Issue 1 number 1 October 2014 Minimum price 25p The Window News and Views from the Parish of Abingdon-on-Thames ‘Preach the Gospel at all times, use words if you have to’ The Revd Dr Michael Beasley ark Twain said ‘It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.’. This is particularly true of words I often M hear about St Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is celebrated on October 4th. I’d be a rich man if I had a pound for every time someone said to me, ‘Well, as St Francis said ‘Preach the Gospel at all times, use words if you have to’’. The problem is that there’s no evidence that St Francis ever said any such thing. On the contrary, it’s clear that St Francis talked to people about the Gospel a lot. He preached about the Gospel in churches, while standing on straw bales in villages, on a box in towns, to serfs, landholders, merchants, women, clerks, and priests: in fact to anyone who gathered to listen to him. Francis used poetry and images to drive his message home. When he described the Nativity, listeners felt as if Mary was giving birth before their eyes; in describing the crucifixion, the crowd (as did The Editors Francis) would shed tears. So why does the phrase ‘Preach the Gospel at all times, use words if you have to’ have such Andrew Colborne currency? I think this stems from a number of causes. Firstly that the words we say about Alexandra Green Jesus may be rejected by those who hear them. Secondly that we’re conscious that the Anne Gould evidence of our imperfect lives won’t necessarily back up the words we say. Thirdly that we Sheila Hills live in a culture that is suspicious of words, too often used by one group of people to gain Silvia Joinson power over others. Yet I can’t help but feel that such causes give excuse for a cop out with David Pope which St Francis would have had little truck. I think he’d have challenged us with the words Carol Worthington of St Paul ‘How are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without some- Copy for next issue one preaching?’ (Rom. 10:14). to Parish Office or The answer to all this is that we need both words and deeds. I saw this most distinctly a via email by 5th of couple of years ago when I took part in a parish mission to Witney where our team was preceding month joined by three Franciscan Friars, latter day followers of St Francis. As chance would have it, the brothers managed to be on Witney Green each afternoon as the students at Henry Box E-mail: Secondary were coming out at home time. The students were fascinated, and in truth StHelensWindow appalled, by the lifestyle of poverty, chastity and obedience of the men they met. The students couldn’t quite cope with people who’d turned down flat the values of wealth, @gmail.com sexual freedom and individual choice that our cultural environment tells us are the true path St Helen’s Parish to happiness. The encounters between the friars and the students were……… memorable. But they weren’t silent. When challenged about their distinctive lifestyle, the friars were Office: St Helen’s able to respond along the lines of St Peter who said ‘Always be ready to make your defence Court, Abingdon to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with OX14 5BS gentleness and reverence.’ (1 Peter 3:15-16). So do preach the Gospel at all times. Use deeds that evidence the hope that is in us. Use Tel: 01235 520144 words that speak of it. PS There is a glorious apocryphal tale about the supposed saying of St Francis that I must The Window is avail- share with you. An archdeacon visited the parochial church councils of a diocese showing able to download from them a flipchart page that bore the words ‘Preach the Gospel at all times, use ________ if www.sthelens- you have to’. He invited those present to fill in the blank. It’s reported that 70% said ‘force’. abingdon.org.uk But I’m sure that couldn’t possibly be true of any reader of The Window! Michael Beasley is the Director of Mission for the Diocese of Oxford 2 October 2014 From the Revd Michael Goode, Rector of St Helen’s 1993 - 2005 and founder of St Helen’s Window Is it really 18 years since we launched St Helen's Win- We originally called our Magazine St Helen’s Win- dow? Believe it or not, this must have been before dow because we wanted to provide an outlook on soci- Facebook and Twitter and so a very different world ety and the world that reflected a gospel that exists to from the one in which we now find ourselves. Any- ‘renew the face of the earth’. I pray that this new pub- way, this particular antique ex-editor sends warmest lication will help its readers to discover the heights congratulations on your re-launch, together with very and depths of the love of God, as well as the chal- best wishes for the future. lenges and opportunities for the gospel at this present What's a Parish Magazine for? One answer is that it time. Today is a time for listening as well as speaking, for reflection as well as prophecy, and I hope that The exists to promote the Good News of the Gospel as it is Window will play its part in assisting you to pursue being lived out in particular Christian communities. It's got to be a step forward that now The Window is your particular vocation in your particular setting. not just an expression of the life of St Helen's, but also So - every blessing in this new venture, not only for of St Nicolas’ and St Michael's, reflecting your new The Window, but also for the new parish of Abingdon- association together in the parish of Abingdon-on- on-Thames! With warmest good wishes and prayers Thames. from Jenny and myself. News from the Parish The Rector and Wardens are pleased to announce that later in the autumn, and details of a formal farewell to the Revd SokHan Yong has been appointed as Associ- SokHan will be announced in due course. We wish ate Minister for Chinese Ministry at St Andrew's SokHan and her family every good wish as she moves church, Hong Kong. She will take up her appointment to the next stage of her ministry. CURSILLO National Ultreya 30 August 2014 Dorothy Donald and Jean Bryce took part in the Cur- After the Eucharist, there was a lunch break, and then sillo National Ultreya (a traditonal greeting of en- there were the reunion groups, members coming to- couragement to fellow pilgrims) in August this year at gether to discuss spiritual matters and encourage each Canterbury. Here is Jean’s other. With the numbers pre- account of the event. sent, we moved into groups of four, five or six, which went Dorothy and I were staying in surprisingly smoothly. Dorothy different places and travelling and I were in separate groups. separately, so had planned to My group of five came from meet up near the cathedral later four other dioceses from all in the day. On my way to meet parts of the country. Later on Dorothy, stopping for a rest on back in the main group there a seat, two ladies were already was a Witness Talk and Responses to it. Final songs there. One of them had a rainbow bangle on her wrist. and worship ended the day at 4.00. The rainbow is one of the symbols of the Cursillo movement. Speaking to them it appeared that they too In the evening there was a fish and chip supper in the had come to Canterbury for the Ultreya, all the way Students’ Dining Hall, for those with superabundant from South Wales. energy. Registration for the event was in the cathedral Chapter At the end of the Ultreya, there was a morning Eucha- House. Before moving into the cathedral we had sing- rist at the cathedral, before Dorothy and I travelled ing, worship and welcome at the Shirley Hall, Kings home, after a very uplifting and enjoyable weekend. School. At 11.00 we moved into the cathedral with all the Cursillo banners (although, sadly, not one from Next year - Blackburn! Oxford). The Eucharist at 11.30 was taken by the www.anglicancursillo.co.uk Bishop of Dover. October 2014 3 The Millennium Screen Silvia Joinson The screen at the west end of the south aisle was professions, organisations, businesses (some no made in 1995 as part of the celebrations of St longer!) and our twin towns. Helen’s Church Millennium. Mary Barton The screen was gener- organised the needle- ously sponsored by work. Nineteen years Christ’s Hospital. Much later it was in need of of it was designed by some TLC and Jenny Liese Cattle and Peter Morris has now fin- Clarke made the frame. ished restoring it. Tom Hudson, who was It is made up of ten verger at the time and panels, five on each noted for his handiwork, side, which were varnished it, and Maurice designed to be a perma- Armstrong fitted the em- nent record of the main broidered panels.