The classic 1993 movie Groundhog Day remains brilliant all these years later. If you haven’t seen it you have a treat in store, if you have it certainly bears rewatching at a time like this. It imagines Bill Murray as a weatherman trapped living a single day over and over again and asks the question “What would you do if you were stuck in one place, and every day was the same, and nothing you did mattered?”

44 days into lockdown and for many of us it has started to feel like Groundhog day. Yes, we should count ourselves very lucky if we are healthy and the crisis has not affected us directly, but the sense of being stuck is not insignificant, it can leave us feeling low and without purpose, and for some lead to despair.

The reading in evening prayer asks a very interesting question. It is from Deuteronomy – and Moses speaking to the Israelites on the threshold of their new life in the promised land.

“So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you?” It is a great question for those of us who have grown driven by the expectation or pressure of others, or believing that the thing that matters is what we want. In lockdown we might have discovered that without that external pressure subtly or explicitly imposed on, we feel stuck, and like nothing matters.  But what if what matters isn’t so much what we want or others demand of us, but what God wants? There is a little insight in the sayings of the Desert Fathers, where a brother speaks of feeling overcome by apathy and overwhelmed by the repetitiveness of what needs to be done. And the Abbot’s gentle response is ‘Just do a little every day, and in time you will have cleared the whole lot ’.

I find that immensely comforting when I feel overwhelmed or uninspired. God is not like the hard taskmaster, but like the gentle abbot. What difference can I make in a world of need? God does not require me to change the world – he already has that in hand –  simply to faithfully do my small part  “Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart”.

Now being careful of giving away spoilers, the weatherman in Groundhog day does learn a profound lesson, first that he is not in control, but second that by doing a little good every day can make a real difference. In lockdown we might be need int to learn a better rhythm, letting go of the desire to be in control and instead hearing the gentle call of God over of the endless and incessant demands of our world, to do the simple things faithfully and wholeheartedly and find worth in the simple that that little by little that makes an eternal difference.

What would a better rhythm of life look like for you? Our Virtual Homegroups will be looking at that theme, and they meet this evening. For more information or to join one email helencodling@churchonthecorner.org.uk

If there is a blessing to be found in these difficult times, perhaps it is that at long last the rain which made this winter rather gloomy has been replaced by glorious sunshine. Spring has burst forth. Most years we find ourselves too busy to really notice it, this year we can actually pay attention to this gentle transformation of the world from bleak to heartbreakingly beautiful. There is nothing so wonderful as these first days of spring, and their invitation to find joy in the simple things of creation.

Jesus is remarkable in the fact that though his work was of the utmost importance he was never rushed, always had time for people, and regularly retreated into wild places to pray. And he says to his his disciples “Come away to a quiet place”, come out to the wild places and find rest for your souls.

And it is a delightful thing that at the heart of the gospel is and invitation to rest and re-creation. By contrast to the striving and ambition that defines much of our world with its stress and burnout, your value and dignity in Christ are not something that you need to prove or earn. Are you anxious and heavy laden? Jesus says come to me and I will give you rest.

Just like the spring time which arrives all by itself, real life is found in not our works, but in the generous gift of God – that thing which we call grace. And just as God himself rested on the seventh day, so we are called to rest in his goodness and boundless love. 

There is a delightful story in the sayings of the Desert Fathers about some monks who go to the Abbot to complain about a brother who keeps falling asleep in sacred worship. The abbot replied “For my part, when I see a brother falling asleep, I put something comfortable under his head to let him rest more comfortably”. Or as the scriptures put is “”In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength”.

One of the great privileges of ministry is that there is an expectation that once a year we will take three or four days retreat, to have space to rest, to meet with God in a quiet place surrounded by nature. It is always a struggle to carve the time out, and to be disciplined enough to put aside other demands, but those retreats are always milestones in the years, and times to be restored and to recalibrate. And this year that invitation is there for all of us. To come and rest, with the warm sun on our face, and the gentle music of birdsong around us we are reminded that this life is a gift, to be received with joy.

