stalin generated great fear in those under him; even his Foreign Minister, Molotov, was heard to stutter when in Stalin’s presence.  Censorship and surveillance were rigid.  In charge of clearing his and other offices of the British Military Mission in Moscow at the end of the War Hugh found and removed some thirty hidden microphones.  A more humorous, yet operationally serious, example was the case of the carrier pigeons carried on arctic route RAF transport aircraft in case of radio failure: they were refused entry or exercise in Russia until they received entry visas – nothing to do with bird flu! 

Hugh pointed to the widespread supposition made in some of the tabloid press and books that towards the end of the War Eastern Europe was carved up at the Yalta Conference in the Crimea and handed over to Stalin by the Western Allies.  In fact Russian troops, the Red Army and the KGB, Secret Police, having driven the German forces out, already occupied much of Eastern Europe. Stalin possessed it without needing to ask. 

Hugh explained that the over-riding objective of both sides in war is usually to bring it to an end as soon as possible.  In February 1945 Russian troops were only 40 miles from Berlin.  In a desperate last throw Hitler aimed to strengthen his front facing the Russians just north east of Dresden by transferring by rail some 30 divisions from  Western and other fronts, as our and Russian intelligence discovered.  The city of Dresden was an important final rail junction for the transfer of those troops.  To prevent the German divisions reaching and holding that front, so prolonging the war, Stalin with his military leaders requested the British and Americans to bomb Dresden and other entrainment points, Berlin, Leipzig and Chemnitz. To achieve the aim of ending the war, still being waged dangerously by Hitler, the Western Allies agreed to Stalin’s request. 

Hugh concluded his remarks by pointing out that although Stalin was the biggest mass-murderer in the whole of human history up to that date, it was Lenin before his early death in 1924, who inspired and instilled into communism its extreme “religion” of hate and murder of political opponents.  Hugh read out the words Lenin wrote in 1915 “We must hate. Hatred is the basis of communism”.  Richard Dexter/Hugh Lunghi  

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22/04/2009 by admin.

 Readers of our weekly news sheet may remember an invitation for parishioners to visit the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking on Saturday 14 March.  Although my initial reaction to this opportunity was more than a little hesitant, my wife Jane gently pointed out that meeting with people of different faiths and learning more about their culture and beliefs often helps us to realize that we have much in common.  
 Like many, I’ve often wondered about the mosque as its dome flashed past the train window while travelling to and from Waterloo. Imagine my surprise, therefore, to discover that although architecturally impressive, the Shah Jahan Mosque is in fact quite small.  It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottleib Wilhelm Leitner to cater to the spiritual needs of Muslim students at the Oriental Institute and was the first mosque to be built in Northern Europe. 
 The original Mosque is a great deal smaller than either of our churches and can hold only 60 worshippers.  Although it’s used for prayers throughout the day, as the Muslim population has grown in Woking so has the need for extra space. This has been provided by large halls in the mosque grounds which are used when there is a need.  These are made up of three sections: A men’s section, which can hold up to 1000 worshippers, a ladies’ section, which can hold up to 600 worshippers, and a community hall.  

• Children of Muslim parents are considered Muslim from birth and that there is no equivalent of our baptism service.

• However, there is a naming ceremony for the baby, where its head is shaved and the hair weighed.  Traditionally, the parents donate the weight of the child’s hair in silver to the mosque.

• Apart from one or two small sects, Muslims do not use music in their worship as Christians do.

• The Qur’an was usually printed in Arabic to avoid mistranslation of the Prophet Mohammed’s words.

I came away from the mosque feeling that Muslims and Christians had a great deal in common. We believe in the same God and share the same traditions of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and the  prophets.  The key difference is that although Muslims revere Jesus as a great prophet, they do not believe that He is the son of God.  
 I’m glad I went.  
 Paul Allen 

And another perspective…..

