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Nunc Dimittis                                                                              Luke 2:21-33

Another day – perhaps this is the one?

Another time to come into the temple courts

To look around and wonder if he came.

O Lord what should I look for?

How will I know it’s him?

Will he be tall and handsome,

Or accompanied by others who all know

That he is the one for whom I wait?

Another day – and this time, Lord

You lead me to the temple court –

And I’ve been here before, Lord

And went home with unaccomplished hope.

But this day, Lord, I see a couple

Carrying their child for blessing –

And I doubt that this is what I’m waiting for -

Until I hold the infant in my arms

And he is all baby – and they

Have only the poorest sacrifice

The law allows!

Oh Lord it’s him!

I scarce can speak – for in my arms

I hold the Saviour of mankind

And he is small – so small –

And such a child!

My voice is raised in benediction!

You kept your promise –

And I hold him in my arms -

Whom men and angels know,

And mother senses –

This is the One

The Christ

The Hope

The satisfaction –

And you did not disappoint me

For I hold Him and I see

Your salvation!

Oh God – dismiss me now

For all my life’s ambition is achieved

And he whom you did send I hold

And know that you are God!                                       

David A. Green: 17 Dec 2010

Just recently the lovely old organ from our church was dismantled so that it can be rebuilt elsewhere.The German firm were specialists in the job. As they removed each pipe and mechanism they took photos and carefully labelled the parts.

It was not long before the whole church building was full of organ pipes of all sizes.I remember as a teenager being allowed into that organ with the organ tuner who maintained it. He showed me how the various pipes within the swell organ were “voiced”.  The ends of many of the pipes were made of metal and this could be bent to achieve perfect pitch and tone.  Many of the pipes were made of wood with wooden stoppers – whereas some pipes in the great organ were huge reaching well over sixteen feet in length.

I picked up a wooden flute pipe and blew into it. It sounded its note.I was amazed at the care and knowledge that went  into this process of dismantling the instrument – so that it could be rebuilt elsewhere – and I was reminded, appropriately, that this work is typical of God in His dealings with us.We are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” – composed of many interrelating parts and it takes His expert craftsmanship to dismantle and then reassemble the complex mechanism that is the human soul.

Finally the parts were loaded into a large pantechnicon and driven to Germany.Someone somewhere is going to have our organ. It will sound again.God is in the business of rebuilding my life.

I commit my being to the One who made me and can remake me so that I am more like Jesus.  When that is complete He will “play me” so that I produce music fit for the worship of the Creator, and of His Son, Jesus.

^25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ^26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ^27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ^28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

Today was a miserable wet November day and I got soaked.   But I still managed to book seats for the Bristol Choral Society’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah – and Val arrived from Weston in good time.The performance was wonderful and I sat with the tears running down my face more than once as the words of Scripture were so majestically set to music.Elijah has to pray for rain after defeating the prophets of Baal on Carmel – and then he goes off in a blue funk because Jezebel threatens him.There are some moments in classical music that are pure magic – and Elijah’s wish to die – set against the solo cello’s counterpoint is one of those.    ”It is enough….”I have been there too – and I didn’t have a meal cooked by angels – but I realised that the same God of Israel – the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – ministered to my self-centredness with as powerful an effect!Poor me! Little me! No better than my forebears – but a great God who understands depression in His people and is able to speak – not through earthquake wind or fire – but by the still small voice of Holy Spirit influence – is able to restore my confidence – and set me back on the road of further obedience.I salute the memory of 200 years of Mendelssohn  - he understood the story and the man – and he understood how God restores and forgives, and redirects.Through his musical genius he gives the words of scripture their rightful place – and, despite the rain (which I loathe) he brought me by his music to the same God who’s ministry is to heal and redirect.

I am indebted to my MP for permission to quote the letter from the Director of the BBC in respect of the appointment of non-Christians to offices in the corporation:-” Mr Green wrote to you following speculation in the press that the BBC might appoint a non-Christian to the post of Head of Religion & Ethics. As you may know, the BBC has now announced that the successful candidate for this post is Aaqil Ahmed, who is Muslim.

I cannot agree with your constituent that a Muslim is not qualified for this position either on the basis that Britain is predominantly Christian, or the belief that such faith precludes an understanding of and sensitivity towards other faiths. Aaqil was simply, in our view, the best candidate for the role. He has almost ten years experience in religious broadcasting – first at the BBC, where he was Deputy Editor for Documentaries at BBC Religion and more recently as Head of Religion and Multicultural at Channel 4 where he was responsible for commissioning many successful programmes concerning faith, including the well-regarded Christianity: A History.

