Church of the Good Shepherd, Four Marks - Parish Magazine

The Church of the Good Shepherd Four Marks

PARISH MAGAZINE

December 2014 1

THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, FOUR MARKS Vicar

Revd. Howard Wright The Vicarage, Four Marks, GU34 5AA (01420 563344)

e-mail: howardwright@gmail.com

Curate

Revd. Simon McMurtary 25 Badger Close, Four Marks, GU34 5HB (01420 563820 )

e-mail: revsimontssf@gmail.com

Youth & Children’s Worker

Tim Goodwright 20 Reads Fields, Four Marks, GU34 5XA (07577 746275)

e-mail: timgoodwright@gmail.com

Church Administrator

Matt Senior (01420 560622)

e-mail: cogsoffice@googlemail.com

Churchwardens

David Craigen Pilgrims Way, Brislands Lane, Four Marks (01420 564152)

e-mail: craigen@talktalk.net

Jane Eckles 84 Mount Pleasant Road, Alton (01420 83539)

e-mail: jeeckles@gmail.com

Helena Hunt 16 Fairfield Green, Four Marks (01420 562955)

e-mail:

Treasurer

Richard Gillard 21 Penrose Way, Four Marks (01420 564279)

e-mail: ardjss@talktalk.net

Deanery Synod Representatives

Lisa Bonter, Janet Foster, Kennett Westmacott, Lesley Edwards

PCC

Trevor Burch, Jan Evans, Michele Evans, Alison Frater, Julian Hunt, Frank Maloney, Chris McGrath. Natalie Senior, Rhys Whomsley

PCC Secretary

Jan Evans Woodcote, Boyneswood Road, Four Marks (01420 563547)

e-mail: jan_evans @ btopenworld.com

Keyholder

Val Lucas The Flints, Lymington Bottom, Four Marks (01420 561139)

email: valalucas@aol.com

Parish Magazine Editor

Susan Fitzmaurice ((01420 562352 )

Organist

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Andrew.Hunt3@btinternet.com

email: SFitzm@aol.com

Vicars Letter

December 2014

There is a gap and what are we to do with it?

The media, and perhaps most children and a few adults, remind us that we live in a retail gap between some few shopping days left and Christmas.

Advent reminds us of a more important gap. The gap between what is and what will be. The gap between the first coming of Christ and the New Testament - the new agreement, covenant or arrangement with humankind, and the second-coming of Christ - the beginning of a totally new chapter. This new chapter is the end of tears and suffering and the beginning of life complete in the face to face presence of our allwonderful, all-glorious and almighty God BUT in the meanwhile, we are in the gap!

This is not a meaningless or pointless gap. It is a hope-filled gap. As we have reminded ourselves in the teaching series, we live now in the Kingdom, tasting and celebrating elements of the future glory, whilst also mourning the failure of creation, including humanity, to be all it should be (see Matthew 5:4 & Romans 8:18-25).

This gap is also purpose-filled: We are called to ‘Grow Deeper in God’, committing ourselves to follow the King, enjoying His company and living in hopeful Good News. And we are called to ‘Grow Larger in Mission’, being and declaring the Good News of the Kingdom.

During this gap between now and Christmas, let’s take opportunity to remind ourselves of and celebrate the future hope whilst living in the present. And also, as people around us become typically more aware of ‘something’ behind the Christmas story, let’s pray and look for opportunities to help people see this hope clearly and encourage them to share in it. Invite them to the Christmas events here or direct them to their local church’s celebrations.

Yours

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Fire of Advent . . . . . . . . . . Edward Hays, A Pilgrim’s Almanac, p.

187 "Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season for prayer and reformation of our hearts. Since it comes at winter time, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent‌If Christ is to come more fully into our lives this Christmas, if God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have to be present in our prayer. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can truly change our hearts. Ours is a great responsibility not to waste this Advent time."

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Church Diary for December 3 December

11 am

7 December

8 am 9.30 am 11.15am 7 pm

10 December

10am

14 December

8 am 9.30 am 11.15 am 7 pm

21 December

8 am 9.30 am 11.15 am 4 pm 6 pm

Christmas Eve 24 December

Christmas Day

10.30 am 11.30 am 11.30 pm

25 December

9.30 am

28 December

8 am 9.30 am 11.15 am 7 pm

Coffee and Communion

Serving the King

Communion All Age Communion Service All Age Communion Service Celebration WAM Bible Study in Church

The King Heralded Communion All Age Service All Age Service Celebration

A King Announced

Communion Nativity Christmas Reflection Carols by Candlelight Carols by Candlelight

