THE LANCE FEBRUARY 2019 www.stgeorgesjesmond.org.uk Candlemas Poem The Offering (A Song of Simeon) Old Man, you’ve sown the years longing for the harvest, hoping for the green shoot to appear. Fragrant with perfection, He is here: wanting to be purified, waiting to be crucified. And His mother, offering her Lamb, gives Him to your open arms so you can finally die in peace knowing that the Promised One is born. In gratitude you will whisper that her heart will break. (Eve Forti) Front Cover: Presentation of Christ in the Temple Willem de Poorter – 1600s. 2 Letter from Berlin Well, what a start we have had to this new year! As I write it is about 48 hours since Mrs May’s Brexit plan was voted down by an epic majority, and 24 hours since she survived a vote of no confidence in her government by a slim majority. There are innumerable voices presenting alternatives - and few people listening to anyone else. Where are we heading? And how can we as Christians best move forward in the confusion and chaos which surround us..? As I write, I am in Berlin. Today I have visited among other things a bombed out church, the site of the Berlin Wall, and a bookshop. Perhaps they offer some pointers for us. To start with the bookshop: I found a book by 45 children’s illustrators called Drawing Europe Together.. The illustrators are from across Europe and include Judith Kerr (The Tiger that Came to Tea) and Axel Scheffler (Gruffalo). Two of the illustrations in the book struck me particularly. In one, titled ‘Britain takes the biscuit’, a mouse is clutching his biscuit with a small piece of one cheese, sealed inside a glass dome such as one sees over cheese. Nearby sits a huge cheeseboard groaning with diverse offerings, which he can see but not touch... He is cut off. A second illustration - A Tear for Europe - says that there will al- ways be a little corner of our umbrella to shelter a friend. In the picture a person is weeping into a puddle that looks like a Union Jack which lies beneath an um- brella - blue with yellow stars from which one has fallen - into the puddle? The picture conveys sadness - and relationship. The site of the Berlin Wall was accompanied by an exhibition which traced the way in which one particular space along that wall grew and flourished, became a focus then for political rallies, was severely damaged under allied bombing and then was a key point in the boundaries between sectors as the wall grew, a space where many died, but some also found freedom. In 1989 three days after legislation allowed free movement between East and west, this place was the first to be broken open, and saw streams of people joyfully passing through. Since then a massive programme of renewal has taken place, so that the whole is transformed. 3 The bombed out church - and its modern replacement - stand as a memorial to the insanity and uncontrolled power of conflict and war. In them are remem- bered a wide variety of people: the members of the Confessing Church who were martyred or imprisoned for their opposition to the Nazis, the many many thousands on all sides who died in the mad violence of war and the many - Jews, Christians and other minorities - young and old - who were summarily dis- patched to death camps. The old church contains a cross of nails from Coventry Cathedral - and each day prays the Coventry prayer for reconciliation. The new church has at its heart an immense statue of the risen Christ, arms outstretched, and lifted high, including all. We begin this month with Candlemas, in which we turn from the manger, and focus instead on the cross and what lies beyond... At this service candles remind us that even in dark moments, there is light - the light of Christ - the light of God’s love for us. If we find time to pray, to connect with God, and to listen to and care for and connect with our neighbours, that love will sustain us through whatever comes, and transform our future. May the Lord bless you and keep you… Pauline Pauline Pauline has been asked by Bishop Christine to be seconded to the Christ the King Team, to look after St Columba’s Church, Wideopen, for the next 6 months – to help them find a way forward together at a time of change, and to work on how they can be more integrated into the Team. She will be starting with them on 3rd February for Candlemas: so 20th January is her last Sunday morning for the next six months. She does hope to continue with a few things in the week, particularly, C&YP, contributing to the Lent Course and working on the Faith and Daily Life Exhibition and Event. 