Colchester Christ Church

News – May 2013

Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:26

Christ Church Anglican Congregation Vision Statement “Through our worship, mission, nurture and service we want to enable all

people to enter into a living relationship with Jesus Christ”

Bishop Christopher retires in July After 11 years in Colchester Bishop Christopher retires soon. He has contributed greatly to many aspects of Church and non-Church life in his time here, and many of us will remember his visits to Christ Church. A book of messages and pictures Is being composed as a gift. If you wish to contribute, please email your contribution to our Area Youth Adviser, Rachel Brett ( colchesterareayouthadviser@gmail.com ), or post it to Archdeacon Annette at 63 Powers Hall End, Witham CM8 1NH. The latest date for contributions is 22 May. A collection is being made for a leaving gift for Bishop Christopher and his wife. If you would like to contribute, you may make your donation via the Church Wardens, or direct by cheque to “The Archdeacon of Colchester Special Account” sent to the Archdeacon at her address above. There will be a farewell service and celebration for Bishop Christopher at St Peter's in Coggeshall on on Saturday 29th June at 3.30pm. More details will follow for those who may wish to attend.

Paul and Glyn are home after three and half months away.

The photo is of us on the outside arch of Sydney Harbour Bridge - one of many adventures and experiences that we hope to share with you over the coming months. A big thank you to everyone who made our time away possible - we could not have taken such an important step in ministry without your practical support, love and prayers.

Paul and Glyn

The Magic IF In Revd Paul Norrington’s absence on Sabbatical Leave until May, others are writing the opening article in the magazine. This month David Forder writes: A clergyman, interviewed on television on Good Friday, said that one of his congregation told him she had difficulty in believing him. "You were an actor," she said. "How do I know you aren't pretending?" Children pretend that they are aeroplanes and animals; they can make toys seem alive. Good actors don't pretend, but they do share with children the ability to see things that aren't really there, and give them life…And I believe that by looking at the way actors work to create their roles, we can learn something about the way to faith. Good plays show mankind to itself, and good acting tells the truth about life. "Holds the mirror up to nature," as Hamlet says. So good actors begin by observing real life and how people behave . Then, they observe carefully the script of the play they are taking part in. It’s facts first, not "How shall I say this?" "What do I do with my hands?" But "Where am I?" "When am I? and "Who am I?"

Then when they begin to act, they have to forget the real time and place they are in, and in their imaginations enter the time and place of the play. Like a child playing, they have to use the mind's eye and the mind's ear to see things that aren't really there. Good actors don't pretend to laugh or cry. They bring their parts to life

through the "Magic IF". They say "IF I am this person, in this place at this time, in this situation," they then react to the fictitious situation JUST AS IF it is real life. Then things start happening they don't expect. They feel things unexpectedly, do

things they hadn't planned. They find themselves becoming the character, or rather the character becomes them. They feel TAKEN CHARGE OF. Jesus didn't teach by appealing to people's intellects. He taught by telling stories, parables, and by appealing to people's imaginations. Imagination can be a tool which can lead the way to faith. He said "Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10: 13-16). I think he meant that we should be like children, in being dependent on our heavenly Father, in trusting him, as

a child does a good parent. But I think he also meant we should use our imaginations like children. Remember that in the Letter to the Hebrews (11:1) the definition of faith is ".. being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." When we seek faith, we must begin with the facts given in the scriptures, and be careful to get them right. It helps to begin with the place and time, just as the actor does. Then not just to use our minds, but also our imaginations. We have to use our imaginations, to see the events being described vividly in our mind's eye. Imagine we are there - almost taking part, if you like. Then we use the magic "IF" and live as IF what we have seen in our mind's eye and heard in our mind's ear is TRUE. The Christian calls this the "Leap of faith." Then curious things start happening. Things we hadn't expected. We feel feelings we hadn't felt before. We find ourselves doing things we hadn't intended, like the actor, we find ourselves being TAKEN CHARGE OF. It's the Holy Spirit taking charge of us. Remember how an actor becomes the