A group of us from churches in Fleet visited the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking on a Saturday in March. Many of you may have glimpsed the ornate exterior of the mosque outside Woking station from the railway line into London.  It’s a gem of a building and was established in 1889, the first purpose built mosque in Britain.  We were met there by Rev Richard Cook, in charge of interfaith affairs for the diocese who gave a stimulating talk on Islam back in November at P and J.  Richard explained that the mosque was originally built to cater for the spiritual needs of Muslim students at the Oriental Institute in Woking, with funding from the Begum Shah Jahan of Bhopal.  It also acted as a place of worship for visiting delegates from India and as a centre for those in Britain with an interest in eastern cultures and languages.  The mosque became well known in the early 20^th century for its publications and missionary work and helped people in Britain to an early understanding of Islam.  We were also joined by the Imam of the mosque, Mufti Liaquat.  He explained that the original mosque only holds about 60 worshippers and is still used for most of the five daily prayers.  However as the Muslim population of Woking has grown, so has the need for more space and luckily large halls in the Mosque grounds (originally railway sidings) are used for Friday prayers, when over 1,000 people are present and for other festivals and community occasions.  The Imam took us over to the small mosque where we squeezed in along with others who were reading the Koran and praying quietly before the start of the Saturday midday prayer.  He explained about the five daily prayers, how Muslims know to pray in the direction of Mecca and that the ornate writing at the front of the mosque is the first verse of the Koran, the Fatiha, ‘In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.’  He talked of the way that Moslems have to wash before they pray and that the prostrations of the ritual prayer reflect submission to God.  The word Islam means surrender.  The Imam added that usually only men come to the mosque as women are used to praying at home.  He talked about the reverence Muslims feels for Jesus, one of their main prophets and that in Medina, next to the burial place of the prophet Mohammed, a grave is reserved for Jesus after his second coming.  We were then led over to the main prayer hall to watch the midday prayer, sitting at the back of the hall, having left our shoes outside.  About 60 men were present, some teenagers and a young child.  The Imam led the prayers at the front of the hall with the worshippers performing the ‘salat’ or prostrations of prayer.  After a time, they all moved back, to perform their own prayers, each followed by a prostration.  The whole cycle took around 20 minutes and afterwards people greeted each other, shook hands and then dispersed.    Imam Liaquat came back to talk to us and answer questions.  He said that children from the age of about 4 years accompany their fathers to the mosque.  From about 7 years, children can start to learn the Koran in classes with a teacher, reciting in Arabic which is rarely their mother tongue as most of the Muslims in Woking would be Urdu speakers.  Many children come to the mosque each week for Koran classes in the evenings. 

The Imam was asked whether he uses the term God or Allah and he said for him they are the same.  He is happy to talk of God as we are worshipping the same deity, even though our beliefs and ways of praying differ.  It seemed a suitable point on which to end an interesting and stimulating visit and it gave us all an insight into the traditions of Islam. 

 Jane Jones 

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22/04/2009 by admin.

(1 Corinthians 5. 7-8)

Jesus sent His disciples to go and prepare the Passover Meal And Jesus said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer … (Luke 8 and 15) 

“Eat this in remembrance of me…” how well most of us know these familiar words, first spoken by Jesus at the Last Supper, and now part of the Christian Communion Service.  I wonder how many of us were aware of the full significance of The Passover meal and why Jews, throughout the world, still celebrate it? 

Sixty nine of us gathered at All Saints Meeting Room on the Wednesday of Holy Week (8 April). Led by Revd Haydon Wilcox we were helped, through a series of tastings and explanations, to trace the same steps that Jesus took at his last supper with the disciples.   We were intrigued to find that on the table in front of us was set a platter containing minced Horseradish root, a lamb shank bone, sweet sauce which tasted a bit like peanut butter, sprigs of parsley, small lettuce leaves, a roasted egg and a cup of salt water.  There were jugs of red grape juice and each of us had a tiny wine glass to drink from.  There was also Matzos, or unleavened bread.   

Haydon explained that The Passover Seder, or Order of Celebration, is usually led by the father/host of the house. Traditionally, the Passover Meal is eaten reclining on cushions to symbolise freedom from slavery (Luke 22 1-14).  We sat on wooden chairs and used our imaginations.   God instructed the Israelites to celebrate the Passover every year and, by being faithful, Jews celebrate it today with joy and thanksgiving, as if it is living history.  The Seder takes place in the evening after sundown because the Biblical day starts at sundown.  But what about the different items on the platter before us?  Haydon explained that the platter is called The Seder Plate.  Symbolism in the Seder includes: 

• Green vegetable – parsley – representing Life Salt Water – representing the Red Sea 
• The Bitter Herb (in this case, Horseradish) – representing the life in Egypt The Horseradish also brought tears to our eyes so that we do not forget the hardships the Israelites endured in Egypt.  
• Charoset (a Sweet sauce) – representing Hope in God 

• The lamb’s shank bone symbolised the Passover Lamb.

