Dear Friends
Was it only 50 years ago when……?
This year we celebrate the 50th. Anniversary of our Church at Daw End - we have had some memorable events so far, with more to come, including our Flower Festival in June - more of that next time.
This month we have a Christian Aid Concert on 11th. May at 7.30 - please try and attend, it’s a lot of fun, pure homegrown amateur entertainment and all for Charity - last year we raised around £500 for the world's poor, which was marvellous - help us beat it this year!
Also on the second Sunday of each month we are trying a new form of evening service, relaxed, with discussion and modern worship, with a theme - 'What Jesus means to me' - led by various preachers from around the Circuit - this month it is my turn! Please come if you can - we start at 6.30 with refreshments and then start worshipping about 7.00 p.m.
As a child of the 50's and 60's I was interested to look up what happened in 1960's and rather amazed that even with my memory I remembered a lot of it! Here goes……
The Soviets shoot down a U.S. U-2 spy plane and capture the pilot, Capt. Gary Powers. The USA admits spying on the Soviet Union.
Israelis Kidnap Adolph Eichman from Argentina to Jerusalem to stand trial.
John F. Kennedy wins the US presidential election over Vice President Richard Nixon.
Sir Francis Chichester arrives in New York aboard Gypsy Moth 11 - he has made a record solo Atlantic crossing in 40 days
Aluminum Cans used for the first time
The MOT Test is introduced in Britain
Dr Kazuo Hashimoto Invents the Ansafone sold in the USA as a Automatic Telephone Answering Machine
A Japanese company introduces the first felt-tip pen - hands up those who thought they'd been around longer?
The average British house cost £2530. Now there's food for thought!
Xerox introduces the first production paper copier machine.
As to the Church Calendar, on 24th. May Methodism celebrates Aldersgate Day , which was the day on which our founder John Wesley felt his heart ‘strangely warmed’ by the Holy Spirit – the event which therefore marks the effective start of the Methodist movement. On May 30th, we celebrate Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit fell upon the early church and equipped them for mission. May we also feel the Holy Spirit drawing us close to God, and blessing, renewing and equipping us.
Every blessing
John Davies
Dear Friends,
'Bah Humbug?' Not me!
Apparently another bishop has got into trouble over the singing of Christmas carols. I can see where he is coming from, I suppose. After all, it is common for clergy to get 'carol weary' at Christmas! If, like me, you have more than one church, by Christmas you can sing the well known carols many times each year, and it is easy to forget that members of a particular congregation have not travelled round as you have, or had the opportunity to sing them so often!
In the same way, it is a great temptation to criticise the secularization of Christmas, but there again I think we can go too far. Instead, let's go back to first principles. Rather than ban Santa, far better to be able to explain to our children and grandchildren the legend of St. Nicholas, and to emphasise kindness and giving to those who have not, and explain about God's greatest Gift; rather than get precious about the details of the Christmas event, we should use it as an opportunity to share our faith gently with those who for once in the year are often quite ready to listen; rather than ban the excess that so many enjoy, let's keep our own celebrations within bounds as a quiet witness but enjoy the time and space to be together and enjoy peace, light, celebration and the chance to suspend the hum-drum activities of our normal existence for a while.
The same applies to New Year. I don’t know about you, but I get very nostalgic about New Year. It ties in, I suppose, with my childhood memories. We would have a roast beef dinner, and then watch TV together as a family, something we rarely did due to the demands of running the farm; Andy Stewart’s ‘White Heather Club’ was always a favourite, and I knew the words to ‘Donald, where’s your trousers?’ off by heart, though my Scottish accent was not always appreciated. According to my wife, it still isn't! Half a thimbleful of sherry would come my way - a great treat - and then at midnight we would listen to listen to Big Ben strike, chink our glasses (an old Celtic tradition which has come over into England, signifying friendship) and we would sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ together. And then off to bed, for the cows would still need milking in the morning, as ever.
In later years, I have happy memories of Watchnight services in my first Circuit. Watchnight services are a particularly Methodist thing to do. They began as a time of praise and worship on the last day of the year, and a time of reflection and prayer, asking God's forgiveness for the failings of the past and His blessing on the future. In most places now these sadly have been discontinued due to rowdy behaviour from those celebrating Hogmany, but it still seems appropriate to ask God's blessing as we approach a New Year.
The ancients used to celebrate New Year because of the optimistic belief that the New Year will be better than the old. As Christians if we celebrate at New Year let us do so with a better basis for our optimism; knowing that our hope and confidence are not vested in Governments, financial markets, or on other human beings who can all fail us, but in God Himself who is always with us and does not let us go. Because God is with us, in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, Emmanuel, we truly have something to celebrate at Christmas and New Year and the whole year through!!
