Julie's Jottings for October

A Season of "Service Not Self" at St Mary's Church
Sacrifice, gratitude, and securing a future for others, these are powerful themes at the heart of our October services at St Mary’s Church. Throughout the month, we will be reflecting on the principle of "Service Not Self," focusing both on our history and how we might enact our freedom today by acting in the interest of our global community.

We celebrate our Harvest Festival on 4 October.  We are the fortunate beneficiaries of both a literal harvest of food and a civic harvest of freedom. During our Harvest Festival services on 4 October, we will celebrate this abundance while looking out for the 'tomorrow' of others. We have an opportunity for us to share our abundance with those who struggle as a result of natural disaster, war, or failed harvests.  We will give money for the Christian Aid Appeal, and give produce to the local Food Bank at Haverhill.  In this we aim to plant our own seeds—giving a portion of our "today" (our wealth and resources) to secure a "tomorrow" for global neighbours facing poverty, conflict, or climate change.  There is a bring and share lunch after the service.

The following week, 11 October our 10:00 am service will officially lay up the old Royal British Legion (RBL) standard flag. The RBL standard is far more than an organisational banner; it is a sacred object of remembrance, civic pride, and national gratitude. All RBL standards are dedicated before their first use at a commissioning service as a mark of this. Without words, the flag communicates some important messages about our thankfulness for the sacrifice of those who died, and the value we place on our freedom and an acknowledgement of those who continue to keep the memories and values alive by their service today.

It is paraded during civic events, particularly Remembrance Day, and at funerals. During the Last Post, it is lowered to a 45-degree angle to pay tribute to the fallen, before being proudly raised again. It reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice made by local people in wars, and it draws us towards our shared values. As the famous Kohima epitaph states: "When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today."

The fallen soldiers planted a harvest of peace and freedom that could grow for future generations. As we lay up a flag that has inspired local people to serve their country, we warmly invite you to join us this October to give thanks, remember, and also to reflect on how we might focus on “Service not self”.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Rev Julie Norris
 

Reflection for October

We celebrate the Feast Day of St Luke on October 18th

Saint Luke, one of the four evangelists – the writers of the Gospels, was rather the odd man out. He was not Jewish, he was a gentile, a doctor by profession, Greek, a convert to Christianity from Antioch in Syria. He was not one of the original twelve apostles.  He had never met with Jesus Christ, but he enquired most assiduously of those who did know Him as he compiled a record of Jesus, life and of His divine nature. For years Luke travelled with Paul, and with him would have had time and opportunity to develop on what he had already discovered, and to identify and speak to others in the early church who would share their stories with him.  His Gospel contains highly detailed descriptions of Jesus' early life, the Annunciation, and Mary's visit to Elizabeth. Historians and tradition suggest that Luke knew Mary personally and heard these stories directly from her. Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles which documents the growth and history of the early Christian Church guided by the Holy Spirit.

 Luke’s Gospel was, not surprisingly, written for gentiles, for people just like ourselves. He focuses deeply on mercy, forgiveness, and compassion for the poor, for outcasts, and for sinners. Scholars often call his work the "Gospel of Women" because he frequently highlights marginalized figures, female disciples, and widows. He uniquely features famous parables which describe Jesus's mercy and compassion, such as the Good Samaritan, (10:25-37) and the Prodigal Son, (15:11-32). 

The story of the Prodigal Son is quite exceptional. The boy having thrown away his money and being totally at a loss, decides to go back to his father. “Forgive me father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you”.  Did his father start by giving him a well-deserved telling him off? No! He embraced him, covered him with a cloak, put the family ring on his finger and ordered a celebration. Jesus said, “I tell you that there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent”, (15:7).   Frederick Faber’s hymn “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy” says it all: 
                                               
                                                    For the love of God is broader
                                                     Than the measure of man’s mind;
                                                     And the heart of the Eternal
                                                     Is most wonderfully kind.               
 
Thanks be to God. Amen.                                                                                                                                                                       David Peacock