Colchester Christ Church News September 2015

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1 Colchester Christ Church News September 2015 Christ Church Anglican Congregation Vision Statement Through our worship, mission, nurture and service we want to enable all people to enter into a living relationship with Jesus Christ

2 In this month s news: The Rector writes September 2015 Something to celebrate Summary of a sermon preached by Rev Geoff Read Prayer for Autumn days Prayer Tree Cathedral invitation Race for Life Holiday Club Operation Christmas Child Colchester Foodbank Walk and lunch Sleep workshop Rest for the soul Essex Christian Healing Trust Fairtrade Apple Cake NHS Christian Network Harvest Café Church Barn Dance and Hog Roast Christ Church Got Talent Baked Alaska Film and Lunch SASRA commissioning service Time together Messy Crafts Messy Games Youth Club Who let the Dads out Pints of View The Breakfast Café Coffee + September Diary

3 The Rector Writes September 2015 The Missing Middle teaching the Gospel in this generation! The crowds were looking for Jesus; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, `I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.' Luke 4:42f Have you ever wondered what happens to the middle of a Polo mint? Polo s are the most popular mints in the world. Apparently, we eat 147 of them every second but not the middle, which is discarded as part of the manufacturing process. Apparently, it is what gives a Polo its enduring attraction. For me, the idea of the missing middle is something that has cropped up a number of times over the recent weeks. First, I have been reading a book, How God became King by Tom Wright. He writes, It has been slowly dawning on me over many years that there is a fundamental problem deep at the heart of the Christian faith and practice as I have question as to why the church is so weak on teaching the story of Jesus in a way that transforms both church and the community it serves. For Tom Wright, the missing middle is the gospel, all four, and the very heart of what we believe. As a church leader and teacher, this book does not make comfortable reading. The heart of his argument actually comes from the great defense of our faith, the creed. Perhaps it has never dawned on us that the creed, true and right as it is takes us directly from the incarnation and birth of Jesus, to his passion, death, and resurrection. Our belief in the trinity brings everything together. So, what about the rest of Jesus life and ministry the missing middle? What about our teaching and belief in Jesus who has the power to heal, cast out demons, raise people from the dead, teach like no other, can subvert nature and creation? This is

4 the story of Jesus and his missing middle that we need to give greater attention. Then at New Wine, we had some amazing bible teaching from a minister who leads a large church in Edinburgh. Karl Martin took us through five significant parables of Jesus encouraging us to discover the richness and the relevance of the gospels and the teaching of Jesus for today. He reflected upon the obsessions of the church, which can often be a barrier to people coming into a transforming relationship with Jesus. He also posed a question about the poverty of the church s teaching from the gospels and the need to share the wisdom and power of Jesus story today. He encouraged us live gospel shaped uncluttered lives. To live graciously, to seek the Father s heart, to share the good news across boundaries of status, orientation, wealth and to live out the gospel story as a matter of routine. Lastly at the recent induction of a new Methodist Minister, the preacher called upon the church to teach more effectively and with greater relevance to a society that no longer knows the great biblical narratives and in particular the gospel. The preacher spoke about the blockbuster film Noah where according to anecdotal evidence, attendees had no idea of Noah s origins. The more recent portrayal of Moses as a warrior in the Disney film, Exodus: God s and Kings gives some thought to the biblical narrative but gosh, Moses a warrior! With this in mind, we were encouraged to bring the gospel afresh to this generation, which had little or no connection with the church and its life-giving message. The missing middle is something that must concern us all especially as we head into a new season at Christ Church. Gladly I believe we can say that the middle is not missing from our teaching across our worship services, small groups, outreach activities and more. However, a book, teaching at New Wine and an induction sermon have rightly jolted my thinking and posed a question about how well I know the gospels and am able to express their amazing power in this generation. Is there a gap in our understanding of what the gospels are for? Are we so obsessed by so many theological and ecclesiological concerns that we may actually overlook the gospel roots of our faith and shape of living?