May God bless you all this coming year.
John Davies
Dear Friends
A Happy Christmas…….
But what exactly does happiness consist of? I ask the question simply because recently I have had similar conversations with three or four people, who have all said at some stage
'I'll be alright if I could only win the lottery'. One added, 'The hope of it keeps me
going'.
On one level I can see where some are coming from - especially those struggljng to stay afloat financially. Personal debt is at an all time high; jobs, especially long term careers with some security, are increasingly hard to find, and many people are juggling bank accounts each month to such an extent that their life just centres round not increasing their debt - they have long since given up hope of paying it all back. Debt to this extent is corrosive and destructive, and I can understand anyone who hopes for a big win so as to have some security. We all need some stability in our lives.
I suppose I am more concerned with those whose dreams centre round a large pile of cash who already have jobs, homes, and a fair measure of security. Will winning a vast amount really change anything? For some it means a permanent holiday - personally there is only so much sun I can take, and I need routine and involvement with others before I can be really happy. For others it means the chance of limitless possessions; one lottery winner vowed recently
'I'll have a car for every day of the week' and now has seven. Yet once you have bought the fine house and the seven cars, then what? There are so many accounts of those whose relationships have failed, and who have ended up far less happy because they don't know how to handle their sudden good fortune, can't cope with being on a permanent holiday or can't cope with having their loved ones around them all the time. As one £2.1m. winner said recently, having blown the lot,
'I'm glad it' s all gone and I can get back to normal'.
The bible says that true happiness consists of coming to know God, and developing our relationship with Him. . An old hymn said
'I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold'. which I suppose sums it up for me. If God really is our Creator, and our Father, then for me it has always seemed obvious that until we have found out why He made us - or allowed us to exist - and we have found His purposes for our lives, then our lives are always going to lack that certain extra something that makes life worth living, and indeed all our possessions and the other things of this earth worth having.
This Christmas, if you want to know more about God's purposes for your life, and the difference that knowing Jesus can make, why not come to one of our services and find out more? You will be made very welcome. .
Every blessing,
John Davies
'Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing!'
Dear Friends,
At Synod we were asked to agree the amalgamation of several. Circuits to form one new Welsh Marches Circuit, running from Oswestry through areas like Llanymynech, Presteigne (Llanandras), Leominster, and Ludlow, and continuing below Hereford to the Cwm and Kingstone Circuit, which is near Abergavenny. It will make one vast Circuit over a hundred miles long, and will work in new ways; instead of the traditional Circuit structure which would mean a vast amount of travel, Churches will band together in clusters for mutual support whereas 'Circuit' events and meetings will be kept to a minimum. Strangely, I have roots in two different parts of the new Circuit, having worshipped in my formative years within the Cwm and Kingstone Circuit and then served as a Minister at Cleobury Mortimer before coming here to Walsall.
Historically the structures of Methodism have always been better suited to medium sized or large congregations, not least because as a denomination unlike the Anglicans we have never been able to subsidise the running costs of individual congregations. Nevertheless, compared to other nonconformist denominations such as the URC or the Baptists we have a significant number of small churches in
rural areas which we have only been able to sustain by having a Circuit system which enables a Minister (and the cost of a Minister) to be spread over a wide area. The challenge now is how to sustain that witness when the normal Circuit structure is too inflexible and expensive to be appropriate.
The new Circuit doubtless will face its challenges and teething troubles, but the idea has much going for it; running up the Marches as it does the whole Circuit will have a shared heritage and history, mutual concerns and challenges; also, rural people although parochial are used to travelling fair distances at times when necessary - when we were in the South Shropshire Circuit we well remember my uncle John, who lived near Monmouth, travelling up to Hereford to get a part reconditioned for the tractor and then 'dropping in' on us in Cleobury Mortimer (unannounced) for a cup of tea on the off chance that we were in!
At Harvest time we often remember the plight of those in the developing world, those who do not have a fair share of the world's resources, those who struggle for rights which we take for granted, those who strive against poverty and injustice; as well as all this, let us this year make a point of remembering those in our rural churches and Circuits who face many of the problems which we do in the towns and often have other problems of their own to face as well.
