1 Hardware, Software, Operating Systems … and the church Computer systems and software have been in the news recently with the virus attack bringing the NHS, and other institutions and companies across Europe, to a grinding halt. The issue has been about using an old operating system and not keeping the anti-virus software up to date. This allowed the ‘ransom virus’ to infiltrate the system and cause everything to stop functioning properly. As I reflected upon this I wondered if we could apply the thoughts and principles to the church. If the church was compared to a computer system what would be the comparisons? June 2017 Number 232
Transcript
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Hardware, Software, Operating Systems … and the church
Computer systems and software have been in the news recently with the virus
attack bringing the NHS, and other institutions and companies across Europe, to a
grinding halt. The issue has been about using an old operating system and not
keeping the anti-virus software up to date. This allowed the ‘ransom virus’ to
infiltrate the system and cause everything to stop functioning properly.
As I reflected upon this I wondered if we could apply the thoughts and principles to
the church. If the church was compared to a computer system what would be the
comparisons?
June 2017 Number 232
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To a non-technology person like me a computer system is made up of three main parts:
a) The hardware – e.g. a desktop, or laptop, or ipad b) The Software – e.g. word, spreadsheet, powerpoint, anti-virus c) The Operating System – e.g. Windows XP, Windows 10, Apple(?)
You need all these in place, and functioning properly, for the computer system to work. If one breaks down, or isn’t working properly, or isn’t kept up to date, then the system collapses. The operating system is in place to get the hardware to do what it is supposed to do, and the software is there to give you the output you need and want.
In church the hardware could be considered the church building, the institution of the church. The software could be considered the services, the youth and children’s groups, the coffee mornings, the life groups. But what is the operating system?
Perhaps we could consider ‘the operating system’ to be the principles we operate under as a church. If it is about getting the hardware to do what it is supposed to do, if it is about ensuring the software give us the output we want, then that helps us to understand what our church ‘operating system’ might be.
I believe our ‘operating system’ has to focus on the gospel, on people, and on mission. Our operating system has to be looking outward, and not be about the building, the institution, or the structure. The operating system is far more about the ‘invisible’ things of the church, and sadly often we get focused on the ‘visible’ things of building and institution.
The word ‘church’ appears in the Gospels only twice. The word ‘Christian’ only appears in the whole of scripture three times. But there are hundreds of references to ‘disciple’ and ‘gospel’. This reflects the emphasis of scripture and strengthens the idea that the principle behind the church has to be to help people understand the gospel and become followers (disciples) of Jesus Christ.
This principle was clearly Paul’s way of operating in the early church; his focus was on the gospel and bringing people to Christ:
“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings”
1 Corinthians 9:22-23
As the church in the UK have we lost this principle? Has our focus been too much on ‘church’, on ‘institution’, therefore running an out-of-date operating system that means the hardware is not doing what it was designed to do? Has this virus infected us? Do we need a reboot and an update?
I pray that at St Luke’s our ‘operating system’ will be ‘growing through making whole-life disciples’. I am encouraged that perhaps we are seeing an upgrade in the operating system being introduced to the church in this country, but I fear some may not yet have accepted this upgrade and are using an out of date operating system and still be susceptible to the ‘church-virus’. I pray that the church as a whole, that’s each one of us, will grasp this fresh ‘operating system’, and not focus on itself and the institution, but on the Gospel and on people coming to know Christ.
Rev’d Canon Dave Middlebrook - Vicar
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The Never Ending Journey
Living with Brain Injury
Antoinette Anthony-Pillai is a member of St. Luke’s, and a few weeks ago you may
remember gave her testimony in church. She has written a book about her
experience.
It is an inspiring story of courage and strength in the face of adversity.
As a young, dedicated medical student, Antoinette’s future was mapped out. But
when a routine operation for a tonsillectomy went horribly wrong, Antoinette’s
brain was starved of oxygen and her life took a dramatically different turn. She and
her family came face to face with the harsh realities of living with brain injury.
The Never Ending Journey is a moving account of Antoinette’s daily struggle to
cope with her condition and her fight to regain control of her life. It is an honest,
captivating account of the difficulties that Antoinette and her family have faced as
they came to terms with accident and its consequences. Yet this is not a plea for
sympathy. Antoinette has a charming, matter-of-fact style of writing and speaks
openly and honestly about the ups and downs of her day-to-day life. As she draws
you into her world, you will understand just a little of what it is like to live in her
shoes. As she tells her remarkable story, you will see how her faith in the God of
miracles and the love and support of her family has seen her through.
