Galilee remembered.

Something extraordinary happened this week.  Just before Christmas a conversation occurred in a Histon sheltered housing complex.  Eileen, a newcomer aged 84 who had recently moved in, was trying to make some new friends.  In general chat with Molly aged 93 she mentioned going to the local Baptist church and somehow the name Michael Quicke popped up. 'I know Michael Quicke', said Molly 'but I am not sure its the same one!'  Later, in their communal lounge she brought along some photographs taken over twenty years ago. 'This is me being baptized in the Sea of Galilee by Michael Quicke' she announced. Eileen and one or two others agreed that it was the Michael Quicke they know (though now considerably less youthful!)


Astonished, Molly asked whether they ever saw me and where did I live? They told her that they saw me every week at church, at the cheap pub meal and at the over 60's community time!  She expressed the hope that perhaps she could meet me too. Well, this week it happened.  As I visited her flat and saw the photographs of her baptism powerful memories flooded back....I remembered the day vividly.  I recall her and her friend Dorothy so well.  Oh, all the preparation of her and three others (involving discussion with their supportive home churches) to ensure this was no cheap tourist photo-opportunity.  But what a wonder on the day itself with each of them giving testimony in a little chapel beside the lake before descending into the water.  And, as the photos captured, the moments of joyful baptism with all four candidates praying afterwards in the lake. I'd never seen these pictures before!


The greatest thrills in talking with Molly came from hearing her testimony since....that baptism truly marked a life-changing event in her Christian journey and that she kept in touch with the other candidates long after the pilgrimage.  No one-off in exotic surroundings - it has proved to be genuinely unforgettable...as believers' baptisms should always be.


I was so surprised to be plunged into such joy.  Many pastors will know this best kind of surprise - of God working on in lives that we only briefly touched.  I never knew what it meant, but how grateful I am to know now.  That's true encouragement.

A Life in Music

Over the last few days I have enjoyed reading the story of Sir David Willcocks in A Life in Music which a friend loaned me.  Several time I saw him in action on Christmas Eve at King's College (with his famous carol descants) and, as a teenager, sang (poorly) from his Carols for Choirs.  But his career dazzles in its wide range, taking in Westminster Abbey, dramatic wartime service, Salisbury and Worcester Cathedrals concluding with directorship of Royal College of Music and the Bach Choir. What makes the book unusual  is wide-ranging engagingly told by transcribed conversations with Sir David and friends.

Many things struck me. People who knew him best always remarked on his beautiful and meaningful conducting of the psalms.  He said he could recite many of them by memory and when preparing the choir he would ask questions like:

Where does the main stress come?  In a verse like "God is our hope and strength: a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1) is the stress on 'very', 'present', 'help', or 'in trouble'?  You have to work in rehearsal to make sure that the entire choir feels the words in the same way.....I love the psalms. They cater to every mood, and speak of joy, sadness, sorrow love, hate, redemption and reconciliation - every mood experienced by man is to be found in the words of the psalms.  

How right he is.  It just so happens that I am starting a new set of Bible study notes for Scripture Union which includes two psalms -108 and 109. You can certainly see some moods there!  Oh, to love the psalms too.


I also enjoyed (amongst much else) his philosophy of conducting. 

I'd say to any person who wants to be a conductor, "Play in an orchestra, sing in a choir, be at the receiving end, and make up your mind what it is you like about the person up on the rostrum.  Is he talking too much?  Is he encouraging?  Is he getting to the really important points, or is he fiddling around with little things that don't really matter?

 Is it possible that I hear a message there for training preachers too?

Another aspect that impressed me was the loan copy was personally inscribed with a lovely message to my friend, Maggie, who was also responsible for transcribing interviews, for collating book material and for photographs. Listening to her speak of her own fond memories (sadly not included!) including his very last years make me even more grateful for the difference that Sir David made to so many of our lives through his glorious music making.

A Happy New Year!

With great joy I greet you as we rush into 2016 (at least, it seems like a rush to me).  Like many of you I have tried to find time to reflect on the last 12 months and to anticipate the next 12.  I find it is easy to be too disappointed with myself!  I enjoy reading biographies of great Christians but along with an element of inspiration there is a large dollop of discouragement when I think of my journey so far.  Of course, I am not meant to let other people set the standards but live out my calling with my own gift-mix knowing that Jesus is the one who sets expectations pointedly for Michael Quicke.  So, it is what he is looking for me to be and do that really matters.  It won't be great biography but I am praying it will at least be me seeking to be true to his will and purpose who and where I am.


The text that rang loud and clear in today's devotion is: 'Christ in you, the hope of glory'(Col.1:27).  Just ponder that - in you, hope, glory.   What a thrilling promise for the next 12 months (and beyond!)
 
I would love to tell you that all this means that I shall find enthusiasm and content for more posts this new year  on my blog but I regret this is unlikely.  However, I shall try to keep some semblance of communication going and I remain surprised and very grateful that you have kept in touch with some of my ramblings. 

Surprised by kindness

I hope Christmas proved joyful for you with some good worship, food and gatherings. After a quiet Christmas (interrupted noisily by the family on Dec. 27th) we are enjoying the lull before 2016 powers forward.  Just before Christmas, Carol and I visited a nearby small town and carefully parked our new automatic car in the main car park. Painted 'frozen white' it sparkled.  Returning 2 hours later an innocent looking note on the front windscreen invited me to look at the rear driver's side where Dan had swung into the back panel, crunching it inwards and scraping along the back.  He left his phone number and promise to pay.  When I called him and thanked him for his honesty he apologized for hitting the new car.  He seemed genuinely sorry!


