Golders Green Parish Church – Newsletter

12 May 2021

 

• Update from Tony;
• Sermon from Charlotte;
• Wednesday Invitation to Pray;
• Situation of Asylum Seekers and Refugees from Sally;
• Turning to Poetry – Jenny;
• Pray for Nigeria – Rose;
• Mother Julien of Norwich;
• How we are;
• Prayers, Services, Hymns, and Broadcasts;
• Zoom links.

Victoria Park, Finchley - Jenny

 

Update from Tony
 

Two things to update you all on.  The first is that the Bishop and your parish representatives have agreed new dates for the process to find a new parish priest.  Adverts go out next Friday and the next.  Please do pray for this, we really do need our Father's help with this.
 
The second is the APCM.  I am sorry we were not able to hold it last Sunday.  The accounts were not ready, as were a number of other items.  We are working to hold this on Sunday 30 May.  As previously indicated there are no elections to the PCC but the Churchwardens are up for re-election.
 
I would encourage you if you can to join us in praying for the work at Golders Green.  There is a lot to pray about and to seek the Lord's direction on.
 

     





Sermon from Charlotte Easter 6    

 
I trained for the priesthood at Westcott House in Cambridge. The chapel, which I loved, is incredibly stark, and the focus is really on just one part of it; an icon of Christ's face, holding the Gospel – that image is often described as the Pantocrator – or 'Ruler of All'. On the Gospel book in the icon are inscribed words we heard from John's today: “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” I think, depending on what was going on in one's life, one's studies, one's priestly formation, like many parts of Scripture, those words brought different meaning at different times. Sometimes they could be deeply comforting, knowing that Christ had chosen you. At other times, they could strike fear into you; Christ has chosen you, even if you have rejected and turned away from him. What choice does that leave me with? 
 
When those words are applied to Jesus himself, in the context of the fact that he is the Messiah, the anointed one, their meaning can appear quite straight forward; he was set aside from before his birth, to redeem the world. Of course, he was chosen. But what about when I read those words and apply them to me? How might I have been chosen? And, if I am chosen, does that mean that others are not? - This path has the potential to lead us to some quite dodgy theology - “Thank goodness my loved one did not die, or I got that job.” But someone else's loved one did die; someone else did not get that job. Does that mean that God has not chosen then? Does God have favourites? 
 
It might appear to be a copout to say that we are all chosen. But we have been called by God, not as favourites, either as individuals or as a select little club, but to seek the transformation of the world and of humanity. This Gospel passage is often heard at weddings, for obvious reasons – it has quite a lot to say about love. I think couples who choose to have it read have really got to the heart of what true love is; a love that demands that we look beyond ourselves and love those around us. Whenever I preach at weddings, I always tell the couple that a mark of true love is that the love the couple have found in one another overflows to all those around them. True love is not self-centered and consumed by itself, but rather looks beyond itself. A marriage where there is true love will not just be concerned with the two partners in the marriage or other members of the household but will extend charity and hospitality to the wider community and society. 
 
That is what Jesus underlines with the new commandment; he commands us to show his love to others by loving them ourselves. Rowan Williams writes about that icon in Westcott House: “Face to face with Jesus, there and only there, do we find who we are. We have been created to mirror his life, the eternal life of the one turned always towards the overflowing love of the Father; but our human existence constantly turns away...When we look at Jesus looking at us, we see both what we were made to be, bearers of the divine image and likeness, and what we have made of ourselves.” 
 
It is God who starts the relationship with us, and God who sustains it. God who calls us back to him again and again even when we reject his love or have experienced hurt through the actions of others. Sometimes we might feel unworthy of being chosen by God. But as we come face to face with Jesus, he looks back at us – we are called to be in relationship with him, and in doing so, we become more like him. That is, I think, quite simply, the meaning of life – to discover in Christ who we really are, which is a human being made in his image, made to be like him, and therefore to demonstrate his love in our community. 
 
Jesus also says in today's Gospel passage that he calls us friends. We stand now at the end of the period of Eastertide, the great 40 days of rejoicing in the resurrection, and on Thursday we will celebrate the Ascension into heaven. And we are reminded in the passage from John's Gospel this morning that Jesus is one of us. He speaks to the disciples in today's passage as equals, and more importantly, as friends. Neither we nor the disciples have earned our choosing, but we have been chosen to be his friends; a mutual relationship of loving and of being loved. When you are close friends with someone, you see up close their strengths and their failings; the parts of their personality you wish you could emulate but also the parts that you – and sometimes they – know hold them back from being the best version of themselves they could be. In Christ there are only strengths, so being in friendship with him allows us to see those and to take them into ourselves, because he is who we are all called to be like. As we draw closer to him, we will find it easier to love one another as God loves us, because if we are closer to him, we will be more like him. 
 
