October 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

Every Sunday we light a ‘Peace Candle’ to remind us to pray for peace and to commit ourselves to working for peace. It is not simply for peace in war torn or violent places that we pray for. It is for peace in every place, every situation, every neighbourhood, every community, every relationship that we pray. Jesus did not say ‘Blessed are those who live in peace’. He said ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’. This was right at the start of his ministry in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’, his manifesto for the Kingdom of God. You can read it all in Matthew chapters 5, 6 & 7.

When I reflect on this issue I can recall times that I have been a peacemaker and times I have been the causer of discord. The question I ask myself is when do I stand with Mahatma Ghandi  who said  ‘Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love’ and when do I stand with Martin Luther who said ‘Here I stand, I can do no other’. Declaring myself a pacifist in my teens at the end of the sixties was an easy thing to do. It was in tune with the mood of youth of the time and Britain was not at war. Thinking back I saw this issue only in relation to war and not as a lifestyle choice. My time with Church & Peace opened my eyes in this respect as I sat alongside people from the historic peace churches (Brethren, Quakers and Mennonites), at least one of whom had been imprisoned for being a conscientious objector. In conversation the ‘Just War Theory’ I had been taught in school fell apart, not least because we all have different ideas of which conflicts can be labelled just. Yet I am also mindful that the plotters to kill Hitler included at least one Pacifist. It is a complex issue, none of which conflicts in any way with the remembrance of those who gave their lives for the freedom of others in World Wars and other conflicts. We will remember them.

Back to Jesus. He told us to ‘love our enemies’ and said ‘greater love has no person than this, that he lays down his life for his friends’. Perhaps his most challenging statement on this subject was ‘if a person strikes you on one cheek don’t strike back but turn and offer him the other cheek as well’. I have been moved recently by an interview with a man in prison for knife crime who went out with a knife for self defence and absolutely no intention of using it but in the heat of the moment he did. The same is true with guns. Knife crime and street violence is increasing. Jesus did not advocate self-defence he advocated a peaceful, non-violent response. He would not have countenanced martial arts or self-defence classes. Whenever violence was directed towards him he stood there and took it and that is what we must do, after all we are the body of Christ.

It is a tough, uncompromising position but then so much of what Jesus said was just that. He promoted a different way of life to that which the world promoted. He promoted the paradise that is the Kingdom of God. Standing and offering the other cheek in the face of violence means just that. Being a peacemaker means looking for ways to solve conflicts we are involved in, stopping using weapons as children’s toys and abolishing games based on war, fighting and conflict. It also means pressurising our government to abolish nuclear weapons and cut military spending. Oh yes, you’ll also be called unrealistic, idealistic or weird but that’s a small price to pay for following Christ.

Ian Ring

September 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

Are you ready for heaven? Have you bought your ticket? Are your bags packed? Have you read the travel guide? Have you prepared yourself? Have you cancelled the milk? Have you told the family and the neighbours where you’re going? Is that all a little too flippant? Is it a joke n bad taste about the average of the congregation? No, it’s not a joke and although it is written tongue in cheek it is not flippant. It is deadly serious.

As I said in my sermon on 11^th August we might live to be seventy, eighty, ninety, even a hundred or more but however long we live it is but a tiny fragment, an infinitesimally small time compared to eternity in heaven. No comparison in human terms is good enough to describe the situation but it is a bit like the amount of time a centenarian spent in their mother’s womb. A fragment of their whole life.

Of course, the good news is that our ticket to heaven is already bought for us by Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection. He offers it freely to us, but it is our choice whether we accept it or not. Because of his immense, overwhelming love for us he does not force us to accept his gift, but he feels the pain every time someone rejects his offer and goes their own way. By turning our backs on Jesus we are turning away from heaven and towards hell. Jesus follows us waiting, hoping that we will turn round and take up his offer of a ticket to heaven.

