Stainglass window
Christmas 2011
3rd Dec Advent Party
12th Dec @ 2pm
Carol Service at Oak tree Court
16th Dec @ 2.30pm
Carol Service at Stratford Court
17th Dec @11am
Carol Singing outside Co-Op
18th Dec Nativity and Christingle Service and Carol Service
24th Dec @ 11pm (Service starts at 11.30pm
United Service at URC Etwall Rd
25th Dec @10am
Christmas Day Service
Pulling Out All the Stops"
Dear Friends,
My Sunday morning "Going through the Alphabet" got interrupted last month when I was unexpectedly unwell. a number of people have asked me what happened to "O". Well for those of you interested, it was going to be: "O is for ........Organ". As I'm sure you know we have a particularly impressive Church Organ (which we spent quite a lot of money on a couple of years ago). It is organ playing that leads to an expression, which is forever fixed in my mind. I can still see it now, written on my end-of-term school report (you ask my mother!!): "If Jonathan is going to have any chance of passing his Physics exam, he will have to pull out all the stops"
There it is! As I am sure all of you who have ever sat in church on a Sunday know, "pulling out all the stops" means giving it everything you've got- no holding back! It describes whole heartedly going into something with enthusiasm. While there are times when the organist certainly doesn't want to pull out all he stops in worship (there are quite meditative hymns and songs, as well as noisy ones!), in general life, and in church life in particular, I'd like to encourage you to think about pulling out all the stops.
Now I know as well as everyone that we are all very busy people, and there are plenty of other things, which we have to think about and do. And there are times when we all feel we don't really want to go to church- and I do mean all of us. Even ministers feel like that sometimes! You may have heard the story of the mother calling her son, who was still in bed: "Son, it's getting late. You must get up and go to Church," came the reply down the stairs, "Give me two good reasons why you shouldn't go to church"
"First I don't like the people. And second the people don't like me!" "I don't care. It's getting late. Now get up and go to church." "Give me two good reasons why I should go to church" "First you are 50 years old. And second you are the minister!"
But I also believe we can always find the time for things we really want to do. this month we will be hearing again about the opportunities for service in the church as a Deacon, and in other ways. Will YOU seriously think about it? If you love this place , then will be willing to give just a little of your time to help in the running of it?
Commitment has become a bit of a dirty word in our society at the begining of the 21st century. yet nothing is worse than a thing which is done half-heartedly, as if we can't really be bothered. And sad to say, many people seem to treat church like that.
When I was iun my teens, a number of local youth groups wrote some prayers based on familiar hymns. One based on "When I survey the wondrous cross" was so good, it was eventually published. Let me finish by quoting part of it:
"All the vain things charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood
Lord, if I think of such words they frighten me.
What have I really sacrificed for you?
What has itr cost me to be a Christian?
What have I really given up for you?
I do not want to make sacrifices.
I just want to sit at home and be comfortable.
The whole realm of nature -an offering far too small
And what have I given for you?
A pound a week?
An odd hour each Sunday in your house?
A few minutes a day to speak to you?
You demand my soul, my life, my all
And I give you loose change.
I give you a few spare moments of my time.
I keep most of everything for myself.
My faith - a hobby
A spare time interest"
Your friend and pastor,
Jonathan Calvert