Church

It's time for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Signs & Symbols: Pascal Candles
Acts For Today: 'The Growing Church in the Acts of the Apostles'
Fair Play? – what about morality when you play sport?
DISCIPLESHIP - Engaging with the world        

It's time for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting

March/April in the Church of England is the time for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting.

Now come on, don't turn to the next article, stay with this one for a moment!

The APCM may not be the most exciting event, but it's an important one. People rarely turn up in big numbers for the meeting -  in fact, probably vicars worry when people do turn up in big numbers. But important things are done at the APCM.

It is when the churchwardens are elected for the year. They are the Bishop's agents in the parish and represent all parishioners. That's why everyone who lives in the parish is entitled to vote, and not just those who are members of the church.

The accounts are presented at the APCM. You can discover how much it costs to run the parish (you'll probably be surprised how much) and what savings the church has (you'll probably be surprised how little).

The Vicar/Rector will give a report, saying what has gone on in the past 12 months, and what the plans are for the future. His report should give you a good idea of what the life of the parish is like.

Reports will also probably be given on the condition of the buildings, so you can learn whether the church is about to fall around your ears next time you attend.

Then there are elections for those standing for the Parochial Church Council, which is the body, along with the Vicar, which organises church life in the parish.

If you want to learn what our church does, what it's ministry is all about, and what the various church officers do, come to our APCM on ...   You'll probably be surprised to learn how much goes on.

Signs & Symbols: Pascal Candles

The Rev Dr Jo White, a vicar in Derbyshire, recalls her police chase...

Ever had a police escort to church? Last year as I drove along the quiet country lanes on my way to a neighbouring parish, where I had been invited to join their service, I was followed and then stopped.  Blue lights flashing and sirens blaring.  I kid you not!

It was 4 am on Easter morning and apparently the police regularly stop any car on that road at that time of night.  It was very helpful for me though, as the policeman knew the church and led me to the correct turn off.  Wonderful.

Why so early, do I hear you asking?  Well, the service began outside the church building with prayers around a bonfire, from the flames of which the Paschal Candle was lit and from that then each congregation member's candle.  We then took the new light symbolising the Light of Christ into the dark building and continued our service.  The candle represents Christ's resurrection, a light shining in darkness, a light that will dispel the darkness of a world without God. 

And it really was a completely dark building except for the held candles; I remember as I held one for the organist as the usual light bulb over his music had gone out.  The timing worked excellently with the first rays of the new day filtering through the windows as the Gospel reading of that empty tomb was being read.

If you get a chance have a close look at a Paschal (also spelled Pascal) Candle, also called an Easter Candle.  They're tall and quite thick, lit on Easter Day for the first time and then lit at all main services until Pentecost.  After this they are often kept near the font and lit at Baptisms so that the individual's Baptismal candle to take home is lit from it.  Some churches also light them at funerals.

The candle is traditionally decorated with the sign of the cross, the symbol of life and death;  alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, a reminder that Christ is the beginning and the end of all things;  the date of the year, a reminder that the Lord of all ages is present here and now, as well as remembering how many years since he rose from the dead (however inaccurate the dating may be); and five 'nails' inserted in the shape of the cross to symbolise the five wounds of Christ.

This month

Have a close look at a Pascal Candle.  What darkness do you want Christ's light to overcome or get rid of in your life or local community?

Acts For Today: 'The Growing Church in the Acts of the Apostles'

No. 3: The Seven Deacons

Somebody once defined a football match as '22 men on the field desperately in need of rest watched by 22,000 spectators desperately in need of exercise'!!

It can feel like this in the church, as the apostles found in the young Jerusalem church (Act 6: 1-7). With over 5000 members, they were under pressure with the distribution of food to the widows (1,2). They needed others to take over this ministry or service (lit: diakonia v1/4), in order to devote themselves to 'prayer and the ministry of the word' (4).

The lesson for us is clear: if the church is to grow, everybody (leaders and members) has to be released into their God-given ministries. Is this happening in our own church and what can we learn from them?

They addressed the needs:

Distributing food was a practical issue, but they saw it as a spiritual one affecting the church's growth. How do we approach such practical needs?

They took responsibility together:

The leaders asked the church to choose those who could take on these practical roles. How do we involve others in taking things forward?

They called spiritually qualified people:

The 7 people chosen were all 'full of the Spirit and wisdom'. What qualities do we look for in those we ask to get involved?

They were available to be used by God:

While Philip became an evangelist, Stephen was the first martyr. Do we actively encourage people to develop in ministry?

As a result of all this activity, 'the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly..' (7). If we want our church to grow, to what extent are we addressing these issues ourselves?

Fair Play?

Stuart Weir of Christians in Sport wonders about morality when you play sport

When Manchester United's goalkeeper, Roy Carroll, scooped Pedro Mendes's shot back from well beyond the goal-line during the recent Man U Tottenham game and the referee and his assistant failed to award the goal, it raised a number of questions.  There was a debate about whether or not technology should be used to assist the officials – as in some other sports.

