Parish Priest: The Revd. Raymond Gilbert, A.K.C., The Vicarage, 23 High Street, Bridge (Bridge 830250) November 1979 PATRIXBOURNE WITH BRIDGE «f Church wardens: 1 Mr. C.A. Potter, Field House, Bridge (Bridge 830218) Mr. H.P.M. Lawrence, ‘Tullymore’, 72 Bridge Down, Bridge (Bridge 830472) Hon. Secretary: Mr. D.R. Hill, ‘Red Deer’, Bridge Down, Bridge (Bridge 830426) Hon. Treasurer: Mr. C.A. Potter, Field House, Bridge (Bridge 830218) ' Organist (Bridge): Mr. R. Smith, Wellington House, Canterbury Road, Lydden, ' Nr. Dover (Shepherdswe1l 830781) . ~ ‘\ ‘ Organist (Patrixbourne): Mrs. G. Allan, ‘Ardpriory’, Bekesbourne Lane, Canterbury (Canterbury 62695) ,- Verger (Bridge): Mr. J. Hopkins, Old Station Cottage, Bishopsbourne i BEKESBOURNE Ch urch warden: Mr. S.H. Grey, 63 High Street, Bridge (Bridge 830522) 1. Hon. Secretary: Mr. J. Purchese, ‘Mill Cottage’, Bekesbourne (Canterbury 61508) 3‘, Hon. Treasurer: Mr. G.D. Millyard, ‘School House’, School Lane, Bekesbourne ‘ ' (Bridge 830256) Organist.‘ Mr. S.H. Grey, 63 High Street, Bridge (Bridge 830522) Captain of the Bells: Mr. H. Collard, 1 Mumpas Cottages, Little Pett, Bridge Magazine Advertising: Mr. C.J. Barley, 49 Bridge Down, Bridge (Bridge 830612) ‘ Magazine Editor: The Parish Priest , _ . 8 Would Secretaries of Organisations and others with copy for the Parish Magazine please send it to b ‘ D . R ,3 The Editor by the 20th of the month preceding publication. He would always welcome articles and = —‘£“,_:‘; _ M photographs of general interest for inclusion in the Magazine which has a circulation in the three - - villages of Bridge, Patrixbourne and Bekesbourne. , Archbishop s. P. c. K. R BOOKSHOP 2 THE PRECINCTS, CANTERBURY Telephone: Canterbury 62881 FOR ALL. YOUR PARISH REQUIREMENTS All the latest and standard Theological Works Children’s Books,» and Books of Local Interest Any book not in stock can be ordered for you - Book Tokens sold and exchanged P/\CRl3CBOU 126’ with BK] DC{ & 13€I(€sBou Rue Printed byA.&J.Purchese Limitcd.CowI.a.ne, Wincheap Industrial Estate, CantcrburyCI‘ I 3RW TeIephone.'Canterbury6l508 P A R I S H M A G A Z I N E Pfice; V i 4 E at Bridge Church ° ' 1 for Installation of Canterbury & District Estate Agency Ltd. the Re“, R. Gilbert HOUSE. LAND AND ESTATE AGENTS 3 Residential Properties ,, ’ 32 ST. MARGARET’S STREET, CANTERBURY Telephone 66660 & 9 5 , 3 1 . I, A ‘,.1,‘;.‘,,z-‘$9,,-.,» 1, gym‘ . 'j—-—1:¢--2 )3 THE—_ VILLAGE snne 26 High Street, Bridge. Tel: 830917 Offering you a personal service . . . . . . Grocery & Provisions Frozen Foods Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Bread — Cakes ' Ice Cream - Minerals Confectionery etc. Sundries Open: Weekdays 8am. — 6pm. Sundays 9am. — lpm. ARDPRIORY KENNEL5 BEKESBOURNE LANE, CANTERBURY (SANDWICH ROAD END) Telephone: Canterbury 62695 O The only Kennelsin the City of Canterbury 0 Collections and delivery by arrangement 0 Terms on application 0 Pekingese and King Charles puppies usually for sale 0 Both breeds at Stud MRS. G. ALLAN, AHDPRIORY, EKESBOURNE LANE, CANTERBURY I_ H. 0. PARKER PLUMBING CENTRAL HEATING & MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR 63 BLACK GRIFFIN LANE, CANTERBURY CT1 2DG Tel: 51271 HAWKINS The Newsagents W3 STOCK.’- I CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO 0 CONFECTIONERY 0 WALLS ICE CREAM 0 MINERALS 0 STATIONERY O BOOKS AND MAGAZINES O TOYS 0 GREETINGS CARDS 0 RECORDS O CHEMISTS SUNDRIES O HABERDASHERY 0 FILMS Opening Hours:— Monday—Saturday: 6.30—1pm 2—5.30pm Sunday: 7.30am — 11.45am. C YCL ES GAL ORE 750 NEW IN STOCK ATS FANTASTIC DISCOUNT PRICES. WE HAVE MOVED TO NEW MODERN PREMISES CANTERBURY CYCLE MART 22/24 STOUR STREET, CANTERBURY, KENT Telephone: CANTERBURY 61488 ***'k APPOINTED RALEIGH 5 STAR DEALER 2 I ‘\ Cefineige Tfteadle T Exclusive Fabrics EAST KENT'S LOVELIEST FABRIC SHOPS 5 PALACE STREET CANTERBURY 38 HIGH STREET HYTHE I For printing . . . try us A 125a SANDGATE ROAD FOLK ESTONE I ALL THE NEW MATERIALS FOR THE HOME DRESSMAKER .II,J. PIIIIIJHISI lIlI. Cow Lane, Wincheap, Canterbury, CT1 3RW Tel: Canter,buryt615'O8 gereele eetrliv WWEE 47 HIGH STREET, BRIDGE Fresh Fruit, Local Grown Vegetables, Orders Welcome Telephone: Bridge 830881 Spirella I ma(lc-to-mcusurcformdaiions, .s2m'ms1rz'ts, ' colour mat('I1c(l.scparatcs and dresses» ‘ MRS. UNA M. R. MACEY, S.E.N., 10 St. Du_nstan's Close, Canterbury, Kent Telephone: CANTERBURY 60632 "Auctioneers - Surveyors. FAMILY BUTCHER '- B. VVELCH PRIME ENGLISH MEAT HOME-MADE SAUSAGES BRIDGE V Phone: 830220 LOCAL POULTRY COOKED ‘MEATS I SUPPORT THE ADVERTISER.