5 My hope is that as we begin this new and very busy season in the life of the church, we may spend more time with the Gospels. Not simply to hear a sermon or two but to take opportunity to dig a little deeper. We can do this through our small groups. What about reading a gospel during each of the coming four weeks or doing some chunk reading to get the bigger picture. There are many ways of exploring so let us take time to reflect and to seek God s wisdom as to the Missing Middle, the gaps in our knowledge of how God became our King, Lord, and Saviour. Perhaps then, when we give testimony of God and Jesus, or Moses, Noah, David, Ruth, Saul, Paul, Peter, Isaiah and so on, we will do so more confidently unpacking the God story in a way that touches and transforms people s lives. Jesus said to them, `I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose. The gospels tell us that it is our purpose too. If you would like some help in discovering more in the gospels just ask and help will always be at hand. Yours ever Paul

6 Something to Celebrate Boom, Boom! The Revd Paul Norrington Colchester Area Dean and Roger Ennals Lay Chair of Colchester Deanery are to be made Non-residentiary Canons of Chelmsford Cathedral. Here is an extract from a letter to Paul and Roger from the Bishop of Chelmsford, The Rt. Revd Stephen Cottrell. Nonresidentiary and Lay Canonries in Chelmsford Cathedral The College of Canons has a particular function in the life of a diocese. By supporting the life of the Cathedral foundation, the College of Canons supports the bishop's ministry of evangelism, catechesis and pastoral care. Therefore it is really important that the right people are around the table so that this support, and the prayer and conversation which underpin it, represents the whole life of the diocese and particularly those who already exercise specific responsibility for leadership within it. Following a recent decision by the Cathedral Council and College of Canons to increase the number of non-residentiary and Lay Canonries in the Cathedral, and after consultation with the Dean and Chapter, and with my colleagues on the Bishop's Staff Team, I am proposing that all Area Deans and Lay Chairs be invited to become non-residentiary and Lay Canons of the Cathedral and this will go with their office as a recognition of the vital leadership responsibilities they carry. ` It is my hope, and the hope of Nicholas, our Dean, is that the College of Canons becomes a place of real engagement and support as, together, we seek God's will and purpose for his church in East London and Essex. We are both honoured and delighted to be recognized in this way and wish to share our joy at receiving this unexpected news. The installation service is on Sunday 11 th October 2015 at 3.30 pm in Chelmsford Cathedral. Further details will be made available soon but we do hope you may be able to join us as we celebrate together. Yours ever Paul and Roger

7 Summary of a sermon preached by Rev. Geoff Read at Christchurch Colchester on Sunday 16 th August 2016 on John 6:51-58 Eating food together is a powerful and important act in all cultures with meaning much deeper than the mere meeting of hunger, which is why the decline in families eating Sunday lunch together in UK is so significant In John 6 Jesus takes his listeners on a journey about the significance of eating together. First 5000 are fed on physical bread (vv1-13) and then come echoes (v58) of the Passover story (v4) and all that the Passover lamb represents, remembered in eating and drinking shedding of blood as a sign of life and of death passing over, freedom from slavery, all of which pre-figures His cross and resurrection. Now the journey goes on with an invitation to personal participation in all of this through taking all of this into ourselves, what you might call spiritual eating and drinking (v51). John records Jesus words in a particular way not as linear but as a spiral, each loop returning and deepening words and phrases and meaning: bread, flesh and blood, live forever, eating and drinking First I am the living bread (v51a), and then that this bread is my flesh (v51b). Then drinking is added to eating, blood alongside flesh (v53) and all ending with the promise of eternal life (v54). And even this promise is a deepening of what he has already said (v40). Just as physical eating and drinking sustains life so does this spiritual eating and drinking: looking to the Son, believing in Him gives and sustains eternal life (vv40, 54) Jesus first hearers were offended by His claim to be living bread to be eaten and that his flesh should be given up in some way for them (v52). For some it was a step too far (v60) and they withdrew (v66). Behind it is the greater offence of the grace that all this represents, a grace that tests and pushes us, speaking to the core of the human condition but at the same time challenging it.

8 As J John puts it: the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart - a heart that has freewill within it, but that rebels against bringing that freedom under the Lordship of Christ - a heart that on the one hand longs for God, but on the other is deeply ingrained with the need, even when repentant, to have Him on our terms: working, striving, earning (cf Lk 15;18-19) True repenting, turning away from this independence is the process of a lifetime, the ongoing fruit of eternal life now, of allowing our hearts to be daily marinated in grace to the point that, one day, we stand raised up by Jesus (v54). It is to become a way of life, a daily discipline: living not out of our own competence and effort, but from His grace I wonder: how easy do you find it to eat and drink from Jesus in this way? Acknowledging daily your empty hands, willing and thankful to allow Him to fill them? Wedding Congratulations We extend our congratulations to Sophie and James Bacon who were married on 25 th July 2015 in Aldborough, Norfolk.

