A Reflection from Rosi MorganBarry

Lent: defined in the dictionary (concise Oxford) as: “period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Eve, of which the 40 weekdays are devoted to fasting and penitence in commemoration of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness”.  Further on in the dictionary came the words “Lenten face” defined as a “dismal look”.  It would seem as if, from Ash Wednesday till Easter we must go around with gloomy looks and rumbling tummies.

Is that really what Lent means?  When Jesus was ‘sent by the spirit’ into the desert, straight after his baptism by John in the Jordan, it was certainly a time of severe testing.  He had little or nothing to eat for days and was hungry at the end (Luke 4:2).  Small wonder that his first temptation was a reminder from Satan that he had the ability to turn stones into bread - for himself.  It is a reminder that hunger can prevent us from thinking clearly about any situation in which we may find ourselves.  But we are also told that Jesus responded to the temptations thrown at him by quoting Scripture, and his answer to the first test was: ‘man cannot live by bread alone’ (there’s more to life than food!)

But the tradition of ‘giving something up for Lent’ is something which many people still do, even though few go as far as actual fasting.  To do without a favourite treat: chocolate, biscuits, a glass of wine before dinner, can still have some benefit - even of just to remind us that we are in control of our lives, and have the ability to do without things – at least to some extent.  We are also told not to make a big fuss about it; in Matthew 6:16 we read we are not to put on sad faces, but to “wash your face and comb your hair so that others cannot know you are fasting.”  So, we simply say “no thanks, not at the moment” when offered a chocolate from Monday to Saturday, knowing we can say “yes please” on Sunday!  In William Barclay’s lengthy commentary on these verses, he says the Jewish idea of fasting was “to draw the attention of God to the person who fasted” and “to prove that penitence was real”.

Lent should be a time of taking stock of our spiritual lives. Perhaps we can begin by re-reading the whole of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 – 7) and thinking about how each part of it applies to the way we lead our lives.  So that, at the end of Lent, we can celebrate Easter with joy.

A Reflection from John Williams

For some, the news of the month was the kayaker nearly being swallowed by a whale.  Perhaps from now on his nickname will be Jonah.

People used to get very hung up about the story of Jonah.  “How can a whale swallow someone?  They can only feed on krill - very small fish”.  Someone said that the credibility of the message does not depend on the edibility of the prophet!  But that misses the point.  There’s far more to the story than that.  Partly it's about a man trying to run away from God.  It's about God's mercy and love.  It's about God's forgiveness; both towards his own people and towards their “enemies”; ever seeking to win them to himself.  It's about God giving mankind a second chance.  So much of the Gospel is there.

Francis Thompson in his poem “The Hound of Heaven” describes how he fled from God, not across the world but in his mind.  “I fled Him down the nights and down the days, I fled him down the arches of the years” only to find in the end that it was God’s love that was pursuing him; his intention not to harm but to bless.  Do we ever try to run away from God?  How do we try to do this?  We can’t do this literally as Jonah tried to do, but do we try to ignore him – hoping that He gives up and goes away?

Psalm 139 tells us that we just can't run away from God.

“Where could I go to escape you?  Where could I get away from your presence?  If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, you would be there to lead me; you would be there to help me.”

The psalmist was speaking poetically but in today’s world we literally can fly away beyond the east or live in the farthest place in the west.  I always remember that when I was working away from home: far to the east in Queensland Australia or to the west in the Midwestern USA; this psalm was first thing I read when I arrived.  It was a great comfort to know that God was there and would help me – and He did.  But we don’t need to fly to foreign parts to realise this.  He is with us and helps us here and now, wherever we are.

A Reflection from Chris Rooke-Matthews

What comes to mind when you think of ‘Church’?  Perhaps it’s the building, Sunday services, or the people. The opportunites to explore and share interests, which could offer friendship, encouragement, and challenge.

What happens in our building during the week?  Well, it’s certainly not left empty!  From prayer group to the Mosaic café, Clasp to parent and baby classes, the various rooms and spaces are used by a wide variety of church and local groups.  We have a thriving Alzheimer’s café, supported by church members, providing help for those with Alzheimer’s, their friends and families.  Creative Spirit has a display of recent arts and crafts, and a folder of written stories, poems and other written responses to the themes explored each month in the Meeting Place.  Currently they are looking at the fruits of the Spirit.