God's friendship will never let us down; he will never cancel on us at the last minute or say something about us behind our back to another friend or tell a little white lie – all relatively petty examples of hurt that can be caused in human friendship and relationship. God loves us and has chosen us; and he gives us these words, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” - so that we might come face to face with him, see him looking at us, and let that loving gaze overflow from us. 
 
 
 
YouTube - Worship Video of the week :
 
How Great Thou Art - Loyiso Bala ft. Don Moen
https://youtu.be/v_rWMQp2Hho
 
Robin Mark - Days of Elijah (Official Lyric Video)
https://youtu.be/ca9LnzJnpjQ
 

Invitation to Pray

  
Please come and join us each Wednesday at 7.30pm for our weekly prayer session. It is a time when we meditate on a psalm or bible reading together as well as pray for those issues that concern us or want to give thanks for. It is so good to be together and know we are praying for each other and the many problems of the world. The zoom link is:

 
Church Wardens are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: Prayer Meetings
Time: May 12, 2021 07:30 PM London
        Every week on Wed, until May 26, 2021, 7 occurrence(s)
        Apr 14, 2021 07:30 PM
        Apr 21, 2021 07:30 PM
        Apr 28, 2021 07:30 PM
        May 5, 2021 07:30 PM
        May 12, 2021 07:30 PM
        May 19, 2021 07:30 PM
        May 26, 2021 07:30 PM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://zoom.us/meeting/tJUqfu-vrD0jGNJyvlHqs1O7u4Wqe3mkatYB/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCpqTIsHdaTuRuBRowcB4r4M-3zpiFEjY13hQnpKzFAMyyhI7Z1I7csHdPR
 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91796726926?pwd=RzBkeVdnOEFyZHh3akZDSUhLNWZDQT09
 
Meeting ID: 917 9672 6926
Passcode: 021414
One tap mobile
+442080806592,,91796726926#,,,,*021414# United Kingdom
+443300885830,,91796726926#,,,,*021414# United Kingdom
 
Dial by your location
        +44 208 080 6592 United Kingdom
        +44 330 088 5830 United Kingdom
        +44 131 460 1196 United Kingdom
        +44 203 481 5237 United Kingdom
        +44 203 481 5240 United Kingdom
        +44 203 901 7895 United Kingdom
        +44 208 080 6591 United Kingdom
Meeting ID: 917 9672 6926
Passcode: 021414
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aAfF5ehtl

Situation of Asylum Seekers and Refugees from Sally

 "Our Lady of the Detention Centers"

by Chicano (Mexican-American) artist Jake Prendez

 
At our prayer meeting last Wednesday evening, I talked about the situation of Asylum Seekers and Refugees, as a focus of prayer for us as Christians who try to live by Christ’s command to seek justice, love, and care for each other. I did not know I was going to do this, but it just came out because I realised how acutely distressed, I was about how people trying to get here and when they do eventually get here are treated and how it is proposed they will be treated in the future as outlined in a report for legislation recently produced by the Home Office. The report is written in the style of fermenting the Hostile Environment. It is written in a seemingly deceptively reasonable way that could make the reader feel, “well what is wrong with that” except there is a great deal “wrong with that”. It is a Report full of distortions, exaggerations, inaccuracies, and misrepresentations.
 
It was clear, from the totally negative examples given in the report, regarding some refugees, by those who were responsible for writing it, that there had been no effort or intention to find out, from actual refugees or asylum seekers, how they are treated in camps and hotels, what led them to flee in the first place to get away from places like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and others, how long they have travelled across so many countries in extreme danger that made them resort in desperation to the boats of smugglers when other avenues were closed to them.   Neither has there been any attempt to find out about the professions, skills, and abilities so many bring that could be utilised to the benefit of our country.
 
I remember being at a Christian Aid/Southwark diocesan conference, with Jenny,  where Bishop Karowei D, (Bishop of Woolwich, himself a Nigerian doctor, with much knowledge and experience in this area - and friend of our Rose) spoke passionately about how, if we audited asylum seekers and refugees on arrival to find out what their professions, skills and abilities were instead of treating them all like suspect criminals, how much our  country would benefit from what they had to bring and they in turn would be grateful to give something back.
 