[Pray] A prayer of St Benedict

O gracious and holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive you,
diligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you,
eyes to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
and a life to proclaim you,
through the power of the spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

[Read] Wind in the Willows – One of my favourite reflections on the joys of spring. Available free here.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5v3-5

In a matter of days the city has gone from its incessant noise and bustle to near silence. The streets are empty, and for once the sound of the church bells can be heard. But the sudden gear change is hard. This is a tough time, and it will be for some time to come. That is true of all those who are working day and night to serve others – from the heroic efforts of medical professionals to supermarket staff. But these events will made serious demands on us as individuals too and will test our character. 

Now while there is often an immediate benefit to prayer, in the sense of peace and perspective that it brings, the real benefit is long term – in the way that prayer shapes and forms our character. Prayer is far more than just asking for things; it is spending time consciously in the presence of God, our Father and our friend. And that persistent, diligent prayer shapes us. We learn to trust, to be thankful, to hope and to be patient. To bear our struggles and to be joyful even in the midst of hardship. And that is one of the motivations to pray even when it is a struggle. If we are convinced something does us good, even if it is hard, we will do it when we don’t want to. In fact perhaps that is the mark of disciplined prayer is praying when you don’t feel like it.  And that is the great benefit of some pattern of structured or liturgical prayer. Just as Jesus gave use a pattern to pray in the form of the Lords Prayer.

Today is the memorial of the death of the architect of the Church of England Thomas Cranmer in 1556, – you can find the spot where he was martyred marked by a cross on the road in Broad Street, Oxford. He lived in remarkable and dangerous times, and navigated a volatile political and religious climate in order to reform a church, until events finally overtook him. But his enduring legacy is the Book of Common Prayer – the words of which have had a greater influence on the English language than even Shakespeare. And in that he essentially reframed the sevenfold daily prayer of the monastic life into a simple form of Morning and Evening prayer for everyone to pray. 

And that pattern of prayer that continues to this day – you can find Anglican Morning and Evening prayer here. https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer

The benefit of this rich blend of worship and prayer with the cycle of Psalms and Bible readings is serious work – it is meat not . But is it rich and character forming, and roots our days in the rhythm of the church year and the grand narrative of scripture. It does not come easily – every young candidate for the ministry rails against the demands of this (I certainly did). But then over time, and as we need to find a pattern of prayer that will sustain and nourish us for the long haul, the wisdom of this pattern of prayer becomes clear. To sit quietly at the beginning of the day with words that lead me into the presence of God, and lift my eyes beyond the immediate to the eternal, well that is the only thing I know that can sustain me in all this. 

“In the midst of life we are in death, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection.” Thomas Cranmer

[Pray] We most humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succour all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.

Intercessions from the Book of Common Prayer https://churchonthecorner.org.uk/resources/serviceleaders/1662-prayer-book-intercessions/

Yesterday in London we came close to lockdown. In the end the government stopped short of forcing people to stay in their homes, but for much of the day we faced the possibility of 12 weeks of confinement. And essential though social distancing measures are, after the long weeks of winter that feeling of being trapped is difficult to bear.

But there are those who have learned to see solitude as something rich and healing. Just off the windswept coast of Northumbria lies a low and rocky island. These days it is home to an automatic lighthouse, a colony of seals and a multitude of seabirds. But it is famous as the retreat of one of the great British saints. Today is the commemoration of St Cuthbert, born in the 7th Century, he trained as a monk at Melrose Abbey, and was loved for his eloquence and compassion. He traveled amongst the often dangerous tribes of the North East and preached the Gospel. He was present at the Synod of Whitby, and perhaps reluctantly accepted the Romanisation of British Christianity. He was trusted by kings and common people alike, but what is most enduring about him is his commitment to the life of prayer. He was made a bishop and refused it. He chose instead to retreat to pray looking out to sea, surrounded by sea otters, seals and sea birds. Eventually under some duress he became Bishop of Lindesfarne, and returned to preaching, but then with his health failing returned to solitary prayer. I’m struck by his choices.  We live these complicated lives, our desire to be useful gets mixed up with a desire to be significant. But “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Who knows how all this will all work out, but for all the anxiety and unknown, we are offered an opportunity to explore the thing which our ordinary live often denies us. And that is the simple privilege of time alone with God. We may not be able to have an island to ourself, but I’ve seen some lovely images of the spaces that people have created for themselves to be alone and pray. A chair, a candle, a Bible, perhaps and Icon or a photograph, or perhaps a warm coat and a sheltered spot outside. God is always with us, and we can pray anywhere, but it is the wisdom of the ages that a place to pray helps in the spiritual discipline of daily time with God.