9 Prayer for Autumn Days Author Unknown God of the seasons, there is a time for everything; there is a time for dying and a time for rising. We need courage to enter into the transformation process. God of autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been. We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk. Help us to let go when we need to do so. God of fallen leaves lying in colored patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns. As we see the patterns of our own growth, may we learn from them. God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives. We always need to recognize your power-filled presence. May we gain strength from this. God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, many gifts of growth lie within the season of our surrender. We must wait for harvest in faith and hope. Grant us patience when we do not see the blessings. God of geese going south for another season, your wisdom enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the future. We yearn for insight and vision. God of flowers touched with frost and windows wearing white designs, may your love keep our hearts from growing cold in the empty seasons. God of life, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life. For all this, we are grateful.

10 PRAYER TREE You may have noticed, in the Chapel, the addition of a Prayer Tree which we trust will become a valuable resource for ourselves and the wider community. The Chapel is a place of both corporate and private prayer and it is anticipated that its stillness and tranquillity will be a draw to others. The Chapel serves as a quiet oasis in the busyness of life, a place for silent prayer and reflection and the Prayer Tree is an encouragement to pray. Prayer makes a difference to people s lives. Sometimes the only way one can help another person is to lift them to God in prayer; at other times, when one is not sure what to do or where to turn, the writing down of thoughts, hopes and fears is a helpful, positive and constructive thing to do. Such prayer is always personal but the leaving of a prayer on a Prayer Tree is also about being part of a community, a group of people who love, support and uphold one another. The Prayer Tree at Christ Church is available to all who enter our building thanks praying guidance, healing and peace. and those organisations that use our building will be invited to visit the Chapel and be made aware of the Prayer Tree and its relevance as a means of giving and for Please feel free to use the Prayer Tree whenever and as often as you wish; prayer cards and pens are provided. Prayers on the tree may be included in forthcoming church services. The prayers will be regularly reviewed and those that are no longer relevant will be removed. We pray that the Prayer Tree will be a blessing to all.

11 An invitation to enjoy some hospitality at Chelmsford Cathedral on Sunday 20 September The congregation of Christ Church has been invited to take the opportunity to get to know the Chelmsford Cathedral a little better, to explore the cathedral at leisure with a guide and hear a little about what the cathedral does. The afternoon will begin with a welcoming cup of tea in the cathedral from 3.00 pm, before Choral Evensong at 3.30 pm. We have been invited to read the lessons and do the intercessions. I have also been invited to preach! Then after evensong at 4.45 pm, there will be a guided tour of the cathedral, followed by a (full!) Sunday high tea with a short presentation about the cathedral and its work. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and to explore the common ground between the parish and cathedral community. Our visit will end at approximately pm. From the Vice Dean Revd Canon Ivor Moody: Chelmsford Cathedral is your cathedral and we are anxious to share what we have and to come alongside you in our common task of making the presence of Christ known in our diocese. It would be a privilege if you and members of your community would like to come and spend a few hours with us. I am aware that a number of folk have already expressed a wish to accept this invitation. If you would like to join in this event, please let me know as soon as you can. I am sure we will be able to share lifts to enable everyone to share in this opportunity to explore our Cathedral church and its ministry. Revd Paul Norrington

12 RACE FOR LIFE A big THANK YOU to everyone who supported me in raising sponsorship for cancer research. Emma and I successfully completed the Pretty Muddy 5k challenge, complete with obstacles of various types, culminating in a mud tank to crawl through followed by a slide. Emma was a huge encouragement as we jogged our way round and I really enjoyed myself. Fortunately we stayed cool as it was a cloudy, drizzly day though the rain stopped just as our group started the run which was great. It was difficult to clean up for the drive home so I suggested the option of having a hose down next year! Here are a couple of photos taken on the day and thanks again. Altogether we raised about so we were very pleased.

13 Holiday Club An amazing time was had by children and adults alike at this year s holiday club!

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17 Operation Christmas Child Holidays are nearly over, September is here and three months from the 25th, it's Christmas!!... and that means we have to start thinking about the Shoe Box Appeal. Samaritan's Purse (the Charity organising OCC ) has not designated any particular date for Shoe Box Sunday, this year. We therefore intend to make Sunday 15th November our Shoe Box Sunday, when the boxes can be brought to the Church for blessing. As before, anyone can bring their gifts before this date and leave them on the table in the Foyer. The boxes will be collected for onward transmission a few days later so the 15th is definitely the last day for our boxes at the Church. Last year some people used the boxes which can be purchased from the Charity. The size of these is roughly equivalent to an average Lady's Slipper box, and so are slightly smaller than many of those that are brought, but it is quite in order to use these larger boxes. The Charity does state however, that the very large boot boxes should not be used as the variation in size makes the packing in the crates very difficult. The Church is buying a supply of the OCC boxes which will be on display in the Foyer from the beginning of October. No charge will be made, but please only take one if you intend to return it filled. Sunday 4th October will be the official" launch of our Appeal when we will show a short DVD or pictures illustrating the progress of the boxes after collection up to the distribution to the children. Please watch the Notice Boards for the posters and any further details concerning this event. As ever, please telephone me if you have any problems or queries. Angela Ennals

