Before the Quiet Day, a Contemplative Walk, also led by Catherine, took place at Wickford Memorial Park. This was an opportunity for us to open our hearts to God’s presence in creation, in the local neighbourhood and in one another. The walk can be viewed on our Facebook page here (https://www.facebook.com/WickfordandRunwellCofE/).
Session 1 of the Quiet Day was 'Silence: the path of contemplation': Silence and contemplative prayer are at the very heart of the Nazareth rule of life. We are formed by this silence. As we enter into silence, we place ourselves in the presence of Christ. We create the place and space for a deeper listening to God, the longings of our own souls and we grow in a deep compassion for the world. In this session we will delve deeply into silent prayer and carve space to listen to the Spirit at work in our lives. No experience necessary. Come simply ready to rest in the presence of God.
Session 2 of the Quiet Day was on 'Service: the path of contemplative care': In simple acts of giving and receiving and face to face encounter we discover Christ in those we meet. We recognise Christ’s presence especially among those most in need and fearful at this time. In this session we will reflect upon our own acts of service and explore themes of reciprocity and what a path of contemplative care might look like in your life.
We ended the day with an Informal Eucharist to give thanks for God’s presence and refreshment in the gift of the sacrament.
Join us for one or both days, as we explore new approaches to mission. There will be a wide range of ideas covered, so we hope you will find something inspiring to take home. Friday 27th June will be hosted by St Andrew’s Church, Wickford and will begin at 9:45am.
Author Sam Wells and other inspiring guest speakers will share their insights and explore The 4Cs, (Commerce, Compassion, Culture, Congregation). There will be opportunities to share ideas, connect with your colleagues and be actively involved in our Being With workshops. We’ll also discuss music in mission and enjoy live musical performances.
Saturday 28th June will be hosted at St Mary’s Church, Runwell and in contrast this will be a Quiet Day. We’ll begin the morning at 9:00 am with a contemplative prayer walk through Wickford Memorial Park. This will be followed by input from Catherine Duce, of The Nazareth Community at St Martin-in-the-Fields, drawing on their seven spiritual disciplines, in particular the significance of silent prayer and service in listening to the Spirit at work in our lives.
We all have something to bring to the church and this inspiring event will help us recognise this value. Leave with your imagination sparked and your heart singing!
This is a Diocesan event supported with SDF funding. Refreshments will be provided but please let us know if you have any dietary requirements, allergies or additional needs.
Reflect in the beautiful and historic surrounds of St Mary’s Runwell and St Nicholas Rawreth. St. Mary’s is often described by visitors and by regular worshippers as a powerful sacred space to which they have been drawn. St Nicholas provides times of quiet and reflection in a beautiful setting.
Themes for 2025 include: Rogation Days; A Path with a Heart; Sabbath; Our Lady; and Lancelot Andrewes (at St Nicholas).
All are 10.30 am – 3.30 pm. Runwell Rd SS11 7HS/Church Rd SS11 8SH.
Wednesday 28 May – Rogation Days: Rogation Days precede Ascension Day. Traditionally, they are days of prayer and fasting observed with processions and 'beating the bounds’ when God’s blessing is asked on agriculture and industry, and were. Led by Revd Sue Wise.
Saturday 28 June – A Path with a Heart: Seeking inspiration from the Nazareth Community - Silence and Service are at the very heart of the Nazareth rule of life. Led by Revd Catherine Duce, Assistant Vicar for the Companions of Nazareth, St Martin-in-the-Fields.
Saturday 12 July – Sabbath: Explore Sabbath as both a day of rest and the coming kingdom of God. Led by Mike Tricker, LLM.
Wednesday 13 August – Our Lady: Reflect on the experiences, inspiration and support of Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus. Led by Revd Sue Wise.
Saturday 27 September – Lancelot Andrewes: Discover the influence and example of Lancelot Andrewes (who lived in Rawreth) who helped define Anglican doctrine, translate the Bible, and shape the liturgy. Led by Revd Jonathan Evens & Revd Steve Lissenden. To be held at St Nicholas Rawreth.
Cost: £8.00 per person, including sandwich lunch (pay on the day). To book: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com / 07803 562329 (28/06, 12/07, 27/09) or sue.wise@sky.com / 07941 506156 (28/05, 12/07).
