St. Paul's Church, Chippenham

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL – I am writing this as we celebrate Easter which is indeed a wonderful festival in the Christian year. But part of the joy comes as a contrast with the events leading up to it – in what we now (2000 years later) call Holy Week. I always appreciate marking Holy Week and we have held various services and events each year during this special week which takes us through the betrayal, trial and death of Jesus. But I was delighted with our 2009 response and the way in which people clearly engaged with our 24 Hours of Prayer.

We held it in the Ascension Chapel at St Paul’s church starting at 10am on Tuesday 7 April. I had asked different people to take responsibility for being there and leading a short time of prayer at the start of each hour – thank you for doing it! And it was lovely to hear them speak of just how much they got from the hour (and sometimes more) that they gave in prayer. I was particularly interested in the comments from those who had got up during the night to come down to the church to pray. Each one told me that it was a real privilege and that they had gained much more than they could ever have expected. As Ugandans say ‘God is good – all the time – and all the time – God is good – and that is his nature – wow!’

It seems the silence and darkness and the unusual time of being in church – say at 2am or 4am – helped those there to focus on God in a new way. I know there was also the challenge of keeping awake but it brought a discipline in focussing on what it meant to ‘watch and pray’ (Mark 14:38) with Jesus. When they were in the Garden of Gethsemane the disciples found it hard to stay awake – it is not easy – but there is real benefit in overcoming our human frailty.

There may be things that people will want to share with our churches about what God was saying to them and any ‘pictures’ or ‘words’ from God that there may be for our communities of faith. On the other hand it may be that most of what happened was between the individual and God. A private time of prayer and devotion. (I have heard that various people who were out of Chippenham that day took time to set an hour aside and pray with us. Thank you!)

Shall we do it again? Next year in Holy Week? I hope so……but people have also suggested that maybe we could do it again sooner than that. It is good to pray and it is right for churches to set time aside. So, what do you think? Should we pray like this more often? And when would be a good time? I do hope we can repeat it – it was a blessing to me and, I believe, the whole church.

VISITORS FROM UGANDA – as I write this we are hoping to have visitors from Mukono during May (to help celebrate the 40 anniversary of the diocesan link with Uganda). Bishop Paul and his wife Margaret have obtained their visas and will arrive on Friday 1 May. We also hope to have another couple – but they have been denied visas! (Our country can be very unwelcoming to people who simply want to visit us!) We expect Bishop Paul will preach at St Paul’s on Sunday 3 May at the 10am service.

He will also be at the Deanery Celebration on Tuesday 5 May at 7pm at Biddestone Village Hall – a meal for £5 and a Ugandan youth choir – all are welcome – please book with Simon Tatton-Brown 01249 656834. Bishop Paul is taking part in the Confirmation on Wednesday 6 May at Box at 7.30pm; and also at the Diocesan Celebration Service at 3.30pm on Sunday 10 May in Bristol Cathedral. Come and rejoice at our link with Africa and our part in the worldwide church.

CONFIRMATION – we have a number of young candidates (Matthew Sadler, Jonathan & Matthew Warren, Ellen Summers, Hannah Asbridge, Stephen Townsend) and some adults (Rob Kingsland, Lisa Galeozzie, Phil Broughton, Paul Caccavale) being confirmed this year. It takes place at 7.30pm on Wednesday 6 May and it is always great when church members come along to support those taking this significant step of faith. Please pray for them and support them!

CHRISTIAN AID SERVICE – this town-wide service will take place at 6.00pm at Central Methodist Church on Sunday 10 May. A shame it is on the same day as the Uganda service in Bristol but I will hope to get to them both. (There is no evening service at St Paul’s this day.)

GROUP SERVICE – is on Sunday 3 May at 6.30pm at Langley Burrell. All welcome!

ARCHDEACON’S VISITATION – a gentle reminder to all church wardens (both last years and those newly elected) that you (along with the clergy) are summoned (!) to appear before the Archdeacon at his Visitation on Wednesday 13 May at 7.00pm at Lacock church. I hope we will all be able to go a large group together. (If this date is not possible for you there are alternatives – see the notice at the back of each church.) This is a rather outdated practice of the CofE – but it does mean that our church leaders are formally appointed on behalf of the diocese!

OPEN TO GOD – will be in St Paul’s hall at 7pm on Sunday 17 May. Come along!

THEMES & READINGS – will be as follows at the morning services during May, they are some of Jesus’ words to his disciples (giving shape to what they should do after his resurrection)

• 3rd – “Come & eat” – John 21:1-14
• 10th – “Go & tell” – Matthew 28:16-20
• 17th – “Follow me” – Matthew 9:9-13
• 24th – “Over to you” – Acts 1:1-11
• 31st – Pentecost – Acts 2:1-13

MIDWEEK BIBLE READINGS – at our midweek services of Holy Communion (10am on Wednesdays at St Paul’s – and 10am Thursdays at Kington St Michael) we are having a series on the prophet HABAKKUK (and marking Ascension Day).

• 6th & 7th – Habakkuk complains – Habakkuk 1:1-2:1
• 13th & 14th – God answers – Habakkuk 2:2-20
• 20th & 21st – The Ascension – Acts 1:1-11
• 27th & 28th – Habakkuk prays – Habakkuk 3:1-19

PRAYER FOR THE MONTH – is a meditation on fair-trade and the difference we can make by buying FAIRTRADE goods.

It starts with a change
So outwardly insignificant
That no one would notice
Except the person
Behind you in the aisle

Just a moment of grace
When instead of seeing
Rows of labels

On a supermarket shelf
You imagine the people
Behind them,
Tilling the earth,
Sowing the seed,
Gathering the crops.

And you pause,
Wondering,
What their names are,
Where they live
What difference it will make

If your hand picks up
This box instead of that,

Wondering; how do I
Love these neighbours?
Can I help change
This child’s long journey for water,
Her mother’s lack of healthcare,
The prospect her father faces
Of another year when he cannot
Meet his family’s needs

Just a moment,
And the person behind you,
Her impatient baby
Squirming in the trolley,

May never realise
That in that brief hesitation

A life hung in the balance.

Simon Tyndall