A neighbor recommended a family body repair shop in a village not far away. When I arrived a likeable young man assessed the damage, pulled out a very ordinary looking screw driver and prized the panel back into position. Just like that!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  He said the deep scratches were of a different order and his boss (due back shortly) would need to give me a quote for re-spraying.


His boss took one look, commented that it was 'frozen white' and he would need to mix the exact match.  Soon he was back and with deft dabs and a drier the scratches disappeared. Marvelling I asked him what I owed. 'Nothing' he replied, 'what's a dab of paint between friends!'  Never having met him before you can imagine my surprise and delight.  And when I told Dan what had happened there was even more delight!
 
What a lovely thing to happen - quite out of the blue.  That of course - something wonderful quite out of the blue - is what happened on the biggest scale imaginable at the birth of Christ, who has come to change everything for the better.  And he makes all the difference as we soon embark on a New Year, doesn't he?

Pub Carolling

Last night Carol and I joined a group from different Histon churches to sing Christmas carols in some village pubs.  We both arrived on time to discover the first pub was quietly unsuspecting of any carolers only to realize we were in the wrong pub!  Further along the road, the Red Lion was rocking with brass instruments leading the way with a loud (and surprisingly) tuneful group. Later on we moved further along to pack out the King Bill (where a group of us often enjoy chicken and chips on Wednesdays).  The publicans Suzie and Mark provided mince pies and stollen for all and sundry as the singing hit the rafters.


What amazed me was the enthusiasm of all the pub-goers who even asked for an encore. Smiles were on all the faces as they lustily joined in.  Apparently, the Histon grapevine had broadcast our presence beforehand and some people had come specially.  Said the man, nursing his pint, seated next to where I was standing "I normally come on Wednesdays but I wanted to be here.'   One of the publicans remarked, 'Thank you for bringing Christmas into here.'  Who can tell what the good Lord stirred as we sung carols in an unlikely setting but we were glad it was not just Jesus stones (last post) that were about in the village.


And that was the other thing - I just wrote 'unlikely setting'.  For me, brought up in a teetotal family the local pub was off-limits and publicans got a bad press in the New Testament too.  Now, I recognize that alcohol can be abused and I respect my many teetotal friends.  But I am glad to have shared joining in with so many pubgoers who may not normally be confronted by the Christmas story - even if it was through loud carol singing!

Jesus stones

This morning in church we heard about 150 Jesus stones.  A few days ago a group painted stones each with the round face of the baby Jesus peering out from his swaddling clothes. A wide range of artistry was on display!  Certainly, each was unique. Varnished and weather-proofed these were taken by members of the congregation last Sunday and hidden around the village of Histon in all kinds of public spaces.  Then the pastor and others went into the village schools and invited the children to find the hidden Jesus along the paths, greens, by trees (who knows where!)  Apparently playgrounds buzzed with anticipation as children prepared to find Jesus in the village.  They were encouraged to bring any stones they had found to church on Friday when they would be given a book and bag of sweets.....and they could keep their stones too.


Well, today we heard some of the stories.  Children running home saying 'We have found the baby Jesus.'  One parent saying (with approval) 'Finding the baby led to the first theological conversation in our house!'  Over 60 children came to church for their books and sweets with great excitement that they had found Jesus.  You can imagine the congregation's delight when we heard the outcome.


I was left marveling at the imagination of the project (thought up by others but adopted so enthusiastically). What a great idea to 'find the baby Jesus' in the village!  How unforgettably it brought to mind the profound truth that Jesus Christ was born among us. In the translation of Eugene Peterson: 'The Word became flesh and blood, and move into the neighborhood' (John 1: 14). Yes, us
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We have several village experiences to come, including carol singing in some of the pubs with brass accompaniment later this week. How good it will be to get excited about finding Jesus in Histon.

Lament for a tree

Today a silver birch that grew in our neighbour's front garden and stretched over our shared semi-detached houses has come down.  It took fifty years to mature and added great character to our corner of the road.


Our neighbour's (who are good friends) took great pains to explain why they had to take this drastic step. First, they explained how badly pruned it had been over many years resulting, in their words, in a very thick trunk with an ugly dollop of branches on top!  "You've got to admit it is not very attractive!' they said.  Second, its root system was beginning to  damage the pavement.  Third, others agreed that it really would be no loss to the road and the time for action was now!

Part of us is really sad to see it go.  Admittedly it could have been more attractive and the odd way successive generations had hacked at its branches did make for an unnatural tangle of thick stumps mid-air. Yet in its graceless way it did show some beauty. It's sad to hack down living things.  Yet, I remember the Advent warning of John the Baptist that every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3: 12).  Sometimes you need to act and the good news is that our neighbours are going to plant a young tree in its place. ( Also, we shall have more light reaching our solar panels!) So, we shall have new young life to watch - and prune more effectively.

I thought of several lessons watching them saw it down in less than a morning.  But I am encouraged by the thought of new life that could be more beautiful still.  And that seems a great lesson as we prepare for the coming of Christ.