A more important debate was about the responsibility of the players.  Did Roy Carroll know that the ball had crossed the line and if so, should he have told the referee?  As Hugh McIlvanney wrote in the Sunday Times, “Owning up would have qualified Roy Carroll as a saint – but probably a martyred saint once his team-mates got to him”.

When Neil Back (illegally) put his hand into the scrum in the 2002 Heineken Cup Final to help his side win the ball and the game, he spoke of doing 'whatever it takes' to win.

On BBC Five-Live's Drive programme on the Monday after the game ex England hooker, Brian Moore said that you could play fair but you would lose.  He argued that if you want to win Rugby matches against Australia, South Africa etc you had to do what it took.  What price fair-play?

The famous American football coach, Vince Lombardi once said  "Winning isn't everything - it's the only thing." The issue is not how you win but IF you win.

And it isn't just at the professional level.  For several years the author acted as assistant referee (linesman) for his teenage son's football team.  The system is a neutral referee and each club providing a linesman.  In one game the opposition goalkeeper handled the ball outside the penalty area (to stop a probable goal).  The referee was not up with play but the other linesman, who had a clear view of the incident, did not flag. The correct decision would have been a free-kick to the attacking team and a red card for the goalkeeper.

After the game, in the presence of the referee, I asked the linesman, “Did your goalkeeper handle the ball outside the penalty area?”  He replied, “Yes”.  I asked why he had not done his duty and flagged to alert the referee.  He replied, “What, and get my goalkeeper sent off?”  What price fair-play?

On the other hand there was that wonderful moment a few seasons ago, when Paulo di Canio of West Ham United caught the ball rather than try to score, when the Everton goalkeeper, Paul Gerrard, was lying on the ground injured.  Perhaps sportsmanship is not dead!

Defining “fair-play” is not easy.  Concepts like “sportsmanship” or “playing the game” come to mind.  The aim is to provide a fair contest, where both teams are playing to the same rules and which is being officiated in an unbiased and competent manner.  Perhaps the highest motivation for fair play is respect for the game.  The game will be better if everyone.

A document produced by the Central Council for Physical Recreation listed six principles for competitors as follows (my summary)

1 Abide by the laws and the spirit of your sport
2 Accept decisions of the officials without question or protest
3 Do not cheat
4 Exercise self-control
5 Accept victory and defeat with good grace
6 Treat opponents and teammates with respect

Approaching sport from a Christian viewpoint, these six points are a good starting point.  However, Jesus commands us to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) and to  “do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).

We are to treat our opponents as we would like to be treated ourselves.  Applying that in competitive sport is a radical concept. If we see our opponent, not as our enemy but as our neighbour, and moreover a neighbour whom Jesus tells us to love as ourselves, it certainly affects our attitude to the opponent.  We treat our opponent with respect.  We play hard but do not seek an unfair advantage. Our aim is to honour God.  That is our motivation - not greed, aggression, selfishness, etc.  It is the 'What Would Jesus Do?' philosophy applied to competitive sport.

For Christian sportspeople, living our life by the Golden Rule is our purpose in sport – as in all other aspects of life.  Winning and losing are by-products, not the main thing.  This is not to say that winning or losing is unimportant. Christians do not have to be lovable losers. 

However if you cannot compete in a spirit of loving your neighbour, then I would suggest that as a Christian, you cannot compete at all.

DISCIPLESHIP - Engaging with the world        

Members of a congregation were once asked to mark on a map where they were at 10am on Sunday, Monday and Saturday. All the dots clustered on the Church for Sunday, but were scattered far and wide on Monday, while Saturday's dots identified all the centres of leisure,  sport and shopping.

Belief in a God who created all that is and loves it, and who expresses his solidarity with us by sharing our human experience in Jesus the Christ, implies that life on Monday and Saturday is every bit as important as what we do on Sundays. So, discipleship matters.

In the past the emphasis has been on ministry and its associated training, which focuses mainly on the nurture, development and leadership of the church.  Discipleship, the way people follow Christ in their lives, has been seen as second-best, or merely as a preparation for ministry.

So, as a starting point for thinking about discipleship, a report called 'Formation for Ministry in a Learning Church' may sound unpromising. But this Church of England Report, known as the 'Hind' report and involving also the Methodist and United Reformed churches, has set in motion talks about 'Education for Discipleship'.  And discipleship means the way Christians respond to Jesus Christ. It is about the way in which they serve God and his mission in the everyday world.

A 'learning church' needs to explore what it means to concern ourselves with God's world, its creation and its redemption.  Education for discipleship includes the aim that disciples should be more Christ-like.  And in this process, they should become more effective as signs of God's kingdom.

And what signs they can be! Individually, and as the church at large. Ministry may focus on the church gathered together, but discipleship means the church in action, spread throughout the community.

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