Contents
The Guild Church of St Margaret Pattens
Sermons & Addresses
This page is used to record sermons and addresses, reminiscences by its members and officials and special events in the life of St Margaret Pattens.
• "1944 – Omaha Beach: D-Day +1" - An address given on Thursday, 4th June 2009 by Geoffrey Webber, Church Administrator.
• Patronal Service – A sermon given on Thursday, 23rd July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
• "On the Holy Eucharist" – A sermon given on Thursday, 30th July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Romans 6:19-23; Mark 8:1-10.
• "Lesser Festival – Gregory the Great" - A sermon given on Thursday, 3rd September 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas, Assistant Priest. Readings: 1 Thessalonians 2: 3-8; Mark 10: 42-45.
• Festival of Christ the King (the last Sunday before Advent), “Stir up Sunday” - a sermon given on Thursday, 26th November 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Revelation 1: 4-8; John 18: 33-37.
• The First Sunday of Epiphany - a sermon given on Thursday, 14th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Acts 8: 14-17; Luke 3; 15-17, 21-22.
• Charles, King and Martyr (1649) - a sermon given on Thursday, 28th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: 1 Timothy 6: 12-16; Mark 4:35-end. See Charles, King and Martyr - Annual Service on Traditions Page.
• "Candlemas – The presentation of Christ in the Temple" - a sermon given on Thursday, 4th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Hebrews 4:14-end; Luke 2:22-40.
• "Sexagesima" - Second Sunday before Lent - a sermon given on Thursday, 11th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Genesis 2:4-9, 15-end; Luke 8:22-25.
• "Ash Wednesday" - a sermon given on Thursday, 18th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:20b – 6:10; John 8:1-11.
• "Technology and the Holy Spirit?" - a sermon given on Thursday, 8th April 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: Acts 3:11-16; Luke 24:35-48.
• "Corpus Christi and the Martyrs of Uganda" (or "Get up and do something") - a sermon given on Thursday, 3rd June 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas. Readings: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 6:51-58.
• "St Swithun’s Day" - a sermon given on Thursday, 15th July 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: James 5:7-11,13-18; Matthew 11:28-end.
• "Thoughts for the Summer Holidays" - a sermon given on Thursday, 22nd July 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 2 Corinthians 5: 14-17; John 20: 1-2, 11-18.
• "True friendship" - a sermon given on Thursday, 29th July 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Hebrews 2:10-15; John 12:1-8.
• “Who is Jesus?” - a sermon given on Thursday, 5th August 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Peter 4:12-17; Matthew 16:13-20.
• A sermon given on Thursday, 12th August 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Psalm 113; Matthew 18:15-20.
• “Blessed Virgin Mary” - a sermon given on Thursday, 19th August 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Psalm 23; Luke 1:46-55.
• “Trust” - a sermon given on Thursday, 30th September 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Job 19:19-27; Luke 10:1-12.
• "St Cecilia" - a sermon given at Choral Evensong on Wednesday, 24th November 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11; Revelation 14:1-13.
• Service for King Charles the Martyr - a sermon given on Thursday, 27th January 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas
(also at the end of the week of Christian Unity)
Readings: Mark 4:35-end; Acts 2:42-47
• "Richard of Chichester" - a Sermon given on Thursday, 16th June 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas
Readings: Philippians 4:10-13; John 21:15-19
• “HOLIDAYS” - a sermon given on Thursday, 4th August 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Deuteronomy 4:32-40; Matthew 16:24-end. Hymns : NEH 368 (Guide me O Thou great redeemer); NEH 485 ( Thy hand O God has guided)
• A sermon given on Thursday, 11th August 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Joshua 3:13-17; Matthew 18:21-end. Hymns: NEH 353 (Dear Lord and Father of mankind); NEH 334 (All people that on earth do dwell – Psalm 100)
• "The Feminine face of God” - a sermon given on Thursday,18th August 2011 (Feast of The Blessed Virgin Mary) by Revd Hugh Thomas (transferred from 15th August).
Readings: Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 1:46-55. Hymns: NEH 185 (Sing we of the Blessed Mother), NEH 186 (Tell out my Soul)
• "Bartholomew the Apostle" - a sermon given on Thursday, 25th August 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 22:24-30
LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE – NOT CYNICAL!
"1944 – Omaha Beach: D-Day +1"
An address given on Thursday, 4th June 2009 by Geoffrey Webber, Church Administrator.
67 years ago in 1942, with the equivalent
of “A” levels in French and German, I joined the Army Intelligence Corps.
After initially training to specialise in security, I was transferred to what
was then a highly classified organisation – known as the “Y service”,
specialising in deciphering and decoding German military wireless traffic.
By 1944, I was concentrating on decoding messages emanating from German army divisions on manoeuvres, and coastal batteries on the continent. Similar American intelligence units, stationed in England prior to the invasion of France, had little experience of these German codes. So, in April 1944, I was seconded to one of their units – 3250 Signal Service Company, stationed in Sidmouth. There I learnt, somewhat to my surprise, that this unit was scheduled to land on Omaha beach on D-Day, 6th June 1944 at “H+16” (i.e. 4 p.m.). This unit, part of Corps headquarters, was hardly appropriate for commando-style assault. Indeed, my only weapon was a .38 revolver, which I had never fired. However, the Americans expected to storm the beaches and, in doing so, might capture enemy classified equipment and documents for our unit to evaluate at the earliest opportunity.
We duly boarded a troopship at Portland Bill – one of the so-called “Liberty Ships” built in the United States. Our trucks were lashed down to the metal deck, and off we sailed on “D-1”, first towards the southern tip of the Isle of Wight and then as part of a vast armada, across the Channel towards Normandy – escorted by Royal Navy destroyers and American P.38 Lightning fighter planes. Because of air supremacy and command of the sea, this part of the invasion seemed overwhelmingly, a confidence booster.
There were five Normandy landing beaches – Sword, Juno and Gold for the British and Canadians, and Omaha and Utah for the Americans. Anchors were dropped a few miles off the coast; the weather was lovely and four of us climbed on top of the truck and played cards. It was then that we were sharply reminded by a lone German fighter flying towards us firing tracers, that war was unpredictable.
I got off the top of the truck with youthful alacrity, and crouched against a rear wheel. The tracers, in a few seconds, pinged on the metal deck but my number fortunately was not on one of them! It was only afterwards, I realised that the rear wheel against which I had rested my head was next to the petrol tank!
D-Day aboard the troopship was the next big shock. The initial assault with landing craft had proved very costly. Underwater mines close to the shore had blown up virtually all the first wave of landing craft, and many of the beach officers, trained to guide craft into landing had been killed. This resulted in a mass of wreckage in the shallows close to beach and of many wounded being brought back on to the troopships which, having once discharged their invading troops and equipment, would return to England. This is the reason why our landing did not take place as planned at 4 p.m. on D-Day.
In the event, the invading forces made amazing progress in the 24 hours between 4 p.m on D-Day and 4 p.m. on “D-Day plus one” when we finally landed. I took advantage of the troopship’s excellent facilities, and had a last minute hot shower and an excellent meal and a good sleep.
On the early afternoon of “D-Day plus one”, our trucks were transferred from our transport ship to what was called a “Rhino-Barge” – basically a shallow raft made up of the equivalent of Jerry-cans, lashed together and mobilised by a suitable outboard engine. Thus we reached the beach through a gap in the wrecked assault craft. We drove off without getting our feet wet, and crossed a deep, wide, ditch which the Germans had dug parallel to the shoreline – which the Americans had spanned with a steel mesh bridge. Then, in our truck, we zigzagged up the gently rising cliff to the hilltop, where there was exhibited the reassuring sign “Vehicle Park”, into which we drove.
The next event summoned me to a tree, perhaps a quarter mile from our vehicle, where an American officer stood identifying his role as “G2” (i.e. “Intelligence”), a drawing pin holding a note of his identity stuck to a tree. He handed me a German document, and asked if it was a classified and, if so, should it be sent back immediately to invasion headquarters in London. I identified this document as a German basic code GBC=E, which had been used by their coastal batteries. It was exactly like getting a solution to a Times crossword puzzle and, gratifyingly, it confirmed that our decoding had been spot on. I disappointed the American officer by advising that this document was of no immediate importance.
I returned to the Vehicle Park to find my American colleagues had dug my foxhole, and the evening of D-Day+1 was not only comfortable, but also spectacular, as American battleships moored offshore fired salvos over our heads some miles into Normandy.
From then on we never looked back, but that is another story. My experience, which I have tried to summarise after 65 years as best I can, was indelible. It taught me to have an unshakeable faith in Christianity. Of course, we all knew we had a just cause; but what was so rewarding was the conviction, come whatever disaster, that faith, hope and love would prevail. There was, from my viewpoint, no doubt. In particular, we had confidence in the coalition government with the presence of Churchill, Attlee, Morrison, Beaverbrook, Woolton etc. – utterly dedicated to cope with a national emergency.
May I leave you with this thought? Is it not now opportune for our politicians to identify national economic emergencies, and agree a strategy to deal with them that spans the duration of several parliamentary terms?
Geoffrey Webber 4.6.2009
A sermon given on Thursday, 23rd July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings (from 'Common of Martyrs'): Romans 8:35-end; Matthew 16: 24-26.
St Margaret of Antioch
was one of the most popular saints in medieval England. So, therefore, it
is perhaps not surprising that, when this church was established first on this
site in 1067, it took this dedication. It is also interesting to note
that that there are six other churches with the same dedication in the Diocese
of London, including one, St Margaret Lothbury, in the City of London. In
addition, as some of you know, it is also the dedication of my home parish near
Sevenoaks – although there is some dispute as to whether that refers to St
Margaret of Scotland! In England, in total, there are more than 250 churches
dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch.
I think that it is important to reminder ourselves of the lives, and deaths, of the saints and martyrs which have been remembered by the Church over the centuries, lest we forget the sacrifices that have enabled us to worship in freedom today and given us a glimpse into the lives of people whose dedication and love for Christ has exceeded most of what we can imagine; and in respect of Margaret, to remind ourselves of the important role of women in the life and ministry of the Church throughout the ages.
Margaret certainly fell into that category when she died a martyr’s death on 20th July 304 A.D. The background to her death was the dangerous period when the Roman Emperor Diocletian began persecuting Christians throughout the Roman Empire. The reason was probably to try to restore the (Roman) public morality and reinforce Imperial authority. This was to be done by attempting to rid the Roman Empire of the Christian religious creed which, in the context of 4th Century Roman society, was seen as morally and socially disruptive. So, today, we need to be mindful of the fact that Christianity has always been, to a greater or lesser extent, counter-cultural. When a ruling 'elite' tries to marginalise Christianity on the grounds of not being socially acceptable, remember that the Christian faith is NOT the easy or always 'politically acceptable' option. Christian faith comes at a price – but thankfully at the moment not the sort of price that Margaret paid in 304 A.D.
Margaret was a native of Antioch and the daughter of a pagan priest named Aedesius. She was scorned by her father for her Christian faith, and lived in the country with a foster-mother keeping sheep. Olybrius, the praeses orientis (Roman Governor), offered her marriage at the price of her renunciation of Christianity. Upon her refusal, she was cruelly tortured, during which various miraculous incidents occurred. One of these involved being swallowed by Satan in the shape of a dragon, from which she escaped alive, when the cross she carried irritated the dragon's innards.
And that is just about the total of what is known about St Margaret of Antioch: her life and death. The account of her being tortured to death is probably accurate, since this was the sad fate of many who declined to succumb to the Imperial decree of Diocletian. Whether she was actually swallowed by a dragon, and then escaped in the manner described, might be a different matter.
However, as a result of promises that she is reputed to have made just before her death to assist anyone - especially women in childbirth - she is also remembered as the patron saint of pregnant women and women in childbirth. In the Middle Ages, some women would fasten strips of parchment bearing the story and prayers of St Margaret around their abdomen when in labour.
The first reading chosen for today from Paul’s letter to the Romans is often used at funerals, since it reminds us that, come what may, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Not death, life, nor even the most cruel persecutions by a Roman emperor, can stop the ongoing loving effects of God in Christ.
It is important to note that within twenty-five years of the persecutions inaugurated by Diocletian, the Christian emperor Constantine would rule the Roman Empire. He would reverse the consequences of the edicts, and return all confiscated property to Christians. Under Constantine's rule, Christianity would become the Roman Empire's preferred religion. So, if we sometimes think that we are having a tough time in the Christian Church, we should take heart that the greatest development came after one of the worst periods in early Christianity.
When the first church on this site was established in 1067, it was less than a year after William of Normandy landed in Pevensey Bay in Sussex, and much closer to the time when William and his army of French knights were beaten back at the old London Bridge – literally just down the road from where we are now!
This church and its predecessors have many a tale to tell about what has happened in the life of the Christian community in this part of London. But the main story about this church is its ability, and its requirement, to adapt and transform to the needs of the people who live and work here and hereabouts.
In 1067 this place was more likely to have been a place for rest and care for those involved nearby in the battles with William and the invading French forces. Some 600 years later it was at the centre of a thriving and bustling City of London with tradesmen (e.g. Pattenmakers) around the corner and a successful bakery just down the road. Unfortunately, owing to a lapse in Health and Safety procedures, there was a fire in the baker's shop which resulted in the church on this site being burnt to the ground. And then, Christopher Wren got the contract to build a new church here, so it would have been a hive of activity here, with skilled craftsmen from all over the country and from further afield. These people built this magnificent church, but also found and re-used one of the bells (cast in 1624) from the earlier church. This shows, perhaps, the continuity of the call to worship in this place. The bell still hangs in the tower, and we hope to get it ringing again soon!
At my ordination, I was commended by the Bishop to “proclaim the faith afresh in each generation”. That is what this church has done over the centuries and which is our ongoing task. With the example of the martyrdom of St Margaret before us we have a great symbol - a women of faith who found Christ in spite of her pagan upbringing and the displeasure of her father, and who refused to deny her faith in spite of the most awful torture. Margaret is a woman for whom truly in the words of St Paul “... death, nor life ... can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord ...” (Romans 8:26-end)
How then should we now, in 2009, proceed with the many ideas and plans that we have for this church? Well perhaps we should take as our guide our Patron Saint, Margaret of Antioch, and follow her to assist anyone in need – whether women in childbirth or not. Much of that will centre around the manner in which we develop the facilities in this wonderful church, but also, as a community, how we reach out and welcome everyone who comes here – whether for a church service, a concert, a Yoga session, or just to sit quietly.
That is the task for the Church of St Margaret in the second millennium of its establishment.
AMEN
A sermon given on 30th July 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Romans 6:19-23; Mark 8:1-10.
As I described at the start of this service, the advice of both the Archbishops and our own Bishops at the present time is that the “usual” sharing of the bread and wine at the Holy Eucharist be adapted as a result of the current declared Swine Flu Pandemic.
The action and advice from the Archbishops is based upon Section 8 of the Sacrament Act of 1547, which contemplates circumstances whereby the distribution of both elements in the usual way, or at all, is not advisable on grounds of public health.
Sometimes, when we need to do something a different way, it can be uncomfortable, but it can also enable us to reflect on exactly what we do and why. For example, when there is a strike on the trains or the tubes, I am forced to get to my work by a wider variety of options — by walking, cycling (further), going by bus, or perhaps sharing a lift with another. After all, we realise that it is more important to get to the office than the manner it which we travel! It would not benefit us, or our colleagues, if we just didn’t turn up, and it certainly would not help in the management of the business in which we were involved. The most important point is just to get there, even if it takes a bit longer and is less convenient for a while.
Well, perhaps the same might be said at the moment regarding the advice to alter our “normal” manner of receiving the Holy Elements at the Eucharist. It can also make us reflect in a different way perhaps on another aspect of the Eucharist Celebration.
