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As a Post Script to my Article about the Ministry of Consolation last week, I would like to state that this Ministry is STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

Funeral of Margaret Westcar:  Gary Westcar is asking if anyone filmed or took any photo’s of the procession leading up to the church service.  If so, please could you let him know by email [email protected]

Ministry of Consolation:

Bishop Richard initiated a new Ministry late last year, and requested volunteers from the various Parishes in the Diocese, with the help of his Marriage and Family Advisers, to come forward for this Training Course  – the new Deacon Simon South for this area  who was also working for the Bishop in the Marriage and Family Adviser capacity, has been running this course in conjunction with The Bishop who employed Kathy Quint ,  a Professional Counsellor and Therapist, who was brought in to run this course – she is a Christian, and  she writes many papers and courses for various large organisations.  She also sometimes runs a course herself – which she did for our Diocese.

Bishop Richard writes –

‘If you have been affected by the loss of a family member or close friend and would like someone to talk with or to jut listen, please speak to your Parish Priest who can put you in touch with one of our Bereavement Supporters.

We have people within our Parish who have been trained to support you through your bereavement journey either in person or via the telephone.  This support is free of charge as a Ministry of Consolation in the name of Our Lord who comforts us all in our sadness.’

Our local Ministry of Consolation person is Sue Longridge, and she is happy to speak to anyone who needs just that person to listen, without any judgement, to anyone who is experiencing any difficulties.  Please feel free to call her on 07921 152444.

I recently read the following item which I thought you might like:

“On those occasions when we ask ourselves questions like: Why should I bother? Why am I doing this? What about me? it may help to remember that it is by what we do, rather than by what we say, that we show whether or not we have the right answer to the question of Jesus: “Who do you say I am?” In our struggles each day to decide what to do, here are two statements that are worth remembering. The first is by Jesus, who once said: “If you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for my sake, you will find it.”

That was put in different words by Albert Schweitzer. By the time he was 30 he could have spent the rest of his life as a theologian or an organist. Instead he decided to become a doctor, and go to Africa, where he spent most of the rest of his life, until his death at the age of 90. He planned to spread the Gospel not by the verbal process of preaching, but by the example of his Christian work of healing. In 1952, at the age of 77, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of Reverence for Life. He once said: “I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end. One thing I know, the only ones among you who will be really happy, are those who will have sought and found, how to serve.

(Rivendellsfoodforthought)

              Moving On

With plans in place for our children to return to school, for the need to improve the economy and indeed the needs of daily life, there is  an important need to develop a sense of returning to life. There is still a long way to go, so care and caution are the order of the day, but The power of the positive is truly important.

We need to get back to a normal way of life. 

Our return to Mass is, please God, beginning to settle down and hopefully falling into a pattern. Like most parishes we have an important  requirement for persons under seventy years of age to meet the criteria for stewarding and cleaning. We are therefore asking younger people to offer their services to help our parish.

As Students are returning to their studies and others returning to work, this is now a very urgent need.  Our desire and our blessing to celebrate Mass has its own importance, and with so many elderly people (which includes me) who are careful, responsible persons, there is a call for  greater support from the younger generation. Then we can be more at ease knowing that we can continue to gather to celebrate Mass.

We must turn to the future with hope, but reality is now making its presence felt.  The fact is that the church is in a very weak state of being. The wonderful opportunity that was presented to the church was not availed of and the closure of  so many  seminaries   – ignored by those in authority –  has left us with a very critical situation to respond to.  I hear it said, and by priests, that after the coronavirus there will not be a major return to church, and that we will have to develop a different approach  to life in our churches. Mass will always be at the heart of it, but how and in what way it will be celebrated will make a truly important difference to the future of our lives.

So consistently two things.  The first is a relationship with Jesus through the church and our faith.  At the heart of this is in preparation for Baptism and First Holy Communion, “I belong”, this is the most important book and is the foundation.  The strength of this foundation is everything.  And the second is Nourishment.   How we nourish our physical bodies determines our health and our wellbeing.  This is equally vital to our spiritual lives, so it deserves all the care and attention we can bring to it. 

If you are still able to donate non-perishable food and money to the foodbanks over the coming months.  There are opportunities to donate online, or our website to make this easier for people.  Immediate food needs will probably change week to week.  For more updates visit www.hailsham.foodbank.org.uk or www.eastbourne.foodbank.org.uk.  Thank you.

