Sunday Sunlight

The light shining in beauty

  

              Dreaming—thinking about desires that are part of your heart—can lead you places.  For me, I started dreaming of England when I was five years old and the film “Mary Poppins” came to the theatre.  Those images of chimneys at sunrise, the Bird Lady at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the beautiful countryside captured my heart.

                As a teenager, I decided that there were three things I wanted to do before I got married.

·         Write a book

·         Live independently from my parents at least six months to a year

·         Visit England. 

On Saturday, 17^th September 1983, I took my first plane ride and my first visit outside of America.  I was flying into Heathrow Airport, (Terminal One) on my first trip to England to visit my pen-friend.  She lived in Dagenham, and I was spending two weeks with her. 

Any infatuation I felt for England, and the UK, turned into real love.  One of my first impressions was of a couple with his-and-her pink Mohawk haircuts.  I knew it was a couple, because the girl had on a ankle-length Khaki skirt!

My friend—“Kay” and her father shepherded me onto the tube, and we rode it across London to Dagenham Heathway.  I don’t remember how long it took—as it was thirty-two years ago.  But “Kay’s” father carried my suitcase from the tube station to their house on Standfield Road.  During those two weeks with them I tasted true British life.  And perhaps it added to the desire to come and live in the United Kingdom.

Here I am, 32 years later, living about 20 miles from central London.  I feel more British every day.  First I had a settlement visa.  Then I obtained a British Driver’s license.  In 2004 the Home Office issued me a visa with indefinite leave to remain.  In 2007 I gave my allegiance to Queen Elizabeth and the United Kingdom, becoming a naturalised citizen of the United Kingdom.  To add the final touches to my becoming Anglicised, I was accepted into the Church of England in May 2009.

The local parish church I regularly attend is St. Mary the Virgin.  The building dates back to about 1140 AD.  Over the years the building has been added to, as well as renovated.  Yet it still maintains all the classic beauty of wooden pews, oak columns, a pipe organs and stained-glass windows. 

This past summer, on the Sunday of the annual Patronal festival, the children’s Sunday School created a beautiful piece of artwork.  It is made of black, heavy-weight card and coloured gel paper.  Each week it is displayed on the gates to the Kedermister Family pew, so the sun can pour through the gel sheets like a true stained glass window. 

Back in 1983 I had no idea how I would come to be a resident of this country, or when.  But it was the first step of my dreams coming true. 

I suppose the only thing I lack in being British is a British accent.  Oh well…my heart is British enough without the accent.

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

Lady Helene

Missionary?

What is a Missionary—And are YOU one?

                 If I say the word “Missionary” who comes to your mind—Dr. David Livingstone, or perhaps Gladys Aylward, or even Eric Liddell?  These are a few people who come to my mind.  

                 What else comes to mind?  Is it someone who leaves family, friends, a nine-to-five job to travel off to a developing country and live in primitive circumstances?  You know—without running water, electricity or a mobile phone?  Maybe that’s an old-fashioned picture.  Maybe it’s a person or a couple who go onto a poverty-stricken estate and work with kids who are prone to become gang members. 

Look up the word online at www.m-w.com (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) and it defines a missionary as:  “a person who is sent to a foreign country to do religious work (such as to convince people to join a religion or to help people who are sick, poor, etc.) “

On that same webpage is another definition:  “A person undertaking a mission, especially a religious mission.“ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/missionary

Matthew (chapter 28):records Jesus giving instructions to His disciples:  “¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore^[c] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”^[d] 

There it is—an assignment from Jesus.  In the book of Acts, Jesus tells us that once the Holy Spirit comes, we will be witnesses—first in Jerusalem, then in Judea, into Samaria and then the ends of the world.  Basically, He was saying we begin where we are born and raised.  Then, He will lead us, by His precious Spirit, to where he wants us to invest into the lives of others.

Jesus has given us a mission—therefore we are all missionaries.  Not all of us will be like Abraham and be told to “start walking”.   For "Dale Doug Maccard", his mission is to return home (South Sudan) and tell of all the Lord has done for him.  For some of us, our mission is to support, encourage, finance, and pray for those who have gone to the ends of the earth—"Adair & Verina Hisscock", and/orThe "Clemmer Family" --" James", " Nita" and "Jannie". (Names are changed to protect idenity.)

