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Compass is the name of St.Mary's Parish magazine. It is published at the beginning of every month and is distributed throughout the Parish by a band of volunteers.

If you would like to receive a copy of the magazine nearly every month (there is a combined December/ January edition), it is available for an Annual Subscription of £4.00

If you live outside the Parish and would still like to receive a copy, arrangements can be made to post it for an additional charge

For more information about the magazine, please contact either:

Editors Robert Pearson admin@stmarysarnold.org.uk
Mary Norris jnorris687@btinternet.com
Ed Sands ejrsands@gmail.com

Distribution Manager Michael Jackson 0115 955 5166

Articles from February 2012 Magazine

Vicar Ken Shill writes

Do you follow a team?
There are different kinds of followers. Some turn out when the team is on a winning streak, but disappear when they start losing. Others are totally devoted to their team, however well or badly they are performing, and would never miss a match.
When it comes to football, Celia and I support Portsmouth, as some of you have heard me say, probably innumerable times! I’ve noticed that, if the TV cameras are at the game, they always try and find Pompey’s most well-known supporter, who is becoming quite a legendary figure in his strange blue and white attire, but who is a glittering example of total, devoted support.

I took the funeral of a man not so long ago who was a very committed Forest supporter. They happened to be playing Portsmouth in the time between my meeting the family and the actual funeral. We went along to watch them at the City Ground and were behind the goal when Forest scored the winning goal in the last few minutes! The family encouraged me strongly to refer to this in my eulogy at the funeral – how could I not, though it was a bit galling?

I ought to add that I do support Forest when they’re not playing Pompey!

It’s all about where your allegiance lies.

There are followers and followers.

At the moment we’re thinking about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. In small groups, in sermons in church and in daily Bible readings we’re asking ourselves the question, “If I follow this man, what difference does it make to my daily life?” As well as the question of allegiance and how committed we are to him, there is the question of how discipleship works out in practice.

First there comes the choice: is he worth following?

Next comes the questioning: what does it all mean?

Every day comes the decision: will I follow him today?

Around the time I came to faith as a teenager there was a line of a song which meant a lot to me. It went like this: “Though none go with me, still I will follow…. no turning back, no turning back”. Sometimes being a follower can be a lonely business. When we say what team we support, if it’s not a popular one we might be tempted to add , “Well someone’s got to!” in a rather defensive manner.

At this moment there are many lonely Christians throughout the world being persecuted for their faith and discovering something of the true cost of discipleship.

One of the great things about church is the encouragement we can give to each other in our attempts to follow Jesus. We are not on our own; we have others to share with, learn from, give support to and receive it from.

There is the privilege of being able to pray for each other; it’s a team affair.

So my hope as we examine this theme together in church, at home, and with others in small groups, is that our commitment to our leader will be sharpened. We’ll discover more about why he’s worth following; we may find new ways of serving him, on our own and together with others.

Another word for a disciple is a learner: we should always keep the L plates on, because there is always more to learn about following Jesus.

I’m hoping personally that I’ll learn more for myself at this time about my discipleship, and that God will refresh me in it and show me new things I have either forgotten or not yet appreciated.

Do get in touch with someone if you’d like a copy of our study material (or go on our website); it’s also not too late to join one of our special fortnightly groups. And you can hear the Sunday talks on the themes by visiting the website.

Though none
go with me,
still I will follow.
In the footsteps of Jesus

Ken

New Youth Worker
At the beginning of December we spent virtually a whole day interviewing potential candidates for the new Youth Worker position, following Kerstin’s resignation in the Autumn. It was a very good day, which included an opportunity for our young people to also meet with them.
We are pleased to report that we have appointed Samantha Bosworth to be our full time youth worker. She first has to work out her notice at Winchmore Hill Baptist Church, Enfield and so will not be joining us until April. Samantha is 23 years old and has some 6 years experience in youth work both as volunteer and in paid positions.
We all look forward to her arrival and I am sure we will all make her very welcome!

Coach House Project Update

We are pleased to report that our funding application to WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) was successful. With the other money already raised, our target of £60,000 to convert the Coach House has now been reached, which means that we can start work.

The first stage is to clear the Coach House so that the building work can commence in April, which is the earliest the builders can start. No doubt a number of trips to the local tip will be necessary!

New storage areas are being established for the Playgroup and you will have probably have already seen the new shed, which will be solely for the Playgroup’s use. Additional storage is also being developed in the ‘Toilet’ area.

Ed Sands

Not all habits are bad!

We are forever hearing about people whose bad habits have led to major issues in their life like drink and drug abuse, but are ALL habits bad?

Developing GOOD habits can greatly enhance our lives. If we grow these good habits into our daily ‘auto-pilot’ activities, we will be astonished at how much more fruitful our lives can become.

The bad news is that it can take 155 days to break a bad habit. The good news is that it can take only 21 days to create a new habit, and the new one can replace a habit you are trying to change. We are blessed that God gave us patience as one of the Fruits of the Spirit, and we will need it if we fail in the first 21 days and have to start again.

Do you live in chaos, and waste time looking for things? Consider tidying your life. Being neat will save you endless hours of stress. You CAN do it. Did you know that companies that insist on a ‘clean desk’ when you leave at night, actually get it - despite the various ‘natural’ tidiness levels of the staff within the building?

Do you exercise? It not only enhances your life, it may save your life. It isn’t enough to buy the gym membership; you have to use it. So - first identify a time you could go to the gym on a regular basis, and then start going for at least 21 times in a row. Soon you will have built the habit of going.

Good habits can help our spiritual lives, too. For 21 days, try getting up 15 minutes earlier, and spending that time reading your Bible and having a prayer. Keep at it. 22 days from now, push it back to half an hour before your former ‘rise time’, and you will find you can begin each day with enough time and space to ground yourself in God.

What are the habits you wish you could change, and what habits would you like to develop? Remember the Creator programmed us with the ability to control our habits and it is up to us to do so. Perseverance is the key. Keep going till it has become part of your ‘auto pilot’.

Page was last altered 26 January 2012