Saint Luke, Eltham Park, Westmount Road St. Luke, Eltham Park Foundation Stone Cross

February 2012

Valentine's Day?

It always seems to me that the celebration of Saint Valentine each February 14th manages to bring together both the heart of the Christian gospel and the excesses of the secular world. There is little factual evidence of Saint Valentine, indeed some scholars even talk of the presence of as many as seven Saint Valentine all of whom lived in the 3rd Century and apparently died on February 14th!

The most well known legend tells how the Emperor Claudius was continuously engaging Rome in conflicts but in order to keep fighting, he needed to keep recruiting soldiers. However, to his disappointment Claudius found that men were not willing to join army because of their attachment with their wives and families. In order to get rid of the issue, Claudius passed a callous decree that banned engagements and marriages in Rome. He also said that any priest who married a young couple would be put to death. It seems that Valentine was a priest with a romantic heart and at the cost of his life, stood against the unjustified order and secretly arranged marriages. When Claudius discovered Valentine’s defiance, he was brutally beaten, imprisoned and then put to death on February 14, about 270 AD. Following his martyrdom Valentine has been for ever associated with lovers.

Whether we find truth in this legend or not we are reminded that the path of true love has often been perilous and that witnessing to the Christian faith has demanded the ultimate sacrifice. Life is very different today - Valentine’s sacrifice is hidden by masses of red hearts and roses but the Christian gospel remains the same and our calling to truth and justice is no less diminished, how appropriate that Bishop Christopher is calling upon each one of us to deepen our faith, be inspired by hope and to witness to God’s love in the world. As we worship and pray together this month may we remember the cost and joy of Christian discipleship and so enter into a Lenten journey seeking to enrich our life together as God’s presence in this world.

EC

Our Lenten Journey

Lent begins this year on February 22nd as we take some time out from our busy lives to observe Ash Wednesday - a chance to pause in God’s presence as we reflect upon our weaknesses and seek God’s forgiveness, symbolized by the traditional act of the signing of the cross in ash upon our foreheads.

Like so much of our Christian life Lent does not begin and end on Ash Wednesday but is a journey - leading us into Christ’s journey to the cross and to resurrection, we all have much to do in our daily lives but during the forty days of Lent it has become traditional to commit ourselves to giving more time to our spiritual journey, perhaps by attending one of the midweek acts of worship, by giving up something wee enjoy so that our resources go to help a worthy cause or by joining with others to pray and study together. All of these options are available here at St. Luke’s during Lent:

How will you respond to God’s calling this Lent?

More Than Gold

More Than Gold LogoYou may become more familiar with this logo over the coming months. ‘More than Gold’ is the ecumenical umbrella organisation coordinating the Christian community's involvement with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Do I hear some say they want no part of this?

That may be one reaction but this is not about participating or even watching the myriad of sports events that are scheduled from July until September. The games will put the UK in the spotlight but they will also bring many challenges. Some are very local - alterations to our transport links being just one example! Others reach out across the world -thousands will be visiting our city and borough not only to participate but to spectate and such major events often bring unforeseen consequences -drawing attention to homelessness, street trafficking and prostitution. Local churches have been seeking to respond and so training has been arranged for those who will be available at venues such as St. Alfege in Greenwich which will seeks to be a place of sanctuary throughout the games period. Volunteer chaplains have been recruited to be a presence at each games venue, including the media centre

Women’s World Day of Prayer

Each year, on the first Friday in March, the women of the world call upon Christians to pray. Whilst the initiative has come from women this is an opportunity for all to gather together in prayer and this year's local services will be held at Mottingham Methodist Church and St. John the Baptist Eltham respectively on the morning and evening of March 2nd. The 2012 worship has been prepared by the women of Malaysia with the theme ‘let Justice prevail’.

Bishop Christopher’s Call to Mission

I hope that you will collect your invitation from our Bishop to take part in his Call to Mission. As outlined last month, and in the current issue of The Bridge, this is only the beginning of a period of time when each of us can reflect upon our Christian life and journey and consider the ways in which we respond to God's call in our lives, as individuals, in our parish and in the wider church. The bishop hopes that we can make our individual responses at Easter before thinking about what this means to us as a parish over the coming months.


From the Parish Registers

Recently Departed: Dave Beal

Year's Mind: 1st February Leonard Coleman, Caroline Ringer, 4th Joan Canning, Peter Lengthorn, 6th Derek Guiver, Ivy Rutherford, 8th Con Firth, Daisy Rebecca Barratt, 9th Albert Dixon, 15th Lilian Maclachlan, 16th Marjorie Lewis, 19th Tom Candy, Sidney Timms, 20lh Gordon King, 21st Sid Lade, 23rd Joan Dixon, Ruby Skinner, 24th George Brotherton, 28th Steven Ward