‘ They support us! T‘ _TE,L.<0_227'),6'5268‘~.9. , OF CANTERBURY at St.lVIargaret's St; . I “Valu'ers’ ' Estate Agents /1, IHBIVIEWAHE PLIIS Gardening-Hardware-Decorating-«Electrics-Tools Kitchenware 6 WESTERN AVENUE, BRIDGE, CANTERBURY, KENT CT4 5LS Telephone: Bridge 830381 I— PRIVATE CAR HIRE I Patrick and Jean Kerin will give you friendly personal service. DO COME IN AND LOOK AROUND >I<>l<*>l<***>l<*>l<=l<>l<****=l<>l<******=l<******>I<>I<*>l<>l<>l<*>l<>l= 22 UNION ROAD BRIDGE I Telephone: 830652 L.&S. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS S. R. LAVER R. C. SMITHSON I4 Windmill Close, Bridge (Tel: 830648) 21 Tunstall Road, Canterbury (Tel: 68558) THE NEW i§_uRToN for Fashion Suits — Jackets — Trousers — Jeans — Cords — Casual Shirts — Sportswear Accessories - plus Neptune Shoe Department Also visit our New Made-to-Measure department 0 Subscription account facilities available ‘ ll 16 THE PARADE, CANTERBURY TEE VI-L.LA GE RI-/T(,TfI_ER P. G. J O R D AN , 52 HIGH STREET,‘ BRIDGE . Tel: BRIDGE 830321 ENGLISH AND IMPORTED MEAT * FRESH FARM POULTRY * FREEZER ORDERS WELCOME * ' * GROCERIES AT COMPETITIVE PRICES * Open all day Monday * OPEN 7.30 am. to 6pm. * Halt-day Closing: Wednesday Telephone 63952 .L4L~—. —-I-I ~.v_«....-.—.~....u4_..r..~ flaw Ia.-':'a-:._. Established 1786 ABBOTT For LOCAL BROS. DAIRIES BOTTLED IN GANTERBURW8 MODERN DAIRY Inspection lnvlted NEW DOVER ROAD, CANTERBURY Tel: 54031 MRS. G. GOODMAN at THE POST OFFICE, 16 High Street, Bridge We stock Yardley and Rimmel products, Toiletries, Scholls foot prodilcts, etc. Films, developing and printing. =l<**>l= HOURS OF‘ OPENING: Monday-Friday: 9am—1; 2-5.30pm. Saturday: 9am—‘12.30pm. Call or Phone ' Watsons Canterbury r INSURANCE BROKERS 'l I I . BARNABY l RESTAURANT O FULLY LICENSED O 26 ST. DUNSTANS CANTERBURY 53680 A GREAT PLACE TO EAT! Car Body Repairs * Re-Cellulosing Sheet Metal Work R. F. ANDREWS 57 High Street, Bridge TeI.: Bridge 83Cl4SE3 ‘i.i.A.T. No.; 202’ 5u._..,,........._...__....=.r COMPETITIVE QUOTATIONS FOR MOTOR, I HOUSEHOLD, LIFE AND ALL PERSONAL AND BUSINESS INSURANCES 6, Castle Street, Canterbury, Kent. Tel: 60800 N Corrglls for Coal AND FUEL OILS e 10 ORANGE STREET CANTERBURY Tel. 65345 0 “FREE FUEL ADVISORY SERVICE DIPLOMA MEMBERS OF APPROVED COAL MERCHANTS SCHEME AUTOMOBILE, AGRICULTURAL & GENERAL ENGINEERS ROGERS GARAGE BRIDGE Tel: 830348 i gflara, Motor Cycles and Cycles supplied I I SUNDAY SERVICES FOR NOVEMBER 1979 BRIDGE PATRIXBOURNE BEKESBOURNE 4th November, 21st Sunday after Trinity 11am Matins 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Sung 11.45 Holy Communion Communion 6.30pm Evensong 11th November, 22nd Sunday after Trinity 9am Holy Communion llam Matins (Series Short Service of Remembrance by the 6. Evensong War Memorial prior to 11.00am Matins 8am Holy Communion 18th November, 23rd Sunday after Trinity 9.30am Parish Eucharist 8am Holy Communion 11am Matins (and 6.30pm Evensong Welcome) 25th November, Sunday next before Advent 8am Holy Communion 9am Holy Communion llam Matins 6.30pm Evensong 11.45 Holy Communion ***=l¢***********=l¢******ill*#**##8##llUlI************************IlI*******=lHl=3lI* WELCOME SERVICE A Service of Welcome to the Revd. Raymond Gilbert and his family will be held at St. Peter’s Church, Bekesbourne, on Sunday November 18th, commencing at 11.00am. (The actual Service is Matins, as listed above.) We ask all that can to attend the service to get to know our new Priest and his very nice family. We do hope that you will all stay for a short time after the Service when coffee and biscuits will be available. Please do give us your full support. S.G. 1IE.t<¢5‘8ou¢r4b E MIND MY BIKE! If anyone has a secondhand bicycle for sale, the Vicar would be pleased to hear. x _ -[ l_ 2-. - .._. . .._..._.........._. .