Golders Green Parish Church – Newsletter

26 May 2021

 

• Update from Tony;
• Zoom links
• Sermon from Charlotte;
• From Anita and Sally: Pastoral Care
• Update on Night Shelter – Nehar;
• From Wales to Birmingham, Alabama;
• How we are;
• Prayers, Services, Hymns, and Broadcasts;
• Zoom links.

Update from Tony
 

Just to let you all know, the service this Sunday will be entirely on Zoom, as we were not able to get someone to lead our service.  It will be a test run for a reworked morning service, which I hope and pray we will find helpful.  I wonder if someone might consider leading our prayers.  We will have a zoom sermon.  There will be a few more like these over the coming three months but I am hoping to plug the gaps.
 
Please do keep praying for the choosing of our new incumbent.  The advert is published again this coming weekend, with the deadline for applications being 18 June and the short listing on 20 June.
Please do join us for prayer this evening at 7:30 on the link below.
 

Blossom in Golders Green - from Rose on her walk

 

Message from Charlotte

It's been a great joy and a privilege to lead services on Sundays in Golders Green for the past six months. I started on Christ the King, in the middle of the November lockdown, but even though we were worshipping remotely for many months, I felt so warmly welcomed to the church and community. It's been wonderful to have some of you come back to the church building over the past couple of months but also to know that more were joining us online. Thank you very much for all your kind words and generous gifts last Sunday - you will all remain very much in my prayers as you seek a new priest to come and minister to the church in Golders Green.   Charlotte
 

Sermon from Charlotte

 

We’ve just heard the reading from Acts describing the day of Pentecost, often referred to as the beginning, or ‘birth day’ of the church. That had been a dramatic day – the description of what happened is incredible as the apostles were gathered together and there was wind and fire and tongues and people speaking in different languages and Peter giving this speech where he quotes the prophet Joel talking about the last days, and just after this passage, the Book of Acts goes on to describe that of those listening to him who welcomed his message, 3,000 were baptised.  
 
And what I want to talk about today is what came afterwards; after the tongues and the wind and the fire had gone – because it's then that we really learn the impact of what happened on the day of Pentecost for the early church, and for us today. No one can stay all the time on the kind of exalted level we heard about today. – I spoke a few weeks ago about the continuation of the 'fire' of a big life event; it's easy to feel joyous and on fire with the love of the Holy Spirit on the day of a baptism, a wedding, an ordination – but then after the cake has been eaten and the champagne has been drunk, it’s back to ‘normal life’ – to learning to live together and love one another day in day out. It was the same for the Apostles and those listening to them speaking in tongues; to those listening to Peter's extraordinary speech and responding through coming forward for baptism – whilst that was no doubt an extraordinary, joyful day, the first Pentecost and the birthday of the church, a certain normality had to occur in their daily life together. In the passage just after this one, after the 3000 had been baptised, we’re told that they devoted themselves to four things: 
? To the teaching of the Apostles 
? To fellowship 
? To the breaking of bread 
? To the prayers 
 
There is a lot we can learn from this because these are the four essential things which make a Christian life and a Christian community. 
 
First, “the teaching of the Apostles”. We say in the Creed that the Church is “apostolic”, which means founded on the witness of the Apostles. An apostle was one who testified that Jesus had truly risen from the dead. There were actually more than twelve: indeed tradition calls Mary Magdalene, the first person to see the risen Christ, “Apostle to the apostles.” When the apostles were alive it was possible for them to share their experience with others, in person. But after their death the apostolic witness - their teaching - was recorded in the New Testament. So since then Christians have met to read, hear and share the Holy Scriptures - just as we are doing today. We are all called to be Apostles, to be people who witness to Christ in the small and everyday and in the bigger acts of our lives. 
 
Secondly, “to fellowship” – which could simply be translated “community” or “the common life.” In Galatians Paul says that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free - but all are one in him. So it is with us: our common life is not just a coming together for human company and support, good though that is. Our unity comes from our being made one together in Christ, and that happens in our baptism, when we join the family of the church, Christians past present and future – and as a result of that faithfulness to your calling and to the calling of all baptised Christians asks us a commitment to community. I remember the chaplain at the university I went to telling us on our last Sunday of term in our final year, make time for God, don’t fit him in around your other plans and the rest of your life. If you are moving somewhere new, he told us, make finding a church community a priority - it can all to easily happen that you put it on your to-do list and then the weeks and the months slip past and you grow distant from God. Being part of a church community so that they can support you and you can support them as you journey together in faith is so important. 
 