I belong to a group who through our different professions and experiences over the years has had contact with many refugees and asylum seekers. We have come together, through concern, to monitor what is happening in the present day. We have, listened to their stories, which are quite horrifying, about what they are fleeing from, what they have witnessed, especially the children and the effects it has on them. We hear what life is like in the detention camps, where they are treated more like criminals than people fleeing from persecution, the mental breakdowns, and the high rate of suicide especially among young men. I also know from my own experience of the professions, skills, and abilities the ones I met have and the frustration of being looked at as if they are nothing. What a waste.
 
Reading through this Report was truly horrifying. It has clear intentions not only to limit the numbers being admitted, which is lower than that of any other European country in spite of what we are told, but to create a ddiscriminatory two-tier system ensuring that Refugees who travel to the UK via so called “irregular” routes (like crossing the Channel in the boats of smugglers) will have fewer rights and entitlements than those arriving via so called “regular” routes, which are already very limited and likely to be more so in the future.  As access to the so called “safe routes” are increasingly restricted, people wishing to escape have little choice but to resort to the smugglers and their boats with all the horrors that entails. How desperate do you have to be to go through all that? Seeking asylum is not a crime. The Refugee Convention signed in 1951 is clear that people doing so should not be penalised for entering a country through so called “irregular routes”. But we are now looking to break that agreement, in fact already are.  Like, for example, removing annual targets for the UK resettlement programme, further restricting refugee family reunion rights, separating children from their families, changing the law to enable ‘offshore’ processing as well as proposing to build more reception centres where people are held in situations that are worse than being in prison.
 
There were so many proposals that are punitive in intent, inaccurate and misleading, that it made a very long hard read by those of us intending to respond to it after discussion, highlighting all the areas of concern and checking them with those who have a better grasp of data and numbers than some of us. This was followed by considering how best to respond to the report and answer the “Questionnaires for Consultation” which were in two parts. Both were long and slanted in such a way it was difficult not to give the answers the Home Office really wanted if you had not read it carefully and knew some of the background. Each of us in our group replied to the consultation individually, with much gratitude to Amnesty and the University of Liverpool who had outlined the main issues and how to avoid falling into the pitfalls of the set questions. The whole process took days to complete.
 
After I had divested myself of what I had been feeling at the prayer meeting I was asked what it was that perhaps we could do to support those refugees and asylum seekers who are here. There are many groups of people who live near the camps, who help and support those detained and organisations like the one I wrote about recently of professional musicians who give time to go into the camps to encourage music to be played, composed, and recorded for others to hear. You might have some ideas to share about this that we could reflect on.

Here are some ways:
 

• Barnet Refugee Service which is an independent registered charity working in partnership with individuals and agencies to improve the quality of life and promote the physical, social, and mental well-being of refugees and asylum seekers in London, its aim is to help reduce health inequalities, social exclusion and poverty and enable positive integration. At the core of their service is their belief in the positive contribution refugees and asylum seekers can make within our culturally and ethnically diverse society. The aim is holistic in supporting refugees in rebuilding their lives and making a positive contribution to the community. This is achieved through various activities such as advice and guidance, ESOL classes, volunteering and employment, mentoring, counselling service, gardening, women's group, youth activities, psycho-social activities, emotional support and more; 

• Amnesty International who have member branches up and down the country who find different ways of actively supporting refugees and asylum seekers with the support of Amnesty;

• The Refugee Council who keep people informed about what is happening and also let you know what can be done to help.

It would be very helpful to hear your opinions and have your ideas.
 

Marlies’ Garden

Turning to Poetry from Jenny

People all over the world have been turning to poetry as a way of responding to the pandemic. Many of us have appreciated what others have produced, some have actually written poetry. One of those is Kitty O'Meara, a retired teacher and chaplain in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.She wrote this, and it went viral. Read it and you’ll understand why!
 

‘Spread from And the People Stayed Home’

 
And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.
 

Pray for Nigeria - Rose

Some of you are probably aware that Nigeria has been going through some challenging internal crises in the past few years. The unfortunate kidnap of nearly three hundred Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram terrorist group, and their detention, enslavement, abuse, and forceful conversion to Islam, made uneasy national and   international headlines six years ago and sparked off world-wide outcry and condemnation. The fate and whereabouts of many of those girls remain  unknown, sadly, and recent years have seen  similar kidnappings ,organised killing of   Christians in the North, and massive  invasion of armed Fulani herdsmen into many areas in the Middle belt, South East and South West of the country ,leading to constant clashes and  fatal confrontations  with indigenous farmers in those communities.