Our reading from the Gospel of Mark concerns the “feeding of the 4000”. By the way. this is separate to, and additional to, the “feeding of the 5000” which you will find a few verses earlier! I have to admit that I had to read it more than once to realise the similarities and the differences between the two accounts. (The earlier one is found at Mark 6:30 ff). What then was happening in the Gospel account? Well, people were coming together in fellowship, and with some anticipation. Probably more anticipation than in the earlier account, because they would probably have heard of the accounts of Jesus feeding the 5000.
Is that how we come together for the Holy Eucharist - in anticipation and excitement? In the Prayer Book there are, actually, a number of additional exhortations which the priest can use to remind people of the importance of coming together appropriately for the Eucharist.
For example, there is a specific prayer whereby the Priest informs the congregation when he will next celebrate the Holy Communion, saying “… (it is) my duty to exhort you in the mean season to consider the dignity of (the) Holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and so to search and examine your own conscience …”and …“if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience therein, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God’s Word, and open his grief … that he may receive the benefit of absolution …”
The coming together in a reverential way and in true anticipation is what sometimes can be lost, whether we are celebrating according to the Book of Common Prayer or according to Common Worship. The Eucharist is something we “experience” through faith, and not just “do”.
When we gather together in true anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit amongst us, we should remember the awesome anticipation of those people on the hillside as they waited for Jesus to come to speak to them. For, by faith, we believe that Jesus himself is here alongside us as we participate in the manner that He directed.
At the Eucharist, as a priest, I cannot tell you what a privilege and awesome responsibility it is to speak the very words of Christ. Not even the best training from the most experienced priests can prepare oneself for it. I know that I am a mere novice as a priest, but I have to say that each and every time I celebrate the Eucharist - whether according to the Prayer Book, or Common Worship - it takes my breath away. Nothing, I can assure you, prepared me for the first time I celebrated the Eucharist after my ordination, and the same thing happens each time.
As we gather at the altar we share SPIRITUALLY in the one cup and the one bread with Christ himself – whether we are physically around a table or not. The role of the priest is nothing less than standing at the centre of the table and inviting everyone to come together in the power of the Holy Spirit.
As we are gathered together today, perhaps we could imagine ourselves in the crowd of excited people we heard about in the Gospel reading, jostling for a place to hear or possibly also to see Jesus. The atmosphere is electric. Where is he? Can you see him yet? Yes, there he is, just coming into sight surrounded by his disciples. Will he see us? Perhaps we will get close enough to hear him speak this time. We tried last week in the other place but failed. And then, we hear that there is some food coming round. Some have got bread and others fish, some a bit of both. Whatever we receive, we know that it comes from Jesus himself. That is enough for me - more than enough.
We receive the Holy Mysteries of the Eucharist “by faith and with thanksgiving”. We receive the Holy Sacrament by faith in God in Christ who died on the cross for the sins of each and every one of us - faith in Christ, who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is hovering over us now and sits alongside each and every one of us. But let us ALSO receive the sacrament with true and excited thanksgiving, just like those thousands of people on the hillside with Jesus himself.
AMEN
Lesser Festival – Gregory the Great
A sermon given on Thursday, 3rd September 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Thessalonians 2:3-8; Mark 10:42-45.
Gregory the Great was a Pope who died on this day in 604 A.D. and whose influence and actions spread far and wide. However, in a rather neat co-incidence, he also brings together for me both of my dioceses AND my favourite cathedral!
As some of you may know, I am also a curate in the Diocese of Rochester in a village just north of Sevenoaks in Kent. I was ordained in 2005, initially at Rochester Cathedral, which, if you have never been there, is really worth a visit. It is — although I am a bit biased — a hidden gem of a cathedral which has a wonderfully intimate feel as well as its grandeur. Not that I am being disloyal to Bishop Richard, but Sir Christopher Wren was a larger and more “modern” architect. The link is that Rochester Cathedral was first established in 604 A.D., the year in which Gregory died. So in 2004 Rochester celebrated its 1400th anniversary!
As pope, it was Gregory who sent Augustine to try to convert the heathen hordes of England. Augustine landed in Kent and, in 596 A.D., first established a church on the site of Canterbury Cathedral (my favourite cathedral), and then, a few years later sent one of his priests called Justus up the coast to the area around Rochester and established a church there in 604 A.D.
Here at St Margaret Pattens, we have only had a church on this site since 1067 A.D., so it took over 400 years more for Christianity to become rooted on this spot! But, if it had not been for the foresight and influence of Gregory, then Augustine MAY not have been sent to England, and Christianity MAY not have become as established so soon in this part of the country. Also we might not be sitting today on the site of a church founded in 1067...
However, in spite of the considerable leadership and administrative skills of Gregory — which certainly facilitated the organisation of missionaries to England and elsewhere — Gregory is ALSO recorded as a man of humility and peace, and his preferred title as pope was “the servant of the servants of God”. He was unafraid to stand for Christian truth in a changing and challenging world, and he challenged those in his charge to do likewise. “A changing and challenging world” could, of course, be very easily used to describe the situation today.
Today, however, Gregory is remembered as a “teacher of faith”. But are we all not “teachers of faith”? As Peter said in his letter to the Christians in Asia Minor (1 Peter 2:9), ALL believers are a “royal priesthood”.
Passing on the experiences of our faith to others is too important to be left to the ordained clergy; in any event, there are not enough of us! Sharing the Christian faith is NOT all about being well equipped in pertinent Bible passages for every occasion, or being able to stand up and lead prayers or give sermons, both of which should NOT always be done by the clergy. Worship, as well as faith, is a communal business, where ALL people need to share and pool their resources and skills. Nobody can multi-task everything needed in a church!
Our guide for this is also the words of Paul to the Thessalonians that we heard earlier, namely that we should be determined to share “not only the Gospel of God, but also our own selves ...”. In other words, actions taken in Christian love will, and do, speak louder than any Bible passage.
So that got me thinking: if one of the best moves that Gregory did as a teacher of the faith was to send people out from the “comfort” of Rome, what should we be doing at St Margaret Pattens to “proclaim the faith afresh in THIS generation”?
Later this month is an annual event in the Church in England called “Back to Church Sunday”. On this day, which has been increasingly successful over the last few years, people in local congregations are encouraged to invite friends or neighbours back to church, or at least to try it out! WELL, why cannot we do something similar? Is there a friend or colleague who you think would like to come along? Not that I am asking you to organise your entire company or department to turn up, although that would be great! You see, a personal invitation is always the best. The other reason for this thought, of course, is that, although I am around here on Thursdays and Fridays, and am usually contactable by e-mail, and do meet many people, I cannot cover everybody. And, as I indicated, clergy cannot, and perhaps I could say should not, multi-task to such an extent that nothing is really achieved or co-ordinated.
If we all try and invite another person to a service, then every week could be a “back to church week”. Although our main service today is a communion, we do, of course, have other services and events, and I hope that we can develop that further. I am hoping to re-start a series of Bible readings/studies as I did last year. Details have yet to be decided. Also I hope to start a regular morning breakfast meeting for business people based upon work being done at St Paul’s Cathedral. I will provide more details shortly. Added to this, of course, we will have regular evensong services and other services where we can all have the opportunity to hear our wonderful choir led by Rupert Perkins singing praises with wonderful music. But how about some other styles of music and service? Well, that is also possible. I do believe that there are great evangelistic opportunities through music. Added to all this, of course, is the opening up of the church to other groups, to perform concerts, learn dancing and many other things, and of course there is the coffee bar outside. When you have a cup of coffee there, have you ever mentioned to others that you actually attend the church yourself?
BUT, I suppose that I must voice a word of caution for us all, especially for those of us who have worked, or still work, in commerce and know the importance of efficient management, targets, priorities, timelines and accountability. This is different! Our task is not just to fill the pews, but to make a difference in people’s lives by introducing them, or perhaps re-introducing them, to the amazing, awesome, wonderful, life-changing Gospel message of Jesus.
Although Gregory was clearly a good leader, an effective manager and motivator, that alone did not make him a shining example of a teacher of faith which enabled the Gospel message of Jesus to be spread far and wide, even to the northern heathen reaches of the Roman Empire! Gregory was also a man of humility, peace and prayer who viewed himself, even as pope, as merely a servant — a servant in the task of spreading the Gospel.
So what is the task and challenge for us? Can I invite you to think about a person whom you could invite to church, to a service, to a concert or just to visit? Ask them to stop by. The door is always open, as is the invitation to ALL people to receive the Gospel message.
When Gregory sent Augustine to England it was to spread the Good News to people who needed to hear it. Today, also, there are many people who need to hear the wonderful Good News of Jesus, which is there for ALL people, without judgement, reason or being deserved. Faith is not earned — it is received through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Gregory’s legacy is that we are now sitting in a church in England which might not have been, had all of this not happened, and I would not have had a cathedral at Rochester in which to get ordained back in 2005.
So what will be our legacy to future generations of City workers? I hope and pray that it will be that we have not only maintained, but also developed and expanded the Christian presence in this place. In doing that we not only share the Gospel message, but also, as Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, “our own selves”.
WE should be the “advert” for the church - so let’s get out and advertise!
AMEN
Festival of Christ the King (the last Sunday before Advent), “Stir up Sunday”
A sermon given on Thursday, 26th November 2009 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Revelation 1: 4-8; John 18: 33-37.
Today I am using the readings and festival applicable for last Sunday, which is an important day in the church’s year for three reasons! All the best things come in threes, as my mother says, and the Holy Trinity, of course.
Firstly, it is remembered as the very last Sunday before the start of the Advent season — the most important season, when we look forward to the amazing and awesome reality that God came to live amongst humanity as a small, vulnerable child, and NOT as the warrior king which many Jews were expecting.
So perhaps I could pause just there for a moment. When Jesus was born in a stable (or a cave) where his parents had managed to persuade the local innkeeper to give them a space, it was not what they or most people were expecting. At this point in time, Mary would have been about seven months pregnant and she was like many women with their first child — trying to deal with the physical trauma and discomfort of her expanding body. Also, it was probably, if she was like many women, the time when she would have been told to “take it easy from now on, and not strain yourself...”. But, as we know, that was not what happened. Within a few weeks she would have to make an uncomfortable journey to their home town as a result of the directive by the governor of the occupying Roman authorities.
Was that what Mary and Joseph were expecting would happen at this point in time, a few weeks before they heard of the directive from the Romans? Almost certainly not! So, for both the Jews of the time, and even Mary and Joseph, from now on all their expectations were to change and their assumptions challenged. How could a “king”, the true “Messiah”, be born in a stable, the Jews would say. He cannot be the right person. The Jews were looking in another direction — as they still are — for the coming of the Messiah envisioned in the earlier Jewish Scriptures.
What are we expecting from the Advent and Christmas season this year? More of the same? Same old office parties, poor quality wine, and too much of it? Meeting up with relatives and friends and acquaintances we don’t miss not seeing for the rest of the year? Going along to a few carol services and singing some of the old favourites, because that is what we always do, and because Christmas, and the frantic season of Advent, is all about ensuring that things are just right, “because we always do it that way”? It is what we expect from Christmas, isn’t it? Well, is it?
What do we really expect from Christmas? Should we be expecting more of the same as in previous years? Well, for the Jewish people of the time, it was certainly not what they were expecting. What are we expecting now?
From now onwards, we are preparing, both practically and spiritually, in our worship for the birth of a child — a Child who was the Incarnate God, and who was not conceived in human terms.
The Advent season, which is just starting, is a challenging time when we need to look ahead and understand the full amazing reality of the fact that the God who created you and me and everything that we see and hear came and lived amongst humanity as a child.
It is a time to challenge our expectations of ourselves, of others, of the church and of our understanding of our faith.
Secondly, the Sunday is also know as “Stir up Sunday”. Well, for two reasons. Traditionally it was the time when the Christmas pudding needed to be started, since it does need some time to cook and “ferment”. It was the Sunday when the family would “stir” the Christmas pudding and make wishes for the forthcoming Christmas season. Although we may not have sorted the Christmas pudding yet, have we thought of our wishes for Christmas?
But actually, the “stirring-up” is more fundamental since the special prayer for today says “stir up, we beseech thee O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. Are we ready to have our wills stirred up? For that is what comes with faith. By stirring-up our wills, we are all called to question our assumptions and expectations. What do we expect from our faith? More of the same, or some fundamental changes? Is the church itself stirring itself up enough? Like individuals, the church also should not be complacent about matters of faith. How do some aspects of modern life and economics challenge our understanding of the Christian faith? What should be the Christian response to redundancy or “quantitative easing”? Is the dramatic increase in debt by the government to assist the banking sector money well spent, seeing that the cost will be borne for many years to come by those who were not part of the problem? How much will it cost our children and grandchildren? That might be something which we could explore during the series of Bible readings and discussions for Advent which I will be starting next week.
But why is it so vital to “stir up” the wills of people? Well, as the prayer ends ...“that the people may bring forth the fruit of good works”. That is, our faith and comfort should be stirred up for the purpose of showing forth fruit — the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
And finally, today is the feast day of Christ the King. The readings from the Book of Revelation and the Gospel reflect this. “I am the Alpha and the Omega (the beginning and the end) says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty ..” (Rev 1:8)
Jesus, when cross-examined by Pilate, said that “my kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). That is one of the great challenges which should stir us up throughout the year, not just on “Stir up Sunday”. The “kingship” of the all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing and all-seeing God of our faith is not of this world. In fact, the awesome nature of God defies true understanding in human terms.
So, I would suggest that, as we approach the season of Advent, it is hugely important that at the start we keep in mind the kingship of Christ. A kingship which is NOT of this world; which is not able to be fully understood in human terms, but which is a kingship which “passes all understanding”, just like the love of God itself.
Christ the King becomes a real presence amongst us and within us in the Holy Eucharist which we celebrate today. As we receive the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist by faith, we can reflect again on the awesome reality of Christmas (which is prepared for in Advent), namely that Almighty God loves each and every one of us so much that he came and lived amongst humanity and died. Ours is not a remote God, but an intimate God who seeks a relationship with each one of us all the time.
Are we ready to have our wills “stirred up” to challenge our faith and bring us closer to God?
So, what ARE we expecting this Advent and Christmas season? More of the same? I hope that we will NOT get what we expect, but that we will be challenged to consider afresh, or perhaps for the first time, the wonder of God — the God who is the “Alpha and the Omega, who is and was and is to come”. He is the King of the Universe and everything, but NOT a King as we would expect.
Why not come along to one of our Advent Bible studies and continue these thoughts further? Why not do the unexpected — come to a Bible study, but be ready to have your will “stirred up”!
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 14th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22.
Well, we have all battled through the snow, or at least some of us, and now we gather together at the start of the year once again. At least for me this is my first time back at the church since before Christmas!
In the meantime, we have had the wonder and joy of Christmas followed by the excitement (and parties) for the New Year and then, most recently, the feast of the Epiphany when we remember the wise people (perhaps men, perhaps three) who came from foreign lands to worship Jesus and bring him gifts. But the most important thing about those wise people was that they were NOT “locals” (i.e. the Jews of the time).
So, when I was preaching on Epiphany Sunday at my home church I challenged the local congregation to question whether the local, and the national church also, was sufficiently directing itself to those outside the community, or to those who are “seeking” out God in various ways. This is why in the Book of Common Prayer the feast of Epiphany is also called “the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles”.
In this church we are, above all things, here to minister and help ALL people wherever they come from, and we have visitors and others from all over the world. As part of this, it is a very strong feature that the doors are kept open, subject to emergencies, for anybody to come in and rest, reflect and pray as they feel appropriate. Some stop by and light a candle, some stop by and read a book or a passage from the Bible and others just sit in the stillness — a stillness and peace which is enhanced so much by the plain beauty that Sir Christopher Wren created back in 1688.
