Greetings and blessings to all who read GOODNEWS. We ask you to pray God's blessing on this endeavour. It is with a certain trepidation that we have undertaken this work, but clearly there is a need to be met of sharing news. We ask for your co-operation in many ways. Where possible try to avoid having single copies sent to one address, for the obvious reasons of economy in labour and envelopes. A good plan is to have prayer groups arrange for copies to be sent to one member (see instructions on the back page). GOODNEWS will also be sold at the following days of renewal:
Westminster, Alton, Bristol and Harrogate. It is true that many new days of renewal are springing up, but as yet it may be too complicated to send copies there, for we do not know the numbers and we have already sent out and received back application forms of people who may well attend these news days of renewal. As time goes on we will be able to arrange for copies to be sent to these places, if there is a need.

GOODNEWS hopes to share the good news happening in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. At present each issue will be either 8 or 12 pages, and this means that your contributions, and we need them, ought not to be too wordy. The object is to share what has happened, what plans there are for the future. We also hope to have some teachings, but another useful sharing will be recommending articles (pro or con) that are appearing in various other periodicals. We strongly recommend subscriptions to NEW COVENANT AND RENEWAL (see inside for addresses).

May God bless this work, may all be done for his glory, may it help to bring peace, love, joy and true liberty to all who read it.

WHERE ARE WE & WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

The charismatic renewal is so much more than the renewing of the charismatic gifts. The charismatic nature of the Church was strongly emphasised in Rome when Cardinal Willebrands clearly stated "the Church is charismatic", and Cardinal Suenens in his book "A New Pentecost? " shows the charismatic side of the Church is not something new, though it may need renewing in our time. But to limit this renewal to only the renewal of the charisms, would be to misunderstand it. In many ways "The renewal in the Holy Spirit" is more appropriate, for the Holy Spirit is not only the empowerer but also the sanctifier; and these two roles should not be separated.

This renewal has spread very rapidly at Grassroots. There is an immense thirst to know the Lord and to know him better. This causes a problem- the sheep are needing feeding, but where are the feeders? At one time it seemed right to hold large conferences, for goodnews needs to be preached, but now the question is "Are conferences meeting the need or really aggravating it"? Those who attended Hopwood '75 would have witnessed the problem of trying to meet the needs of so many. Now that they have scattered, who is meeting their needs? It falls to a few. To put another large conference on in 1976 will be to increase the demand for help. It will also cause disappointment to many for more will wish to attend and therefore many will not get in. Putting on conferences is an immense task - but putting on extra conferences to cope with the overflow is proving an insupportable burden to those responsible.

It seems right that the time has come to develop leaders in different regions so that areas may develop their own programmes, with retreats, smaller get-togethers, so that needs may be met and continued with. This does not rule out occasional large gatherings to celebrate together - but it seems to me that the time has come for the 'charismatic stars' to set, and this renewal to begin to enter into the very structures and channels of the Church. Renewal is not for a few, it is for the Church, and we need to pray and discern Gods will in this.

I think it is important to understand that this renewal in the Holy Spirit is NOT prayer meetings - (so many excuse themselves saying that this form of praying is not their cup of tea). This renewal is concerned with the very basic of Christian spirituality. It is true to say that many when they see the message of good news begin to want to praise God and praise him with others - hence prayer groups have flowered from the renewal, though this flowering may well have taken place in the liturgy if it had been allowed.

Conferences, prayer meetings, days of renewal can also become new ghettoes and just run parallel to the Church. Clearly there is a need for teaching and these days have their uses; but it seems the time has come for the thrust to be made towards the renewal of the parish and not just part of it. This needs discernment, prayer (when did we last pray for our parish? ) and much humility. May be the old parish mission could be a channel with the stress on hope, good news, resurrection rather than hell fire and brimstone.

Therefore plans are afoot to see how regional leaders can be developed. This will obviously mean that regions will have to work in cooperation so that all is in harmony. The reason for not putting on large conferences is not so much because of the work involved, but because of the pastoral responsibility of taking care, after the conference of those who attended. So we ask people not to put on conferences, without considering wisely the follow up. All this is to produce a better service to the renewal of the Church. Many may feel disappointed at not having a large national conference, but there are rumours that there will be an area conference in the north and one in the south (details will be published as soon as we have them) and Fountain Trust are holding a conference in Newcastle July 26-30 where Ralph Martin will be speaking. We trust that all this will not mean too much disappointment, but we hope in the long run that more will be better served.

lan Petit, OSB

WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING.

