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MARCH 2002

Dear Friends

I am reminded of lines my old Granny would recite – “March brings breezes loud and shrill, stirs the dancing daffodil.”

We’ve already sampled quite a bit of the ‘loud and shrill’ this past month, together with some fine sunny days, and March, this year, brings an early Easter – Good Friday and Easter Day, two days which saw deep sadness and indescribable joy; profound despair, and glorious hope; Death and Resurrection.

Easter is all about the good news of God’s abundant love to a sinful world – a world made up of human beings like you and me. Easter is all about a Roman gibbet – the Cross – on which “the Prince of Glory died”, where men – respected men, leaders in business, politics and religion - “all honourable men” – encouraged by jealousy, pride and hatred, killed the One, who, by preaching humility, love, peace, forgiveness, justice, righteousness and judgement, was just too straight, too truthful, too radical, too outspoken for the thinking and teaching, of the day – both secular and religious. Sadly, nothing changes, history does not really change, but just goes on repeating itself, only the dates change!

Easter is also about an empty tomb and resurrection. Attested and verified by many hundreds in the days following that first Easter Sunday. The good news of Easter is not one of failure or of evil overpowering good, (though it looked that way, that first Good Friday), but rather of sin and death being vanquished, and reconciliation to God, and eternal life being offered to all who would embrace the message of Easter, which is this:-

“Jesus died in my place, it should really be me dying as punishment for my own sins, but Jesus has taken the full weight of punishment upon Himself – so now, by faith and His grace, I can be forgiven and have eternal life.”

What does this Easter hold for you and me? Dancing daffodils? Chocolate eggs? A couple of extra days off? Or the absolute assurance of peace with God and eternity with Him in Heaven?

It is for you and me to choose – our eternal destiny depends upon it.

We wish you all a very happy and truly blessed Easter.

Peter.

FEBRUARY SERMON TAPES

All tapes of the sermons preached on Sunday mornings and evenings in February are available on request from Elizabeth and Nigel Hadley (Tel: 831067) as usual.


THANK YOU

Dear Friends of St James

I would like to thank each and everyone of you for your cards, letters, gifts and good wishes during my most recent hospitalisation. A big thank you for all your prayers it seems the Lord listened to every one of them and still does.

I hope to continue to make good progress and be back with you soon. A special thank you to Roger and Marion Clarke for all their practical help and support.

With Christian Love, Ruth Carter


A PRAYER BASED ON JEREMIAH 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Lord, when I’m caught up in life’s complications and confusions, turn my thoughts to the tree. The tree stretches its roots down in the earth, seeking out nourishment. Lord, teach me to be rooted ever more securely in you. And when the ground is hard and dry, help me reach even more deeply into your resources – and so stand firm and tall.

The tree receives sun and rain, needing both warmth and water for maturity and fruitfulness. Lord, help me grow through sunshine and tears, confident that in you all things work together for good. And when buffetings come my way, give me the wisdom of the tree to bend graciously in the wind, that I might not be broken through my own stubborn resistance.

The tree’s branches stretch out to offer gentle covering shade. Lord may I too be expansive and generous, with arms wide open in welcome shelter for others.

The tree remains patient and still. Lord, help me rest content where you have placed me, faithful and focused. So I will yield my own unique fruit in your chosen season, knowing that in you my leaves remain ever green.

(Julia McGuiness)



Abbreviated Minutes of the Meeting of the 2001/02 PCC of St James Church, Westgate and Garlinge held in the Church Centre on Tuesday 15th January 2002

(Note – Information available in printed magazine only)



THE GARDEN TOMB – JERUSALEM

Many of you who read this letter will have been to the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, some of you more than once. It may be that you were among those who felt that your visit to the Garden was one of the highlights of your time in Israel.

The ministry of the Garden began in 1894. Down the years, it has become known and loved all over the world, and not only among Protestant believers. People of all backgrounds and from many countries have seen their lives changed by coming to the Garden. We get letter after letter thanking us for its peace and serenity and for the experience of meeting with the Christ who is risen and alive. That is why we exist, to proclaim the gospel truths of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Our sole aim is to point to Him and to give Him all the glory.

The worldwide goodwill for our ministry has persuaded our Council to appeal directly to our many friends at this difficult time.

There is a close link between terrorism and tourism. Even before the recent atrocities in America, Israel was suffering the worst tourism crisis for over 30 years. The current problems are deeper and longer-lasting than any since the 1967 War. Many hotels and tourist facilities have closed completely. Furthermore, the continuing strife in Israel and the West Bank, together with the present global uncertainties, suggest that things may get even worse before they get better and that any improvement may be a long time coming.

The Garden Tomb is feeling the pain along with many other tourist sites. During the first year of the current “Intifada”, we have had 91,000 visitors as against 254,000 in the same period the previous year, a drop of nearly two-thirds. In the recent summer months, the decline has been as much as 80%. We rely heavily on income from our shop sales and from voluntary donations; both are seriously reduced because we now have so few visitors.

Difficult decisions
We are already making drastic cut-backs in spending. You may know that, normally at busy times of the year, we have up to six volunteer couples resident at the Garden, the men guiding and doing maintenance work and the women serving in the shop. We are now planning to manage without any volunteers at all for the next few months, and the duties of the permanent staff are being re-arranged.

As part of this need to save money, we plan to close the Garden during mornings and only to open in the afternoon, when most of our visitors usually come. Apart from a short period in the Gulf War, the Garden has never been closed on weekdays in the memory of those who work there.

