Palm Sunday 2019 – you’re invited
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If you’d like to read my latest update, highlighting lots of things coming up in the next few weeks, click this link.
To see the October vicar’s events bulletin, click here.
A few days after 9/11, I heard a Christian preacher describe the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre as a punishment from God.
I heard something similar said of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. One particularly graceless American preacher called it a punishment on Sweden for passing laws promoting same-sex marriage (with 550 deaths, Sweden suffered more than any other Western nation in the disaster, which presumably means the other 230,000+ people killed were just collateral damage).
Humans are inquisitive people. When disaster strikes, we’re hungry to know “Why?” So I won’t be surprised if in the next few weeks I hear someone trying to satisfy that hunger by suggesting the fire was a punishment from God for the sins of “X” (where X is whichever group they hate most). But was it a punishment from God? Are these preachers right? Does God arrange lurid disasters to punish individual sins?
Let me say straight away, God did not destroy the Grenfell Tower to punish the residents. I’m confident of this because of two incidents in the life of Jesus that tell us how God feels about disasters like Grenfell Tower.
The first incident is a conversation Jesus had about two tragedies that had happened in Israel.
Jesus is asked the same question about both tragedies: are the victims more wicked than other people, and therefore being punished for their sin? Is this a punishment from God?
And Jesus answers
I tell you No!”
He’s so emphatic about it, because he wants us to understand that people who fall victim to tragedies, whether they’re caused by human evil or a natural disaster, are not victim of some special punishment from God.
So how does God feel about Grenfell? To answer that, let’s look at our second incident from Jesus’ life, which also happened in a Jerusalem suburb, this time Bethany, in the aftermath of the sudden death of one of Jesus’ friends, Lazarus.
John the gospel writer records how as Jesus arrives at the funeral, he sees the tears of Lazarus’ sister Mary and of the other mourners, and:
was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked.
‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus wept.” (John 11:33-35)
“Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible, yet I hope you can grasp just how significant those two words are. God wept at the grave of his friend Lazarus. He understands how precious human life is. He understands how tragic it is when lives are lost. He understands how we feel, and he weeps with us.
That’s how God feels about Grenfell too. He weeps, just as he weeps with those mourning the victims of the Borough Market stabbing and the Manchester Bombing. He weeps over the many Muslims killed in the Quetta bombing in Pakistan. He weeps over the slaughter of Coptic Christian pilgrims in Egypt. God weeps over all human death. One day he’ll weep over my death, and yours.
That’s why in our first incident, Jesus turns the crowd’s attention from the disaster back to their own lives, by saying,
But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
His point is that we’ll all die, and incidents like Grenfell or Siloam are an uncomfortable reminder that death can be so sudden that we’ll have no time to wrestle with life’s big theological questions before it claims us. Better to think about who you are trusting for eternity now! Is your hope for the future in the loving God revealed by Jesus, who will weep over your death? Or is it in something else altogether: perhaps that vengeful God who doesn’t care about the collateral damage; or even just in blind chance?
However you answer that question, I hope your thoughts and prayers will be with those so affected by the disaster: pray for those who mourn, for those who have lost their homes and possessions, and for those investigating the fire, who in the face of enormous public scrutiny and finger-pointing, will be charged with finding a human answer to the question “Why?”
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Financial donations to help the survivors of the Grenfell fire can be sent to:
What? – A chance for some grown-up discussion on issues that people encounter every day in their professional lives.
Who with? – Members of our own community and wider church
Where? St Mary’s Church heated Lechmere Chapel, with a beer in the hand (or a glass of wine) a
When? Starting 8pm, then from 9.00pm in the Three Kings afterwards for further chat.
Why? Traditionally Lent is time for reflection and thought, and discussion , so why not?
Wednesday 8th March PROFESSIONAL SPORT
Peter Walton, Scottish Rugby, Newcastle RC coach English U18 Coach & Manager
Monday 13th March CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Sir Nicholas Lechmere, High Sheriff for Worcestershire
Monday 20th March THE CHURCH, MARRIAGE, and SEXUALITY
An opportunity to discuss the outcome of General Synod with Sue Adeney, member of General Synod.
Tuesday 28th March PLANNING & HOUSING
Mrs Nickie Inchbald Group Chair Rooftop Housing Assoc
Thursday 6th April MEDICAL ETHICS LIVING ORGAN DONATION
The Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Dudley and board member of the Human Tissue Authority
Everyone is welcome!
Christmas Eve, 2016.
To read the vicar’s latest email update, click here.
We have three opportunities across our churches to give thanks to God for those who have given so much for our freedom.
On the east side of the river, there’s a Remembrance Sunday service at St Mary’s Church in Ripple at 10:50am.
In the Hanley’s and Welland, our service is at Hanley Swan Church at 10:50am.
And in Upton and the Hook, our service is at Upton Parish Church, beginning at 10:45am. This will be a joint service with our partners in Upton Churches Together.
Please join us at any of the services.
On Halloween this year we’re hosting a Bright Lights Party at Upton Parish Church. It’s going to be a great family fun night with bouncy castle, games, big screen video games, food and loads of fun.
To find out about tickets go to our online booking page here.
And if you want to know more about why a Bright Lights party – take a look at this short video.
Between September and December we’ve a number of concerts and recitals at St Peter and St Paul’s Upton
Wednesday September 7th – 12.30 pm – Organ Recital by Paul Derrett
Paul was Director of Music at Upton and now has a career as an internationally known recitalist. It is good to welcome him back to St Peter and St Paul.
Saturday October 1st – 10.00 am – Come and Sing Messiah
An opportunity to enjoy a day singing this great work with soloists and instrumental accompaniment under the direction of John Holloway.
Wednesday October 26th – 12.30pm – Organ Recital by John Hocking
John makes a welcome return to Upton after his enthusiastically received recital last year.
Saturday November 5th – 7.30 pm – Hanley Voices – Fauré Requiem
One of the great favourites of the choral repertoire presented by our excellent local choir under the inspired direction of Ben Sawyer.
Wednesday December 7th – 12.30pm – Organ Recital by John Wilderspin
John is organist for the Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir and director of the Silurian Singers.
Sunday December 18th – 4.00 pm – Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
The high point of the church choir’s musical year. Join us to sing well loved carols and to enjoy the best of Christmas music.