In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus teaches us to identify and serve people’s needs where they are, to make a difference to them and to keep on the case.
The Samaritan, unlike the priest and Levite, had his eyes on the world around him and the call of that beaten up man. The priest and Levite were strict legalists. Like the community police man who let a boy drown because he had not done health and safety training they went by their ritual law book which said you’d be made unclean if you touched a corpse. They left the man for dead.
The Samaritan, a religious outsider, obeyed a higher law than religion, the law of God and of common humanity. He met the man’s needs. He made a difference, He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
Furthermore the hero of the tale kept on his case. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.”
The parable speaks about our mission calling as followers of Jesus.
We are called to identify people’s needs and go serve them. Serve them not on our terms but theirs. Serve them without getting in the way of what’s best for them. Serve them also with a view to their ongoing welfare.
A year ago forty of us met one Sunday after service in the Martindale to seek vision for the future and to begin to set priorities for St Giles for 2010 to 2015.
Four groups of us identified independently the same three priorities: renewing our worship, engaging with youth and families and enhancing our buildings.
Over the last year the PCC has been overseeing progress on this vision. Last month we submitted an updated parish MAP to the bishop and this is copied for you in this week’s news sheet.
How are things going a year on? What have we done to accomplish these priorities? What needs to be done? How can we as church members better serve this planned action?
Our MAP is about perceived needs and serving them in an ongoing way.
We have a big vision as a church – God’s glory and the salvation of the world – but we have a tight focus: renewing our worship, engaging with youth and families and enhancing our buildings.
What must I do to inherit eternal life? …You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.
In today’s Gospel Jesus gives us the big vision and illustrates it in a focussed example.
This morning we are reminded of St Giles’ aspiration to serve that same vision with its own particular focus. Like the Good Samaritan we are keeping on the case.
A year on how are we delivering on our three priorities?
First renewing worship. Over the last year we have offered the Holy Eucharist Sunday by Sunday with a monthly variant of all age eucharist at 10am and Book of Common Prayer at 8am. The meaning and significance of word and sacrament has been unpacked for us by a good variety of preachers including some church members.
Outside of Sunday eucharist our worship has included services of reconciliation, healing ministry, Taize, hours of contemplation, devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, lay led evening prayer and the Saturday prayer group. Individuals have been discovering the sacraments of confession and anointing.
A major thrust in preaching has been the call to adopt a rule of daily prayer and bible reading and better preparation for the self offering called for by participation in the eucharist.
This autumn we will be running a prayer exploration fortnight on three Thursday evenings starting 21st October. These will involve receiving 20 minutes teaching on an aspect of prayer, 20 minutes praying together and 20 minutes reflecting in threes on the prayer experience.
Brother Roger of Taizé once said ‘when the church becomes a house of prayer the people will come running’. Renewing worship is about renewing the prayerfulness of its participants more than it is about changing service formats important as they are.
Our second mission action priority has been to engage with youth and families.
Over the last year Sunday Club has had something of a revival thanks to an increase in volunteer leaders and excellent connection with Wednesday’s First Steps in the Martindale. At the same time we have seen the hopefully temporary suspension of the Junior Choir though I am aware of musically gifted children who would like to join up and of some individuals who might offer their services to get things going again. On other fronts I have been getting alongside village youth activities alongside my regular commitment to visit the elderly and housebound. The MAP mentions an aspiration to run a parenting course which we would like church members to help lead.
Our third mission action priority has been to enhance buildings for better witness. Over the last year we have seen quite a lot of work on church culminating in the south transept renewal which is accomplishing at this time the long overdue refurbishment of the sacristy and vestry areas. The completion of the repairs recommended at the last five yearly inspection is also in hand, primarily the painting of our porch and sections of the Lady Chapel and sanctuary walling now dried out after water penetration.
On the MAP you will see that we are working towards better Christian witness through the Martindale Centre and towards creating amenities including toilets at St Giles.
At the vision day last year we recognized that any church to grow requires, beyond awesome yet accessible worship, parking, heating and toilets. The PCC is working through its fabric committee to engage with our architect on the best plan for amenities. These are the lowest, longest term priority. Above them stands the Martindale.
Last year at the vision day people felt that St Giles needs the Martindale to engage with Hosted Keynes and go half-way from the church site to where most people live. Over the year we have held special worship and social events there. Church members are involved in the Wednesday First Steps and Thursday coffee morning as well as, less up front, in the youth club, gym and scouting activities. Over the last year work has gone into clearing out the basement rooms and spaces in the Martindale. Numerous possibilities exist for developing Christian work there but their development and the improvement of what goes on there from the point of view of connecting with St Giles is up to church members.
This is the main challenge for us as we plan our mission action. Are there church members who could work with the Martindale Committee to be link people for the activities listed in the news sheet? Or members who would like to run their own evangelistic or other events that would help people in Horsted Keynes to meet up for a good cause or for Christian formation?
In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus taught us to identify and serve people’s needs where they are, to make a difference to them and to keep on the case. When it comes to the action we’re planning in the coming year for prayer, youth or buildings we need like the Good Samaritan to see from God what’s needed and be generous in providing for it with an ongoing commitment.
The Lord bless us through this eucharist as we express our love for him!
The Lord guide us, individually in the coming week and corporately in the coming year, as we seek better expression of the love for our neighbours that he is calling us to.
In particular may he bring such life to the Martindale Centre that it earns a coat of paint!
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