In fact, on my days up at the church I have continued to be amazed and delighted at the widest possible cross-section of visitors who do stop by here, whether tourists or those who work nearby. In fact, the challenge is often that number of people who stop by and often would like a word. This means that I often get a bit behind on the admin, so I apologies if my e-mails are sometimes a bit delayed!
That is what I believe St Margaret Pattens is here for — for ALL people who are seeking, or even thinking about seeking God in their lives. As part of that, the nature and type of activities, and worship, here at the church need to be broad. We have tried some different services and events, but how about some more? Any suggestions? Perhaps a “Praise Service” with some glorious modern music, or just another quiet reflective service?
St Margaret Pattens has been a place of worship here since 1067, and in this church building since 1688 MANY different forms of worship have been undertaken over the years. But we, the church, need to continually re-assess what is relevant and appropriate to our current church and City community NOW. The start of a New Year is a good time to consider this…
I was particularly struck by a BBC news item on Tuesday this week from St Lawrence Jewry. It read
Laptops and Blackberry mobile phones have been blessed in a church ceremony in the City of London. Canon David Parrott blessed the gadgets at the St Lawrence Jewry Church in an updated version of a traditional "Plough Monday" back-to-work ceremony. A number of parishioners held their mobile phones up as Rev Parrott recited a prayer. He said: "It's the technology that is our daily working tool and it's a technology we should bless."
I suppose that, being a bit of a technology person myself, I wish that I had thought of this also! But David Parrott does demonstrate, as a new City priest, the need to re-consider “traditional” approaches to church worship. At “Harvest” for example, what are the “fruits of the field” in the City for which we should give thanks?
But, whatever we do develop here at the church (whether it is new forms of worship or more and exciting concerts and other events) if we are to move the wonderful message FORWARD in this place we CANNOT do it in our own strength alone.
Today, we are remembering in the Gospel passage the Baptism of Christ at the START of his public ministry, when the Holy Spirit descended upon him. In the passage from the Acts of the Apostles we remembered how Peter and John prayed that the Holy Spirit might descend upon the people of Samaria so that their faith might increase and develop.
Likewise, here in this church, I pray at the start of this new decade, that the Holy Spirit might descend afresh upon all of us, and on all those who visit, so that we ALL might grow in our faith and that the work of this church be enhanced.
The amazing God who has been worshipped on this site since 1067 has refreshed and encouraged generations of people through the toughest of possible situations — from devastating fires and civil wars to terror and destruction in more recent wars, from terrorist attacks and economic turmoil, such as the recent economic problems and those of earlier times, such as the “South Sea Bubble” incident of 1720 when the reports said
The stocks crashed and people all over the country lost all of their money. Porters and ladies maids who had bought their own carriages became destitute almost overnight. The Clergy, Bishops and the Gentry lost their life savings; the whole country suffered a catastrophic loss of money and property.
There are probably no crises that have not been experienced by people who have visited or worshipped in this place … and who have been supported and helped by God. So, it is up to US NOW to keep alert to what God is leading us to do in this place in the year ahead.
God brought previous generations through tough times, as he will this time also, in a way that we will probably not understand. For, he is, the “God of Surprises”.
AMEN
Charles, King and Martyr (1649)
A sermon given on Thursday, 28th January 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Timothy 6:12-16; Mark 4:35-end.
Today, we remember the death of King Charles on 30th January, 1649 at Whitehall.
We do this partly because it is a commemoration mentioned in the Church’s lectionary, but also because this church has, since the mid-19th century, been associated with the remembrance of King Charles’s death. One of the previous priests here, Father James Fish, was one of the founders of the Society of King Charles the Martyr which used to have its services here, and which holds to the more ‘high’ Anglo-Catholic traditions in the Church of England.
You will see on the south wall of the church the memorial to King Charles I, with the words ‘Touch not mine anointed’. King Charles himself, along with Archbishop William Laud, were devotees of a very high sacramental form of church worship and the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings. Whilst keen to restore the “catholicity” of the Church, Archbishop Laud was not a Romanist and placed special emphasis on correct use of the Book of Common Prayer. He also placed a restraint on preaching, believing it to be subordinate to prayer and the sacraments in public and that this would correct what he saw as an imbalance in favour of preaching at the time. In line with this theme, I will keep my thoughts in this sermon short — partly out of respect for the former Archbishop!
On the morning of 30th January, 1649 Charles awoke early and told his attendant Thomas Herbert, “This is my second marriage day... for before night I hope to be espoused to my blessed Jesus”. The winter weather was so severe that the Thames had frozen over. The King was concerned that the cold would make him shiver, giving the appearance of shaking with fear, so, as he was dressed, he asked to be provided with an extra shirt for warmth.
William Juxon, Bishop of London, arrived to read Morning Prayer with the King and to administer the Sacrament. The Bishop read the lesson for the day, which was the account of the Passion of Christ.
On the scaffold at about 1p.m. that day the King declared himself to be “an honest man, a good king and a good Christian” and said that he had not begun the Civil War, and that he considered his sentence illegal. He added though that he was receiving just punishment from God, a reference to his allowing the execution of Strafford earlier in his reign to placate the Puritans, which he bitterly regretted and repented of. The King said that his desire was for liberty, freedom and the rule of law and government, and not for arbitrary rule; for all this, “I am a martyr of the people.”
The Bishop said, “There is but one stage more which though turbulent and troublesome, yet is a very short one; you may consider that it will carry you a very great way; it will carry you from Earth to Heaven, and there you shall find to your great joy, the prize you hasten to - a Crown of Glory.”
Archbishop Juxon then helped the King to tuck his long hair into a cap so that it might not impede the axe. Charles replied, “I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, where no disturbance can be, no disturbance in the world.”
Much has been written about King Charles and the extent to which he was a good king, and whether his death really was that of a martyr. However, what he did was certainly to make a very strong and impassioned case for the place of sacramental worship within the Church of England, although he was NOT looking to return to Roman Catholicism. His actions perhaps partly made some of the more extreme post–Reformation Puritan practices in the church stop so that the Church of England, as it is today, can rejoice in the broad “church” which it is — both Protestant reformers AND those who hold a high regard for sacramental worship. The epitome, perhaps, of the ‘via media’ (the middle way) which I believe is the strength of the Church and not a weakness.
Remembering King Charles’s strong remembrance of some elements of pre-Reformation worship — although this Church lost most of its valuables during the Reformation (1520-1550) — we are left with a SILVER GILT COMMUNION CUP (1545), the oldest in the City, which is on long-term loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum. At this service, I am using a special copy that was made for the church many years ago.
Death is a difficult theme to preach upon. At a funeral one can reflect upon the good things that the person showed in their life and how some aspects of that provides glimpses of the love of God for ALL people. But for a life cut short by the deliberate action of another, it is very difficult — much more difficult than remembering the long life of a loved relative or friend.
Of course the first and principal martyr of the Christian faith was Christ himself who was unjustly accused by the Jewish leaders and then put to death by the Romans because he would not deny the truth of who he was and is. Christ’s death was a ‘full perfect and sufficient, sacrifice oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world …’ (Book of Common Prayer) There have been many martyrs in the church over the centuries – from St Paul (who was killed on the order of Emperor Nero in A.D. 62) to Archbishop Janini Luwum who was murdered in 1977 in Uganda by Idi Amin’s government.
For all of them, they believed that their faith in the risen Christ was more important than life itself, however painful a process that might be. They did, indeed, ‘fight the good fight’ in the words of Paul to Timothy that we heard. (1 Timothy 6:12). But mainly, I believe, they took their actions in the fundamental knowledge of the power of Jesus — a power which he showed to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when he stilled the storm, which even those experienced fishermen thought was scary.
The lives of the martyrs of the Church generally all point us back to the life and death of Christ himself. All the martyrs over the centuries believed at the time that what they were doing , or not doing, was more important than anything else in this world — even life itself. Their faith in the risen Christ made them not fearful of death, for they believed it to be a vitally important part of their life. As King Charles said on the morning of his execution, “... this is my second marriage day ... for before night I hope to be espoused to my blessed Jesus.” To return, in faith, to Jesus, is the comfort of the martyr.
However, for the rest of us, who, God-willing, will not have to face such a stark choice of faith – how can we learn from the lives of the martyrs? Well, I would suggest that it might remind us how close we are often to the timid and scared disciples in the boat with Jesus in the storm on the Sea of Galilee. They knew Jesus and thought they had faith, but even they doubted. However, for them, and for us, when the storms of life rise up and we really cannot see how the recession or our job prospects can improve, we can remember the words of Jesus “Quiet, be still”. Then the winds died down. As Jesus said, to us as much as to those fishermen, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
I pray that we can all remember those martyrs of the Church who believed fundamentally that, like Jesus, death was not the end, and that their faith was vastly more important that anything else.
When we doubt our faith, as we all do from time to time, let us remember the words of Jesus asking us directly, “… Why are you so afraid?” With Jesus and in Jesus there is NOTHING to be afraid of in this world, or in heaven. The martyrs point us to this with Jesus as our guide.
AMEN
"Candlemas – The presentation of Christ in the Temple"
A sermon given on Thursday, 4th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Hebrews 4:14-end; Luke 2:22-40.
“To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel”. Those were the words which we heard Simeon declare when he met the baby Jesus.
In churches candles are often very visible, because they symbolise Christ being amongst the people in the church, since Christ is often called the ‘light of the world’.
Well, today we have lit even more candles than usual — on the votive candle stand where you all lit a candle at the start of the service — and also a specially large one in the font. It is at the font that many of us began our journey of faith, either as a child — with the help and guidance of our parents and God-parents — or later as adults.
At the end of a baptism service, it is common to give the newly baptised, or their parents, a lit candle. I usually like to do this at the door of the church, to declare that, when the person leaves the church, they leave with the light of Christ to guide and protect them for ever.
But what does it mean to ‘go forth in the light of Christ’ as the wording of the Baptism Service says?
Well, it may NOT mean, for everyone, an immediate, vision of faith and a clear and understood connection with Christ. But for some, particularly those who may have been baptised as adults, it often does.
You see, for many people, their journey of faith is slow and fast, direct and indirect, simple and complicated, all at the same time! Faith in the awesome power and presence of God is NOT simple or straightforward.
Think of Simeon and Anna. They had lived and worked in the Temple for many years and had been doing various activities in connection with their faith. But they still knew that there was more. But then they encountered Christ, NOT as the Jewish scriptures had envisaged, (as a mighty warrior messiah to rid Israel if its enemies), but as a small child, a small, vulnerable child being brought by his parents to the Temple for the traditional Jewish custom of ‘purification’, which takes place 40 days after birth.
Mary and Joseph, who brought, Jesus were also, according to the account, poor, since they provided an offering of two pigeons (rather than the two turtle dove offering of others) as a special ‘dispensation’ under the Torah for the poor. Now, before you think it, remember that the Magi (or the kings) had NOT yet brought their valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus. That did not happen for over another year, since the accounts indicate that Herod had all the young boys under two years old killed!
Anyhow, returning to the story, I do wonder whether Simeon and Anna ever expected that the true Messiah would really arrive in such a way, since, don’t forget, they were devout Jews who would have studied the Torah and heard from all the Rabbis.
Well, when we look around and listen to what God might be saying to us, do WE expect (or hope) that God will do one thing, when ACTUALLY something quite different happens which perhaps we did not expect at all or even understand?
Perhaps that is what Simeon and Anna were thinking beforehand for all those years in the Temple precincts? And then it happened, but NOT at the expected time, and NOT in the expected way. They realised that Christ was there WITH them; “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation”, said Simeon.
And when it DID happen, Simeon and Anna could not hold themselves back. They just truly and immediately believed. But, I wonder whether all the other people in the Temple that day also came to believe in the same way as Simeon and Anna, or perhaps not at the same time ? Well, logically, most people did NOT come to believe in Christ as a result of Simeon and Anna’s actions, since otherwise Jesus would not have had as much work to do (and as much trouble with the Jewish people) when he started his public ministry some 30 years later.
Your see, people come to faith at different times, in different ways and to different degrees. But for all of them and us, Christ is there waiting, and waiting, and waiting for them and us. Christ NEVER gives up waiting. People come to a realisation of faith in different ways because, thank God, we are all different people.
In my local church last Sunday my vicar spoke about the importance of “teams” and their strengths. Well, in the City, we know all about teams and how important they are in order to increase efficiency and manage and large group of people. We use various psychometric testing devices or schemes, like Myers-Briggs, Belbin, Strengthfinders and others. We learn that not all people are leaders, not all are visionaries, but ALSO that not all people have the detail and perseverance skills in order to work effectively in a team.
When we come to faith in Jesus, in baptism or later as an adult, we join the ‘Team’ of Christians, a team of ALL sorts, types, shapes and sizes.
In God’s team we ALL have a role to play, which is likely to be different to others. The challenge, and the skill, is to ‘leverage’, as we say in the City, the skills and attributes of ALL people. NOBODY can or should be excluded from God’s team.
Perhaps in some places, some people are great at working with young children, whilst others are better with older people. Others may be great at the details and the dependable sort who can be relied upon to look after the practical side of church life, perhaps looking after the fabric or sorting out the office and computer for the church.
So the question for all of US at the start of the year — a year when we hope to move ahead and really develop the work and mission of this church — is “What skills or experience might each of US be able and willing to leverage to progress the work of the Gospel in this wonderful church?
BUT, whatever role or skill we each might have in the life of the church, we ALWAYS go out from here with the Light of Christ in our hearts. And it is this light which we particularly remember this Candlemas — the light of Joy, the light of Faith and the light of Love for ALL people.
AMEN
"Sexagesima" - Second Sunday before Lent
A sermon given on Thursday, 11th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Genesis 2:4-9, 15-end; Luke 8:22-25.
This week is some 60 days after the birth of Jesus and, under the old lectionary, we are remembering today as “Sexagesima”, which means 60 days.
And then, if one looks ahead, it is only a week before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent! So, I realise that before long we will be starting the preparations for Easter and perhaps Lent courses!
So this week is perhaps the opportunity to consider some matters from a different perspective? If we only have this short period before the readings for Lent, what is the best way to summarise some of the most important aspects of the Christian faith? Well, I think that the two readings that we have heard do try and do this.
Firstly, we heard from the Book of Genesis part of the second account of creation, the first being in Chapter 1. In the version that we heard, there is the wonderful poetical account of how God created the heavens and the earth and then created mankind from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and then the man became a living being. Before God there was also not a plant in a field or indeed anything else.
Now, much has been written recently about the Theory of Evolution described by Charles Darwin and whether that conflicts with a Christian view of the world. There are some Christians who truly believe that the earth and mankind were created precisely as described in the book of Genesis. How does that leave many of us who strive to learn and understand the Bible?
Well, for me, on the basis of what I have studied and my belief, I do not think that the accounts of creation in Genesis are literal. In fact, there are many parts of the Bible that are not ‘literally’ true, but they ARE the inspired word of God.
The accounts of creation in the Book of Genesis, both of which do differ in details, are, I believe, symbolic of the relationship between the ultimate Creator God and His creation, including us. Some of the symbolism has been traced to be very similar to some creation stories in earlier civilisations, including the pagan Babylonian empire. HOWEVER, for me, the main points are firstly: what is God telling us through these stories of his relationship with us; and secondly how are we, as stewards, to look after HIS world?
Whether humanity came about as a result of the process of natural selection described by Charles Darwin or not, does not take away from the fact that ultimately GOD has a relationship with his creation and each and every one of us.
So, for me, the symbolism, that God ‘breathed’ life in order to create life on earth is very important. God did not ‘plug in the electric generator’ or even ‘switch on the sun’. God has an intimate relationship with His creation. Creation is a special thing, not the mass production of robots! Each and every one of God’s creatures is different, both man and beast.
