Waiting in Malaga airport for my flight home at the end of a summer locum duty spell in Nerja ten years ago, I received a surprise email from one of St Andrew’s churchwardens to ask if I’d be free and willing to come for a spell of locum duty as Ven. David Sutch the chaplain would retire at the end of October.
I returned on the second of November, stayed a month and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know another Costa del Sol chaplaincy. I needed to go home for December, but returned in early January to share in the life of the then five church congregations through Lent, Holy Week and Easter. That year Casa de la Esperanza, the chaplaincy house was inaugurated. Clare and I were its first occupants. I’m delighted to return here again, but how the world has changed since 2014!
Brexit, covid, war in Europe, crisis in the economy, and climate change overshadow everyone’s lives. The future seems not so bright, less certain in different ways. How do we live with confidence in the face of such anxieties and challenges?
It’s possible to be optimistic; sooner or later things will right themselves – some think either magically, naturally, or through human invention and effort. Such optimism finds no real place for God, present or future. As disciples of Jesus, trust in God’s promises is at the heart of our being. It enables us to face everything with honest confidence and courage. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Is 43.1) God says, even if we feel lost and don’t know where we’re going.
The prophet Zechariah called upon exiles returned from Babylon to make the effort to reclaim all they’d lost in the land where God promised to bless them, although they were powerless and poor, and didn’t know where to start. “Return to your strongholds, you prisoners of hope!” (Zech 9.12) he exhorts. In other words return to the one place you know you can feel safe. Not to some physical fortress, but a spiritual one. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Ps 46.7)
Since ancient times, the children of Israel suffered violent conflict, famine, plague and being driven from their land, but remembered who they were as God’s people.
They found strength, persistence and courage to keep going and restore their fortunes. They were captured by a sense that no matter how bad things could be, God wouldn’t fail or forsake them. Hope in God is essential, or to be more precise, hope from our relationship with God, through prayer.
We’ll be delving into several Psalms which express in prayer to God with deep honesty, helpless agonised human feelings. A parishioner of mine once called them ‘the grumbling psalms’, but don’t let that put you off!
They’ll have been familiar to Jesus and his disciples. No matter how dark the thoughts they give voice to, the light of hope in God gleams from them. Jesus was steeped in this biblical perspective.
Trust and hope in his Father’s promises gave him confidence and authority to share the good news with all who’d listen to him. He was troubled by what he could see happening all around him and struggled with fear to attain peace. When all around us may be losing their heads to fear and despair, this kind of honesty with God is what we need to remind ourselves of. It can turn what we think is weakness to inner strength.
Lent Course
Throughout Lent our locum Rev Keith Kimber will be running a course on the Psalms.
'Psalms of Lament and the Way of the Cross' We plan to run this on Wednesdays after the service at Los Boliches, and also online for those who prefer. Further details will be available on the Pew Sheet.
Christmas at St Andrew's Chaplaincy
Christmas Eve
service in
Alhaurin ...
Carol Service at Los Boliches ...
Thank you Di
Di Mather has served the Chaplaincy as Verger, specifically in Los Boliches, for more than eight years.
In January, Di handed over the keys and Verger duties to Jane Bradshaw. Thank you, Di, for faithfully preparing for services twice a week throughout the years, and thank you Jane for stepping up to the post.
We need our Vergers to help in preparation as well as clearing up at the end, but also to provide a warm welcome and offering any timely help to all the people who pass through our doors.
Please pray for them and their valuable ministry in all our centres.
Charitable Giving
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 ‘The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’ We are encouraged throughout the bible to share what we have with those in need. As part of our outward giving as a Chaplaincy, we select various charities to collect for. We change the Charity every two months and try to support both local and global charities. This year we have collected for ADIMI, a local charity for people with intellectual disabilities, The Anglican Diocese in Peru. We are linked to the Diocese through the Archdeaconry, it is a poor Diocese that relies on and very much appreciates our help and contributions. The appeal for Ukraine. The Cudeca ‘one in a million’ campaign, to raise money to provide care for children and teenagers with cancer. The Leprosy Mission and Help for Heroes. We have donated more than 2,200 in total throughout the year
We also collect non-perishable food and toiletries to give to Caritas in Alhaurin el Grande. This year we also gave a monetary donation as a token of our gratitude for the Townhall allowing us to use the Cemetery Chapel for worship. They are currently supporting a number of families in the local area, recently this number has been increasing by three families a week. They are grateful for all the support that we give them.
All the charities are voted on by your Church Council. We already have several suggestions for next year and will give again to some of those from this year but if you have a charity either local or further afield who you feel we should support please suggest it to a member of the church council for consideration.
We appreciate that these are difficult times for some, so we are extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity.
The Week of Prayer
The Week 18th-25th January marked 'The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity' in our calendar.
St Andrew’s was represented specifically in three services, in the Catholic Church in Los Boliches, the Cathedral in Málaga as well as San Miguel in Calahonda, where we hold weekly services. Our Curate, Rev William Small was involved in all three in some capacity!
In the service in San Miguel, our singing was accompanied on the guitar by Father Juan, who is priest in charge of the Parish encircling La Cala, while prayers and readings were offered by other church leaders of the different congregations and nationalities. It was a lovely service not marred by a tremendous thunderstorm with lightning and hail stones throughout!
The Ecumenical organisation, Lux Mundi organised the whole week and it was a blessing to meet together as Christians from the variety of churches in the area. Our hope would be that we can do more things together throughout the year.
Laying stones of remembrance of victims of war and people trafficking
Dates for your diary...
Games Afternoon
Friday 10th February 2.00pm at Los Boliches
A fun filled afternoon with Games and refreshments. Tickets 10 Euros, to include a mini tea, available from Diane Bloor or Billy Dawson.
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