‘Make straight his paths’ (Mark 1)
When a royal progress was being planned in the Ancient Near East, teams of engineers would be sent out in advance to smooth the roads and make sure that nothing would impede the progress of the Great King.
When John the Baptist – a man with no power, far away from the world of kings and empires – repeats the call to make straight the paths, he is pointing to new kind of kingship which demans an inner preparation. His words foreshadow the symbolism of Palm Sunday, when Jesus’ ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem stands as a kind of reproach to the jingling finery of the entry of the Roman Governor, who took up residence in Jerusalem at roughly the same time.
John Donne, the English Metaphysical poet, used powerful language to describe conversion:
Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
The Sacramental Consultation describes a path that ends with the entry of Love as force that can permeate the whole of our being, the whole of our heart. In earnest self-reflection we can do all that we can to prepare for this entry, straightening the paths and removing the obstacles that prevent us from welcoming love into the kingdom of our heart.
– Tom Ravetz
There will be Children’s Service followed by a festival celebration on Sunday, 30th June at 11.30am. More details in the poster below.
Please come and help at the House and Garden morning, Saturday, 23rd June 10am-noon.
Our new programme is available in the church, and online at the bottom of this email.
If you took out a new standing order towards the end of May, please get in touch with us so we can say thank you!
Please note that there will be no evening service for those who have died on Saturday, 6th July.
Tom will be on annual leave from 30th June to 20th July.
Tom Ravetz and Nataliia Shatna
Diary
Support The Christian Community
To make a one off donation or to set up a monthly standing order, please use the account details below
Account Name: The Christian Community in Forest Row
Sort Code 30-92-92
Account Number: 00012363
Lloyds TSB, 1/3 London Road, East Grinstead
West Sussex RH19 1AH
If you are a UK Taxpayer, we can claim tax back on your donation if you fill in a gift aid form. You will find one here, which you can download and return to us (signed and scanned is fine)
You can also donate using PayPal, using a credit or debit card.
Find us
School Lane / Hartfield Road
Forest Row
East Sussex
RH18 5DZ
Find us via Google Maps
Priests of the community: Tom Ravetz and Nataliia Shatna. Contact us on the church email or using the form below.