August Newsletter
My Dear Friends,
Welcome to St Cyprian’s, I do hope you are enjoying the sunshine? We shall all be able to build up our immune systems to fight winter ailments.
When you hear the phrase “Just Do It” I am sure your mind thinks of a certain athletic trainer and clothing brand. But long before Nike claimed, “Just Do It” as their motto, a man carrying a message of hope around the known world, not just the UK, carried that motto with him.
John Wesley blazing a trail of salvation and sanctification was busy preaching, “Just Do Something” to the men and women he met. The message “Just Do Something” was passed from Wesley to other circuit preachers who would go on to form the movement that later became the Methodist Church.
It was not uncommon for the Methodist pastor to be in town only two or three days per month. That meant that the local members accomplished the everyday tasks of being the church.
Recovering this part of our Christian heritage is powerful and necessary. The saints were reaching the community and tending to their needs. The saints were sharing the message of salvation to those who had not yet heard it.
The saints were fighting against alcoholism, poverty, racism and homelessness. The saints were applying James’ litmus test for Christianity by caring for the orphans and widows and fighting the impurities of the world (James 1:27).
The Apostle Paul carried this message even before John Wesley did. He instructed the spiritual leaders in the church at Ephesus that their job was to “equip the saints to do the work of ministry”. And later in that same passage that the “whole body, [should] be joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:12-16).
The Lord Jesus proclaimed that message before The Apostle Paul. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus commanded his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
Those words of Jesus telling his followers to go and do something have been repeated and have motivated countless Christians to engage in missions, yet Jesus commands his followers three times in Luke 9-10 to “go”. He tells a man who wanted to follow him, “your duty is to go and preach the coming of the kingdom of God (Luke 9:60). A few verses later, as he sends out his disciples, Jesus tells them, “Go now, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3).
Then at the end of the chapter, Jesus tells a religious law expert about showing love and mercy to your neighbour instructs him to, “Go and do the same” (Luke 10:37).
“Go and do something” is a command to action. Wesley, Paul, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, understood that you couldn’t follow Jesus and stay where you are. It’s not possible. Going requires movement and action in the direction you have been sent.
I would love to consider some congregational development training, to equip the Saints of St Cyprian’s to “GO”, go and share the Gospel of a God who loves and a faith that transforms. Who’s interested?
What is holding us back? Why can’t we bring our neighbours and friends to church, or even members of our own family? If we truly believe the Good News why can’t we share it? We will be held responsible for lost souls at the Final Judgement!
It’s interesting that after Mass we can be seen engaging in all sorts of conversations with each other but, I never hear Jesus mentioned, not only is He the unseen guest, but he’s the unspoken presence, ignored and unmentioned!
August being the month of holidays sees our slimmed down congregation, without the benefit of our lovely choir. I do hope you will all be able to take sometime as a holiday, to step away from the ‘Common round and the daily task’; this is so important, not just for those game fully employed and families, but retired folk as well.
The month sees to important dates in the Church’s calendar; The Feast of Transfiguration. The Transfiguration is significant because it was the glorification of the body of Jesus. Those with Him saw Jesus in His glory. The appearance of Moses and Elijah testified that Jesus was the one of whom the law and prophets spoke. The approving testimony of God the Father further confirmed the identity of Jesus. We shall observe this on the 5th August during the Parish Mass.
Also the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary often called the Assumption of the Mary. The feast day of the Assumption of Mary celebrates the Christian belief that God assumed the Virgin Mary into Heaven following her death. It is celebrated on the August 15. It's also called the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (in the eastern countries), or simply the Feast of the Assumption. There will be a said Mass at 1.10pm on that day here and at 6.30pm at All Saints Margaret St High there will be a High Mass and Outdoor Procession at 6.30pm. The Preacher: Fr Simon Cuff, College of St Mellitus.
Forward notice is given (and repeated) of the Feast of St Cyprian on the 15th September. We shall celebrate a solemn High Mass at 12noon, with the Bishop of London, The Right Reverend & Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally, as guest celebrant & preacher. The service will conclude with refreshments.
Fr Michae
