During each summer term three groups of children come from Breakspear School Year 3 to look at both the Ickenham churches. Celia Miller and I enjoy showing them some special features of the United Reformed Church and answering their questions.
I wonder if you have noticed these features and could answer these questions:
1. On each side of the main entrance there are foundation stones. What is the date of this building?
2. Why do some of the bricks along the side of the building have initials sunk into them?
3. Over two of the doorways are the names Meggeson Hall and Hardwick Room. Why?
4. On the walls of the Hardwick Room hang pictures of the house in Ickenham where people first met for Independent worship, and of the first chapel they built. Where is that chapel and what is it used for now?
5. What is special about the old wooden bench in the corridor, and the framed piece of old writing hanging on the wall above it?
6. There is a very old photo of a man named David Brickett on the wall of the Hardwick Room. There are engraved stones commemorating him on the wall inside the sanctuary of the URC and in the graveyard of St Giles’ Church. What part did he have in the life of the church?
7. What are some of the similarities and some of the differences between the buildings of the URC and St. Giles’? For example, look at the furniture at the front, the organs, the pulpits, the seating, the windows and the decorations. Are these just practical features from different ages in history, or do some of the similarities and differences have meaning in terms of the way we worship and our identity?
8. Have you seen the signed document, called the Covenant, on display, and what it says about the ways the two churches work together?
I will answer some of these questions in future ICNs. Meanwhile, if you have not been on a Breakspear Year 3 visit, you might like to look at these features when you come to worship, or to a coffee morning or other event. And if you have been on one of those visits, why not bring your family or friends and show them what you found?
Bernie
If only we all lived by the teachings of the Bible then the ‘great MP scandal’ on expense claims could not have happened.
Certainly what seems to have been uncovered at Westminster is of great concern and needs to be thoroughly investigated. Procedures must be put into place to ensure that such an abuse of a system cannot happen again. We should remember, however, that such abuses of position are nothing new. Tax gatherers in Biblical times were notorious for their accounting – ‘one coin for the Romans and one for me’. And the money changers in the temples made a tidy living from the rate of exchange they charged, knowing that each person worshipping at the temple would need to change their local money into that used by the seller of animals for sacrifice.
And before the rest of us nowadays take the moral high ground we should think about our own approach to ‘perks’. Who hasn’t taken the odd pen or pencil from work with which to do the crossword in the train on the way home, or picked up a wad of paper for the children to use as scrap? And for those who can claim expenses within their chosen career, I wonder how many have claimed the full amount possible when, in fact, they have spent a little less?
A TV presenter, when interviewing an MP on these matters, was forced to disclose that she herself earns £92,000 a year (before perks?!) – much more than an MP earns. Is that really what she is worth? Perhaps it is, and perhaps premier footballers are worth £90,000 a week for kicking a ball. Perhaps so-called TV celebrities are worth £3,000,000 plus for a couple of years’ work. It just seems to have got out of hand.
So, what does the Bible have to say about such things? Well, everyone knows the saying “love of money is the root of all kinds of evil”. (1 Timothy 6:10) Perhaps it is this apparent love of money rather than love of integrity, honour, openness, service, humility and relationships, which has led to the situation that is now unfolding. But before we jump just to judging others we should also have a look at Matthew 7:4-5 which talks about taking the plank out of our own eye before we attempt to remove the speck from our brother’s or sister’s.
Ken
ST GILES’ CHURCH MONTHLY STREET PRAYER LIST
Each Sunday at St Giles’ Church we pray for all the people who live or work in a particular road in the Parish. During June we will pray for the following roads:
June 7th Albany Close
June 14th Almond Avenue
June 21st Annadale Grove
June 28th Applewood Close
If you live in one of these roads why not join us at our 8am or 9.45am services? You will be most welcome.
FROM THE CHURCHES’ REGISTERS
Wedding at the URC
Apr 26th Dave Rainbow and Mair Thomas
Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium
Apr 14th Philip Barnikel, aged 81
Apr 15th Margaret Dyer, aged 70
Apr 29th Derek Parker, aged 84 (after service at St Giles’)
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE BEREAVED
There will be a special Memorial service at St Giles’ on Sunday 7th June at 3pm for those who are bereaved. The names of the departed, whose funerals were conducted at Ickenham URC or by St Giles’ Church staff between the beginning of March 2008 and the end of March 2009 will be read out during the service.
Revd Ken Tombs, Curate at St Giles’ Church, will give a short talk and members of the Pastoral Support Group will be present. After the service, the congregation will be invited to have refreshments in St Giles’ Church Hall.
Anyone who would find this service helpful is welcome to attend.