• The egg is a fairly recent Jewish addition and would not have been there at the Last Supper. 

Reverently, but with humour, reflecting the mixture of solemnity and thankfulness of the celebration, Haydon talked us through the Seder and encouraged us to taste the different dishes at the appropriate moments. 

Before the meal we were invited to ceremonially wash our hands.  This represented purity.   We were also introduced to the Four Cups of Wine. 

• The Cup of Sanctification – God has set apart the Holy Feast Day.
• The Cup of Judgement and Praise – God’s judgement is poured out but God has also promised a means of deliverance.
• The Cup of Redemption – symbolising the covering of the shed blood of the Passover Lamb (fulfilled for us in Jesus, although this is not recognised by the Jews).
• The Cup of Completion – we give thanks for God’s four-fold redemption: “I will bring you out, I will deliver you, I will redeem you, I will take you to be my people.”  
• A fifth cup, The Cup of Elijah, not one of the four ceremonial Cups, is poured before the meal. 

The Jews are still awaiting the return of the prophet Elijah, but Jesus has told us that John the Baptist was a type of Elijah and has already come (Matt 17. 10-13).  Traditionally, this cup is drunk by the host after the children have looked outside the front door, to ascertain that Elijah is not outside, waiting to be let in.  

Haydon also showed us the special Matzah Cover, which has three pockets.  One Matzah was placed in each pocket. He then removed the middle Matzah and broke it in two.  He wrapped one half in a linen cloth and hid it (in the top of the piano). Traditionally, the children find it later, and eat it after the main part of the meal.  The other half, representing the Bread of Affliction, was shared round the table. 

Traditionally, the telling of the Passover Story is introduced by children asking four questions, the answers to which enable the story to be told.  The importance of family and friends gathering to take part in this intimate celebration was constantly stressed by Haydon.   Although there were no children present, the meal helped us to feel like a family celebrating something special together.  We too, connected with the solemnity and the laughter … and left with a spirit of awe and thankfulness at the sacrifice which our Lord made for us and the wonder of our heritage. 

We also realised how deeply the Old and New Testaments are intertwined.  As Christ said, he did not come to do away with the Old Testament Law, but to fulfil it.  After the Seder Meal, the hardworking team of catering volunteers served a delicious lamb casserole and piping hot baked potatoes followed by Baklava.  

Thanking them, Haydon also thanked Mrs Joan Bradnam, from The Church on the Heath, who has a wide knowledge of Jewish customs and helped him plan the evening.  He also paid tribute to Helen Ledger, who compiled a PowerPoint presentation and the Passover Celebration booklet, which was used for the evening.  

Sally Hastings  

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02/04/2009 by admin.

Many people today find it difficult to understand how it is that 150 years after the publication of ‘The Origin of Species’ there is still a vociferous body of fundamentalist Christians, based in the Bible Belt of the United States, that champions an alternative view of the origins of the world.  At first glance it would seem to be part of the on-going argument between science and religion but if one looks more closely it is, in reality, the working through of a recent political problem peculiar to the USA.

The early emigrants to America were largely Protestant refugees fleeing the religious intolerance of a powerful and oppressive church both Roman Catholic and Anglican.  When, therefore, the first Constitution was drawn up in 1776 the original thirteen States were anxious to ensure there should be complete religious freedom and so they took steps to see that no particular religion was favoured by the new national government; this became enshrined in the First Amendment.

