FROM THE VICARAGE STUDY

My dear People,

By the time you read this the Greater London Crusade at Earl's Court, led by Dr. Billy Graham, will have begun. Some of you will have seen Dr. Graham on TV or have read about him in the newspapers. You may have seen, too, that a few people have publicly declared themselves critical of him and his methods. One letter writer objected to the Archbishop of Canterbury appearing on the same platform as Dr. Graham; others complain of his streamlined publicity organisation or his appeal to the emotions. The fact is that his preparations and publicity, though made with and through the English Churches, are bound to, carry an American flavour. His message, though, is of the real stuff of Christianity, from its earliest days. It involves a personal confrontation; it demands a personal decision to follow Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. Our Churches need within their ranks many more people who have made that firm decision not just a vague one to do good and to worship God when convenient. So I would say that all members of the Church have a clear duty to support this great London Mission, lasting all June. At the least we can all follow its course with interest (when newspapers and TV allow us) and also include Billy Graham and his team regularly in our private prayer and public worship.

Mention of public worship leads me to point out that Juliet Ward is due to be baptized at Morning Prayer on Sunday, 12th June. Here is a chance which I welcome greatly to show baptism in its true setting - the receiving of a new member "into the congregation of Christ's flock". Please come, all of you who possibly can, and thereby give real meaning to these words. As is our custom we shall be remembering by name in our intercessions at that service all those infants baptised in our church during the past year.

Your sincere friend and Vicar,

JOHN GREEN.