This is a story of courage, determination and unconditional love. It will be an
inspiration for any who are going through difficult times.
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Provoked Into Action
“Those who survived the exile and are back in the province
are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is
broken down and its gates have been burned with fire.
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some
days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of
heaven” Nehemiah 1:3-4
I recently attended a day conference about “Mission to
Millenials” and the speaker, Frog Orr-Ewing, used the story of Nehemiah to challenge us
as church leaders about the state of the church in the UK, and especially about the low
level of ‘Millenials’ (those born since 1980) in our congregations.
In the book of Nehemiah news was brought to Nehemiah about the state of the people of
Israel, the state of the holy city of Jerusalem, and the state of their worship – the walls
and the people had collapsed. This news was a revelation to Nehemiah and he was
distraught; he wept and mourned and fasted and prayed for several days. Frog
commented that ‘sometimes things need to get bad enough for us to do something!’
Although recent figures suggest that the decline in the church attendance and in the
Church of England, has bottomed out in the last few years, basically the church and the
people of Christian faith have collapsed in the UK. Christians living in the UK are almost
‘people in exile’. When looking at figures and in particular the age profile of church
attenders, we see an enormous hole in the 18-35 year old age range. In missional terms
statistically that age range in the UK are an ‘unreached people group’, and need
missionaries to reach them.
Looking at some broad numbers:
5 million in the UK attend church monthly
4-5 million in the UK attend church occasionally
74% of the population however do not attend church even once per year
16 million people in our church used to attend church and now have no connection
16 million have never been to church
56% of Millenials in the UK who attend church, attend church in London
95% of Millenials attend churches with in excess of 400 members
The above figures are a stark message to us and show the state of the church. This is
brought into focus further when we recognise that the high points, in terms of percentage
of the UK population, of church attendance were in 1921 and 1950. That represents a
spectacular decline in church attendance in the last 65 years. For many of us this has been
‘on our watch’.
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This should, indeed must, provoke us into doing something. The above statistics should
mean that we mourn and pray before God for the country and especially for the Millenial
population. We can’t just stand by and watch people leave church, and watch an
‘unreached people group’, who need to know Christ, just career blindly through life.
These statistics also say that church, in its current form, is not working and we need to do
church differently.
However all is not gloom and despondency. 20% of the population want someone to talk
to them about the Christian faith. Remember 16 million people in the population used to
go to church, and many still look favourably upon church.
Nehemiah’s response was to mourn and pray, and then to act. He did not sit back and
assume other people would start the rebuilding, he rolled up his sleeves and started
worked, and galvanised others.
Each and every Christian is called to be a missionary, or a witness, to the Millenials. Each
of us know young adults aged 18-35; our family, friends, work colleagues and more. We
are called to speak to them about life, about their priorities, their hopes and dreams, and
also share where we have found hope, meaning, strength and purpose in Jesus Christ.
I wonder are you ‘provoked into action’ by these numbers? Are you ‘provoked into action’
by thinking of the Millenials, and others that you know, who used to attend church and
who are searching for answers in life. Please pray for them and please seek to help them
connect to the one who brings life in all its fullness – Jesus Christ.
Rev’d Canon Dave Middlebrook - Vicar
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Disciple Making Disciples
“Jesus said: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” Matthew 28:18-20
These are very familiar words to us, but they are actually world changing words that
Matthew ends his gospel with. Jesus bursts forth from the tomb, alive, and the Church is
commissioned to burst forth and bring life to the world.
This is a briefing, and introduction, for what happens in the early church, that we read
about in Acts, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which empowers the church for its
mission of spreading the life-changing gospel. That empowerment by the Holy Spirit, and
that mission of the church, continues today. We are all part of that mission, and the Holy
Spirit empowers each one of us.
Interestingly there is only one command in these words of Jesus: ‘make disciples’, the
other words are all present participles. “Going” is what Jesus actually says, meaning as
you go about your daily business, your everyday life, do so with new values, new
priorities, a new purpose, and that purpose is to ‘make disciples’. We’re not asked to
make ‘converts’ but we’re asked to make disciples, teaching them what it means to be a
follower of Jesus.