Praise God for the harvest of farm and of field, Praise God for the people who gather their yield, The long hours of labour, the skills of a team, The patience of science, the power of machine
Praise God for the harvest of conflict and love, For leaders and peoples who struggle and serve To conquer oppression, earth's plenty increase, And gather God's harvest of justice and peace
Every blessing,
John Davies
Dear Friends,
As you may have heard by now, in September Rev. Dave Bonny leaves us to take up a post as Chaplain to Woodhouse Grove School in Yorkshire. We will all be very sorry to see him go, although we know that the new post is very well suited to his talents.
The Circuit has been looking since last September for a new minister to look after his section of the Circuit, comprising Central Hall
(Walsall), Darlaston and Bentley churches, but have been ultimately unsuccessful, although the Connexional Stationing Committee and the Chair of the District have done their utmost to help us. The Methodist Church nationwide is nearly fifty ministers short this year, which does not help our situation.
Therefore it is intended that from 1st. September for a period of two years I will be taking on Central Hall in addition to my current section of Aldridge, Daw End, Coalpool and Kings' Hill. Meanwhile, Bentley and Darlaston will be looked after part time by Rev. Ray Goode, one of our Supernumerary (i.e. retired) Ministers. Ray was a Minister in this Circuit for many years and indeed was Superintendent Minister when I first came here 15 years ago. Rev. David Barker - our other Supernumerary Minister - will also be helping out where he can. We are most grateful to them both for their willingness to assist in this way. The section of the Circuit covered by Rev. Samuel Uwimana -
Moxley, Pleck and Caldmore - will remain unchanged.
It is also intended to look for a Lay Worker to work part time to help with Sunday Services, pastoral visiting, fellowship meetings etc. within my new section of five churches and thus make the workload manageable - we are currently about to advertise nationally for this position. This appointment would be very suitable for experienced preachers who have perhaps taken early retirement and who want to serve the church in a paid capacity or else those who have already got some experience as a preacher and who are now considering full time ministry and want to test out their calling.
At the end of two years we would then seek to re-enter the stationing process and find a suitable minister.
The next two years are obviously going to be a demanding time on us all, but nevertheless we hope that they will prove to be fruitful ones.
Every blessing,
John Davies
Dear Friends,
May in the Christian Calendar marks Pentecost – the Sunday when we celebrate the Holy Spirit equipping the early church for mission to the whole world, God’s power directly enabling the witness of those early Christians as never before, helping them to speak and teach and work for Christ, and in the process changing what had been a small Jewish sect into a worldwide movement made up largely of non – Jews, Gentiles.
For Methodists it is doubly appropriate in May to look back to our roots; not only as a part of the Christian church, but also as a Christian denomination – our founders John Wesley and his brother Charles were converted in May 1738, and the first Chapel, or Preaching House – the ‘New Room’ in Bristol – was opened in May 1739 (what a momentous year that must have been!), and so one way and another it is a month with a lot of significance for us. Even now, on May 24th, Aldersgate Day, many Methodist Circuits still hold a service of celebration to mark Wesley’s conversion.
As a people we Methodists are often quite good at looking back. We have a rich heritage, and not only do we have our historic roots in a particular century and set of social circumstances but because John Wesley and his teaching is so central to our belief and practice it is natural for us to look up to him, even to venerate him to a certain extent. Sometimes this looking back can take a rather strange form – one often wonders what non Christians and for that matter other Christians make of the Methodist habit of dressing someone up in a wig and 18th. Century clerical clothing and parading them round on a horse whenever we have something to celebrate, such as the opening of a new church for example.
But at its best when we Methodists look at Wesley we find inspiration; Wesley once wrote
“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you
burn!”, and anyone studying Wesley’s writings cannot help but to be struck by his sheer passion; his passion for those around him to know the love of God for themselves, his passion for improving peoples education, health and well being, his passion for social justice. His was a personality which could not be half committed to anything. His was a commitment to God which was total, complete, and absolute, and in that sense well worth imitating.
It is important to know where we have been but nevertheless it is more important to be focussed on the present. Whilst Wesley himself was a learned man and had a good knowledge of history he lived completely in the present, and with an eye to the future. We must do the same. The past can be a comforting place but we cannot live there – rather, we are called to live in the present and to meet the needs of the age in which we now are, and that means wholeheartedly seeking God’s guidance and power this Pentecost as we seek to move forward into the future. .
Towards the end of his life, John Wesley wrote. “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
May God help us to be true to both the message of Pentecost and the evangelical heritage of the
Wesleys.
Every blessing,
John Davies
Dear Friends,
God’s ‘Yes’
Have you come across the phrase ‘Quantitative Easing’ yet? It takes its place amongst a lexicon of phrases like ‘Extraordinary rendition’ and ‘Collateral damage’ which seem to mean exactly what their authors intend but which seem a bit obscure to those not in the know.