Having accepted the free ticket, we should begin preparing ourselves to take full advantage of it. In heaven there is no more sin, no more pain, no more negativity and if we sincere in our following of Jesus and building God’s kingdom earth we will be trying to root out our sin, pain and negativity. We will replace it with truth, joy and positivity. In heaven God is truly at the centre and everything revolves around him. As Christians God is at the centre of our life and the whole of our life should revolve around him.

Of course we need help to do this and that is where fellowship with other Christians, regular attendance at worship, a good prayer life and studying the Scriptures come in. True the Scriptures are not always easy to understand. Sometimes they say things which we don’t look. Instead of dismissing the bits we don’t understand, and maybe saying that we have moved on since they were written, we should grapple with them and seek help in interpreting them. Anyway, the basics are pretty easy to understand. God created a paradise and charged humankind with looking after it for him. The ten commandments and the commands of Jesus are pretty easy to understand albeit fiendishly difficult to follow in their fullness and of course the letters of Paul and other writers are a great help in understanding the way of life God has called us to. Writing to Timothy, Paul declares that “ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2 vv 16/17).

The Scriptures are pretty clear about the means of salvation and the consequences of rejecting God and about our responsibility to share the good news. We tell people about our impending holidays, why not tell them about our final destination – heaven!

Ian Ring

August 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

I wonder what words of Jesus you find most difficult. If we are honest with ourselves we all have sayings of Jesus we like and others that we dislike as well sayings we find easy to understand and follow and others that we find difficult. The tendency with those we find hard is to ignore them or say that they were for that time and we have moved on. The reality is that Jesus never time limited any saying. They are supposed to stand for all time. One list I found had these as the seven hardest sayings of Jesus: 1. Let the Dead Bury the Dead (Matthew 8:22); 2. Whoever Divorces and Marries Another Commits Adultery (Matthew 5:27-32); 3. You Must Hate Your Parents, Spouse, Siblings, and Children (Matthew 10:37); 4. You Must Be Perfect (Matthew 5:48);5. Fear Him Who Has Power to Cast into Hell (Matthew 10:28); 6. Sell What You Have (Matthew 19:21); 7. Let Him Who Has No Sword Buy One (Luke 22:36). Other scholars have other lists.

I want to take a saying that is not in the above list, one which we might agree with in principle but one we find extremely hard to put into practice. ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28 vv 19-20). This is known as The Great Commission and is the final earthly words of Jesus to his first disciples. I remember using this passage at an Elder’s training day in Yorkshire when one elder said, ‘if this church does that I am leaving’. Not a single elder challenged her. No surprise that the church has since closed. This saying is the authority for all that we do as a church and it is timeless. The instruction to ‘teach them to obey everything’ includes this saying so each generation of Christians must fulfil it in order to be faithful to Jesus.

This a threefold commission, make disciples, baptise them, teach them. Our programme as a church and our lifestyle as individual Christians has to reflect this. So to take ‘making disciples’ first our coffee mornings, lunch clubs, messy church, youth club and other social activities have to have this as their aim. I don’t mean that we must preach at them but we must have relevant literature around, be ready to engage in conversation, offer invitations to worship and be good role models for Christianity.

The second one ‘baptise them’ is easier but it is conditional on the first one. It means we have to offer baptism to all who make a profession of faith. It is about the individual believer and does not allow for the baptism of those who cannot make their own profession of faith.

The third one ‘teach them to obey everything I have commanded you’ is also conditional and relates to those who have made a profession of faith and been baptised. This is discipleship, it must cover everything Jesus did and said and also include Old Testament and the teaching of the Apostles in the New Testament. It may take years to complete.

This saying shows that the church must have treble standards. Anybody and everybody is welcome within the life of the church but its membership comprises those who have made a profession of faith and are seeking to make their lifestyle in line with Jesus whilst its leadership comes from those who’s lifestyle best reflects Jesus. This is tough, uncompromising and difficult. It is one of the hardest sayings of Jesus but it is the key to growth both of the church and of the kingdom of God on earth.

