FROM THE VICARAGE STUDY

My dear People,

I write this only a few days after our Christian Fellowship meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Smith. There is little doubt that it was an unusually pleasant and interesting meeting. It was also a notable one, in that Anglicans, Methodists and Roman Catholics were gathered together to hear a Quaker give his point of view all entirely in keeping with the spirit of the Week of Christian Unity. Sympathetic understanding, as well as a desire to learn more, were present, one sensed, at the ensuing discussion. I only hope that we shall all be as frank, honest and reasonable as Mr. Starke appeared to be when answering the many questions about his religious viewpoint.

But what happened at this meeting is something that all of us who call ourselves Christians should be doing the whole time. We should be more and more prepared to get together to talk and to learn about each other. This means, broadly speaking, learning more about our respective ways of worship - our prayer-books, our hymn-books and our attitudes to the Sacrament of Holy Communion - and something of the history behind our respective viewpoints. It probably means also each individual rethinking and clarifying his or her own viewpoint. This is exactly what I hope we Anglicans will be able to do on Wednesday evenings in Lent, our discussion always being within the framework of the Anglican-Methodist Report and for the last two weeks a joint one with our Methodist friends. And all the time there must be humility and a spirit of understanding; a lively memory of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His tiny band of disciples, who because of their devotion and unity were the forerunners of a world-wide Christianity; and, of course, regular, thoughtful prayer, exemplified by the kneeling figure on our cover and based always on the words that Our Lord Himself gave to His undivided Early Church.

Your sincere friend and Vicar,

JOHN GREEN.