Technically all have specific meaning. ‘Collateral damage’ means unintentional damage to something as a result of action taken to destroy something else – it was used by the Americans of ‘friendly fire’ incidents (itself a somewhat strange phrase) in WW2 and has since entered the language. ‘Extraordinary rendition’ seems to mean the special transfer of something – in this case terrorists - to imprisonment or torture in countries other than their own. Both of these seem to originate with the American Intelligence services. As for ‘Quantitative Easing’ , it means ‘easing the amounts’, or in plain language increasing the supply, in this case of money into the economy, to try and re-inflate it. The phrase seems to have started in American Banking circles and transferred over to our own.
In Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll puts these words into the mouth of Humpty Dumpty: 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.' It seems that the movers and shakers in our society treat language in much the same way – whilst anyone can understand much of the Magna Carta despite its great age, or the Gettysburg address, many modern social documents are obscure, to say the least
In Matthew chapter five, in the ‘Beatitudes’ Jesus starts off by stating some Christian truths and then goes on to offer specific advice. In every case he goes far beyond the standards by which most people of the day would be living. And he tells them not to swear elaborate oaths, indeed, not to swear oaths at all, but to Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Matt. 5 vv 37.
As a people we are meant to be plain speakers, known for our honesty and transparent dealing with others. We are not meant to dress things up, or prevaricate, or hide behind things. And we are meant to deal with others in a straightforward way also because this is the way God deals with us.
As St. Paul says to the church at Corinth ‘The Son of God, Jesus Christ….was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. In Him it has always been ‘Yes’. For no matter how many promises God has made they are ‘Yes’ in Christ’. (2 Cor.1 v 19,20) Not only does Christ display God’s nature plainly and without prevarication, but also in Himself fulfils all God’s promises about saving mankind.
On that first Good Friday, in case any of those present escaped the significance of the Cross, or the One who was upon it, Pilate had a sign erected - ‘The King of the Jews’ - and fixed to it so the message was pain for all to see. And as we approach Easter in our own generation so Good Friday forces us and all humanity to come to terms with a cross on which God’s Son is hanging, a visible and plain sign of His love and forgiveness towards us and all people, and His willingness to suffer for our sakes and redeem the human race.
At Easter, through the cross, we see God’s love made plain before us – not easy to understand, but nevertheless plainly stated. May we by our words, actions and lifestyles make God’s love and grace equally plain to others, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
A Happy Easter to you,
John Davies
Dear Friends
Straining gnats and yet swallowing camels.
I was horrified recently to read that a Social Services department had uprooted two children from the care of their grandparents to be looked after by two gay men, despite that fact that apparently the girl concerned had a fear of strange men. Apparently the reason given was that the Council was concerned that given the age and health of the grandparents there was concern that the children would not be properly looked after, and the reason for placing the children with two homosexual men was that the Council concerned was
'committed to diversity'. So, for that matter, was a major supermarket recently when it banned personal jewellery except for that worn on religious
grounds. However, crosses and crucifixes seemingly do not count as it is not obligatory for Christians to wear them.
Within the last year committed Christians have been refused permission to adopt because of their faith - though this decision was later rescinded - and people who are obese (he
says with some feeling!!). have also been refused. Apparently society's commitment to diversity does not automatically extend to those who are Christian, and large.
Now we have the case of a nurse being suspended for offering to pray with a patient. There are several sides to this one. The nurse in question had previously been admonished for distributing prayer cards; she may therefore see herself as evangelizing. It is a question of what is appropriate in the situation. It isn't perhaps correct for a nurse to offer to pray unless she is absolutely sure she is speaking to someone who will not be offended - indeed. even though I enter
people's homes as a Minister, I do not myself offer to pray unless I feel sure the offer will be acceptable and not threatening.
But, having said all of that, it does worry me how often it is Christians - as opposed to those of other faiths - who are hauled over the coals for exercising their faith in society. This is particularly true on the grounds of morality. Although we should not look down on those who to us may lead immoral lives - the correct Christian response is that of sympathy, we are called to hate the sin and yet love the sinner - we are
getting to the point where one cannot in any way comment on anyone’s sexual or moral choices - or even make our own choices - without being found guilty of a lack of political correctness. Therefore landlords have been in trouble for refusing homosexuals permission to sleep in a double bed, and Christian
employers have been fined for refusing to take on staff who are gay.