Ian Ring

July 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

Psalm 8

¹ Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory in the heavens.
² Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold
against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
³ When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them human beings that you care for them?

⁵ You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honour.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;

you put everything under their feet:
⁷ all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,
⁸ the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹ Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

As the psalmist said God created everything and put it under our control. The responsibility is ours to care for this planet and pass it on in good shape to future generations. Our legacy is what we leave behind. We cannot ignore climate change and global warming, either at a macro or a micro level and we cannot ignore the fairtrade movement. Should we become an eco-church and a fairtrade church? At the moment we do not qualify for either. Recently I have seen some examples of eco-churches, of churches with solar panels and of fairtrade churches. As well as getting the certificate it has changed them. People think about the issues at home as well as at church and the community knows about and sees the church taking a lead on issues that affects us all. Then there is World Car Free Day which presents a challenge to many of us. Further details on all these issues will be found later in this Newsletter.

Travelling round the local area reveals issues with all of these. Cars regularly parked or driven on double yellow lines, pavements and grass verges. Litter, primarily but not exclusively from so called fast food outlets, strewn along pavements and roadsides. Bus stops blocked by parked cars. Lorries ignoring size and weight restrictions on roads. Vandalism damaging trees, plants and buildings. Lack of fairtrade products in shops. Cars unnecessarily used for short trips. Rubbish dropped on buses and trains. Smokers discarding cigarette ends anywhere.  Fly tipping. Recyclable material in general waste. Rubery is not unique, it is nationwide.

Of course, it is not all bad. The street cleaning done by Clive and his colleagues, shop frontages swept by shopkeepers and the planters from Rubery in Bloom do make Rubery a better place. In addition many people recycle everything they can, do not drop litter and park thoughtfully. This all makes a vast difference to our community.

Our challenge is show God’s love for his creation through our actions as his servants, the followers of Jesus Christ.

Ian Ring

June 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

Jesus’ last words to his disciples prior to his Ascension to his rightful throne in heaven were “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1 v 8) according to Luke or “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28 vv 19/20) according to Matthew. We celebrate this command, or commission at Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Which version we prefer matters little. Both sum up the purpose of the church. It is to be an evangelistic body witnessing to Jesus throughout the world in both word and deed. This commission of Jesus has been handed on from generation to generation of disciples and has now come down to us. This, according to Jesus, is the purpose of the church. True he told us to do all sorts of other things including loving everybody, healing the sick, sharing bread and wine, meeting the needs of the poor, repent, follow him, honour God’s law, do not lust or judge, challenge injustice, honour marriage, love God and be perfect. In fact there are fifty commands of Jesus to his followers, all of which, according to Matthew we must obey. They are not optional, they are imperatives, and they include telling others about Jesus.

Some people like to label churches using such words as evangelical, liberal, traditional, radical, contemporary. This is absolute nonsense (yes I know that’s a strong phrase but read on). A church has to be all these things if it is to be true to Jesus. It has to be evangelical in that it must proclaim the gospel to those who do not know Jesus as Saviour. It has to be liberal in that it must welcome all people and not judge them for their looks, lifestyle or anything else. It has to be traditional in that it must honour and respect Christian teaching right back to the book of Genesis. It has to be radical in that it must both adopt a social work programme that meets the needs of the local community and offer a discipleship programme that helps everyone become more Christlike and more faithful to God. It has to be contemporary so that it relates to all people in the community around the church. Yes, it is a tall order but Jesus never promised us an easy life, he simply promised to be with us throughout life.

As we celebrate Ascension and Pentecost we need to spend time reflecting on just what Jesus has called us to be and to do. We cannot celebrate his Ascension if we are not prepared to accept him as our King and proffer our unswerving obedience to him. We cannot celebrate Pentecost if we are not prepared to accept all the spiritual gifts that God offers us and use them to grow his kingdom and bring glory to his name. We cannot call ourselves Christian unless we try to do all this. We cannot call ourselves a church if we are not prepared to be evangelical, liberal, traditional, radical and contemporary.