character, the character becomes him? Christ lives in us, and we in him. The actor brings to life a fiction which might be true; an illusion of truth. The Christian brings to life not an illusion of truth but truth itself. And

like the actor, one of the most important things Christians have to do, is to believe with such conviction, that we make other people believe too. Genesius was a

popular actor during the reign of Diocletian, when Christians were brutally persecuted. He specialised in comedy. He was commanded to perform before the emperor, and thought it would be fun to burlesque Christian baptism; plenty of opportunities for splashing about, and falling in the water . But he knew that all good comedy is based on truth, so he went along to some Christian worship to observe it very carefully. When the great day came, he entered the stage to an ovation. Then he couldn't go on. The "Magic If' had done its work. He'd been converted. He was marched up to the Emperor in disgrace, and sentenced to execution. Genesius is the patron saint of actors. David Forder

A celebration of the life of John Alfred Edward Sams 25th March 1951 – 21st April 2013

On Tuesday 7th May, we gathered to celebrate the life of John Sams. Jackie and the family would like to thank everyone who has supported them in such loving ways over the recent months. They would also like to thank all those who worked towards making Tuesday very special. Jackie and the family paid tributes to John during the service on Tuesday and the following are the transcripts of their accounts.

Jackie: John was born on a snowy Easter day in March 1951 and this curly blonde son was much loved as the only child of Bertha and Victor Sams. His childhood in the house in the fields on the edge of West Mersea gave him plenty of adult attention with the company of extended family plus those who helped grow flower seed and vegetables. His environment also gave him individual space to race up and down on his bike and the freedom to use the sheds to develop his surprising interest and aptitude in all things electrical, though often that meant taking things like clocks apart and not always getting them back together again.. John was encouraged to socialise by extra school activities. He often told me about his Scottish dancing exploits as a child, trying to swim as a cub, and helping as a St John ambulance trainee. I also know that

many friends can testify to enjoying visits to his home space. By secondary school his aptitude for maths, science and electronics was well established and he attended the then Technical Gilberd Grammar School, though his scientific experiments nearly led to the making of a bomb at one point without any thought of terrorism. During those years John also began working at the local Mersea bakery and became adept at filling doughnuts with jam and making all sorts of rolls and pastries. When we later married he could mass produce excellent mince pies, but two women in the home kitchen when he grew up meant that his attempts at cooking meals like omelettes were rather more interesting. After leaving school he worked at Braintree for a year making Selmer amplifiers and then worked in Colchester as a TV engineer before

deciding to train as a teacher at Clacton on Sea where we met in the Christian Union. He looked very intelligent, like Bamber Gascogne who hosted university Challenge and I wore luminous green socks, fashionable at the time, so it might not have been love at first sight. But a Valentines dance started our romance, even though it was interrupted by him disappearing for na while to mend a broken zip. And he soon won my heart by giving me a Merrythoughts proper looking Teddy Bear. We were engaged after 6 months though we waited two years to finish college before marrying. As well as enjoying college, we travelled to one another’s homes churches and youth clubs at weekends or holidays & I discovered his talent for writing rhyming pantomimes. We then started married life in a mobile home at bottom of John’s parent’s field before buying our first house a few years later. We both started teaching and then excitedly started our family as Lesley and then Tim came along. We waited longer for Ben but were overjoyed when he also arrived, and we later fostered babies and toddlers for a while. John was a good dad often having patience to sing his children to sleep when I was exhausted. Meanwhile he also developed his teaching skills and graduated from

teaching maths and computers to advising teachers how to teach using computer equipment & skills. We were also active in Church and many will remember his wonderful ideas for youth work which always seemed to mean trying to keep the children up as long as possible so they slept properly the second night of camp. Leaders were exhausted. We also adventured into running a small caravan sight and keeping orphan lambs and enjoyed surprising neighbours when they were baa-ed at as they passed by. Later we moved into Colchester which enabled us to be more central for travel and engage more in our Church community. I will always treasure the comfortable loving companionship we enjoyed that continued to grow over the years, John’s quirky word play humour that the boys have inherited, his creativity, his kindness and sense of fun and his patient encouraging teaching style. Indeed one of my last memories when he was so ill is when he used the curtain as a blackboard and tried to work out how he could explain how his drain worked. He was always hard working and active, no doubt a bit too so for his own good, which sometimes led him into exhaustive depression and anxiety, but even through his own problems he always cared for others.

