A Much Loved Hymn

We sang this hymn last Sunday. It's not a very new one (written in 1975 by Jenny Hewer) but it is one which people at St John's comment on. Here's the first two verses. Do you like it? Perhaps when things are uncertain this could be our prayer

Father, I place into your hands

The things I cannot do,

Father, I place into your hands

The things that I've been through.

Father, I place into your hands

The way that I should go,

For I know I always can trust you. 

Father, I place into your hands

My friends and family.

Father, I place into your hands

The things that trouble me.

Father, I place into your hands

The person I would be,

For I know I always can trust you. 

Big Celebrations Coming Up

Hi, you are invited to:

Flowers for the Queen Weekend

June 10th to June 12th our church will be resplendent with flowers - red, white and blue ones of course. Church is open for you to look around 10am to 6pm. Tea, coffee and cake are available - £1.

June 11th - Stourport Brass Band in concert in Church at 7.30pm £8, yes you can pay at the door. Price includes a glass of summer punch.

June 12th - Celebration Service at 11am. All our area are invited. Our schools, shops and businesses are invited too.

Easter continues...

Hi, two Easter services this Sunday.

1. 11am Sunday 10th April - Worship 4 All - Easter.
2. 6.30pm Proper BCP Evensong (yes it's sung) - Easter theme continues.

Easter Services at St John's Church Wolverley

You are invited to...

Good Friday at 4.30pm - thinking about the cross. 50 minute service (approx) where we will remember Jesus' journey to the cross. Hot cross buns and drinks afterwards. Not suitable for very young children. I'd say fine for 8 years +

Easter Sunday at 11am - come and celebrate Jesus' resurrection. It's mainly an adult service but if children come there will be an Easter egg hunt during the sermon. Please bring books and crayons + paper.

For further information ring me, Jan the vicar;

Kidderminster area code + seven four one three eight one

Where was God? Loitering Within Lent

Last Monday, whilst waiting for hubbie having a treatment at Russells Hall Hospital, I loitered in the cafe near the entrance. I was warmed by the lady operating the till. She was so kind to the visitors. I hope I've captured this in the poem I've written. Where was God? Operating the till!!

8.30am to 9.30 am - Russells Hall Hospital

It’s a city of busyness

wide corridors

shrink in the rush.

The cafe is busy

serving hot drinks

and breakfast. 

The till operative 

manages the queue.

She’s balancing:

the staff fidget urgent

to pay and go

but visitors

want to tell

their news:

he might be 

coming home

tomorrow;

she’s had

a restless night

still poorly. 

She listens: 

this seems

a regular meeting.

She smiles, slows down

the giving of change 

and receipts

and gives a second

or two of warmth,

as hands touch. 

I’m glad there’s one

in all this busyness, 

who’s making time 

to care.

More Loitering Within Lent - This time as a poem

Reasonably Upmarket Gastro-pub , lunchtime in March

There may be music but

the sounds are people together. 

The food is just an excuse; 

allowing time together.

A noisier corner, an older woman,

younger women and one man,

A early Mother’s Day duty?

There’s lots of bottles of wine.

In the centre two women 

sharing work, families.

They laugh and listen.

They listen and talk.  

Another corner, quieter, 

two young serious women,

sometimes they come closer

and voices are sad, subdued.

Around us two waitress 

efficiently attend. They bring 

and check and clear and wipe

and aim to be forgettable.

No smiles, no contact,

instructions are to leave

personalities on the doorstep. 

They’re paid to do not to be. 

Loitering within Lent - McDonalds, Kidderminster, Evening

Hi, if you don't know about Loitering with Lent, do look at my earlier posts.

Where was God in McDonalds? Where was Jesus' Spirit?

Certainly, there were two groups of people who were enjoying each others' company, laughing, eating and sharing good companionship. Where people eat together and share food, Jesus is there. McDonalds encourages the sharing of food as there's no plates and people can put their food in the middle of the table and share what they have.

But I did notice, whilst sitting there on my own without my phone to play on, is how people keep their eyes to themselves. There might as well have been barriers between the people there. There was no contact between the people eating there. No smiles, no nods of the head.

Like myself, on my own, there were other people, all men, who were also on their own. I did watch one man come in and order food. No-one including the person serving and the person cleaning, spoke except to take the order. There was no 'welcome' as we say in our churches. I felt this was sad. There was no human contact for those men eating on their own and playing on their phones.

Perhaps they wanted anonymity and to be left alone. If that was correct, they were in the right place.

God says you are welcome. You are what you are and you are welcome as you are. Just come.

If you want to be welcomed, you know you are valued and to be part of a community, can I say you won't get better than coming to church.

'Loitering within Lent' - the Hospital Restaurant

If you've not heard of 'Loitering within Lent' please read my previous post.

1. Hospital Restaurant...

I spent 45 minutes sitting and not playing on my phone but eating a sandwich, having a cup of tea and wondering - where is Jesus' Spirit here? I saw two acts of kindness.

The first was an elderly man who was very deaf and insisting he wanted bacon, sausage, beans and egg for his lunch. The person taking the order was explaining they didn't do breakfasts after 11.30am (it was 1pm), the explanation was repeated slowly but not in a patronising way until he did hear - he was very apologetic.

The second was an elderly women who was struggling to stand back up after sitting for her meal. The people sitting on the tables either side (though not with her) saw her struggling and helped her up. This was done with minimum fuss and with a 'it's no trouble' attitude.

‘Loitering Within Lent’

Lent - an idea

Last year we at St John’s were encouraged to read the whole of St John’s Gospel and to think about certain words or phrases which ‘leaped out’ at us or which we thought were important.

That was last year. We had a quiet, reflective, prayerful Lent

This year I’m encouraging us at St John’s to ‘go into the wilderness’ and see what happens. I’m calling it ‘Loitering Within Lent’ 

(To loiter: Stand or wait around without apparent purpose) 

If you know your 1824 Vagrancy Act you will spot the pun. That Act made it an offence to ‘loiter with intent’ - by which was meant to stand or hang-about with the intention of committing an offence.

As Jesus went into an unknown place for 40 days and there he was challenged by the devil so let’s go into an unknown place and loiter and see where God is - where is the love, joy, kindness, truth in this place? If it’s not there, why? 

For my ‘Loitering within Lent’, I’m going to have a meal in places I haven’t been to on my own and just eat and watch and loiter and listen. And think ‘where is God here?’ I’m having a meal at McDonalds late at night, the hospital restaurant, a ‘posh’ restaurant as yet not decided - help needed here, I don’t know any, Glades cafe, and breakfast at the Penny Black. 

I’ve inviting you to go somewhere you’ve never been or at a time you haven’t been and loiter and think about ‘where is God here?’ You may be challenged as Jesus was. You might be pleasantly surprised. 

Want ideas? You could visit 5 different town centres and wander around without buying anything; you could have coffee in 5 different places. You could take a camera and take photos of places around Wolverley you haven’t been before. Spend time and think and watch and listen. 

If you want, you can send me what you’re doing and how it’s going and I’ll put them on this website. Write and tell me on the contact form on this website. Let's share with each other what will we find. 

Loitering within Lent for me is both scary and exciting.