A blind man is walking down the street with his guide dog one day.  They come to a busy intersection and the dog, ignoring the high volume of traffic zooming by on the street, leads the blind man right out into the thick of the traffic.  This is followed by the screech of tires as panicked drivers try desperately not to run the pair down.  Horns blaring around them, the blind man and the dog finally reach the safety of the sidewalk on the other side of the street, and the blind man pulls a cookie out of his coat pocket, which he offers to the dog. A passer-by, having observed the near fatal incident, can’t control his amazement and says to the blind man, “Why on earth are you rewarding your dog with a cookie?  He nearly got you killed!” The blind man turns partially in his direction and replies, “To find out where his head is, so I can kick his rear end!”

This Sunday could be called “Power Sunday” because the theme of all three readings is that God is the Source of all authority. God shares His authority with elected civil rulers to serve the people and with the Pope and the other Church leaders for the material and spiritual welfare of His children. The first reading, from the prophet Isaiah, tells us how God hates unfaithful and selfish officials. In the Psalm, David thanks God for having raised him from lowly origins and given him authority as king over the people of Israel. In the second reading from Romans St. Paul praises God for the depth of His wisdom, knowledge, and correct judgments, asserting that He is the Source of all authority on earth and in Heaven.

We need to accept and experience Jesus as our Lord and personal Saviour: First, we should accept Jesus as the Son of God and our personal Saviour. Next, Jesus should become a living experience for us – protecting us and providing for us in our life’s journey, loving us, forgiving us, helping us, and transforming our lives. We must praise and thank God in all the events of our lives, both good, pleasant and painful, realising that God’s loving hands are behind everything. When we find the joy, the love, and the peace we find in Jesus, they must be reflected in the way we live our whole lives. Further, by giving humble, loving service to others we are giving the statement that Jesus is present in every person.  

In the Gospel Jesus asked the question “Who do you say that I am?” There were two parts to this question about his identity.  Jesus first asked “What is the public opinion?” The apostles’ answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. “The phrase “one of the prophets” suggested that Jesus had a ministry like that of the former prophets. When the people identified Jesus with Elijah and with Jeremiah, they were, according to their traditions, paying him a great compliment and setting him in a high place, for Jeremiah and Elijah were the expected forerunners of the Anointed One of God. When they arrived, the Kingdom would be very near. The second part of the question was: “What is your personal opinion?” Peter, speaking for the other disciples, declared publicly: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter was the first apostle to recognise Jesus publicly as the Anointed One. Peter said that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one of God, Immanuel, the Salvation of God — God who became Man to save sinners!  Jesus was very pleased with Peter’s answer. Peter then received a special blessing: “Blessed are you, Simon son of John!”. He was the only disciple in the Gospels to receive a personal blessing. Jesus was quick to explain to the disciples that he was not a political Messiah. He was, rather, a Messiah who must suffer, die, and be raised to life again.

On the theme of “Who am I” there is this story: When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch), he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was hungry. As Herter moved down the queue, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line. “Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?” “Sorry,” the woman told him. “I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person.” “But I’m starving,” the governor said. “Sorry,” the woman said again. “Only one to a customer.” Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. “Do you know who I am?”he said. “I am the governor of this state.” “And do you know who I am?” the woman said. “I’m the Lady in Charge of the Chicken. Move along, Mister.” —This is a short, and simple, story about two people, Governor Herter and the Lady in Charge of the chicken, each trying to exert authority over the other by saying– ‘who I am.

Most appropriately Deacon John introduces the theme “power Sunday” with the important emphasis upon the power of God.  Last Sunday I made a focus upon Live and Learn with the intention of developing the themes of ministry and service.  Deacon John provides the platform upon which is the future we need to build.  The ministry of the eucharist has a special importance.

The sun is scorching lots of plants that lovingly were sown, my runner beans have shrivelled up but they are not alone!
Hydrangea cuttings that I took were really doing fine, until the sun got very hot, now there is no sign.
But other plants are doing well my Malopes are amazing, growing tall along the wall as in the sun they’re lazing.
Geraniums are strong as well although they are in pots, their colours are so beautiful and there are lots and lots.
The asters that I grew from seed are coming into flower, jewel colours- mauves and pinks( well done that amateur grower)!
I’m cutting spinach now for meals I really will be stronger, I keep it watered everyday and hope it will last longer .
So as the crisis carries on still spreading all around us, we thank the Lord for all we’ve got and carry on regardless.
Keeping to the rules in place, we’re glad to be alive, being sensible as well should help us all to thrive!

Ros Burke, Poet Laureate of Polegate