-_ ~...._........_.._._‘_.£..—~.._.-— a.._.: Please contact the Revd. Raymond Gilbert at the Vicarage, telephone Bridge. 830250. Holy Communion is celebrated at 9.30am each Wednesday, and at 7.30am every Friday, at St. Peter’s Church, Bridge. _ _ _ The Methodist Church Morning Service IS held at the MClh0dlSl Church, Patrixbourne Road, Bridge, every Sunday morning at 11.00am. INTERIOR ESTIMATES FREE EXTERIOR PERSONAL SERVICE DAVID PARKER Painter and Decorator OAST COTTAGE . Phone: PETHAM 393 SWARLING MANOR EVEMNGS PETHAM JOHN & VICTORIA JEWELLERY FOR SILVER & SILVER-PLATED JEWELLERY HAND CRAFTED IN BRIDGE l Why not hold a jewellery party, and invite your friends ? a party, or seeing our designs, Hostess commission 10% cash please contact us day or or 12‘/2% goods. €Veni|’I9-' Tel: BRIDGE 830895 If you are interested in giving Pmmbing . Roof Repairs . Painting & Decorating . Glazing . Building 1 H. GOODSELL & SON LTD. 18-19 WATLING ST., CANTERBURY Tel: 64522 Also at Maidstone, Medway & Tunbridge ‘Wells l Associate C0mpany—Avery & Co. Engineering (Maidstone) Ltd. —Stee| & Sheet Metal Work BARHAM CREMATORI UM The Beautiful Garden of Remembrance (overlooking Broome Park) is open to visitors daily. 1 ‘C. W. LYONS & SON LTD. -' FUNERAL SERVICE TELEPHONE 63508 DA Y AND NIGHT W l sr. GREGORY'S. MILITARY ROAD. CANTERBURY. — THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND CHILDREN’S SOCIETY The Annual Christmas Fete of the Canterbury branch will be held at The Deanery on Friday November 23rd, 10.00am to 12 noon. All gifts for the stalls will be welcome, particularly sweets. F.V.B. Mason,Hon. Parish Sec. CHURCH CARPETIN G AT BRIDGE I would like to acknowledge the anonymous gift of £36.00 to complete the cost of the new aisle carpets at St. Peter’s Church, Bridge. This was a most generous donation and I appreciate the kindness. Audrey Perry PATRIXBOURNE FESTIVAL The proceeds of the Sponsored Walk held in Bifrons Park (by kind permission of Sir James Mount) amounted to £77.00, and of this £41.00 was contributed by the ‘ children from Bridge School. We are most grateful to all those who took part in the Walk, their sponsors, and those who collected the money. A total of £526.00 was raised at the Patrixbourne Festival in mid-September. C.A.P. ST. PETER’S CHURCH, BEKESBOURNE The Jumble Sale was very successful and our grateful thanks go to all who gave us things to sell, and to all those friends who gave of their time to get everything ready, and finally to those who manned the stalls during the afternoon. We thank you all very much indeed. The total raised was £121.00 gross, £117.00 nett. S.G. CHRISTMAS MARKET On Saturday November 24th we are holding our Christmas Market at the Village Hall, Bekesbourne; the proceeds of which will be in aid of St. Peter’s Church, Bekesbourne. We should be most grateful for gifts for the gift stall, cake stall, book stall, tombola, raffle prizes etc. We ‘look forward to seeing as many as possible on November 24th at the Hall. S.G. I ) ST. PETER’S, BEKESBOURNE — Cleaning Rota for November Mrs. Hogben . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. November 3rd Mrs. Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 10th Mrs. Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 17th Mrs. Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. November 24th Mrs. Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 1st BRIDGE NEW VILLAGE HALL PROJECT At the Coffee Morning held at 82 High Street, Bridge, £60.00 was raised for the Fund. The Committee would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Eric Hawkins for their hospitality and all those who supported the event. M.E.J . 