Ian Ring

May 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

Have you ever thought about writing the story of your life? Maybe you think that no-one would be interested. Maybe you think it would be too much work. Maybe you think that your life has not been interesting enough. The truth of the matter is that when we have conversations with people we talk about our life, family, holidays, health, difficulties, joys and so on. We find that some people only want a synopsis whereas others want the full story but most want something in the middle.

In our Talking Jesus course we have reached the session about telling our story. In it we are encouraged to think about the people we want to share our story with and then prepare it with them in mind. It should not be our whole life story but should concentrate on the recent past. The language should be simple and jargon-free focussing on the difference God has made in our lives. Furthermore we need to remember that it is a conversation not a sermon. We will have to respond to questions and not just pick up the story where we left off. To help us the course booklet suggests that you identify:

• your audience, the five people you are already praying for
• an example of God’s work in your life
• what happened that made you turn to God
• the difference God has made

then you rehearse your story and look for opportunities to share it.

This is an intentional approach to faith sharing, not a reactional one. It involves going to people rather than waiting for them to come to us. Some of us will be uncomfortable with this approach but it is the only approach that will see sustained significant growth in church attendance as more people come to faith and then join the pool of people sharing their faith.

The biggest resistance to this approach to evangelism is us, ourselves, not those outside the church. If people know that we are people of faith then they will expect God to feature in our lives and in our conversations. They will not be surprised to hear us talk about prayer, worship, faith or Jesus. In fact they may be more surprised if we do not do so! The big questions are how we get over our lack of confidence in faith sharing and how we avoid being lured into a false sense of political correctness by those who tell us we must not say or do anything that causes offence and hence cause the dilution of the Word of God. Try and watch the BBC interview with Father Martin McGill to see what difference can be made by an individual speaking out for what they believe. In it he said “But I’m also very conscious that as a baptised Christian, there is a prophetic role. It’s part of my call.” Notice, he did not say as a ‘priest’, he said as a ‘baptised Christian’. That is a challenge to all of us who want to change the world and regularly pray ‘Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth’.

Ian Ring

April 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

My health problems have given me the opportunity to reflect upon life and faith. Many old adages I was told and much advice I was given as a young preacher have come back into mind. Some of you will know the sort of things I mean but to repeat them here would be foolhardy, after all I am still your Minister for a while longer yet! However looking back over my ministry I can clearly see high points and low points, ups and downs, meandering pathways and straight roads. I can see things which I now know to be distractions and other things which I though were distractions but were probably helps placed there by God. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

In Luke 9:51 we find these words ‘Jesus steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem’. There is a determination there, a single-mindedness, a purposefulness from which we can learn. Jesus was not prepared to let anything or anyone deflect him from his mission. For one reason or another we do not find it as easy as Jesus. There are many reasons for this but are they real reasons or are they excuses? Sometimes our concern not to offend people stops us speaking or doing God’s word but both Paul and Peter tell us that the Gospel is an offence to unbelievers. Sometimes we fall into the trap of democracy (seeking the mind of the people) when the church should be a theocracy (seeking the mind of God). Sometimes history, tradition, the pursuit of new ideas, social pressure, pride or stubbornness get in the way of serving God. We need to root out all that prevents from truly walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

When Jesus set his mind towards Jerusalem a journey of mixed fortune and mixed emotion began. He immediately told would-be followers the true cost of discipleship (Lk 9:57-62). He sent 72 followers out on a mission, a form of in-service training (Lk 10:1-24). He told parables, taught about prayer, explained Scripture, prophesied about the future, interpreted the current news stories, healed people. You will find it all and much more in Luke chapters 10 to 19. Read it and be inspired, read it and get a sense of the urgency in Jesus. Finally he arrives at the gates of Jerusalem and receives a heroes welcome (Lk 19:28-40). Triumph, joy, journey’s end? No!

