November 14 - Remembrance Sunday

Our Remembrance Service this year took a very different form. Our worship was in three parts; the first was given to considering the true meaning of “Blessed are the Peacemakers”. We explored that being a Peacemaker is not the same as being a lover of peace, and its consequent struggle.

In our congregation we have a 94-year old sailor and during the second part of the service, we listened to accounts of his life on board a battleship and his war service. Harry’s recollections were divided by reflective Taizé music and power point images.

In our final section, we had a full Act of Remembrance, again accompanied by images on power point, with the Last Post, two minutes silence, closing with Reveille and the National Anthem, to honour all those who have given their lives in the cause of Peace.

Our songs included among others, Eternal Father (Harry’s favourite), God is our strength and Refuge (to the Dambusters’ music), songs about peace and closed with O Jesus, I have promised.

I think it was a very thought-provoking time of worship and it was appreciated by many people.

Deacon Olivia

Remembrance Sunday raises many questions and issues, symbolised by the red and white poppies of the illustration, you are invited to discuss them here ...

November 7 - Jesus Light of the World

I have been very troubled by all the hype surrounding Halloween this year, and for its effect on children and young people. I decided therefore, to hold a service of light in which everyone could take part, to show how Christians can live in the Light and reflect Jesus in the world, by showing the Good News of Jesus’ love for everyone.

So what did we do? We began with lighting a large candle from which everyone was invited to light votive candles, and then actively searched around the hall for different kinds of light. Some were designed to show us the way, some were designed to be prepared, and of course there were Icons and Candles showing that Jesus is the Light of the World, who will never leave us. We wrote our practical plans on how we can show Jesus’ love in the world, and displayed the bright post it notes for all to see.

Our prayer time was a practical demonstration of Holman Hunt’s “Light of the World” – lantern and all! – and the St. Patrick’s breastplate prayer was used as a focus for our thoughts and all our songs were about light and love.

My prayer is that you will all carry Christ’s light and love into the world with you, where-ever you go.

Every blessing, Deacon Olivia.

Sunday September 12 - Luke 15: 11 - 32

Waiting for the Prodigal

Thank you to all of you who joined in with and contributed to our conversation on the Prodigal Son story and its meaning for ourselves today. Please do continue the conversation here.

Links to the three videos shown can be found below:

The Parent's Perspective

The Child's Perspective

All Are Accepted Here

Peter

It seems time has passed by without us realising it ! For various reasons we've neglected to post over the past few weeks. Please bear with us over the Summer - normal service will be resumed in September.

Sunday May 16 - Ascension

Yes, I know that Ascension is on a Thursday, but since TFG only happens on a Sunday, it is good to take the opportunity for celebrating all the Church’s Festivals.

So, Ascension! Although Christ is no longer with us in person, he lives within each of us; we therefore opened our worship with Rejoice! Rejoice! Christ is in you. We had an exciting selection of songs, which all brought a challenge and our prayer time was led by Marilyn.

As our speaker for the morning, we once again welcomed Fr. David Knight, who writes:

-A mountain-top church

-a suspension bridge

-an olde book

-a dustbin

-a cloud

all featured in the TFG service last Sunday, and all connected in their various ways with the strange happening we call "The Ascension" Good News indeed for us peasantry: we are promised a share in Jesus' new/old exalted state of Being, if we keep trusting him. An unlikely bit of religiosity becomes more than relevant!

Full marks to Fr Edward our Rector for his courage and insight in launching TFG as an alternative to the traditional worship across the road; full marks to Deacon Olivia and her team in transforming the vision into a structured format with a vibrant freedom- a rare mixture.

Thank you too, to Fr. David, who has a real gift for this style of worship. So to all of you who have never experienced TFG – why not drop in one Sunday at 9.45am.

I hope to see you soon.

Deacon Olivia

Sunday May 9 - Christian Aid Week

"1.4 billion people across the world live in poverty. This is unacceptable."

"From time to time we need to expose ourselves to areas of hurt and human suffering because when our hearts are soft God can use us."

At TFG this morning we were invited to take a journey in word and image to Kenya and to see a community where Christian Aid is working with local people to develop sanitation and clean water. In a timely way whilst we in Britain were preoccupied with our own political and economic issues we heard the words of Catherine Kithuku from the Matopeni slum in Nairobi, who we saw on the Christian Aid film:

I pray for change.
I pray to live a clean, comfortable life with privacy ...
Most of all I pray for clean water.

After seeing the film we heard retold the NT vision of a "new heaven and a new earth" and were invited to write or draw what this might mean for us and for the people of Kenya and to take what we had written / drawn home to reflect on during the week.

For further details go to: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/

For the latest press release from Christian Aid on the formation of a new government click here

Peter K

April 11th "...so that you may have life..." John 20: 19-31

The scene is set: Palm Sunday, the arrest and trial of Jesus, His crucifixion and burial have all taken place. Now Jesus has risen and appeared to Mary and some others. He is not a ghost because he ate food with the two men who travelled on the road to Emmaus and with some disciples on the seashore.

Jesus appears to ten of the disciples in a locked upper room. Judas, who betrayed Him, is gone and, for some reason, Thomas is not present either. How do they feel? Confused. They still haven't really taken in what has happened. Jesus says to them "Peace" (Shalom) which will calm their hearts. He shows them His hands and side. Then after repeating "Peace" he breathes on them saying "Receive the Holy Spirit".

So, where was Thomas? We are not told. Maybe he needed to be on his own to sort out his thoughts and feelings. Who was He? He was present at the raising of Lazarus but we know little about him. Jesus told the disciples "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" after Thomas had asked how they could know the way. As Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared, the others told him about it. However, he had his doubts.

A week later, Jesus appeared again. Again, He said to them "Peace"This time, Thomas was present. Jesus offered Thomas the opportunity to put his fingers into the nail prints and his hand into Jesus' side. We are not told whether he did or not, but it is clear that he believed and responded with the words "My Lord and My God"

The gospel writer, John, tells us that there were many other signs that are not recorded but "these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name."

So, what can we learn from this story?

Jesus gives us peace

He sends us out to share the Good News empowered by His Holy Spirit

Doubt is not wrong if it leads to questions and the answers which then strengthen our faith.

We can say "Jesus is my Lord and my God"