Whilst zealots - fanatics - are always unattractive, and we are meant to love people into the Kingdom rather than to condemn their lifestyles. nevertheless we are heading for a situation in this country where as Christians we will not be able to make any public comment at all but will be forced to exercise our faith entirely behind closed doors. I haven't got any easy answers for this. but let us pray for Nurse Petrie and all like her who find themselves harshly dealt because of their faith - and let us pray also for a truly level playing field in which we - along with all faiths in this country - are treated with genuine fairness and impartiality.
Every blessing
John Davies
Dear Friends,
‘There most certainly is a God so…'
‘Currently Londoners are being treated to the sight of London buses adorned with the slogan “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” and posters stating “That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet”. These are the brainchild of an atheist who was annoyed at a Christian advertising campaign - which did not make its way to the Midlands - which stated ‘Jesus said’ and then directed people to a website promising eternal damnation to all who reject Him as Lord.
Interestingly, the word ‘probably' was added in case the statement offended Christians. Richard Dawkins apparently said he would have preferred the word ‘certainly’. In fact most Christian organisations have welcomed the campaign as it stimulated conversation about God and the nature of things!
There are all sorts of sides to this. Frankly, if I could think for a second that God did not exist that would not save me from worrying but start me worrying. How did all things come into being? Why are we here - and what for? Are we to go through life alone and then fade out, forgotten for ever, having bloomed and then been cut down? Why should not believing in God save us from worry? As to enjoying life, I have enjoyed life far more since becoming a Christian than ever I did before it. When I first committed myself to Christ I admit I thought of it as a total sacrifice of my previous life, and that I would lose so much I everything I enjoyed. I knew without being told I would no longer be able to go out on boozy nights with my mates - not that I did very often - or chase women with no idea of commitment etc. That there would be constraints on my life. But the knowledge of the love of God compensated for all that. I married a lovely Christian woman, and have known the fellowship of God with me through thick and thin. So, as for enjoy your life, I have proved to my own satisfaction that life is only really enjoyable with God.
But it has to be a personal discovery. It is said that when John Bunyan was a young man he went through a time of great bewilderment about religion, and the claims of Christianity to be supreme, saying
‘Each man thinketh his own religion rightest’
But when he felt the presence and love of God for Himself, discovered the peace of God, he ran round the study shouting
‘Now I know! Now I know!'.
Our job as Christians is to tell people that that personal discovery of God is possible, that His love can be found, and experienced and felt, and that with God life seems more enjoyable, more worth living - and goes on forever, and past death. But it matters how we get the message across. I am not sure we do that job best by telling people about a lake of fire when they want to find out more about what Christianity can offer!
May God help us to share the good new of His love with those around us, and may we be a positive witness within our community.
Every blessing
John Davies
Dear Friends,
A New Year's Resolution ?
The story is told of a man who wandered into a church one day. He had never been in one before, and walked around marveling at the stained
glass and beautiful furnishings, enjoying the peace and tranquility, the spiritual feel. 'What is this building? It's so peaceful' he asked another
man. 'It's a church', came the reply. 'It is where we come to worship God. He sent His Son to tell us that He loves us, and that if we accept His love and live in the power of His Spirit, then we can know His companionship day by day, and one day can live with Him in
heaven'. 'Wow!' said the visitor 'That is incredible! Tell you what - you had better keep all that to yourself or the place will be packed
out!' It's only a joke - and a rather old one - but there is truth in it.
When I first came in the ministry in 1982, I could reply on the fact that most people I came across - even those who were
'anti' Christianity - had some basic awareness of what the Christian message was which they were rejecting. Increasingly these days I find even amongst the older generation that that is not the case, and yet very often I also find that there is a beneficial side to this marginalisation - it seems to me that people are often open, willing to discuss spiritual matters as never before in my lifetime. They are curious as to what we believe, and what goes on within our walls, and they are pleasantly surprised when they come into church for a significant occasion such as a wedding, baptism, special Sunday or a funeral and find warmth, welcome and friendship.
So to me this increasing openness and curiosity posed - and poses - questions like:
How are we to be salt and light in the world, as Jesus put it - adding flavour to life for others, and giving them illumination about God? How do we share God's love in practical ways as a church and as individuals?
And also there were - and are - some more personal ones for me as an individual: Am I open enough about my faith with others? Upfront enough? Do I seize opportunities (NOT manufacture them) to share my faith? Is my lifestyle a good witness?