At the same time ,increased  criminal activities by Boko Haram, other terrorist and criminal group and armed bandits  have often resulted in extortion of huge sums of money as  ransoms for victims of organised abductions. Torture, rape, killings, armed robbery, and unprovoked random brutal attacks on innocent travellers on highways and other areas of the country, including private homes, places of worship, schools, and higher institutions, all seem to have. been on the increase. Sadly , these attacks  on public institutions, including release of prisoners, and other acts of lawlessness ,appear to have heightened  insecurity, and fear thus intensifying  public outcry for the government to address the issue of insecurity more seriously in order to save lives and prevent further deterioration of the situation.

In addition, the government  is also confronted with other pressing issues including political power struggles ahead of  the 2023 general elections in the country ,the growing agitation  for independence by some ethnic groups as well as the aftermath of  the recent ENDSARS protests by  Nigerian youths.

Insecurity, suspicion, dissatisfaction, pain, anger ,mistrust ,anxiety and fear  all sum up the  current mood  as  reflected  in endless posts , videos and  images pouring in from Nigeria. Churches and  Christian groups in and outside Nigeria have also been calling for prayers and requesting all Christians to join the army of prayer warriors seeking the face of the Lord in fervent prayers for Nigeria at this difficult time.(Philip4v6-7)

Although some of us have been praying, it would be good  if we could, as a church congregation ‘join in this prayer mission, by setting aside a particular time once a week to pray specifically for Nigeria. It could be on Sundays during our  normal  worship or on  Wednesdays during our  zoom prayer meeting at 7.30 pm or indeed whenever convenient  for individuals unable to join in group prayer.

Our prayer points , I suggest, could include:
1) asking for God’s grace and wisdom on Nigeria’s leaders to enable them govern with equity, and  adequately protect, and provide for their subjects and take urgent steps ,to put an end to violence ,terrorism and insecurity;
2)praying for forgiveness, reconciliation, love ,unity and mutual respect among  the  citizens
3) praying for  respect of the rule of law, and fundamental human rights including freedom of  speech and worship ;specifically praying for the church of Christ throughout Nigeria.
4)praying for the safety and well-being of our church members who are
currently in Nigeria , as well as our family members and loved ones in volatile areas of the country;
5)praying for the restoration of peace in Nigeria.-the peace which the world cannot give, God’s perfect peace that transcends all understanding; the peace  that keeps hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. “God is -our ever-present help in trouble”.(Ps46v1)
Thank you for joining in these prayers. May the Lord hear our prayers. AMEN

 

Mother Julian of Norwich

 
Saturday 8th March is St Julian of Norwich’s day. Born around 1342 she lived as an anchorite in a cell in a Norwich church. Julian reaffirmed the mother love of God, and in a time of Peasants Revolt and suppression, religious conflict, and plague, saw in the compassion of God the understanding that whatever we make of the world, love wins. In her mystical book, “Revelations of Divine Love”, the first known text to be written by a woman, she wrote, “You would know our Lord's meaning in this thing? Know it well. Love was his meaning. Who showed it to you? Love. What did he show you? Love. Why did he show it? For love. Hold on to this and you will know and understand love more and more. But you will not know or learn anything else — ever”. Her most widely known and quoted insight is, “All shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well”.
 
 

How We Are

Margaret: Margaret is having her second eye operation soon after the success of the first one.  How good that is. We hope all goes really well and that she will have clear vision that makes life so much easier.
 
Simon: This week Simon is starting the first in a long series of treatments over the coming weeks. We think of him and Anita praying that all goes well, and he gives himself permission to rest and not worry about anything other than making a good recovery. 

This is Christian Aid Week -  Jenny

 
You have received this newsletter in the middle of Christian Aid Week, which runs from Monday 10th to Sunday 16th May. This year our focus is on the climate emergency. It’s a crisis that hurts everyone, but the poorest people in the world are the hardest hit: they’ve done least to cause it, but they suffer most from it. This is incredibly unfair.

In countries such as Kenya, cultivating crops in extreme and unpredictable weather is a matter of life and death. Too much water can sweep away crops in torrential floods, while elsewhere too little means the land is cracked and nothing will grow.  That’s why climate change is a crisis.
 

The picture is of Rose, who lives in Kitui county, where the chaos of climate change has devastated her crops of beans and maize and left her and her family thirsty, hungry, and very poor. This Christian Aid Week, we can join with Rose and her community in their struggle.
 