4 She is still part of the team here, so she will keep in touch! Brian Hurst. Pauline, the sad part is that you will be leaving us for six months, which will be to the benefit of Christ the King Team and St Columba’s Church.....the good part is that we can look forward to your return at the end of your secondment. They are very fortunate to have you, just as we are – and we are happy that you will still keep in touch. “Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. It simply means we will miss you until you return to us.” Barbara Gardner Boldon Farm- house Pantry Creative and imaginative catering, a truly personal service and team work is our recipe for success with all the practicalities taken care of! All our menus are freshly prepared and your food will either be deliv- ered to the venue or prepared in situ. We will ensure your event is both memorable and enjoyable. Find us at: Westray, 26 Akenside Terrace, Jesmond. Tel 281 6025 enquir- [email protected] 5 Epiphany Gifts Photographic evidence shows that this year, knitting arrived before the gold, frankincense and myrrh - and, as one knitting friend remarked, much more practical gifts than those of the wise men!!! Box 16 contained 65 hats 15 knitted scarves 2 baby jumpers 7 children’s sweaters 6 pairs of children’s mittens 3 pairs of children’s gloves 2 knitted dolls 1 knitted toy duck 1 pack of knitted blanket squares 2 small blankets 2 packs of men’s socks (from November) The shipping costs of £14.40 were covered by donations and 2 full banana boxes arrived in Telford on Wednesday, January 8th. This was a wonderful start to 2019 for our Knitting Project. Thank you to the committed individuals who continue to fill the box at the back of church. These gifts will give more than physical warmth to the Syrian refugees who will receive them. The gifts of love and hope are priceless. The following email from Barbara Hatton arrived on Friday, January 11th: "Hello Elizabeth, I have just returned from PR House and collected the notes of deliveries. Thank you for your parcels with such a wonderful selection of knitted goods. It couldn't have come at a better time, as we are collecting as many knits and blankets as we can in the shortest possible time. UNICEF predict that as many as 6,000,000 may die this winter in Syria from the cold. This is an absolute outrage when ones considers they have lost their 6 homes, many their families too and now they may die from cold. GFA set a tar- get to save 100 children, and appealed for blankets of all kinds and knitted goods. We have surpassed that figure and hope now to make the figure 200 and your parcels, full of lovely warm knits, will make a valuable contribution to our mission. Please pass on our thanks to all who have contributed and assure them that many lives will changed because of their hard work and generosity. With many thanks and all good wishes for 2019, Barbara So, we will keep on knitting......(or shopping!) Elizabeth Rhodes "What you do for the least of my brothers and sisters......" EVANS of jesmond opticians William R. McCall BSc Hons GOC 01-15082 28 Acorn Road, Jesmond Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 2DJ Telephone: 0191 281 4145 7 New Year resolutions Christmas is lovely but there reaches a time around New Year when I begin to reflect a bit. We have seen all the family, our precious new grandchild, Clara, has arrived, the chaos needs (attempted sorting), and this year our ‘Epiphany’ cards need writing and sending. Like lots of people by now, I’m jaded, a bit tired and grumpy and it’s too easy to forget to say thank you. I have thought a lot about this forgotten grace and realised on Christmas Day how intertwined it is with forgiveness. In Brian’s Christmas sermon he talked about the book ‘The Choice’, which I read when I was recovering last year – it’s a precious book with an important message which is equally important in less awful situations. It reminded me of another book by the French writer, Marie de Hennezel, ‘The Warmth of the Heart Prevents Your Body from Rusting’, (February 2012). Forgiveness goes hand in hand with thankfulness and affirmation. This means, for me, and as a church, that we all need to learn to forgive and say thank you – frequently – if we are to grow. So I’m hoping to try to practice this a bit more and perhaps that will help this to prevent me from rusting anymore! Some of the grandchildren went to York Minster on Christmas Eve, to a packed Crib Service – they came home delighted with small knitted angels as a lasting reminder of the service, and importance of God’s angels.