When his career life slowed down he was excellent at supporting me in training and becoming an ordained minister, yet was fully engaged in his own right with his own gifts in the working out of faith. John was very aware and grateful for the support of many people including clergy in the last months but must have felt surrounded by dog collars, as one night in the hospice he looked in the bathroom and asked where the preacher was. In tribute to that awareness and John’s humour we have asked several clergy supporters to take part in the service today. Now my children would like to share some of their memories. Lesley: I had great time with my Dad over the years he was alive. These are just a couple of my favourite memories. Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dream Coat with Jason Donovan One of the best experiences from my early teens was not only was I to see my first musical in London with my Dad, I also got to see it with Jason Donovan from Neighbours who everybody fancied at the time. It felt very special having my Dad all to myself taking me to see this. It was also extra special having him take me to lots of shops in London including Mark One and Tammy Girl to do a

massive amount of shopping before the show. I remember him being extremely patient (and not telling me to hurry up like most men would) and actually picking out clothes I liked for me to try on. Working up the field On a Saturday Dad often used to take me up to the three acre field that he inherited from his Dad. I used to love helping to dig ditches, tying up trees with tights to posts, mowing the lawn on a sit on lawn mower, picking plums and apples and collecting the money for the people staying over in caravans. I always remember having a particular muddy morning doing jobs and then Dad, me and I think Tim going into the post office to pay in some money and all looking and smelling a bit disgusting. I must have been a younger teenager/ older child at the time as I actually found it very funny. Dad was a very practical man who seemed to enjoy doing practical work on the field, in his house and as we got older in his kids houses. He was extremely supportive and willing to put time and energy into his kid’s household projects. Tim: I wrote my Dad a thank you letter before he died so he knew how grateful I was for his care and support for me. I have included some bits of this letter which include memories and stories.

Dad, Thank you for your example for me of a person who enjoyed his work and always worked hard but still knew how to make time for his family. You were often to be found on your computer or up early on a Saturday in the garden but you were willing to be disturbed. Your example has also shown me that work is as much to be enjoyed as endured and I’m glad you enjoyed what you did especially as your retirement was so short. Thank you always for your encouragement and discipline. You have always been fun, firm and fair. I’m not sure I’ll ever manage to carry off your steely cross voice but I will certainly try to keep the balance between these three things. One of the firmer moments I still remember was when after doing something or other wrong at the dinner table, repeatedly I would like to assume. Whatever it was, to my dismay it resulted in my breakfast a boiled egg being thrown out of the dining room window! Mum says I behaved myself much better after that. Dad, thank you for your consistency in your love and support of your children (equally), consistency in your love and support of mum, and your consistency each morning in showing to us the importance of reading your bible and the

importance of waking me up with a nice cup of tea. Yours and mum’s support has also meant that your children have been able to fly the nest successfully but with the knowledge that you were willing to give advice and help practically such as help with house moves and DIY including more recently the delightful task of sorting out my macerator together (well mum did block it up, with a makeup wipe). Overall Dad, what I am most thankful for is having a loving heavenly father and loving earthly father. When I think of Father God and how he loves me like a son I am easily able to draw the comparison of your care and affection for me and am thankful that your example helps me understand what God is like a lot more than it has ever hindered me - if it has at all. Thank you! Ben: I really have picked up Dad’s more practical skills. I used to love our projects together, building a house-wide sound system, my A level technology projects, but to this day struggle to have the same levels of patience and competence as my dad, for example, he was able to design and make a rabbit hutch within a day while I moped around as I wanted to buy a proper one from the shops as I considered that at the time to be far