Third, “the breaking of bread”. This is the oldest description of the Eucharist in the Church. Faithful to the Lord’s command, Christians have generally met every Sunday, to remember his death and proclaim his resurrection. Sharing in this one bread through which Christ comes makes us one, and drinking from the one cup, we live in him and he in us. And when we do that week after week, it starts to highlight what it represents which is Christ’s self-giving of himself to us – and so it starts to make changes in us, it helps us to realise our calling to self-giving. It helps us to live out Christlike generosity. I think I've said this before but that's why I think that the past year has been so painful for the Christian community; when we celebrate the Eucharist we are brought into communion with one another, so to have been denied the ability to do that for so many months really drove home to me the bond of unity that is created by sharing in the Eucharist, and it is my upmost prayer that that ability won't be suspended ever again. 
 
And finally, “the prayers”. Those big life events - baptisms, marriages, and so on, need to be worked at – you can't just cling to the memories of a wonderful wedding day. You have to spend time with one another to keep the love of the relationship going, even when you’re annoyed with each other or bored with each other – of course when it comes to our relationship with God those feelings will be one way; God is never bored with us. So building up a habit of daily prayer, of daily spending time with God is so important for the baptised Christian – no matter how you are feeling. The Church of England, and the Roman Catholic Church have a deep tradition of daily prayer, especially morning and evening. And partly that helps us to remember that we are never praying alone, we know that all around and country and indeed the world, Christians are saying the same things as us, reading the same scripture passages as us – that’s all part of being a member of the baptized community. 


It has been a joy to be a part of the Christian community here at Golders Green for the past six months. I will be keeping you all in my prayers and especially as you continue the process of discernment for the appointment of a new parish priest here. But I would just say this – sometimes I think it can be tempting to think, “Once we find a vicar everything will go like clockwork and my spiritual and prayer life will be tiptop and we won't have to think about any problems – practical or spiritual – ever again” - but you probably know that that is an unrealistic expectation. Today is a celebration of the birth of the church; the birth of the community of Christians; both those who were instrumental in its leadership and those who were brand new to the faith. It was the gift of the Holy Spirit in baptism that brought them into unbreakable bonds with one another. So although you need a priest to guide you, remember that each of you is a loved and valued member of the church community – both locally here in Golders Green and as a part of the wider church across the world; and each of you have that same calling that the members of the early church did: 

• To witness as an apostle
• To be a member of a Christian community
• To break bread with one another
• To pray  

From Anita and Sally : Pastoral Care

 
Dear Everyone,
 
While we continue the wait for a new vicar we would like to remind you that, as part of our church-family pastoral care, we need to keep staying in touch with each other as much as we can. We have a wonderful church community and would like to continue communicating in the best ways possible during these times. Even though the lock down has lifted and the church is now open for services, (and zoom for the foreseeable future) some of us may not be venturing out that much and might like a chat.
 
We know that many of you keep in touch with each other regularly. But at the same time hope there is no-one who feels alone or left out -  it is never intentional.  It would be so useful for us to know if some our church family may enjoy having a call and a chat during the week. Please do not hesitate to contact us on; churchwardens@gg-pc.co.uk or 020 8455 1873 and your message will be passed on. As many of you also have our home phone numbers please don’t hesitate to ring us in order to stay in touch.
 
One way we keep in touch is through our weekly Newsletter which is sent out to everyone on our parish list. If you know of anyone who is not on it and would like to have a copy please get in touch with Jennifer at the church office and let her know (phone number above). It is an excellent way to get up-to-date information, including links to go to different sites, and to hear from you with your insights and articles that you are always invited to send. 
 
                                                                           

Prayer Session on Wednesday 7.30pm

           
Another way is to join us by zoom every Wednesday evening at 7.30pm for a time of prayer except the first Wednesday of each month at the same time, when we will come together for a more social event when we can chat and exchange our news over a cup of “virtual” tea, coffee or something stronger (the zoom link is always in the newsletter). The next social session will take place on WEDNESDAY 2nd JUNE at 7.30pm. Do zoom in. It will be so good to see you.

Church Wardens are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

 
 Topic: Prayer Meetings
Time: May 26, 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
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        +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

Night Shelter News - from Nehar 

The Night shelter project will come to an end next weekend.  We send the last meal to the guests at the Central Hotel on Friday.  At the end there were 15 guests at the Hotel.  Together in Barnet (TiB) are hoping most of the guests will be housed by the council and no one will end up on the streets.  In the time between February – May 21 guests were housed at one time or the other in the hotel.
As the government has said that the normal dormitory style night shelters will still not be allowed TiB are already looking to organise another hotel project for later in the year.  They are hoping that it will open in October and run till the end of May.  They are also planning a Mentoring and Befriending project which we will be able to take part in as our further involvement in this project.  I will keep you updated as more details become known.
 
We are thankful to the Turkish restaurant* across the road from our church who have provided stirling service throughout – providing good quality and quantity of food freshly cooked every other Friday by their wonderful chef.  There was enough food for two meals!  The cost of food and delivery was well within the budget set by the PCC for this work.  It would be good as a church community for us to continue to foster our relationship with the restaurant.
 