GLASGOW The group started in October 1974, stumbled along with a core of 3 regulars and various comers and goers. They were six at thetime of the Kilgraston renewal day. Early in February brought a Kiltegan/Buchlyvie priest, who thereafter was a valued and regular participant. In late February the Stirling group started in close association with Glasgow, and the link is being maintained with mutual benefit. During late spring "Finding New Life in the Spirit" was followed in a somewhat informal fashion, and in April joined with the Stirling group, five people were prayed for. A real impetus was derived from this, and the leadership of the prayer meetings was taken by those prayed for. About that time monthly meetings for priests were started. On the first Saturday of June Glasgow organised the first day of renewal for the West of Scotland, directed by Fr Mark Dilworth OSB and, after that, the numbers of the the prayer group suddenly mushroomed. The group rose to 20. The past November the first week-end renewal was held at the Glasgow University Chaplaincy by the kindness of Fr Kenneth Nugent, SJ -about 100 attended. Fr lan Petit OSB led the weekend.

WARRINGTON A lady writes: "For more than twenty years I have had a heart condition known as mitral stenosis, the result of rheumatic fever. My last two babies were born after anxious pregnancies. I must not exaggerate the severity of the heart condition; it curtailed my activities and made one tired. I only went upstairs once a day. I did not know about healings when I first started to go to prayer groups. I went because the people there seemed full of joy and happiness. I learned about miracles and I read about healings; even little things I heard increased my faith until I knew that only Jesus could heal me; not only that he could but that he would. In the middle of one prayer meeting, unexpectedly, with no preparation, someone said "Would you like us to pray for you, for your health? " And so in love and caring the group gathered round me, hands were laid on my head, my faith and love and need joined their faith and God in his mysterious way filled me with the warmth of his Holy Spirit. Over the next few weeks I felt myself slowly improving: less tired, able to do without thinking tasks I hadn't done for years. At the end of six months I had to see the doctor, a routine medical. 'I can't account for it' he said, 'The murmur is much less. ' Another year has passed, slow gentle improvement still. A time of learning to trust God. A time of temptation to doubt. A friend urging me not to overdo things, others saying you never did have a complaint another stressing " these sort of things do not happen". Each time I have had to go back to the gospels. Last night another routine medical check, "Lets listen to your heart. " Dear God, this is the time, I prayed, my healing now completed. The cold stethoscope taking such a. long time to listen to the mystery of God's word. The doctor just turned to his desk:'The murmur is barely audible at all', May the Lord be truly praised.

WESTMINSTER The last two days of renewal have drawn crowds as large as 800. This has meant that the prayer meeting has had to be split into two and the afternoon talk has been given in the Cathedral itself. Questions are rising whether the day has become too big to handle and should there be other days in the London area. Of course the more days there are the more leaders and speakers are needed.

LOSTOCK HALL The Lostock Hall group has been active. We recently held a series of six seminars on the theme "Touching God - Life in the Spirit" at Lark Hill Convent, Preston. We brewed our own talks and about fifty people attended.- one party making the two hour journey from Barrow every week. At the final Eucharist nearly forty people asked to be prayed over, and we had to send to Warrington for a group of "visiting firemen" to (literally) give us a hand - which they did to our mutual joy. A new prayer group has now been formed at Lark Hill and Fr Leonard and party will be journeying to Barrow next week to see what can be done there. We also organised a Day of Renewal at Lancaster University- Fr David spoke, about sixty people came - and many seeds were sown. We plan to have another one in the spring.

YORK We are told of a group prayer meeting in York one Thursday evening for the brother of one of the group, then in Germany, who was a chain smoker from the age of 16. They heard subsequently that this man gave up smoking the Friday following their prayers.

OUR NEEDS

We do need to know future events if we are to be of service to others. Send brief, clear announcements to GOODNEWS. Our calender hopes to announce events over the two months following the issue, but some long range events will also be announced.

We also need to know what has been happening so that we can share that with the rest of the country.  Brief articles are welcome

Now available LISTS OF CATHOLIC SPONSORED PRAYER GROUPS Please send 2p to help cover cost of printing (stamps accepted) plus a stamp for the posting.

In the NEW YEAR details are hoped to be announced about a charismatic Pilgrimage to LOURDES, This is to be organised in Belgium but plans may develop so as to make it international. Details are not available yet and will be made public when available.

REFLECTIONS ON A VISIT TO ANN ARBOR'S 'WORD OF GOD' COMMUNITY

The Christian community in Ann Arbor, Michigan, known as the 'Word of God' may be new to some people, A good account of it can be found in the Feb 1975 issue of New Covenant but the essential details are in brief: they are ecumenical, baptised in the Holy Spirit and public ally committed to the worship and service of God. They number 1500 people, men, women, and children, and most live in households of from 3 to 15. Some are students living in halls of residence and others live on their own or with people who are not members of the community. They are united by their faith in the-Trinity and the bible.