[Share] Send a picture of your prayer spot
[Listen] Miserere mei, Deus (Psalm 51) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3v9unphfi0

[Pray] Collect for the Third Sunday of Lent

Eternal God,
give us insight
to discern your will for us,
to give up what harms us,
and to seek the perfection we are promised
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

In the midst of this city with its constant busyness and noise and demands, it is hard to listen to the other gentle rhythms of life. But they are there none the less. And in these strange silent days perhaps one of the small blessings is the possibility of tuning in to those. 

The tree outside my window is crowded with blossoms, hopeful and lovely, promising spring and fruitfulness. It is fighting against a cold and blustery day but is doing so valiantly.

The ecclesiastical calendar rolls on quietly but steadily too, and these days of Lent turn towards Easter. In fact today is a slightly unusual Feast day – the Feast of St Joseph, guardian of the infant Jesus, and first model of Fatherhood to him. (I just learned that Joseph is Patron Saint of Sicily – which must be why Saint Joseph is often evoked in films about the Mafia).

And as a result the prayers and readings from Morning Prayer step away from the often slightly bleak Lenten outlook, and speak of the incarnation “A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and the spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding… his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.” And the thing which always gives me great delight is the recollection that it is not just humanity which Christ redeems, but the whole of creation. As John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world”, and that word for world is Cosmos. 

And so that constant, hopeful rhythm of creation and the church year reflects something more real, and more connected to eternity. And we should do the same. We are not justified by our works, we do not find our value in our productivity. “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength”. In the silence of this day, perhaps take a little more time to stop and listen to the quiet rhythms, to look more closely at creation, and in doing so listen more carefully to the gentle rhythm of Heaven, and know the constancy of the love of God.

[Sing] In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAx8gjQrsOY

[Pray] God our Father, by whose mercy
the world turns safely into darkness and returns again to light:
we place in your hands our unfinished tasks,
our unsolved problems, and our unfulfilled hopes,
knowing that only what you bless will prosper.
To your love and protection
we commit each other and all those we love,
knowing that you alone are our sure defender,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

from the Church of South India

It’s less than 24 hours since our worst fears were confirmed and public worship was suspended in all our churches. It has been a dizzying day of managing the questions and the many unknowns, and trying to come to terms with what it means to care for a parish without church. But of course church is not the building, or even the gathering (though that is hard to imagine) – it is the network of relationships between people, and it is Christ who is the Good shepherd, Christ who cares for the flock, and leads them to still waters that will refresh their soul. 

We can serve one another by pointing each other to Christ, and by fellowship – even if that is virtual and online. That most beloved of Psalms says that the Lord is our shepherd, I shall not want. We all live with deep seated fears and anxieties, sometimes well buried, but when we are most vulnerable they often emerge. We want to be in control and know what the future holds. But sometimes, and perhaps especially at times such as this, we simply have to take hold of our courage and say – the Lord is my shepherd, he will lead the way, and he holds the future in his hands. I am not in charge – he is, and he is trustworthy.  I won’t always know where we are going, and sometimes we will pass through dark valleys and I will be afraid. And in times like that I will learn to trust the shepherd. And I suspect that I will need that trust because on the narrow road ahead there will be harder times than this. Stay close to the shepherd, seek the stillness and green pasture of his presence. Put trust into practice.

If you would like to talk about this and pray with others this evening, you are invited to join one of our virtual small groups. email helencodling@churchonthecorner.org.uk to join in. And if you can print off the attached prayers that will help a great deal.

Our new series starts tonight. Throughout this term we will be studying some of the most famous stories in the Bible, stories which have shaped our culture, and still have the power reshape our understand of ourselves and our world. We are haunted by Genesis – the Promised land, Forbidden fruit, The Garden of eden, ashes to ashes, my brother’s keeper, be fruitful and multiply, breath of life, fire and brimstone – words and ideas that have this deep resonance, and all all have there origin here.

Join us on Sundays at 7pm

Summer starts here at Church on the Corner. We’re choosing to take things a little more slowly, to enjoy the simple things. And we will be reflecting together on the lovely epistle to the Philippians.