Parking available: Church Hall (Runwell) or Village Hall (Rawreth). Nearest station: Wickford (for Runwell) or Battlesbridge (for Rawreth).
Last Sunday, St Martin-in-the-Fields said thank you to Catherine Duce and I, before Catherine starts her maternity leave and I move to become Team Rector in Wickford and Runwell. All the speeches are available to read online, click here for mine and here for Catherine's.
I began my speech by saying: "Tell about a time you had a really good experience of church. Tell about a time you made a difference to the wider church. Tell about a time you felt your gifts and ideas were understood and appreciated. Tell about the time you spent seven years at St Martin-in-the-Fields."
Below is a photo with my leaving gifts, two prints by artist Kelly Latimore. Kelly Latimore wants Iconography to be a creative process, meditation, and practice that brings about new self knowledge for the viewer and himself. He asks the question, "Who are the saints that are among us here and now?"
He writes: "I feel the need for new images. In some icons I wish to embrace the traditional forms and image but for many icons the image needs re-shaping, re-imagining, and re-wondering.There are icons here that people may find theologically unsound and wrong, or for others, helpful and inspiring. I think both reactions are important. My hope is that these icons do what all art can potentially do, which is, to create more dialogue."
Are you at the heart (at the centre) or on the edge? Is your church at the heart or on the edge?
Your answer to that question will depend on what you identify as the area under consideration and where you see the centre or heart being. So, if the question was, are Pennington and Lymington at the heart of Hampshire, you might give a different answer to being asked whether the churches of Lymington and Pennington are at the heart of their local communities. The question can also be posed personally in terms of your churches; are you at the heart of your church or on the margins? Again, in order to answer that question, you have to think first, where is or what is the heart of this church?
These are important questions for all churches to be asking and the answers that we give shape the mission and ministry of each church, in ways that can be positive or negative. The HeartEdge renewal movement provides a framework for exploring these questions, but it is one which may reverse or challenge some of the assumptions you may have when you begin to ask these questions.
Our Gospel reading today (Matthew 21:23-32) is based on the same questions and, within HeartEdge, we want to be faithful to the answers it gives. As the beginning of John’s Gospel puts it, the Word became flesh and lived among us, the true light, which enlightens everyone, was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. That’s essentially what we see happening in today’s Gospel.
The beginning of John's Gospel says that God came into the world but was rejected and not recognised. Yet, the stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone. The one who was at the centre of the Universe – the creator God – chose to be on the edge by becoming one with his creation; not as one born with power and prestige, but as one on the edge – a servant, a slave – who was then unrecognised, rejected and killed.
God chose to be on the edge, with those on the edge, and to be recognised by those on the edge. That’s what today’s Gospel reading tells us; those at the centre of religious life in Jesus’ day - the chief priests and the elders of the people – didn’t recognise him. But those on the edge of religious life (including those excluded from it) – the tax collectors and prostitutes, did recognise him. As he said of John the Baptist: ‘John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.’ The clear implication from Jesus is that exactly the same thing was happening in regard to his ministry too.
So, we ask the questions with which we began this sermon not because the centre is the place to be and the place into which everyone needs to be brought, but, instead, because God is actually with those on the edge and the renewal of the heart – the centre – will only come from those on the edge.
‘At the heart. On the edge.’ is the vision statement of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Sam Wells, our Vicar, has explained what it means for us. St Martin’s is at the heart of London and at the heart of the establishment. Theologically, St Martin’s exists to celebrate, enjoy, and embody God being with us – the heart of it all. This is not a narcissistic notion that we are the heart, but a conviction that God is the heart and we want to be with God. The word ‘heart’ refers to feeling, humanity, passion, emotion. It means the arts, the creativity and joy that move us beyond ourselves to a plane of hope, longing, and glory. It means companionship, from a meal shared in our café or a gift for a friend perhaps bought in our shop. At the heart means not standing on the sidelines telling the government what to do, but getting into the action, where honest mistakes are made but genuine good comes about, where new partners are found and social ideas take shape.