12 CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER 1979 1st Thursday. All Saints Day. Holy Communion at St. Peter’s, Bekesbourne at 6.30pm. 3rd Saturday. Bonfire Party and Firework Display, at Great Pett Farm, 7.00pm. (See Parent Teacher Association report on page 10) 4th 21st Sunday after Trinity. 8th Bridge Parish Council meets at Bridge Village Hall, 7 .30pm. 1 1th 22nd Sunday after Trinity. Remembrance Sunday. 13th Thursday. Bekesbourne Parish Council meets at Bekesbourne Village Hall at 7.30pm. 16th Friday. Bridge Parent Teacher Association Film Show at Bridge C. of E. Primary School at 7.00pm. (See P. T.A. report on page 10) 18th 23rd Sunday after Trinity. 22nd. St. Cecilia's Day. Nailbourne Horticultural Society Film Show at Bridge Village Hall at 8.00pm. 23rd Friday. Church of England Children’s Society Christmas Fete at The Deanery, Canterbury, 10.00am to 12 noon. League of Friends Christmas Bazaar, Village Hall, Bridge, 7.30pm. 24th Saturday. St. Peter’s Bekesbourne Christmas Market, at the Village Hall, Bekesbourne, 2.15pm onwards. 25th Sunday next before Advent. 30th St. Andrew’s Day. PATRIXBOURNE CHOIR FUND A Coffee Morning and Bring-and—Buy will be held in Court Cottage, Patrixbourne on Friday 16th November from 10.00am to 12 noon. Proceeds for Patrixbourne Choir Fund. Please keep thisdate free. We look forward to seeing everyone. G.A. From the New Man It is not every day that our Archbishop pays us a visit, and far be it from me, a very new Parish Priest, to upstage him. Nevertheless before handing over to him I cannot let the opportunity pass of thanking you on behalf of my wife and family for giving us such a warm and loving welcome to Bridge as residents and to all the villages as Parish Priest. If these past few days are anything to go by we are in for a delightful, rewarding time among you all. We have a lovely house in which to make our home, and although it is well tucked back off the road I hope that you * will not feel its secluded position is not a barrier to you. Please come and see us anytime; though my sense of humour prompts me to add, not all at once! A number of people, I know, are puzzled as to what to call me, seeing I am not the Vicar. Titles are only technical niceties which need not worry anyone. I live in the Vicarage so I reckon that must make me the Vicar, and I shall be perfectly happy to be called that. Rather than “Hi! Youl” in any case: sorry, that’s the humour again. What the Archbishop said in his sermon at my Licensing Service was intended for all the villagers of Patrixbourne, Bridge and Bekesbourne, and as by no means all of you were able to get into the church for the service I thought it might be worthwhile printing his sermon so that you can read it for yourselves and perhaps keep it by you for future reference. 5 Photograph by Mike Waterman © Kentish Gazette Apostles, Pioneers and Perfecters he Address given by The Lord Arch bishop of Canterbury at St. Peter ’s Bridge) You would, I know, want me to pay a tribute tonight to the ministry of Canon Perry who served in these parishes for some sixteen years — a remarkable ministry spent for many of its years in prison ministry, and then as a Chaplain in the R.A.F., and then — let me tot up, thirteen and sixteen; what’s that? — twenty-nine years in this area of Canterbury and Bridge. We wish him well in the years of his retirement in this area which he loved so much. And now, tonight, what a joyful service to welcome Raymond Gilbert and his family. I needn’t tell you his story because you have got it in that excellent parish leaflet. And what a good idea to have a picture of the family as well; because we welcome them, Rosemary — Mrs. Gilbert — has been a great strength to my wife andto me, in the Lambeth Conference particularly. And the family we know well, and value them. So it’s good, very good, to start this new chapter with this new family. We shall miss Raymond Gilbert at the Cathedral where his steady efficiency has meant much to the Dean and Chapter and to the rest of us, and we’re glad that they are fairly