Do you remember when Mastermind first appeared on TV in the 1970s and Magnus Magnusson was the quizmaster? It was a weekly TV programme that gripped the nation with the format, range of questions and new phrases, the most memorable of which was ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish.’ Do you remember that phrase?
Sunday 2nd is Candlemas – the presentation of the 40-day old baby Jesus in the Temple as required by Jewish Law. Mary and Joseph bring the child and offer a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons as a sacrifice which redeems their first-born child. It’s an indication that they were a poor family.
As they enter the Temple they are met by two elderly worshippers – Simeon, who has been promised that he will not die until he has seen the Messiah, and Anna, who’s been a widow for over 30,000 days, both of whom are part of a group of worshippers called The Quiet of the Land – essentially faithful prayers – waiting, watching and believing. They see Jesus, take hold of him and then say wonderful words which we have come to know as the Nunc Dimittis – ‘Lord, let your servant depart in peace, your word has been fulfilled.’
Simeon and Anna started and finished!
I wonder if they were ever tempted to give up, to drift away, to conclude that it would never happen. It must have felt at some point they were waiting in vain, waiting without hope or any visible sign that God’s word would be fulfilled. But they didn’t stray away – they stayed faithful, believing in God’s promises which they saw and held. It’s a beautiful story especially for those of us who are older – a reminder that God is not finished with us and that there is different, but equally important work that we can do at every stage of our lives.
This coming Sunday at 8.00am and 3.00pm I’ll be reflecting a little bit on this passage. We are a true, intergenerational community – young and old who gather, worship and encourage one another – something unusual and precious in the world in which we live.
At 10.00am at St Mary’s, we’ll continue with the excellent sermon series on Romans as Jemima shares with us. Come expecting to be encouraged as Jemima talks about being ‘dead to sin, but alive in Christ’.
Speaking of ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish’, I’m pleased to tell you that the work at St Swithun’s is finally coming to an end. I briefed the Headbourne Worthy PCC on Monday evening and they endorsed my recommendation that we re-start public worship on Sunday 9th March at 10.00am. It’s great news and I’m looking forward to welcoming you ‘home’ to St Swithun’s on that Sunday whilst giving thanks to St Mary’s for the warmth and generosity they have shown us these past 9 months.
Why hasn’t it been finished before now? Well the weather has been challenging, especially this last week with high winds and chunky showers throughout. In addition, I mentioned in my last briefing that we were concerned by the state of the main chancel rafters beneath the lead valley that takes most of the water off the roofs. As the picture shows, they were much worse than we thought meaning that we had to deploy resin boxing to secure them for the long-term future.
The planned car park refresh will now happen in mid February and we will also consider what further repair work to the grounds will be necessary in the spring, including the pollarding of willow trees in early March.
Revd Paul