From one missionary to another, let us listen to the Holy Spirit and find out the specific mission He has for each of us. 

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

"Lady Helene"

Chicken Pot Pie

        There is so much I want to do with my life.  Everyday is a battle against fatigue.  But I do plan for days of rest before and after scheduled commitments.  There are two things that I do enjoy doing that make me feel like I am making a contribution to the community and to the Kingdom—cooking and writing prayers.  

        On Wednesday, 16^th February, I spent the day cooking for the Alpha Course at St. Mary’s Church of England, Langley Parish.  I did a two-course meal of chicken pot pie and apple up-side down cake. Often when I cook for other people, I do a lot of praying.   I always pray about what to fix, pray during the prepartion of the food, while I’m fixing it and then prayers of thanksgiving when it is enjoyed.  I was aching and tired by the time I finished on Wednesday—but truly did enjoy the creativity and the results.  

        This morning it was time to focus on writing the prayer

Apple Upside Down Cake

for the monthly Family Service which is held at 9:30 a.m. for families with young children.  The challenge is writing something that is meaningful, yet simple enough for a five-year-old to grasp the meaning of as well.  This month the topic is prayer—with the service built upon the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray.  I’m posting the prayer I wrote for Sunday here for your consideration.  

Talking to God

Reader:  Jesus taught us; “This then is how you should pray.”

Response:  Father, help to know what this prayer means and live it.

Reader: 

Our Father in Heaven:

Father:  You, Who created us to be like you—a spirit.  You sent us Jesus—God, The Created, becoming like us, God in a body of flesh and blood.  Jesus called you “Abba”, which means “Daddy.”  You are God in Heaven Who knows all that we need and cares tenderly for us.

Reader:  Jesus taught us; “This then is how you should pray.”

Response:  Father, help to know what this prayer means and live it.

Reader: 

Hallowed be Your name:  Your Name is Holy.  You deserve our thanks, our devotion, our admiration and even our lives.  Help us to worship you for Who you are—not just for what You do for us. 

Reader:  Jesus taught us; “This then is how you should pray.”

Response:  Father, help to know what this prayer means and live it.

Reader: 

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

 Abba, Daddy, teach us how to be like you:

Forgiving;

Generous;

Kind;

Patient;

And able to accept the weakness and faults of others, whilst still seeing the best in them. 

By following the example of Jesus, we can see how to do what you want us to do;

So that others can see and learn about You. 

By the power of Your Holy Spirit, whom you sent to livewithin us, Your will is done on earth—in the same way that you are worshipped and obeyed in heaven.

Reader:  Jesus taught us; “This then is how you should pray.”

Response:  Father, help to know what this prayer means and live it.

Reader: 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Father, sometimes it is easy to take for granted what we have been blessed with—food to eat, clothes to wear, the listening ear of a good friend, comfort when we are hurt, the healing sound of a child’s laughter.  Each day You provide for us—sometimes in surprising ways.  Help us to not worry about the future—but rest in knowing that exactly what is needed today will be given to us. 

Reader:  Jesus taught us; “This then is how you should pray.”

Response:  Father, help to know what this prayer means and live it.

Reader: 

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors

Father, when we get hurt and feel as though someone owes us something, help us come to You and share our bad feelings—You can help us to let go of anger, resentment, fear.  Sometimes we get angry about situations—because we don’t know exactly who is at fault.  When we feel that others have taken advantage of us—been unjust and unkind—let us remember everything that Jesus suffered on the cross so that You would let go of our debt to you.  Let us find the courage to say, “If Jesus can forgive me for everything bad that I have done, then I too can forgive anyone else who has done wrong to me.” 

Reader:  Jesus taught us; “This then is how you should pray.”

Response:  Father, help to know what this prayer means and live it.

Reader: 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

Father, life is like a race.  Temptations are like hurdles we must jump over in order to keep running. Sometimes the race seems too long and the things that get in our way seem too big and too many.  Father, help us know that You will always give us wisdom, strength and courage to face the things that are meant to make us stumble and fall.  Yet, because we are only human, we will trip, we will fall.  At these times You send us grace to get up and get back into the race of life.  Your Presence is always with us and you will not allow Satan to ruin us.  What Satan would use to destroy us, is often turned around by You, using it for our good.  You are so amazing.  Thank you

Reader:  Unite our hearts to be like yours.  For the sake of Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith.