Weekly Reflections

The reflection for 27th February 2022 will be the final one in our series, going back 70 weeks! We hope that you have enjoyed them.

Personal Praise and Worship – 27th February 2022

Greetings from the snowy mountains of the Alps once again. As I write the threat of war in Europe is hovering over us, nature is venting its power causing hardship to many and Spring seems a long way off. But this is a time when together we can meet in thanks and praise for having an almighty and loving God who watched over us. And with this wondrous thought in our minds let’s put aside all the negative news that impinges upon our lives and come together to spend time as a body of Christians in praise of our Father

Opening Prayer …O God of peace whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life, look with compassion upon the anguish of our world. As we come to you in worship, lift our spirits so that we might know your healing power and eternal love for mankind and make whole both people and nations through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Confession
In a moment of silence cast your mind back over the last week and let those things that trouble you, things that may have caused our Father to frown and make a resolve to speak them, to say them to our merciful Father and ask for forgiveness, then put them to one side.

Lord, look down with mercy upon us and take away those things in our lives that grieve you: give us the strength and the resolve to live the life you would have us live and to do it with joy and with thanks in our hearts, we ask this in the name of our Saviour Jesu Christ Amen

Hymn – We Are Standing On Holy Ground

When I walk through the doors I sensed His presence
And I knew this was a place where love abounds
For this is a temple the God we love abides here
Oh we are standing in His presence on holy ground

(chorus)
We are standing on holy ground for I know that there are angels all around
Let us praise Jesus now for we are standing in His presence on holy ground

In His presence I know there is joy beyond all measure
and at His feet sweet peace of mind can still be found
for when we have a need He is still the answer
reach out and claim it for we are standing on holy ground

(chorus)
We are standing on holy ground for I know that there are angels all around
Let us praise Jesus now for we are standing in His presence on holy ground
Let us praise Jesus now for we are standing in His presence on holy ground

Gospel Reading Luke 9 v 28 – 36
The Transfiguration
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Reflections – Witness for the Defence
Were you ever a fan of Perry Mason? I loved the way in court Perry would, at the eleventh hour, produce a surprise witness that not only cleared the defendant of the charge of murder but allowed Perry to point the finger at the guilty person! Well, in a way this is what Luke has recorded here for us in our reading this morning. A happening on a mountain where witnesses, taken completely by surprise, were present to observe a turning point in the life of our Lord Jesus, the moment God declared Jesus’ true identity. Luke tells it as if we were a part of the scene, looking around at the various persons present and witnessing this pivotal moment in the life of the world.
First, there are the disciples – Peter, James, and John. They are not only surprised but amazed at what they see. They are happy to see Jesus glorified. He had talked previously about his forthcoming suffering and death. But that is a horrible event for the future and now for at least a moment it appears that all that can be bypassed. Jesus is in glory already, and they are with him. They want to camp out with him on the mountain. That is a natural human reaction. People seek inner peace, and we try all kinds of things to achieve it — anything that will promise much, but demand little!
Second, Moses and Elijah are present. They talk with Jesus. They know the mind and will of God. They speak of Jesus’ forthcoming “exodus” or “departure,” his forthcoming death and resurrection, which Jesus had spoken of earlier before going up the mountain. They confirm that this is the will of God for him. The way of God for Jesus cannot bypass the cross.
And this is at the heart of our Christian faith. Jesus has come to reveal God and redeem humanity. And the way that God has chosen to carry out his redemptive purpose is to send his Son, Jesus, to bear our sins upon himself at the cross. There the new “exodus” takes place, the new event of redemption for all the world.
Lastly, there is the cloud and the voice. The most dramatic attestation of Jesus’ identity comes with the voice of God in verse 35. “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” The basic message echoes the divine words spoken at Jesus’ baptism but there are notable differences. The message at Jesus’ baptism was spoken directly to Jesus “You are my son” but here the message is for the disciples’ ears “This is my son”.
At the baptism the adjective describing Jesus’ sonship was “beloved” — again, a message directed at Jesus — but here it is “chosen,” further describing Jesus’ relationship to God from the disciples’ perspective. The message of Jesus’ sonship here is given an imperative implication: “Listen to him!” Jesus’ sonship is not a matter of abstract theology but requires the obedient response of the disciples to Jesus’ message. Whereas the voice at the baptism came “from heaven,” here it comes from the very cloud in which the disciples are already enveloped. Jesus’ most recent teaching emphasized the costly demands made on those who would follow him, i.e. denying themselves and taking up their cross and that is surely the primary message meant to be listened to and obeyed here.
Finally we should especially observe in Luke’s reading, that prayer for Jesus involved, at times, a dramatic encounter of God’s presence. Prayer was not merely speaking words to God but was a truly spiritual experience of God. And what does that say of our prayer life? While we should no doubt not expect to have experiences like that of Jesus in the transfiguration on a regular basis in prayer, the transfiguration along with these other scenes should challenge us to seek something higher, more worthy in prayer than speaking mere words in the hope that God might possibly somehow listen to us. Prayer should be seeking the powerful presence of God in our lives. We should also remember, as with the disciples in this reading of Luke’s, that dramatic experiences of Christ’s glory come with the call to listen sometimes in costly obedience!
So there we have it. The three witnesses of God’s attestation of Jesus as his son and all have given their testimony, Luke has recorded for eternity not some abstract theology but clear, irrefutable evidence which has become the corner stone of the Church of Christ of which you and I are members.
Witnesses for the defence? Perhaps they are better described as witnesses for the prosecution, the prosecution of evil, the prosecution of all that is bad in this world. In their life time they lived out, as best humans can, the teachings of Jesus, ways of living and teaching Christ’s story, a way that brought love, compassion, trust and prayer into focus, a way that brought us the hope of eternal life with God. And God asks us too to be his witnesses for the prosecution, to shine a bright light into dark places, to address the inequalities in his world, the culture of the secular world that drives the idol of riches to drowning the needs of the poor, the refugee. We are asked as witnesses to be active, to face up to the challenges of the world and be Christ’s hands and feet. All rise, the Court of God is now in session, witnesses step forward and speak. Amen

Let the Holy Spirit whisper to you.

The Creed
Let’s reaffirm our faith by saying the Creed together:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

And now a time of prayer
Relax and close your eyes. As we enter this time of Lent, a time to review our relationship with God, think through the past year and bring to mind those things that made you want to bring change to your life. Hold up to our Lord those who are in trouble, sick, lonely, grieving or anxious, and place at the feet of our Lord those things in your life that still need mending.
Speak out loud your prayers to God, our Father, ending up by saying the prayer Christ taught us
Our Father who art in heaven……

Hymn – See whose glory fills the skies

See whose glory fills the skies: Jesus, the light of the world!
Sun of righteousness, arise: Jesus, the light of the world!
We’ll walk in the light! Beautiful light!
Shine where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright.
Oh, shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the light of the world.

Pierce the gloom of sin and grief, Jesus, the light of the world!
Scatter all my unbelief, Jesus, the light of the world!
Refrain

More and more thyself display, Jesus, the light of the world!
Shining to the perfect day, Jesus, the light of the world!
Refrain

Visit, then, this soul of mine Jesus, light of the world!
Fill me, Radiancy divine! Jesus, the light of the world!
Refrain

Remembering those who, in happier times, would be worshipping with you this morning wish them the Peace
Peace be with you. And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Second Sunday before Lent – 20 February 2022
Calming the Storm
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
The theme this week is calming the Storm. Recall and give thanks for some way(s) in which God’s love has blessed you.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Forgiveness
Bring to mind any feeling you may have that God might be wishing for you to bring to calm waters. Then remind yourself of the God who forgives and only wants us to change direction.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn Eternal Father, strong to save

Eternal Father, strong to save,
whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word
the winds and waves submissive heard,
who walkedst on the foaming deep,
and calm, amid its rage, didst sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O sacred Spirit, who didst brood
upon the wares dark and rude,
and bid their angry tumult cease,
and give, for wild confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and pow’r,
our brethren shield in danger’s hour.
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
protect them whereso’er they go,
and ever let there rise to thee
glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

The Word:
Psalm 65 “Praise and Thanksgiving”
Genesis 2.4b-9, 15-end “God creates man and woman”
Luke 8.22-25 “Calming the storm”
Revelation 4 “Worship in heaven”.

A Reflection:- Stilling the Storm
Prayer Almighty God, you have taught us that your word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Help us, and all who prayerfully read your word, to deepen our fellowship with you and with each other through your love. In so doing may we come to know you more fully, love you more truly and follow you more faithfully in the steps of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen

A Breton Fisherman’s prayer.
Dear God, be close to me;
The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.

Although the sea of Galilee is actually a large lake, the storms that blow up so unexpectedly can be just as terrifying as being in a storm on the sea itself.
Raging waters in the Bible often represent the powers of evil and of chaos that rage against God and his people.
The sea can represent different things to different cultures and people. I learned the other day that for David Hockney the artist, the sea represents eternity.

Psalm 46 v1-3 expresses beautifully God’s rule over raging waters
or Psalm 107 v29 He stilled the storm….

There is more to our story than meets the eye!
There is an amazing paradox!
If the disciples had had the same faith – the faith that Jesus gently chides them for not having, the miracle would not have happened. They would come through it albeit wet and exhausted. They would not have fallen into terror with their frantic accusation, “Do you not care that we are perishing?!”
This miracle happens not in response to faith but because of a lack of faith and Jesus’ gracious response to the disciples fear.
Like parables, miracles carry messages.
Here the sea could symbolize whatever monster might be causing us to scrabble around in desperation, trying to escape. Even if there is no miraculous stilling of the storm for us, God who made the sea and whose power will keep us safe through the darkest tempest. If we panic, he may not still the storm as in this story, but we may be sure he will pick up a bucket alongside us!

Some insights into faith.

1. Faith is a kind of spiritual insight, an in-seeing into realities.
It always wants to get beyond the superficial surface of things, into the spiritual behind the material. It wants to go beyond the outside symptoms into the causes of them. It consists of following knowledge and reason as far as they will take us, and then going beyond, in the same direction. There is risk about faith, which can only be tested by taking the leap when the sure path comes to an end. (George Appleton)

2. Faith at its highest.
Faith is most faith when it is tempted and threatened: faith is present when looking at the most difficult situation it says, “Nevertheless”, when in the face of every misgiving and reverse, it continues to say, “My God, my God!” (George Appleton)

3. If we doubt.
If we believe, then everything is illuminated and takes shape around us: chance is seen to be order, success assumes an incorruptible plenitude, suffering becomes a caress of God. But if we hesitate, the rock remains dry, the sky dark, the waters treacherous and shifting. We may hear the voice of the Master, faced with our bungled lives, “O men of little faith, why have you doubted..?” (Teilhard de Chardin)

Closing prayer
Dear Friend and Companion in my life journey, you are with me wherever I go. Grant me the eyes to see your faithful and gracious presence, that I may seek you guidance and entrust myself to your loving care each day. Amen

Time of Prayer
Recall an occasion when you felt blessed by helping someone in need, give thanks for that experience

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful. Pray for the Spirit to guide you to ways in which you might respond to someone’s need.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

End your prayers by saying the Lord’s Prayer in this version or whichever is most familiar to you.
Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory
for ever and ever. Amen

Hymn – Be still, my soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is at your side;
bear patiently the cross of grief and pain;
leave to your God to order and provide;
in every change he faithfully will remain.
Be still, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend,
through thorny ways, leads, leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: your God will undertake
to guide the future as he has the past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake,
all now mysterious shall be clear at last.
Be still, my soul: the tempests still obey
his voice, who ruled them once in Galilee..

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
when we shall be for ever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
sorrow forgotten, love’s pure joy restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also, with you.
Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen

The Third Sunday before Lent – 13 February 2022
Blessings and Woes
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
The theme this week is Blessings and Woes. Recall and give thanks for some way(s) in which God’s love has blessed you.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Forgiveness
Remembering that the theme is both Blessings and Woes. Bring to mind any feeling you may have that God might be thinking “woe is he/she”. Then remind yourself of the God who forgives and only wants us to change direction.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn The Love of God Comes Close
Tune: My Song is Love Unknown

The love of God comes close
where stands an open door
to let the stranger in,
to mingle rich and poor:
The love of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way

The peace of God comes close
to those caught in the storm,
forgoing lives of ease
to ease the lives forlorn:
The peace of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way.

The joy of God comes close
where faith encounters fears,
where heights and depths of of life
are found through smiles and tears:
The joy of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way

The grace of God comes close
to those whose grace is spent
where hearts are tired and sore
and hope is bruised and bent:
The grace of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way.

The Son of God comes close
where people praise his name,
where what he said is done
with love, as when he came:
The Son of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way.

The Word:
Psalm 1 “Blessed is the one …”
Jeremiah 17. 5-10 “Cursed is the one …”
Luke 6. 17-26 Blessings and Woes.

A Reflection:- on Blessings and Woes
Setting the Scene
The Season of Lent is just around the corner, and so it is time to remind ourselves of the radical nature of Jesus’ teaching and of the challenge that it presented to his first disciples. Time, also, to remind ourselves of the demands it places on us disciples of 2022. We might also allow the readings from the Old Testament to challenge our image of, and understanding of, God the Father.
Bitter-Sweet Announcements
The theme of Blessings and Woes is timeless. It runs through the Bible from end to end.
Psalm 1
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord.”
Jeremiah 17: 5-10
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.” “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Who is it who does the blessing and cursing?
Deep in the human psyche lies the idea that it is “God” who blesses and curses by supernatural power and actions. Early in the bible, one finds the idea that if a person’s flocks and crops flourished then you were in favour with God and receiving his blessing. We still think the same way, using expressions such as, “The sun shines on the righteous”. But by the middle of the Old Testament, the Psalmist was railing at God because he seemed to bless the wicked as well as the righteous. Job, too, is forced to confront the same issues when God first appears to bless him and his family, and then finds that his life falls apart, his crops and children die.
So, we have to ask ourselves why a loving God, who has created each of us in his own image, would want to bring curses on us or would want to bless anyone person more than another.
Or, might we have misunderstood something about God and the concepts of ‘blessing’ or ‘cursing’?
How is it that we are blessed or cursed?
The reading from Jeremiah offers two clues.
First, the cursed person trusts in his/her own energy alone. His/her heart turns from God’s ways This implies that the ‘cursing’ is self-inflicted
Second, the cursed person will be like a bush in a desert, unable to flourish, lacking water and being fed with the poison of salt. This also implies a degree of self-inflicted damage. The ‘cursed’ person puts themselves in a place where there are bad influences – among bad company where poisonous ideas are shared.
By contrast, the blessed person is the one who trusts in God’s ways. God’s ways are always corporate, so blessing comes from being open to others. As the psalm says, the blessed person is like a tree planted by water, fed through its network of roots, its leaves are always green, and it constantly bears fruit. Blessing comes from within the company of other people who love God. They nourish us with Godly ways of thinking and refresh us with the living water of God’s Spirit.
So, how is it that we are blessed or cursed? It’s something we do to each other. It’s not God’s direct doing. The three-fold community that is God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – has created a world that follows its deeply embedded rules. Love is stronger than evil, life is stronger than death.
We bring blessings or curses on ourselves and others by the way we live. Either chancing our future alone or risking the company of others. And if we risk the company of others, choosing the community of God’s people who will feed and water each other with God’s love and blessings, rather than those who will poison us with the salt of evil.
The Gospel: Luke 6. 17-26 – Blessings and Woes
With that Old Testament perspective in mind, we turn to St Luke and his version of the Beatitudes.
It seems likely that Jesus was in Galilee at this stage, having just chosen his twelve disciples. However, though it is early in his ministry, people have come to him from Jerusalem (100 miles away to the South) and from Tyre and Sidon (90 miles away to the North). They have come to hear his teaching and to be healed – “for power came out of him”.
Yet, in the midst of what must have been a dramatic event, Jesus looked straight at his disciples and spoke directly to them. “Blessed are you …”
It is a clear instruction to them that in the “Kingdom” where God’s rules apply, the hungry will be filled, and those who weep will laugh. It tells them in unequivocal terms where he and they are to direct their lives. He adds a warning that it won’t be easy and that they will meet opposition. However, that opposition will be a sign that they are doing God’s work.
But, to those who already feel blessed with wealth, full stomachs, and much laughter there will be hunger, tears and mourning. Furthermore, if they find that they are being praised, that will confirm that they are doing the world’s bidding and not God’s.
Conclusion
This is a hard message for Christians living in prosperous villages in one of the richest nations of the world where the empty stomachs have largely been exported and hidden from our view in the former industrial urban areas of Britain.
However, there can be no doubt about God’s message spoken through the Old Testament prophets and revealed to us in the life of Jesus and those of his first disciples. We will be blessed when we attend to the needs of the sick and the starving. And to anyone who is being fed by God’s wisdom in the company of fellow believers today there can be no doubt that empty stomachs, empty electricity/gas meters, and huge hospital waiting lists demand our attention. And whether we try to address it by charity or political action, the price will be high and God’s blessing will be proportionate to our efforts.

Time of Prayer
Recall an occasion when you felt blessed by helping someone in need, give thanks for that experience

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Hymn Inspired by Love and Anger

Inspired by love and anger,
disturbed by need and pain,
informed by God’s own bias,
we ask him once again:
‘How long must some folk suffer?
How long can few folk mind?
How long dare vain self interest
turn prayer and pity blind?’

From those forever victims
of heartless human greed,
their cruel plight composes
a litany of need:
‘Where are the fruits of justice?
Where are the signs of peace?
When is the day when prisoners
and dreams find their release?’

From those forever shackled
to what their wealth can buy,
the fear of lost advantage
provokes the bitter cry,
‘Don’t query our position!
Don’t criticise our wealth!
Don’t mention those exploited
by politics and stealth!’

To God, who through the prophets
proclaimed a different age,
we offer earth’s indifference,
its agony and rage:
‘When will the wronged be righted?
When will the kingdom come?
When will the world be generous
to all instead of some?’

God asks, ‘Who will go for me?
Who will extend my reach?
And who, when few will listen,
will prophesy and preach?
And who, when few bid welcome,
will offer all they know?
And who, when few dare follow,
will walk the road I show?’

Amused in someone’s kitchen,
asleep in someone’s boat,
attuned to what the ancients
exposed, proclaimed and wrote,
a saviour without safety,
a tradesman without tools
has come to tip the balance
with fishermen and fools.

From: Common Ground 63
Tune: Salley Gardens
To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also, with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and Worship 6th February 2022

Greetings from the snowy mountains of the Alps, I am with you in spirit if not in body. The grandeur of the mountains that surround this small village of Morzine cannot fail to make one think of the closeness and majesty of God in all his Glory. And with this wondrous thought in our minds let’s put aside all the negative news that impinges upon our lives and come together to spend time as a body of Christians in praise of our Father

Opening Prayer …O God of peace whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life, look with compassion upon the anguish of our world As we come to you in worship, lift our spirits so that we might know your healing power and eternal love for mankind and make whole both people and nations through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Confession
In a moment of silence cast your mind back over the last week and let those things that trouble you bubble to the surface, make a resolve to speak them, to say them to our merciful Father and ask for forgiveness, then put them to one side.

Lord, look down with mercy upon us and take away those things in our lives that grieve you: give us the strength and the resolve to live the life you would have us live and to do it with joy and thanks in our hearts, we ask this in the name of our Saviour Jesu Christ Amen

Hymn – Go Forth and Tell

Go forth and tell! O church of God, awake!
God’s saving news to all the nations take;
proclaim Christ Jesus, saviour, Lord, and king,
that all the world his worthy praise may sing.

Go forth and tell! God’s love embraces all;
he will in grace respond to all who call:
how shall they call if they have never heard
the gracious invitation of his word?

Go forth and tell where still the darkness lies;
in wealth or want, the sinner surely dies:
give us, O Lord, concern of heart and mind,
a love like yours which cares for all mankind.

Go forth and tell! The doors are open wide:
share God’s good gifts let no one be denied;
live out your life as Christ your Lord shall choose,
your ransomed powers for his sole glory use.

Go forth and tell! O church of God, arise!
go in the strength which Christ your Lord supplies;
go till all nations his great name adore
and serve him, Lord and king for evermore.

Gospel Reading Luke 5 v 1–11 Jesus Calls His First Disciples

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Reflections
How did you come to Christ? A bold question to ask! Did you have a Damascus road experience or was it something that you grew up with, led by and following your parents’ faithful footsteps? Like me I would guess that there were periods in your life when religion was relegated to the back of your mind and perhaps something in later life happened that triggered your return into a relationship with Christ once more. The faith of the mature is, in general, of a deeper and more rewarding experience perhaps because we recognise there is a need to be closer to God as youth gives way to age and wisdom?
One thing I can be fairly sure about, I bet you weren’t in a fishing boat when you turned to Jesus Christ! I say this because the story that Luke tells us is hard to credit, unless we simply take this event as yet another miracle that drew three fishermen, apparently complete strangers to Jesu and walk away from their living, their families and become “tramps” following……well at that point who did they believe they were following? Who is this Jesus that speaks the word of God.
The way Luke tells the story, this apparently was not something planned by Jesus to create his team of disciples. Because people were crowding him, he asked Simon if he would put off the shore a little way to create space for to continue to talk to the crowd.
And once in the boat Jesus then ends up telling Simon to resume fishing, not a suggestion readily accepted and so Luke’s story unfurls, a story of a miracle, fish everywhere! There is no point in dwelling on how the two boats became overloaded with fish, that is not why Luke has included this episode of Jesus’ ministry in his Gospel. It is because Simon realised that this stranger who had been speaking about God, was indeed very close to God and had caused something extraordinary to happen.
This man Jesus was clearly a holy person and thus Simon had no business associating with the likes of him, he “a sinful man”. And we who know Jesus might have guessed what his response would be “Don’t be afraid” meaning you are not unclean we can be friends. And now comes for me the crux of this reading: Jesus says “from now on you will fish for people”. In those few simple words Jesus selects the first of his disciples, he calls men who would eventually create the Church that you and I are now members of, men who from very humble beginnings have brought the Word of God to us.
This reading is of particular relevance to us today, Katharine, our Priest in Charge has now left us, someone we invited to bring the ministry of Christ to our Benefice and I feel the poorer for that decision. As Yolanda wrote last week such happenings “can take away the life of our hearts until the hopes we once cherished die and we become dull and grimly resigned to things as they are, seeing no opportunity for change or new things.”
But as I often do, I ask myself what might Christ have said about these past couple of years in our Benefice. He would surely have said don’t feel down, don’t become resigned you have everything that you need to carry on with My ministry. Unlike my disciples you have the riches of my Word to guide you, you have the unending love of God to carry you, you have people amongst you who have a strong faith that will carry you forward, you have “fishermen” in abundance that can help our Church reach out to the community in which you find yourself. We have everything we need!
Yes, perhaps our lives could be richer if our Benefice were led by a well trained theologian, a Minister who would commit himself to leading our small Ministry Team and who knows, it might come to pass in the future. But as our Diocese continues to warn us, the times of abundant Ordained Ministers is over, fewer are called to Christ’s service, the funds to support their ministry is dwindling, the lay Church members must step up if parishes are to keep Churches alive.
And what stops us. Is it timidity or fear that stops us stepping up? As we will sing in a few minutes the hymn “Will you come and follow me” the lines “Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same? Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around.” Is that the case, that we have come to believe that the ministry of Christ is only for trained knowledgeable people? Well that is certainly not what Luke is telling us this morning. Jesus didn’t pick out the learned, knowledgeable people to be his disciples, far from it.
The “fishers of people” are you and me, it always has been thus. We are Christ’s hands and feet and we must speak for him at every opportunity. So let’s shrug off the past, lift our spirits, continue to put our trust in God and in faith step out. Let’s come and follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen

A short period to let the Holy Spirit whisper to you.