But what about the newer scientific theories of creation? Well, the main one is the ‘Big Bang’ theory which was so well described in Professor Stephen Hawking’s book A Brief History of Time. I am not going to even try and describe the details of this, which are far beyond my very basic science understanding, but do read it if you can. One thing that I would emphasise is that Hawking does refer to God quite a lot in his writings and did say that "the actual point of creation lies outside the scope of presently known laws of physics". So, perhaps the greatest living physicist also realises that there is something more, but what that is, is not clear to him.
Whenever the ‘Big Bang’ was, and whatever its true effects on how we live today were, does not, I believe, dilute the fact that ultimately, even when the best scientific minds in the world have studied the matter, there remains the question of “WHY?”
Why are we here at all, and why do we believe in a living God who has a personal relationship with each of us? Well, I believe that it goes back to the wonderful symbolism in the Book of Genesis that “god breathed life” into man and did not permit to be created (whether fully in accordance with Darwin’s Theory of Evolution or not) a race of robots who could not think for themselves and were always perfect, and we know how imperfect we can all be.
As those of us who are parents will know, the most difficult thing as a parent is to ‘let go’ and allow your child to make mistakes, get things dreadfully wrong and even sometimes to get into their own self-made trouble. It can hurt us dreadfully, but we know that they need to be their OWN person and not like us, for good or ill!
That, in a very small way, I believe can give us a glimpse of how I believe God approaches HIS creation. And because of that, we also, as I tried to describe, have the ability, however difficult it may be, to allow others to make mistakes, but still love them without question, just as God loves each and every one of us.
The Christian faith is, as I have said on more than one occasion previously, anything but easy to fully understand. The realisation of the awesome power of Almighty God is too much for our feeble human minds! But, the story from the Gospel of Luke always gives me hope and support. There were the disciples in a boat alongside Jesus who was God in Christ with all the power and authority of God. And what did they do? They panicked! They were out on the Sea of Galilee and a storm came up quickly, which is quite common for that area so I understand. Jesus was asleep on the boat, since he had had a tiring day preaching to the crowds earlier and they were on the way to another meeting on the other side of the Sea.
But the disciples called Jesus and said, “We are perishing”. And what did Jesus do? Did he treat the disciples like Private Pike in Dad’s Army and declare, “You stupid boys”, although they were certainly acting like that? NO!! God in Christ, in the form of Jesus, loves ALL people; so he merely stilled the storm in a pretty ‘matter-of-fact’ way, and then politely rebuked them with the words, “Where is your faith?” Where indeed? There they were with Jesus, and yet, as imperfect humans, they could not fully comprehend the enormity of their faith and its effect. But Jesus, in a loving way, helped them, and then quietly rebuked them, a bit like we might do to our child whom we love so much. We do not want them to come to any harm, but they do need to learn as they go along.
So, there we have in this short period before Lent one of the central aspects of our faith — that although God created the universe and everything in a manner which we cannot really comprehend, what is central is that God creates in Love — a love which is personal, and which gives us the opportunity of a personal relationship with God ourselves; also that our loving God will continue to help us and guide us and try and keep us out of trouble and will NOT call us “stupid”, because God loves us for what we are and not for what we are not.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 18th February 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:20b – 6:10: John 8:1-11.
I attended my first Ash Wednesday service where there was the imposition of Ashes only a few years ago in the City at St Paul’s Cathedral. I remember receiving the cross of Ash on my forehead with the words, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”.
A few years after this, I realised that I was saying similar words at my first funeral, when I committed the dead person to his grave with the words “... earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life ...”. When St Paul was writing to the Romans he said that one needed to ‘die to sin’ in order to ‘live’ the life of a true follower of Christ (Romans 6:2).
Today, we remember the start of the 40-day season of Lent, before the joyful pinnacle of Easter. This is the time of year when we are encouraged to reflect on the tough aspects of our faith and, as part of that, perhaps to give up some indulgence for the period.
BUT it is not just about giving up, say, chocolate or red wine. Giving up both of those might be good at any time of year for our general health. NO ... whatever we might decide to give up should be something that makes us think about the important matters in our lives. In fact, it could well be a time to START a new activity.
At Lent last year, for example, I subscribed to an on-line service to read the Bible in a year, and I had a couple of chapters delivered to my Blackberry every day. Without that discipline, I am sure that I would not have got through some of the more difficult, and long, parts of the Old Testament. So, whether we decide to give up something, or to start something this Lent, the challenge is to ... be challenging.
Challenging might also be a good description to the reading from the Gospel of John that we heard. So often in our daily lives, and certainly in ministry, one meets people whose lifestyle is different to our own. They might make us feel uncomfortable perhaps. If would be very easy to just ignore them. But that is not what Jesus did when confronted by the woman who had committed adultery. Instead, Jesus challenged the basis for the judgment by the Scribes of the Temple. Rather than arguing the details of the Law of Moses (which is what the Scribes were trained in), Jesus merely asked the simple, but challenging question “... are any of you so perfect”, or words to that effect. The woman involved may well have broken one of the Ten Commandments, but what of the other nine? Were the accusers fully compliant with all of those? Can any of us, in truth, attest to always being complying with ALL the Commandments – even regarding covetousness, which is a real danger in the bonus-driven culture of the world of finance?
Now, none of this is easy, nor ever has been. In fact, if you read again the words of Paul to the Christians in Corinth that we heard, you will see that trying to live a Christian life was very tough. Corinth was, at the time, probably as important a trading and business centre in the developed world as the City is today, so imagine what you would have felt receiving a letter along those lines.
So what about our task this Lenten season and the imposition of Ashes today? One of the other things that I remember from that first Ashing service at St Paul’s was walking back to my office along Cheapside, and wondering why people were staring at me, and I was not even wearing my clerical collar! Well, I finally realised that I still had the Ash mark on my forehead from the service at the Cathedral! I did not realise what I had done earlier, but it was certainly not intentional. At communion services I will often make the sign of the cross on the forehead of an adult or child who is not receiving the bread and wine, but this is invisible. The sign of the cross in Ash IS visible to all.
When we come to the Cross in penitence and faith, we realise that we cannot be perfect and that we ALL have made many, many mistakes in our lives, and will probably continue to make them. However, in Christ, we know that we have a loving saviour who will not condemn us if we follow him. To follow Jesus is to put all our previous errors and mistakes behind us, and make them ‘dead’, and to follow Jesus and his teachings, knowing that when we fall down from the high standards, which we probably will, we can still turn to him in faith for forgiveness.
Lent, and particularly Ash Wednesday, is the time to renew our resolve to follow Jesus, come what may. It will be confusing and difficult at times — “... as sorrowful yet always rejoicing ...”, as St Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 6:10.
Today is a great day to put behind us the things that we are sorry for, to make these past acts ‘dead’ to us, for in Jesus we are ‘born again’ in faith. The physical act of having the Ash placed on our forehead and to hear similar words to those from a funeral service (for we will never hear our own!), can give us greater resolve to make a real difference for Jesus in our lives this Lent.
I pray that we will all come to the Cross knowing that there are no sins in the world from which turning to Jesus cannot heal us. For we come to him, by faith and with thanksgiving.
AMEN
"Technology and the Holy Spirit?"
A sermon given on Thursday, 8th April 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Acts 3:11-16; Luke 24:35-48.
This week in churches we are still in the celebratory mood after the wonders and joy of Easter, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead — the amazing, but true, good news that God in Christ, who had died on the cross a few days earlier, was fully resurrected, not as a ghost or image, as some people have imagined over the years, but as a true and living person. It was for those reasons that, in the reading from the Gospel of Luke that we heard, emphasis is made, by the scientifically-trained Dr Luke, to the fact that the disciples were able to actually touch Jesus — not a Ghost, as they clearly thought at first! And then, to emphasise the reality of the true resurrection, Luke recounts how Jesus asks for something to eat — again not what a ghost does!
It was in this same amazing power of the reality of the resurrection that Peter was able to speak to the people around the Temple in Jerusalem as he did. Remember, this was the place from where the decision to execute Jesus had come, but Peter had no fear whatsoever in speaking out about the amazing reality that he knew to be true.
So that brings us to today, and my brief theme for today, “Technology and the Holy Spirit?”. You know, especially at Easter when one listens and appreciates the amazing account of the resurrection, I cannot understand sometimes why the Church is so quiet about it! Are we just being too British? Or too Anglican?
Yes – it is something to shout about and to tell our friends and colleagues.
As a church we, and indeed all churches, should be outward-looking. The people that I would like to hear about and meet are those who have NOT been able to make it to the service today for whatever reason, or those who just have not thought of coming into this spiritual space to experience the reality of God’s presence.
But HOW do we do this today?
Well, as some of you know, I am a bit of a gadget person and love the latest technology. In fact, with the help of Aaron from Clyde & Co next door, we installed a wireless network in the church a couple of weeks ago, after our old computer had just broken down! It seemed like the best and easiest option to allow extra computers to be added for use in the church as we grow. So, we now have a laptop and a PC linked wirelessly and two printers ...
But, when I started to investigate about installing the wireless network I realised that it might have wider potential. If we got a powerful router, perhaps the signal could be picked up throughout the church and even outside in the coffee bar.
So what about the link between technology and the Gospel message?
Well, it is all about communicating.
In the famous words at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). With that in mind the great Paul spent the rest of his life travelling and teaching in and around the Mediterranean, teaching people of ALL nations the amazing, but true reality of the Gospel of Christ. In fact, a little while ago here at St Margaret's, I did a series of readings on the journeys of Paul, with a sub-title “the life of an early business traveller”. He certainly clocked-up the air/sea/land miles over the years, just like those of us who travel on business today!
You see, the whole point of Christianity, unlike perhaps Judaism, is to go OUT and share the Good News and the faith. For the Jews, their precept is the preservation of the ancient laws and traditions from Abraham and Moses. But for the Christian, reaching outwards is, or should be, a given. If you are not moving forwards, then — just as is true for many businesses — you are moving backwards. Staying still, and stagnant, is not an option when one has such a great story to tell!
So, back to the technology!
Although I would usually politely request people to turn off their mobiles and Blackberries during a service, today, can I request that you turn them on, particularly if they are Wi-Fi enabled.
If you are Wi-Fi enabled you will see a message from St Margaret's! Yes, whenever you search for Wi-Fi around here from now on, you will find that St Margaret’s is trying to seek you out!
And, for those who have the latest “fancy phones” (like mine!), they can also act as a Wi-Fi hub themselves, enabling the signal to go even further! So, I am not sure whether the forward-looking Sir Christopher Wren could have envisaged that the open architecture which he so wonderfully developed here is also ideal for a clear and un-impeded Wi-Fi signal in 2010!
Why am I going on about Wi-Fi signals so much? Well, to a large extent, they do provide an analogy for how faith and the Holy Spirit can move amongst people.
The Holy Spirit, one of the three elements of God in the Holy Trinity, is an invisible power which many people come to recognise more as their faith develops. It is not an easy concept to explain, or demonstrate, which is why the example of the Wi-Fi signal is so good!
BUT, there is one important difference.
When Aaron and I set up the network, we had to place a password on Wi-Fi access, lest the whole system get too overloaded. We hope shortly to be able to offer this access, at a very small cost, out in the coffee area also.
HOWEVER, the “signal” that the Holy Spirit beams out from this place — and many others — is clear and uninterrupted. It has been going for 2000 years so far, and is still going strong! No further upgrades are needed. But, what about the access codes? Well, there is an access code of a sort in the User Manual. The “User-Manual” has been translated into every language in the world and in many different styles. The Bible IS the manual. But, unlike the Wi-Fi passcodes, there is no secrecy about them. In fact, any Christian is very happy to give them to you for free!
When you do “log in”, just as with your own PC, it does not necessarily mean that you will have all the answers instantly. In fact, the more we investigate, the more questions we all have.
Sometimes, we can understand better than others, and that is quite normal and understandable.
When I first tested the Wi-Fi system here a few weeks ago I remember that, when my laptop and phone were searching, they found the “St Margaret's” signal and then made the “handshake”. However, when I was testing it, the signal was sometimes stronger and sometimes weaker. It was strongest the closer I was to the source of the signal
Well, that is a bit like each of us with our faith. As I said, wherever we are, the “signal” of the Holy Spirit can reach us. However, there will be times, and perhaps places or events, that can make us feel that the signal is weaker and perhaps not strong enough for a full “handshake”. It is on those occasions that we all need to try and come a bit closer to the “signal source” to make sure that we are getting the full “signal”. The signal is still beaming out, but sometimes it can be impeded by people and places, OR perhaps we simply forget to turn on the receiver!
So, I trust you will forgive what might have appeared a little bit of an indulgence for me to “advertise” the latest technology in the church and how we ARE racing ahead from the 17th Century straight into the 21st. However, advertising and outreach are EXACTLY was we as a church community, and the church generally, are all about. If we are not moving forward, then we are effectively moving backwards!
The joy and awesome wonder that the Easter season brings is just too good to keep to ourselves. The faith that has been kept alive on this spot since 1067 has needed to move forward constantly in order to serve the needs of the community, whether they are the local pattenmaker craftsmen whose workshops were along Rood Lane, or the lawyers, bankers, insurance agents and IT specialists who populate the City these days, maintaining the City's global pre-eminence as a financial centre.
Thus the message, “Technology and the Holy Spirit?”. Well, technology can greatly assist the advertising that the church should be in the business of, namely the advertising of the greatest story every told, because it is true — the story of nothing less than the full and clear resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and the moving amongst ordinary people, like you and me, of the Spirit of the God of Creation, technology, you and me and everything else.
The advertising must be outward-looking and aimed at trying to ensure that the unimpeded “signal” of the Holy Spirit can be received by ALL people, whoever they are and whatever has happened in the past.
So, finally, on this day I would pray that the signals coming out from this church will be strong and unimpeded, and that ALL those who pick up the “Wi-Fi” signal of “St Margaret's” will be touched by the Holy Spirit in a heavenly “handshake”.
AMEN
"Corpus Christi and the Martyrs of Uganda" (Get up and do something!)
A Sermon given on Thursday, 3rd June 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 6:51-58.
Today is kept as the day of thanksgiving for Holy Communion which has been celebrated continuously in this church, and the previous churches on this site, since 1067. This service has continued at least weekly throughout all these years with very few interruptions, even during the war years. So, why is it so important ?
Well, in the reading from his Letter to the Corinthians we heard Paul's account of what Jesus did at the Last Supper before his crucifixion. You will hear those words again in this service as I prepare for the communion.
For me, and for all priests, it is the most awesome moment when we do nothing less than repeat the actual words of Jesus, when he shared bread and wine with his disciples in the Last Supper. There are many traditions, some more formal than others, in which we remember this moment in the service of Holy Communion. In some churches bells will be rung and incense swung at the moment when these words are said.
Whatever the particular tradition of the church or the priest, the moment is the same. Although I was well trained and prepared before my ordination and had been shown what to do and what words to say, I can tell you that NOTHING prepared me for the moment at my first Eucharist when I took the bread and the wine into my hands and repeated the words of Jesus. Since then, each and every Eucharist is different AND unique. Sometimes, one presides at a Eucharist service with many hundreds of people. And then one realises that the numbers of those first twelve disciples have multiplied beyond all conception, and continue to do so. AND then once, when I was working as a hospital chaplain I took communion to some people at their hospital beds. It was just me and them, and possibly a relative or nurse. The intimacy of that moment, when one can speak the words of Jesus on a one-to-one basis, is a huge privilege.
As you have probably gathered, presiding at a service of Holy Communion is hugely moving for me. But it is not just a moving experience. It is MUCH MUCH more than that. For not only do we hear the words of Jesus, but we also do what Jesus directs and, as is recounted in the passage from the Gospel of John that we heard, "whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them" (John 6:56).