The King Proclaimed

Belford House Communion Westlands Communion Communion Service

The King is Here

All Age Communion Service

Heirs of the King

Communion All Age Communion Service All Age Communion Service Celebration

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Pop in for Prayer 10-11 am Monday 8 December All welcome come for 10 minutes or more

Brian and Rosalie, 17 Fairfield Green

Tea and Bowls

Tea and Chat

Wednesday 17 December

2-4 pm Wednesday 17 December For more information contact Lisa Bonter on 01420 560664

Wednesday

2-4pm For more information contact the Church Office or Lisa Bonter (01420 560622)

For all the family Saturday 13 December 4-6pm

Litter Picking NO LITTER PICKING IN DECEMBER 6

Mother and Toddlers Lunches Thursday 4 and Thursday 18 December* 12.30-2.30pm For more info contact : Caroline Andrews c/o Church Office * 18 December Christmas Special !

Prayer Requests If you have any prayer requests for the prayer chain, please contact Lisa Bonter on 01420 560664 or Romola Harper on 01420 563227

Pastoral Care If you would like a visit from a member of the Pastoral Visiting Team, please contact Howard, or Beryl Hill on 01420 563472 7

Prayer

As a Church we recognise the gift and importance of prayer. We currently have a 7am weekly meeting on a Tuesday, Silent prayer on a Wednesday afternoon and the monthly Pop in for Prayer which Brian and Rosalie Hartley run on Monday mornings. Also, of course, our Cell groups are places where we meet together and pray.

For those who are either unable to meet during the day or are just feeling a desire to be more actively praying for the various challenging issues of our day, a new monthly Church Prayer Group will be starting on Thursday 8th January in the Chapel at 7.45 for 8pm and expecting to finish at around 9pm.

The style will be informal and open. Please come with a belief in the power of prayer and a desire to see ‘God’s Kingdom come and will be done.’

Waiting on God

Prayers for Advent Please join us in the chapel for prayer during Advent There will be four half-hour sessions 7.15- 7.45pm on Tuesdays Beginning on November 25th

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TEA AND PRAISE CHRISTMAS SERVICE We are holding our next Tea and Praise service on Sunday December 14th at 3.00pm This is our Christmas Celebration and Tea service for our more mature folk with Carols and readings followed by delicious tea and refreshments Lifts can be arranged for this service and offers of mince pies and cake would be much appreciated.

Please contact Lisa for more information 07708116337 or lisa@shadowhost.co.uk or talk to Anne Shaw For lifts please contact Gilly on 01420 562454

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L

oving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

-- Robert Louis Stevenson

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Bells on Christmas Day Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was filled with sorrow at the tragic death of his wife in a fire in 1861. The Civil War broke out the same year, and it seemed this was an additional punishment. Two years later, Longfellow was again saddened to learn that his own son had been seriously wounded in the Army of the Potomac.

Sitting down to his desk, one Christmas Day, he heard the church bells ringing. It was in this setting that Longfellow wrote these lines: I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men!

e day had com how, as the t h g u o th d An endom of all Christ The belfries ong Had rolled al n song ke ro b n u The will to men! earth, good n o ce ea p f O

Till, ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, Then fr A chant sublime om ea Of peace on earth, good will to men! The canno ch black, accu And wit n thundered in rsed mouth h the so the Sou un th, The car ols drow d ned Of peac e on ea rth, goo d will to It was as if an earthquake rent men!

The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And in de spair I bo wed my "There is head; no peace on earth "For hate ," I said; is strong And moc ks Of peace the song on earth , good w ill to men ."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep.

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!

The wrong shall fail, The right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men!"

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HELP REQUIRED A lovely Christian lady living in Four Marks requires help with cleaning, cooking and companionship on a part-time basis for approximately 3 hours a day and also on some weekends.

Rates of pay negotiable.

For more information, please contact Lisa Bonter (Mob. 07708116337/email. lisa@shadowhost.co.uk) 13

Ali Beckett’s trip to Kondanani children’s village in Malawi - August 2014 In the summer I spent 2½ weeks working in an orphanage in Malawi called ‘Kondanani.’ Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and in a population of 12 million, 1 million are orphans. ‘Kondanani’ means ‘Love one another’ and it is a God oasis in the poverty stricken country of Malawi. It is the home for 178 orphaned /abandoned children age 6 months to 16 years. Every child arrived at Kondanani Children’s village as a baby – this safe and loving environment is all they have ever known. Kondanani was founded by an amazing Dutch lady, Annie Chikhwaza, 16 years ago. You can find out more abut her story by reading her book, ‘Mother of Malawi.’