As a church family we donated both time and finance towards this work.  A big thank you to all those who contributed financially which enabled us to provide sachets of tea/coffee/chocolate/sugar for each guest every week to last the week.  We also contributed funds for the purchase of three microwaves.  Because of the pandemic each room was provided with a microwave to ensure safety of the guests and the hotel staff.
 I would particularly like to thank Jennifer in the church office, Silvia and Shaniv and Soheil who all so happily gave of their time.  Nehar
 
*Nehar has already expressed thanks and appreciation to Toprak Ocakbasi Restaurant  in  Golders Green for their warmth and kindness throughout the nightshelter period, but also to add they provide really good and enjoyable food to eat at the restaurant or phone for take away. Many of us have enjoyed it there before all the lockdowns!
 

Acts of Generosity and Kindness from Strangers

 

We hear of so many terrible actions by people of hate, in the past as now, but this is one story that has always stayed with me that showed an act of kindness, generosity and love from one community to another living thousands of miles away across an ocean and shows what can be done in love.
 
Forty-eight years ago, an act of terrorism on the other side of the Atlantic created such an outpouring of horror, that its story reached an editor of the Western Mail, a Welsh newspaper, who published it in his paper.  The tragedy touched the hearts and minds of many of the young ones and their parents who read it. 
 
On 16 September 1963, a splinter group of the Ku Klux Klan planted a bomb at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed four black girls attending Sunday school. While few outside of Birmingham's African-American community displayed much sympathy, the young ones in Wales were so touched by the tragedy that they quickly raised the funds to replace the church's stained glass windows. News of the bombing reached artist John Petts in Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire who, quickly offered his services to create and install a replacement window from Wales as a gift to the 16th Street Church. The then editor of the Western Mail, David Cole, launched a front-page campaign to raise funds for the venture. There was to be a maximum donation of half a crown (30 old pennies, around 12.5p in today's money), so that the window was truly from all the people of Wales.
 
In an incredibly short space of time, the Western Mail's campaign had gathered force, with black and white children alike queuing in Cardiff's docklands to hand over whatever they could afford.
Within just two years, Petts had delivered his gift from Wales to the church, a defiant and heart-warming image of a black Jesus beneath a rainbow of racial unity; his right arm pushing away hatred and injustice, the left offering forgiveness.
 
Speaking to the BBC in 1987, John Petts recalled: "The people of the 16th Street Baptist church had never heard of Wales, they had no idea where it was, but they were very quickly told something of the little country Wales was, and how it put great value on independence and freedom, "An idea doesn't exist unless you do something about it," he said. "Thought has no real living meaning unless it's followed by action of some kind."
 
The current 16th Street Pastor, Reverend Arthur Price, says it is an image which draws comment to this day.
"The boldness - in this country - of having a black Christ (then in 1968) speaks volumes. For the African American community that's not a stretch at all, but for many people in the white community during that time, to say that Jesus Christ was black and of African descent would be blasphemous,"
"But I think the major message we try to take out of the window is not so much identifying Christ's colour but knowing that Christ identifies with us. "To the white community this is that the Jesus you love identifies himself with the African-American community, so you are really crucifying him again when you persecute someone who does not look like you; "it also ensured that a small part of the Deep South remains - to this day - a friend of Wales.
 
                 

                Books                   

 
 
One highly recommended book which has become an international best seller is:
 “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” a recorded conversation between the Dali Lama and Desmond Tutu. During their conversation, which they held for the Dali Lama’s 80th birthday, they shared each other’s secrets, teased each other and talked of their spiritual practices- and laughed a lot. Desmond Tutu was a curate at Golders Green Church during the 70’s and was much loved. A book worth reading.
 

YouTube - Worship Videos of the week :

How We Are

Margaret has not had such a good week. While recovering from her fall, she then had a telephone call to say that her brother, John, who she has relied upon for so much during the long time she has been so unwell, had had a heart attack. Obviously she was very distressed and extremely worried for him. He has been taken into his local hospital and admitted to the cardiac ward. The results of the angiogram have shown that he will have either, a bypass  or, a stent put in at the hospital he is in at present. His wife, Kathy is phoning Margaret regularly and keeping her up-to-date on his progress. He is in good nursing hands and much rested.  We send many prayers and good wishes to John for a safe recovery and to Margaret and Kathy as they wait for news. Meanwhile Margaret had her second cataract operation on Monday which went well.
 
If there is anyone you particularly want us to pray for please let us know and their names can go in this part of the newsletter. It does help people so much to know others are thinking and praying for them when they are feeling vulnerable for whatever reason.
 

Zoom link numbers

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 30, 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