So a few months ago I decided to be a bit more open about the love of God and what that
means to me - and a bit more open in standing on my principles as a Christian as well - and I waited to see what would happen. And, amazingly I have found that in general this approach is accepted and welcomed - and it has led to many interesting conversations. Now I am the first to admit that it is easier for me than most, partly because I spend so much of my time with people from the wider community and partly just because of the dog collar. It is such an advantage being a marked man! But I am sure that there are all sorts of things we can do to be a bit more upfront about our faith if we think about it: - how about wearing a cross in your lapel or adding a fish to the boot of the car, or inviting the neighbours for coffee and getting to know them or just not being quite so embarrassed to use the phrase 'speaking as a Christian' - letting others know what we stand for when the occasion arises.
And undoubtedly the best witness is still a life transformed and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven John 5 v14.
Every blessing - and a happy New Year!
John Davies
Dear Friends,
Over the last few months we have nudged into recession. Credit is drying up, banks are collapsing right left and centre, businesses are folding, jobs are being lost. What, one might ask, is the point of celebrating Christmas in the midst of all this chaos?
Simply this.
Despite all the chaos and uncertainty, we can nevertheless find happiness and fulfilment in the knowledge that God loves us. Moreover, to say that is not escapism; as Christians we can go further than this and say that without knowing God and discovering His love we can never be truly happy however stable and settled our lives are, and without his help we can never really get our lives in order whatever the economic circumstances are.
Jesus came into a world 2000 years ago in which things were hard and lives were cheap. In the chaos of a Roman occupation the message of the angels came to a subject and downtrodden people in Judea
'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill to mankind' It was displayed loud and clear, sung by not just one but hosts of angels. And in that simple sentence, Peace and goodwill towards mankind, we learn God loves us and is concerned for our well-being. This must have seemed an incredible thing to those who first heard it - God was not simply their creator and judge but loved them! When he reached adulthood the teaching of Jesus was to spell this out - God is to be thought of first and foremost as our Heavenly Father, who invites us into a relationship with Him and is delighted when we acknowledge Him and come to know His love for ourselves.
So this Christmas let us rejoice that God loves us and let us ask Him to help us get our lives and priorities in order. And if we do not already know His love, let us resolve to begin a relationship with Him, start to try and know Him better.
And why not start that process off by coming to church on Christmas Day and worshipping Him?. - it's a friendly and informal service and you will be made very welcome!
Happy Christmas!!
John Davies
Rev John Davies writes
Dear Friends,
About forty years ago now the father of a friend of mine bought a house in what was, then or now, an unconventional manner. He met the vendors at the solicitor's office, opened a tatty briefcase, and paid in cash - both notes and coins. A farm labourer who would lose his tied house on retirement, he did not believe in banks or building societies and had saved all his life for that moment. I suppose the nearest that most of us come to that experience is the marvellous moment when the mortgage is finally paid off and we can relax - very, very few people in our society can pay cash in such a manner unless they are either very successful or have rather dubious sources of income.
Like it or not, we are all tied into a culture which lives on credit - and not just for mortgages. Over the last few decades it has been socially acceptable be in debt - something our forefathers were terribly ashamed of; indeed, in years gone by whilst businesses (and the middle and upper classes) could borrow, for everyone else the nearest they normally came was borrowing from family or going down the pawn shop -'uncles'.
Worse, living in debt is something which fewer and fewer people have had any real choice over - from the student loan to the dearth of cheap rented
accommodation, everything in modern society seems to be geared to a `buy now, pay later' mentality. And now, with the collapse of the sub prime housing market, large financial chickens are coming home to roost. We have seen Northern Rock and the Halifax teeter and fail, along with other bigger concerns in America, and there may be more to come. Meanwhile, the knock on effect is that due to the crisis of confidence credit for businesses is drying-up and retail concerns are suffering, whilst on a falling market it i's getting harder and harder to get a mortgage, especially for first time buyers. No-one knows yet where it will end though it is going to take years for things to recover, and doubtless one way or another the poor old taxpayer will lose out - if he/she still has a job to finance tax payments, that is, because jobs are already disappearing and the rate will only increase. There are going to be other casualties also. In times of crisis and shrinking markets the poor come off worst, and especially those in the third world. There will be more dependence on western charity, at a time when diminishing incomes mean that charitable giving is the first thing to suffer.