The Creed
Let’s reaffirm our faith by saying the Creed together
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

And now a time of prayer
Relax and close your eyes. Think through the past week and bring to mind those things, conversations that made you want to bring change to unhappy circumstances or thank God for prayers answered. Hold up to our Lord those who are in trouble, sick, lonely, grieving or anxious, and place at the feet of our Lord those things in your life that need mending.

Speak out loud your prayers to God, our Father ending up by saying the prayer Christ taught us
Our Father who art in heaven……

Hymn Will You Come and Follow Me

Will You come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Remembering those who, in happier times, would be worshipping with you this morning wish them the Peace
Peace be with you. And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

The Fourth Sunday of Epiphany – 30 January 2022
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple or Candlemas
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Forgiveness
Spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn Lord of all hopefulness

Lord of all hopefulness,
Lord of all joy,
whose trust ever child-like,
no cares could destroy,
be there at our waking,
and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord
at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness,
Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled
at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours,
and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord,
at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness,
Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome,
your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing,
and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord,
at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness,
Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment,
whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping,
and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord,
at the end of the day.

The Word:
Ezekiel 43.27-44.4 The priesthood restored
Luke 2.22-40 Simeon and Anna meet the baby Jesus
1 Corinthins13 How to use your gifts of the Spirit.
Psalm 48 The glory and strength of Zion

A Reflection:- on the story of Candlemas
Almighty God, you have taught us that your word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Help us and all who prayerfully read your word, to deepen our fellowship with you and with each other through your love. And in so doing may we come to know you more fully, love you more truly and follow more faithfully in the steps of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epiphany season which means showing or manifesting, is drawing to a close. This closing finishes with the amazing revelation in the temple at Jerusalem to 2 devout and old people.

Simeon and Anna were known as quiet in the Lord.
They had no dreams of deliverance in violent revolution nor in power with armies and banners.
They believed in a life of constant prayer and quiet watchfulness until God should reveal himself. All their lives they waited quietly and patiently upon God. God had promised Simeon that his life would not end before he had seen God’s own Anointed One (or Christ in the Greek language).

What about Anna?
We know very little about her. She is one of those hidden characters of the Bible.
If we care to read between the lines we can perhaps get some idea of her role in this amazing revelation in the temple.
Let’s use our imagination. Perhaps we could sketch out her character and look behind the scenes as it were.
Anna or Hannah means “gracious” was a widow. She had known sorrow and yet had not grown bitter even though widowed at a young age. Sorrow can make us hard, bitter, resentful and rebellious against God, or can make us kinder, more loving, more sympathetic and able to empathize with others. Sorrow can also crush our faith or it can root that faith even deeper.
Anna was old, 84 years but she never ceased to have hope.
The years can take away the life of our hearts until the hopes we once cherished die and we become dull and grimly resigned to things as they are, seeing no opportunity for change or new things.
If we can think of God as intimately connected with life, we will have the faith that the best is yet to be and the years will never kill our hope.
Anna never ceased to worship – she spent her life in the temple in the court of the women.
The years had left her with real graces. Her name you remember means “gracious”
We can imagine that as she had lived so long in the temple courts that she had responsibility for the care of young mothers who came to dedicate their first-born sons to the Lord as prescribed by the Jewish law.
How gently and lovingly she might have been to young Mary who had made the 5 mile journey from Bethlehem.
We can imagine she would be tired and needed looking after. Perhaps water to drink and water to wash the baby before the ceremony.
Perhaps Mary shared with Anna the events surrounding her son’s birth.
In the event, it is the naming of the child that is so important, the name which gives more than a clue as to whom this child is.
Perhaps Mary told Anna about the angel who instructed her that he should be called Jesus which means “the One who saves”. On a separate occasion the angel also instructed Joseph to name Mary’s baby Jesus. It would have been natural to call the baby Joseph after himself.
These stories must surely have alerted the old lady as to who the baby really was.
In that culture the name indicated not only a person’s character, but function as well. Jesus, “the One who saves.”
“Yes” thought Anna, “this is the One we have been waiting for!”
Anna had been waiting for this very moment!
She connected all that Mary had told her – the dreams, the birth at Bethlehem, the name and that the child’s ancestor was king David.
God’s inspiration came to her for she was sincere in her thinking, searching and seeking. The seeking mind joined with the revealing Spirit of God.
We can imagine Anna singing part of an old song.
“I will sacrifice with shouts of joy, I will sing and make music to the Lord. The Lord is my light and salvation!”

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have brought the light of Christ to you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on the life of our church communities and pray for Katharine as she moves on and for the process of finding a new Rector. Reflect on the church members who you know. Pray for those in whom you see the possibility of growth and change which might lead them to take on new roles in the churches’ life.

Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory
for ever and ever. Amen

Hymn All people that on earth do dwell
All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
him serve with fear, his praise forth tell,
come ye before him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed,
without our aid he did us make;
we are his folk, he doth us feed,
and for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise,
approach with joy his courts unto;
praise, laud and bless his name always,
for it is seemly so to do.

for why? the Lord our God is good:
his mercy is for ever sure;
his truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.

To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
the God whom heav’n and earth adore,
from us and from the angel host
be praise and glory evermore.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also, with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

The Third Sunday of Epiphany – 23 January 2022
A Co-incidence of Weddings
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Gifts of the Spirit

When our Lord walked the earth,
all the world found its worth;
as declared at his birth,
God became our neighbour,
granting us with favour

Chorus
Power to speak and heal,
grace to know what’s real,
wisdom, insight and faith,
love and understanding.

Through his life, through his death,
in each gesture and breath,
Jesus joined faith and deed,
model for our caring,
showing and yet sharing.
Chorus

Jesus loves all his friends,
and that love never ends;
to his church gifts he sends
through the Holy Spirit.
These we still inherit:
Chorus

Sing and smile and rejoice,
clap your hands, and raise your voice;
for, with unnerving choice,
God in Christ has found us
and displays around us
Chorus

John Bell & Graham Maule
© The Iona Community

The Word:
Isaiah 62.1-6 Isaiah foretells of the Restoration of Jerusalem
John 2. 1-11 Jesus turns water into wine at the Wedding in Cana
1 Corinthins12. 1-11 Discerning gifts of the Spirit.

A Reflection:- on Weddings, Wine and Gifts
Setting the Scene
The Benefice Service at Corton Denham last Sunday was a remarkable event and so, for the benefit of those who were not able to attend, I am going to return to Pat’s Reflection on last week’s Readings, add the zest of Archdeacon Anne Gell’s Address, stir in some after-thoughts, and offer you a taste.
Bitter-Sweet Announcements
Shortly before the service began, Katharine and her fiancé, Jonathan, arrived. Archdeacon Anne read out a statement from Katharine announcing her resignation as Priest-in-Charge of Cam Vale Benefice with effect from the end of March 2022. Anne then moved on to happier news; to proclaim the Banns for their forthcoming marriage. A ’bitter-sweet’ moment; indeed. On one hand, happiness at the announcement that Katharine and Jonathan are to be married; on the other hand, sadness that Katharine is leaving us, but understanding that a new beginning at the start of married life is wise.
It is the conjunction of these announcements with the theme of the Readings which I will reflect on now.
The Word.
One can only wonder at the God-incidence which brought together two Bible readings featuring weddings on the same day when Banns were being read for a couple in the congregation.
In the reading from Isaiah, the prophet foretells of a time when the city of Jerusalem, destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 587BC, would be rebuilt and the nation restored to God as his bride. The rebuilt Temple was rededicated in 515BC.
The reading from St John’s Gospel told of the Wedding at Cana at which Jesus turned water to wine. The account is familiar. Jesus and his disciples had been invited to a wedding when, suddenly it became clear that the wine had run out; an event which would have brought a lifetime of shame on the bridegroom and his family. We remember Jesus’ reluctance to follow his mother’s instruction, saying that his ‘time had not yet come’. And we remember the scale of the miracle – not just a few extra flagons of wine but at least 100 gallons! More than enough, even for a wedding celebration that might go on for several days
However, Archdeacon Anne, encouraged us to think, not about the detail of the miracle, but about the last verse of St John’s account, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and the disciples believed in him.”
Pat made the same point in his Reflection last week. But I wonder how it felt to be part of the event. It was not difficult for St John, writing 50+ years after the event, to stand back from the detail and to see it as a Sign from God. But if you or I had been there, how might we have seen it?
The large clay water jars contained water for hand washing. They were too big and heavy to lift, so an observer would have seen them being filled from buckets. It would be known that cleanliness around wells was not good; the ground around the well was often wet and muddy; buckets got dirty.
So, speaking for myself, I think I would have been reluctant to try this new wine, and might have taken some persuading. After all, wine didn’t normally come out of washing water jars – the whole event would have been outside my experience and I would have had to take time to adjust my thinking and to take on this entirely new concept – that something utilitarian like washing water might have the potential to become the very best wine which could be safely consumed and even enjoyed as a great vintage.
Themes
While the Gospel was being read and Anne preached, I was sitting immediately behind Katharine. As my mind, absorbed the events at Cana, it took an unexpected turn and I found myself wonder whether we, members of the churches in Cam Vale, might have missed another Sign from God when Katharine came into our midst as Priest-in-charge. Did we expect her and us to be ‘water’? Did we not dare to think that she and we might become ‘wine of the Kingdom”? Did we simply expect another priest to fill the traditional role of Rector of a rural, Anglican, multi-parish, Benefice. If so, might we have missed some Signs that God was placing in our sight; the inevitability of a much-reduced Ministry Team; that the Diocesan Synod was discussing new patterns of Ministry to compensate for a reduction in the number of clergy; that our newly ordained Incumbent had been trained for a new style of ministry to enable the ministry of the laity and to be one of a team?
If we did fail to recognise what the Spirit of God was showing us, how can we ensure that it doesn’t happen again?
Gifts of the Spirit
The Sunday Service ended with Rose leading the singing of the hymn, “God’s Spirit is in my Heart”, otherwise known as ‘Go tell everyone, the news that the Kingdom of God has come’. It’s a great hymn for sending us out of church to live out our faith in the everyday world. It reflects what our Bishops have been telling us for some time – to focus on Mission.
But I wonder if we might have overlooked that, as individuals, we are included in the ‘Everyone’? As Christians each of us is called to seek where the Spirit of God is at work in each other. So it is vitally important for us to be watching for the Spirit in our midst. Who might God be calling to be Worship Leaders? Who has the gift for Pastoral Ministry? Who might be the next Benefice Administrator?
Conclusion
As we bid a sad farewell to Katharine, and turn to face the future, it will be crucial that we look inwards to discern the Spirit of God in our midst as well as to look outward to our communities. And as we do that, to keep our eyes and hearts open to the possibility of miracles – of ordinary, plain elements like water, or us humans, having the potential to be changed into the finest wine.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have brought the light of Christ to you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory
for ever and ever. Amen
Hymn When God Created Humankind
(A Hymn for Katharine and Jonathan to mark the publishing of their Banns)

When God created humankind
diversity was kept in mind;
thus race and culture helped proclaim
that none was meant to be the same.

To underscore that this was meant,
a sign was made of heaven’s intent:
God’s image in each mortal ran
as much in woman as in man.

And thus acknowledged was the fact
that differences can yet attract,
and be the very means through which
we counterbalance and enrich.

That all may grow and change and move,
God gave the gift of holy love,
intended to fulfil and bind
commitments made by heart and mind.

So Let us celebrate and praise
the skill and will of God always;
and on this happy day rejoice
as two we love confirm their choice.

John Bell & Graham Maule
© The Iona Commun

Personal Praise and Worship 16th January 2022

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. with our Lord Jesus. We are now well into winter, a time of gloom and overcast skies but the days are getting lighter and my garden is showing early signs of spring, the witch-hazel and snowdrops are well out and brightening the garden. God is, as ever, at work in nature as the seasons continue to roll around, nature is slowly coming to life. And with the thought of new life coming to earth, let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this time together with our Creator.

Opening Prayer
We come to you this morning bringing our woes, are heart aches, our fears that we have not loved you and our neighbour as you would have us do. The world around us seems to be in turmoil and the effects of the pandemic are biting deeply into our lives and our community. Help us Lord to cling on with faith and look to you to sustain us in our time of need.
We also come with grateful hearts for the blessings you have shown us, the joy of family and friends that warm us and give meaning to our lives. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and through the power of the Holy Spirit, grant that we may live our lives close to you our Lord and Saviour Amen

Hymn Brightest and best

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining;
low lies his head with the beasts of the stall.
Angels adore him in slumber reclining,
maker and monarch and Saviour of all.

Shall we yield him in costly devotion
rarest of fragrances, tribute divine,
gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favour secure.
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Gospel Reading John 2 v 1 – 11 From Water to Wine
Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus’ mother told him, “They’re just about out of wine.”
Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, woman—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”
She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”
Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim.
Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did.
When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”
This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Reflection
I don’t know about you but, as a pragmatist my first reaction to this reading is to find a rational answer to how Jesus, by some trick or natural latent natural process, turned the water into wine. How did gallons of water there for guests to wash their hands, as prescribed by Jewish custom, become not just wine but the best wine? But if we start seeking a solution to this conundrum we entirely miss the point, John didn’t record this, the first of Jesus’ miracles, in his Gospel as a spectacular curtain raiser! No, John records this event because it points to something much deeper, something that deserves examining because it heralds a completely new relationship between humankind and God.
As C.S. Lewis explains –“Have you ever been in a darkened room with a ray of sunlight shining in and seeing dust particles floating around in the air. If you would move your eye to look directly into the sunshine your perspective of a dusty room immediately changes and you would see a completely new world of green foliage and branches of trees and way beyond, millions of miles up to the sun. “
Jesus, his mother and his disciples are attending a wedding in Cana and enjoyment of that festivity was threatened when the wine began to run low and Mary brings it to Jesus’ attention. We are not told anything about the wedding, we aren’t told any names because the wedding is not at the heart of this story.
What prompts his mother to do that? Perhaps she was sitting close to her son and, being a good family provider, mentions it to him. We aren’t told and Jesus’ reaction is what one might expect “Is that any of our business, woman—yours or mine? Just what one might except for the last two short sentences! “This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”
There was something very special in the mother/son relationship that prompts Mary to turn to Jesus in the first place to solve the wine shortage problem that threatened the wedding festivities. She knew to put trust in him as is evident in her telling the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do, as she went back to her place at the banquet and left him to it! The way in which Jesus addresses his mother as “woman” isn’t to be taken in a derogatory sense but points to the separation that God, through Jesus his Son, makes with mankind. He uses this expression again when he was nailed up on the cross at his crucifixion he said to his mother “Woman, here is your son”
At this point we are led to believe that Jesus is reluctant to solve the wine shortage problem and yet in the middle of this big festive occasion with large numbers of people around he chooses to perform his first miracle, not with drama or an attention seeking act, just quietly in an unassuming way. Other than the servants, no one is any the wiser as to how the host came to serve the best wine towards the end of the festival.
Reflecting on this act of Jesus we can indeed see something far deeper. The abundance of new superior wine points to the abundance of God’s grace to us, it pours freely out for us to enjoy. For the first time Jesus reveals his glory! That glory that encompasses all who have found the way to the Father through his Son. It is to be found through Christian communities, where you and I can join in worship and in fellowship with other followers, times when Jesus comes to us. It is this lack of coming together during the pandemic that has made it so hard for us, it’s the lack of fellowship that impinges most upon the lonely, the isolated.
Of even greater significance of this miracle is the pointing to new wine, a title that has been adopted by many Christian gatherings when groups come together to worship, learn, praise and enjoy fellowship. Jesus is signalling in this choicest of wine a new start in mankind’s relationship with God. He is setting in motion his earthly ministry to bring new and truthful teaching and meaning to the Mosaic laws, to correct the misleading teaching of those Jewish leaders but above all to show us the way to the Father and to bring God’s love and mercy to us all, something we need and should treasure all the days of our lives. Amen

We Declare our Faith
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

A Time of Prayer
Bring to God your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the Glory, for ever and ever Amen

Hymn Jesus shall reign

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
does its successive journeys run,
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.

People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song,
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.

Blessings abound where’er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.

To him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head.
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
with every morning sacrifice.

Let every creature rise and bring
the highest honours to our King,
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen.

The Sending
Our time together is coming to an end and face another week, perhaps alone but take heart the our Lord Jesus is right there with us , over us ,under us beside us, on left and our right, hold firm to him and enjoy his peace as we say together
The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of God Almighty , the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be amongst us and remain with us and those we have prayed for always. Amen
Let us go forth in peace
In the name of Christ Amen

The Baptism of Christ – 09 January 2022
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Come down O Love divine

Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
and lowliness become mine inner clothing;
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the pow’r of human telling;
nor can we guess its grace,
till we become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.

The Word:
Isaiah 43.1-7 God promises to rescue his people
Acts 8.14-17 Peter and John visit Samaria
Luke 3.15-17, 21-22 John baptises Jesus

A Reflection The Baptism of Christ

A Prayer to start with.
Almighty God, you have taught us that your word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Help us, and all who prayerfully read your word, to deepen our fellowship with you and with each other through your love and in so doing may we come to know you more fully, love you more truly, and follow you more faithfully in the steps of you son Jesus Christ. Amen

This Reflection is a prayer for this Sunday from the book by Bishop George Appleton entitled “The Way of a Disciple”.

Answering a call (Luke 3 v15-17)
O Christ, my Lord, I thank you for confiding the experience of your baptism to your disciples. I can see the faith which led you to leave Nazareth, and its confirmation in the inner voice – “Thou art my beloved Son,” and the Father’s happiness in your obedience. I can rejoice in your consciousness of the Spirit’s power for the work ahead.
O God, grant that I too may obey your inner promptings. May I weigh them and then in faith trust and obey them. Help me to feel that I too am a much loved son/daughter and that your Spirit is available for all you want me to do. Grant me the confidence of knowing that you are pleased with my obedience, and help me to live as your beloved child, sharing your nature and character, and doing your will, O Father of Jesus Christ and my Father.
My dear Lord, the excited interest in John the Baptist’s fiery preaching must have reached Nazareth and been the signal to your waiting spirit. I can sense John’s surprise when at the end of a long day’s preaching, when the last conscience aroused penitent had been washed in the water of Jordan, you came and stood before him. I can understand his reluctance to baptize you when in a flash of spiritual insight he recognised you as the Coming One about whom he had been preaching, the thong of whose sandals he said he was unworthy to stoop down and unloose.
O Christ, my Lord, John recognised in you the One who could bring about an inner baptism of which his own baptisings were only a symbol and a hope, a baptism of forgiveness, spiritual rebirth and heavenly fire. Grant that all the baptisings of your church may be of this nature, an inner effectiveness, whether immediate, gradual or long delayed in action.
O Christ, my Lord, you stood in the river water with the people of your time, identifying yourself with them in their sins, their penitence, their hopes. Help me to be fully human as you were, realising my solidarity with them, not judging nor condemning, but seeking to understand, to pity and to help and even to excuse as you did when at the last you shared the fate of two poor criminals.
When I pray, O God, let heaven be open so that I may glimpse something of your glory and love, and feel that I belong to you. Let me feel the descent of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me for all that you would have me be, and do, and hear. Help me follow where your well-beloved Son leads, keeping close to him. When I lag behind, let me see his footmarks and find him waiting around the next bend of faith, O loving Father of a well-beloved Son.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have brought the light of Christ to you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you offer, in some small way, the Christ-light to that world.

Hymn Will you come and follow me?

Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown
in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
should your life attract or scare,
will you let me answer prayer
in you and you in me?

Will you let the blinded see
if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean
and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean
in you and you in me?

Will you love the ‘you’ you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
to reshape the world around
through my sight and touch and sound
in you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you,
and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow
in you and you in me.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also, with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Epiphany – 02 January 2022
The Magi Worship the Baby Jesus
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn As with Gladness Men of Old

As with gladness men of old,
did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to thee.

As with joyful steps they sped,
to that lowly manger bed,
there to bend the knee before
him whom heav’n and earth adore,
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy-seat.

As their precious gifts they laid,
at thy manger roughly made,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee, our heav’nly King.

Holy Jesu, ev’ry day
keep us in the narrow way;
and, when earthly thigs are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright
need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
therefore ever may we sing
alleluias to our king.