Over the course of time, however, this policy of denying any one religion precedence in government gradually changed and any religious involvement by the state in any of its activities, be it public worship or teaching religion in schools, was later proscribed.  Matters came to the boil in 1925 when it was found that notwithstanding the First Amendment a number of evangelicals in the non-conformist and conservative Southern States had passed legislation banning the teaching of the Darwinian theory because they saw it as materialist in outlook and a threat to traditional bible teaching.  In a test case it was ruled that the First Amendment should be upheld and that anti-Darwinian teaching (by which was meant the expounding of the Genesis creation story) should be proscribed because it was seen as to be religiously inspired.

The practice of anti-Darwinian teaching continued however so further cases were brought against those Bible States which were trying to curb the teaching of  science in favour of the traditional teaching of scripture.  And in this the Bible Belt Christians took their inspiration from the verse in the Authorised Version which says ‘O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called’, (1 Tim 6v20).  In each test case, however, the earlier ruling supporting the First Amendment proscribing the teaching of religion was upheld. The result of this continual pressure of denying local school boards the chance to offer any religious education only strengthened their resolve to disregard Federal Government’s rulings and to think up more ways to circumvent the restrictions and to continue with pro-Bible teaching.  This situation was tacitly accepted until the Russians launched their first Sputnik in 1957 when it was seen that America might be losing the space race.  This caused the central government to panic and prompted it to reinforce again the proscribing of anti-Darwinian legislation which many saw as the cause for the falling-away of an interest in science in education.  This in effect only heightened the stakes and made the pro-Bible campaign in the south think up ever more increasingly sophisticated arguments to prove that it was God who created the world, such arguments as ‘catastrophism’ (such as a comet crashing into the earth) and ‘intelligent design’ (e.g. how could the human eye ever have developed by random chance alone).  Their aim was to present pro-Bible arguments in a form more acceptable to the science lobby. But it did not work as their arguments were dismissed by the scientific establishment as merely pseudo-science.

The underlying thrust of the ‘intelligent design’ initiative is in effect an effort to bring religious education back into the public demesne because a purely scientific appraisal of creation brings with it, so the evangelical fundamentalists believe, a complete lack of moral guidance and teaching that leaves room for the general acceptance of drugs and crime.  It therefore has become a social and political issue rather than a religious one.  The interesting thing about all this is that Darwin himself was never an atheist but a self-confessed agnostic with a very open mind.  He makes many references both specific and implied that his theories only go so far. In the popular and final edition of ‘Origin of Species’ he includes quotations from other writers saying that God does not act by constant miracles but ‘by the establishment of general laws’.
The two outcomes of this are firstly that this situation has not arisen in the UK because we condone religious education in schools - something that needs to be protected - and secondly the emergence of the problem about how should we teach religion if we are to explain to young minds how the Bible and science can live together.  To say Genesis is a myth yet contains deep truths is a difficult concept for our teachers to put over.  They’ll need our every support and encouragement.

Richard Dexter

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02/04/2009 by admin.

Dr Colin Connolly is one of the top geneticists and an advisor to H M Government.  But more to the point he is an extremely witty and entertaining speaker who exudes enthusiasm when sharing his vast knowledge with others.  His talk started off with a five-star brief survey of our present knowledge of molecular biology and genetics.  The human brain we are told has the equivalent of a 100 gigabyte capacity, the same as a thousand million desktop computers and only using 75 watts of power.  He explained the relationship between DNA, RNA, genes and chromosomes and reminded us that we all share the same ‘operating system’ with life as a whole both animals and plants. 

He then went on to explain how genetic engineering was undertaken namely by ‘cutting and pasting’ DNA and gave examples of its benefits and pitfalls.  The potential for healing genetic diseases was very promising but the knowledge can also be misused by those who flout their responsibilities and disregard ethics.  He pointed out as an example the dangers of screening for the autism gene and how if all potentially autistic foetuses in the past had been aborted society would have been denied such geniuses such as Einstein and Newton and many others who have made great contributions both in the arts and science.  He reminded us of various disastrous eugenic experiments in history of which mankind is ashamed. 

He then touched on the problem of holding an individual responsible for actions resulting from genetic make-up whilst at the same time respecting a person’s free will.  Also mentioned was the controversial practice of conceiving a second child to provide genetic material for a sick sibling.  He expressed his wish that theologians should be better acquainted with science before making a stand on a moral issue.  He quoted a recent debate in the House of Lords where some bishops were opposing the recent stem cell research bill without realising that stem cells can now be extracted from skin without the need to use a foetus or embryo tissue. 