It is interesting that last week's controlling lesson was the tenants in the vineyard. Driven by greed, they kill their landlord's slaves and eventually his son. It seems far-fetched, and yet there were cases where tenants killed the slaves of their landlord - it was not a capital offence in most cultures though it would provoke a fine. The world banking system over the years has increasingly cast prudence to one side and likewise become driven by greed, fuelled by larger and larger bonuses for those at the top of the tree. They have sown the wind, and the entire world will reap the whirlwind. And it has to be faced that many of us have shared in the greed culture - or culture of perpetual growth, if you prefer - one way or another, even if it is only in enjoying a higher valuation on our houses than a healthy society can afford.
Is it too much to hope that out of all this financial chaos will come a saner society, where simple financial prudence is fashionable once again, and people save for what they want instead of borrowing so as to be able to `have it now'. Let us hope so, or all the pain will be for nothing. Meanwhile, let us remember in our prayers the victims of the current crash, including those made jobless, those made homeless, those without stability and security, those struggling to maintain and manage uncomfortably large debts, and those in the third world who have had even less influence on all this than anyone in the west but who will pay a large price.
Every blessing
John Davies
Rev John Davies writes
Dear Friends,
A message for Harvest time
One of the headings in a previous series of lectionary readings was Living responsibly in God's world and I think it still has something to say about practical Christian Stewardship; our attitude to the planet on which we live and on those who share it with us.
If we are to take Genesis seriously, one of the reasons we are all here is to look after the earth God created - not only to subdue it, to tame it, but to nurture it - to look after its wildlife and the domestic animals who share it with us and to make things grow. Yet the history of mankind suggests that whilst we are very clever at making things grow, we are not so good at conservation, and as a race tend to think of our own needs without much thought for the generations which follow us. As a nation we only have to look at how quickly we have used up much of the oil and gas reserves in the North Sea - and without even banking the vast revenues created. Norway by contrast has banked most of its North Sea revenue, some of which has gone into ecological projects.
I am not much of a fan of Brussels but nevertheless one of the effects of becoming part of the EEC has been to make us concentrate more on sustainable use, and on recycling. I remember over 30 years ago now being amazed to talk to someone from the Netherlands and discover that their block of flats were heavily insulated, their rainwater and waste water were reused, and the rubbish bins in the basement were collective and divided into compartments for easy recycling. Such things were unheard of here then; and we still haven't caught up. Our attitude to recycling is laughable. Many houses and flats have not got the capacity to store separately plastic, cardboard, metal, food plastic, other plastic, food refuse and newspapers - we would do better if there were central collection points on every street (as in Germany, normally discreetly hidden behind firs) or else - gasp - a collection of one type or the other every few days (France) or daily (some part of Spain). As it is, people don't have storage, & don't bother.
Instead, apart from the fortnightly collections of re-cycleables we all have to drive our cars to the local `recycling site' - entry on foot not allowed - which are miles away from anywhere (unless you happen to live in Aldridge or Leamore) Is it any wonder that people in Kings Hill without transport dump their rubbish (normally in neat bags) over our church wall? If we were serious about this there would be recycling centres within easy reach of everyone.
As ever, the church in Germany is leading the way. Church heating has been turned down, roofs insulated, flood lighting largely turned off, and congregations wear overcoats again. We Methodists are again about to discuss the creation of a new hymnbook in the UK, but in Germany as old hymnbooks wear out they are largely being replaced by data projectors.
On the continent the message has caught on that it is better for the environment to buy products which will last rather than making stuff which will become obsolete in a few years and be thrown away. So, it is no surprise that in Scandinavia the average age of a car on scrapping is 15 years (and 21 + for Volvos!) opposed to 10 -12 here. Over there it is common to buy a car new, or nearly new, and keep it until it expires, whereas in this country you will find nearly new cars outside quite impoverished homes. Cars should be transport, not status symbols.
For the sake of the planet we have to lose our consumerism, the notion that new is always best. Some years ago Shumaker coined the phrase live simply that others might simply live'. It is still good advice, and especially for Christians.
Every blessing,
John Davies.
Rev, John Davies writes
Dear Friends,
From the Methodist Conference to the Lambeth Conference ........
I don't know how many people have been following - or trying to follow - the events of the Lambeth Conference. It is of interest, if only because of what it is not doing - it is not allowing full and frank discussion about the issues that threaten to divide the Anglican communion, especially the appointment of practising homosexuals to the Ministry of the Church. Instead, there have been opportunities for people to share their beliefs and feelings, workshop style, but no real dialogue. Meanwhile, many bishops have stayed away on grounds of conscience, especially from Africa and South America. The constant
wavering on this issue, and the decision to admit women priests as bishops, have meanwhile caused the dialogue with the Catholic church to grow cold, indeed, positively icy.