The Word:
Isaiah 60. 1-6 Jerusalem, a beacon of light to the nations of the world
Matthew 2. 1-12 The Magi follow the light of a star
John 1.1-14 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

A Reflection The Light of Christ
Setting the Scene
It’s Boxing Day as I write.
Yesterday in churches across the globe, we sang of Shepherds and of Magi being led by the light of a star to the stable in Bethlehem. And we may well have heard the opening words of St John’s Gospel commemorating the timeless message of Christmas; that new Light has come into the world; a Light that had its origin at the beginning of creation.
Yesterday, the James Bell Telescope was launched by NASA on a European rocket to search the heavens for the very earliest signs of light created 13.7 billion years ago at the beginning of creation.
What a wonderful conjunction of matters earthly and heavenly!
The Word.
I am intrigued by this conjunction of events at Christmas in 2021; the scientific search for evidence of light at the very beginning of Creation, and the ancient spiritual accounts of the Word, the Light of God, existing, at or before Creation began.
St John’s Vision
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God
All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being
In him was life and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.
He, the Word, was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world.
That theme of God’s light coming to the world runs from Genesis, Genesis 1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep
And God said, “Let there be light” and there was light right through the Old Testament and it is picked up by St John to run on through the New Testament as the other readings reveal.
Isaiah’s Vision
Isaiah’s thoughts are also led to the image of light. Writing in 800BC, in an often-repeated message, he speaks of a time when Judah will be seen as a beacon of God’s light to all the surrounding nations. Those people and nations will be led by that light to come to Jerusalem. They will come, not as armies to destroy it or take its inhabitants into captivity. They will come as pilgrims bearing gifts – not weapons! They will be bringing the wealth of their countries as offerings, not to Judah’s king, but to Judah’s God, Yahweh.
St Matthew’s Vision
St Matthew brings us the story of the Magi, who I take to be scientific and spiritually alert people of those times within the culture of their own nation – Persia (Iran).
So here, in the story of the Magi we have Isaiah’s Vision being lived out once again but, this time, with a twist. The Magi follow the light of a star to Jerusalem bearing gifts to worship the “King of the Jews” but find themselves being diverted to a stable in Bethlehem, to the cradle of a new-born baby.
I am fascinated by the image of these spirit-filled people encountering, not a robed, enthroned king in a palace, but a tiny infant in the arms of its young mother in a stable. I am amazed at their acceptance of this baby as ‘king’ and their willingness to put into the custody of Mary & Joseph those precious gifts, the best that their nation could offer. What was it that made them so certain that they had found the right king, because they must surely have expected to leave their presents in the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering to the new King of the Jews, God’s representative on earth.
One can only suppose that their confidence in the science, the fact that the Star had led them to an unexpected place, met something that touched their spirituality. Now one new-born baby is much like another. They cry, feed, sleep and soil their swaddling clothes. So there had to be another dimension that made sense of the events. It’s my belief that the story that Mary & Joseph could tell, of a visit from Gabriel; time spent with Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth; the miracle of Elizabeth’s baby son, John; together revealed that God was doing something very special at that moment and in that place.
Two Co-incident Themes
Christmas Day, 2021, brought us two gifts, one spiritual and one scientific.
Emmanuel, the God who existed before Creation and who brought Creation to being is incarnated as a human, bringing the Light of God into our midst.
Secondly, a miraculous scientific achievement sent a satellite one million miles into space to search for the very earliest signs of light at the beginning of Creation.
What might we to do when faced with a co-incidence between the scientific and the spiritual?
Several years ago, I heard a lecture by the then head of the CERN Project, in Switzerland. He was asked what it might mean for humanity if their project found the ‘God Particle’, the very thing that set creation into motion. His reply remains with me. He said that, alongside all the scientists, he had gathered a group of theologians and philosophers, 21st century Magi, to reflect and make sense of the findings of the scientists.
Conclusion
In the dark days of Christmas 2021, with fear of Omicron all around us, climate change disturbing the health of our world, and governments who put wealth above health, where are you and I to find the true Light of God and how are we to reveal it?
The Magi, show us a way. They allow themselves to be led by the science, the Star and by ancient tradition. But when that brings them to an unexpected place, then they are forced to turn to the spiritual, to observe and to listen to the people that they encounter – and then to offer their gifts.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have brought the light of Christ to you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you offer, in some small way, the Christ-light to that world.

Hymn Longing for Light, we wait in darkness

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light! Shine in the church
Gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your world alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Chorus

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Chorus

Longing for shelter, many are homeless,
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Chorus

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

Chorus.

Christmas Day Service 2021

A very warm welcome to this short service to celebrate the birth of our Lord Christ once again. By and large it has been a hard year for many of us and once again our Christmas gatherings have been restricted. But this joyous celebration of the Good News of God’s coming to earth in his Son Jesus puts things in perspective. So let’s approach this time of worship together with an uplifting spirit and bask in God’s glory

Opening Prayer
Creator God, by your greatness you became small, by your power you became powerless, by your limitlessness you became limited. Through the birth of your son, we can live in your light that shines on a world transformed by the limitless power of your love. Amen.

Hymn Once in Royal David’s City

1 Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ, her little child.

2 He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all;
and his shelter was a stable and his cradle was a stall:
with the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy.

3 And through all his wondrous childhood he would honour and obey,
love and watch the gentle mother in whose tender arms he lay:
Christian children all should be kind, obedient, good as he.

4 For he is our childhood’s pattern: day by day like us he grew,
he was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew;
and he feels for all our sadness, and he shares in all our gladness.

5 And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love,
for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

6 Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by,
we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high;
there his children gather round bright like stars, with glory crowned.

Gospel Reading Luke 2, 1-14
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!”

Reflection
Of the many years I have celebrated Christmas, this is the first time I have really stopped to reflect upon this story of the birth of Jesus. Most, but not all, Christmases have been celebrated with the family around, a family that grew steadily as children courted and brought new faces to our Christmas table, the occasional Christmas spent apart. Then yet more young faces joined in the festivities as grandchildren and great grandchildren appeared amongst an ever expanding family, bring new joys and blessings.

And every Christmas celebration has begun with Christian fellowship, shared with other church members, in hearing the same readings and singing the same carols, their repetition has in no way become mundane, boring. Repetitive yes, but as relevant as that first Christmas day when my parents took me as a toddler to church. and the choir sang joyful praise in telling the Good News in the wondrous story of our Lord’s birth.

Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth is beautiful in its humane simplicity. Who can forget it? He records in some detail the manner in which Mary and Joseph happened to find themselves on a journey to Bethlehem and were apparently taken by surprise that the birth of Mary’s son chanced to occur when they were stranded and no accommodation was at hand. You might reasonably ask what was God thinking about that He allowed the birth of the Messiah to be so haphazard? This was no ordinary birth, this was a holy child, God’s own Son coming to earth, surely something better than a cattle stall and manager could have been found?
But pause for a moment and think, the God we worship is an ”upside down God” at every point he turns our values totally around, the first must be last, the weak are the source of God’s strength, the poor and needy are to be treasured. The circumstances of Jesus’ birth epitomises the way of life and ministry of our Saviour, the reinterpretation of the Old Testament Law by Jesus that he would bring to the nation of Israel and to us is one of humbleness, humility, trust and love. As Paul puts its ”God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” “

Our celebration of the birth of Jesus is made all the more profound by a manager, the lack of recognition of the pregnant mother Mary, and the attendance of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!”

No this was not a haphazard event, clearly God was orchestrating this wondrous and miraculous moment in the life of the world, a moment that we treasure every year.
This was truly a Royal birth but not one that took place in a palace perhaps because it would have called the attention of the wrong, inappropriate, people to this miraculous baby whose very nature was of humbleness and humility. Not everyone welcomed the birth of our Saviour, there were powerful people who felt threatened and would seek to have him killed! The birth of Jesus in a quiet, out of the way cattle shed attended by angels and heavenly hosts ensured that for a short time at least
our Lord was safe, the initial news of his birth being broadcast by angels to shepherds, men who by their very nature guarded and nurtured their charges.

In these days where all we seem to hear is bad news – the country is falling apart, segregate, isolate, keep safe – we need to hear good news, news that cheers us up, news that cheers us and bring us joy and happiness; Good News that puts lives in perspective. And that is just what our reading of today does, it lifts the spirit, it brings peace and joy and shouts to the heavens that God is in control. In spite of our trials and tribulations, let’s put our trust in God and celebrate this wonderful Christmas with welcoming arms. Amen

A Time of Prayer
Bring to God your thoughts this Christmas tide, our families, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the Glory, for ever and ever Amen

Hymn O, Come all ye Faithful
1 O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him, born the King of angels.

Refrain:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

2 God of God, Light of Light
lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb
very God,-begotten not created: [Refrain]

3 Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God, God in the highest: [Refrain]

4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesu, to thee be all glory giv’n!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing: [Refrain]

And so we come to the end of this short time together, time of worship and praise and I wish that your day will be full of joy and peace. I wish you a happy and healthy Christmas.

Blessing
Holy Father, deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen

Fourth Sunday of Advent – 19 December 2021
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn – In the bleak mid winter

In the bleak mid-winter
frosty winds made moan,
earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow,
snow on snow,
in the bleak mid-winter, long ago.

Our God, heav’n cannot hold him
nor earth sustain;
heav’n and earth shall flee away
when he comes to reign.
In the bleak mid-winter
a stable place sufficed
the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for him, whom cherubim
worship night and day,
a breastful of milk,
and a mangerful of hay:
enough for him, whom angels
fall down before,
the ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels
may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim
thronged the air;
but only his mother
in her maiden bliss
worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man
I would do my part,
yet what I can I give him:
give my heart.

The Word:
Psalm 80.1-8 – Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock
Micah 5.2-5a – A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
Hebrews 10.5-10 – Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
Luke 1.39-55 – Mary’s story

A Reflection
The double bind hit Mary at a young age, 14 or 15 years.
She had set up a plan in her mind for her life according in what she thought and believed to be God’s will for her.

Along comes the angel Gabriel who says, “God wants you to be the Mother of His Son.”

Mary was greatly troubled at the angel’s message.

The foundations of her whole spiritual journey were shaken to the core, and she was reeling.
She could not understand how God could have led her to believe in a celibate life
and then be told by His Messenger “I want you to be a mother.”

“How is this to be since I have kept myself pure?”

She doesn’t say she won’t do it but delicately raises the problem of how it can be done.

“You have created the problem,” she seems to say.

Please solve it. I’m not saying yes and I’m not saying no.

Please tell me how this problem is to be solved.”

The angel explains “The Holy Spirit will overshadow you.”

In other words her motherhood is going to be outside the normal course of procreation.

She will be able to consent to it because God is creating something absolutely un-heard of in human experience.

So the news the angel brought and its consequences completely disrupted Mary’s plans for her life.

Joseph was so upset by it that he thought about giving her up.

This pregnancy turned her life upside down.

Instead of being a respectable young woman engaged to Joseph, she now appeared to be someone who had engaged in pre-marital sex.

In those days and in her Jewish culture this would be regarded as shameful.

Mary became one of the many disreputable people in her disreputable home town of Nazareth.

The same God who had inspired her to choose a celibate life made her the Mother of His Son.

She overcame her dilemma by acceptance and a leap of confidence – “May it be to me as you have said.”

Mary’s immediate response is to make a journey to see her cousin Elizabeth who happened to be having a baby herself and in need of help in getting ready for the birth of her first child in her old age.

Mary thought of Elizabeth. She thought she would need help at this critical time.
Mary simply did what she usually did –
she went to serve someone in need.

That is what divine action is always suggesting – help someone at hand in some small but practical way.
As you learn to love more, you can help more.
The children’s prayer sums it up –

“Help us to do the things we should, to be to others kind and good. In all we do and all we say to grow more loving every day.”

Sometimes we find ourselves in a double-bind but if we allow the creative energies of that dilemma to do their work, at some
point things will change.

There is a new way of seeing.
Our old worldview will end.
A new relationship with God, ourselves and other people will emerge based on the new level of understanding and perception that we have been given.

Overcoming the double-bind frees us to grow into fuller relationships beginning with God.

During these Advent days as we celebrate the renewed coming of divine light, we receive encouragement to be open to God’s coming to us in any way He may choose.

This is the attitude that opens us up to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. (John 1 : 9 )

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have been saints for you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn – O come, O come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice, rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee,
O Israel.

O come, thou rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them vict’ry o’er the grave..

refrain

O come, thou dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

refrain

O come, thou key of David, come
and open wide our heav’nly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.

refrain

O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times didst give the Law,
in cloud and majesty and awe.

refrain

Third Sunday of Advent – 12 December 2021
John the Baptist
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Rejoice, the Lord is King

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake, and hearken, for he brings
glad tidings from the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
make straight the way for God within;
prepare we in our hearts a home,
where such a mighty guest may come.

For thou are our salvation Lord,
our refuge and our great reward;
without thy grace we waste away,
like flowers that wither and decay.

To heal the sick stretch out thy hand,
and bid the fallen sinner stand;
shine forth and let they light restore
earth’s own true loveliness once more.

All praise eternal Son, to thee
whose advent doth they people free,
whom with the Father we adore
and Holy Ghost for evermore.
The Word:
Psalm 146 Trust in God
Zephaniah 3.14-20 A Song of Joy for people about to experience captivity and exile
Philippians 4.4-7 Encouragement from St Paul to the Christian community in Philippi.
Luke 3.7-18 Sharp words from John the Baptist to Jews from Jerusalem

A Reflection Mixed Messages!
Setting the Scene
Here we are in the season of Advent preparing ourselves to welcome the Incarnation of God, and as we do so, our thoughts are drawn back to the great figures of the past who have revealed God’s Law and God’s purposes to guide humanity – The Patriarchs; Abraham Isaac & Jacob – The Prophets; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel – and today; John the Baptist.
As I do that, I find myself engulfed by a series of moral dilemmas: For the past forty years I have had familial and legal responsibility for the care of my handicapped sister. She may outlive me so trustees must be found amongst a younger generation. Who can be asked? Who has a well-calibrated moral compass? In addition to that, we have just become aware that someone who was involved in our children’s education forty years ago was engaged in the abuse of children. Could our children and their friends have been affected without us ever knowing? What should we do now?
And while I look back for guidance to the values my parents, the church and the state taught me I am painfully aware that my parents are no longer with us and the other pillars, church, and state, are crumbling. Our own church has suffered a breakdown in relationships and trust that has diminished its life and hurt many people. Ministers in the government lie to us regularly, break laws for which they are responsible and fragment long standing relationships with other nations.
Where is God’s Wisdom and Spirit to be found, now?

The Word.
The Prophet Zephaniah brings us a song of joy written in 640 BC, but it’s a bit deceptive. The two kingdoms of Judah and Israel have each had kings who ruled for forty years, during which time they became prosperous, but also decadent; the rich had become richer and the poor poorer. A new king, Josiah had been crowned and he set about bringing Judah back to its God and in practical terms, that meant “Levelling Up” society. Does this sound familiar? Sadly, he didn’t succeed and so Zephaniah’s prophecy didn’t happen for almost a century, and, in the meantime, Judah and Israel were overrun by the Babylonians and their people taken into exile for 50 years. Nevertheless, Zephaniah’s vison still holds good for us. Where ‘the lame are saved’ and ‘the outcasts gathered in’ the ‘nations shame will be turned into renown in all the earth’.
St Paul, writing to the Christians in Philippi also offers them, and us, a message of hope; “Rejoice, the Lord is near”. But it also is conditional; ‘let your gentleness be known to everyone’. ‘Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication – with thanksgiving – let your requests be known to God’. Then, ‘the peace of God will guard your hearts.’
St Luke’s message is sharper as he brings us the teaching of John the Baptist, that son of a priest who ‘eats locusts and honey’, and dresses in camel skin. In this passage, John is speaking to the Jews of Jerusalem who have come out into the desert to hear him. So, it’s important to remember that he is speaking to believers, not heathens; so he is speaking to us believers too – and he is scathing, calling them ‘a brood of vipers’ because they have thought themselves to be good Jews, children of Abraham just by birth right, and so favoured by God. But they have not been living lives that bear the fruit that God requires by sharing their blessings with those who lack food and clothing.
Themes
I am fascinated by the way the same problems appear and re-appear in society.
In 640BC 40 years of decadent rule have led to an unjust society. King Josiah tries to bring the nation back to its God and to restore Justice and Righteousness to society.
By the time of John, the Baptist the Romans have governed Palestine for 60 years, a puppet, non-Jewish, king Herod has been installed, the Temple authorities have submitted to both royal and Roman authority, and Roman taxation is impoverishing the poorest in society. No justice or peace here.
Here in the UK, inequality was at its lowest level, in recent history, in 1979. I leave it to you to make your own judgement about how that has changed in the last forty years. To me, the proliferation of Food Banks, the numbers of people needing to claim Universal Credit, under-funded and under-staffed Care Homes for the elderly, all speak to me of a failing society that has lost its moral compass- its focus on the things of God.
Conclusion
Where will I find the moral guidance for the dilemmas I face? How will any of us keep our moral compass tuned in these difficult times? Where might the Benefice find its way to Peace?
The prophets, whose words we hear this Advent season, are in no doubt. They call us to reflect, critically on our lives. They warn us not to rest on the assumption that we are believers and regular church goers, but to ask ourselves if we are doing the things that God demands, caring for the lost and the frail.
Only if we do that will we find joy and “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.”

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have been saints for you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn Make me a channel of your Peace

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord,
and where there’s sadness only joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Personal Praise and Worship 5th December 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection with our Lord Jesus. We are now well into Advent and fast approaching the celebration of Christmas, which I very much hope will be celebrated in a much happier and healthier time than last year. A time when families may come safely together once more. And with thought of God’s Son coming to earth, let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this time together with Him.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, as start our preparation to celebrate once more the birth of our Saviour Jesu Christ with hearts full of hope we come to you this morning bringing our woes, are heart aches, our fears that we have not loved you and our neighbour as you would have us do. We also come with grateful hearts for the blessings you have shown us, the joy of family and friends that sustain us and give meaning to our lives. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and through the power of the Holy Spirit, grant that we may live our lives close to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Hymn Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have come to us,
you are one with us
Mary’s Son
Cleansing our souls from all their sin,
pouring your love and goodness in,
Jesus, our love for you we sing,
Living Lord

Lord Jesus Christ,
now and every day
teach us how to pray
Son of God
You have commanded us to do
this in remembrance Lord of you
Into our lives your power breaks through,
living Lord

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have come to us,
born as one with us
Mary’s Son
Led out to die on Calvary,
risen from death to set us free
Living Lord Jesus, help us see,
you are Lord

Lord Jesus Christ,
I would come to you,
live my life for you
Son of God
All your commands I know are true,
your many gifts will make me new
Into my life your power breaks through,
living Lord

Luke 3:1-6 – John the Baptist Prepares the Way
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene — during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

Reflections

Awe and Expectancy
Fact or Fiction, that is the question? The bible is full of both, many of Jesus’ parables are stories, fiction to explain his ministry, the true meaning behind the Mosaic Laws that God gave to Moses, parables to correct the interpretation of God’s will, to bring understanding to the minds and hearts of we humans.
And then there are facts, completely true, historically accurately recorded events that must be accepted as the truth. The opening of today’s reading is just that -Fact. Mark first 55 words of this chapter were written to accurately place the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, in a real place and a real time.
John’s calling was not to proclaim the faith of Jesus Christ but to call people to obedience and repentance of their sins in preparation for the coming of the Messiah, something that we today are called upon to do in preparation of celebrating Christmas. The Jews of that day would have been fully conversant with the prophesy of Isaiah and the need to prepare the way; nothing should stand in the path that delay the Messiah’s arrival.

John spoke out in radical ways, in strident words that could not be ignored, some might say just as the Church today ought to speak out. The softly spoken words of chiding gets lost amongst the clatter and clamour of modern life, full of commercial cries to buy early, hurry, stocks are low this year, you might not be lucky to get what you have set your heart on.
Our own role is not unlike that of John the Baptist. Like him, each one of us has a mission to communicate the Spirit of Christ and his message of hope, love, freedom and peace to others. And that includes helping people fill their valleys and make their rough paths smoother. A word of affirmation, encouragement and indeed a simple smile can work wonders.

John points to the Israelites of his day, their greedy consumerism, their selfish use of resources, their lust for money and corrupt use of authority over the weak in their society. How often are we so direct, practical and radical in our call to people to turn from their sins and live God’s way?
As I have headed my reflection, John’s calling was pointing to a message of awe and expectancy, a calling that is as relevant today as it was In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Many Jews of his time were complacent, imagining they were secure in their identity as children of Abraham. We too can so easily become careless – long years of discipleship, assimilated into our communities, relaxed, comfortable not balancing that assurance of salvation with the responsibility of living a Christ like life can lull us into complacency .
So as we wait to celebrate once more the birth of Christ and all the he brings to us, we should ask ourselves – do we want a genuine encounter with God? If we do it begins with honesty and repentance, awe and expectancy. Amen

Let us Pray together

Lord Father, as we look forward to your coming, please help us to straighten out any bits of our lives that have become crooked, to fill in any low parts where we have fallen below your standards, to bring down any high places where we might have set up idols, to make smooth any places where we have become rough, through Christ our Lord Amen

A Time of Prayer
Bring to God your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the Glory, for ever and ever Amen

Hymn – Make way, Make way

Make way, make way for Christ the King, in splendour arrives
Fling wide the gates and welcome Him into your lives
Make way! (Make way!)
Make way! (Make way!)
For the King of kings
(For the King of kings)
Make way! (Make way!)
Make way! (Make way!)
And let His kingdom in
He comes the broken hearts to heal, the prisoners to free
The deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance, the blind shall see
Chorus
And those who mourn with heavy hearts who weep and sigh
With laughter, joy and royal crown, He’ll beautify
Chorus
We call you now to worship Him as Lord of all
To have no gods before Him their thrones must fall!
Chorus

The Sending
The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of God Almighty , the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be amongst us and remain with us and those we have prayed for always. Amen

Let us go forth in peace In the name of Christ. Amen

Advent Sunday – 28 November 2021
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Mary, blessed teenage mother

Mary, blessed teenage mother,
with what joy you sing!
Humble, yet above all other,
from your womb shall healing spring.
Out of wedlock pregnant found,
full of grace with blessing crowned.

Mother of the homeless stranger
only outcasts recognise,
point us to the modern manger;
not a sight for gentle eyes!
O the joyful news we tell:
‘Even here, Emmanuel!’

Now, throughout the townships ringing,
hear the black Madonna cry,
songs of hope and freedom singing,
poor and humble lifted high.
here the Spirit finds a womb
for the breaker of the tomb!

Holy mother, for the nations
bring to birth the child divine:
Israel’s strength and consolation,
and the hope of Palestine!
All creation reconciled
in the crying of a child!

The Word:
Jeremiah 33.14-16: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.
“‘In those days and at that time
I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;
he will do what is just and right in the land.
In those days Judah will be saved
and Jerusalem will live in safety.
This is the name by which it will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Saviour.’