near neighbours still. Now I bring you two texts tonight, both from the letter to the Hebrews; and the first runs like this: ‘Think of the Apostle and High Priest of the religion we profess’. And the second: ‘Eyes fixed on Jesus, pioneer and perfecter of our faith’. There are some titles that mean ‘very little. In fact we’d be better without them. Back in March I was in West Africa, and I found that the clergy there were making such a to-do about the ecclesiastical titles of various people that I found myself saying to them at a lunch 6 PUMP Parish Council News BRIDGE PARISH COUNCIL Members of the Parish Council were concerned to learn from Press reports that it was proposed to close the Old Persons’ Home at The Close, and remove the residents to a new Home in Canterbury, and they therefore invited County Councillor Shirley to the meeting on October 11th to outline the reasons which has led the County Council to decide upon the closure. He told members that repairs and improvements could cost as much as £100,000, and even then the Home would remain unsatisfactory by modern standards. He thought, however, that alternative accommodation should be provided in the village. The Council emphatically agreed with this view, both in the interests of the old people and to continue to provide local employment, and it was resolved to make strong repres- entations to the County Council that a new Home should be built in the village, preferably adjacent to the present building, thus ensuring a continuation of the present links with the community. It was reported that the extension to the Recreation Ground had been levelled and seeded, and the cricket club should, therefore, be able to establish a new playing square further from the houses in Riverside Close in time for next season A considerable number of other matters of interest to the residents of the village were, of course, discussed. Councillors hope that as many residents as possible will attend the next meeting on Thursday, November 8th, at 7.30pm in the Village Hall in order to hear the discussions for themselves. BEKESBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL The Brownies have been ‘wombling’ down the Wappings footpath——they have taken it on as a useful task for the benefit of the village. Thank you! So, please don’t drop any litter there and take your dog for a walk somewhere else! The next Parish Council meeting is on Tuesday November 13th at 7.30pm. Transport will be on the agenda, as it was one of the major items raised by villagers in the Appraisal survey. M.G. 3?;\\“-"Z%§ ‘.1’: : NAILBOURN E HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY The first event of the Winter programme will be a Film Show by.Messrs. Denne’s of Canterbury on Thursday, 22nd November at 8.00pm at Bridge. The Annual Supper/ Dance is being held at Bishopsbourne on Friday November 30th, Members will receive further particulars soon. M.E.J . 11 ..,2..'u,,,_. .. ,_< BRIDGE PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION The 1979/80 Committee have been elected, and we would like to thank all the retiring members for their hard work, and also to thank all of you who have helped and supported us during the various functions. The fund-raising events this year have raised £720—a bumper year financially -——and we hope the coming year will match this! Dates for your diary:— November 3rd. Bonfire Party and Firework Display, to be held at Great Pett Farm, Bridge, commencing at 7.00pm. Hot soup, Sparklers, Coke and Crisps for sale. Tickets: £1.50 per family, or 50p at the gate, single. November 16th. Film at Bridge School, commencing at 7.00pm. “The Flying Sorcerer” and Mickey Mouse cartoon. 