The discussion which followed covered such topics as genetically modifying plants for food, the ethics of abortion and the rights of an unborn child, the debate about when in man’s evolution he acquired a soul and the ethics of administering drugs to a terminally ill patient. 

The meeting ended with a heartfelt vote of thanks given to both Dr Connolly for his most entertaining and thought-provoking talk and to Pauline Moyse who had invited him to Fleet.  Dr Connolly responded by offering to come again in the autumn, an offer that was enthusiastically accepted. 

Richard Dexter

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23/03/2008 by admin.

Jesus Died!

You may think that an odd statement for me to make on Easter Day, when we are here to celebrate The Resurrection!  But, actually it is important, because Jesus’ death is the starting point - the ‘launch-pad’ - from which Resurrection comes!  It’s important, too, because what I want to say this morning is very straightforward, but only if you remember the sequence of events. First death, then resurrection.  Or to put it another way: ‘no death, no resurrection’!  The ‘new life’ which Jesus was given by God, could not have happened if he had not first surrendered himself to Death.

 And I’m not so sure that we 21^st Century Christians are very good at taking that on  board - if we were, there would be the same number of people in our Churches on Good Friday as there are on Easter Day, but that is not the case - it has not been the case in any Parish where I have ever worked, and this Good Friday was no exception.  But surely, we can’t demand Resurrection, unless we have been first to the other bit, which is why, our starting point today must be the acceptance that Jesus died!

For God is not a God of death - he is a God of Resurrection!  That is the truth which we celebrate today.  So what is this ‘Resurrection?  Or more to the point, what is it to us, all these years after Jesus?

What is the evidence that Christ is Risen today, in Fleet?   Well, the answer can be found all around us, in the signs of new birth that are in our church: 

• In the 20 young people who were confirmed here last year.

• In the Mums and Toddlers who come to our Praise and Play Service on a Tuesday afternoon, wanting to know more about the faith, and wanting their children to grow up knowing God.

• In our Prayer diaries where we read thanksgivings for those who we have prayed for and are now recovering from debilitating and life-threatening illnesses.

• In all the things that we are doing in our Churches to make them welcoming and inclusive - yes, even in the fact that our main service will be moving to 10 o’clock in two weeks time!

• And in all the other good things that I will be telling you about when you come to our Annual Parish Church  meeting on Thursday Evening. (please!)These are all Easter moments, times of miracles, when we are seeing things which we thought could never happen.  And surely God is behind this, because God is behind all movements for resurrection!

And yet, in so much of this, for resurrection to come, as our church moves through change and re-birth, some aspects of the church may have to die.  There is a great struggle going on in our church (and I mean worldwide and nationally, as well as locally) between those who see God in the traditions of the past, and those who see God in the new wind of the Spirit challenging our old assumptions.  It is the same struggle which Jesus faced when he chose the way of compassion over the way of conformity.  And it leads to a kind of death for those of us who have cherished and loved the old church we know and which we have served most of our lives.  But something wonderful is coming out of this turmoil.  And all of that is because Jesus died - because Jesus died for you and for me!

So, back to my starting point - Jesus died!  But, because he died, he is now alive, and in this post-Easter age - an age in which we are now living - God is on the loose! 

So those of us who think that we have God tied down, right where we want him, need to tremble in fear! Because, if God is on the loose - if Christ is Risen - then there can be no forcing of God into any of the things that we want him to be! And so, in this Easter Festival, to truly celebrate resurrection, to truly welcome God on the loose, we need to be constantly willing to hand over control to him!  And we must allow God to be God: crucified and risen and on the loose in our world.   And when we do that, just think of the thrill of imagining the unimaginable: 

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10/02/2008 by admin.

A Statement in support of our Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams
(Read out in All Saints Church, by The Vicar, Revd Roy Woodhams, on Sunday 10th February):

I believe that our Archbishop has been the subject very unfair criticism this week, and there are three things that I would like to point out to you:

1. He has been maliciously misquoted by the press reports of what he actually said this week. If you look at the full text of his lecture which (which can opened with the following link: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1581 ) you will understand this.