1 Thessalonians 3.9-13: How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Luke 21.25-36: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
A Reflection
This reflection comes from the first chapter of the book of Tidings of Comfort and Joy, which is a compilation for this time of year by Pam Rhodes.
As we enter a period of reflection in the weeks leading up to Christmas I chose this story which gives us quite a lot to think about in the days ahead.
Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born,
if he’s not born in thee, thou art all forlorn. (Anon)
Why on earth should something which happened in a little town in Judea more than 2000 years ago be of any interest to us in our daily lives today? What is it about the birth story of a baby who wasn’t famous, rich or obviously noteworthy that has made it so enduring?
The power of that story was made clear to me in the most humbling way when I was lucky enough to go on a pilgrimage trip around the Holy Land. It’s a fascinating, and often very emotional, experience to visit those places from stories in the Bible. But if you’ve never been on such a trip, you’ll know it can be very exhausting too, as there are so many sites to see in a short space of time. You’re climbing off and on the coach going from one significant location to another. No pilgrim wants to miss out on any of them!
There were about 50 of us travelling on our coach, and I son became aware of an undercurrent of exasperation among some of the group about a delightful elderly lady, Phyllis. She was cheerfully struggling to keep up with the rest of us but going at such a slow pace that some were grumbling she was holding up the whole party. It was clear that she just couldn’t any faster, not because she was disabled in any way, but for the simple reason that she was wearing the most inappropriate shoes – huge open-toed leather flip flops that seemed to be several sizes too big for her. No wonder she had to take her time walking over uneven surfaces in the ancient places we were visiting!
Finally the inevitable happened. While we were wondering around the town of Bethlehem she lost her footing and took a nasty tumble. It left her shaken rather than hurt. For the rest of the afternoon, I kept her company as we meandered around, leaving the others to make the rounds much more speedily without us to hold them back.
As we walked she told me her story. This pilgrimage was something she’d dreamed of for years, and when she booked finally it, she’d bought a place not just for herself, but also for her son, because they wanted to share the experience together. Tragically, soon after the tickets arrived, he developed a severe form of cancer, and by the time the trip came around, he was far too ill to travel. So she decided to take him with her by wearing his shoes, so that she could walk in the footsteps of Christ for him.
What faith! What love! And what inspired such faith and love in her was the sense of fellowship she felt with another mother in Bethlehem from 2000 years earlier. That young mother also gave birth to a son she loved; taught and cared for him as he grew; felt pride in his achievements as a young man – and she too knew the pain that one day she would have to watch him die.
Phyllis had no doubt that thee baby born in Bethlehem all that time ago was the Son of God – but her heart went out to Mary, a mother facing a similar sense of grief as Phyllis was facing herself. She believed that Mary’s maternal love and faith was all she had to comfort her as she watched her son die on the cross – but because Jesus rose again to fulfil God’s eternal will, the same hope and reassurance Mary had in the knowledge that her son was with God could be shared by Phyllis too. Because of Christ, her son would also be in the care of the God she loved. For Phyllis, there was immense comfort in that.
So when she put on her own son’s shoes to walk in the footsteps of Christ, she was accepting God’s will for her family. Christ did that too, from his birth, throughout his life and work, beyond death, to be the living God he is to Phyllis and believers today.
That’s why his birth still matters – and that’s why people around the world continue to celebrate his coming each year with thanks.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have been saints for you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn Tell out, my soul

Tell out, my soul,
the greatness of the Lord:
unnumbered blessings,
give my spirit voice;
tender to me
the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour
shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul,
the greatness of his name:
make known his might,
the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure,
from age to age the same;
his holy name,
the Lord, the mighty one.

Tell out, my soul,
the greatness of his might:
pow’rs and dominions
lay their glory by;
proud hearts and suborn
wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed,
the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul,
the glories of his word:
firm is his promise,
and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul,
the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children
and for evermore.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Sunday next before Advent – 21 November 2021
Christ the King
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Recall and give thanks for some way in which God’s love has been shown to you in recent times by a stranger.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Rejoice, the Lord is King

Rejoice, the lord is King!
Your Lord and King adore:
mortals give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore.
Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice:
rejoice again I say, rejoice.

Jesus the Saviour reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
He took his seat above.
Lift up your hearts …

His kingdom cannot fail;
he rules o’er earth and heav’n;
the keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus giv’n.
Lift up your hearts …

He sits at God’s right hand
till all his foes submit,
and bow to is command,
and fall beneath his feet.
Lift up your hearts

The Word:
Psalm 93 The Lord is King, robed in majesty; … girded with strength
Revelations 1. 4-8 St John sends his personal greetings to the seven churches in Asia, along with grace and peace from Jesus Christ, the King of kings.
Daniel 7. 9-10, 13-14 Daniel’s vision of a ‘son of man’ being led into the presence of the Almighty.
John 18. 33-37 Pilate askes Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

A Reflection – Christ the King?
Setting the Scene
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ, Superstar
Do you think you’re what they say you are?

The lyrics of Tim Rice’s song and the notes of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s tune echo in my head, brought on by the theme of worship this Sunday, Christ the King.
This week marks the end of the church’s year. Next Sunday, Advent Sunday, will begin a new cycle of worship. Each cycle begins with prophets foretelling of the coming of God’s Son into the world as a baby and ends with Gospel writers imagining the resurrected Son being received back into the heart of the Godhead.
Through that cycle of worship each year we are presented with an enormous range of images and titles for that baby; a son of man; the Son of God, an itinerant teacher and healer, the leader of a community of disciples; a criminal tortured to death on a cross; a person whose presence is witnessed after their death, the King of kings being received into heaven.
This might prompt each of us to ask ourselves Tim Rice’s question, “Who are you, Jesus Christ”. We might also speculate on Tim’s second question, addressed to Jesus, “Do you think you’re what they say you are?”
The Word.
So, what are we to make of this idea that the Jesus who walked the earth as a human became the King of Kings, enthroned alongside God in heaven?
It’s an old image. The Lord is King, robed in majesty; … girded with strength. (Psalm 93)
The book of Daniel presents us with another early image of a “son of man”, an ordinary human like you or me, being invited into the presence of God. That is a radical concept for the Old Testament, in which the thought of seeing God meant almost certain death. Moses hid behind a rock at the top of Mount Sinai when God passed, lest he see God’s face and, even so, his face was burned by the brightness of the reflected light of God. Daniel can only imagine that “son of man” as being someone very special; someone to whom power and authority are given; someone who will be worshipped by all nations and people; someone enthroned. Thus does the idea of a king of kings take shape.
In the Gospel of John, we are reminded of Jesus, on trial, before Pilate, being asked if he is the “King of the Jews”. Had he been attempting to become the King of the Jews when they already had a king, Herod, then Pilate had a problem; the possibility of an uprising & a civil war. King of the Jews was a title Jesus did not want, at least not in the political sense.
St John, who also wrote the Book of Revelations at the end of the first century, presents seven letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor (Turkey, to us). With each he sends greetings from ‘Jesus Christ, King of Kings’, imagining the Risen Christ as being enthroned in heaven alongside God.

Themes
In trying to work out for ourselves who we think Jesus was and is, we face a dilemma. Is Jesus the King, robed in majesty at whose feet we are to kneel? Or do we imagine him as the ‘king’ with a towel around his waist who kneels at our feet and washes them?
Graham Kendrick, the hymn writer, expresses the dilemma well; “Meekness and majesty, manhood and deity”, and “hands that flung stars into space, to cruel nails surrendered”.
I would like to be able to say that we should keep both images in our heads. However, I see some danger in that. Humans seem to have a strong instinct to want a powerful leader, a Creator who brought the universe into being; a God ensconced in heaven keeping his creation in order and able to rescue us miraculously when needed; a King, an Emperor, a General, a Chief Executive Officer wielding ultimate authority, the most powerful weapons or limitless resources of money. But that can lead us humans into a dependency that stunts the free-will that God has given us.
All my instincts lead me to conclude that ‘servant king’ is the only image of Jesus that is credible or, better still, just “Servant”; the ‘king’ label being unnecessary. Why am I led so firmly in that direction? Simply because that is the way in which we are told that Jesus led his life on earth. He set people free of their limitations, their blindness, their crutches and chains often asking, “Do you want to be healed?” “Pick up your bed and walk!”
God’s grand plan to send his Son to earth appears, from the outset, to be very risky; hardly the work of an all-powerful God. Sending an angel to a young girl in a remote village in Palestine, confusing her fiancé in the process, and then sending the young expectant couple on a long journey, doesn’t seem to be the most positive way to establish ones Son in human form on earth. BUT, on second thoughts, perhaps it was. Many young people, just like Mary, have a strong sense of God’s hand guiding their lives. I certainly did. Perhaps you did too. Was it risky depending on Joseph to protect Mary. Perhaps not? What honourable young man who really loves his fiancée is going to abandon her at the first sign of difficulty. Then let’s remind ourselves of the occasions when, at a time of crisis, miles away from our normal sources of support, a stranger has come to our rescue; probably not a group of shepherds or three wise men, but … in God’s economy, love wins over money and muscle every time. And so it is with Jesus.
From the outset of his ministry, Jesus allied himself to John the Baptist, then took himself off into the desert to seek guidance for his life. It might have been to use worldly sources of power, to form an army or to be a crowd pleaser. But it wasn’t. He chose twelve people with whom to share his life and then by travelling about as an itinerant community they revealed God’s loving way of working by going to people on the edge of society, healing the sick and freeing those held captive by their circumstances.
To answer Tim Rice’s second question of how Jesus saw himself, I turn to his first recorded talk in the Synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4. 16-21) when he took Isaiah’s words to define his vocation, “ I come to bring good news to the poor … He lived that out to the last moment of his life, so I see that as being both the way he saw himself and the way in which we should see him – and follow him.
So, to conclude; there is nothing about Jesus life, ministry on earth or death that suggests to me the he saw himself as a king. Nor do I see for myself any such signs. Consequently, I would much prefer the title for this Sunday to be Christ the Servant rather than Christ the King because, as we saw during the worst of the Covid epidemic, the combined the power of love for neighbour always wins over the power of money, arms or political persuasion.
Let’s leave the last words to Tim Rice, “Love changes everything”.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have been saints for you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn The Servant King

From heaven you came, helpless babe,
Entered our world, your glory veiled;
Not to be served but to serve.
And give your life that we might live.
Chorus
This is our God, The Servant King,
He calls us now to follow Him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to The Servant King.

There in the garden of tears,
My heavy load He chose to bear;
His heart with sorrow was torn,
“Yet not my will but yours”, He said.
Chorus

Come see His hands and His feet,
The scars that speak of sacrifice,
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered.
Chorus

So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone Him;
Each other’s needs to prefer,
For it is Christ we’re serving.
Chorus

Words & Music: Graham Kendrick.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Worship and praise for Remembrance Sunday

Good morning to you all and welcome on this day of Remembrance, a day made up of different thoughts and feelings – sadness, humility, gratefulness, and thanks. A day to reflect perhaps about what the debt we owe the fallen and what we have done and are doing with our lives. So let us sit still for a moment and put aside our own problems and welcome God into our thoughts.

Act of Remembrance
We meet in the presence of God. We commit ourselves to work in penitence and faith for reconciliation between the nations, that all people may, together live in freedom, justice and peace.
We pray for all who in bereavement, disability and pain continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror. We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow those lives, in world wars and countless conflicts past and present, have been given and taken away.
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. We will remember them.
So we keep silent for a while and dwell on people we may have known who have been torn from their families leaving big gaps in their lives.

Hymn 366 O God our help in ages past

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home

Beneath the shadow of thy throne, thy saints have dwelt secure, sufficient is thine arm alone, and our defence is sure

A thousand ages in thy sight, are like an evening gone, short as the watch that ends the night, before the rising sun

Time like an ever-rolling stream, will bear us all away, we fade and vanish, as a dream, dies at the opening day

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, be thou our guard while troubles last, and our eternal home.

A Reading John15.v 13
For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And the great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for a friend

Remembrance Reflections
Remembrance is by no means only a serviceman’s or woman’s preserve it encompasses all of us. It is the business of our loved ones, our families, our friends. Remembrance envelopes, enfolds and endures for our entire nation and all those who have served her over the hundreds of years which have passed, to the present and for the future. Remembrance is timeless, it is boundless. It is bearable and it is unbearable. It is for the known; it is for the unknown. It is for ‘them over there’; it is for all of us. It is international; and it is personal
This day should be regarded as a sign-post directing the paths of all nations towards peace, and a reminder of the awful sacrifice and inhumanity of war.
During my service career, I have celebrated Remembrance at military war graves in many countries, At vast fields of white grave stones in Belgium and France, a few in small little corners of grave yards in Germany, and yet others war graves in Egypt, Cyprus, Nigeria, Malaya, Sarawak Borneo, graves where servicemen and women have been laid to rest close to where they died. Their graves are there to be found and remembered. Their bodies are not here, they are elsewhere under foreign skies resting in foreign fields.
More recently, now that air transport makes it possible, we have seen bodies of the fallen paraded through the streets of Royal Wotton Basset bringing them home to grieving parents and loved ones, to be buried where their parents can tend their graves.
To make it easier to bear the reality of war we use language that deadens the starkness and pain of war. We talk about the fallen, the heroes, those who bought it or copped it, those who kicked the bucket, those who snuffed it – all euphemisms to make it less painful to talk and remember the inhumanity of conflict.
The intent to destroy other people through maiming and killing will unfortunately prevail. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about living peacefully together. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. We have the experience from thousands of years of war to draw on. The Old Testament of the bible is full of war, God welded his chosen people Israel in the space of 40 years in the Sinai desert to be His Army to fight in order to capture their promised land. There was no quarter given; complete cities were annihilated. No, for thousands of years war has ravaged our world.
To wage war for no just cause is wrong. To wage war for a just cause is to wage a ‘Just War’. But we should not delude ourselves. To wage a ‘Just War’ is simply to engage in the lesser of two evils. ‘War is an obscenity’. Nonetheless it exists. We ask those in the Armed Forces to wage it on our behalf But this they cannot do without the nation’s support. And that is what we are doing this morning we are here to say thank you to those who gave their lives and show our continuing support for those who still defend our interests.
Jesus said “no greater love hath a man that he would lay down his life for another.” There are many ways that laying down life can be interpreted, it doesn’t necessarily mean literally dying, there are other ways of sacrificing one’s life, albeit that the ultimate sacrifice is to die to save another person. Many of us will know of a person who, out of love, has devoted their life caring for another. Such sacrifices have to be motivated by love, a love that knows no bounds and is usually based on a personal relationship one upon one. The devotion of nurses and doctors during the early stages of the Covid pandemic was exemplary, they put themselves at great risk for our sakes. In the early days many died caring for strangers!
However, the motivation of sacrifices we remember this morning are very different although each individual’s death had its own motivation. In the Armed Forces men and women are drawn together in comradeship, through strict training they are forged together to become a fighting unit, in most cases with a deep bond because they come to realise that they rely upon one another to be effective and they have to rely upon each other to stay alive.
Today’s servicemen are young lads and lasses who have joined up for a number of reasons, many because they couldn’t find employment. It’s only when they finish their basic training and take the oath of allegiance that they realise that they are embarking on a very different way of life to the majority of civilians. They are committing to Queen and country and serving shoulder to shoulder with their new comrades.
Their experiences turn them into hard people, They have learned to use their hands like weapons, and weapons like their hands. They can save your life – or take it. That is the job we ask them to undertake.
They have seen more suffering and death than they should have done in their young life-times. They know fear. They have wept for friends who have fallen in combat, they have wept in public and in private, and are unashamed.
They feel every note of the National Anthem vibrate through their bodies whilst standing to rigid attention, tempering the burning desire to ‘square away’ those around them who haven’t bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.
Day in, day out, far from home, our servicemen and women defend the rights of those who wish to be disrespectful, who demand their right to demonstrate and speak freely. Just as did their fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers – they are paying the price for our freedom.
During the more recent conflicts in the Middle East it was humbling and inspirational to see the spirit and tenacity of the returning wounded in Birmingham’s Selly Oak hospital – the hospital that specialised in putting broken bodies together again. The horrors of war are a daily reminder in our national media. The spirit of those servicemen and women reaches far beyond the newsprint to inspire the nation.
They have asked for little in return except our friendship and understanding. They are the valiant few of our lifetime, those to whom we have given birth, nurtured and guided. They are those we now ask to defend us. They are of us, they are of our time.
And we are indebted to them, we owe them…We are remembering that they laid down their lives to protect us from harm so that we can not only live in peace but have hope for a good future. We owe them because as they put it “for your tomorrow we gave our today.”
If their sacrifice means anything to us we must stop and ask ourselves how can we repay that debt we owe them? Just remembering their sacrifices is surely not enough? And the only response I can think of is that we should live our lives with purpose, to try and make this planet in which we live as a peaceful and God fearing place, recognising that there is a limit to what we might individually achieve. Each of us in his or her small way can contribute towards making where we live a better place. We can play our humble part to minimise the frictions in our country, friction that leads to division and hatred. We can offer hospitality to refugees seeking asylum, we can do all the things that our Christian upbringing has taught us is right, summed up in that commandment –“ love thy neighbour”.
Let us not repay those who gave up their lives for our tomorrow by, figuratively, “sitting around in deckchairs sipping wine”, let’s use what God gave us, our hands and feet, to soldier on in a purposeful way. Let’s use our tomorrows in a positive way so that we can at least hold our heads up and say to the fallen we are doing our best, you did not sacrifice your lives in vain. Amen.

Hymn 114 Eternal Father, strong to save

Eternal Father, strong to save,
whose arm does bind the restless wave,
who bids the mighty ocean deep
its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word,
the winds and waves submissive heard
who walked upon the foaming deep,
and calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Holy Spirit, who did brood
upon the waters dark and rude,
and bid their angry tumult cease,
and give for wild confusion peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
for those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and pow’r,
your children shield in danger’s hour;
from rock and tempest, fire, and foe,
protect them where-so-e’er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee
glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

And now lets turn to prayer
Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict, and ask God may give us peace
For the service men and women who have died in the violence of war, each one remembered by and known to God – May God give peace

For all those who love them in death as in life, offering the distress of our grief and the sadness of our loss – May God give peace

For all members of the armed forces who are in danger this day, remembering family, friends and all who pray for their safe return – may God give peace

For civilian women and children and men whose lives are disfigured by war or terror, calling to mind in penitence the anger and hatred of humanity – may God give peace.

For peace-makers and peace-keepers, who seek to keep this world secure and free – May God give peace

O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those who memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know. Help us to lift or eyes above the torment of this broken world, and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm. As we honour the past may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen.

Let us bring all our prayers together by saying the prayer our Saviour taught us
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, as it is in heaven give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen.

Act of Commitment
Let us commit ourselves to responsible living and faithful service
We will strive for all that makes for peace. We will seek to heal the wounds of war. We will work for a just future for all humanity.
Merciful God, we offer you the fears in us that have not yet been cast out of love: may we accept the hope you have placed in the hearts of all people, and live lives of justice, courage and mercy, through Jesus Christ our risen redeemer Amen

Blessing
God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth and all the people, peace and concord; and to us and all God’s servants, life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty, Father Son and Hoy Spirit be with you all and remain with you always Amen

Third Sunday before Advent – 7 November 2021

Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
As we approach Advent and Christmas name and give thanks for the lives of those who have been special to you and for whom you want to pray.
and say:
Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn For the healing of the nations

For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing
of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action
help us rise and pledge our word.

Lead us, Father, into freedom,
from despair your world release;
that, redeemed from war and hatred,
all may come and go in peace.
show us how through care and goodness
fear will die and hope increase.

All that kills abundant living,
let it from the earth be banned;
pride of status, race or schooling,
dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice
may we hallow life’s brief span.

You, creator-God, have written
your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness,
bring the life of Christ to mind;
that by our response and service
earth its destiny may find.

Fred Kaan(b. 1929-2009)

The Word:
Jonah 3.1-5, 10 Jonah goes to Nineveh.
Hebrews 9.24-end St Paul talks of the Blood of Christ
Mark 1.14-20 Jesus announces the Good News and calls his first disciples

A Reflection
I am writing this reflection today on November 2nd when we remember those who have died. We think particularly of those who set us good examples and we try to follow in their footsteps.
We call this day All Souls Day – the Commemoration of the faithful departed.
We call this time of year the Kingdom season, which begins now and ends on the eve of Advent Sunday.

It is an opportunity to be open and to be aware of God’s kingdom however we may see it.
What was it that the godly souls pointed us to and what did we recognise of God in their lives?
We know that they were not perfect human beings but there was something about them that attracted us to the good they represented.
We may follow their good examples.
What inspired their daily living that you remember? Was it love of God and neighbour, prayerfulness, faithfulness patience etc?
May be we value their wise words and theses come to us from time to time.
What were their values? Did they see beauty where others did not in the ordinary and understood enduring qualities rather than the superficial looks of things?
Let us be thankful for their wise ways and try to imitate them.

In the 4th gospel John the Baptist saw qualities in his cousin Jesus and pointed the people of his day to follow Jesus’ good examples and wise words. He directed some of his followers to be disciples of Jesus. He said, “I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God and look here is the Lamb of God”.
Two disciples heard him say this and they followed Jesus. One was Andrew and then he brought Simon Peter to Jesus who looked deeply at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas (which translated means Peter or Rock.)”
In the second gospel in the New Testament, the story of how Andrew and Peter are called to be disciples is rather different. It tells us a little more about them, that they were fishermen. But what was extraordinary was that they were to fish for people. I wonder what that meant?
Were their lives to capture people’s imagination as to how to live fulfilled lives?

Further along the shoreline Jesus sees another 2 brothers who were also fishermen and were mending their nets. He calls them and it seems they simply got up and walked away from their present lives working with their father and others. In that very moment they left so much that was seemingly secure for well what was it that attracted them so much to Jesus? It seems they just couldn’t help it! Jesus offered them a new kind of life and a new perspective on daily living.

Jesus had been proclaiming earlier in Galilee saying “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe the good news”.

Not long after the 4 men were called they accompanied Jesus to their local synagogue in Capernaum on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. Here extraordinary things begin to happen and show the new disciples the power of the kingdom of God.
A man cries out towards Jesus in the assembled company. “I know who you are, the Holy One of God!”
After the visit to the synagogue they to go to the home of Andrew and Peter and we learn a bit more about their family. Peter is married and his mother in law is in bed with a fever. The family are worried and immediately tell Jesus about her.
There is a tender moment in the story where we see Jesus taking her by the hand and lifting her up. The fever leaves and she begins to serve.
I would love to know how this affected her life and living from this time. Was she also in a way called to follow Jesus, to serve other people who came her way?
Then at sunset things begin to get out of hand! (Mark 1 v 32-34)

The kingdom of God seems to be an upside down way of living and thinking. We can see this in part of Matthew’s gospel from the start of chapter 5 and ending with the parable of the 2 homes one built on sand the other on rock.
Followers of Jesus are encouraged to pray, to forgive, to love, to be faithful, to stop worrying, give up judging others and is summed up in chapter 7 v 12, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.” We call it the Golden Rule.
The kingdom of God can be interpreted as a godly response to other people, a careful watching over our inner thoughts and outward actions and in how we see the world around us.
At the day’s end it is good and helpful to look back over it, keeping in our mind’s eye the people, events and our thoughts and to ask for God’s blessing and forgiveness. This habit can help to train our minds and hearts in the Ways of the Kingdom. In this Kingdom season we might try it. Training of course is a vital part of being a disciple.
As I commend my reflections to you I looked up the word in the Thesaurus and some similar words were used instead which resonate with me such as self-examination, study, thinking, chewing things over etc. I hope you will chew things over and have your own thoughts and questions too!