30p for children, 50p for adults, to cover the cost of the film. Coke and Crisps on sale. We look forward to seeing you all. B.M.T. Hawkins (Sec. ) DONATION TO ST. PETER’S, BRIDGE A donation has been sent to the Hon. Treasurer in affectionate remembrance of dear Mrs. Meigh, from the Members of the Mothers’ Union, Bridge—as thanks for all her good work as the Enrolling Member of our Branch over so many years, March 1961 to March 1977. We shall all miss her very much. C.B. MARJORIE MEIGH, an Appreciation It is with regret that we record the passing of Marjorie Meigh, who, after a short illness, died on October 4th. Friends and relatives gathered together in Bridge Church a week later to give thanks and praise for her life and work, in a simple service beautifully conducted by the Revd. Charles Harrington. Marjorie’_s was a splendid example of a Christian life, for it was spent in service to others, without any thought of material reward. For fourteeen years she worked with her husband as a medical missionary, with a remote Indian tribe, the Bhils, high in the mountains of Southern India; a place accessible only on horseback or on foot. Her husband’s failing health forced them to give up the work, and they returned to England and he took the living of Baddesly in Yorkshire. After twenty—five years there they retired to Bridge in 1958, but Mr. Meigh was now a complete invalid and he died in January 1960. _ But Marjorie did not retire. She became very active in the church and the village. She was very fond of children, and became Superintendent of the Junior Church. She also took a great interest in the elderly people; she organised and led the Senior Citizen’s Club and the Mothers’ Union. Marjorie looked after the Library at The Close, and often took the Sunday Evening Service when the Vicar was unable to do so. Her faith was very strong, even the sudden and tragic death of her beloved son in a road accident five years ago she meekly accepted as the will of God. One of her favourite hymns was sung at her funeral, “O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end.” Marjorie certainly kept her promise. O.K. 10 one day that no title was worth anything at all really in the long run, except one, for a Christian, whatever his position in the Church may be, and that is Paul’s title, a slave of Jesus Christ. And there, I think, made them think a bit. And we all need to think of that from time to time who have any kind of handle to our name. But there are other titles that mean a very great deal, and I want to talk to you tonight for it’s very relevant both to him who is being licensed tonight, and to every one of us who profess the name of Christ. I want to speak to you a little bit tonight about certain of the titles of Jesus which come in this strange book from which I have taken my two texts. But first of all the briefest word about the book. It’s called of course a letter, an epistle; it isn’t really that. The only thing that makes it look like an epistle is the ending where some greetings are sent. But it is really a treatise aimed at a very special group of people, and the group were people who were having a very rough time as Christians. It might have been addressed, for example, to Russians —— Christians under a Communist regime -— who just because they confess the name of Christ Crucified are likely to lose their job or go to a concentration camp. That would have been a very good kind of congregation to whom to address this thesis. They were people who put up a fight for it. ‘Not yet’ says the writer, ‘Not yet to blood’. You haven’t actually lost your lives, but you are having a rough time. The winds are contrary. Now, what would you do if you were writing to people like that? Well, in a sense here in England things are too easy. You can work for a year in your office and nobody would know if you were a Christian or not. And when you do confess it you may get no persecution for it; who knows? You may, you may not. Probably if you are at school or university you will have a roughish time, I remember that very well. And I sometimes think that a touch of persecution would be jolly good for our discipleship here in England. But, if you were in .hat position, if I could transport you to some of the countries where I have served. If you could have been a Christian in Uganda under Idi Amin, what would you