Theology is not an academic exercise, it is about survival in a chaotic world.
It is how we make sense of the brokenness and the beauty, how we discover who we truly are and what we are called to, and ultimately find our way home. This term at COTC we are doing practical theology, wrestling with essential questions – identity, meaning, freedom, love, hope and redemption. We will be sharing tools for survival and learning to navigate well though the wilderness of this life.

Join us every Sunday at 7pm

This term at COTC we’re going to be hosting a parish project called Lifting the Lid. It is a six-week Bible study course that focuses on our faith and mental health.

We’re going to start with the Bible; seeking to gain a better Christian perspective on mental health. We’ll be looking at well-known Bible stories to understand how God treats those who feel exhausted, rejected, hopeless and heartbroken. We will take what we learn about God’s approach and use that as a way to explore the mental health challenges faced by our community.

We’ll try to get as practical as possible – thinking about concrete ways we can support people in our church and neighbourhood. Finally, we’ll be spending some time in prayer together.

One in four of us will have a diagnosable mental health condition in our lifetime. Even in the healthiest community, there can be a lot at stake in opening up about mental health. People can sometimes be wary of sharing their experiences, or feel that only those with visible difficulties are in need of support. Opening up positive discussions can be challenging, as churches we can play a key role in lifting the lid on mental health, by creating spaces that listen and welcome.

If you come to studies, you’ll be encouraged to come with a listening ear, and to share only what’s comfortable for you. We’re inviting people from all three churches in the parish to come, to make for a positive experience of building community together.

We’d love to see you there.

Wednesdays at Church 7.30pm-9pm – upstairs in the Cloudesley Room

5th September
12th September
18th September
26th September
3rd October
10th October

For more information, or to register your interest email Mark at COTC, Corin at All Saints or Jess at St Andrews

You are invited to our Good Friday Service of Shadows starting at 7pm

We’re now taking bookings for our Church Retreat in May. It should be a wonderful weekend and an amazing opportunity to get to know people at church better, and to deepen your relationship with God. We will be staying in the Cathedral close at Salisbury, and our theme is going to be a gentle introduction to the themes of pilgrimage, retreat and silence, with time to explore the Cathedral, city and get out into the countryside.

You can find all the information you need here COTC Church Weekend Leaflet

And the Programme and Map are here.

Any questions drop me or one of the organising team a line. To book your place  email administrator@churchonthecorner.org.uk, or sign up at church, and if you are coming by train, book your tickets asap to get the best prices.

Mark, John, Susanna, Georgie. 

Our first car was a beautiful 1959 Morris Minor. It was a design icon, but it did have some drawbacks. It had none of the technology we now take for granted; certainly no aircon or airbags or ABS.  It wasn’t exactly watertight and when it rained there was a regular drip from the ceiling light. Also it was draughty, the wind would get in but you could never work out where from. It did have a heater, but there were only two settings – on and off, and on was a blast furnace directed at your legs. In the winter you would toast your feet while the rest of you froze.

However we look back on it with great fondness. It was one of the family, and it was a delight to drive. Certainly not fast, but somehow you were much more in touch with the journey than in a modern car. And it was so cheap and easy to fix. All the parts were either reparable or replaceable. I learned about all sorts of things like alternators and solenoids along the way.

Now I’m remembering all this because it struck me as an interesting metaphor. We sort of imagine that life should be like a trouble free journey in a modern car. But in reality it is much more like our old Morris rolling along in the slow lane while everyone overtakes. But this thing about the Morris is that it could always be repaired, and carefully looked after it would run forever. My suspicion is that the Christian life is more like that than the gleaming modern version. And that is because what God is gently calling us to is a life more connected to his creation and to one another. God’s plan isn’t cruising along in a gleaming modern car, it is the long journey of growing in wisdom and a character, of understanding ourselves and others.

So how is that going? How are you doing at coming to terms with who you really are. Your unique character and strength, and your struggles, doubts and fears, and the demons that you fight.

This is what is at the heart of Lent.

Lent re-enacts Jesus 40 days in the wilderness, immediately after his baptism and before the start of his public ministry. It is a slightly daunting idea – emulating Jesus in an act of ascetic self discipline. But if we understand what is going on with Jesus, then we can ask the question what does that mean for us.