Faith in Jesus Christ is not an intellectual pursuit — it is gritty and real, which is what the Holy Communion and the words of Jesus show us. When we come to receive the holy elements of bread and wine at the Eucharist, following Jesus’ direct instructions, we also 'consume' them within our bodies. We receive them, as the Prayer Book says, "by faith and with thanksgiving".
When Jesus gave the bread and the wine to his disciples he said that this was a “new covenant”, a new start for humanity and God — a new start wherein humanity realises that God in Christ, as part of the Holy Trinity, is NOT a remote God, but a God who IS there alongside each and every one of us in the ordinary tasks of daily life, and also at times of great sadness and joy.
As a City church, our mission and focus are primarily on the people who work in the City. As we all know, times are difficult at present. Over the centuries this church has served as a place of worship, as well as a place of refuge and peace. In years gone by, it would have been the local Pattenmaker tradesmen whose shops were along Eastcheap and Rood Lane who would have stopped by here. Later, there would have been the merchants and their workers whose storehouses lined Fenchurch Street, holding the goods that would have been landed on the quays along what is now Lower Thames Street. In times of war, at home and abroad, the church has always been a beacon of prayer and support for those affected either directly or indirectly. Last week I was reading some accounts of this church from the end of the 19th Century and the start of the 20th Century, and, essentially, our activity is the same — keeping our doors open for all who seek peace and refuge, and allowing God’s Holy Spirit to continue to move in this place by reaching out to the community nearby.
Those first disciples did not just sit around and think about theology and different forms of worship to celebrate the Eucharist – as Jesus directed them (and us). No, they got up and DID things. They travelled, then talked to people. They met people. They worked with people and they helped people in practical ways. And many of them did this all alongside their need to provide sustenance for themselves as they travelled. For example, Paul, who wrote the letter to the Corinthians was a tentmaker by trade and he used this to partly finance his many travels. So, Paul, like me, was a partly “working priest”!
But we are all a “royal priesthood” and we all follow those first disciples in different ways as we are able. Being a follower of Jesus is NOT just thinking about it, it is also DOING things.
The survival of the Church of God is due to people like you and me DOING things. This can involve preaching occasionally, but principally for most people it will involve helping in some way. Perhaps, using skills or experience in practical ways in painting, cleaning or repairing. The maintenance of any place of worship is very important, so that it can remain a welcoming place of refuge and prayer, as this church has been for many hundreds of years. Or, for those less practical people (like me !), it could involve sharing some experience or skills in administration or technology. But, the most important task for all of us is to be active 'adverts'! By that I mean telling people that this church is here and that it welcomes ALL at any time, whether for a service, a concert or for a quiet time for reflection or prayer. In addition to our individual efforts, of course, we are also grateful for the broader support that we receive from the Pattenmakers and Basketmakers livery companies. Those are other important ways in which the message of Jesus can be shared practically amongst a broad group of people.
So far, I have just said how important it is to do things for the spread of the Gospel message of Jesus. However, today we should remember that, for some people, DOING things to spread the Gospel can be very dangerous. Today we especially remember the Martyrs of Uganda, the many who lost their lives in 1885 and 1886 when they stood up to their ruler and were killed, and also to the more recent martyr of Uganda, Janini Luwum, who lost his life in 1970 under the regime of Idi Amin, and whose sacrifice is remembered by the statue above the west door of Westminster Abbey.
So, on this day of thanksgiving for the Holy Communion and the direction from Jesus to “do this in remembrance of me”, we give thanks for the witness of Christians through the ages in this place, and those who were martyred for the faith in Uganda. The role of the Christian is not to sit around and think about doing things, but to go ahead and DO things to progress the wonderful Gospel message. We can do this with confidence, because through the Holy Communion we remember that God in Christ IS here amongst us AND within us, as we receive Him directly within ourselves through the elements of bread and wine which we consume at His direction in the Holy Communion.
So, when you receive the bread and wine today, remember that though this remembrance we are being empowered directly by Jesus to go out from here and spread the good news. Ours is not just a thinking faith, ours is a DOING faith.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 15th July 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: James 5:7-11,13-18; Matthew 11:28-end.
St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain.
St. Swithin's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.
Saint Swithun was Bishop of Winchester from 30th October 852 to his death on 2nd July 862. Not a great deal is known about his 10 years as Bishop of Winchester. However, it is recorded that he had asked to be buried “humbly” and not in a great shrine as would have been fitting for a Bishop of Winchester, and when he died he was, indeed, buried simply outside the Cathedral. However, when a new cathedral was being built, Ethelwood, the new bishop, decided to move Swithun’s remains into a shrine in the cathedral, despite warnings from those around that to move Swithun’s bones would lead to great storms!
Swithun’s bones were moved on this day in 971 and, although many cures were claimed and other miracles observed, it apparently rained for 40 days, as forecast! Thus, ever since, the 15th July has become synonymous with long, summer storms, rather than as an occasion for celebrating Christian simplicity and holiness (which would probably be a more appropriate way to remember the faith and example of Swithun – a great Bishop, at a time when bishops really DID wield great power – especially if Bishop of Winchester, who clearly saw his vocation as humble service and connection with the people and the natural world of God.
Now, I realise that the Met office have tried to show that this is not an accurate forecasting method, but many people still seem to follow it. In fact, I noticed that the forecast for today DID include the possibility of rain, so this ancient tradition might occur this year!
BUT, after all this (perhaps somewhat dubious) history about Swithun what can we make of it all today? And how can looking at these stories and the readings we heard be relevant to the City of London in 2010?
Well, as many of us know, there are many theories about how best to analyse the movements in stock markets around the world. Much time, effort and money have been devoted to these over the years – and in fact our pension funds and other investments are at least partly guided by them today.
There are quantitative methods of forecasting, where various complex mathematical models are used to try and “model” market movements.
There are qualitative methods of forecasting, whereby investment analysts will try and understand the real nature of the firms whose shares are being considered for buying or selling. These people may be very well versed in particular industries – which is why I was often interested to meet highly-qualified chemistry or engineering graduates in banks who knew the technical background to what would really work when a company announced a particular new product or invention. Graduates in the medical sciences are often involved in the assessment of the quality of products from pharmaceutical companies.
In addition, there are other approaches ...
Such as the “contrarian” approach, where basically, if everyone else thinks (or the market thinks) that a sector or company is performing one way, they will back the opposite!
There is also what some people call the “weight of money” theory. In this case, if huge amounts are being invested in one direction, and possibly moving the market as a result, then perhaps others know something we don’t! So, “get on the bandwagon” before it's too late!
There are “chartist” methods (part of quantative methods) whereby models will be run to see where the projected graphs of the movement of individual (or market) shares might move. But all that depends on historic data, which, as we have seen over the last few years, is not necessarily a guide to the future!
The people to whom James was writing his letter were identified as “rich people” earlier in the letter. Whether they were worried about the possible or actual loss of their wealth is not clear, but James was quite clear that PATIENCE is a strong virtue in the Christian faith. Don’t grumble about each other, he says.
Well, I have to admit, that I am not always very patient, especially when I can see that something needs to be done which I believe is the right thing to do. It is not uncommon in City businesses where profits are being chased and fortunes are trying to be made or maintained. But is that always the right thing to do? Well, sometimes “yes”, and sometime “no”!
What James was very keen to emphasise to his readers was that prayer and faith must underline all we do, otherwise we might be dragged along, thinking that our way is the only and best way!
Some of the best investment managers will use a combination of investment forecasting techniques, and then consider a combination of the results, not relying just on one !
Sometimes we can get fixated that WE know the only and correct way to go forward ALL the time! Perhaps, dare one say, that the people of Winchester in 971 MIGHT have thought that the reason that it rained was because Swithun’s body had been removed, apparently contrary to his wishes. It all sounds a bit silly really, but it has caught people’s imagination over the centuries, and when it does rain on 12th July, people will just rely on the quantitative forecasting model and not any qualitative model!
All this story about Bishop Swithun misses the point that Swithun was clearly a good and thoughtful priest and bishop who, in spite of being one of the premier bishops in the land, preferred to be remembered for his holiness and simplicity, which is why he asked not to be buried with the usual “pomp” and circumstance. However, everybody ELSE clearly got carried away and in fact the accounts of his good works have mainly been forgotten.
When we consider some of the difficult decisions that we need to make in our business or personal lives it can be tempting, and sometimes easier, to go with the obvious — a bit like the people of Winchester who clearly thought it OBVIOUS that the moving of Swithun’s body was the reason for the rain!
But we all need to take a step back sometimes and think. A central part of this is finding the time for prayer, which is why I believe that this church’s mission is to be here as a place of refuge and prayer for people with the difficult lives we all lead. We are open every day of the working week, which is a strong statement of the centrality of prayer in the lives of the people of the City.
And when we sit down and have a chat with God, and pray to Him in this church or elsewhere, we always need to remember the words of Jesus which we heard from the Gospel of Matthew.
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take MY yoke upon you and learn from me... for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28/29)
Jesus is ALWAYS there beside us ready, willing and able to take our burdens, for that is EXACTLY what he is calling us to do.
So, unlike the people of Winchester in 971, let us NOT look at the obvious and then believe that it is “tradition” to follow it. Many traditions are just not worth it. And all need to be re-examined periodically to preserve the best, and update the rest.
We can only work out what we are being called to do, when we sit and pray and let Jesus take our burden from us, for that is what he WANTS to do.
AMEN
"Thoughts for the Summer Holidays"
A sermon given on Thursday, 22nd July 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; John 20:1-2, 11-18.
Usually a sermon or address at a service is based entirely upon the scripture readings. However, this week, after I had chosen the hymns after last week’s service for today —initially primarily for the music — I realised that I must have been led to choose them in a different way. It often happens that way with God!
We started our service with the words of the wonderful hymn, “Lead us, Heavenly father lead us … O’er the world’s tempestuous sea”. The words of this hymn call on God to guide us and guard us, and keep us and feed us, because we cannot do all this ourselves. And then, at the end, we are reminded that, when the Spirit of God has truly descended into our hearts we have been “provided, pardoned and guided”, and as a result NOTHING can destroy our peace in God after that.
The words may have been written almost 200 years ago, but we ALL need just as much guarding and guiding today as we ever did, both individually and as a country. After this hymn was written, people suffered the most awful wars and destruction in this country, and around the world, and sadly this is still going on. BUT God is STILL there giving comfort and help, in spite of the horrors that humanity has often brought upon itself.
WHY – well, Paul had the answer when he was writing, yet again, to the wayward Corinthians. “If anyone is in Christ (that is has accepted Christ into their lives and hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit) then they are a “New Creation”.
It is not that the world has necessarily changed (as it hasn’t much I am afraid in some ways since the hymn was written) but that when the Spirit of God has truly descended into our hearts we HAVE been “provided, pardoned and guided” as we sang earlier.
So often we think that we can “change the world” — certainly when we are young. Or we can get hugely frustrated when we cannot achieve certain changes which we think are the best for ourselves, our family or indeed our company or our church. After all, it is OBVIOUS that we know the best way forward isn’t it?
But sometimes, are we as ready to change our own attitudes and actions enough to start with? Perhaps that is more difficult than changing others! Are we bold enough to lead by example and not by direction ?
I am a great believer is action and not words, in spite of the fact that my sermons can go on longer than I have sometimes planned! St Francis of Assisi used to say, as he sought to proclaim the Gospel, “… use words …. if you must”. What we do can be just as much — if not more effective — than what we say.
So, are we bold enough to change how we act? Because in Christ we are a “new creation”.
So, that neatly brings me on to the second hymn which we will sing shortly. It is a bit more modern than the earlier one and starts with the wonderful lines,
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness”
and the chorus is just the word “Alleluia”.
So often, in our busy lives we can get diverted, due to the next big project at work (or indeed at church), or the plans for the family holiday — all very important in their own way, BUT do we always seek God’s guidance FIRST, and not as an afterthought?
In the church generally, and for many people, praying each day is a fundamental part of their lives. As a priest, I am directed to pray each day and to say the daily office. I have to admit now that sometimes — perhaps more often that I would like to admit to a bishop — I miss out. Not because I deliberately wanted to but, well I get so busy in my various roles here, or in my other consultancy jobs or in my home village parishes. That is an explanation and not an excuse!
When we DO seek the kingdom of God FIRST, then, as the song goes on to say
“all things will be given unto you Alleluia!”
It is an amazing thing, which it is difficult to explain at all clearly, why one believes at some point in one's life that God is actually calling you to do something. It is not an intellectual feeling, nor is it one which can be described in words. In fact, on all logical grounds it is crazy and illogical. Why me? is usually what I end up saying, and others I know also .
Well, the first person who was shown the risen Christ was not logical either. She was a women, Mary Magdalene, who we particularly remember today. If it were not for the actions and faith of this woman, then the other male followers of Jesus would not have heard the Good News of his resurrection. So, the role of women in the spreading of the Gospel is central I believe to the Church, which is why it is so wonderful to have fellow women priests and perhaps soon women bishops to share in the Good News of Christ, as indeed women did from the very start.
So, what is the thought for this week in the City, at a time when many people will be planning or taking their annual holidays, and perhaps having a rare opportunity to sit back and think about what is REALLY important in their lives?
Well, I would suggest, that we should remember that, amongst all the business and worry and planning that is inevitable in modern business life, we need to try and SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Not, when we have a chance, or after we have finished the current project or managed the latest crisis, but NOW. Seek the Kingdom of God FIRST. Mary Magdalene did that when she became the first person to see the risen Christ and was able to pass on the Good News to all the others.
We might not think that we are doing it very well much of the time, but that is fine, because God is there leading us and guiding us in ways that we do not understand.
So, I said earlier that St Francis of Assisi said, “Use words if you must”, and I have probably used too many already! Let’s not overcomplicate things. Let's just listen to God and Seek him FIRST.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 29th July 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Hebrews 2:10-15; John 12:1-8.
Today we are particularly remembering “Friends”. No, not that awful American soap opera but the real sort!
In addition, following on from last week's theme of the importance of women in the life and ministry of the Church, you might have noted that two of the three friends who are recorded with Jesus in John’s Gospel are women (Mary and Martha).
Now, how many of you watch the series on BBC2 called “Rev”? I am afraid that I am getting addicted!
I missed the last episode, so I watched it on the BBC iPlayer on Tuesday evening when I was getting a bit stuck with the theme for this short sermon in the Gospel. You see, there are so many different ways in which the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus could be told — by telling of the effect of Lazarus’ great conversion, of Martha’s service or of Mary’s devotion to Jesus to the point of using the most expensive perfume to anoint his feet. There is so much in this account.
However, when I first looked at the passage from John’s Gospel, I had a picture of a friendly supper party where people were really enjoying each other’s company, and where great stories were being exchanged and plans made for a repeat at the house of one of the other guests at some point before too long — since they were having such a good time in each other’s company.
The story line in this week’s episode of “Rev” surrounded the arrangements for the wedding of a couple of parishioners, and particularly Adam's (the vicar’s) initial friendship with the groom-to-be.
Adam described on a number of occasions early in the episode – including in one of his praying sessions – how he really would like a good friend. The life of a parish priest can be lonely and, unlike his wife who is a City solicitor, does not involve the constant mixing with his peer group socially. A parish vicar lives in the parish, but is not necessarily 'friends' with many people in the parish, since he (or she) needs to be their priest, confidant and confessor. There are matters that a priest needs to discuss and deal with that cannot be 'offloaded' easily and can be traumatic. The confidences of a priest are absolute.
Adam’s wife relates to him her various meetings and parties that she is attending during the following few weeks, in stark contrast, it seems, to his own social agenda!
Now, I am not saying all this to solicit sympathy for the vicar! Being a priest is truly the most amazing privilege, and one which cannot be compared to any other vocation, even a 'part-time' priest like myself!
In one of Adam’s prayers he tells God directly that he needs a friend locally – not just God, who is around all the time and everywhere in any case.
So, how many friend have we got ?
In this particular episode Adam was a bit shocked that his wife had 343 FACEBOOK friends. So what about FACEBOOK friends?
In the Daily Mail of 24th January 2010 there is an article entitled
'5,000 friends on FACEBOOK? Scientists prove 150 is the most we can cope with'
Oxford University Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, Robin Dunbar, has conducted a study of social groupings throughout the centuries, from Neolithic villages to modern office environments. His findings assert that size of the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language, the neo-cortex, limits us to managing 150 friends, no matter how sociable we are.
"The interesting thing is that you can have 1,500 friends, but when you actually look at traffic on sites, you see people maintain the same inner circle of around 150 people that we observe in the real world", said Dunbar.
So, is a FACEBOOK “friend” a true friend or something else? Is it important?
Well, to answer the second part first, YES, it is important. As Rev Adam showed, we all need good friends – even vicars!
However, what Adam also shows is that there can sometimes be false friends. The groom-to-be was outgoing and gregarious and a good person to go out for a drink with. But, in end, it seemed clear that he was only using this friendship to try and cover up other flaws in his character, and to persuade Adam to officiate at his forthcoming wedding. However, in the end the wedding was called off by his bride-to-be, when she learned of his various infidelities in his e-mails!
So, Adam, having invested quite some time and effort in the new friendship, realised that it was not a true friendship, like the one he had with his wife AND with God.
Jesus gave us the definition of a true friend:
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you". (John 15:13-15)
True friendship is the type of relationship that does not count the cost and is not manipulative or dictatorial and shows the true 'agape' (self-giving) love of which Jesus speaks in the Bible.
We all need good friends to share things with and enjoy their company. But keeping friends can be difficult when we move around. Some people still keep with their school friends, but I am afraid that I have not managed to do that – they are all over the country and the world! Women can sometimes be better with such friendships than men...
However, ultimately, we all have a great friend with whom we can share our troubles and worries – one who will never be manipulative or dictatorial. In fact, even if we lose contact with him for a while, he will always welcome us back as a friend as if we had never left. And if we are seeking him as a friend for the first time he will always welcome us.
So when we meet with Jesus, just like Mary, Martha and Lazarus, we can really enjoy being in his company. And this friendship can last forever!
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 5th August 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Peter 4:12-17; Matthew 16:13-20.
Today, we are asked to consider the simple but fundamental question of “Who is Jesus?” And perhaps also most importantly – “Why does it matter?”
Now, I know that there is the material for a few hours of discussion and a few PhD theses here, but this lunchtime I just want to consider a few of the important issues that we might come across in our working lives.
Firstly, and perhaps very importantly for the City of London – which is a Global Financial Centre with people from all parts of the world and all faiths, cultures and creeds – is how do others see Jesus?
Well, one thing that appears to be quite clear and agreed by all parties is that Jesus DID exist and was alive at the time – about 2000 years ago. The Jewish chronicles certainly record his actions (and the Jews’ actions). Also Jesus is mentioned, more than I had realised, in the Koran. In the Koran, Jesus is given the place of a prophet, and the title “Blessed is He” should be said before his name is repeated in the Koran.
However, those of the Jewish faith did not believe, and still do not, that Jesus WAS the Messiah foretold by the prophet Isaiah and others. The Jews are still waiting for the coming of the Messiah.
Those of the Muslim faith, although they recognise Jesus as being a prophet, believe that he was not the last prophet - they believe it was Mohammed - and that Jesus did not rise from the dead as I believe and as is recorded in the various Gospel accounts.
The name of Jesus is used so often these days that it is very odd to understand that the mere name of Jesus is part of so many people’s lives, even if it is only used as a turn of phrase or a swear word.
Jesus’ name has changed people’s lives and has been revered and reviled, often at the same time. Whatever else one could say, the name of Jesus is not something which is irrelevant to the lives of many people, but is actually integral to the lives of many.
Many people have heard of the stories of Jesus in the Bible, of his miraculous birth, his amazing teaching, his performing of many miracles of healing and THEN his awful death on a cross as a criminal, followed by his resurrection three days later.
I could go on at length about the historical accounts of the life of Jesus, and of the veracity of the data available. Many people also believe that in Turin is the shroud that was actually wrapped around Jesus' body when he was buried, and which Mary Magdalene – whom we remembered two weeks ago – found lying in the tomb missing Jesus’ body. Many TV programmes and films have been made trying to prove or disprove the veracity of the actual details of Jesus’ life. All, or many, are incomplete, since facts can never be 100% complete after some 2000 years.
So the question posed by Jesus to his disciples is the same that we face today: “Who do you say that I am?”
After reading the accounts of Jesus in the Gospels, you might have thought that the disciples at the very least would not have needed to be asked! After all, they were actually there with Jesus, seeing him perform the miracles, and others, like Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist, would also have known clearly of his miraculous birth.
So why did Jesus ask them? And who is he really asking?
I was reading this passage a few days ago and wondering how best to explain this, and then I realised that Jesus was asking ME, “Who do you say I am?” In fact, since each and every one of us can have a direct personal relationship with Jesus, he is asking EACH of us personally, “Who do you say I am?”
And if we consider what each of us thinks deep down, then many of us might well be confused – perhaps like some of those first disciples. We might not have actually seen the miracles of Jesus, BUT we have read of historical accounts or seen the films of Jesus’ birth, life and death. We might actually have almost as many facts as some of those early disciples.
BUT, in the end, do we believe because of facts or because we believe in Jesus? That is what Jesus is asking each of US today I believe.
“Do you believe in me, because of some facts or other – some of which MAY be less than 100% accurate and provable … OR do you believe in me because I have touched your life in some way that you do not, and cannot, fully understand?”
When Peter answered he merely stated simply, “You are the Christ (that is the true Messiah of the Jews), the son of the living God”. (Matthew 16:14)
Many people through the ages have declared their faith in Jesus as the Living God and Son of God. It is his death and resurrection that we celebrate each and every time we celebrate the Holy Communion - a re-enactment of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples which we do at his direct command.
One of the special people who declared that they knew who Jesus was (and is) was Oswald, King of Northumbria, who died on this day in A.D. 642. He believed in Jesus completely and directed his life and reign to that end, until he died putting his faith into practice by fighting against the pagans at a place which now bears his name – Oswestry. The Venerable Bede records that, when wounded, he ended his life in prayer, and not in anger with the pagans he had been fighting.
So, the message from today’s readings is that EACH of us can, and does, have a direct and personal relationship with Jesus. And it is because of that, that WE can hear Jesus talking to us directly, and not in a theoretical or historical way requiring us to weigh up all the evidence proving or disproving the stories about Jesus’ birth, life and death.
We can hear Jesus talking to us at any time – when we are worried, when we are happy, when we are confused or when we are completely sure, or when we THINK we are in control, but more usually when we realise that we are not !
And when we hear Jesus asking us personally, “Who do YOU say that I am?”, we CAN say, like Peter, “You ARE the Christ, the son of the living God." Why? Because we KNOW and BELIEVE.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 12th August 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Psalm 113; Matthew 18:15-20.
Sometimes in August in the City churches there are very few people attending due to holiday commitments etc. Some City churches do not have regular services in August, and enable the clergy to have time off!
Here at St Margaret Pattens, however, we make a point of continuing to be open for all — whether for City workers or for the increasing number of tourists and other visitors who enjoy walking around the City in August in the sunshine.
Why? Well, here on the spot where we sit today God has been worshipped almost continuously since 1067. I suspect that there might have been a short lull after the Great Fire of 1666, but services resumed in this new church in 1688.
When I look back at the attendances at services — certainly since the beginning of the 20th Century — I was surprised that the attendances were pretty low — often in single figures. So, perhaps the idea that we need to go back to the 'good old days' is perhaps a bit misguided!
There may be various reasons for the low attendances over the years. Certainly one factor would have been the two World Wars when so many City workers would have gone off to fight. In addition, of course, before the War, there were a few more churches where City workers could have gone to worship, such as St Dunstan-in-the-East on the other side of Eastcheap which was bombed in the War and not rebuilt.
Certainly, the increased 'secularisation' of the country has not assisted in maintaining and increasing numbers attending churches. With the pressures of the 24/7 financial world — with the City as the major global centre — being able to get away from the office at lunchtime has been (and is) at a premium. One of the less good things that we have imported from New York is the concept that 'lunch is for wimps'!
Having worked for so many years in the City in international banks I am intimately aware of these pressures. My New York colleagues used to schedule conference calls for around 1 p.m., which enabled us to link in Singapore and Hong Kong also. It was more of a problem for my colleague in Sydney, who told me later that she often took the call in her slippers and with her bedtime cocoa at the side!
So, in that context, I think that we should be pleased that we have maintained a reasonable attendance at services, although if we all attended a little more regularly and brought some more friends and colleagues, then we might be amazed how many we could have. I reckon that we could easily have a congregation of 40+ if all those who occasionally attend attended at the same time! Perhaps THAT should be the challenge today, or rather for the next service!
So, why, you may ask, am I going on about the number of people attending services at St Margaret Pattens?
Well, whereas on the one hand Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:19 “to go and make disciples of all nations”, so, on that basis, we should never be satisfied or complacent about the number of people who come to worship here at St Margaret Pattens. Our task should be to explore and develop new and innovative ways in which many, many people can come to know Jesus through fellowship and worship here.
However, on the other hand – we are not just chasing numbers!
Often on an early Friday morning when I am here saying morning prayer, or when I am sitting praying or contemplating in the church, I am often alone and perhaps one or two people might stop by. Sometimes, I can get frustrated and impatient about why we are not full all the time !
However, when I do feel like that, I try and remind myself of the words which we heard in the Gospel reading earlier. “When two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them…” (Matthew 18:20)
In fact, Jesus is here, even when I am alone. For none of us is EVER alone. Jesus is ALWAYS alongside us in the stillness of an empty church, at the top of a hillside, or even in a crowded bus or train on the way to or from work.
In our Holy Communion, we also particularly remember how Jesus is present amongst us as we share in the bread and the wine as he commanded us to do. “Do this in remembrance of me …”
When we think about the wonder of the fact that Jesus IS here at this very moment in his Holy Spirit, it is almost too much to grasp. Whether we are a full church or merely a few, that does not matter to Jesus. He will support us is any event.
Of course, the more people that we can encourage to join in this wonder and joy the better! The best 'advert' for the church is what we do and say to others.
When we go back to the office from the service, what would be our answer if a colleague asks “did you have a good lunch?” Would we say “quite good thanks”, OR would we say “… actually, I had something better than just a lunch. I joined together with others and we sang and worshipped God, and that made be feel very happy and glad to be alive!”
It would be great if we were to give the second answer when we got back to the office, and then, others would WANT to come along and join in the wonder. Tell them, “Come and see for yourself”.
We should be thinking of the words of Psalm 113 all the time — a psalm of wondrous praise which was written to be sung, and which has a wonderful lilt to it. “Praise the Lord!” it says over and over again.
Here we do, indeed, have much to praise the Lord for — for the wonderful heritage that we have in this place, and for the beacon of worship and praise that IS St Margaret Pattens. Jesus IS here even when there are just a few, but wouldn’t it be even better if there were loads more to join in?
Our faith is too wonderful to keep to ourselves! Could we think about inviting just one other person to 'come and see' one week? Then they could judge for themselves. A personal invitation is the only effective way. When I invited all the local shops and those nearby to our Christmas carol service, we got 103 last year. My target is to beat that this year! However, I cannot do that alone!
So, although I may have contradicted myself, I wanted to emphasise that, although Jesus is with us here however many we are, the joy and wonder of the Christian faith is such that we cannot, or should not, keep it to ourselves! That is our Mission here — to make our faith relevant and accessible to ALL.
PRAISE THE LORD!
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 19th August 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Psalm 23; Luke 1:46-55.
Mary is a wonderful example — perhaps the best example — of an 'ordinary' person realising that God wanted her to do something special.
But, as with so many other aspects of the coming of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t happen in a usual or convenient way.
How, one might ask, should God almighty, the maker of the universe, of you, me and everything else we can see, choose to deliver the most important message to humanity since Creation itself? A mighty gesture perhaps… A mighty King and warrior who could deliver the faithful people (the Jews) from the yoke of the occupying pagan forces of the Roman Empire…. Well that is what the Jewish people had been reading about and expecting. Surely, one might think, such a life-changing event should have been world-wide and enabled people from around the globe to see the might of God in a mighty act of power?
Surely great pomp and circumstance would be appropriate for such a God?
Well, NO. Almighty God chose to deliver the most important message ever through a young, innocent girl. Mary was certainly young and was not married, so the idea in the culture of THAT time would have made it very difficult for Mary, and for her fiancé Joseph. What would Mary’s family have thought — or indeed Joseph’s family — in those days? Thankfully, these days, we are much more understanding of young couples and their lives.
So, slightly earlier in the chapter, we have a picture of Mary’s confusion when she has the shocking visit from the Angel telling her that she is to bear a son and give him the name Jesus.
And what was Mary’s response? Well, confusion to put it mildly... It seems clear to me that Mary’s reaction was very ordinary and 'human'. She was young and innocent, and didn’t know what bringing up a child would entail. She was scared. But then, amongst all her vulnerability — and humanity — she says, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)
Mary had an older relative, Elizabeth, who had also become pregnant unexpectedly, although she had been married for some years. The passage that we heard is the encounter when Mary goes to tell her older relative of the amazing news that she too — in a way she can hardly understand — was to be pregnant also. When Elizabeth hears the news, she does not sound like the disapproving older relative, she is delighted for Mary.
Elizabeth showed by her actions that she understood the joy, and confusion, that comes when a person truly follows where God is leading them... And that can be very difficult for many people today.
As most of you know, I only became ordained some 5 years ago after 25 years as a City lawyer and banker. I trained for the ministry, not in the isolation of a theological college far away, but in the evenings and weekends over 3 years when I continued my international role as compliance director for an international bank. I continued that role after I became ordained also, only partly changing more recently.
On my course was a wonderful, and amazing cross-section of people from all walks of life who had come to the same realisation as I — that God was somehow calling us to do something different in our lives — something that none of us understood.
We all, or most of us, had wives or husbands or partners for whom a 'church life' was NOT what they had envisaged when they had first met. That can be a challenge in a relationship, but it was really wonderful to know that my wife was supporting me, and that all the other husbands, wives and partners were in a similar position.
In my year there were fellow lawyers like me, a research scientist, a company owner, a town and country planner, a Harley Street surgeon, a few nurses and teachers, a social worker, the wife of a well-known peer and government minister, a university professor, and just a very few who were not working. We were quite a cross-section of people, and most of us were between 40 and 50 years old!
I cannot begin to really understand the joy that Mary must have felt when she KNEW that God had called her to do such a special thing. However, I do know the joy of the realisation that Almighty God might actually be calling little old me, with ALL my faults, troubles and foibles, and not even with an 'O'-level in RE, and having to look up the index in the Bible to find in which order the books were! 'Why Me?' is something that that comes back to me constantly. I have no real experience of church life and still get a bit confused and annoyed over the odd and archaic way in which the Church seems to organise itself, or rather often fails to organise well at all!
But, when it comes to it, we can all take comfort from the great example of Mary — the young innocent girl who hardly knew what she was doing, but who, in spite of that, says “YES” to God.
We are all called by God to do different things in our lives at various times — if we are listening. Usually, we are not listening, which is why I was so much older before I started to train for the ministry. But the ordained ministry is only one of the ways in which each of us is called. We can be called to be just a good friend to another person in need; to be just open and tell our work colleagues about the joy we feel when we go to church; to tell people that you are a Christian, and that you, like the rest of us, are a 'work in progress'. So perfection is certainly no criteria!
AND then, when we realise that God is calling us to do something special — even though we do not fully understand it — the joy is amazing. The joy of Mary is so vividly shown in the words of her song, which I think is more a joyous dance. I have this picture of Mary and elderly Elizabeth dancing around the house in joy. When we are really praising God, dancing and singing come naturally. Dancing has been a central part of worship in the past. In this church, the Filipino community have some wonderful worship dance on Sundays. Perhaps we should have some here also during the week?
Dancing was also central to Jewish worship, and many of David’s Psalms were meant to be sung and danced.
I chose Psalm 23, which we will sing in a more modern arrangement shortly, because it underlines the joy and the wonder of God — that God, our own personal shepherd, is with us, come what may, and for ever. That is, indeed a great reason to be joyful!
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 30th September 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Job 19:19-27; Luke 10:1-12.
The theme of both readings today is simply TRUST...
The motto of the London Stock Exchange has been, since 1801, “My Word is my Bond”. This was the course of respectable conduct that made the City of London the global financial trading centre that it is today. Here, in the City, investments from all over the world are traded — which is how many of us have earned a good living over the years.
If those first traders did not trust their fellow traders – the stock brokers and stock jobbers as they were called until 1985 – then trading in the shares of the companies could not have effectively continued.
In other parts of our life also we need to trust … When we are a patient in hospital we need to trust the doctors and nurses for our care. When we are a child we need to trust our parents or carers to look after us and feed us. When we are in love with another person, we need to trust the other person so that they can trust and love us.
But, does trusting coming easily or naturally to us ?
Well, although the first stock jobbers and traders in the City might have used trust as the basis for their trading, due to the bad actions of other traders over the years –– and particularly in the 1970s and 1980s –– new laws had to be brought in to try to ensure that traders and others dealing in investments did treat others fairly. Now I suppose that I should not complain about that legislation too much, because as a result of the passing of the Financial Services Act 1986 (and the subsequent revisions) I have had a pretty good career in the City in the field of 'compliance law' – a field which did not exist before I started in the City! So, for the City and investment firms generally the passing of the 1986 Financial Services Act showed that 'trusting' and doing the right thing had indeed become very difficult for many people and companies.
So now we have a huge panoply of laws and legislation in this country and around the world which endeavours to force people and companies to do the right things and establishes systems which should enable people to 'trust' traders and investment firms more. At least that is the plan, which continues to provide much interesting work for me when I am not at this church!
So why am I trying to make this all so complicated?
Well, simply …. Because it IS complicated! A bit like faith perhaps? Some might suggest that faith is a simple matter and that “it's OK for you because you have a Christian faith”. Well, in my experience, knowing that you have a personal faith in Jesus Christ does NOT make life easy. Christianity is not for the faint-hearted, and I worry when I hear some who might suggest that when we have faith in Jesus all our troubles are over. Well, at one level, that IS correct. We KNOW that we are loved by Jesus in spite of who we are and what we might have done (or do). But that does not mean that we will not have tough times – perhaps losing a job and career or the loss of a loved one perhaps.
That is certainly what the prophet Job was trying to get across...“have pity on me my friends; have pity for the hand of God has struck me. Why do you pursue me as God does …” (vv 21-22). But then, IN SPITE of all those worries and concerns Job concludes with those wonderful words (which Handel set to music as part of the Messiah oratorio) “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth… yet in my flesh will I see God” (v 25-26).
Job and the people of Israel had being going through a hellish time in exile, so it is even more remarkable that the prophet Job kept on reminding his people that God still trusted and loved them IN SPITE of everything that was happening.
In Luke’s Gospel we then heard of the wonderful story of how Jesus sent out 72 disciples to spread the word. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few ” (v2), said Jesus. For these people who directly knew Jesus one might think that faith for them would be easy – they knew Jesus. But No. “I am sending you like lambs to the wolves” (v4), says Jesus.
Talking to people about one's faith is not always easy, as Jesus recognised in his instructions to the disciples. Sometimes people will reject any approach, and rejection can be tough. BUT Jesus is telling us here to just carry on trying because he loves us, and it WILL work out, even though it might be a bit tough for a while.
When I am not at St Margaret Pattens I am currently helping the Chaplain at a local hospital with visiting on some days. I have found working as a hospital chaplain one of the most rewarding, but also most difficult things to do in ministry. When I prepare to go out on the wards to visit some people, I sometimes get very nervous, or even when I just walk through a few wards and see whether anybody wishes to have a word (because in hospitals we do not proselytise since we work in an inter-faith environment). Perhaps I am a little less nervous than when I first started. I will often try and have a calming cup of tea and a prayer in Chapel before I go, because one can never tell what will happen, or what somebody will say. Last week I had prepared to visit a sick man in a ward and arrived with a few thoughts prepared, as his daughter had asked for a visit. But when I arrived I found that he had died a few minutes earlier, and I then had to rethink a commendation service in about 30 seconds, not knowing much about the family or the gentleman. That was the time for a prayer of “help!”. On other occasions a person might reject you when you visit, perhaps abusively, or more often blame you personally for the ills of the entire Church of England!
No - faith and trying to follow the loving way of Jesus is NOT easy!
However, I know that Jesus can and does love us. This gives us the strength we need to get through the tough times, even though they are more tough than we might often like. And why is that? Because God loves us – for who we are, and not for who we are not. For none of us is perfect – far from it!
We sang at the start of the service, “Jesu, lover of my soul”. Next we will sing a more modern song called “My Jesus, My Saviour”. The words of both can guide us about our relationship with God and show us that He loves us in spite of everything however tough things appear and also that Jesus came into the word to be the personal Saviour of each and every one of us, because he loves us and WILL give us that strength and the 'Peace which passes all understanding'. FOR WE CAN TRUST GOD
AMEN
A sermon given at Choral Evensong on Wednesday, 24th November 2010 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11; Revelation 14:1-13
On this evening, we remember particularly the life and works of Cecilia, the Patron Saint of Musicians. But she is also the Patron Saint of Church Music and Poets, as well as being particularly recognised by the Dedication of the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Omaha Nebraska in the US and the Diocese of Mar del Plata in Argentina.
Even a cursory glance at places associated with Cecilia will show a very long list of places all around the world!
Apart from being one of the most important Virgin Martyrs of the early church, perhaps I would also suggest that Cecilia’s influence and mark around the world underlines the international nature of music itself. Music is a 'language' which can transcend other language differences and political and cultural barriers. I remember playing in orchestras with a conductor or with other musicians, who may not have had English as their natural first language, BUT when we played together we all played in the same language.
Just like the 'language' of music, faith can bind people together across cultures, languages and political divides. Here at St Margaret Pattens, we have the privilege to minister to people from all over the world who either work in the City or who are visiting. They may come from different cultures perhaps, but we can all come together in prayer and worship — sometimes using the wonderful uplifting words and music of a choral evensong according to the Book of Common Prayer of 1662, but at other times we can bring people together using other styles and forms of worship, including some wonderful modern music and liturgy. For me, and for this church, if we are to truly reach out in our faith we need ALL types and opportunities of worship, but tonight we will revel in the wonderful Book of Common Prayer.
So, before I say anything else, who was Cecilia?
Well, most records indicate that she was the daughter of a nobleman of Rome who was martyred in the year 117 in Sicily. It is recorded that she had vowed her virginity to God and wore sackcloth and ashes, fasted and prayed in the hope of keeping this promise. However, her family insisted that she marry a pagan chap called Valerian. But, on her wedding night she explained her predicament to her new husband who, by all accounts, respected her position, and himself was converted to Christianity and saw an angel soon after. As a result, they both devoted themselves to providing decent burials for the many Christians who were being killed at this time in Rome. However, for this action her new husband was arrested and killed, and then she was arrested. They tried to behead her, but the inefficient executioner merely severely damaged her neck. She suffered awful pain and loss of blood for three days before insisting that she receive Holy Communion before her death. As she died she sang songs of praise to God.
There is also an indication that Cecilia herself was blind, since the word 'Cecilia' means 'the blind one'. So, if this research is correct, her example and bravery in the face of persecution is even more remarkable.
The readings for this evening’s service also have the power of music particularly in mind.
The words of the passage from Isaiah are those used, as many of you might know, by Handel for the wonderful tenor solo passage in his oratorio The Messiah, “Comfort ye my People”. You might remember the wonderful soaring tenor line which can thrill and excite however many times one hears them. That is the transcendent power of music — a language of love and hope, a language which can often describe the love of God much more than mere words. “Every Valley shall be raised up and every mountain and hill shall be made low”, the tenor sings ..The whole earth is the domain of the almighty creator God who, although he can do all this, is ALSO the one who can comfort his people in whatever circumstances they find themselves.
And then we heard the similarly creative descriptions from the book of Revelation — not the easiest book in the Bible to understand, I admit. However, music features in the heaven described by John in this amazing book, where the angels play their harps and the others sing before the throne of God. The imagery is so rich that it is very difficult to imagine it. But then again one cannot even begin to imagine the glory of heaven. That is where, I believe, great music of all sorts comes in.
As Cecilia showed when she sang praises to God as she was dying from her awful injuries with no thought of herself, music can transport one towards heaven. Music can be the language which can unite peoples in joy and sadness. Music can transcend racial, political and national boundaries which would otherwise divide people. That is why, I believe, music can be a strong pointer to faith.
So, as we celebrate music and Saint Cecilia tonight, let us also try to imagine the choirs of angels singing praises to God in heaven, and the brave Cecilia transcending all pain and suffering through her love for God and music. And then, as we imagine the most wonderful music, we can remember that the love of God for each of us is even more wonderful than that!
AMEN
Service for King Charles the Martyr
A sermon given on Thursday, 27th January 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
(also at the end of the week of Christian Unity)
Readings: Mark 4:35-end; Acts 2:42-47
At St Margaret Pattens, we remember the death of King Charles I on 30th January 1649. This tradition was started in 1890 by the priest here at the time, James Fish, who was also a co-founder of The Society of King Charles the Martyr.
The Cult of King Charles the Martyr is derived from some alleged statements and actions by the King at the time of him death, but also some poetry and paintings made very soon after his death.
Much has been written and debated since 1649 as to whether Charles died the death of a martyr. Whether the symbolism of him being ‘sacrificed’ and his comment on the scaffold were sufficient, and how his actions at his death should be seen in the context of his earlier life and actions as a king, remain open to discussion by many. Was he really as self-sacrificing as an autocratic King during his reign as a martyr’s crown might suggest?
The other factor which seems to be clearly involved at the time, and subsequently, was that of the ‘Royalist’ cause, as opposed to the Parliamentary cause. The Parliamentarians, after all, overthrew the King and established the Commonwealth (at least for a while by Cromwell), so the cause of Royalism was also promoted by the remembrance of the martyred death of the King. Part of this was also the reassertion of the Divine Right of Kings.
In addition, the remembrance of The Society of King Charles the Martyr relates to the appropriate use of church liturgy and the manner of the Church of England. The church tradition of The Society of King Charles the Martyr in terms of liturgy and ceremonial is very strict, and has, sadly, led to their divergence from the central Anglican Church. They adhere to what is generally called a ‘High Catholic tradition’ and so, I fear, they are unlikely to come back here for a while. They celebrate the day of King Charles’ death at a high mass held at the Whitehall Banqueting House ̶ opposite Horse Guards Parade where King Charles was executed.
So, why am I referring to all these difficulties and the different church traditions associated with The Society of King Charles the Martyr?
Well, I think that it would be fair to say that some aspects of the remembrance of the death of King Charles have led to divisions in the church. BUT, for the last week ALL the Christian churches around the world have been involved in the annual ‘Week of prayer for Christian Unity’. The reading from the Acts of the Apostles emphasises that ALL Christians are connected as a ‘fellowship of all believers’.
When Peter described the events in the Gospel passage, it was soon after the day of Pentecost ― when the Holy Spirit came like a wind amongst the people. After that, as we heard, “ALL believers were together and had EVERYTHING in common” (Acts 4:44).
Too often, I fear, the fellowship of all believers is riven with divisions ― which appear to be central to the people involved, but not to others. Over the years this has involved disagreements over the details of the liturgy, the manner of the Eucharist (the ‘real presence’ – transubstantiation), the centrality of the baptism of adults to joining the worshipping community, and more recently the role of women as priests and bishops in the church.
This last week ALL the main Christian churches around the world have joined together in a week of prayer for Christian Unity developed by the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. It thus brings together all the major Protestant denominations and the Worldwide Roman Catholic church.
This year an ecumenical group in Jerusalem were the originators of the material which was used around the world. Amidst all the turmoil, danger, injustice and fragility of the Middle East, the Churches in Jerusalem challenge the whole Church to remain faithful to the vocation to be one, and to recommit ourselves to pray for the unity of the church that the world might believe.
Those who worship at, or visit St Margaret Pattens, come from a very wide range of Christian traditions from around the world. Of all places, I believe that a City church needs to be welcoming to people of ALL traditions (and none). If a church’s “tradition” is made up of its people (which is the true meaning of “church”, i.e. the people assembled) then we MUST be there for ALL in how we approach our worship and ministry, whether in a traditional Eucharist as today or in other forms of worship and prayer.
The first part of the passage from Acts underlines the importance of coming together as a worshipping community. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
How do our actions with other Christian groups match up against the description of a worshipping community in the passage from the Acts of the Apostles?
We ‘break bread’ at our Eucharist today, but also join together in prayer and fellowship, and some teaching.
However, Christian example should not only happen at church service times! How should we expand this as a worshipping community of diverse experiences and traditions? That is the challenge for this church and indeed all churches. Especially here in the City, this church has the great opportunity to develop its outreach to the wider community of those who work in the City.
The indications from those people described in the passage from Acts is that they did lots of different things together and met frequently. You will note that formal worship (breaking of bread) was only mentioned as one of the aspects of being a Christian.
I am not sure whether those who are now part of the Society of King Charles the Martyr will return to this church, where their group was established. They would be most welcome, of course. This is a shame, as are all examples where people of an avowed Christian faith find reasons to not share worship with each other. As Paul wrote to the small Christian group in Galatia who were getting a bit mixed up as to who could be a ‘proper’ Christian, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are ALL one in Christ Jesus…” (Galatians 3:28).
We ARE all one in Christ, whatever our different Christian traditions. Perhaps one of the things to learn from the position of the Society of King Charles the Martyr is that, although I would not doubt the honesty of those who follow the ideas of the Society, I do pray that we might all be able to worship together on the basis that we ARE all one in Christ, whatever the details may look like.
As for the Week of Christian Unity, the prayers this year, as I said, were developed by churches in Jerusalem. If they can get together in unity, in that place of division since the time of Christ, then why cannot the rest of the Christian world ?
So, this year, I have not preached on the ideas of King Charles the Martyr very much at all. If you want to read the details, see my sermon from last year on the website). However, I thought that it was an important opportunity to remind us all of the dangers that can occur when divisions are created in faith which are secondary to the principal true faith of the Gospel that Christ died for each and every one of us and that we are ALL one in Christ.
AMEN
A Sermon given on Thursday, 16th June 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Philippians 4:10-13; John 21: 15-19
As I mentioned at the start of the service, in this week between Pentecost and Trinity Sundays we today remember a famous Bishop of Chichester who died on this day in 1276.
Richard was a great Bishop of Chichester and showed great care and concern for all his parishioners and priests. He was also the first ‘green’ bishop, since he walked everywhere in his diocese — even better than ‘our’ Bishop Richard’s Hybrid Car which he uses for his visiting!
In addition, as an additional interest for me and perhaps some of you, Richard trained as an international lawyer in Oxford, Paris and Bologna — international Ecclesiastical law!