In addition, the Sunday morning English service will be suspended for the time being. If you have been to that service and remember the joy of worshipping outdoors with Christians of many nationalities and hearing a gospel message with the empty tomb as a backcloth, you may feel some dismay, as indeed we ourselves do; you should know, however, that for several weeks we have had fewer than twelve people present. These decisions will give you a sense of the financial crisis we are now facing.

We have also considered charging an entrance fee. Unlike most tourist sites, we have been glad to welcome all visitors free of charge. For the present, we are not changing that policy, but we may be forced to do so if the situation worsens.

Our staff are showing a wonderful loyalty. Some of them have offered to forego part of their salary and are readily accepting new and additional duties. There is a sincere and loving bond upholding us all. “My strength is made perfect in weakness”, and God is graciously bestowing that strength at a time of real need.

To be continued next month ......



APRIL ADVANCE NOTICE

The Parochial Church Council Annual General Meeting will be held in the Church Centre on 9th April at 7.30pm.


MAY ADVANCE NOTICE

Just a reminder that our May Saturday Shop will include our traditional sale of plants and vegetables.
As usual, we rely on the generosity of Church members to stock the stall, so it may be time to put those green fingers to work!



JESUS SAID: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Matthew 26:39



COMMENTARY ON ACTS 21VV17-26 BY WILLIAM BARCLAY

When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he presented the church with a problem. The leaders accepted him and saw God’s hand in his work; but rumours had been spread that he had encouraged Jews to forsake their ancestral faith. This Paul had never done. True he had insisted that the Jewish Law was irrelevant for the Gentile; but he had never sought to draw the Jew away from the customs of his fathers.

The leaders saw a way in which Paul could guarantee the orthodoxy of his own conduct. Four men were in the middle observing the Nazarite vow. This was a vow taken in gratitude for some special blessing from the hand of God. It involved abstention from meat and wine for thirty days, during which the hair had to be allowed to grow. It seems that sometimes at least the last seven days had to be spent entirely in the Temple courts. At the end certain offerings had to be brought – a year old lamb for a sin-offering, a ram for a peace offering, a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil and a meat offering and a drink offering. Finally the hair had to be shorn and burned on the altar with the sacrifice. It is obvious that this was a costly business. Work had to be given up and all the elements of sacrifice had to be bought. It was quite beyond the resources of many who would have wished to undertake it. So it was considered an act of piety for some wealthier person to defray the expenses of someone taking the vow. That was what Paul was asked to do in the case of these four men and he consented. By so doing he could demonstrate, so that all could see it that he was himself an observer of the Law.

There can be no doubt that the matter was distasteful to Paul. For him the relevancy of things like that was gone. But it is the sign of a truly great man that he can subordinate his own wishes and views for the sake of the Church. There is a time when compromise is not a sign of weakness but of strength.

Printed by kind permission of St Andrews Press, Edinburgh.


LOVE IN A BOX – SHOE APPEAL

We have in these days at least one pair of shoes, but in places like Croatia, Tuzla, Zagreb, they don’t always have the money to buy shoes and to be able to go to school you need to own a pair.
So if you have a pair which no longer fit your children and still have some wear in them, please phone Teresa Hertzer on 834582, or leave at the back of the Church marked “Love in a Box” which will then be collected by Colin Spicer to take out in his lorry. Many thanks.

Just to let you know ..... Lesley Mayes received a very nice thank you note after sending her shoe box from an 11 year old girl called Marina living in Croatia.

Marion Myers (834665)


MY BROTHER

My brother who died recently spent most of his life flying aircraft, firstly in the RAF and then as an Airline Pilot. The following poem was read at his funeral and I thought I would share it with you. Phil Johnson

High Flight

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
and danced the skies on laughter’s silvered wings.
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds
and done a hundred things you have not dreamed on
wheeled and soared and swung.
High in the sunlit silence, hovering there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung my eager craft
through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, ‘luring blue I’ve tipped the windswept heights
with easy grace, where never a lark or even eagle flew,
and while with silent, lifting mind
I’ve trod the high untrespassed serenity of space,
put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Written by J G Magee



2nd GARLINGE SCOUTS

You are invited to a travelling Trends Fashion Show. Come along and enjoy an evening of Fashion and Fun hosted by TRAVELLING TRENDS. This is your chance to see, try on and buy this seasons fashions at greatly reduced prices and raise much needed funds for the 2nd Garlinge Scouting.

Venue: Hartsdown Technology College on Wednesday 13th March, doors open at 7.00pm and the show starts at 7.30pm. Fashions may be paid for by cash, cheque or credit card on the night. Advanced bookings only taken. Tickets £3 per head. Tickets available from Alison on 290266 or Julie 832727.



MARCH NOTES



Please note the following:

There will be no home group meetings in March. There will be no Parent & Toddlers meeting on 28th March.

A Passover Meal will be served in the Church Centre at 7.00pm on 28th March. Tickets £3 each.

A special Easter service will be held in St James Church Hall, Garlinge at 3.00pm on Easter Sunday (31st March).

Clocks go forward at midnight on Saturday 30th March.


WANTED

Articles for YOUR magazine are always required and always appreciated. Please do not hesitate to send in any local, national, international or personal item(s) which may be of interest to our members. Thank you to all those who submit the articles which go to make up YOUR magazine.


MONDAY CLUB/HOLIDAY CLUB

We would like any foil/kitchen roll tubes, oddments of wool, round margarine tubs and individual yoghurt pots for use in activities with the children.

SMILE!

Smiling is infectious, you catch it like the ‘flu

When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin,

When he smiled I realised that I’d passed it on to him.

I though about that smile, then realised its worth,

A single smile, just like mine could travel around the earth.

So if you feel a smile begin, don’t leave it undetected –

Let’s start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!


Anon

MARCH DIARY

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