Let People be themselves.

Revd Richard told a story from the Tao ...

 WHEN LIEH-TZU was living in Cheng, he was poor and starving. A friend saw his condition and spoke to the chief minister, “Lieh-tzu is a sage who has attained The Tao. He is now living in your country poor and unrecognized. Why don't you send him a gift to show you appreciate an enlightened man when you see one?"

The chief minister immediately sent a gift of grain to LIEH-TZU.

When the minister's messenger arrived with the gift, LIEH-TZU went to the door, bowed twice to the honored guest, and politely refused the gift.

His wife was outraged with LIEH-TZU's behaviour and scolded him. "Wives and children of other sages live comfortable and we are starving. Now that we've finally gotten some food from the minister, why did you refuse it? How can you do this to us?"

LIEH-TZU smiled and said to his wife, "Let me tell you why I refused the gift. If I am honored because of another person's opinion, then I can also be dismissed because of someone's opinion. People's words can make you but they can also break you. That's why I am scared of receiving a gift based on someone's opinion of me. We may not be rich, but it is safer this way."

Jesus complained about being categorized in Matthew ch 11 v 18-19 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds."

Rev. Richard said "Listen to the news and you will hear that much of it is not news at all, but opinions."

Saying someone is nice is an opinion, an idle generalization to which not much thought was given. Once neatly labelled that can be the end of the amount of thought you give to that person.

Far better to let people be themselves and take real notice of them, not rushing to opinions.

It begins and ends with Him

Rev. John Rowland, from Kennington, was preaching ...

The Methodist Church has declined in members by 30% in ten years. But Rev Rowland said the central question is 'not how well the church is doing but how well you know Jesus. How well do you know him? It begins and ends with Jesus.'

The church may not have the power it once had but that does not mean the life of discipleship is gone or diminshed. It means the church thing is not regarded as so important as once it was. "So What?"

You are regarded by God as you always were. You are one of those people for whom Christ said "I am for you. Here I am." You heard God's Call and that is the heart of the matter.

Begin where you are, or begin again where you are, in a relationship with the risen Jesus. Start now. Don't put it off.

New Minister has accepted

Revd Richard will be leaving us in the summer of 2014. The church had voted for him to stay but the URC (United Reformed Church) overrode that as they did not feel the decision was decisive enough. So Richard is looking for his next posting and it sounds like that will not be with the URC.

With reduced congregations, the URC have reduced from 1100 to 500 ministers in the last ten years and think that should be nearer 400. We will next be getting a Methodist Minister as Trinity alternate and will have a joint Minister with All Saints. We already have a lot of joint evening services with All Saints so this is a logical thing to do. Recently it was announced ... "Following the successful visit by the Rev’d Ian Griffiths and his wife, Tabitha, and with positive responses from both churches, an invitation was extended to Ian by the Circuit Invitation Committee.


This is for an appointment commencing on 1st September 2014.


Ian has accepted the invitation and says that he will be delighted to come to Abingdon."

Cafe Church

Instead of the normal rows and rows of seats in Trinity Church this morning we had tables with pink or blue tablecloths and just over 70 chairs for what was going to be a Cafe style service - the intention being to generate round table discussion, while people were served with tea or coffee, and find out what people most valued at Trinity, and their hopes for the future.

As it turned out a lot more chairs were needed as people kept coming in, over a dozen after the normal start time.

One couple backed off when they saw it was Cafe Style, and nearly went home until persuaded to give it a try. I asked them afterwards what they thought and they did not enjoy it. Others enjoyed the chance to talk to new people at quite a deep level.

The sheets resulting from the discussions were collected in along with the normal collection, after communion had been served.

Covenant Service at Trinity

We had a visiting Minister to take what is my favorite Methodist service - the start of year Covenant service.

In recent years this service has been watered down or replaced with a commissioning service.

In days of old the patriarchs made covenants with God, and John Wesley, and brother Charles introduced this service as a way to make a deeply personal commitment. The words take us beyond our usual small ambitions to an other worldly ambition to serve God.

In the preamble we are told ... "Christ has many services to be done. Some are easy, others are difficult. Some bring honour, others bring reproach. Some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, others are contrary to both..."

Then comes the prayer

 I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

The hymns were mostly by Charles Wesley.

Reverend Richard Taylor

I have just added to the Trinity website the news "Reverend Richard Taylor, aged 82, has died after suffering a stroke. Richard was the URC minister at Trinity from 1985 to 1995. He has been unwell for several years and died peacefully in Marston Court Care Home where he has lived recently."

Richard was Minister for the first year we attended Trinity. He was quiet and less colourful in comparison to the three Ministers since, but well respected. Quiet modesty are attributes I like.

A prayer for the URCs 40th Anniversary

Flowing river of love, on which we are carried,
taking us to places of renewal and refreshment;
we pray for the courage to trust the direction in which you take us.

For all the sights we have seen, all the stories we can tell;
we smile at your great skill and give thanks.

As we strain to see what lies around the corner,
may we also know when to set the oars of our boat at rest.

And when we have drifted enough to understand your direction;
and more fully appreciated the view of both shore and sky line;
may our energy meet with the current and carry us on.

In your love, in your way, in your creation.

Amen

Copyright Richard Bittleston 2012

(used in URC 40th Anniversary Celebration)