The edge, for us, refers to the edge of Trafalgar Square, looking over its splendour and commotion, pageant and protest. But theologically, as wehave been reflecting, the word ‘edge’ speaks of the conviction that God’s heart is on the edge of human society, with those who have been excluded or rejected or ignored. God is most evidently encountered among those in the margins and on the edge. St Martin’s isn’t about bringing those on the imagined ‘edge’ into the exalted ‘middle’; it’s about saying we want to be where God is, and God’s on the edge, so we want to be there too.
Being on the edge does mean facing the cost of being, at times, on the edge of the church. Some of the issues we care deeply about are not areas of consensus in the church. We aim to practise what we believe is a true gospel where we receive all the gifts God is giving us, especially the ones that the church has for so long despised or patronised. We believe that God is giving the church everything it needs for the renewal of its life in the people who find themselves to be on the edge. But the ‘edge’ also means a leading edge, perhaps a cutting edge with an outstanding music programme, a green footprint, and an eye for issues around disability. In particular it means a commercial enterprise that’s integrated into the life of the church community and, rather than simply being a source of funds, is at the forefront of the congregations interface with London’s civil economy.
The stone that the builders rejected didn’t find a place in the wall somewhere by being thoughtfully included like a last-minute addition to a family photo. The rejected stone became the cornerstone, the keystone – the stone that held up all the others, the crucial link, the vital connection. The rejected stone was Jesus, as our Gospel reading makes clear. In his crucifixion he was rejected by the builders – yet in his resurrection he became the cornerstone of forgiveness and eternal life. That’s what ministry and mission are all about – not condescendingly making welcome alienated strangers, but seeking out the rejected precisely because they are the energy and the life-force that will transform us all. Every minister, every missionary, every evangelist, every disciple should have these words over their desk, their windscreen, on their screensaver, in the photo section of their wallet, wherever they see it all the time – the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
If you’re looking for where the future church is coming from, look at what the church and society has so blithely rejected. The life of the church is about constantly recognising the sin of how much we have rejected, and celebrating the grace that God gives us back what we once rejected to become the cornerstone of our lives. That’s what prophetic ministry means. That’s what HeartEdge is all about.
There are over 25 churches in the USA who have joined HeartEdge. Representatives of these churches are amongst the 650 delegates from across the USA who have gathered to pray, reflect and learn from one another.
The HeartEdge table is in a prominent location in the central lobby and every delegate received information about the work of HeartEdge in their conference packs.
Catherine is learning a lot and enjoying conversations with a diversity of people about mission and congregational renewal. She has also attended seminars on preaching, issues affecting women’s ministry and stewardship.
Future HeartEdge events include:
Saturday, February 29, 10:00 AM 3:00 PM, Holy Trinity Brussels, Rue Capitaine Crespel 29 Brussels. NWE Mission Working Party Day will feature HeartEdge. 'Resourcing Innovative Mission' is a day organised by the Mission Working Party of the Archdeaconry of North West Europe with HeartEdge. The event will use key HeartEdge concepts including the 4Cs – commerce, culture, compassion and congregation – as a model for mission. Experience Great Sacred Music - a 35-minute sequence of words and music speaking to heart, head and soul with St Martin's Voices Fellows and reflect on use of culture to share faith insights with secular audiences. The day will also provide opportunities to share ideas, identify key challenges and assets for future initiatives. We will gather for tea/coffee at 10:00 and start at 10:30.
St Martin's Voices concert, 29th February 2020 from 7:00 PM 8:00 PM, Holy Trinity Brussels Rue Capitaine Crespel 29 Brussels Belgium. St Martin’s Voices are an exciting and dynamic professional vocal ensemble, primarily made up of talented past and present choral scholars who come together to sing concerts and special events at St Martin-in-the-Fields and beyond. Recent performances have included Mozart Requiem and Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and Beethoven Mass in C with Southbank Sinfonia. St Martin’s Voices regularly broadcast on the BBC, including Radio 3 Choral Evensong and BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship and Daily Service. They also make regular national and international tours, including recent performances at Greenbelt Festival and visits to the USA – Minneapolis, Washington DC, New York – and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Holy Communion - Holy Trinity Brussels, 1st March 2020 from 10.30 - 11.30, Holy Trinity Brussels Rue Capitaine Crespel 29 Brussels Belgium. At the 10:30am Holy Communion Service in Holy Trinity Brussels they enjoy many traditional Anglican hymns, a robed choir, and lectionary readings. People from many different backgrounds, languages and generations gather together to worship, to pray, and to share fellowship. There are children and youth programmes at this service, as well as a time to gather socially afterwards.
