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Welcome to Christ Church, Blacklands & St. Andrew, Laton Road, Hastings
Notes from Canon John Fletcher
Bits from the Newspapers
Have a Modest Christmas
The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned against spending huge amounts of money trying to “buy love” by giving lavish Christmas presents.
Justin Welby said that far from strengthening relationships, splashing out on expensive presents could put people under intolerable pressure because of a later cash shortage. “Giving at Christmas reflects the generosity of God” he said. “So be generous in a way that shows love and affection rather than trying to buy love and affection. Don’t put pressure on your finances, don’t make your life miserable with Christmas.”
Speaking to Martin Lewis, the money advice expert, Archbishop Welby, a former oil executive, said that it had become a cliché to complain about the materialism of Christmas but insisted that “the secular over-the-topness, everything you have to have, new clothes you have to have, new this, new that, new the other, is ridiculous, it’s absurd, it shouldn’t happen. It puts pressure on relationships because when you’re short of money you argue.”
“The Church Is One Generation Away from Extinction!”
is what a former Archbishop of Canterbury suggested recently. Lord Carey who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002 spoke of the need to attract young worshippers, “we should be ashamed for not investing more in young people,” he said, “I am convinced that churches can grow, must grow and should grow.” But sitting in a cold church looking at the back of people’s heads, is perhaps not considered the most exciting place to meet new people and hear prophetic words. We have a problem getting people to church because it is not something that is natural to people in their lives nowadays.
Lord Carey’s remarks were echoed by Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York who said, “Next to worship, witness is the primary and urgent task of the Church.” He also quoted Pope Francis who has warned that without evangelism, the Church would collapse like a house of cards. Dr Sentamu then went on to say, “Compared with evangelism, everything else is like rearranging the furniture when the house is on fire. Tragically, too often that is what we are doing. Reorganising structures, arguing over words and phrases, while the people of England are left floundering amid meaninglessness, anxiety and despair”
It would be easy simply to dismiss these comments about extinction as being ‘over the top’, whereas they should be a challenge to all of us. The situation here at Blacklands is far from satisfactory, with an ageing congregation, a building that needs thousands spent on it, and no full time resident minister though this would be hard to justify given the current financial restraints of the diocese.
So does this mean it’s time to shut up shop and disappear? No! Not at all! Churches can be renewed and begin to grow spiritually and numerically! That’s the challenge we face! I believe we need to be part of a bigger unit, joined to a neighbouring parish. Blacklands parish includes a significant part of the town centre. We share a common boundary with Holy Trinity where new initiatives, resources and fresh expressions of church life will begin next year. It’s time we started knocking on the door, and exploring ways in which we might become part of it!
The PCC has recently been considering it’s Mission Action Plan (MAP). Blacklands along with all the other Anglican churches are required to produce a plan for the future which will be presented to the Bishop when he visits the Deanery in January. Our MAP contains a set of long term of aims and some specific objectives for 2014/15. These will be on display shortly in the church. The MAP must not be seen as words on paper! It will require action and it will require change. It will require a change of attitude and perception about the Church. It will require a deeper sense of commitment with regular church attendance on Sundays, as well as involving our giving, the future of our buildings, outreach in the community and personal spiritual growth. On Sunday mornings during the Autumn we have been considering some ‘Critical Choices’. Here is another to add to the list, “Are we one generation away from extinction or a church with a future? “
John Fletcher