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have been special for you and give thanks for their lives.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

One shall tell another,
and all shall tell their friends,
husbands, wives and children
shall come following on.
from house to house in fam’lies
shall more be gathered in;
and lights will shine in ev’ry street,
so warm and welcoming.

Come on in and taste the new wine,
the wine of the kingdom,
the wine of the kingdom of God:
here is healing and forgiveness,
the wine of the kingdom,
the wine of the kingdom of God.

Compassion of the Father
is ready now to flow;
through acts of love and mercy
we must let it show.
He turns now from his anger
to show a smiling face,
and longs that all should stand beneath
the fountain of his grace.

Refrain

He longs to do much more than
our faith has yet allowed,
to thrill us and surprise us
with his sov’reign pow’r.
where darkness has been darkest,
the brightest light will shine;
his invitation comes to us –
it’s yours and it is mine.

Refrain

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Fourth Sunday before Advent – 31 October 2021
All Saints & All Souls
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
At these festivals of All Saints and All Souls name and give thanks for the lives of those who have been saints to you those for whose souls you want to pray.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Sing for God’s Glory

Sing for God’s glory
that colours the dawn of creation,
racing across the sky,
trailing bright clouds of elation;
sun of delight succeeds the velvet of night,
warming earth’s exultation.

Sing for God’s power
that shatters the chains that would bind us,
searing the darkness of
fear and despair that could bind us
touching our shame with love that will not lay blame,
reaching out gently to find us.

Sing for God’s justice
disturbing each easy illusion,
tearing down tyrants
and putting our pride to confusion;
lifeblood of right, resisting evil and slight,
offering freedom’s transfusion.

Sing of God’s saints who have
travelled faith’s journey before us,
who in our weariness
give us their hope to restore us;
in them we see the new creation to be,
spirit of love made flesh for us.
Kathy Galloway
The Iona Community

The Word:
Revelations 21. 1-6 John has a vision of the future, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.”
Romans 8. 18-25 St Paul sees Jesus’ death as affecting the whole of creation, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now”.
John 11. 32-44 Jesus brings Lazarus out of his tomb and unbinds him for a new life with his sisters, Martha & Mary

A Reflection – New Life for Old
Setting the Scene
As Autumn draws to a close, leaves turn gold, the clocks go back, and the festivals of Halloween (Oct 31st), All Saints (Nov 1st) and All Souls (Nov 2nd) have come around once again.
My parents were married on Halloween in wartime Birmingham in1942, so I can give thanks for that as well as wonder what fun the Best Man might have made of that in his speech. All Saints is a day to celebrate their lives and to give thanks for all that was ‘saintly’, holy, loving and special about them. On All Souls Day I will pray for their Spirits, now at the heart of God, but still living on in me and in my sisters.
This is a season for remembering what has gone before and reminding ourselves that, in the remembering lie the seeds of the future and the spirits of our predecessors to lead us on.
This year, the combined festival feels especially important, not just because so many people have died as a result of Covid, but also because it is becoming clear that the very survival of humanity, within God’s Creation is now in question. The COP26 Conference, this week, needs our prayers as it reviews past actions and makes commitments for the future.
The Word.
So, what is it that the Word of God brings us in this season in which falling leaves, shortening days, and long dark nights draw our thoughts to death and to the spirits of our forebears.
Romans 8: The Copt 26 Climate Conference led my mind to Paul’s words about creation groaning in its bondage to decay. He was a religious scholar and a lawyer; perhaps not the best background to understand nature and the creative cycle. Recent scientific knowledge has revealed to our generation what ancient people and those living close to the land have known for a very long time. That is, that decay is a part of the creative process and there are fungi, insects, and animals whose lives are lived on decay, whose purpose is to feed on dying matter, to turn it into food and to deliver it to nurture new growth. This is Resurrection in nature. There is no such thing as rubbish or waste material; no nasty chemical created naturally that cannot be recycled and turned into new life within the self-sustaining cycle of nature. The creative process that God set in motion is self-adjusting and maintains its own balance – without human interference.
John 11: St John is the only Gospel writer who gives us the amazing story of the Raising of Lazarus. To modern theologians it is seen to be the seventh of seven signs of the way John portrays Jesus as ushering in a new Creation, one freed from the fear and slavery to death. I recently joined an online Bible Study on this passage led by John Bell of the Iona Community. To him, the key words were those of Jesus to the bystanders as Lazarus emerged from the tomb, “Unbind him!” Lazarus had to be set free from the bindings of death before he could begin a new life.
Revelation 21: St John, again; this time the writer of Revelations, describes his vision of heaven – that is a new heaven AND a new earth. The new Jerusalem coming down to earth. Heaven to be made here and now – Thy Kingdom come – The Kingdom as God always wanted it to be in the here and now.
Themes
It is unescapable that this season which encompasses the end of nature’s growing cycle, the onset of winter darkness, Halloween, All Saints Day, All Soul’s Day, and Remembrance Day, should appear to be dominated by thoughts of death. However, death doesn’t have the last word!
Each of the readings points beyond death to the certainty of new life.
St Paul may not have had the knowledge available to us, but now we know that Creation is self-adjusting, self-renewing, and will keep itself in balance. In the past God fearers saw climatic disasters as God’s punishment, locust infestations, leprosy, plagues of frogs, periods of drought and starvation. That may not be fashionable today, but we might start to recognise the damage we humans have done, and our inability to restore things as they were a century ago. And from that we can learn to abandon our slavery to the idea that humans were given responsibility for God’s Creation and from that to cease our destructive ways. Then Creation will have a chance to recreate and resurrect itself in a fresh way.
When my father died from prostate cancer in 1990, the hospital staff would not discuss his condition with us. My mother was having great difficulty facing the situation and, as a result, we were quite literally slaves to death. We were ill prepared and, sadly, unable to support him as we should have done. Now, 30 years later, having researched and written about their lives, having “unbound” them, I can celebrate their wedding anniversary on Halloween and give thanks for the holiness that I experienced in their lives. With that comes a sense of their resurrection, their ‘life after death’, in the life that, I with Rosemary, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, try to live today following their beliefs and their values.
It may sound presumptuous to describe that as bringing heaven down to earth, as St John describes his vision of the arrival of the kingdom of God. But I am certain the seeds are there.
May these three festivals bring you a renewed sense of hope in the resurrection and a fresh commitment to bring heaven to earth in the context of your life.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people who have been saints for you and give thanks for their lives.

Pray for those souls who have gone before you and are now at rest.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn For all the saints

For all the saints who showed your love
in how they lived, and where they moved,
for mindful women, caring men,
accept our gratitude again.

For all the saints who loved your name,
whose faith increased their Saviour’s fame,
who sang your songs and shared your word,
accept our gratitude, good Lord.

For all the saints who named your will,
and saw your kingdom coming still
through selfless protest, prayer and praise,
accept the gratitude we raise.

Bless all whose will or name or love
reflects the grace of heaven above.
Though unclaimed by earthly powers,
your life through theirs has hallowed ours.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and Worship 24th October 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. with our Lord Jesus. The leaves are tumbling down and we are into Autumn, my rose bushes have gone mad and decided to give a last wonderful display; isn’t God’s nature wonderful. And with thought of God’s earthly wonders, let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this time together with Him.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we come to you this morning bringing our woes, are heart aches, our fears that we have not loved you and our neighbour as you would have us do. We also come with grateful hearts for the blessings you have shown us, the joy of family and friends that sustain us and give meaning to our lives. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and through the power of the Holy Spirit, grant that we may live our lives close to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Hymn 120 – Father hear the prayer we offer

Father hear the prayer we offer, not for ease that prayer should be, but for strength that we may ever, live our lives courageously.

Not for ever in green pastures, do we ask or way to be, but the steep and rugged pathway, may we tread rejoicingly.

Not for ever in still waters, would we idly rest and stay, but would smite the living fountains, from the rocks along the way.

Be our strength in hours of weakness, in our wand’rings be our guide,
through endeavour, failure, danger, Father, be thou at our side.

Mark 10:46-52 – Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Reflection
The Kingdom of God is breaking out around Jesus. The crowd heading for Jerusalem has grown, picking up people as it moves. It has crossed the city of Jericho, creating a buzz of gossip and rumour and passes a blind beggar sitting on the road side. So what’s unusual about that?
Jesus has in his short ministry healed a lot of people why does Mark record yet another story of just another beggar seeking help? And unusual for Mark, he actually recalls when writing his Gospel story of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the name of the beggar Bartimaeus. I think that naming the beggar Mark is drawing our attention to something very important in this particular miracle!
Bartimaeus, a well know beggar in the city and to travellers passing through can’t but hear the excitement and commotion of the crowd that something or someone is happening. Being a blind man his hearing would naturally be very good and he obviously heard snatches of people speaking – Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet is passing through. Not surprisingly, the healing ministry of Jesus was by now fairly common knowledge and surely Bartimaeus hope’s must have been raised that here was chance that had to be grabbed so screwing up his courage he shouts.
But he doesn’t shout out hey Jesus as you might expect; no, he shout “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”. And extraordinary as any miracle is through the commotion Jesus hears his cry for mercy. Mark in these words give us an insight into the workings of God’s Kingdom.
First there is Bartimaeus and just as Jesus had predicted at the outset of his ministry, the poor are hearing the good news and the hope that it engenders. In the midst of this crowd, an atmosphere filled with noise and tensions and movement this man trapped in darkness and poverty hears the rumour and cries out. The Kingdom comes to those who are listening for it, those who have ears to hear. The less sensitive people in the crowd tell him to shut up but Bartimaeus, in desperation repeats his cry.
And of course Jesus hearing the cry stops and calls for Bartimaeus to come to him, his reaction exemplifying the Kingdom and he gives attention to Bartimaeus’ needs. The choice of Bartimaeus’ words when he cried out immediately told Jesus that this was a poor beggar of faith, a true believer in Jesus and his God given powers to heal. A miracle ensues and sight is regained. The working of God’s Kingdom – Time, attention, love and healing, these are the gifts of which the Kingdom is made.
Now we better understand why Mark chose to record this particular healing and name this particular beggar. In Bartimaeus, Jesus gained another disciple. Bartimaeus did what he was asked to do, having regained his sight he became one of Jesus’ followers “along the road” the words used to describe those who gave up everything to be a partaker in the Last Supper’s church, a movement that still alive 2000 years later, a movement that is still at work to bring God’s Kingdom to this torn world. I pray that you have sight of that Kingdom today. Amen
We Declare our Faith
I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe that in despair God, sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to the his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to us to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life.

Final Hymn 237 – I will sing the wondrous story

I will sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me.
How He left His home in glory for the cross of Calvary.
I was lost, but Jesus found me, found the sheep that went astray,
Threw His loving arms around me, drew me back into His way.

I was bruised, but Jesus healed me; faint was I from many a fall;
Sight was gone, and fears possessed me, but He freed me from them all.
Days of darkness still come o’er me, sorrow’s paths I often tread,
But the Saviour still is with me; by His hand I’m safely led.

He will keep me till the river rolls its waters at my feet;
Then He’ll bear me safely over, where the loved ones I shall meet.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory, gathered by the crystal sea.

Let us go forth in peace In the name of Christ Amen

Twentieth Sunday of Trinity – 17 October 2021
God Loves a Cheerful Giver

Thanksgiving
The theme of worship today is generosity so name and give thanks for those who have been particularly generous to you. With them name all those who show you kindness day by day.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn For the fruits of His creation, thanks be to God

For the fruits of his creation,
thanks be to God;
for his gifts to ev’ry nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe keeping,
thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labour,
God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God’s will is done;
in our world wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.

For the harvests of his Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us,
thanks be to God.

The Word: See the references in the Reflection:-

A Reflection – Christian Generosity
Setting the Scene
In recent days, two people have spoken to me about Church Finance and about Christian Giving. One conversation concerned the considerable effort which is required to raise enough money each year to maintain the life of the church; the other, at a personal level, the dilemma of deciding how much of one’s disposable income to give to a church.
Having been employed as Christian Giving Adviser in Bristol Diocese for 7 years during the 1990’s, I know that these questions are universal and timeless. I learnt, early on in the role, that Giving is a spiritual matter, a measure of our discipleship; love for others is at the heart of Christianity and generosity is one’s outworking of that love.
I have to acknowledge that there has been a reluctance to speak about giving and there has been little or no preaching or teaching about Giving in this Benefice for many years. Now, the statistical information from which the Wardens of each church send to the diocesan office, along with the Church of England Statistics, which are publicly available online, reveal an uncomfortable situation.
I will begin with the numbers and then move to the spiritual.
Statistics.
These statistics are for 2019, the last year for which reliable numbers are available, Covid having distorted 2020.
It is normal in the C of E for the majority of church income to come from the regular and committed planned giving of its members; that is regular weekly or monthly amounts given in sealed envelopes or by standing orders to the church’s bank account. The average level of that giving across the C of E in 2019 was £13.50 per planned giver, per week. The average across this Diocese was £12.60. In contrast to those averages, in two of our parishes the average was £5; three were between £8 and £10 and just one exceeded the diocesan average.
The consequence of these levels of personal giving is that two churches are living on rapidly diminishing reserves and three are dependent on a significant amount of fund-raising activity.
Thankfully, our village communities continue to respond to fund-raising events, for which we can be grateful. But there is a downside; fund-raising is hard work, time consuming and it inevitably diminishes the energy and commitment that is available to support local communities. Putting that another way, we might ask ourselves whether our churches should be giving to the life of the communities in which they are set, rather than begging from them
The Word
Christian Giving is about much more than just keeping our churches going. As I wrote earlier, it is a measure of our discipleship and it has been since the earliest days of people worshipping the one God, Yahweh. The early books of the Bible, known as the Torah, the law, contain very specific instructions about how one may honour God by giving back a portion of the harvest each year.
The offering was to be from the first fruits (Proverbs 3.9-11) – the first picking, before one took anything for oneself; a tithe (one tenth) of the crop (Exodus 34.22). It was to be the very best of the crop, unblemished. It was to be brought to the place of worship to be blessed in just the same way as is being done in each of our churches in this harvest season (Leviticus 23.9-11). The giving acknowledges the wonder of God’s creation, its bountiful provision that, year by year, turns dry seeds into new plants without any effort on our part and then multiplies one seed into tens, or hundreds or thousands.
Beyond that there was the instruction not to be greedy in the harvesting but to leave ‘gleanings’ at the edge of the fields for those who lacked land to be able to harvest for themselves (Leviticus 9.19). God’s generosity mimicked by ours.
That pattern for a generous life, governed by the Old Testament Law is carried into the New Testament. In Acts there are two descriptions of what happens when Christians share their assets so that everyone’s needs are met. (Acts 2.42-47 & 4.32-35). In addition, generosity is part of St Paul’s teaching to the young Christian Communities as they spread from Palestine into North Africa, and Asia Minor (Turkey). However, now there are no rules about ‘how much’, and St Paul rejoices when the Christian community that he has nurtured in a poor part of Macedonia, give extravagantly to the people of Jerusalem when they were stricken by a drought (2 Corinthians 8.1-5).
Themes
For people living in biblical times, the harvest represented their annual income and that was the time to make ones gift to God. For most of us today, income arrives on a regular weekly, or monthly basis as salary, pension, pay packet or social benefits – perhaps some combination of those. But Harvest Celebrations provide a good opportunity to re-assess ones income over a year, and to review the proportion that might be offered back to God through the work of the church and through other charities.
Following the Old Testament Law, some churches still ask their members to give a tenth. The guidelines from the C of E have been to give a twentieth (5%) of ones ‘Disposable Income after tax, “to and through the local church”. The latter phrase recognises that many churches pass some of their income on to other charitable work.
However, in the Christian life the Holy Spirit is to be our personal guide and not a structure of rules. So, it up to each of us to reflect prayerfully on our giving.
May I encourage everyone, myself included, to use this Harvest Season to review our level of Christian Giving to church and to charity, in the light of any changes to our income, and as a reflection of God’s generosity to us.
Finally, the past year has been difficult for many, sickness has been widespread, jobs have been furloughed or lost, and the cost of living increased. So, if the process of review leads to the necessity to reduce ones giving – that’s alright.
Stephen Rymer

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people you know for whom life is a struggle and pray for ways to offer kindness.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee

Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments, and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be swift
and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver, and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it thine:
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart: it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord I pour
at thy feet its treasure-store;
take myself, and it will be
ever, only, all for thee.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and Worship 10 October 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. with our Lord Jesus. My garden has disappointed me this year, I have little fruit crop, only a handful of apples, no pears, no figs and I gather that others have had a similar experience. However, last weekend we had an excellent Harvest Festival, richly thanking God for his harvest. Gardening without God would be impossible! And with thought of God’s earthly wonders, let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this time together with Him.

Opening Hymn – New every morning is the love

New every morning is the love
our wakening and uprising prove;
through sleep and darkness safely brought,
restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
hover around us while we pray;
new perils past, new sins forgiven,
new thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If on our daily course our mind
be set to hallow all we find,
new treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.

The trivial round, the common task,
will furnish all we need to ask,
room to deny ourselves, a road
to bring us daily nearer God.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
fit us for perfect rest above;
and help us, this and every day,
to live more nearly as we pray.

Absolution
Almighty God have mercy upon us, pardon us from all our sins, keep us strong and faithful so that we may be brought to your everlasting Kingdom through the eternal love of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Mark 10:17-31 – The Rich and the Kingdom of God
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Reflection
What was your first reaction to hearing this morning’s Gospel? Were you like me building my defences against this unreasonable demand, give all my wealth away and be defenceless? – live on hand outs? But if we delve into this story a bit more closely we find something else, the nub of this reading is the young man’s question “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” A question that this rich young man was in haste to seek Jesus’ reply as he fell to his knees in front of Him.
“What must I do to inherit eternal life” is a question that has been put to Jesus before, if you recall the Luke’s story of the Good Samaritan, that parable began with that same question being asked.
In today’s reading Mark tells us Jesus’ response. He looked at the young man. and loved him. Jesus sees in this in this young man that from birth he has tried to please God, as witness his answer to the command to keep God’s commandments, “Teacher, all these have I kept since I was a boy”
Having previously berated the Pharisees for their loveless understanding of God’s Law, Jesus’ approach here is different because he sees the intention of the young man’s heart, he treats this young man differently, he honours the honest effort of a rich, religious young man to seek God.
I am pretty sure that few of us here this morning could kneel in front of Jesus and say the same thing, like the young man we may of done what we thought was our best but in spite of our best efforts we know that along the way we have fallen short. And this will always be our constant challenge as we walk this earthly life, but also with the knowledge that Jesus loves us too.
And Jesus’ challenges the young man, he asks him to undertake an impossible task he asks him to give everything away. Jesus sees wealth as being the young man’s area of weakness, and I guess most of us would agree that it can be the same for us. It’s hard for us to swim against the stream of being increasingly defined by what we posses! We live in greedy society most of us have much more that we really need, it’s a part of western European culture, I have more than I need I have just had my third Covid jab, African has only managed to vaccinate just 3% of it’s vast population with the first vaccination!
Accepting Jesus’ challenge to give everything away is for us an impossible challenge. The old adage that money is the root of evil is not true, there is no harm in money per se it’s the love of money wherein lies the evil. The priority we may give to money above all else that could be our area of weakness. A couple of weeks ago I was reflecting with you about stumbling blocks. If you remember Jesus was telling his disciples about how it would be better that a person should disfigure themselves rather than destroy a developing relationship between a person and God; cutting of hands was used to emphasis the importance Jesus attached to anyone interfering, getting in the way of a good relationship with God. And here in today’s reading Jesus is saying much the same thing to his disciples, that the young man’s weakness, his love of wealth and property, is getting in the way of his becoming closer to God.
But if you turn the coin over and look at the other side, we will see that far from demanding something from the young man, he is offering something. He offers him the opportunity to have nothing ……and thereby offers to honour this man’s spiritual journey, to have joy, freedom, to have peace. What can you possibly give a rich man? Man, many rich people have discovered being rich doesn’t make them happy, many have discovered Jesus’ truth that using their wealth wisely can do untold good, and bring them into an entirely different relationship with humanity and thus with God. The rich young man was being offered the opportunity to become one of Jesus’ disciples. Now here is the irony – The disciples can’t grasp what Jesus is saying, how can it be so very difficult for rich people to find their inheritance for eternal life?
Why does he exaggerate the young man’s problem comparing it to a camel passing through the eye of a needle? Rich people have everything going for them, surely it’s the have nots of this world that have the difficulty? As Mark puts it The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Jesus is saying – inheriting eternal life has nothing to do with riches, nothing to do with who you are, how much good work you do, self help won’t earn you eternal life it’s impossible. Not for God just for we humans
John, perhaps in alarm retorts “But we gave up everything to follow you” are you saying that doesn’t make any difference to God? And once again Jesus uses some difficult words to spell out what it means to follow him – it is necessary to go through the pain of leaving your family, your mother your father brothers and sisters and fields (your property) give it all up in order to receive the reward of a new life with new family, a new home and a firm and lasting relationship with Christ, with the Father and honoured by God. That’s what matters to God, that we should put God first in our lives.
As Jesus say, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” So we must take heart here today, Jesus is challenging us to stop and evaluate our lives, not to do the impossible but to seek out those things in our lives that are stumbling blocks that get in the way of our relationship with our neighbour, with Christ and thereby become better followers.
I end by leaving you with the thought that our churches are our family in Christ and the encouragement and support that we all need flows from that church family.

A Prayer
Loving Lord,
All I have is yours.
May I never hold on to your gifts so tightly that they begin to hold on to me.
May my hands be open, both to receive your blessings, and to let them go; both to carry your gifts, and to pass them on.
Teach me to see this temporary world for what it is – grass that withers, flowers that fall – and may I see instead your eternal kingdom and my treasure in heaven.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen

We Declare our Faith

I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe that in despair God, sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to the his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to us to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Final Hymn – O Lord, all the world belongs to you

O Lord all the world
belongs to you
and you are always
making all things new.
What is wrong you forgive
and the new life you give
Is what’s turning
the world upside down.