It is BBC policy to recruit on experience and suitability to the post, not on the basis of faith. I would add that this is not only a question of BBC policy, but of UK law.

Your constituent also points to the religion of the producer of the programme Songs of Praise, Tommy Nagra, who is Sikh. Again, I do not believe that Tommy’s religion precludes him from being able to make programming about Christianity. Tommy, like Aaqil, is an experienced programme maker, well used to serving Christian audiences with a wide range of programming.

Christianity is the majority faith of the UK, and Christian programming will remain the cornerstone of the BBC’s Religion and Ethics department output.

Thank you for writing to me. I hope that my letter will allow you to respond to your constituent.

Best wishes

Mark Thompson”

This letter makes the BBC’s position clear.Letter from BBC to MP 

  Stephen and I made a pilgrimage to a specialist store in Bristol.  A Saturday afternoon, and in that part of town (Old Market) everything seemed shut – and just a bit downcast – but the shop was open.   “I want a fifi hook”, I explained, “Can you help me?”    He could and he reached for one.  As he did so I could see him looking me up and down and mentally assessing my fitness to use such a piece of equipment.  ”I don’t intend to use it for rock climbing”, I said.    We smiled, and he looked relieved – but probably pleased that staying open that dull Saturday afternoon had not been entirely wasted.

Problem is – will those for whom the object is intended be able to guess at its purpose without further help?   That’s why I also have a photo of a rockclimber on a vertical rock face – and the logo from the Comic Relief climb of Kilimanjaro.  It will serve as an informal introduction to a sermon on Psalm 121  .  

 We all need a climbing aid for the challenge of life – and death.  Something to hold on to – cling to – trust in – rely on.

 ”I lift up my eyes to the hills         (…it’s an immense challenge…)    where *does* my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth.“ Psalm 121.   

 

    

 

I have been looking for it for weeks, and although the signs of spring are all around my mimosa is being very shy this year.  I see from an earlier blog it flowered in January! Not this year.  The icy weather has had its impact on the small tree and all it can manage are some partly opened buds.  I look every day to see if there is any improvement. These are troubling times – perhaps the mimosa has found that the icy weather – like sub prime mortgages – has stunted its growth?  Of course the acacia is an exotic plant – tender, and susceptible to weather. I notice that, as if in competition, the hazel next to it has produced more long catkins than ever!  Still any sign of spring is to be welcomed.   We are into Lent. 

  The Churches Advertising Network is providing an interesting seasonal poster.   Read the rest of this entry »

This is my birthplace – this town with its uncertainty of identity. There is nothing I can do about that. I might deplore the way things change and regret the passing of family holidays on the beach. I may moan with my other townsfolk about the Tropicana, and the new look Marine Lake – but I cannot deny that today a major feature of the town has gone.

Only two days ago I stood on its boards to take a photograph of the sunset – and now the pier is burnt down. The international press gathered, vulture like, to mix with local and national journalists and cameramen to witness its demise. Already that news has been displaced from the top line of the BBC news to give way to another atrocity in Baghdad.

My town is news. I suppose I should feel proud. The dodgems and the slot-machines are literally melted away. The new owners who only recently decreed that you could only eat food purchased on the pier on the pier will doubtless have their own view of this tragedy. Perhaps when they rebuild it it will be a new wonder and a new reason for coming to the seaside resort. Perhaps it will be another Tropicana – waiting endlessly for planners to agree how it should be.

How often those things which we took for granted, passed frequently in our ordinary comings and goings, how often they are destroyed and life must go on. Today the local shops will trade on a bonus crowd of gawkers – tomorrow they will start to wonder about the effect on profits.

Not much in this life is immune from disaster. I need a God who creates each sunset and each tide to establish my life by His grace. Giving stability in such an ebb and flow of fortunes is what He does best.

The band plays on

I came round the corner of the Boulevard into the road that leads up to the “pink church”. From the top of the rise came the unmistakable sounds of a jazz band. A sunny afternoon, live music, barbecue and cream teas – what more could you ask for?

It was Bristol Road’s Open Day. There was a good turn out, and Jon the entertainer did a splendid job of entertaining and making us think about what church is about. He was anxious that his audience should know that he does not do “magic” – only slight of hand and conjuring. He challenged us about our bite size view of God.

I was particularly impressed by his puppet act, especially when they sang a duet! Ah the wonders of technology – and timing!

So much work went into the day – and so many had been busy the day before preparing the church and its grounds for visitors to see what it is about.

It is good for the churches of our town to remind the communities in which they are placed that they care for them. And it proved that, despite the adage – there is a free lunch – if you know where to find it.

Satisfied visitor with free lunch