19 March, 2.00-4.30pm ‘Inspired to Follow: Art & the Bible Story’ Mission Model workshop, , St Martin-in-the-Fields. An opportunity to experience one of the sessions of ‘Inspired to Follow’ and to learn how to make the most of the resource. Free to HeartEdge partners, £10 for others. Book here.
1 April 2020, Liverpool HeartEdge Day: Exploring mission, sharing ideas, uncovering solutions and finding support, this is an ecumenical day with Sam Wells and guests. Book here.
29 April. West Cornwall HeartEdge Day: Details to follow!
May 18 - 20 San Antonio - Texas. Faith+Finance: Reimagining God’s Economy is a new gathering with a bias for action. We are bringing together pastors and impact investors, theologians and social entrepreneurs to respond with courage and imagination to the most urgent and demanding economic, social, environmental, and spiritual challenges of our day.
19 May, 10.00am – 3.30pm, Wessex HeartEdge Day: Christchurch Priory. Exploring mission, sharing ideas, uncovering solutions and finding support, this is an ecumenical day with Sam Wells and guests. Book here.
Wednesday 20 May 2020, 3.00 – 5.00pm. Nazareth Community Workshop: The Nazareth Community was established at St Martin’s in March 2018, now with over sixty members. The workshop will be led by Revd Richard Carter, and is an opportunity to learn about the life of the community, and to consider how it could be applied in your own contexts. Richard is the leader of the Nazareth Community and author of The City is My Monastery: a Contemporary Rule of Life; published by Canterbury Press in 2019. The afternoon will mirror the Saturday morning sharing time, and will begin in the church. The session will include: Welcome and an introduction to the Nazareth Community’s simple way of life; Prayer & silence; Talk; Q&A; Refreshments; Small groups; and Close. Participant are encouraged to stay on for Bread for the World at 6.30pm, an informal Eucharist with St Martin’s Choral Scholars in which the themes of the afternoon will be taken up and deepened in worship. Book here.
21 -22 September - London: HeartEdge Annual Gathering - an exciting smorgasbord of theology, ideas and 'how-to' plus curry, catching up, sharing stories and making connections. Make a weekend of it - from Sunday evening's Nazareth Community gathering to Wednesday visiting projects. Save the date - more details to follow.
Revd Catherine Duce was licensed on Wednesday as Assistant Vicar for Partnership Development at St Martin-in-the-Fields by The Rt Revd Ric Thorpe, Bishop of Islington. Catherine’s role is to further develop HeartEdge in London, while also leading on Nazareth Community partnerships more generally and supporting other key initiatives at St Martin’s. Her appointment has been made possible because St Martin’s has been designated as a resource church by the Diocese of London.
The role that Catherine is now taking on is one which is part of the Resource Church initiative that Bishop Ric has pioneered in the Diocese of London and more widely. Resource churches are essentially those that are able to share with and support other churches in their mission and ministry. Many Resource churches in London will use the model of church planting but, here at St Martin's, the resource that we are sharing is HeartEdge, the ecumenical movement for renewal that we initiated in February 2017.
HeartEdge is a growing network of churches and other organisations in which ideas for and approaches to mission are shared and where the challenges faced by churches today are honestly explored. We have a programme of introductory events, mission model workshops and consultancy days which provide opportunities for mutual learning and support the revitalization of churches and, with Catherine’s help, will plan more London-focused events. Catherine's role is to grow HeartEdge in London, supporting existing member churches and encouraging more churches to join this movement for renewal.
Please do pray that God will take all that Catherine brings to this role from her previous experience and use it powerfully in the development of mutual support between churches, the revitalization of congregations and the growth through those congregations of new worshipping communities.
Catherine can be contacted on 020 7766 1127 or catherine.duce@smitf.org and would love to hear from you. She will be seeking to visit all HeartEdge members in London, so expect to hear from her before too long. We would also love to draw more churches into the movement for renewal that is HeartEdge, so do suggest other churches with which Catherine could share information.