The world’s only
loving to its friends
but you have brought us
love that never ends.
Loving enemies too
and this loving with you
Is what’s turning
the world upside down.

This world lives divided
and apart.
you draw us all together
and we start
In your body to see
that in fellowship we
can be turning the world upside down.

The world wants the wealth
to live in state
but you show us a new way
to be great:
like a servant you came
and if we do the same,
we’ll be turning the world upside down

O Lord all the world
belongs to you,
and you are always
making all things new.
Send your Spirit on all
in your Church whom you call
to be turning the world upside down.

Let us go forth in peace
In the name of Christ. Amen.

Eighteenth Sunday of Trinity – 3 October 2021
The Friendship of Jesus
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
The themes of worship today are kindness and friendship so name and give thanks for those who are or have been your dearest friends. With them name all those who show you kindness day by day.
and say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost

Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,
taught by thee we covet most
of thy gifts at Pentecost,
holy, heavenly love.

Love is kind and suffers long,
love is meek and knows no wrong,
love than death itself more strong;
therefore give us love.

Prophecy will fade away,
melting in the light of day;
love will ever with us stay;
therefore give us love.

Faith will vanish into sight;
hope be emptied in delight;
Love in heaven will shine more bright;
therefore give us love.

Faith and hope and love we see
joining hand in hand agree;
but the greatest of the three,
and the best is love.

From the overshadowing
of thy gold and silver wing
shed on us who to thee sing,
holy, heavenly love.

The Word: Readings from:-
Hebrews 2:5-12 Jesus is not ashamed to call them (the believers) brothers and sisters.
Mark 10. 1-16 “Let the children come to me and do not try to stop them.”

A Reflection Kindness and Friendship
Setting the Scene
Last weekend I came across the text of an interview which Jonathan Franzen, the American author gave to Lisa Allardice, published in The Guardian Saturday Magazine. In it Franzen said that his parents weren’t particularly religious. “They went to church, but they didn’t believe in the things they were supposed to believe in. They went because it was the right thing to do. My parents faith was kindness”. That set me thinking! Can ‘kindness’ be understood to be a measure of a person’s faith?
While these thoughts have been fermenting in my mind, Rosemary and I have had two encounters with some of our longest standing friends. Last weekend we stayed with Richard, who I met on my first day at work in September 1964. Later, he became our Best Man in July 1968. Then, on Tuesday we had lunch with another couple who we have known since 1973. The longevity of these relationships and their enduring quality has been vital to our lives and to our shaping. They are a part of the “Community of our Heart”, to borrow a term from the theologian, David Ford.
The Spirit seems to have brought two themes to the fore this week and they are intertwined – Kindness and Friendship. As so often happens, they are echoed in the Bible readings.
Kindness
So, what is kindness? Kindness is behaviour marked by generosity, care and thoughtfulness towards another person without any expectation of reward, or advantage to the giver, but solely for the benefit of the other person.
It is one of the Gifts of the Spirit named by St Paul in his letters to the Galatians (5:22) and the Corinthians (1 Cor 13:4).
Research into the behaviour of babies suggests that kindness is an instinctive feature of humanity. Kindness is also listed as one of the features which attracts humans into relationship – alongside physical appearance, attractiveness, social status, and age.
That would imply that kindness is built into God’s creatures, and not just into humans. It has to be switched-off rather than to be switched-on. We can choose not to be kind, or simply allow our ego’s and personal needs to become dominant until they suppress the kindness instinct.
Friendship
In a similar way, humans appear to need other humans, to be drawn into forming relationships, to be part of communities. However, at first sight, there seems to be an element of choice in who becomes one’s friends. In his book, The R Factor, Christian Schluter lists several factors which are important to the building of sound relationships. An equality of power is important. One is more likely to become friends with people one meets in several different contexts; if one works with someone and also plays sports with them the chance of friendship is enhanced. And the more time spent together the more the relationship is likely to grow.
However, the element of choice presents each of us with a challenge. How wide are our boundaries of acceptability in choosing friends of different gender, colour, race or religion.
The Word
Mark tells us that Jesus and his band of disciples have moved from Galilee and are now in Judea. Here they attract crowds of people wanting to hear his teaching. But he has also attracted opposition, Pharisees who came to test him with a trick question about divorce.
We are given two cameos; one of Jesus relating to children and one of that closest of adult relationships, marriage. Within that context we also have knowledge of his relationship with his band of disciples.
Considering those three settings in reverse order, let’s look first at Jesus’ friends, the disciples. They are an unusually diverse friendship group of men and women, some married, some single. There are fishermen, tax collectors, his mother and the wife of Herod’s steward. He appears to have chosen them; in Nathaniel’s case after he had observed him from a distance, and though that might be seen as selecting employees, in reality he was choosing members of a community with whom he would live and work. Living that itinerant life with each other for long periods of time would have required great tolerance and understanding, a special form of friendship.
Then there is the account of Jesus and children. A group of children gather around Jesus, perhaps they try to ask questions or to get him to play with them. The disciples see this as a distraction and try to drive the children away, but Jesus is happy to include them in his circle of relationships. He uses them to illustrate the equal value of all ages in God’s Kingdom; even to suggest that the young are most open to God’s Spirit and that adults need to become like them in their relationships.
Finally, Jesus addresses the subject of marriage, that deepest and most permanent form of friendship in which, “two become one”. Many years ago, a younger work colleague and I were travelling on business and as we sat side-by-side in the car he asked me whether I thought that he and his girl-friend should ‘move in’ together. I didn’t know her, so was in no position to advise – and it had to be their decision alone. But I do remember encouraging them to make their decision on the basis that it was a long-term and life-changing decision – and not something which could be done on a trial-and-error basis. There would be no way of going back because they would both be affected for ever by ‘the two becoming one’. The transition from being friends to living together, becoming one, is the same whether it is marked formally by marriage, or not, and Jesus acknowledges the cost if such a relationship breaks down.
Themes
Love is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching. God’s love for every person and his commandment to us to love one and other. Kindness and friendship are ways of living out that command and may lead on from one to the other.
When I arrived for my first day at work on 14 September 1964, I was ill prepared. I had a boiler suit and money for lunch at the canteen, but no sustenance for the mid-morning lunch break, so I sat alone on an electric motor while others ate and chatted – until another apprentice noticed me and came across the workshop, introduced himself, and offered me one of his sandwiches. The apprentice was Richard with whom we spent last weekend, and that kindness began a 57 year relationship.
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
We are living in tense times when some basic necessities of life are in question – fuel for heating or travel, empty shelves in food shops, shortage of appointments in doctors’ surgeries, increasing homelessness and poverty, the risk of infection. Alongside that go increased tension between people, arguments in petrol queues, stockpiling and hoarding of scarce resources, abuse of people of the opposite gender, of other ethnicities and faiths.
Not for many years has kindness and friendship been so vital to life in our society. This is a moment to push out the boundaries of those to whom we offer kindness; to renew and give thanks for old friendships; to reach out to heal damaged relationships. This is a moment to recall and be inspired by the counter cultural nature of Jesus’ relationships – with women, married and unmarried – to children who counted as nothing in the society of his day – to those infected with leprosy – to the blind, deaf and lame – to Gentiles of other faiths and none – to foreigners, even soldiers of the occupying army.
It is the gift every one of us can offer. No qualifications required!

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people you know for whom life is a struggle and pray for ways to offer kindness.

If appropriate, recall a relationship in your life which has gone cold, become strained, or even broken. Pray for inspiration, guidance and courage to bring healing to that situation.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn Jesus hands are kind hands

Jesus hands are kind hands, doing good to all,
healing pain and sickness, blessing children small;
washing tired feet, and saving those who fall;
Jesus’ hands were kind hands, doing good to all.

Take my hands Lord Jesus, let them work for you,
make them strong and gentle, kind in all I do;
let me watch you Jesus, till I’m gentle too,
till my hands are kind hands, quick to work for you.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.
Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and Worship 26 September 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. with our Lord. My garden tells me that Summer is behind us and autumn, with magical leaf colours, is fast approaching. God’s hand with the paint brush can be truly wonderful. And now with thoughts of God’s earthly wonders, let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this time together with Him.

Opening Hymn – 570 You are the King of Glory

You are the King of Glory,
You are the Prince of Peace,
You are the Lord of heaven and earth,
You are the Son of righteousness.
Angels bow down before You,
They worship and adore You,
For You have the words
of eternal life,
You are Jesus Christ the Lord.
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Hosanna to the King of Kings!
Glory in the highest heavens,
Jesus the Messiah reigns!

Confessions
Reflect over this past week, your thoughts, actions and feelings and bring to our Lord those matters that you regret.
Almighty God, I have done things that are wrong in your sight, I chose not to do things you would have wished me to do. I have sinned. In your mercy Lord I ask for forgiveness, take away the hurt I may have caused others and to myself. Let your grace fall upon me that I may live out my days in peace and trust of you. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen
Absolution
Almighty God have mercy upon us, pardon us from all our sins, keep us strong and faithful so that we may be brought to your everlasting Kingdom through the eternal love of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen

Reading: Mark 9 v 38 – 50 – Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
Causing to Stumble
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where
“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Reflections
When you registered at the Medical Centre did you ask about the doctor’s qualifications? Somehow I doubt it! But why didn’t you? I guess we all take it on trust that when we visit a medical practitioner he is adequately trained and professionally qualified to treat us. I remember as a child reading our old village doctor’s medical diploma hung on the wall of his surgery, perhaps he was testing my eye sight!!
The need for the public at large to be sure that they are receiving services from properly experienced people has led to groups of professionals joining societies, Guilds, associations or institutions all of whom set minimum standards that their members have to achieve to qualify joining them. This ensures that we feel safe when we hire the services of someone.
A decade or so back Margery and I were caseworkers for a charity called SSAFA and one of the earlier cases involved an ex-WREN who became stuck in her bath and as you might imagine became very embarrassed, her aged flat mate, a nun, called for help and two hefty firemen came to her assistance to lift her out! She wanted us to provide her with a bath lift. In seeking charitable funds to pay for the bath lift we asked her about her previous jobs one of which had been with a butcher. We discovered that there is in London lots of guilds one of which was called the Butchers and Drovers Guild. When we asked if they would be willing to help this elderly lady with a donation they astounded us by not only paying for the installation of the bath lift but gave her an annual gratuity. All because once she had been qualified as a butcher!
Why have I told you this story? Well it’s all about the qualification needed to do a job, the nub of our Gospel reading today. “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” Quite clearly to John’s way of thinking only those disciples close to Jesus are qualified to do healing. It’s understandable if you think back to the time Jesus sent out the twelve with no preparation or training as an extension of his ministry to heal and satisfy the needs of the poor and you will remember they came back to Jesus pumped up with what they had achieved. They marvelled at how the Holy Spirit had enabled them to do miraculous things.
But here was an ignorant person, not close to our Lord doing exactly what they had done and “not close to our Lord” in John’s meaning was not one of the twelve! No qualification to be doing this sort of healing! He is not one of us, we are special.
Jesus’ response is to tell John that if a person does such acts in his name, in the name of Christ then that is qualification enough. By acknowledging that you are doing acts of help or healing for us you are demonstrating that you are on God’s side and not against Christ. As Mark puts in this reading – Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
Jesus goes further in using some very graphic words to explain how essential it is that once having the capacity to carry Godly acts through faith in Christ, we must hang on to it tenaciously. The importance of not causing anyone to stumble in their faith is portrayed in terms of gouging out an eye, cutting off a limb, words that make an impact not to be forgotten. Jesus equates the diminishment of faith to loosing our saltiness, our ability to flavour the lives around us, that Christian saltiness that brings peace to communities.
That is the truth that we today need to recognise and accept, if we work and act in the name of Christ, relying upon the faith that we have in our Father and not our own ability, faith that has been brought to us by His Son, Jesus Christ, even though it be a faith as small as a mustard seed, God will use us and our abilities and gifts. We do not need special qualifications, such as the disciples thought they had, to do this Christian work, everyone in their own small way can play their part in seeking the coming of God’s kingdom. Amen

We Declare our Faith
I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe that in despair God, sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to the his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to us to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life.

A Time of Prayer
Bring to God your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Final Hymn 457 Stand up, Stand up for Jesus

Stand up, stand up for Jesus ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner, it must not suffer loss:
from vict’ry unto vict’ry his army he shall lead,
’til ev’ry foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict in this his glorious day:
ye that are men now serve him against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you, we dare not trust your own:
put on the gospel armour, each piece put on with pray’r;
where duty calls, or danger, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song:
to him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;
he with the King of glory shall reign eternally.

Sixteenth Sunday of Trinity – 19 September 2021
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.
Now say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn Christ’s is the World

Christ’s is the world in which we move;
Christ’s are the folk we’re summoned to love;
Christ’s is the voice that calls us to care,
and Christ is the one who meets us here.

To the lost Christ shows his face,
to the unloved he gives his embrace,
to those who cry in pain or disgrace,
Christ makes, with his friends, a touching place.

Feel for the people we most avoid –
strange or bereaved or never employed.
Feel for the women and feel for the men
who fear that their living is all in vain.

Refrain

Feel for the parents who’ve lost their child,
feel for the women whom men have defiled,
feel for the baby for whom there’s no breast,
and feel for the weary who find no rest.

Refrain

Feel for the lives by life confused,
riddled with doubt, in loving abused;
feel for the lonely heart, conscious of sin,
which longs to be pure but fears to begin.

Refrain

The Word: Readings from:-
Jeremiah 11.18-20 A plot against Jeremiah’s life
James 3.13-4.3, 7-8a The wisdom from above, and friendship with the world
Mark 9.30-37 Jesus speaks again about his death, and the disciples discuss who is the greatest!

A Reflection The wisdom of a welcome and hospitable heart
Extracts from Celtic Daily Prayer Book 2
Hospitality does not begin with the home but with the heart. It is not merely a calculation of available space, food, or resources, but the generation of generous love, interest, and acceptance.
Hospitality is an attitude – the work of the Spirit within.
The practicalities are important but they are not the starting point. Hospitality is not simply something we do, but something God does within us – a work of formation.
Hospitality, rather than being something you achieve, is something you enter.
It is an adventure that takes you where you never dreamed of going.
Opening ourselves to the stranger is not equal to leaving our doors unlocked and bringing strangers into the house. Hospitality means bringing strangers into our hearts which may or may not result in inviting strangers to the table.
The wisdom of the Desert Fathers includes the wisdom that the hardest spiritual work in the world is to love the neighbour as the self – to encounter another human being not as someone you can use, change, fix, save, enrol, convince or control, but simply as someone who can spring you from the prison of yourself, if you will allow it.
All you have to do is to recognise another you “out there”, your other self in the world – for whom you may care as instinctively as you care for yourself.
To become that person, even for a moment, is to understand what it means to die to your self. This can be as frightening as it is liberating. It may be the only real spiritual discipline there is.
What we most have in common is not religion but humanity. I learned this from my religion, which also teaches me that in encountering another human being is as close to God as I may ever get.
Paradoxically, the point is not to see Him, the point is to see the person standing right in front of me, who has no substitute, who can never be replaced.
The paradox of hospitality is that it wants to create emptiness, not a fearful emptiness, but a friendly emptiness where strangers can enter and discover themselves as created free – free to sing their own song, speak their own languages, to dance their own dances. Free also to leave and to follow their own vocations.
Hospitality is not a subtle invitation to adopt the lifestyle of the host, but the gift of a chance for the guest to find his or her own.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people you know and recognise to be ‘hospitable’. Give thanks for their lives.

Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving hospitable Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn O Breath of Life

O Breath of Life, come sweeping through us
revive your Church with life and pow’r;
O breath of life, come cleanse, re-new us,
and fit your Church to meet this hour.

O Breath of Love, come breathe within us,
renewing thought and will and heart;
come, love of Christ, afresh to win us,
revive your Church in ev’ry part!

O Wind of God, come bend us, break us
till humbly we confess our need;
then, in your tenderness remake us,
revive, restore – for this we plead.

Revive us, Lord; is zeal abating
while harvest fields are vast and white?
Revive us, Lord, the world is waiting –
equip thy Church to spread the light.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Fifteenth Sunday of Trinity – 12 September 2021
‘Unruly Tongues’
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.
Now say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!

Jesus! The name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
‘tis music to the sinner’s ears,
‘tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

He speaks; and listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.

Hear him, ye deaf; his praise ye dumb,
your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Saviour come;
and leap ye lame for joy.

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim
and spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of thy name.

The Word: Readings from:-
Isaiah 50. 1-9 Yahweh’s Servant has a well-instructed tongue
James 3. 1-12 Taming the tongue.
Mark 8. 27-38 St Peter’s tongue gets him into trouble again!

A Reflection Healing tongues
Setting the Scene
What an incredible instrument the tongue is. It enables humans to speak and to sing by shaping sound into words. It allows us to move food around the mouth and to shape portions that can be swallowed. It keeps the mouth and lips clean and lubricated and it detects minute, foreign particles. Its surface contains taste buds capable of detecting a vast range of flavours with great accuracy. But it does have some weaknesses, not least an ability to exaggerate; a tiny cavity in a tooth feels like a cavern. And we cannot overlook its ability to be a dangerous weapon.
I didn’t really appreciate my tongue for the first 70 years of life, until a small tumour began to grow at the base. Swallowing became difficult, then it started to affect my diction. Thankfully the tumour has been held in check by radiation treatment, but movement of my tongue is restricted on the left side making it difficult to keep that side of the mouth clean – and I can’t whistle any longer.
The Word
All three readings today feature the tongue and the part that it can and does play in revealing the values by which we lead our lives of faith.
Isaiah writes about God’s Servant, who will come as both King and Messiah. Vital to the life and ministry of God’s Servant will be “a well-instructed tongue”; not simply a well-instructed tongue, but one that is informed by a listening ear – listening that starts the moment the servant wakes in the morning – and continues, attentively through the day like “one being instructed”. The tongue being informed by the ears; ones words being directed by attentive listening. It reminds one of the famous proverb that God had good reasons for creating humans with one mouth but two ears.
Look carefully at verse 4 and note the intention of the deep listening and the well instructed tongue. It is to know the word that will “sustain the weary”. It is not to order the world well, or to create wealth or security – it is to sustain the weary.
Deep listening and a well-instructed tongue are the tools of healing.
St James, the brother of Jesus, writes to young churches made up of Jewish Christians who escaped Paul’s persecution of Christians in Jerusalem by fleeing Palestine and making new homes in Gentile territory. He exhorts members of these small Christian communities to be careful to tame their tongues. He warns that the tongue can praise God or curse humans. It can be life enhancing or full of deadly poison – exactly the opposite of Isaiah’s hope that the primary purpose of the tongue is to bring healing.
What comes out of the mouth will reveal what lies at the heart of God’s servants – you and I.
St Mark As Jesus continues his tour of Gentile territory with his disciples, he seeks some feedback on how his ministry is being perceived. “Who do people say that I am?”. He is asking them what they are hearing; perhaps also checking whether they are doing the deep, careful listening that is necessary to hearing the word from God?
The disciples report that “some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” All quite predictable. But then he asks them directly, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” That Greek word Messiah denoted the “anointed one” – or in Latin the Christ. While there may have been some truth in that answer, Jesus warned them not to tell anyone. Why, we might ask.
The answer may lie in the next verses (31-33). After this exchange, Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man (the one Isaiah calls the Suffering Servant) must suffer and die. Hearing that, Peter, speaking before thinking, rebuked Jesus. And so it becomes clear that while Peter may have recognised Jesus as the Messiah, he has not understood the implications of that title. Peter’s careless listening and lack of prayerful reflection have allowed his tongue to become a dangerous weapon
Themes
There is a sense of timelessness in the readings this week with a common theme running down through the centuries from Isaiah 700BC to Jesus 30 AD and on to James in 49AD. But it doesn’t end there as I found on Monday of this week.
“Sustaining the Weary”
I woke on Monday morning feeling a heavy sense of weariness. We had returned from holiday on the Friday and over the weekend the number of tasks facing us, along with the darker evenings and the prospect of winter, all combined to weigh me down. Thankfully, meeting fellow Christians at Morning Worship in Queen Camel, a visit the Iona Community friends for morning coffee and an afternoon gathering of Friends of Lee Abbey over tea and cakes restored my equilibrium. In each setting I encountered people who listened carefully, read the body language as well as the spoken words, and chose their words of response prayerfully. It was a parable of the way in which our lives can be led when the lessons of Isaiah, Jesus and James are taken to heart and the tongue becomes a Healer.
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
We are living through a time of significant anxiety across the nation. The Covid Pandemic is by no means under control with its effects on working practices, school life, and our relations with each other as humans. After years of abundance, we are confronted by shortages; shortages of care workers and hospital capacity together with the necessary funds; shortages of delivery drivers, even of chemicals to treat sewage. Fundamental aspects of life are more uncertain that at almost any period in my life.
And so it becomes increasingly important to keep our tongues under tight control; to remember that, to believers in God, they are to be tools for healing, the means to sustain the weary, the channels for Gods blessing to others.
To do that, we will need to use our ears effectively, not only listening to words but noting the context and the body language that may go with them – and then to reflect on what has been revealed – BEFORE speaking.

Time of Prayer
Name some of the people you know and recognise to be ‘godly’. Give thanks for their lives.

Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn God’s Spirit is here

God’s Spirit is here
that never alone
the followers of Christ
need face the unknown.
The fount of all living
is leading the dance,
dismantling old systems
that earth might advance.

She banishes sin,
and eradicates fear,
lets hesitant faith
affirm God is here
till, living like Jesus
and blessed by his name,
we bind up the broken
and lift up the lame.

She defuses hate
and raises the dead,
becalming life’s storms,
removing all dread.
So that we might serve God
confirmed from above,
she tests us with fire
and aflames us with love.

So, seek out the lost
and share out the pain,
and love at such cost
that all rise again.
God’s lamplighting spirit
is dancing the way
from dark into dawning,
from night into day.

Fourteenth Sunday of Trinity – 5 September 2021
‘Rainbow’ Communities
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.
Now say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn All the wonder

All the wonder that surrounds us
springs from God’s care:
all that marvels or confounds us,
raw, rich or rare;
touch and texture, sights and voices,
nature’s countless forms and choices:
all for which the heart rejoices
springs from God’s care.

Every creature, every human
lives by God’s grace:
every family, man and woman,
culture and race;
those whom fortune seems to favour,
those exploited for their labour,
those who need to know a neighbour
live by God’s grace.