Jesus is led into the wilderness immediately after his baptism. A wonderful affirming moment – perhaps the point in his life when his calling and identity was most clear. A voice from heaven says ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

And that love is the foundation of all he does. But the remarkable thing is that if you are in Christ the same can be said of you. Lent begins not with the need to prove something, or to earn something, but with the unconditional love of God who says to you, ‘You are my child, beloved, with you I am well pleased’. We need to start our Lenten journey there.

But after that Jesus is led by the spirit into the wilderness. And once there he fasts for 40 days. Now anyone who has fasted will know that hard though it is, the benefits of it are enormous. The physical benefits have long been known and increasingly are being recognised by medical research. But the most immediate  benefit is the mental clarity that it brings. The capacity to see clearly and act decisively. Fasting certainly can mean giving up food for some time, but it can mean other things too. The goal is to clear away the distractions and the noise. One idea is a digital fast. To restrict the amount of time we spend in front of screens, and to use that time more productively; to break the addiction and to embrace silence and even boredom, to allow your mind to wander, contemplate scripture and nature, and perhaps to face up to our own temptations.

The Bible account gives fascinating insight into Jesus’ temptations. In some ways these are unique to him, but some aspects of these are common to us all.

He was tempted in three ways.

The first was directly connected to his hunger. “Command these stones to become loaves of bread”. It was the temptation to use his power for his own ends and choose the easy road. The way of the cross is not the narrow road, not the self serving way or comfortable way.

The second was to demand proof from God, and to turn away from the path of faith. To throw himself into the abyss and demand that God catches him.

And the third was to choose worldly glory instead of humble servanthood. He is offered a shortcut to Glory instead of the path of sacrifice.

Jesus responds to each of these temptations with scripture, and that is an encouragement to us to know our Bibles. But it is very interesting  that the verses Jesus quotes are all from the Exodus story; Moses leading the people from Egypt through the wilderness to the promised land. It seems that each one is a shorthand for one of the stories in Exodus about how the people of God were tested.

“Man shall not live by bread alone” is easiest – a  reference to the Mannah story where  God humbled them, causing them to hunger and then feeding them with manna to teach them that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

“Do not put the Lord to the test” is a reference to a story in the desert at Massah (which means testing) where the Israelites quarrelled saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

“Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only” is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:10 which is very telling “When the Lord your God has brought you into the promised land, a land with cities that you did not build and vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, take care that you do not forget the Lord.”

So Jesus sees that what he is going through in terms of the 40 years that the people of God spent in the wilderness, and the temptation and failure they faced. He leads us through the same wilderness but trusts God and does not fail. But we need to beware of the same temptations:

The need for humble dependence of God day by day, living without securing our future, but trusting that God will provide what we need (rather than what we want).

The importance of living by faith, and trusting rather than demanding constant proof of Gods love.

And the very real danger of getting comfortable and forgetting God.

So Lent is 40 days of changing gear and traveling more slowly. Not simply self denial but re-finding your identity in God. Of stripping away the distraction and some of the comfort

What do do? Here are some suggestions

• Start with Love. Hear those words of the Father to you. ‘You are my child, beloved, with you I am well pleased’. And allow them to transform your anxious heart.
• Make some time each day. Find a park bench or an old church. Just sit and be.
• Join us in Morning or Evening Prayer.
• Cut out the distractions. As church we encourage a digital fast which we call [Dis]Connect – essentially to limit your screen time to ~30 minutes a day.
• Take a sabbath day.
• Go on retreat. There is something amazing about living alongside Monks or Nuns for a few days.
• Read Exodus and mediate on the stories of liberation. And over the course of Lent, allow the word of God to challenge you about particular temptations you face.

If the Wilderness experience was a process that Jesus had to go through to reveal his demons, his temptations and his vulnerabilities how much more do we need this? I think the more as you go on in the Christian life. There is a great danger we settle, we become comfortable. To know your temptations and your weaknesses, to understand  them, and own them is the first step to overcoming them. And perhaps find others who are going thorough the same things so that the genuineness of your faith—which is more precious than gold may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.

There is no lovelier time of the year. Our festivities start next week with our now legendary Beer and Carols, after the service at 8pm.

Then the following week is our delightful Carol service. Arrive early to guarantee a seat.

And once again this year we are supporting Angel Tree – an excellent charity which supports children who’s parents are in prison at Christmas.