have needed most as a word in season for you — disciples of Jesus when the winds are contrary? Well, this man, whoever he was who wrote this letter and we don’t know —— this thesis — Origen used to say, ‘Who wrote the letter to the Hebrews? — God alone knows ’, and how wise he was; but whoever wrote that saw quite clearly what Christians in difficulty needed. A right estimate of Christ, and a right relationship to Christ. Given that they could stand firm. Now, perhaps, if we here in England don’t have active opposition and could do with a little more, we have the even more difficult situation of apathy. How are we going to bear our witness in these parishes here; clear, distinct, powerful witness to Christ; what do we need in the apathy that surrounds us like a November fog? I believe that the answer is precisely that which this unknown writer gave to these people in difficulty. A right estimate of Christ, and a right relationship to Christ. Given that, you can stand and you can _" witness. Now, it’s very interesting that the picture that he gives us of Jesus in this thesis is not of the Risen Christ — he takes that for granted, he wouldn’t have anything to write about if the crucified Christ hadn’t risen, that he assumes —— he goes as it were one stage further, and his whole interest is taken up with the Ascended Christ. The Christ who took our humanity up into deity, and who knows our — and understands our — position and our difficulties because He knew and went through it all. And I find this enormously stimulating. I find in this book an emphasis on the humanity of Jesus stronger than in any other epistle. Listen to this: ‘It was clearly fitting that God in bringing many sons to glory, should make the leader who delivers them perfect’ — how? —- ‘through sufferings’. Listen to this: ‘Seeing that we have a great high priest, Jesus the Son of God, He is not a high priest unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but One who because of His likeness to us was tested every way, sin apart’. And listen to this: ‘Son though He was, He learned ._»..ng._.‘,- V obediance in the school of suffering’. This is real humanity. The Greeks had a pun for that theme, they said ‘Pathos mathos’ — If you suffer, you learn. But they never anchored that to a person of flesh and blood, but this man does! And he says that our Lord went through that painful stretching process of learning, and he did i. through suffering. That’s why He understands, and why we should consider Him and have our eyes fixed on Him. And I want just to touch tonight, very briefly, on three of the titles that this man gives to the risen, and ascended, and ever-present Christ. First he speaks of Him, and he is the only New Testament writer to do so, as the Apostle. For we think of our Lord as the sender, don’t we? But the Apostle means the one who is sent, and nobody else in the New Testament actually gives Jesus that title. St. John, of course, gets very close to it near the end of his Gospel where he makes our Lord say,‘As the Father sent Apostle, Me, so I, Apostle you.’ Ours is an inherited apostleship, because the Father apostled Him, He apostles us. That’s a marvellous thing, isn’t it?! You Christians ought to go out with your heads higher tonight, you are apostles sent by God to bear witness to His Son and to do His work. And if our ministry — I speak to clergy and laity alike —— if our ministry is .0 be truly apostolic, it will only be so as something of the beauty and the strength and the tenderness of Jesus comes within us. Then he speaks of Him as the Pioneer of our faith, the one who, as it were, took the first step and opened up the way. The leader. It is, I believe, used of a man who, when a ship is ship-wrecked some distance from shore, being a strong swimmer, ties a rope around him and heads out to the land; thus making it possible for others to follow from the wreckage and the peril to safety. This, says the writer, is what our Lord has done. Crucified, risen, ascended, understanding, ever-present, He