How can we revere God’s goodness
meant for all time?
How ensure that each uniqueness
keeps in its prime?
How shall we revere with pleasure
all God gives for life and leisure,
how preserve that earthly treasure
meant for all time?

God has willed that peace and justice
walk hand in hand.
These, with love, shall build foundations
on which we’ll stand:
love for lover, friends and stranger,
love defying death and danger,
love as first born in a manger –
heaven close at hand.

The Word: Readings from:-
Isaiah 35. 4-7 A New Golden Age
James 2. 1-10 & 14-17 A Warning against Partiality
Mark 7 24-37 The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

A Reflection Becoming a “Rainbow” Community
Setting the Scene
As South Africa emerged from the period of apartheid in 1994, Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the phrase “A Rainbow Nation” to describe his vision of a vibrant multi-cultural nation that he hoped South Africa would become, “a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world”.
The readings for today draw my thoughts to the nature of our church congregations today and that of the communities in which they are set. So, let’s see where the Word and the Spirit take us – and perhaps learn why they brough Desmond Tutu to mind.
The Word
Isaiah writes at a time when Jerusalem is under threat of invasion by the Assyrian King. Isaiah sees this as being God’s judgement on his chosen people for their faithlessness. But he also knows that God is both just and merciful, and that Gods Kingdom will be restored. “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like deer, and the mute will shout for joy.”
St James, the brother of Jesus, writes to young churches made up of Jewish Christians who escaped Paul’s persecution of Christians in Jerusalem by fleeing Palestine and making new homes in Gentile territory outside Palestine. He exhorts them to love their neighbours equally, and not to show favouritism to anyone.
St Mark tells of a crucial encounter between Jesus and a Gentile woman. What is not immediately obvious in this brief passage is that Jesus has taken his disciples on a circular tour of Gentile territory lying to the north of Galilee. They have been to Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon, then turned east towards Damascus in Syria. In the course of their tour, they encounter this Syrophoenician woman. The description confirms that she is Syrian, but of the coastal Phoenician people – the Purple People – known for their tradition of harvesting Murex shells from the sea and producing a rich purple dye, much favoured by Roman Emperors (and English Bishops).
Themes
There are two themes imbedded in these readings. In the letter of James, the importance of loving everyone equally – and of avoiding favouritism; In Mark’s Gospel, the ancient division between Jew and Gentile.
Favouritism
There is within human beings a strong tendency to relate to other people who are similar to us; those with whom its easy to get on; people who like the same things and make the same choices as ourselves. In the past seventy years, increased mobility provided by the motor car and the choices available in market economy have led to a polarisation of society. We can see it in our villages which would once have had a diverse population of all ages from school children to the elderly and embracing a range of occupations from farm labourer to school-teacher; from blacksmith to doctor. Now affluent retired people are predominant, there are few children, and machinery has replaced manual labourers. The same factors have influenced the church with believers able to choose the type of church which suits their preferred theology or spirituality, Abbey or Charismatic. Together, these factors have created churches which are somewhat monochrome in their nature.
Sadly, this goes against a fundamental precept of Christianity – loving and living with ones neighbour, whoever they are. Having lived in an Intentional Christian Community for five years that included young people and old, people of many colours and many nationalities I can testify to the abundance of talents and energy that are released in such circumstances. Furthermore, the diversity of experience, opinions and ways of thinking produces creative energy and variety of expression that I now know as “life in all its fulness” – Rainbow Communities.
Jews & Gentiles
There is a fault line running through the accounts of Jesus’ ministry and that of the Apostles. Is their ministry to be to Jews alone or to Gentiles too? Is God the god of the Jews or of all people?
Jesus is confronted by this question when the Syrophoenician woman asks him to heal her daughter. And when Jesus tells her that his ministry is to the Jews, she responds by asking for crumbs of healing from God’s table. Years later, St Peter is confronted by the same issue when the Roman soldier, Cornelius, asks him to tell his household about Jesus and St Paul faces the question as he takes the Gospel out into Turkey, Macedonia and Greece.
And I find myself wondering whether that question has re-surfaced today in the life of our churches.
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
All my life I have been conscious of the many Godly people I have encountered who live their lives in service of others by the care they show for neighbour, attitudes to those who are different, the manner in which they conduct their business, their simple lifestyle and care of creation. I begin to see them as 21st century ‘Gentiles’, and us church members as representing some of the exclusiveness of the way in which 1st century Jewish Christians found it difficult to recognise the Spirit of the Risen Christ at work in Gentiles.
Recently, Rosemary received an email from a parishioner who wanted us to know that, though she would not describe herself as a believer, the church was very important to the life of the village in which she lived. At the foot of the email she had attached a creed, her philosophy of life which she had written for her grand-children. I found myself saying, “Amen”, to a large part of it and I know that there are parts of the Christian church where her language of belief would be understood and in which she could feel at home.
With the Isaiah reading in mind, I want to ask a final question. Could it be that the decline of church membership is God’s judgement on the church for holding too tightly to the text of its creeds and leaving too little room for doubts; for placing hurdles on the path to faith (Baptism and Confirmation) making it hard for an enquirer to slip in quietly, to be embraced and nurtured through doubt towards faith; for professionalising study of God’s word in the Bible abstracted from the context of everyday life?
If any of that is true, then now is the moment for change and the reading from Isaiah reminds us that God is merciful and that our efforts to welcome all into his kingdom, to gather Rainbow Communities, will be blessed.
Time of Prayer
Name some of the people you know and recognise to be ‘godly’. Give thanks for their lives.

Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

For all the saints who showed your love
in how they lived and where they moved,
for mindful women, caring men,
accept our gratitude again.

For all the saints who loved your name,
whose faith increased their Saviour’s fame,
who sang your songs and shared your word,
accept our gratitude, good Lord.

For all the saints who named your will,
and saw your kingdom coming still
through selfless protest, prayer and praise,
accept the gratitude we raise.

Bless all whose will or name or love
reflects the grace of heaven above.
Though unacclaimed by earthly powers,
your life through theirs has hallowed ours.

Service of prayer, Praise and Worship – 29 Aug 2021
Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. There are increasing signs that we are returning to our normal village life once more: last Saturday on a lovely sunny day we held our traditional church barbeque where nearly half the village joined in a wonderful time together, good food and drink, fun and laughter and a delightful joy all celebrating our coming together once again. Our church at its best! And now let’s spend our time together in reverence at this service of worship with our Lord. Let’s still our minds now and prepare ourselves for this time with Him.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we come before you this morning with grateful hearts but bringing also our needs and our hurts. We are full of praise for the Grace you pour down upon us, knowing your love is never ending. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and move our feet that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may follow in your footsteps. Amen

Hymn Lord the light of your love

Lord, the light of your love is shining,
In the midst of the darkness, shining;
Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us;
set us free by the truth you now bring us,
Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy;
Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light!

Lord, I come to your awesome presence,
from the shadows into your radiance;
By the blood I may enter your brightness,
search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Refrain

As we gaze on your kingly brightness
so our faces display your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
mirrored here may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Refrain

Confession
Look back over the past few days at things that you now wished hadn’t surfaced, something said perhaps that you regret, thoughts that were unkind. Lay them all at the foot of our Lord’s cross and say
Father have mercy upon me, forgive my shortcomings and draw me closer to you. Amen
Mark 7:1-24 That Which Defiles
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)
So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Reflections
The conflict between the Pharisees and Jesus has not abated, the church authorities still can’t understand who Jesus is and they continue their hostility but this time they direct their attack at his disciples rather than directly at Jesus in questioning the breaking of traditional handwashing.
Now after our lockdown during the pandemic, the importance of washing our hands is well etched in our memories, whether or not we remembered to do it while we sang happy birthday twice! The need to ensure the any trace of the Covid 19 virus was removed from our hands was clearly understood, there is a clear purpose behind that hand washing rule.
In the case of the disciples it was different, it was a tradition: they were eating without first having washed their hands. And of course washing one’s hands before makes good sense, I am fairly sure most of us in our childhood have been scolded by our mothers for doing that before sitting at the table.
However, Jesus’ response to the challenge of the Pharisees and scribes is to expose their supposed religiosity in stating that this tradition was not a direct command of God. The intent of the elders of the tribe of Israel had been to compile a set of rules in order to ensure that the Commands of God, given to Moses, were upheld. They were traditions given by the elders to later generations to help them to follow the Laws and not inadvertently break them. Traditions are practices or words that are passed down from generation to generation that vary over time, often being modified according to circumstances.
However, like many good intentions, over a long period of time the rules had become not just traditions but a part of the Pharisee’s religion. The theory of the elders was commendable but the practice less so. Jesus in his expose showed that the scribal traditions on which the Pharisees had placed such high value had no legitimacy as an expression of God’s will.
If we stop and think for a moment, many of us have traditions, some family decorating our Christmas trees,, some personal, certainly the established Church has a large number; the way we dress the church for Easter, the church summer barbeque – just a few examples that enrich our lives. And so are Parish traditions celebrating, Harvest , Rogation, Christmas and of course Easter, all joyful occasions that enrich our lives and keep us close to our bountiful God.
And the church and our services are steeped in tradition, our very belief in God is founded on tradition. Christian tradition in the New Testament has three elements – The Facts of Christ, The theological interpretation of those facts and lastly The manner of life that flows from them.
Whereas the facts of Christ remain largely unchanged, the other two elements have over the centuries under gone some change, as humans have tried to make them relevant to changing ways of life. The eternal truth of Christ’s ministry hasn’t, just the language used to make it understandable.
However, there are traditions which, although developed to initially honour God need to be questioned as to whether or not that is what they are achieving. The forms of worship that have served past generations have such rigidity in structure that we ask if they get in the way of our relating to God today. What would Jesus say about the church’s traditions? Would he expose our religiosity as merely lip service rather than “heart” service? We need to look again at our traditions and ask ourselves are they just human rules and not the command of God?
And speaking of hearts leads us on to the last few verses of today’s reading where Jesus looks at the things that make us clean or unclean. Just one year ago when we were washing our hands frequently during the day, it was abundantly clear that we could indeed pass into our bodies a virus that was capable of doing us great harm, could defile our bodies!
But what really makes people unclean says Jesus is what lies inside the body and comes out often in the form of speech, sometimes in the form of thoughts and action, very occasionally deliberate harmful action! The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is I believe demonstrably untrue. Words can hurt; words can cause lasting damage; words can cause big rifts in society and indeed within churches. And the distressing thing is that words that hurt are sometimes spoken unintentionally, sometimes as a jokey aside, a touch of humour, just a throw away expression. Our tongues do have that capacity to harm.
The listing of sins in the last verse of our reading today all have the capability of finding space in our bodies to live and warp us and change the way we live. Because of the way we are brought up in Christ’s church, most of us are well aware of those dangers, those sins that defile our lives and our relationship with Jesus. And because over the years we have striven to come close to our Lord Jesus and his teachings, we have managed by the Grace of God to resist many of the temptations to which we are exposed in today’s secular world, our children and grandchildren even more so
So take time this morning to reflect upon the traditions that influence our Christian lives and the way we go about relating to our Lord Jesus, the way we worship and bring glory to God. Many of our church traditions are good and should be continued and some are more questionable, some will probably have to change simply because ordained people to lead us in Christs teaching and ministry are not coming forward in the numbers required. We must put aside those traditional elements of our church’s make up that really are of the past and not relevant to encouraging searching people to find Christ in our communities.
As Jesus pointed out
“‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.
Do our traditions spur us on, lift us, or are we worshiping in vain and becoming the poorer by just following “human rules”? Amen
And with that in mind let’s remind ourselves of our belief using words that are not traditional
The Creed
I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe that in despair, God sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated, when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life. Amen
A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, particularly Afganastan our thanks for the love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered and the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Final Hymn 514 Thou, whose almighty word

1. Thou whose almighty word chaos and darkness heard
and took their flight, hear us, we humbly pray,
and where the gospel day sheds not its glorious ray
Let There Be Light!

2. Saviour who came to bring on thy redeeming wing
healing and sight, health to the sick in mind,
sight to the inly blind, now to all humankind
Let There Be Light!

3. Spirit of truth and love, life giving, holy Dove,
speed forth thy flight; move o’er the waters’ face,
bearing the lamp of grace, and in earth’s darkest place
Let There Be Light!

4. Blessed and holy three, glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, Love, Might, boundless as ocean’s tide
rolling in fullest pride, through the world, far and wide,
Let There Be Light!

The Sending
O time of worship together is ending. So, once again imagine you are in your church, in a circle of friends looking around as we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Twelfth Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 22 August 2021

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us
Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.

Now say:
Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say: Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn: Jesus is Lord

Jesus is Lord!
Creation’s voice declares it,
for by his pow’r each tree and flow’r
was planned and made.
Jesus is Lord! The universe declares it;
sun, moon and stars in heaven cry:
Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!
Praise him with alleluias
for Jesus is Lord!

Jesus is Lord!
Yet from his throne eternal
in flesh he came to die in pain
on Calv’ry’s tree.
Jesus is Lord! From him all life proceeding,
yet gave his life as ransom
thus setting us free.
Chorus

Jesus is Lord!
O’er sin the mighty conqueror,
from death he rose and all his foes
shall own his name.
Jesus is Lord! God sends his Holy Spirit
to show by works of power
that Jesus is Lord.
Chorus
The Word: Readings from:-
Joshua 24.1-2a, 14-18 “The Covenant Renewed at Shechem”
Ephesians 6.10-20 “The Armour of God”
John 6. 56-69 “Many Disciples Desert Jesus”

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

A Reflection – Peter’s Tale – written by Jane Williams(the wife of Rowan Williams the retired Archbishop of Canterbury)

That’s about the only time I ever remember being sure that I had got it right! I don’t mean that I had doubts about what came out of my mouth when I was talking to people after the Lord had returned to the Father. But those words never really felt like mine. I remember Jesus saying that the Spirit would come and give us the words, and that has certainly been my experience. When I get up to witness to what I have seen and heard, I know I am doing it through a power that is not my own. That doesn’t mean that I always get it right, or even that I always make myself clear, but I do want to do my best, and then leave the consequences up to the Lord.
I don’t mean to be all modest when I say that’s the only time I got it right on my own. I’ve never been shy, and I don’t mind making a fool of myself. My mother said I started talking almost as soon as I was born and haven’t stopped since! When I’m nervous or excited or happy or sad or drunk or sober – I talk. All the others used to rely on me to start the ball rolling. I’d say something daft to Jesus, and then they could come in sounding discerning and sensible when they’d had a chance to see how he reacted to what I said. I didn’t mind. Every group needs someone like me. Jesus did tell me off once or twice, when I was really crass, but on the whole he was pleased that I wasn’t too scared to risk things. The others never liked to ask him what he was doing, or what his mission was, but I just jumped in with both feet and told him straight out that I thought he was the Messiah. I knew the others wanted to find out whether or not he was, but didn’t dare ask.
The time I’m trying to tell you about was odd. We’d had a real rollercoaster few days. Jesus was doing the kind of miracles that make your hair stand up on the back of your head with a mixture of excitement and fear. He was healing people, and feeding thousands of people with hardly anything, and then there was that time when he came walking to us across the water – I’ll never forget it. I can’t describe what it looked like, to see him walking on the water towards us! We hardly had any time together to talk things over because crowds of excited people were following us everywhere.
But then, suddenly they started turning nasty. Jesus tried to talk to them and explain what he was up to and who he was, and they hated it. They didn’t understand – well, to be honest, neither did we. He kept telling us that he had to die and we had to eat him if we were to live with him in the life of God. That sounded mad and thoroughly disgusting as well. We all felt he wasn’t explaining himself at all well, and that he deliberately putting people off, just when he was getting a real following. I still wonder if that was actually part of what he was trying to do. Perhaps he actually wanted to get rid of all those people who were so determined to believe he was what they wanted him to be, and weren’t prepared to listen and find out what he thought he was himself.
Anyway that was certainly the effect he had. Lots of people stopped travelling with us that day. He’d made it just too hard for them. But even it that was what he expected, he was sad. I remember he turned to those who of us who were left and said “Do you want to go too? It isn’t going to get and easier, you know. In fact it’s going to get much harder. If you think this is difficult to understand, you just wait. Why don’t you go now, while the going’s good?”
And that’s when I said it.
“Where else could we go? You’re the only one who can speak the words of life.” I knew I was right as I said the words, and I know it to this day.

Time of Prayer
Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn: Thou art the way: by thee alone

Thou are the Way: by thee alone
from sin and death we flee;
and all who would the Father seek,
must seek him, Lord, by thee.

Thou art the Truth: thy word alone
true wisdom can impart;
thou only canst inform the mind
and purify the heart.

Thou art the Life: the rending tomb
proclaims thy conqu’ring arm;
and those who put their trust in thee
nor death nor hell shall harm.

Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life:
grant us that Way to know,
that Truth to keep, that Life to win,
whose joys eternal flow.

Eleventh Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 15 August 2021
Living Wisely
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.
Now say: Thanks be to God

Hymn There’s a Spirit in the Air

There’s a Spirit in the air,
telling Christians everywhere:
‘Praise the love that Christ revealed,
living, working, in our world’.

Lose your shyness, find your tongue,
tell the world what God has done:
God in Christ has come to stay.
Live tomorrow’s life today!

When believers break the bread,
when a hungry child is fed,
praise the love that Christ revealed
living, working, in our world.

Still the Spirit gives us light,
seeing wrong and setting right:
God in Christ has come to stay.
Live tomorrow’s life today!

When a stranger’s not alone,
where the homeless find a home,
praise the love that Christ revealed
living, working, in our world.

May the Spirit fill our praise,
guide our thoughts and change our ways.
God in Christ has come to stay.
Live tomorrow’s life today!

There’s a Spirit in the air,
calling people everywhere:
‘Praise the love that Christ revealed,
living, working, in our world’.

The Word: Readings from:-
Proverbs 9. 1-6 “Lay aside immaturity, and live; walk in the way of insight”
Ephesians 5. 15-20 “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise.”
John 6. 51-58 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.”

A Reflection Living carefully, with insight
Setting the Scene
There can be no doubt about the theme running through the readings for this week.
The writer of Proverbs says “Live wisely, with insight’, or as the writer of Ephesians puts it, “Be careful how you live”
“Why?” “Because the times are evil!”
“And how are we to be careful and to live wisely with insight, in difficult times?”
The readings give us two ideas. The first is that Wisdom’s House, the structure on which wisdom is built has seven pillars. The second idea, from St John, is “By allowing our spirits to be fed with the life-giving bread from God.”
The Times
That the times in which we are living are difficult, perhaps evil, hardly needs to be said. Civil war in Afghanistan, wild fires across southern Europe, refugees trying to find safe havens, sick people waiting years for treatment in hospitals. In every area of society we know that things could be improved, may have been better in the past. However, such are the challenges that the task can appear impossible. I know in my heart that the only way to make a significant reduction in my carbon footprint is to sell the car, and not even to buy an electric one. I know that the only way to improve health and social care appears to be by increasing the budget probably by increased taxation.
Seven Pillars
Or is there another way to face these times with ‘insight’? Might these difficulties be a matter of values rather than resources? That seems to be what the writers are saying.
The book of Proverbs is attributed to King Solomon, the ruler of the combined kingdom of Judah and Israel. It is dated at around 960BC, the end of the Bronze Age in the Middle East and the beginning of the creation of nation states. It was a time when King Solomon built on the territorial advances that his warrior-father, King David, had made and the peaceful relations with neighbouring states. Early in his reign when the Book of Wisdom was written, Solomon seems to have understood the moral foundations on which a just society might be built; a society honouring its God, Yahweh.
This passage is about Wisdom – seen as being a female spirit, who has set up her house, built on seven pillars. The nature of those seven pillars is not explained. However, theologians of today turn to the Epistle of James, Ch 3, v17, to give the pillars names. “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all Pure; then Peace-loving, Considerate, Submissive, full of Mercy and good fruit, Impartial and Sincere.”
When I looked further afield for pillars of moral wisdom, I was surprised to find a similar list from the Southern First Nations Network, a network of indigenous peoples. They describe their seven pillars as, Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility and Truth.
The parallels are immediately obvious; Purity – Truth, Love – Peace-loving; Respect – Considerate; Humility – Submissive. Of course, the titles are not exact matches, but the ethos and range are very similar. So, underpinning two different cultures separated by thousands of years and thousands of miles are very similar values. That universality feels important
Should we be surprised? I think not! For these are the fundamental values of Creation. Light is stronger than darkness, love is stronger than death.
A Meal
There is a second idea imbedded in the readings and that is A Meal.
In Proverbs, Wisdom has prepared a meal, mixed her wine, set her table and sent out servants with invitations. The meal is offered to all those who have lack wisdom and it is an invitation to leave the simple, easy ways and to find a way to live life to the full for the benefit of the world.
In the Gospel of John it is an invitation from Jesus to take the bread of life and the cup of his blood which he offers to the world. It will be like manna in the desert sustaining your spirit and leading you to new life.
In Ephesians, it is an invitation to be filled with the Spirit, to “sing and make music from your heart always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
These readings are full of metaphors, images of pillars to uphold our lives, of moral values to be eaten and drunk until they become the principles which shape our lives.
The crisis of Covid has shaken the foundations of society and, with it, the church. It is clear that we face enormous changes and it’s hard to see the way forward. And in those circumstances the practicalities of maintaining buildings and the pattern of worship, as well as the church’s offering to the communities in which they are set, will appear to be all important. These readings remind us that the elements which underpin the way we lead our lives as followers of Jesus Christ are of even more importance: Purity; Peace-loving, Consideration, Submissiveness, full of Mercy and good fruit, Impartiality and Sincerity.
Take and eat those words, and they will lead us into a new future.

Time of Prayer
Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn Put Peace Into Each Other’s hands

Put peace into each other’s hands
and like a treasure hold it,
protect it like a candle-flame,
with tenderness enfold it.

Put peace into each other’s hands
with loving expectation;
be gentle in your words and ways,
in touch with God’s creation.

Put peace into each other’s hands
like bread we break for sharing;
look people warmly in the eye:
our life is meant for caring.

As at communion, shape your hands
into a waiting cradle;
the gift of Christ receive, revere,
united round the table.