To a Methodist - or at least this particular Methodist - all of this seems rather strange. In the first place, I sense we place a higher importance on collegiality and accountability in our denomination - it would be impossible for the strange situation of Rev. Gene Richardson to happen in our own church as he would be on a disciplinary charge.
As to women in the Ministry, John Wesley allowed women to help and support in the work of the church in ways unheard of in other denominations, we have had women Local Preachers and Deaconesses (now Deacons, who can be male or female) for generations and we have now been ordaining women as Ministers since the 70's - then women were 4% of those coming
forward for ordination, now women arte well over 50%. And in our practical way it was decided from the outset that if women could be ordained to the Presbyteral Ministry there was no reason why they should not hold high office - only one of our Presidents - Kathleen Richardson - has so far been a woman, but it made an important statement about the irrelevance of gender to the Lords work.
But to me perhaps the strangest thing of all is the constant coupling in Anglican thinking of the issue of homosexuality with the ministry of women. One can manage to be a conservative evangelical in Methodism and against allowing practising homosexuals into the Ministry and yet still be in favour of the ministry of women. There is no need for anyone to be a liberal theologically to embrace
women's ministry - unless one is an Anglican, it seems.
Surely, the two issues are - or should be - completely separate. There is no biblical grounds in favour of homosexuality, it is always implicitly or explicitly condemned. Yet there are good biblical grounds in support of the ministry of women, not least that Jesus actively accepted the ministry of women - cf. Luke 8 verses 2 and 3- and apart from the numbers of women greeted by name in the New Testament and the women who had churches meeting in their houses, there is even a mention of a woman being a disciple in Acts where the feminine use of the word is used. In a world where women-like children in the UK in a previous generation-were expected to be seen and not heard, this was nothing short of revolutionary, and surely would shape the Churches thinking about the place of women today.
As the Church of England continues to debate let us pray for the continuing unity of the whole Anglican Communion throughout the world, that a common understanding of biblical truth be found and adopted as a way forward, so that once again the most significant thing about Anglicanism is it's mission in the name of Jesus - not it's own ministry.
Every blessing.
John Davies.
Rev John Davies writes…..
Dear Friends,
Methodist Conference 2008
On the 6th. July Paula and I went with several others from the Circuit to see Rev. Samuel Uwimana received into Full Connexion as a Methodist Minister (this simply means seen as being fully in association with British Methodism). Samuel had already been ordained in Africa but has still had to go through a period of Probation and training and so that he could be formally received into British Methodism.
I went thinking I knew what to expect. After all, I had been to two previous Conferences, and had gone up just a few years ago now to Edinburgh to be sponsoring Minister at Mark Sherman’s ordination, as well as going to the last Conference at Wolverhampton on an informal basis as an observer when time allowed. As a rule I tend to find the business too drawn out and the worship far too stuffy, wordy and tedious. I had no reason to expect anything else this time.
In the event I was very pleasantly surprised. These days Conference is far shorter than it used to be and Ministers and Deacons are received into Full Connexion within the main Conference Sunday Service, and then Ordination services take place later on in the day. The worship was upbeat and reverential, the messages challenging, and although we sung some traditional hymns we also sang appropriate worship songs – indeed, I have been singing ‘Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart’ around the house ever since! There was a Zimbabwean singing group, and the collection went to the Methodist church in Zimbabwe to help them buy a truck to distribute aid.
One was aware of other changes too. The service now makes full use of a data projector and was available on the World Wide Web – so was much of Conference. Whereas one used to have to wait for the Methodist Recorder to come out, one could look at business on the computer as it unfolded which was very interesting.
I think what struck me most was that as a denomination we seem over the last few years to have rediscovered a sense of mission and purpose, and come to the collective realisation that God has not finished with us yet as a separate denomination, but still has something left for us to do. For years – indeed, since the sixties – we have been obsessed with statistics and especially the ones pointing out that we have an elderly membership and are in numerical decline. These things are undoubtedly so – yet not all of our congregations are dwindling, it isn’t the full picture and even where congregations are declining there is still great commitment, sacrifice and personal devotion, and it is good to see these things increasingly acknowledged . Perhaps the other thing which impresses me most about modern Methodism is the increasing emphasis on mission and evangelism, the conviction that all that we do has to be centred around God, focussed on Jesus and enabled by His Holy Spirit if it is to bear fruit.
Those with computers may find it interesting to have a look at the Methodist Website, which has a Conference section. http://www.methodist.org.uk/
May God bless Samuel and his family as he continues his Ministry here, and continue to bless His Methodist people as he continues to lead us on.
John Davies