News & Events - Parish News

November's Pastoral Letter from the Vicar

The Greatest Failure of Christians

Posted on Friday 1 November 2024 at 9:00am

Fr Nicholas

Failure to love is the greatest failure in a Christian. Often, alas, it is not even seen as a sin. Sin is recognised when it means doing harm to a neighbour, but not when it means failure to love, or withholding love.

A story is told about a man who sold an old ‘banger’ of a car to an unsuspecting stranger, and who later went to Confession. Afterwards he met one of his old pals in the local pub. When one of his pals heard he had been to Confession, he said, “I hope you told the priest how you cheated that man over the car.”

“I did no such thing”’ he replied. “I tell the priest my sins. But he has no right to know my business.”

This is the danger facing church-going people. They don’t see the connection between what they do in church on a Sunday and what they do in relation to their neighbour on a weekday.

People may examine their conscience but leave whole fields untouched: the conscientious carrying out of the one’s duty, honesty in business matters, justice, respect and co-operation among those who live under the same roof, and so on.

For such people religion is divorced from life. It is a private matter between them and God. According to the Bible, a religion like that is a distortion. Worse, it is an abomination.

It’s very easy to separate the two great commandments – to love God, and love our neighbour as ourselves. In a sense there is only one commandment – the commandment to love. It is like a coin, one entity with two sides. It is impossible to have one without the other. It’s not that we hate our neighbours. No, we don’t hate them. It’s just that we refuse to take them into our heart. In some cases we don’t even know them. We are indifferent to them. The worst thing of all is a cold indifference.

Yet all of us have a great capacity to love, but sadly we use it all too seldom. The actor, Christopher Reeve, was famous for his portrayal of Superman in the movies. However, as a result of a fall from a horse, he ended up in a wheelchair, paralysed from the neck down. He said he received 100,000 letters of sympathy and support from people he’d never met. This led him to ask: “Why does it take a tragedy before we show our appreciation for one another?”

Sometimes we leave it too late and then are full of regrets. We wait until it is too late to tell others that we love them. We leave it too late to mend a quarrel.

Many of us have a problem with a particular person, be it a neighbour or a family member. What can we do? Firstly, we should avoid any kind of retaliation – this only makes matters worse. Secondly, we should try to keep communicating with the person, even if it’s just a matter of saying “good morning” or “good evening”. And thirdly, we should pray for that person. If we can sincerely pray for a person, it will keep bitterness and hatred from accumulating in our heart, which is so destructive.

Knowing the two most important commandments of God – love God, and love neighbour – is a first step. Putting them into practice is the next step. If we do so we are not far from the Kingdom, just a step away. In order to take that step we need God to touch our hearts.

Your sincerely friend and parish priest,
Fr Nicholas

Probationers made up to full choristers

By Tom Moore

Posted on Monday 28 October 2024 at 12:04pm

Our two young chorister probationers

On Harvest Sunday, two of our young chorister probationers were made up to full choristers before a large congregation assembled for All Age Worship that morning.

Choristers always undertake a probationary period when they join the choir, which can be any necessary length of time determined by the director of music in consultation with others. During that period time, they learn essential skills associated with being a good and useful chorister – commitment, punctuality, enthusiasm, and willingness to work hard with others to achieve a common goal.

You may ask why singing perfectly isn’t included in the list of qualities above. That’s because we don’t expect any of our singers to be the finished article when they first start in the choir. Membership of the choir offers the opportunity to become improved as singers attend more practices and service, and to learn from others who are more experienced. This is why team work and camaraderie in a choir is so important, as well as acceptance of others and their abilities; everyone needs each other in the ensemble. We are fortunate at St Matthew’s to have singers who work together frequently and who are genuinely supportive of the others around them. Everyone is keen to see each other succeed, which is a very healthy atmosphere to be working in. We rejoice in one another’s successes and help each other to overcome difficulties. I am regularly mindful of something one of my former cathedral lay clerks said to me once; “Being in a choir is a great leveller. No one voice part is more important than another, no one singer is of more importance that the next. The older singers can’t do without the younger singers, and the younger singers need the older singers”.