18 Thanks for your continuing support of Colchester Foodbank. The immediate food needs of those who find themselves in hardship are being me as a result of the generosity of churches, individuals, local businesses and other organisations. Food parcels for individuals and families are assembled and collected by clients who have been given emergency food vouchers by social and health care professionals. You may be interested in knowing that the Annual General Meeting of Colchester Foodbank takes place on Friday 18 September, 2.30pm, at St. Margaret s Church, Stansted Road, Colchester CO2 8RA. All are welcome to attend. The cost of running the service is significant and includes renting the warehouse and distribution centre at Moorside Business Park. We are blessed by a strong and committed band of volunteers who take responsibility for many of the operations and who form the front line for meeting and greeting those who seek short-term assistance from us. We also employ a hardworking manager. It would be good to maintain the stability of the service for as long as it is required, whilst being in a position to flex our operations in response to changes in the demand for food. Currently we are very busy! If you are in a position to make a regular financial contribution to Colchester Foodbank this would help us no end so if you are led to do this, please speak with either myself or Simon Prestney. Thanks again. CLIVE JOYCE (Treasurer and Trustee)

19 Our next walk is planned for 19 th September. It is approximately 6 miles which is all on the flat and will include a visit to the wonderful chapel of St Peter on the Wall at Bradwell. There are also excellent views and we will pass through a nature reserve so don t forget your binoculars! We will meet in the Green Man car par, Waterside Road, Bradwell-on-Sea CM0 7QX to set off at (please note earlier start time). We should be back at the pub by around 1.30 pm. This allows for time to look around the church. There is a sign up sheet in the foyer More details from Martin Nelson at: martin.nelson@colchester.gov.uk or call on:

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23 Fairtrade Apple Cake Ingredients Ingredients: 200g softened butter 200g soft fair-trade brown sugar 3 eggs beaten 300g self raising flour 1 tsp fair-trade mixed spice 1 tsp baking powder 2 eating apples grated 200g mixed fair-trade fruit soaked in port Method Heat oven to 180 c/fan 160 c/ Gas Mark 4. Butter and line the bottom of a deep, round 20cm cake tin or large loaf tin, with greaseproof paper. Beat the butter, sugar and eggs together in a large bowl (or electric mixer) until pale and thick. Then gradually add the flour, spice and baking powder. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in the fruit until evenly combined. Spoon the batter into the tin and bake for 50 minutes to an 1 hour or until the cake is golden, springy to the touch and has shrunk away from the tin slightly. A

24 skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean when it s ready. The cake is nice with a sprinkle of Demerara sugar on top. This will keep for at least a week wrapped in an airtight container.

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39 September Diary Sunday 6 th September 8.00 am Holy Communion in St Mary s Chapel 9.30 am Holy Baptism Monday 7 th am Coffee + Tuesday 8 th 9.00 am Morning prayer am Time Together 3.15 pm Messy Crafts Wednesday 9 th am Holy Communion in St Mary s Chapel 8.00 pm Pints of View Thursday 10 th 9.00 am Breakfast Café Friday 11 th 6.00 pm Messy Games Saturday 12 th 7.00 pm Barn Dance and Hog Roast Sunday 13 th 9.30 am Holy Communion Traidcraft 6.30 pm Spirit Space Monday 14 th am Coffee + Tuesday 15 th 9.00 am Morning prayer am Time Together 3.15 pm Messy Crafts Wednesday 16 th am Holy Communion in St Mary s Chapel Thursday 17 th 9.00 am Breakfast Café Friday 18 th 6.00 pm Messy Games 8.00 pm Youth Group Saturday 19 th 9.00 am Who let the Dads out Sunday 20 th 9.30 am Holy Communion 3.30 pm Worship at Chelmsford Cathedral Monday 21 st am Coffee + Tuesday 22 nd 9.00 am Morning prayer am Time Together 3.15 pm Messy Crafts Wednesday 23 rd am Holy Communion in St Mary s Chapel Thursday 24 th 9.00 am Breakfast Café Friday 25 th 6.00 pm Messy Games 8.00 pm Youth Group Sunday 27 th 9.30 am Harvest Café Worship Monday 28 th am Coffee + Tuesday 29 th 9.00 am Morning prayer am Time Together 3.15 pm Messy Crafts Wednesday 30 th am Holy Communion in St Mary s Chapel

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