If you would like to be part of a global movement for climate justice, pushing for governments to take urgent and ambitious action to stop climate change, you can join Christian Aid’s global prayer chain at caid.org.uk/prayerchain. You can also send the Prime Minister a postcard ahead of the G7 world leaders meeting in June, telling him he’s got to do a lot more, and faster: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/g7-climate-finance-postcard-action.
 
And this Christian Aid Week, please give, to help us continue our 75-year history of supporting the world’s poorest communities, by helping Rose and millions of others to cope with the effects of the climate emergency. You can do that here: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/give/ways-to-donate. Thank you very much. Together we can stop the climate crisis.
 
May God bless us with wonder at creation’s? glory.
May God bless us with fury at creation’s spoiling.
May God bless us with courage at this critical hour.
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon us and? on all creation, this day and for the future to come.? Amen.
(adapted from an ACT Alliance prayer)
 
Your gift could help a community build an earth dam, so when the rains do come, they will have the water they need to live. A reliable source of water will help families withstand long drought or relentless rainstorms.
 

‘I am 19-year-old Glory, from the Philippines. I live on a small island of Tabugon, Carles with my family. It is beautiful and peaceful, with fresh air, coral reefs, and fresh seafood. But it is changing. Living on an island is very challenging. I really feel the impact of climate change. My message for the world is that we must act on the crisis of climate change. We need to be responsible. We should be concerned on protecting our surroundings because this has been created for us. We have the wisdom to know what is right and what is wrong.’

Great God,
Who makes the sun to rise, and opens the heavens
Hear the cry of the people
Who sow in hope for rain, but reap only despair
Hear the cry of the people
Seeking shelter from the storm, their hopes and homes submerged
Hear the cry of the people,
When creation is hitting back, with rage and resistance
Give us hope, grant us salvation,
Give us a new relationship with creation
With reverence to tend this gift from You
And say once again of the earth and all you created
It is GOOD.

If you would like to be part of the global movement that is pushing for governments to take urgent and ambitious action to stop climate change, you can join Christian Aid’s global prayer chain at caid.org.uk/prayerchain. You can also send the Prime Minister a postcard ahead of the G7 world leaders meeting in June xxx
 
And this Christian Aid Week, please give to help us continue our 75 years of supporting the world’s poorest communities, in emergencies, in their long-term development, and in challenging the systems and structures that mean they do not have the opportunities that we take for granted. You can do that here: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/give/ways-to-donate. Thank you very much. Together we can stop the climate crisis.
 

Golders Green Blossom - Morlies

Please find below the Zoom links for our Sunday Service from the Churchwardens.
 
The link for the Sundays in April & May are :
Golders Green Parish Church is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
 
Topic: Church Services
Time: May 16, 2021 10:00 AM London
        Every week on Sun, until May 30, 2021, 7 occurrence(s)
        Apr 18, 2021 10:00 AM
        Apr 25, 2021 10:00 AM
        May 2, 2021 10:00 AM
        May 9, 2021 10:00 AM
        May 16, 2021 10:00 AM
        May 23, 2021 10:00 AM
        May 30, 2021 10:00 AM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://zoom.us/meeting/tJElc-Ghpz8jG9VadyoAt7-Yb2H_tQenGB4J/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCtpj8iE92RuRiGRowMGo-gWfPxmClEjfprnRv8DAFHNU7PNLBqDaZOFdb3
 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95848994911?pwd=WTJJUHhvdFA3Wk9hOXAvQTEvZS93dz09
 
Meeting ID: 958 4899 4911
Passcode: 950103
One tap mobile
+442034815240,,95848994911#,,,,*950103# United Kingdom
+442039017895,,95848994911#,,,,*950103# United Kingdom
 
Dial by your location
        +44 203 481 5240 United Kingdom
        +44 203 901 7895 United Kingdom
        +44 208 080 6591 United Kingdom
        +44 208 080 6592 United Kingdom
        +44 330 088 5830 United Kingdom
        +44 131 460 1196 United Kingdom
        +44 203 481 5237 United Kingdom
Meeting ID: 958 4899 4911
Passcode: 950103
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/azmC9TRR5

 
Daily Hope - The Church of England Phone line church service - is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 – has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind.

We at Golders Green Church will continue to offer a number of ways we can and will keep in contact though emailing and phoning each other, the use of Facebook and the website, sending out updates by supporting those who need shopping, prescriptions fetched, letters posted and anything else you may need if you are isolated at home, whether you are in the over 70-year-old age group, or, have underlying health conditions.
The important thing is, PLEASE LET US KNOW. Please email churchwardens@gg-pc.co.uk

Television and Online Worship