Matt Summerfield, at his excellent seminar last month at St Luke’s, challenged us to
consider ourselves as disciples you make other disciple making disciples. This has to be a
chain reaction. Each of us needs to equip those around us, and be accountable to those
Christians around us, to be ‘disciples making disciples’. One of the key ingredients in this
is time; time to invest in people to help them become disciples, and time to be with
people who are supporting you in your own discipleship, and time to invest in our own
relationship with Christ.
Unless we are ‘disciple making disciples’ there will be a continued decline and ‘leakage’ in
this who call themselves Christians in this country. This ‘disciple making’ remains the
primary mission of the church, whether that is through evangelistic events, through
specific discipleship teaching, or through individual mentoring and prayer support. In
reality it is a combination of all these different aspects.
Over the next few months may I encourage you to step up your own role as a ‘disciple
making disciple’. May I encourage you to continue some or all of the following steps you
could take as a ‘disciple making disciple’:
JustOne – Emirates Stadium – 8th July – 3-6pm
Take ‘just one’ person, or more people, who does not yet know Jesus, or who has lost
their love of Jesus, to hear the gospel from one of the best evangelistic speakers at this
time J.John, along with choirs, music, interviews, with thousands of others in Arsenal’s
Emirates Stadium. We have tickets in St Luke’s Church office.
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Mentor your JustOne
Arrange to meet up regularly with your ‘justone’ over a coffee or lunch, and support them
in their life and faith journey, and pray for them.
Life Group
Join a Life Group at St Luke’s so that you have the support and encouragement of other
Christians on a regular basis in your faith, and so that you can study the bible together.
Details are on the “Life Groups” noticeboard, or contact the Church Office.
ALPHA
Our ALPHA course will be starting at the end of September. Come along to refresh your
faith, and bring your ‘justone’, or other friends and colleagues, to help them understand
more about the Christian faith, and enable them to ask those difficult questions. More
details will be out soon, or again contact the Church office.
Connect Group
Do you have an interest that you participate in? –cycling, running, book club, knitting
…etc. Could you join or start a group of people with similar interests, including other
Christians, and as part of your discussions in that group, or before or after the main
session, spend time ‘doing and discussing life’ and where your faith intersects with your
life.
We are all equipped by the Holy Spirit to be disciple making disciples. As a church we say
that we aim to be ‘growing by making whole-life disciples’. Let each one of us consider
our role as a ‘disciple making disciple’ of Jesus.
Rev’d Canon Dave Middlebrook - Vicar
TODDLER SERVICEs
June 22nd – Paul & the snake bite
July 13th - Postman Paul
10.30am – 10.45am, please join us, babies – Pre-school children with Mums, Dads, Grannies, Grandies or
carers, You are all very welcome!
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Saturday 8th July 2017 The well-known and popular evangelist, J.John, is planning an event at Arsenal Emirates Stadium
(N7 7AJ) on 8th July 2017. It will be a day of music, worship, interviews, speaking, and a Gospel
presentation. J.John and the Philo Trust have a vision that the stadium will be full with 30,000
Christians bringing 30,000 non-Christians to the day. St Luke’s Church, Watford is one of the
many partner churches for this exciting “JustOne” event.
Doors Open 1:30pm
Event Starts 3pm
Interval 4:00-4:30pm
Conclude 6pm
£5.00 per person (You and Your + one £10)
Coach from St Luke’s leaves at 12:30pm
Suggested Donation £8.00 / please register with St Luke’s
Office for seats on the Coach!!!
We have a 100 tickets, so 50 Brothers and Sisters can bring 50 people who need to hear they are
loved by God!
Tickets now available from St Luke’s Church Office (01923 246161)
Or Just Ask the Church Warden’s.
Further information about JustOne as a whole on the dedicated website www.justone.co.uk and
please do pray for this event, and all the preparations.
Flowers for the month of May were very kindly donated by ;--
Brian and Jackie Mee in memory of Kay Wormald
Maggie and Andrew Rumsey in memory of May and Geoff Pickard
Carole Garman in memory of Arthur on their wedding anniversary
Peggy Element in memory of Jim
The Thanksgiving for the life of the late David Hancox
We light a candle,
and enjoy the flickering light, the fragrance
and warmth it creates. But without the spark that ignites,
there will be no flame. Without the wax,
the source of power, the wick will not burn.
Without the flame, there will be no fragrance,
no warmth, no light. And so with us, Lord.
