Dear Parishioners,

The tempo of Lent beats slow this year. I had the opportunity to meet with our Holy Week speaker Ruth Patterson just this week past and found her to be an inspirational figure. A prayerful and reflective Christian who has immersed herself in the work of reconciliation. Maybe "reconciliation" is too strong a word for her. Maybe it’s a word too weakened and undermined by over use. In her own words she sees the role of "Restoration Ministries" of which she is director as bringing people together, to share their stories, of loss and pain. A simple and personal work of Christian faith done without fanfare or drama. Something that makes a difference to the lives of those that it touches.

I wondered what she was going to make of us all here in Carnalea. It turns out I shouldn’t have worried at all. Having lived here with her family many years ago she knew all about us. Her father had been an elder in West Church Presbyterian back even before that church was built. A life time ago now. But as Ruth said herself she has journeyed some distance since those days. She has a strong sense of faith as a journey. Life as a mixture of experiences for good and ill that mark us, shape us and change us. Her particular ministry has seen the impact of what happens to Christians when they carry burdens of hurt and sadness. Their physical and psychological well-being effected by an inability to leave with God things that then overwhelm or stunt who they are as people.

Holy Week in 2007 is something that will change us. Is that an obvious thing to say? Or naive? As people of faith who seek to know more of God and his Holy Spirit we should live with a sense of expectation and hope. I am not the same person I was. Daily experience shapes me, challenges what I think and do. My faith and the rest of my life do not exist in separate boxes inside of me. They shape one another and God reaches into that process and seeks to shape me into something new. Always and forever seeking to transform me into the image of his Son Jesus Christ.

Sometimes I let him. Other times I hold on to my own image of myself. Sometimes I even hide from God. I refuse to let him speak into my life. Why? Because I want to hold on. Out of selfishness, fear or pride I deny God. I refuse to let him reshape and remake me. I am not a new creation in Christ. I am just the same old me. In a poem the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer asked: "Am I then that which other men tell of? Or am I what I know myself to be?"

Our spirituality can be a superficial thing. A surface thing. Or it can be a deeper reality that addresses the core of who we are. Holy Week is not for those interested in the superficial things of faith. My sense is that it will be demanding and challenging. Maybe even transforming.

This could be interesting. The thought that Holy week will see me walking into worship each with a sense of expectation, hope and fear is something to conjure with. Which reminds me….

When it comes to walking in to worship with a sense of fear I am reminded of the Thinking Day service! We had two hundred and seventy people in church that day. Men, women, children and puppets. We had songs, drama and stories. The message of the Prodigal Son came alive through puppets and the Gospel truth echoed in our hearts. Everyone there heard the truth that no matter how far you might think you are from God he is waiting for you to come back. It was great.

I have started to pray for two hundred people to come to worship every Sunday. To join in the joy, laughter and peace of worshipping the God who loves us. It’s something for us all to pray for with expectant hearts. Often we struggle to find a style of outreach that suit us. We aren’t sure just what "evangelism" is meant to mean for us as individuals or even as a parish.

What I do know is that sharing our faith and welcoming the stranger when they come through our door are somehow one and the same thing. Thinking Day is one of those Sundays when we see so many people who never see the inside of a church at any other time and this fact is thrown into sharp relief.

When we throw open the doors for the auction we do the same thing again – welcome those outside the church into an experience of Christian people in a Christian place. The fete is the same. The art exhibition the same again. Not many parish churches could talk in terms of thousands of "stangers" coming over the door – yet that is what happens in St Gall’s regularly through the year. These "strangers" they come here for fun, for a bargain, for a laugh, to see the kids or the paintings and we quietly welcome them in the name of Jesus. Our welcome is his welcome. Our kindness his kindness. We are ambassadors for Christ and over this next while we are going to be busy.

I write this the morning after the night before. By the time the magazine comes out last nights parish dinner dance will be a fading a memory. But what a terrific evening it was. Tickets sold out weeks before. A great crowd descending on the Crawfordsburn Country Club. A lovely night out. Our thanks as a parish to Nannette McCoy and her organising committee who year after year put on a super event. On the night a raffle raised £503 for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The Dance Class that meets in the church hall on a Friday night added another £500 to that total making a cheque for £1003 for a great cause.

In this last while we as a parish have received some wonderful gifts and it lovely to acknowledge those. Approaching Christmas a gift meant we were able to celebrate our kitchen appeal hitting its target – a lovely way to round off the year. We did so in a church made beautiful with the gift of candle lighting in memory of one of our first members, Derrick Sheriff. In these last weeks another gift given anonymously by a parishioner in memory of their parents will allow us to purchase a complete set of dining china and cutlery for the new kitchen. A gift from the Mothers Union will provide all sorts of pots and pans for cooking. This will create wonderful possibilities for parish lunches and catering for visitors. Join with me in giving thanks to God for these gifts that have done so much to enrich the life of our church. We have so much to be thankful for.

Peace to you,

Michael

At 8.30 a.m. each Sunday morning there will be a service of Holy Communion According to the Book of Common Prayer

At 10.30 a.m. each Thursday morning there will be a service of Holy Communion According to the Book of Common Prayer. Prayers are said at this service for the sick. If there is anyone you would like to be remembered at this service please put their Christian name in the book at the font.

10.00 Parish Communion

With the decoration of the church with palms. Bring your own donkey.

6.30 p.m. Choral Evensong

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion

Between these services we will be serving breakfast in the church hall. See service papers for more details. All proceeds in aid of the Church Missionary Societies work in Sudan.

10 a.m. Holy Communion

10 a.m. Morning Prayer

6.30 p.m. Compline

10 a.m. Morning Prayer

6.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

10.30 a.m. Holy Communion

10 a.m. Morning Prayer

6.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

10.00 Parish Communion

6.30 p.m. Choral Evensong