The children live in family homes in groups of 12 and are looked after by Malawian house mothers. The houses are set around exciting play areas and the children are always in and out of each other’s homes. From my home (50 metres) away I could always hear the sounds of laughter or the vibrant sound of the children singing ‘worship songs.’

I arrived on Monday 18th August and ‘Kondanani’ immediately felt like home, it is a beautiful 50 acre site. The children are stunningly beautiful, happy, creative and full of energy and fun – but of course because of their damaged start in life their behaviour can be very challenging. Although their first language is Chichewa, they are very fluent in English and chatter away ten to the dozen about anything and everything. I loved them straight away. I thrived in this happy environment.

Throughout my time at Kondanani, my main thought was that God had sent me to be a ‘blessing’ and I was prepared to do anything God asked. He soon had me settled teaching children who needed ‘extra help’ in their classes. I

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was given my own small classroom and was quickly working within my gifting and giving love, support, encouragement and self belief to 30 girls between the ages of 9 and 16, who loved to share about their lives, hopes, fears and dreams. God created a perfect job for me. A typical day at Kondanani starts with me waking at 5.30am (or earlier if the ants have found their way into my bed. Their bites are better than any alarm clock). Next I wrestle my way out of the mosquito net, Bible study from 6.00-7.00am when you have to be awake because you might be asked a question – then back home to make breakfast – usually porridge. School starts at 7.50 and I usually finish teaching about 4.30pm. At 5pm we spend an hour at Annie’s eating cake and discussing our day. After this I go home, cook tea and am in bed by 9pm for there to be any chance of me waking up on time the next day. Thank you God for making weekends.

A HUGE THANK YOU for the 22kg of children’s clothes I was able to take out from people here in the church. Everyone was so grateful. It is partly through such generous donations that the children are always so beautifully dressed.

THANK YOU! This trip was life-changing for me. I am now preparing to go back as a volunteer long-term in March 2015 to serve and teach these children. I AM SO EXCITED! I believe that this is where God wants me and I feel humbled and privileged that He is entrusting me with this amazing opportunity to serve Him. Since coming back, the verse God constantly reminds me of is Joel 2v25, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.”

Wow! I’m happy to clam that in Jesus’ name! I firmly believe that the children of Kondanani will be instrumental in shaping their country in the future and I can’t wait to be part of it.

I really would appreciate your prayers as decisions are made and all the logistics of leaving the UK come together. At the moment it feels overwhelming and although I believe it is what God is saying…I need His help.

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Also, please can you pray for God’s ongoing blessing on the work of Kondanani – for the leadership and for the children.

For more information please pick up my first newsletter from the back of the church. Or, if you would like me to speak at your cell group, I would be very happy to do so, just let me As a church we are committed to supporting Ali, in love, prayer know! and finance. In order to make sure this happens we need a small Much love and blessings, From Ali Beckett

team to take responsibility for coordination of the support. Essentially, this team will ensure we keep up with communication to and from Ali, sharing information as appropriate with our whole church, and at times helping with practical arrangements, for example: the sending of parcels, raising awareness of critical needs or coordinating visits.

We need a couple more people to join this team. If you would be interested in finding out more please contact the church office, or speak to Howard or Ali direct.

Child Sponsorship

CHILD SPONSORSHIP REALLY DOES CHANGE CHILDREN’S LIVES! We would very much like to update the Child Sponsorship board at the back of church.

If you have an updated photograph of your sponsored child, through whatever organisation, please give it or email it to the office (hard copies will be returned to you). Please include your name, tel no, child’s name, country and charity with whom you sponsor the child.

So far we have only had a handful of replies; we really need more! If your child is not on the board, now is the time to include them. A new display will be noticed and will generate even more interest in child sponsorship. Please help if you can.

There are a number of excellent organisations enabling child sponsorship. The two with which I have experience are Compassion 16 and Kondanani.

I went out to visit Compassion projects in Peru in 2008 and was overwhelmed by the powerful effect these projects have on individual children, enabling the very poorest to have access to education, food, clothing, medical care and most importantly love, hope and significance in God (for only £25 a month). I have watched the children I sponsor through Compassion grow up over the past 14 years and all are beautiful, well-rounded children with a hope and a future and a wonderful relationship with God. They tell me that my most important contribution to their lives hasn’t been my money or my gifts but my prayers, my belief in them and my continued encouraging correspondence with them over the last 14 years. I am so PROUD of them.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COMPASSION GO TO WWW.COMPASSIONUK.ORG OR TELEPHONE COMPASSION ON 01932 836490 I now want to introduce you to 178 delightful orphaned/abandoned children in Blantyre, Malawi. I worked with the children of Kondanani this summer and saw first hand what the correspondence from their sponsors means to them.

