Dear Friends
Thank you for your continued support and prayers which means so much to us. Our Summerfests were wonderful. It was such a joy to welcome, over the three weeks, approximately 250 people of which half were under the age of 18. God is showing us the beauty of inter-generational worship, activities and, of course, fun.
Not wanting to sound like a stuck record, we still would value your prayers for more community members. As we enter a new month, we are losing three significant people in Jacob, Hannah and Isaac from the Kitchen, so we would very much value your prayers for Ruth as Team Leader. Until we get new community members we are having to re-imagine how we support the Kitchen Team during this time.
September online events for your diary:
Our livestreamed Sanctuary service resumes from Wednesday 4th September (4:30pm)
online quiet day on Wednesday 11th September (free/donation ticket to join via Zoom) led by one of our Pastoral Team.
‘On earth as in heaven’ running Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th September (£50 ticket – to join via Zoom) where we welcome back Andreas to work with me (Phil S) as we explore the Lord’s prayer.
Please do let us know if there is anything we can pray for you by contacting us (at prayer@scargillmovement.org). It will be our joy and privilege to pray for you.
Please enjoy Di’s latest reflection inspired by our programme week with Roger Jones.
Diane writes:
Last week we had Roger Jones and his team working with their guests to produce Pharisee, one of his musicals. It is always absolutely amazing how with an unknown combination of musicians and singers they create a full evening’s entertainment. This year one of the opening songs was entitled ‘How I Love the Law’, by the end of the evening it had transformed to ‘How I love the Lord’. A subtle change but a very significant one.
‘How I Love the Law’ though reminded of a painting I used way back in 2016:’Hachanasat Sefer Torah’ by Chana Helen Rosenberg which depicts a ceremony for the installation of a new Torah scroll in the artist synagogue in Jerusalem. When a new scroll is complete it is carried to its new home where, if there are other Torah scrolls already housed, they are removed and carried outside to “welcome” the new scroll; then all the scrolls are carried inside together with singing, dancing, and musical accompaniment.
The artist Chana Helen Rosenberg wrote:
I love the joyful dancing with the Word of God! Clinging to the Torah, the men dance. It is as if the Scrolls themselves have legs! I wanted to express, in as powerful a way as I was able, a Jew’s love of the Torah. I wanted the work to be rich, vibrant, and so full of joy that it couldn’t be contained on the canvas – I wanted to paint joy without bounds – joy leaping out of the canvas.’
Chana describes them as dancing not only with God but also with the word of God – a reminder of their ancestry, their history and our history. They are jubilant, triumphant, celebrating in the word of God. The word of God is central to their lives. The Torah and the people are one. The word of God is central to their lives. This made me consider how central I saw the word of God in my life? For me scriptures come alive when I write these reflections. I get very excited, moving around from one scripture to another – oh, the flexibility of the internet! searching for just the right quote and on the way encountering God ‘s great love and compassion as I read various blogs, opinions, thoughts, writings and ramblings etc.
As a child I remember every year in Sunday school there was a bible competition and we had to learn a passage word perfect. I can still recall the story of the healing at the Gate Beautiful. As I young adult it was also fashionable to have verse memory cards and posters in your room. Now all this seems very dated, but there is nothing dated about the word of God. How else can we begin to understand God, to have any idea of what he really wants of us, for us and with us.
In Psalm 119, the longest David wrote, all 176 verses are dedicated entirely to praising the law of God. Each verse references God’s word in some way, highlighting God’s wisdom and truth.
Many verses are familiar to us:
1, 2 Happy are those who follow his commands, who obey him with all their heart.
33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end
35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Today I was drawn to verses 18-20 ‘Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map – and your commands are my chart and guide’.
Maps, guides and charts lead us to where the treasure is, and Psalm 119 leads us to where X marks the spot – our treasure is stored in God’s word. Matthew 6:19: “There is no treasure on Earth as precious as the Word of God”.
That is why the ‘Hachanasat Sefer Torah’ painting is ‘full of joy,leaping out of the canvas.’ The Torah and the people are one, the word of God is central to their lives. And so it should be with us. Every single day, when we open up our Bibles, our phone apps, our word for the day, if we do so with expectant hearts and minds, we will find treasure: a pearl, a jewel, a phrase of encouragement, a piece of wisdom, a word of reassurance, a new understanding. They will encourages us to grasp and recognise what God really wants of us, for us and most of all with us.
We will be walking with our God – Oh, How I love the law / How I love the Lord. Amen
With love and prayers from