Immediately Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem, it happened 40 years later. He cleansed the temple of evil and began teaching in the temple courts. No hiding away, no trying not give offence for him! Each evening he went out to the Mount of Olives for the night. Keep reading on through Luke 20 and 21. Then comes what we call the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, followed by his arrest in the Mount of Olives, His trials before both Herod and Pilate leading directly to his crucifixion and burial (Lk 22 and 23). It was over. The lowest of lows had been reached.

But it wasn’t. Luke 24 begins with the remarkable account of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus. The lowest of lows and become the highest of highs. The resurrection began to draw people into the fledgling church and the Holy Spirit ignited the spark on Pentecost 50 days later. The church has never stopped growing since. Discover what it is all about with us this Easter!

Ian Ring

 

March 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

If you come into our buildings during the week you will often find it a lively place with plenty going on, sometimes two or three activities simultaneously. Depending on the week between thirty-six and forty-seven hours are taken up with activities for all ages. On top of that are special events like tea parties, drama group plays, Christmas Cracker and other special activities. On average around four to five hundred people come through our doors each week. Somewhere in all this we hope to start a youth club soon. The majority of activities are community activities. However church-based activities are slowly growing through things like Messy Church, and to a lesser extent Café Church and Talking Jesus.

Alongside this we have a numerically declining, ageing membership and are anticipating Ministry Scoping being reduced from 50% to 33.33% when I retire in 2020. How do we reconcile this with the lively community use of the buildings and, perhaps more importantly, how do we work for church growth with declining resources?

Of course, we can see this either as a problem or as an opportunity. No prizes for guessing which view I take. As an optimist I naturally take the view that this is an opportunity. However, that does not mean that I know the answer to how this will work out, but I do know the one who has the answer – God- and I am prepared to trust him.

The opportunity of growing community and outreach work coupled with declining resources is that we will have to find new ways of doing things and not stick to the old familiar pattern that we know so well. This is, of course, scary because it leads us into the unknown and forces us to trust God more. The temptation is to come up with our own plan for managing decline and coping with the new situation. Wherever that has been tried it has simply led to further decline. Our starting point needs to be somewhere else. As a church we are led by God and the most important thing we can do is to seek God’s will.

A lot of prayer goes on in this church and for that we are all grateful. We regularly pray for healing, for guidance, for help. We regularly give thanks for blessings received. We ask God to bless our programmes and activities. In addition to this we need to engage in Listening Prayer. You will find a helpful resume of Listening Prayer later in this issue.

Essentially, as Christians, our role is to seek God’s will and then practice it. That is what we are asking for when we pray the Lord’s Prayer. It is what we seek when we come together for public worship. It is the desire of every Christian and every Church. Quite simply it is our raison d’etre.

God has a future for the Beacon. He will reveal it to us when we are ready to receive it.

Ian Ring

 

January 2019

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

I wonder what your thoughts are at the beginning of a new year. Have you made ‘new year resolutions’? Have you decided to change your wardrobe, furniture, car or house? Have you decided to take up a new hobby or interest? Have you decided to change your lifestyle, diet, political views or general outlook? Maybe you have decided that nothing will change and that what you were in 2018 will be what you are in 2019.

Things may change whether we plan them or not. 2019 may be better or worse than we think because of things we have no control over. There is a very real sense that we have to treat each new day as it comes, giving God thanks for it and seeking his help in living it. What is true for us personally is also true for the church. What will 2019 bring the Beacon Church Centre? The answer may depend on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist and you can’t opt out by claiming to be a realist because that is simply another name for pessimist. We all have a chance to shape the future of our church. Our input or lack of it will see to that.