2. Religious extremism is borne out of marginalisation! A bee will only sting when it feels that its life is under threat. Most wild animals will only attack when they have been cornered. And so it is with religious extremism - throughout history, we have seen examples of religious groups who have been cornered into impossible situations, and so have turned to violence as a last resort!

3. As Christians living in Britain, we have to accept that we are no longer necessarily the majority religion or culture. But it is our responsibility, as Christians living in a multicultural society, to make this country a place where all are valued, welcomed and supported in whatever beliefs they have. And if that means working towards incorporating the laws of other faiths and cultures into British Law, then so be it.

Within all of that, I would like it to be known that Dr Rowan Williams has my full support and backing as he seeks to lead our Church through difficult times!

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27/01/2008 by admin.

 SERMON AT ALL SAINTS ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 27TH BY STEPHEN THORNTON, MINISTER OF THE  UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, FLEET

Text : From the Gospel reading, Matthew 4.12-23, v.17. ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 

We must first work our what Jesus meant by ‘kingdom of heaven.’ There are various misconceptions, such as ‘we are building it,’ or, ’its where you go when you die.‘ Jesus declared that he has brought it; all we have to do is enter it, by being his friends - enter it and enjoy it. 

To enter it, we have to repent, which means turn round; change direction - a complete transformation. 

First in us as individuals. Some feel that being Christian is just being nice to one another. Jesus did not get crucified for telling us to be nice. He came and reversed the world’s values, with a mission to turn the world upside down. One summary of his teaching is the beatitudes, which tells us to put God first in our lives; to have a heart bleeding for the state of the world, and a commitment to raise heaven and earth until the world is changed. That’s the turn round called for in us each one - a new direction. If we were arrested for being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us? When were we persecuted for our faith and witness, for true followers will certainly meet stiff opposition. So, each one, repent, turn round and help turn the world upside down. 

Then the Church also needs to repent, turn round. The reading from the epistle, challenged the Corinthian church about its divisions. So we need to heal ours. In 1964, the Church of England, the Methodist Church, and the Churches which now make up the United Reformed Church, promised ourselves one, united church in England by Easter Day, 1980. I don’t think we are going to make it. Yet we desperately need each other. We all have the same issues - lack of resources, money, ministers - and we all have great gifts to share with each other. The United Reformed Church has much to share with you, and I know that you have much to share with us. So, repent, all of us; turn round; change direction and begin to be seen to be one. 

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, when we remember the horrors of the last world war. These horrors continue, in Kenya, Zimbabwe, the Middle East, and even in our own country, with barriers between people of different races, faiths and cultures. The world needs to turn round, and the church is called to help it. But the world looks on, and says, ‘physician, heal yourself - you can’t get on with each other, so how can you help us?’ We have a major task to build bridges between people’s here and everywhere, that the world will find its healing. So, the world needs to repent - turn round - and find a new and different future. 

The Kingdom is here, and we are called to enter it, now. So, we need, each one, to repent; our churches need to repent, and the world needs to change direction - we must not let God down.

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30/09/2007 by admin.

Luke 15: 11-32

Preacher: Rev. Roy Woodhams

Rebellious American Rock Star Alice Cooper, was once asked how his ‘way out’ image fitted in with his also being a Christian?  He replied, ‘It may sound ironic, but it’s the most rebellious thing I’ve ever done! Drinking beer is easy!  Taking drugs is easy!  Trashing your hotel room is easy!  But being a Christian - that’s a tough call - that’s real rebellion!’

 Today is ‘Back to Church Sunday’, when we are delighted to welcome some of you as our visitors.  I sincerely hope you have all felt welcomed - if you haven’t, please tell me about it over lunch!

 I’m sure that we are all familiar with today’s scripture reading - the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  I chose it because Jesus is such a brilliant story teller, and also because it’s, in itself, a story about be welcomed back.  It’s about the only time many of us even use the word “prodigal” and I wonder if we actually know what it means?  For the record it means, “recklessly extravagant.” 

 So, in this parable of the Recklessly Extravagant Son, Jesus tells the story of a younger son, who has grown up in the lap of luxury.  I suppose he’s a bit of a ‘spoiled rich kid’.  And this kid, rather audaciously asks for his inheritance early, and is given it!  