You are the catalyst that ignites us, and the fuel that sustains us. You fill us with your fragrance
as you enter our lives. You empower us
to carry your flame in our hearts, to be the fragrance, warmth,
and light of your love, in this dark world.
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St. Luke’s Services
Sunday 4th June – Pentecost 8.00am Holy Communion (CW) 9.15am Morning Service 11.00am Morning Service 2.00pm CAW Praise in the Park 6.30pm Evening Service with Prayer for Healing 6.30pm Thy Kingdom Come celebration in St. Albans Abbey
Tuesday 6th June 9.30am Holy Communion (CW)
Sunday 11th June – Trinity Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 9.15am Morning Service 11.00am Morning Service 6.30pm Evening Service
Tuesday 13th June 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) 8.00pm FOCUS
Sunday 18th June – Father’s Day 8.00am Morning Prayer (CW) 9.15am All Age Service 11.00am All Age Service 6.30pm Holy Communion
Tuesday 20th June 9.30am Holy Communion (CW) 10.30am Heathdene
Thursday 22nd June 10.30am Toddler Service - Paul & the snake bite
Sunday 25th June – Trinity 2 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 9.15am Holy Communion 11.00am Holy Communion 3.00pm Peace Hospice Service 6.30pm Informal Evening Service
Tuesday 27th June 9:30am Holy Communion (BCP)
June One Hour 8-9pm Host Venues
4 ‘PRAISE IN THE PARK’ (2-4pm) Bandstand, Cassiobury Park,
11 St Peters Church Bushey Mill Lane, Watford, WD24 7TF
18 North Bushey Baptist Church, 218 Park Avenue North Bushey,
34 Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out
to visit the women of the land. 2
When Shechem son of
Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and
raped her. 3
His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he
loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4
And
Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.” 6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with
Jacob. 7 Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as
soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and
furious, because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in
Israel by sleeping with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done. 8 But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please
give her to him as his wife. 9
Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our
daughters for yourselves. 10
You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it,
trade in it, and acquire property in it.”
The rest of the chapter goes on to say that the brothers decided their condition to the
marriage was that all of the males in the city must be circumcised. It was agreed, and after
the procedure, Simeon and Levi killed all the men, in their weakened state they could not
defend themselves. Nothing more was said of Dinah.
An author, Anita Diamant, has written a book, based around this horrific chapter, from the viewpoint of Dinah. It is an amazing book, filled with wonderful, aromatic descriptions of the way of life for women in that time. The red tent itself is the menstrual tent, where women rest for a few days a month, and share their stories. It is a place of peace, security and love. (None of this wearing the smallest white shorts possible whilst doing highly physical activity without pain or bloating!) The story combines with Josephs’, and ties in with Rebecca. It’s beautifully written, and captures a moment in time that is difficult to imagine in detail.
Recently the adapted version has been on BBC Drama. Much has been made of the feminism ‘girl power’ strong women theme, and it is a ladies read, or watch, but do not reduce this story to a bra burning experience. It isn’t. It is much more. The drama has diverted from the book, which is usually annoying but in this case gives us the different interpretations to think through. The story deals with love (romantic & family), jealously, domestic abuse, trust, forgiveness – all themes relevant in today’s society. God in the book is not given much credence; He is mentioned but not preached. The women value their family idols – a biblical truth, but the drama ends with the God of Israel being exalted. I found the drama, and book, enriched my understanding of biblical times, it was an easy watch in that the time sped past, and I wonder how many other small passages of the bible could be expanded in story in this way. The drama is available to watch on online at UKtvplay – I highly recommend it.
Jenny Stromberg
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St. Luke’s Light Club is
meeting on
Wednesday 30th & Thursday 31st of August 2017,
10.30am – 2.30pm
Bring packed lunch & £2 per day
Enjoy drama/song/games/craft –
using the theme
‘The Cops & Robbers Holiday Club’ (Joseph)
Light Club is for all children
aged 5-10yrs.
Jenny on 246161 to register children or to offer help on the day!
Thank you.
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The edition for July/August will be published on July 2nd, any entries please
to the church office by June 21st.
You are welcome to submit an article, of not more than 450 words, to be considered for the next magazine.
If you wish to receive St. Luke’s News regularly – either delivered to your door or emailed – please contact the Church Office (246161). Large print is also available. Alternatively, please let us know if you no longer wish to receive it.
The magazine also appears on our website www.stlukeswatford.org