I arrived one Thursday in September - entirely unannounced and knowing very little about the set-up except that it had emerged from a prayer group which started with four members in 1967. I knew vaguely that New Covenant magazine was produced there and that many books on renewal in the Holy Spirit had originated in the community. So it was with a mixture of shame at my own ignorance and anxiety at not having given any prior warning that I walked up the steps of Harris Hall, East Haron St. and enquired into the possibility of living in the community for a few days ...... All misgivings vanished at the warm welcome of the young receptionist, clearly de­lighted that a stranger from England should know of the community. She phoned the community's guest service and in a very short time I was fixed up in a flat of three men in their 20's or 30's. It was clear from the outset that there was no need to have the normal fears of intruding on people in the Word of God; on the contrary, guests are regarded as an honour to the community and every effort was made to to make my stay as enjoyable and fruitful as possible.

The spontaneous and joyful hospitality is a feature that has left a lasting impression and it was daily reinforced with mycontact with other members of the community. Although Harris Hall is a veritable hive of activity with its editorial offices, tape and book distribution services and international information facility; and although the most up-to-date office and business aids are on hand and output targets and printing deadlines are part of the daily routine, there was a wonderful sense that none of these things was being allowed to rule. The ruler of the community and its work is Our Lord and this was always clear but nowhere so especially as at 'office prayer' every afternoon when all the people in the building meet for 20 minutes to praise the Lord and ask for his guidance in their work.  The fruits of this could be seen throughout the rest of the day when no one seemed too busy to spare time for a warm hug of greeting and a chat with visitors.

Prayer is a keynote with the Word of God. Each household sets aside a time each day when all members meet to pray and read the scriptures. Grace at meal-times tends to assume a great importance and at special times of joy and peace or crisis or dryness, the members of the community turn to the Lord, bringing the situation before him and welcoming Him into every area of their lives. Every Thursday evening, the whole community, spread out over 3 different meeting places, gathers for prayer and the two meetings that I attended put me very much in mind of St. Paul's words to the Thesslaonians: 'Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks'.

Does this emphasis on prayer mean that 'good works' are negle­cted? It is apparently a common criticism of charismatic renewal that it is not concerned with helping those in need and I had heard various people charge the Ann Arbor community specifically with this. It is true that at present the Ann Arbor community does not take the dynamic social role that the charismatic community at the Church of the Redeemer in Houston takes so powerfully.  But it is equally true that there are tremendous changes taking place in in the lives of the members of the Word of God, many of whom have suffered deeply in the past and that this is forging a very strong community that may well be taking on a definite missionary role in the near future. Many people spoke of "Going out" and it appears that charismatic groups in many parts of the world have asked for Word of God members to come and live with them. And this, after all, would only be a natural extension of the present form of their outreach which involves spreading the word by such means as New Covenant, Charismatic Renewal Services and the International Communications Office of the renewal.  At the same time as these thoughts for the future, there are many households involved in works of mercy in the hospitals and prisons around Ann Arbor.

The impressions that has remained the most constant in the two months since my visit has been a strange one perhaps. I do not feel like dancing a jig and shouting 'Hallelujah' from the house tops and I didn't feel that way then. There was a sense during the wholi of my visit of 'This is how it was always meant to be. There is nothing new here. It's what we have been preaching all the time'. It came as no surprise to hear that a considerable number of students in the halls of residence were coming to Christ because they daily saw how the Word of God members in the halls loved one another......

Mark White

COMING  EVENTS

DAYS OF RENEWAL

 
DAYS FOR PRIESTS.

At WESTMINSTER CONFERENCE CENTRE Tuesdays from 10.30am
- 5.00pm. Cost £1. 50 Bring own lunch.

TALKS & RETREATS

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A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
AND EVERY BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR

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BOOKS

THE HOLY SPIRIT & POWER. THE CATHOLIC CHARISTMATIC RENEWAL.  A series of essays by Heribert Muhlen, Ralph Martin, Francis Sullivan, Kilian McDornell & other well known names. £1. 50

READING SCRIPTURE AS THE WORD OF GOD. by George Martin. A practical approach to reading scripture.  This book is about reading scripture, and reading it as God's word addressed to us.

A NEW PENTECOST? Cardinal Suenens.  The charismatic side of the Church is shown to be part and parcel of the Church. The present movement of the Spirit in the church is examined.

NATIONAL SERVICE COMMITTEE
Rev. Ian O.S.B.
Sr. Bemarde
Mrs. Jillyan Bray
Mrs. Lisa Reynolds,
Bob Balkam
Alan Guile

INFORMATION
Sr. Rita, St. Benedict's Convent, Warrington

PUBLICATIONS
New Covenant, 58 Princes Road, Wimbtedon, SW19.         
Renewal, Fountain Trust, 3a High Street, Esher, Surrey.        
Goodnews, St. Benedict's Convent, Bruche Avenue South, Manchester Road, Warrington, WA1 3JQ.

TAPES
Sr. Mary Peter Scanlon, More House, London, SW7.
BOOKS R.P. Bookservice, Chawton, Alton, Hants, GU34 3HQ.