greater quality than anything my dad could have built! How I was wrong. I remember when moving into our new house many years ago Dad suddenly became an expert in curtain hanging using poles, although not to be unexpected as when younger I was used as a model to showcase Dad’s home made curtain puller system for a magazine. I have also almost by accident ended up following Dad’s career path although a little in reverse. Having spent the last 3 years working as a learning technology advisor (advising teachers how to use technology in their lessons), I am now a teacher. One of the most enduring memories of dad was his interest and desire to help even during his illness. Memories of long phone calls talking about my next planned lessons, when I knew he wasn’t feeling well but yet still wanted to hear. What a brilliant example that even in times

of illness he still wanted to hear from his children. He really helped me in my first year of teaching, often offering different perspectives to difficulties I had. This I will really miss. During my childhood and teenage years I had a habit, like most, of doing a few silly things. I will always remember the incredibly powerful parenting partnership formed by Mum and Dad, their ability to be both loving and authoritative, to care and correct. Regardless of which parent dealt with issues I knew I was loved but yet I would have to face the consequences of my actions. Looking back on it now this key foundation of a Godly relationship has served as a brilliant witness for myself in my walk with God, and I can only hope that my wife and I can attempt to show our children and friends what a Godly loving relationship looks like.

One card short of a pack? It was a Saturday. A miserable, painful Saturday. I had been ill for quite a while and had come to a point of feeling completely cut off from God. I knew He was there but He clearly didn’t know that I was there! And then I did an awful thing. I shouted at Him. Loudly, angrily, pleadingly, desperately. My rant went something like this: “I can’t do this any more. I simply can’t cope on my own any more. I know You’re there but where? Where exactly? Why can’t I find You any more? God knows I’ve tried (hah!). I need to know that you hear me, at least. Speak to me, give me a sign. Please ... please.”. On my remorseful walk to church the next day, I noticed a playing card on the pavement. I sighed with

exasperation, as here was yet another thing I had to deal with! The person who had dropped it would obviously realise that there was a card missing from the pack and come looking for it, so what was the best thing to do with it? (I know, I know.) After contemplating this troubling question for a while, I decided I just wasn’t up to the challenge and, scowling, continued on my way to church. Not until later in the day did I register the fact that the card had been ... the three of hearts. The trinity of love. In a way that bypassed all my “wordiness” – and literally stopped me in my tracks - God had shouted back at me!! That Monday was a much better day. Linda Walsh

Sunday 12th May 9.30 am Holy Communion Traidcraft

Monday 13th 10 .00 am Coffee +

Tuesday 14th 10.00 am Time Together

3.15 pm FRoG Club Wednesday 15th

10.00 am Holy Communion

Friday 17th 6.00 pm Crusaders

Saturday 20th 9.00 am Who let the Dad’s out?

Sunday 19th 9.30 am 6.30 pm

Pentecost Café Church Holy Communion

Monday 20th 10 .00 am Coffee +

Tuesday 21st 10.00 am Time Together

3.15 pm FRoG Club Wednesday 22nd

10.00 am Holy Communion Friday 24th

6.00 pm Crusaders Saturday 25th

10.30 am Saturday Prayerworks

Sunday 26th

9.30 am 6.45 for 7.00 pm

Holy Communion By the Gate Beautiful

Wednesday 29th 10.00 am Holy Communion

Sunday 2nd June 8.00 am 9.30 am 6.45 for 7.00pm

Holy Communion Morning Worship By the Gate Beautiful

Monday 3rd June 10 .00 am Coffee +

Tuesday 4th 10.00 am Time Together

3.15 pm FRoG Club Wednesday 5th

10.00 am Holy Communion Friday 7th

6.00 pm Crusaders Saturday 8th

10.30 am Saturday Prayerworks

Sunday 9th 9.30 am Holy Communion

Rector:

Rev Paul Norrington (01206) 563478

Curate: Church Treasurer:

Revd Jackie Sams (01206) 530586 Brian Taylor (01206) 540392

Churchwardens: Church Office:

Delia Bloom (01206) 571788 Liz Bird (01206) 542307

Rod Green (01206) 768242 christ-church-vestry@btconnect.com

www.colchesterchristchurch.org.uk

Clergy availability

Please note that Paul is normally not available on Fridays.

Church Office Liz is normally in the church office on Wednesdays and Fridays