Activities | History | Nurture

July and August 2024 magazine

stjohnstmarkchurchburySaturday, July 6, 2024

Please find a link here to our July and August 2024 magazine. There are now paper copies of this bumper summer edition in both of our churches.

Inside you’ll find news and updates from most of our groups and organisations. There are reviews of our recent Mission Community Big Picnic held in Clarence Park – as well as the Girlguiding ‘Girls Can Do Anything’ event.

In addition there’s an open letter from the 9th Bury Scout Group, who meet at Christ Church and are taking a break for now – plus there’s this reflection from Ian…

Jigsaw pieces

As some of you know, I have the privilege of co-leading the Diocesan Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM) course on Worship and Liturgy. We’ve had around 20 participants the last couple of years. Some are on their way to becoming Readers, others to being ALM’s, others just want to think more about worship and liturgy.

In one session recently, one of the prospective Readers, I’ll call him Michael, shared that the day before he’d walked past a person living on the streets in Manchester and had avoided looking at them. But then he thought better of it, turned back and talked with them for a while. He couldn’t remember if he’d given any money or not but, as he went to leave, the person said to him: “Thank you. Thank you for noticing me.”

You could tell that Michael was profoundly moved by that. That somehow the encounter had changed him. And it changed the room too as we listened.

Humble and grateful

It made me think again of the Jigsaw Poem, that I’ve shared with you before. So, I sent it to Michael. He replied: ‘One of the things which made me think very hard about being a Reader was an emotional thought that, as well as being a privilege, it carries a great responsibility. Not to be undertaken lightly, indiscreetly or wantonly (as I think it says in the marriage service). The thought occurred that in preaching, my words may have an effect on someone’s life, for good or ill. This poem seems to touch on this quite well, I think.’

I’m sure that many of those ordained at the end of June feel the same. But I think that’s true for all of us. Not just the preachers and ministers amongst us, but all of us. Any word shared in conversation, any action taken, any help given. God can use us to be His messengers. More often than not, we’re completely unsuspecting and unaware. But sometimes, by some word or deed – or just by our presence – the other might be changed in some way. Or we might be changed by them. Just like Michael and the man on the street.

Sometimes, just sometimes, you get to find out the reason why you meet someone. Those times can be rare, but they’re a blessing. So, hold onto those moments, humbled and grateful. Your jigsaw and theirs, each a little bit more complete. Ian

The Jigsaw Poem by Lawrence Kushner

Each lifetime is the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

For some there are more pieces.

For others the puzzle is more difficult to assemble.

Some seem to be born with a nearly completed puzzle.

And so it goes.

Souls going this way and that.

Trying to assemble the myriad parts.

But know this. No one has within themselves

all the pieces to their puzzle.

Like before the days when they used to seal

jigsaw puzzles in cellophane.

Ensuring that all the pieces were there.

Everyone carries with them at least one and probably

Many pieces to someone else’s puzzle.

Sometimes they know it.

Sometimes they don’t.

And when you present your piece

which is worthless to you,

to another, whether you know it or not,

you are a messenger from the Most High.