VICAR'S LETTER

17 Sundon Road     
Streatley      

July, 2005      

Dear All 

The introduction of the Seasonal Communions and the Family Service with Communion is beginning to change the way study and worship for the church is planned. In the past, there have been two separate programmes - one for adults, one for children. Now we are moving towards a single programme in which the whole church explores a single topic at appropriate levels. An example of this is the summer's programme on the Saints.

The Sunday School are doing a topic called "Follow my leader". The youngest class are following the adventures of Teddy Horsley as he learns, sometimes reluctantly, the basic Christian virtues. The middle class are producing an illustrated gook telling the story of St. Margaret's, and of how the church was re-born following the Black Death. The top class are producing a drama telling the story of St. Alban. Some of the work will find its way into the Sunday School Prizegiving service with which the term ends.

The Sunday Club are employed on a topic called "Following in His Footsteps". Two of the groups are enlarging and developing their knowledge of the saints. The second group is looking at the practical application of Jesus' teaching on topics such as dealing with other cultures and helping the disadvantaged. Complimentary to all his work will be the two Seasonal Communions of the summer, one of which will look at St Alban, the other at St Margaret.

The 9.30 syllabus will, of course, incorporate these two services.  There will also be a service dedicated to St Thomas whose feast day falls on Sunday, July 3.  These studies of individual saints will be introduced by a service that asks “Who are the Saints?" and interspersed by a sermon that looks at "What is Saintliness?" and by a reflection on the much-respected modern Churchman, Basil Hume.

What is being described here is not a water-tight syllabus. It simply records a change of direction that is beginning to take place. It is a direction in which we will move forwards cautiously. We do not want a syllabus so tight that it stifles all creativity and originality. Nevertheless, however, it is a welcome sign of the way in which the changes to the worship menu are beginning to make two churches into one.

All best wishes

Roger

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