has led the way —— and you follow, Him. That’s good! And lastly, the Perfecter of our faith. Again, the only time the title is used in the New Testament of Him. ‘The goal’ says Phillips, ‘the One towards whom we move’. The One we always keep in our mind’s eye. His will, our will. Our eyes fixed on Him. One on whom faith depends from start to finish, as the New English Bible puts it. I like that word ‘Perfecter’. It suggests that He will never let me go. I’m a poor, shaky disciple, not much of a disciple at all. But He has set His hand to the plough to make something of me after the likeness of Himself. And he’s not going to abandon what He’s started, He will see it through, he will perfect i .. Could I send you away tonight with those three words to think about, to read about, to pray about, to talk about amongst yourselves? The Ascended Christ; Apostle, Pioneer and Derfecter. Think! says this writer to these rather trembling, uncertain Christians. Think of Him! Eyes fixed on Him. For that’s the secret of endurance, that’s the secret of joy in ministry, whether it be clerical or lay. That is the secret of abundant spiritual life —~ eyes "ixed on Apostle, Pioneer, Perfector. It is, of course, a lesson not learned overnight, ndeed it cannot be learned hurriedly at all; but there are ways and means to learn it. That irst thing in the morning, and that last thing at night, before you slip into unconsciousness and just as you come out of it in the morning: eyes fixed — where? On what the day holds and all the problems you took to bed with you last night? No! Eyes fixed on Jesus. And the aroblems and the opportunities of the day as they recur. My particular job gives me a great many interviews, and I am sitting at my desk at Lambeth or Canterbury here, and the auzzer goes and they say ‘Mr. So-and-So is here to see you’. Chance for a prayer — ‘No wisdom here, all the wisdom is yours. Give me some for this particular problem’. And you can do this in your office, and you can do it by your kitchen sink, and you can do it as you make the beds, and you can do it in your study. And the patient study of scripture, what a source is here. The reading of those few verses systematically day by day, and the turning of them into a prayer. That’s the fixing of your —. eyes on Jesus. And the Eucharistic sharing, when you come with empty hands to receive the strength of the given and the giving Lord. And then all the wealth — and how rich we are — of the Saints who have gone on ahead. People you have known in the flesh, and who have known and loved and served our Lord; what an army of those I have got, people I have known down the years, and how they have enriched my ideas of discipleship because their eyes were fixed on the goal. And the great library, if you are readers as I hope you are, of great men and women of God who have gone on ahead and constitute the Church Triumphant, but who have had their eyes fixed on the Perfecter of their faith. All the riches of the Church are ours; we don’t stand alone. You will be praying for Raymond Gilbert, that his will be a ministry so Christ-centred that something of the joy and the radiance of this will be imparted to you to share with others. I had nothing to do with the choice of the hymns tonight, but how splendid that the first words you sang — I was out in the churchyard waiting to come in and I heard you sing them — and they were these, ‘Christ is our corner-stone, on Him alone we build’. If that’s the mark of the new ministry beginning tonight, what a ministry it will be! Eyes fixed on Jesus! And soon we shall be singing, ‘Jesus, confirm my heart’s desire to work and speak and think "for Thee’. So, pray for your new incumbent, that God the Holy Spirit will make him a man increasingly with a Christ-centred ministry. You yourselves help to hold him to that, and to nothing else, and you yourselves hold to that vision and so prepare the day which soon will come when His servants will see Him, and worship Him —— seeing Him face to face.