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November 2001, Page 1.
Index of articles.
Vicar's Letters:
index,
Joint services,
Race & Faith,
Twinning,
Harvest,
Remember,
Christmas.
In this issue:
(November 2001)
Vicar's Letter,
Tithing,
CW Books,
Question.
Remember, remember
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see of no reason why gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.
Quite apart from anything religious, November has always been a month for remembering. Maybe it’s the effect of the clocks changing and the nights drawing in, and maybe it’s because as the year dies away we are all reminded that we are mortal too.
Times for remembrance are in the bible too, perhaps most obviously at Harvest where the people were to come before God in the temple, and make a declaration of family solidarity with Jacob their forefather:
A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation. But the Egyptians ill-treated us and made us suffer. Then we cried out to the LORD, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery and toil. He brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and he brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; so now I bring...
Whenever I read the passage I always notice how it looks backwards to history but also forwards to God being with his people as they stick close to him in faith. And this year, I’d like to invite you to look forward to God being with you too, as you follow Jesus.
At All Saints we celebrate the people who brought the news of Jesus to our land, built our church and other churches, told us about Jesus and encouraged us to put our faith in him. They are a “cloud of witnesses” encouraging us to go on with Jesus day by day.
On Guy Fawkes night we remember attempts to blow up our democracy. Maybe recent events too? Society might change, but evil will never beat Jesus’ followers.
On Remembrance Sunday we remember the sacrifice of many lives for our country. We Christians will also be remembering the one sacrifice which takes away sin, and thinking how we can ensure that what he achieved is not lost.
Our Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance (18th Nov at 6.30pm) is a chance to thank God for those who have died more recently. If they were here now, they’d be telling us to live life to the full in faith in Jesus.
On Advent Sunday, finally, we remember that Jesus is coming back again one day. Whether we meet him here, or whether we go to be with him first, we rejoice that he is on our side!
John Hartley