Our choir is made up of people from different backgrounds, of people of different ages with various degrees of musical ability, all working together to help others worship. It is amazing that this bunch of people meet together and can create the sound that is recognised as that of a choir. Next time the procession passes you, have a quick look at the members of the choir singing as they go by, and marvel at what a remarkable thing it is that human beings can actually think about the notes they need to sing, and create those notes with their voice. Incredible!

Do you know anyone who might like to work with us in what we do? There are places in the choir, particularly for girls and boys from year 5 up. Being a chorister offers unique opportunities in music, and our choir here at St Matthew’s works hard, achieves much, and has fun together. Let’s get others involved!

That Annual Christmas Card Dilemma...

By Dorrie Parker

Posted on Monday 28 October 2024 at 11:58am

Dorrie Parker

Yes, it’s time to mention that ‘C’ word again..!

If you’ve ever been given a Christmas card by someone you know fairly well, but someone you’d never thought to exchange one with, then the following year you give one to them, only to not get one back, then this is for you. It happens all the time in large groups of people – at work, in social groups... it used to happen at St Matthew’s, but here we have the perfect solution! Long, long ago we had large tables at the back of church and they would be taken over with Christmas cards from people in the congregation to other people in the congregation..! (We didn’t have the pigeon-holes then.) In 2000 we began what has now become a tradition – the ‘St Matthew’s Parish Christmas Card Scheme’.

If you sign up to our Parish Christmas Card Scheme, you’re virtually giving a card to ‘the St Matthew’s congregation’ and what’s more, you get a personalised card from ‘the congregation’ to take home and display with cards from your other friends and family. It started off as fundraising for our church, but more than that it’s the fellowship that’s important – we’re a Christian family and it’s good to send Christmas greetings to each other.

So how does it work? Cards with a quality religious image are given an insert which is personal to each recipient and includes the names of all parishioners in the Scheme. Parishioners sign up by means of a form which I will hand out in person as you leave after Mass on Sunday 27 October, Anita will have in the Office (check opening hours!) from Monday 28 October, and it will be mailed out to those who have the magazine by post. I will also have forms on me on Sundays after Mass throughout November. So don’t panic that you’ll be missed out!

All contributions from you to the Scheme go in full to St Matthew’s. The signing-up form says: “It’s a fundraising opportunity, whilst bringing together the congregation’s circulation of Christmas greetings among one another into a fellowship scheme. Consider how much you might have spent on individual cards for people in the congregation, then make this your donation to the Scheme (though of course you are welcome to give more!). Each person/ family group who joins the Scheme then gets a personalised Christmas card to take home, containing greetings from all the other people who join.”

It’s such an easy and lovely (and painless) way to contribute to much-needed fundraising for our church, and you get a quality personalised Christmas card from St Matthew’s too.

The Scheme runs this year from Sunday 29 October, closing on Advent Sunday, 1 December. That is the deadline (you’ll have had five weeks to sign up...) and I start work producing the insert early the following day so that you will get your card in time. You do not have to wait till deadline day! The signing-up form gives full details of the Scheme and what you need to do. Maybe you’ll join us for the first time this year? I can show you examples of previous years’ cards to explain it further.

October’s Pastoral Letter from the Vicar

Not Good to be Alone

Posted on Tuesday 1 October 2024 at 9:00am

Fr Nicholas

I have been lamenting the gradual numeric decline of Christian weddings, or perhaps more precisely, marriage between Christians. This process of the decline of marriages solemnized in church has accelerated since the pandemic, but had started long before. Just one last year. There are many societal factors at play. But, there are also such riches, such insights for us all here.