2018 has been an interesting year. We have a seen a continued decline of numbers in our regular Sunday morning congregation but we have seen visitors, newcomers and an increased regularity from some. Financially we have made the loss that we expected to make. Messy church has grown and Friday Messy and Sunday morning Messy have been particularly successful. Community interaction has increased, particularly on Tuesday morning, at the Cracker and the afternoon teas with Beaconside school. We have been less active in CTB45 and we have fewer people doing key roles, particularly on a Sunday morning. So was it a good year or a bad year? You decide.

Where does that leave us at the start of 2019? Quite simply we have to grow the church, find more people to take on key roles, develop new initiatives, increase our financial income as well as supporting all the good work going on. In January we begin our ‘Talking Jesus’ course which will help us to gain confidence in talking about our faith and inviting non-churchgoers to come with us to worship and church events. It runs once a month from January 27^th to the end of June – don’t miss it.

Under Louise’s guidance we will continue to develop Messy Church and hopefully begin a club for older children. To enable this to happen we need to expand the team of helpers. Messy Sunday mornings will be expanded and take place on Mothering Sunday, Father’s Day, Harvest and Gift Sunday. The uniformed organisations will be involved and Louise’s regular work with them will aid this.

We will begin the process of preparing for Ian’s retirement in the summer of 2020 starting with finalising our pastorate profile and discussing with Synod pastoral committee how ministry will be provided. More information on this should be available for the January Church Life Meeting – don’t miss it.

It’s going to be an exciting year at the Beacon Church Centre!

Ian Ring

December 2018

Thoughts From The Cottage

Dear Friends

Once again Christmas is rushing up on us and the season of goodwill, turkey, pudding, mince pies, crackers, trees, cards, presents and carols is here. No doubt it will be a good celebration as we met up with family, digitally or in person, and share Christmas together. Amongst our festivities we may spare a thought for those for whom it is the first Christmas without a loved one, for those who are homeless or can’t afford gifts for their children, for immigrants experiencing Christmas in Britain for the first time and for those for whom Christmas brings back painful memories. It is also a time of hope and joy, a time wwhen peace and goodwill seems to be more prevalent that usual. Despite that our Christmas tends to look back to what was, not forward to what will be. Yet it is supposed to do both, to look back to the good times and forward to the good times.

As Christians the good times we look back to are the creation of the universe and God’s gift of it to us as well as God’s gift of His Son, Jesus, to the world. The good times we look forward to are the second coming of Jesus and our place in heaven at His side. Put together it is an amazing story and sets us apart from all other faiths. True we share a common heritage with Judaism and Islam but the place of Jesus is what is crucial in our faith. We are living in part of a story, we are part of the history of God’s relationship with the people he created. It as an amazing, wonderful marvellous story that spans the whole of eternity.

One day scientists might be able to tell us how the universe was created and as fascinating as that might be it will not provide the answer to why it was created. Anyway, we already know the answer to that. God created it for us to enjoy. It is his gift to his greatest creation, us. We are supposed to enjoy it, explore it, care for it and pass it on to the next generation. We screwed it up, we got it wrong and we ignored God so he sent us another gift, himself. He came as a human being and lived amongst us as Jesus. Born in a stable to an unmarried mother was an ignominious start which was followed by a night time dash to another country as a refugee family. A short itinerant ministry of preaching, teaching, healing and miracle working led to his death on a cross as a common criminal. Then the impossible happened. Dead and buried in a tomb he came back to life three days later. Here’s a story really worth celebrating.

But the story doesn’t end there. We long for the day when Jesus returns as King and the whole universe bows before him to acknowledge his sovereignty. Just as surprising as his birth in Bethlehem, witnessed by Angels, Shepherds and foreign Kings was so will his second coming be. It will be unmistakable and shatter all our preconceptions about this universe and its Creator. It will be beyond our wildest dreams, more magnificent than we can envisage and we will be part of it and spend the rest of eternity in the presence of the one eternal God.

Ian Ring