They would burst with excitement and pride whenever they received a letter from their sponsor. The significance of someone loving them, praying for them and being consistent in their lives is so powerful and so stabilising for them. It means the world to be loved unconditionally. Not may of the children are sponsored and I would obviously like to find sponsors for ALL of them. The advantage of sponsoring a child through Kondanani is that I could keep you updated on their lives (as I will be living there from March 2015). Of course you could visit them…and me ,in the process.

To find out more about sponsoring a child from Kondanani please contact me, Ali Beckett at ali.beckett@outlook.com or contact Cherie Martin, the Executive Assistant, email: cherie@kondanani.org The Child Sponsorship Board in Church has played an important part in encouraging people to sponsor children in other countries. We think that our church can boast over 100 children being sponsored in over 20 countries. Would you like to join us? You could change a child’s life forever. Remember the starfish story? I firmly believe that in Jesus’ name we can be instrumental in changing the world – ONE CHILD AT A TIME! 17

General MacArthur's Prayer for His Son Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak; and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee -- and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men, one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humour, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain!"

Douglas MacArthur

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So when was Jesus actually born? Modern scholarship estimates the year of his birth from 7 to 4 BC. Although the Gospel narratives offer no indication as to the date, they do seem to indicate it was not in the winter. Luke describes the shepherds "keeping watch over their flocks by night" and this was not done in the coldest winter months.

But as early as 273 AD, Western Christians had decided on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The December date for the holiday probably arose from a desire to provide an alternative to the Roman "birthday of the unconquered sun" and the Persian birthday of Mithras, both of which were celebrated on or around the winter solstice.

A Christian writer explained in 320 AD:

We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because 19 of him who made it.

Winchester Cathedral What’s On ?

Ice Rink 20 November - 31 December 10:00am

Christmas Market 20 November - 21 December 10:00am - 6:00pm

The Cathedral Chamber Choir Advent Concert 13 December 1:00pm

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AMEN shoeboxes Thank you all for your contributions.

Thirty eight boxes have now been collected from my house and they are on their way to Romania !! (minus George the cat)

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Oak Hall Summer season I’ve been missing from Church for much of this Summer! The main reason for this has been that I have spent a over five weeks leading Christian holidays for Oak Hall. Their mission is one of Christian outreach through holidays. This involves evangelism and providing encouragement to send people back to their own churches reinvigorated. Now that the summer season has finally stopped, you might like to know a little of my exploits and read of some of the wonderful people I’ve met. The role of ‘leader’ includes all the administration and organisation of the trips whilst in resort and, much more importantly, getting to know the guests, organising morning prayers and evening worship and teaching meeting, with a speaker giving a series of talks during the week. Everything that is done by Oak Hall is underpinned by prayer and it’s marvellous to know that when you are away, a team will be praying for you every morning.

First trip of the summer was to the lovely Greek island of Santorini in early summer. This trip was the first for Oak Hall, so there was much to be learned, leading a party of over 40 adults around an island that I’d not been to. Excellent work had been done in advance, so I need not have worried. The party was delighted with what was on offer, with some terrific excursions. The highlights were almost certainly a great boat trip onto a live volcanic island with a swim in thermal sea pools, and a trip to a Minoan town which was buried 150 years before Moses was born. It’s described as the Aegean Pompeii. Amongst the guests was a lovely lady from Singapore who spoke 11 Asian languages and who had a beach massage just so she could have 20 minutes to witness to the two Chinese girls offering it in their home tongue. We had great times of fellowship and teaching, meeting by the side of the hotel pool, though I had to issue the speaker with a water pistol to keep awake those people who opted for the sun loungers!

Next came a walking and excursions trip by coach to the Zillertal in Austria. Staying in a pleasant family run hotel next to the steam railway, we combined days of walking with coach excursions to Achensee, Krimml falls and the like. Travelling by coach from the UK gives a valuable extra time to get to know the guests and by the end of the week it felt like an extended family, with our talented drivers being very much part of our support team.

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My pastoral role was tested in the full on this trip soon after we returned home as, sadly, one of the guests died very suddenly and unexpectedly days after our return. He was a lovely Christian and it was a real reminder to us of the need to live our lives in a state of readiness. His wife reflected to me how marvellous it was that the last full week of his life had been enjoying such wonderful fellowship in Austria.