If you’re curious about this group, you’re welcome to pop into the next session between 10am and 12noon on Wednesday 5th March to see what’s happening!  Railway and Transport club is a must for those who enjoy this topic, and with a mix of talks, slide shows and visits there’s plenty to interest the group.

In the wider community, some of our members are volunteers with various charities, including Wokingham
Foodbank.  This was started in 2013 by a group of volunteers from Churches Together in Wokingham, and over the years has evolved from a base in a tiny shop in Rose Street, and a rented storage unit, to two bases.  These are in the charity and community hub in Wokingham, and a much larger unit in Winnersh, both with their own storage facilities.  Others are good at befriending, being good neighbours, and making a difference in their own locality or with the Alzheimers Cafe. 

For more inspiration, look out for the new Spring edition of Greetings.  You may find all kinds of opportunities to meet others, or open doors to new experiences.

A Reflection from Kim Tame

St Valentine's Day

It's 14^th February, so perhaps we could take a moment to acknowledge St Valentine; though not a lot is known about him - or perhaps we should say "them," since three Valentines are known to the church.  St Valentine of Rome and St Valentine of Terni were both buried near Rome, and a third Valentine may have been martyred in Africa.

He may have been Valentinus, a Roman Christian of the 3^rd century, who conducted clandestine marriages; Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage for young men, declaring that single men made better soldiers.  Valentine continued to perform secret weddings for young couples, which eventually led to his arrest and execution on 14^th February, 270 AD.  An addition to the story says that Valentine cut out hearts from parchment and sent these to the young men, to remind them of God's love.

Another story suggests that while in prison, Valentine befriended and healed a young blind woman, the jailer's daughter.  Before he was executed, he wrote her a letter signed "from your Valentine."  Over time, Valentine became associated with love and romance.

Another suggestion is that 14^th February gained its significance in 496 A.D.  This was when Pope Gelasius decided to repress the mid-February Lupercian festival, which was a celebration of sensual pleasure in honour of the fertility god, Lepercus.  He announced that henceforth, this would be the feast day of St Valentine.

Many churches have been dedicated to St Valentine; and since this was the age of that peculiar habit of collecting the body parts of saints as relics, there are alleged parts of Valentine in many places; in Rome, Dublin, Prague, Poland, Slovakia, Vienna, Glasgow and Birmingham.

For centuries, the feast day of St Valentine was just another saint's day in the church calendar; it is Geoffrey Chaucer we should thank for associating the day forever with romantic love.  In the middle ages, it was widely believed that the birds found their mates in mid-February, and his poem, "Parliament of Fowls", published in 1382, tells the story of the birds choosing their mates on St Valentine's day.

Chaucer's very long poem is part social commentary and part satire, as the nobles, workers and peasants are represented by different kinds of birds.  In the centre, a noble and gracious female eagle has three potential suitors and there is a debate among the birds as to which one is the most suitable.  The eagle is in no hurry to decide whom she should marry and postpones courtship for another year.  The other birds, who have chosen their mates, fly off happily together.

"Saint Valentine, who art full high aloft,

Thus sing the small fowls for your sake -

Now welcome summer, with your sun soft,

That this winter's weather does off-shake."

(a modern translation of Chaucer's original)

It's possible that the poem reflects the real-life courtship and marriage of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, who married in 1382.  They were very young - still in their teens - and their union was for political reasons, but as with most royal marriages, was publicly celebrated and idealised.  They were fortunate, in that it does seem to have grown into a genuinely affectionate relationship.

Whoever Valentine was, I think he'd be surprised, or even shocked at the chocolate, cards and flowers being exchanged today.  But amid the complications of human relationships, there is still genuine love to be celebrated, reflecting the image of God in us.

The preacher this Sunday will be Mary Elms; this will probably be the last time she leads worship for us, as she will be moving away from the area later this year.  We wish her and Lee every blessing as they make their preparations to move.