 At first, he lives the high life, probably going to parties with all the right people, eating the best food, and drinking the best wine.   But then a famine occurs, and when it does, he also happens to have run out of money.  In his desperation, he finds a job feeding pigs - dirty, smelly work.

 And being Jewish, it’s an even worse shame because pigs were regarded as unclean, and good Jews were not even supposed to be around pigs, let alone feeding and cleaning up after them.  Not only does he work with unclean animals, he is so hungry he’s even envious of the food the pigs are eating.  What a contrast with his previous playboy lifestyle!

 But then the young man comes to his senses.   He is his father’s son.   Even his father’s hired hands, the lowest rung of the ladder in the whole household, have more than enough to eat.   He has to swallow his pride and admit his wrongdoing, but he hopes the love of a father for his son will be enough.  

 He goes and says, “Dad, I’ve sinned against God and you!”  And to show his true change of heart, he is even willing to become a hired hand in his father’s household.  But his father won’t hear of it and instead calls for a celebration.  His son is back who was lost but is now been found.  

 The father would be justified in treating his son as a hired hand, but that father, not out of anything the son has done, but only out of his love welcomes the son back home.

 But there’s still some unpleasantness, because the older brother, the good guy in the story, is mad.   He doesn’t understand how he’s done everything right his whole life and yet “when has he ever had a party?”   The older son has done all the right actions, but has the wrong spirit.  He doesn’t understand the repentance of his brother or his father’s love.  This son would have preferred his brother to have stayed lost and dead, while the father rightly understands that he must rejoice, in spite of the past, because his younger son has new life, he has been found.

 Now, there are two challenges galore here for all of us, but I’m just going to home in on two particular ones:

• The first challenge is an immediate one, and we need to sort it right away, and
• the second is long-term, which may well take us a lifetime to live out!

The immediate challenge is this: to work out which of the two Sons most represent us, and where we sit in relation to the Father, who is our God? 

 Now don’t get me wrong here, for there is no distinction here between our ‘back to Church’ guests and those of us who sit here week by week, because I know as well as anybody, that some of you who aren’t regular worshippers with us, may well be sitting much closer in God’s favour, than even the Vicar!

 So, are we like the Son who has gone off with the family fortune and had a good time before running into trouble?  Or are we the one full of righteous indignation, who has done all the right things, but lacks the grace to be forgiving?

 And then there is the long-term challenge, which is not so simple, because it involves using what we have just found out, as a foundation on which to live the rest of our lives?

 And the challenge is this - if we think of our lives as a journey, do we want to travel the rest of our journey hand in hand with the one who created us, redeemed us, and longs for us to walk the road with him, or do we want to say that we have no need of God, that he is irrelevant to our lives, and we are far too busy to choose that other path?

 During the week I was talking to my friend Chris Bird, the minister of Fleet Baptist Church, and he has just returned to work after a three month sabbatical, part of which was spent in the Southern Sudan.

 Chris told me about some truly amazing and life-changing experiences, which I hope to invite him to come and share with our congregation sometime soon, but one thing which I would like to share with you this morning, is something which he told me which is, I think, very relevant to what we are thinking about today. 

 A local Sudanese Christian said to Chris, that he thought it was much more difficult to be a Christian in the developed world, because our modern lifestyles are such, that it is so easy for us to live our daily lives without needing God.  But in the

 I wonder if you’ve heard the story of old Gladys who attended church one Sunday and the sermon just seemed to go on and on and some of the ageing congregation fell asleep.  Afterwards, she went up to one particularly sleepy looking old chap, and trying to be polite said, ‘Hello, I’m Gladys Dunn’. To which the gentleman replied, ‘And so am I!’

Well, I’m not ‘Gladys’, but you’ll be relieved to hear that I am ‘Done’, and I want to end by saying ‘thank you’ to those of you who have come as our guests today, and ‘thank you’ to those members of our congregation who have invited and welcomed you!  And above all, I want to say ‘thank you’ to God, who is the Father who welcomes us back with open arms, each and every time we ‘mess up’!

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