Later came another coach trip, this time to the Italian Adriatic. That’s a long way in a coach, no matter how comfortable it is! On that trip we were much encouraged to see a young Christian couple who had met on an Oak Hall trip to Spain the previous year choosing to announce their engagement after dinner on our last night in Italy. Our hotel was most welcoming and the manager had previously worked as head water at the Savoy in London and had a few tales to tell!

We tested out the (excellent) Italian emergency services one night with a guest collapsing after dinner. Fortunately this proved to be no more than a faint, but it was taken very seriously and resulted in a night at hospital with a battery of tests to ensure it was no more serious. After I had dealt with the immediate problem and called an ambulance, I went into dinner to ask guests to pray, only to find that they had been doing that for a number of minutes already. That sort of witness in a hotel dining room filled with many other guests is very powerful indeed. A particular pleasure on this trip were visits to San Marino and a to Ravenna, to look at the stunning mosaics there which are even more impressive than those in Istanbul.

After a break during which we had a family holiday which was much needed since leading is very hard work, I had my final foreign trip, to the Amalfi coast.

I had long wanted to visit Pompeii and Vesuvius. These didn’t disappoint, though for me were rather eclipsed by Herculaneum a few days later. We had a great group, inspirational speaker and wonderful weather which all helped.

However, all did not go smoothly all the time with local arrangements letting us down from time to time. What do you do with 40 guests when the arranged bus simply fails to arrive to take you ?

Cont’d next month…...

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Prayer Pointers DESTITUTE REFUGEES FACING WINTER (MIDDLE EAST) Over one million people, many of them Christians in predominantly Muslim lands, have been displaced. Most have fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs and winter is approaching. “It is already cold at nights and they have nowhere to go,” said the president of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council. Meanwhile a representative of The Catholic Relief Services said, “Just weeks or months ago, they were middle-class with homes and careers. They were corporate professionals or barbers or teachers or college students. Now they’re in perilous conditions”. Refugee camps already have fever and disease. International humanitarian organisations are working together to bring relief to thousands of Iraqis in Turkey; 850,000 Iraqis in Kurdistan, including 150,000 Christians; and 200,000 Syrians in the Kurdish region of Iraq. Thousands more arrive daily.

[CHRISTIAN TODAY, 26 Sept., PRAYER ALERT 43-2014]

ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE: BIBLE HUNGER (MIDDLE EAST) In Northern Iraq, , where ISIS militants have extended their brutal campaign to establish a caliphate, the demand for Scriptures appears to be endless, especially among refugees and internally displaced peoples. “Every time we try to open a box or container to distribute Bibles, we get ‘attacked’ by people in their eagerness to get a copy,” said the director of a locally-based ministry which also gives practical aid. Nominal members of historic churches are seeking the Bible, as are Yazidis (who practice a blend of Christian, Islamic and Zoroastrian rituals) and Sunni and Shia Muslims. Many people, including Muslims disillusioned with Islam, are putting their trust in Christ, attending churches and being discipled. “I strongly believe God’s hand is in this situation,” asserted the ministry director; “God brought all these people to us…” [CHRISTIAN AID, 23 24 Oct.]

NEPAL’S PRIME MINISTER PLEDGES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM In a welcome move for Christians, the Prime Minister of Nepal has made a public Commitment that religious freedom will be upheld in the country’s long-awaited constitution. Sushil Koirala made the assurance on October 6 during an address to Muslims in the Hindu -majority country. This quells fears of a proposed “anti-conversion” clause in the document, which has been under debate since 2008 and currently states that “no person shall be entitled to convert another person from one religion to another.” In a visit to Nepal last spring, the vice president of India’s’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) urged senior Nepali leaders to outlaw religious conversions immediately. [BARNABAS AID, 15 Oct.]

HOW RELIGION IS PERCEIVED IN UK More than half of Britons believe that religion does more harm than good, causing more problems than it solves, and less than a quarter believe faith is a force for good, according to a Huffington Post UK poll. Even 20% of British people who described themselves as being “very religious” (only 8% of respondents) said religion was harmful to society. The majority of Brits believe religion is not more likely to make you a moral person. More than 55% of those surveyed said that atheists are just as likely to be moral people than religious people. The young people surveyed actually had a more positive view of religion. Linda Woodhead, professor of the sociology of religion at Lancaster University, said the reasons for a retreat from religion are "numerous", from sex scandals involving Catholic priests and rabbis, to conflict in the Middle East and Islamist terror attack. [HUFFINGTON POST UK, 4 Nov.]

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