But, in spite of his many good works and actions, Richard is known mainly for one thing — a prayer that he wrote which perhaps encapsulates his approach to faith and his relationship with God. I will use it in our prayer later. You may well have heard it in the past:
Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which you have given us,
for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.
Most merciful
Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know you more clearly love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.
What Richard shows so clearly in his prayer is that God is so generous to each and every one of us for all the things which we have. Often, we can become complacent about this, since we cannot imagine life without the things which we take for granted.
For example, we take for granted clean drinking water and sanitation and get very upset when, on rare occasions, there is a problem with the water supply so that our dishwasher cannot operate or our car must remain dirty. When there is a drought, or risk of one, you will have seen how the press and others greatly criticise the Minister for the Environment — as if she is to blame for the lack of water! HOWEVER, clean and ample water is NOT available in many places in the world — which is highlighted by the work done by the Busoga Trust in Uganda and many other charities in other countries.
At another level, most of us take for granted good health. However, when I found myself laid up in hospital for a few weeks recently, I realised how difficult it was not to be able to do the things — such and travel, work and church — which I had taken for granted. I had to stop my activities (not that I wanted to) and then severely curtail them for quite a while, and then ‘take it slowly’, which is an enormous strain for some of us!
It reminds me that one only really appreciates what one has until it is taken away from one.
The Christian faith is clear that all the benefits we have — whether we realise or remember them or not — are down to the Grace of God. They are given to each of us, not because we deserve them, but because God loves each and every one of us, in spite of ourselves.
But Richard goes on in his prayer to develop and explain our relationship with God — not as with an almighty and enormous and untouchable God, but with a ‘friend and brother’. A true friend is one with whom one can talk about anything at all and who will support one whatever happens.
Richard was clearly trying to emphasise that, different perhaps to the medieval ‘other-worldly’ approach to prayer and worship of the time, the Christian God is ALWAYS approachable and ALWAYS listens. That was partly why Richard was much more accessible to his parishioners and priests than might have been normal for the time.
Richard uses the term ‘brother’ for his relationship with God. This explains, I believe, the type of love that God has for all of us — a closeness of family love, since we are ALL in God’s family.
But central to Richard’s prayer analysis of his relationship with God is his plea that “…we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day…”
How do we get to know God more clearly? By listening. Listening in prayer, and listening for that ‘still small voice’ — the ‘nudge’ which you don’t expect. BUT, in order to do this we must try and have a few moments of rest. That, as I know, is a problem in the City. However, that is where this church comes in. We are open every day for anyone to come in and just sit and rest and listen. However, even if we cannot get into a church, I have found that a short journey on a train can be a period of relaxation and prayer — perhaps only a short moment, but God is always there. Prayers for commuters is a popular prayer book which I have used myself often!
How do we Love God more dearly? Well, I believe that it is a developing process.
When one first meets the person whom one later perhaps marries, or who, one knows, ‘is the one for me’, there are stages of developing love. Perhaps initially one is nervous and not sure what to say. What will I sound like? Perhaps the other person will not feel the same way about me. But, as time goes by, IF it is the right person for you, then it will all be clear, and you will grow in love and closeness. Well, with God, it can feel similar perhaps. We can be nervous talking to God and even not sure whether God is listening or feels the same way. BUT, the reassurance is that God is ALWAYS there listening and we can be certain that we can develop our love more dearly.
And finally, as we heard in the passage from John’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to ‘follow me’. That is a process which Jesus started with the first disciples. It is certainly not always easy, and we will probably get distracted along the way. However, as Richard of Chichester emphasises in his prayer, this is a process which we need to do “day by day”. Love, as we know from our personal relationships, can develop in different ways. Sometimes it is immediate and clear, but in some other cases, the clarity develops over time and deepens.
As in many things in life one needs to stick at it! The love of God which Richard of Chichester describes is there waiting for everyone — we just need to move along towards it ‘day by day’.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 4th August 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Deuteronomy 4:32-40; Matthew 16:24-end
Hymns : NEH 368 (Guide me O Thou great redeemer); NEH 485 ( Thy hand O God has guided)
Today, I thought that I would talk about Holidays, although I realise that none of us here today is on holiday!
“Holidays” used to be restricted to the “Holy-Days”, from where the name derived in English — a time to stop work and celebrate the great church festivals such as Easter and Christmas.
However, over the last few hundred years or so, this has developed into times when people who were employed were able to take some time off work to rest and relax, and more recently to also be paid by their employers.
However, as many of us who work in the City will know, with the work pressures in the City, the period before and after a holiday can be very stressful! Getting things ready beforehand, and then catching up with ALL those emails when you return (even if you might have been able to hide your Blackberry in your holiday luggage and check the emails on the beach – with being caught by your spouse or partner!)
In fact, I came across a new medical condition recently called “Holiday heart syndrome”. This is a condition where one suffers from heart palpitations, usually after a particularly good or vigorous weekend away or holiday, when the wine flowed well! The condition, as the book says “is usually transient”, until the next holiday perhaps!
It is always a good thing to be able to have a rest from one’s usual work every so often, to enable one to restore oneself physically, but ALSO to restore perspective on what is really important in life and work.
In fact, in that sense, “holidays” are what this church is all about — a place which enables anyone to come in to have a rest from their work and perhaps a prayer; to assist them in getting some perspective in their lives. And, importantly, a “holiday” of this type can be of any length of time — from a few minutes to a few hours.
Well, what have today’s readings to tell us about “HOLIDAYS”?
Initially, I was a bit confused. And then I read again the passage from Matthew (verse 26): “what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life ?” OR perhaps I could say today “what is the point of continuing twelve-hour days if one never gets to see one’s family or even have much time to spend the money one is earning?”
That was a comment made to me by an American friend and colleague soon after “9/11”. He had been working in Lower Manhattan and had been due to speak at a conference at the “Windows of the World” restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center at a breakfast meeting that day! But it was relocated to Mid-Town a few days earlier. He realised that he needed to get his life into perspective.
God knows that none of us can function effectively, either in work or at home, if we never take a rest. So, Jesus’ strong words are very important for all of us.
If we are always working, then are we able to worship God AND the “god of work”? For the “god of work” can be as bad as any other type of idolatry. And THAT is why the physical presence of churches in the City, and clergy visibly involved with City workers and the livery companies are so important — as a reminder to ALL that God is there amongst all the hustle and bustle of the City and its many pressures.
And then, finally, having said about the need for rest and holidays, we can ONLY do this because Almighty God is NEVER on “Holiday”. God created the world and each and every one of us from the beginning of time. As it is recorded in the passage from Deuteronomy: “The Lord is God above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” All the Almighty God asks us is to “keep his statutes and his commandments” (Deuteronomy 4:39 and 40).
So, as we consider going on holiday ourselves, whether for a short time or not, REMEMBER that we can ONLY do this because our loving God, who cares for each and every one of us, is NEVER on “holiday”.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday, 11th August 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: Joshua 3:13-17; Matthew 18:21-end
Hymns: NEH 353 (Dear Lord and Father of mankind); NEH 334 (All people that on earth do dwell – Psalm 100)
Last week, for those of you who could attend, I spoke about “HOLIDAYS” and how important it was for each of us to have some time to restore ourselves physically and spiritually – and that THIS church was a place for “Holidays”, whether for a few minutes or longer, to allow God (who never takes a “holiday”) to meet with us and give us that “peace which passes all understanding”.
This week, the main Gospel reading from Matthew is the troubling story of the dishonest slave. He pleaded with his master to forgive him (which his master does), BUT then he acts very badly towards his fellow slaves, showing that his initial promises were really lies. When Peter asked Jesus in the passage how often he should forgive another person, Jesus replies with an imprecise number – a multiple of a multiple.
The “king” in the parable Jesus told is God himself. So, if that is the case, one might ask why God would not already know whether the man was telling the truth or not? If that is that case – what is the point of the parable?
Well, I spoke last week about the loving God who loves each of us so much that he never goes on “holiday”. It is BECAUSE of love that God (the king in the parable) was prepared to listen to the man.
We ALL have the free will to do the “right thing” or not. God will not interfere with that. However, whatever we do, he will still give us another chance.
It’s a bit like one’s own children perhaps. We love them so much that we want to give them every possible chance — even if that means that sometimes we have to “pick up the bill” (or credit card balance !)
We are ALL God’s children and, in Christ, he has already “picked up the bill” for all our sins by the death of Christ on the cross. By that self-sacrifice, which we remember at this Eucharist, we all have been given salvation.
That can be a difficult concept to understand. But perhaps we can understand it better by remembering that our loving God will NEVER count the number of times he will forgive us for our sins. God loves us IN SPITE of our sins. ALL we have to do is to accept that forgiveness and God’s love. And when we have done that NOTHING is impossible!
We heard in the passage from the book of Joshua how God led the people through the Jordan River carrying the Ark of the Covenant. When they did this, the river stopped flowing and they crossed on dry land (like the Israelites who crossed through the Red Sea when they fled from Egypt).
When those people walked with God, and followed his command, the unbelievable happened. Why? Because the God in whom we believe will ALWAYS make it possible for us to be forgiven. Because he loves each and every one of us so very much.
AMEN
A sermon given on Thursday,18th August 2011 (Feast of The Blessed Virgin Mary) by Revd Hugh Thomas (transferred from 15th August).
Readings: Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 1:46-55
Hymns: NEH 185 (Sing we of the Blessed Mother), NEH 186 (Tell out my Soul)
Today we remember the Virgin Mary — Jesus’ earthly mother, whose devotion and faith in God gave her the strength to continue where her own situation was very difficult. She was an unmarried mother in the very strict Jewish society of the time. YET, she was not scared but rather declared “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Luke1:46). Hers was a selfless act of faith, and so her faith and commitment is, rightly, revered by the Church.
However, as we remember Mary’s actions today, we also have the opportunity to think again perhaps of the place of women in the church, of women of faith generally and also what a book that I have recently been reading calls the “feminine face of God” (See “Exploring the Feminine Face of God” by Bridget Mary Meehan SSC, published by Sheed & Ward 1991, ISBN 1-55612-454-6)
I will return to the topic of the important place of women in the church (as priests and bishops) at another time, but today I want to share some thoughts on the “feminine face of God”.
To start, it is important to remember that God has never been either male or female. In Exodus 4:14 God/Yahweh told his people “I am who I am”. However, in the limited perceptions of humanity, God has been expressed in terms of images and concepts. And due to the distorted views of women in society of the ages, the images and descriptions of God have been predominantly male.
Today, I thought that I would try and give just a few examples from the Bible of where the feminine aspects and views of God are clearly expressed. The fact that these are perhaps not often referred to is more of a comment upon the way that society (and the Church) has usually taken a male perspective.
All those images I will describe reflect God’s love for each and every one of us. For God IS love.
We will all be aware of the unquestioning love of a mother for her child, and the pain and trauma that she must experience before its birth. Well, St Paul used this image of God when he said (Galatians 4:19), “My children, for whom I am again in labour until Christ be formed in you”.
Earlier, in Deuteronomy 32:13, the writer says, “you were unmindful of the rock that begat you. You forget the God who gave you birth”.
We are born, and exist, because of God. So, in that sense, God is also our mother.
As I said last week, we will need forgiveness and support from God when things go wrong in our lives. With this in mind, Isaiah says of God, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem will you find comfort” (Isaiah 66:11-12). A perhaps more well-known passage is from Matthew’s gospel (23:37) when he records Jesus’ words “…how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wing”. This is the very image of the nurturing love of God as a mother. In fact, Isaiah also talks of God as a nurturing mother (Isaiah 49:15): “Can a mother forget her infant; be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you”.
This gives the image of God as the ultimate loving mother — better than any human mother — whose connection with each and every one of us is as close and intimate as is a mother for the child she has borne.
Whether we are male or female, I believe that we should all strive to “re-imagine” God as our mother, as much as our father. BOTH mother and father are needed before birth, and each of us is the result of that loving relationship.
So, as we remember the faith of Mary and celebrate her devotion, let us also re-examine the “feminine face of God” which is as true an image of God as any other, and perhaps in some ways better illustrates the love from which we were formed.
AMEN
A Sermon given on Thursday, 25th August 2011 by Revd Hugh Thomas.
Readings: 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 22:24-30
LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE – NOT CYNICAL!
Today, I thought it appropriate to remember the Feast Day of Bartholomew the Apostle, who died a martyr’s death on 24th August in the 1st Century AD in Armenia.
It had long been assumed that Bartholomew is the same chap as Nathaniel. The Gospels speak of Philip bringing Nathaniel to Jesus who calls him “an Israelite worthy of the name” (John 1:46). He is also present at the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection (John 21:2). Although he seems initially a somewhat cynical man, he recognised Jesus for who is and proclaimed him as Son of God and King of Israel (John 1:49).
The Gospel reading for today also recalls the challenging story from Jesus about what is really important and contrary to what the people were expecting. Jesus explains to them that they are to be the servants — not the masters (as were the Gentile leaders) “I am among you as one who serves”, said Jesus (Luke 22:26).
When I was ordained I was ordained to “serve” and not to be served, and each year when I attend the Chrism Eucharist at the Cathedral this fundamental aspect of the ordained ministry is repeated and emphasised, lest any priest start to think otherwise!
Now, as you are probably aware, I trained as a lawyer and worked for many years in the City (and still do on a part-time basis). Some people might think that I am therefore a fully qualified and professional “cynic”. I have to admit that one does need to have a heightened sense of what is right and correct when advising on some complex legal matters, and often being able to tell whether somebody is actually telling you the whole truth about what they did has been and is important in my work! However, I would not necessarily call that being cynical! Or should I?
When Jesus called Nathaniel, Nathaniel initially said “Come on. You cannot be serious. How do you know?” (in my modern translation!) But then Nathaniel realised and declared Jesus as the Messiah.
The concept of “service” is perhaps another example of where people can be cynical. Surely, why would anybody want to do something for nothing?
Jesus was turning on its head the traditional ideas of authority and worth — that to serve was, indeed, a higher calling. A different, and better, form of leadership. So, how might all this affect or help us in the City? ///
Well, the City, is indeed greatly involved in making money — and lots of it! (hopefully a bit more going forward) However, it is has also been greatly involved over the centuries with “service”.
On the one hand many people may dismiss the City livery companies as “ancient networking groups”, just designed for the enrichment of their exclusive membership. However — and here I must declare an interest in being a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers — there is MUCH more to liveries than that! What is often not appreciated is the amount of effort and money that all the livery companies give to many people and organisations in need. From helping wounded soldiers coming back from Afghanistan to helping children from disadvantaged circumstances pursue their education at school and university. They also provide support and assistance to their own members who get sick (I received a lovely bunch of flowers when I was in hospital recently).
As I said, it is SO easy to be cynical, but more difficult sometimes to see what is really happening. The liveries, and the church itself, do many things to help others, because it is the right thing to do.
The Church is, by definition, the largest single social aid organisation in the country. So when it acts, it shows what it believes to be right. Whether it be supporting the inner cities or, recently, emphasising the vital importance of providing support to young people in the wake of the recent riots.
The livery companies give, literally, millions of pounds away each year to worthy causes - because they know (and their constitutions require) that it is the right thing to do. They lead by example.
Perhaps that is the message from today’s reading and the example of Bartholomew / Nathaniel ? Believing that one has an obligation to serve others is not a cynical ploy to “curry favour”. Rather, it is the best and most effective form of leadership. This can apply to leaders of all sorts — in government, in the City and in our own lives at work and at home.
Jesus, the ultimate leader of humanity, did not lead in a dictatorial way. He led by example and by emphasising that he came to serve and not to be served. In our lives, as we lead others — whether in our business lives, or at home as “home leaders” — I pray that we can keep in mind Jesus’ example that the best form of leadership is service — the service of others. If we do that effectively we will not only be better leaders but also follow Jesus’ example.
AMEN