The Bible says, ‘It is not good for a human being to be alone.’ Sometimes it is good for us to be alone – but not as a permanent condition. Human beings are social by nature. Some of us are lonely. Of ourselves we are incomplete. We need others. To feel this need is not a sign of sickness but of health. Insanity has been defined as a condition in which people are no longer able to connect with other people.

God first gave Adam the animals. But Adam was unable to find a suitable partner among them. A pet is good but no substitute for human companionship. Then God gave Adam a woman, Eve. As soon as Adam saw Eve he recognised in her a true companion and fitting partner. She was made of the same material as himself, possessed the same dignity as himself, and was therefore his equal. True community can be created only among equals.

In marriage God answered the human need for friendship, companionship, closeness and warmth – all those things we pine for but find so difficult. These needs can also be met by belonging to a community. And those who have a close relationship with God are never alone.

When two people get married a special bond is formed between them. From this day forward they are bound together in a relationship that will profoundly influence their lives.

What are the things that weaken the marriage bond? Breaches of trust, lack of communication, selfishness, and above all infidelity. On top of these there are the corrosive cultural influences that can make divorce seem almost inevitable.

And what are the things that strengthen the bond? Trust – this is what holds a relationship together through the inevitable trials and tribulations.

Good communication. This is probably the most important ingredient in the everyday health of a relationship. It enables couples to solve problems together. Without communication there can be no unity of heart.

Unselfishness, and fidelity.

As is so often said, relationships have to be worked on. They suffer from neglect just as surely as a garden does, our garden does! To enter marriage is to enter a school of love, a school in which all are slow learners.

The bond which two people seal on their wedding day is not made of unbreakable material, but of human, and therefore breakable material. The only bond that is unbreakable is the bond that God formed with us in Christ.

The fragility of the bond should make the couple eager to seek God’s help. Marriage is a sacrament of love, an outward and visible sign which draws its strength from God, who is the source of love. God blesses the marriage bond, and pledges the life-long support of his grace in the sacrament of marriage.

Indissoluble monogamy is not just a clerical hobbyhorse. It finds a powerful justification in the special needs of children to be nurtured and cared for over a much longer period of time than almost any member of the animal species.

Your sincerely friend and parish priest,
Fr Nicholas

Live-streaming, GDPR and Your Consent

Posted on Monday 16 September 2024 at 11:30am

Online live-streaming of services

Some of St Matthew's services (most Sunday mornings and some special services) are live-streamed or recorded for those who cannot attend church in person. Under GDPR, the church must gain the consent of anyone whose image may be captured, as this constitutes collection of "personal data". This includes clergy, readers/intercessors, musicians and congregation.

Whilst every attempt is made not to capture the faces of members of the congregation, this may occasionally happen if people turn around or move around the church during the service. The exception is communion, when the congregation is not filmed. The side aisles and back of the nave are so far as possible film-free areas not covered by the camera. Anyone whose personal data is collected must give their consent. Consent forms are available in church and online . The full policy can be read on our parish website or on the noticeboards in church.

Please read Our Privacy Policy - Filming & Photography and if you are happy to, give your consent by downloading, printing, signing, and handing in the form to a church representative or the Parish Office on your next visit. The consent form can be found at the bottom of the page.

Information Quick Links

Fundraising

Find out what charities St Matthew's will be supporting throughout the year. Take me there...

Weekly Notices

Take a look at this week's weekly notice. Read More...

Parish News

Read the latest parish news at St Matthew's Church. Read More...

St Matthew's Monthly Magazine

Packed full of information about activities and events taking place at or around the church. Download...

Join our Mailing List

To receive our email newsletter regarding the latest news and upcoming events at St Matthew's, kindly provide us with your name and email address below. By opting in and subscribing, you'll stay informed about our community, special services, insightful articles, and other valuable content.

Connect with us

Please show your support by following and subscribing to our church and choir social media channels, where you can find inspiring content, updates on our events and services, live streamed services, and uplifting messages.

Church Contact & Social Media

Choir Contact & Social Media