Put Christ into each other’s hands,
he is love’s deepest measure;
in love make peace, give peace a chance,
and share it like a treasure.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise, Prayer and Worship
Sunday 8th August 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. It would seem we are nearly back to normality, Sunday services in church with songs of praise albeit wearing masks. People are gathering outside and enjoying sharing fellowship together. And so to our time together with our Lord. Let’s still our minds now and prepare ourselves for this time with Him.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we still our busy minds and turn to you with grateful hearts, we thank you for the Grace you pour down upon us, knowing your love is never ending. Still our thoughts that we may listen and hear you speaking to us, open our eyes that we may see you and incline our hearts that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may follow in your footsteps. Amen

Opening Hymn Awake, Awake, fling off the night

Awake, awake: fling off the night! For God has sent his glorious light;
and we who live in Christ’s new day must works of darkness put away.

Let in the light; all sin expose to Christ, whose life no darkness knows.
Before the cross expectant kneel; that Christ may judge, and judging heal.

Awake, and rise up from the dead, and Christ his light on you will shed.
Its power will wrong desires destroy, and your whole nature fill with joy.

Then sing for joy, and use each day; give thanks for everything always.
Lift up your hearts; with one accord praise God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Confessions
Reflect over this past week, your thoughts, hurtful words spoken in haste, actions and feelings you regret and bring to our Lord those matters.
Almighty God, I have done things that are wrong in your sight, I chose not to do things you would have wished me to do. I have sinned. In your mercy Lord I ask for forgiveness, take away the hurt I may have caused others and to myself. Let your grace fall upon me that I may live out my days in peace and trust of you. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen

John 6:41-51 The Bread of Heaven
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” 41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[a] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
Reflection

Listen carefully: A man lives on the 14th floor of a building. Everyday he takes the lift to the bottom and goes to work. On his return he takes the lift to the 10th floor and walks up the rest of the way except on rainy days when he takes the lift all the way up. Why?
This is just a little riddle or mystery but no doubt most of you are trying to come up with the answer. Generally speaking, most of us like things to make sense, and we like to know the answer.
That’s why before I go any farther, before I totally lose you to that riddle, I had better share the answer with you. The man in the riddle is a short man and can’t reach beyond the 10th floor button. On rainy days he takes his umbrella and reaches with it to press the 14th floor button. Now we can move on, because that is a logical answer and we can explain it.
In our Gospel reading the Jews couldn’t understand what Jesus had said to them, and it bothered them. They couldn’t understand how Jesus could be Heavenly Bread. Jesus tries explaining it, but it still just didn’t make any sense to them. So, let’s look more closely at this Heavenly Bread. It has just two characteristics – first it is bread which is made with ingredients from Heaven, and secondly it is bread which is a recipe for Heaven.
Why would Jesus call himself ‘bread which came down from heaven? Jesus is talking to the same group of people who were fed by five loaves and two fish a few days earlier. Jesus provided them with bread, real food to satisfy their hunger. Their forefathers had been hungry in the wilderness and had been fed with manna that came out of the sky and with which they made bread, the people wanted the bread that satisfied their hungry bodies. The part that troubled them was when he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
What!??!! No, this doesn’t make sense! They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” ‘How can he speak such nonsense? He could not have come down from heaven when his Mother and Father live right here in the same town as we do.’ He’s one of us! The Jews were bothered because Jesus told them something which they, by their human reasoning, could not accept. In fact, they believed themselves to be holding evidence to the contrary. While at first the Jews certainly wanted this bread, they got caught up on its ingredients. Yes, they wanted to be satisfied but weren’t willing to take the risk of believing this ‘man’, because at this point he was still a local man to most of them even though they had certainly seen Jesus do things which should have proven him worthy to be believed.
Jesus knew that they were getting caught up in their human reasoning. As it was for them, and even for many of us today, it has always been difficult to accept that God and man are united in one person, namely in Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul tells us that the gospel is always foolishness to those who depend on their own wisdom. And that is what the Jews were doing, they were depending on their own wisdom to try to understand and they couldn’t. Jesus knew this, so he tells them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves.” He is saying stop trying to make this plausible to your human reasoning – You can’t.
Jesus, when talking to some of his followers later in the Gospel of John he tries to explain saying, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” It’s not by one’s own decision that one believes Jesus is Heavenly Bread. Believers believe it only because God compels them to, against their natural reasoning – because our natural reasoning is reliant upon our own experiences and intelligence.
Jesus goes further, telling them that it is only by God’s grace that a person can accept or understand this. The words he uses in the text are, “only if the Father draws him.”
And that is the key word draw. Literally, it means God takes possession of us, or you could say he brings us near to him from our otherwise far away place. And he does this despite our resistance, yes, he draws us even though we have dug our feet in!.
When we hear the word ‘draw,’ think of drawing water from a well. Now imagine the person drawing the water, he does all the work doesn’t he, the water doesn’t help at all – it’s foolishness to even suggest such a thing. Rather, the water given half a chance, will naturally drop back into the well. Those who do get drawn by the Father, didn’t make a decision to be drawn, any more than the water in the well had any part in getting into the bucket. Jesus is explaining to the Jews that only by the Father drawing them, and working faith in their hearts can they believe that Jesus is the sole ingredient in the Heavenly Bread; only then can they believe that Jesus is their sole Saviour from sin.
Jesus wants to make sure they know that they cannot come to him or believe in him on their own. No one can. I’m sure this really had to grate on the ears of those Jews, who were so caught up in the Parsee’s regulations, trying to work their own way into heaven because this left no room for any reliance on oneself! The Jews certainly wanted Heavenly Bread, but they weren’t able to get over the fact that Jesus was its heavenly ingredient. They wanted it to be something easier to accept, something that they could understand.
Well why not? Their forefathers received manna on the desert floor for forty years. Why couldn’t Jesus also give them more bread like that, bread for their earthly needs. To them, that sounded heavenly enough. Jesus told them, “Yes, your forefathers received bread in the wilderness, yet they died, but I am bread you may eat and not die.”
You can just about hear the crowd saying, “There you go again Jesus, talking all that nonsense, are you going to hand out some loaves to us or not?” And just as clearly, you can see the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus was offering to these troubled Jewish hearts with this discourse, getting the door slammed shut in his face. Yes, by choosing to not believe, they were missing out on the recipe for heaven.

This is an important point for us as Christians to be sure about. Indeed these Jews, and even you and I, can shut the door to the Holy Spirit on our own. If we choose to live in unbelief as these Jews chose, despite all the signs and wonders Jesus had performed for them, and despite all the signs we have of his guiding hand in Scripture and in the world around us, we must acknowledge and accept that it is solely down to us. It is not God’s fault if we deny the Holy Spirit access to our hearts and we choose to depend on our own wisdom and reasoning for our salvation and then end up missing out on eternal life.
Thinking closer to home here in Somerset, there are many people who are in need especially in these days of pandemic and locally more and more people are calling upon the resources of the Lord’s Larder in the Community Church in Yeovil to which some of the parishes in our benefice subscribe. And although when people come seeking food to sustain them the Community Church offers spiritual food as well – Heavenly bread as well as earthly bread, so to speak – most are so caught up in living their lives worrying about a whole host of things – petrol for the car, paying for the TV, next payment on the store card, that they don’t have time to stop and reflect upon their real priorities, of taking the offered opportunity to come to know Jesus – to receive some Heavenly bread that would sustain their earthly needs as well.
What an obsession, we along with the Jews have for this life. Listen to how Jesus responded to them, “Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.” How foolish they were to be primarily concerned about earthly bread for this life, when Jesus was offering them bread for eternal life!
As pointed out before, we have no power to come to faith in Jesus, when we do it is to no credit of our own, but entirely a gift of God. But, unlike that water coming up in the bucket, we do have the ability to jump out, and go back down into the well. This is not the person’s fault who is drawing the water, but entirely our own.
Are we actually willing to put off eternal life in order to better focus on this temporary life – temporary meaning it’s going to end? If it was solely up to us, the answer would be a resounding, “yes”. We’re so focused on getting on in this world – to that newer car, the summer Caribbean cruise – that we often get wrapped up in the worldly recipe to happiness.
But is that really a recipe to happiness? God offers us a recipe that the world cannot. Only the Bread God offers us, gives us real sustenance, sustenance that will carry us beyond this life into life eternal. For it is only here from the Bible that we hear about our Saviour saving us from sin. It is only in God’s Word that we hear that our Saviour lived the perfect life we couldn’t; that he died the death we should have. Now all those who put their faith in this Saviour will not perish eternally, but have everlasting life. Jesus said, “Here is the Bread that came down from heaven, if anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever.”
Jesus is offering us this Heavenly bread – and everything that the Bible tells us about Him. He wants us to have it, he wants us to believe it, because it is the recipe for heaven, and heaven is just where he wants you and me. Allow yourself to go into the bucket, a bucket gifted by God, and be drawn heavenward by the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen

We Declare our Faith

A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, hold in your hearts our Rector Katharine, who has a difficult week ahead, pray for our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.

End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Final Hymn Jesus I have promised

O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
Be thou forever near me, my Master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle if thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if thou wilt be my guide.

O let me feel thee near me! the world is ever near:
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.

O let me hear thee speaking in accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will.
O speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen, Thou guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, thou hast promised to all who follow thee
That where thou art in glory there shall thy servant be.
And, Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow, my Master and my friend.

The Sending
Our time of worship together is ending, we are full of hope that in a few more weeks we will meet together on Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So, until then imagine you are in your church, in a circle of friends looking around as we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen

Ninth Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 1 August 2021

Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.

Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.

Now say: Thanks be to God

Hymn Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,
Feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs and praises
I will ever give to thee.

The Word: Readings from:-
Exodus 16.2-4, 9-15 – Manna and quail

2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat round pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
9 Then Moses told Aaron, ‘Say to the entire Israelite community, “Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.”’
10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked towards the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 ‘I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, “At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”’
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.

John 6.24-35 – I am the Bread of Life
24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

A Reflection

The Puzzling Crowd
The crowd, puzzled that Jesus has disappeared, set off in search of him, boarding boats that have conveniently arrived from Tiberias. If it seems odd that people who have been satisfied by the food they have been given should feel the need to pursue Jesus across the lake, nevertheless that becomes the narrative’s central point.
Jesus dispenses with pleasantries and charges the people immediately with seeking him for the wrong reason. They have seen the sign, yet missed its meaning. He is offering them something that will endure; they are thinking of short-term needs that must be regularly replenished. If they had thought about the 12 baskets of food remaining after all had eaten enough, they might have recalled the manna in the wilderness. Only on the sixth day could extra provisions be collected and stored, to be eaten on the Sabbath when no work was done.
Work’s reward
Work is a recurrent theme in this whole chapter. It is implied in Philip’s estimate of the cost of bread for the crowd – 200 denarii translates into six months wages – and Jesus distinguishes between working for perishable bread and working for “the food that endures for eternal life”. Like Nicodemus and the woman at the well in Samaria, the people are at a loss to know how to do the “work of God” that will secure this different food. Fulfilling the law imposed demands, but offered a discipline. Nicodemus was living by the law of Moses; the Samaritan woman was living in defiance of the conventions of respectability. Jesus offers something they must work for in a new and challenging way. For the crowd who had crossed the lake, the new working conditions sound too good to be true; “to believe in him whom God has sent”.
The greater humanity
Jesus took this opportunity to reveal his identity. The people have misunderstood him, as an earlier generation had misunderstood Moses. Neither Jesus nor Moses was the giver of bread. Both acted as channels for the gift of God which “gives life to the world” With Jesus it goes further: he is both the channel and the gift itself. Their request, “Sir, give us this bread always”, again misses the meaning. Jesus explains: the bread he is talking about is himself.
Sudden recognition in a narrative has startling impact!

Time of Prayer
Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping. Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen
Hymn Now thank we all our God

Now thank we all our God,
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from his mother’s arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heav’n adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Eighth Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 25 July 2021
Thanksgiving for Yolanda’s Ministry
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.
Now say: Thanks be to God

Hymn I, the Lord of Sea and Sky

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard your people’s cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Who shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?
Refrain
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Refrain

The Word: Readings from:-
2 Corinthians 4.7-9, 13-15 – Paul speaks of joys and challenges of faith.
We are like clay jars in which a treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.
In the Scriptures it says, “I spoke because I had faith.” We have that same kind of faith. So, we speak because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together with you. All of this has been done for you, so that more and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honour him.

Luke 10 verses 38-42 – Jesus visits with his friends
The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!”
The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken from her.”

A Reflection – The one necessary thing.

Reading through our Gospel just now did you find yourself taking sides?
If you did, I wonder whose side you were on Mary/ Martha maybe Jesus?
It’s one of those stories that’s almost guaranteed to create an argument and has stirred up many over the years.
As Luke tells it Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem when he stops at a house where 2 sisters live, and very soon we realize that character-wise these 2 sisters are as different as chalk and cheese. I wonder if Martha was the older of the 2, she acts a bit like an older sister, taking charge, welcoming Jesus and taking care of practicalities. After all, showing hospitality, welcome, feeding people well, were important virtues in her day as indeed they are in our own. Martha’s doing her very best to make their visitor feel at home.
But while she’s busy in the kitchen Mary, her sister, does something unusual. Normally, in the ancient world all adult women in the household were expected to share in preparing the meal, but Mary chooses not to do this. Instead, she sits at Jesus feet listening intently to his words. Finally, Martha can bear it no longer, she’s tired and stressed with doing all the work by herself. Now at this point we might expect her to give Mary a piece of her mind: ‘Hey sis, I could really do with a hand here!’ But she doesn’t say anything to Mary, instead she tries to get Jesus on side: ‘Lord don’t you care that my sister is leaving me to do all the work? Tell her to come and help me!’
A few years ago, it was fashionable in some Christian circles to wear a bracelet with the letters W.W.J.D, what would Jesus do? Some people even had fridge magnets with the same logo. When they faced difficult moral decisions, they’d look at the letters to remind themselves to stop and think: ‘What would Jesus do in this situation?’ Yet, at this point in our story the real question is not what would Jesus do?’ But what should Jesus do? Here he is slap bang in the middle of a row with Mary sitting at his feet gazing up at him and Martha, still hot from the kitchen, telling him off for being uncaring and saying that if he has an ounce of justice, he’ll order Mary to get up off the floor and get on with preparing the lamb and rice.
So, what should Jesus do? Should he defend himself? Should he reassure Martha that he does care, and yes, she has a very good point? Should he pull off a ‘Jesus type’ surprise, go prepare the meal himself and let Martha take a rest? Or should he take the role of peacemaker ‘Now, let’s all just take a step back, we can surely work this out!’
What should Jesus do? Well, what he does has actually bothered a lot of people over the years and set off many arguments about this story. Because what Jesus does, apparently, is to tell Martha off and then take Mary’s side.
Mary has chosen the better part, the one thing that is necessary, in other words, she’s got it right. Now, if your sympathies are with Mary, right now, you’re feeling pretty good but if like me, you’re more of a Martha, you’re probably feeling a bit underwhelmed, surely Jesus is being unfair. Sure, it’s great to sit studying, spending time in prayer and meditation, feeding on the word, but this doesn’t take away from the fact that Christian faith is never an abstract, disembodied purely spiritualized thing. After all, God didn’t write a dreamy Valentine in the clouds, “Hello world. I love you.” God’s love came in the form of a human being, who dwelt among us, got stuck into the messy details of everyday life, who taught and healed and touched and ate and gathered and died and rose in bodily form.
The incarnation means that the place to find God is not in otherworldly thoughts but in earthy details. People need feeding physically and Martha ‘s efforts in preparing the meal were far from trivial. When push comes to shove hospitality requires that somebody has to boil the water, slice the onions or even bake the cake.
Now, as a I mentioned earlier countless arguments have been sparked by this story. Some commentators point to the fact that Luke places it straight after the parable of the Good Samaritan. So, could it be Luke is trying to achieve a balance here? Jesus great commandment is that we love God with all our heart and our neighbour as ourselves? The Parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates love of neighbour and the story of Mary and Martha illustrates love of God— that’s what Mary’s doing sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Good Samaritan–love of neighbour.
Mary and Martha–love of God.
Simple.
The problem is you can’t separate the 2 so neatly, in the Christian life, they’re intertwined, you can hardly tell where one ends and the other begins. We show our love of God by loving our neighbour and the true love of neighbour grows out of our love of God, they’re two sides of the same coin. Others suspect that Luke’s real agenda is that he’s bothered about women trying to exercise too much leadership in the early Christian community so he tells this story in which Jesus criticizes Martha, who’s active and doing and working and ‘in charge’ and he praises Mary, who’s passive and silent. What Luke is trying to do, these folk maintain is to put women quietly back in their places where they belong, most especially in the kitchen!
But this view doesn’t really hold water, not only does it fail to square with Jesus’ view of women, but it also doesn’t even square with Luke’s. Throughout Luke, women aren’t passive and silent; they’re prominent, powerful, worthy, articulate, and celebrated. Luke in his writings brings us a whole host of fearless, active, wise, prayerful and wonderful women to encourage and inspire us.
Which brings me to Yolanda. I have been privileged to know Yolanda for the past 22 years as a Reader and even before that as a friend and I am sure you will agree with me that we have been blessed to have the ministry of a wise, prayerful and pastoral person to encourage and inspire us. So, I was interested to know what has encouraged Yolanda in her life and ministry, what has given her joy and inspiration, kept her going in the dark times, that come to us all now and again, when we feel everything’s against us and even God’s forgotten us. She mentioned two wonderful women. First, Mother Julian of Norwich whose ‘Revelations of Divine love’, based on a series of visions and written during the 14/15 century was the first book known to have been written by a woman in English. One of Julian’s most radical insights her one ‘necessary thing’ if you like, is the assurance that there is no wrath in God. When we speak about angry/wrathful/ vengeful God these are projections of our own bitterness, we are making, as it were, God in our own image. In a resolutely motherly way Julian encourages us to grow up, to cast aside our immature images of a punishing God. To be honest with ourselves about our actions and attitudes which have their roots in spiritual blindness.
Yolanda’s 2nd wise woman is Teresa of Avila who is celebrated on October 15th (which co incidentally is Yolanda’s birthday). For Teresa, the one ‘necessary thing’ is to remember that transformation is always possible, from the darkest most apparently lifeless situation new life can emerge. Consider the image of a butterfly, writes Teresa, emerging from its chrysalis.
Yolanda also includes the following quote: ‘You will not be overcome. God didn’t say: You won’t have a rough time; you won’t be burdened or face difficulties. He said: You will not be overcome.

In many ways St Paul echoes this theme, it’s evident in our 1st reading that Paul has had some bad reverses in his ministry, we can only guess what they were. The Corinthians lived in a culture in which leaders were expected to show power and control, to work from a position of strength. It seems that some were critical of Paul because he had so many disappointments and problems in his ministry and yet Paul writes ‘We are like clay jars in which a treasure is stored, to show that the power comes from God and not from us. For Paul, the ‘necessary thing’ is that, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, whether we choose to co-operate with it not, when it comes to our ministries, our churches our lives and our plans the power is God’s and not our own.
Looking back on our gospel I have a feeling that it is less about Martha and Mary and more about us and the choices we make at any one give time. It’s not so much the case that Mary was right and Martha was wrong. In this particular situation Mary made the better choice. In different circumstances Martha’s choice might have been the right one. In his own life Jesus had times when he was frenetically busy and others when he withdrew alone, to a quiet place. There isn’t one choice to be made now, forever and always, we have constantly to be discerning what is the ‘necessary’ thing for this time, this place, for these particular circumstances or people. Sometimes Martha will be our guide sometimes Mary, but either way we must choose.
So, I leave you to ponder this morning, in the questions and decisions you’re facing right now, what is the necessary thing? The one thing needed in this moment, not forever and a day, so all your problems will be fixed and you’ll live happily ever after, but just now, just for today.
What is the one thing needed that will keep you awake, aware, open and receptive to God?
So, choose this,
this is the better part.
Yet hold lightly to your choice because there will be another choice to be made after that, and another, and another. We choose our way into life, love, relationships, faith, and even salvation. It is always a gradual process, a little like Teresa’s butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. Yet it’s through the choices and challenges we face, by our prayers and through God’s grace that transformation and new life can come in our hearts, our churches and our world.
As we give thanks for Yolanda’s ministry and look forward to our continuing friendship, I end with the words of one of her favourite prayers, as we pray these words let’s make them our own.
Almighty God in Christ you make all things new, transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory. Amen.

Time of Prayer
Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.
Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping. Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen

Hymn Brother, sister, let me serve you

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
fellow travellers on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christlight for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Seventh Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 18 July 2021
Living The Way of Jesus
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us
Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.
Now say: Thanks be to God

Hymn I owe my Lord a Morning Song

I owe my Lord a morning song
for God has made this day.
Through fears of night and hidden light
God moves and wills my way.

I owe my Lord a morning song
for Jesus rose at dawn;
he made death die and would not lie
that others might live on.

I owe my Lord a morning song
the Spirit gave me voice,
nor did she force my soul to praise
but honoured me with choice.

I owe my Lord a morning song
how can I help but sing
when God is all in all, and I
am one with everything?
© Wild Goose Resource Group 2018

The Word: Readings from:-
Jeremiah 23. 1-6 “Woe to the shepherds who kill and scatter the sheep”
Ephesians 2. 11-22 “So then, you are no longer strangers and outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.”
Mark 6: 30-34 “The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught.”

A Reflection Renewing the Community of People who live God’s Way
Setting the Scene
Last Sunday in his Reflection Pat wrote and spoke about the account of Jesus sending his disciples out in pairs to practice what they had seen him do – to teach and heal wherever they were made welcome. He noted that the disciples had only minimal training at that stage, and no qualification.
And he advocated that model for our churches. That the church of the future had to be less dependent on trained, authorised, priestly ministry, and able to sustain its life in a local setting by its members (you and I) leading worship, preparing intercessions, discerning what the scriptures are saying to the life of our communities, and constantly re-appraising what God is calling us to do.
Today, the Gospel readings take us on another step. The disciples have returned to Jesus and are telling him how they got on. It’s the time for Feedback or Appraisal, to use current management language. Or a half-time huddle of players gathered around their manager – a Southgate moment.
The Readings
In discussing Bible passages, our former Bishop Peter Price, was insistent that three perspectives had to be considered; the Text, as written; the Pretext: that is the people to whom it was written and their situation; and the Context: us, the hearers today and the issues facing our local and national society. I will do the same. First the Text
The Text
Jeremiah: Here we seem to have a very angry prophet lambasting the political and spiritual leaders of his nation for leading their people to death and the society to destruction.
Ephesians: Much of this passage is about Them and Us, Insiders and Outsiders, Jews and Gentiles, and Paul writes of the dividing walls being broken down.
Mark: Mark gallops on at speed. The disciples get a few moments for a huddle with their manager, then it’s back to work because, wherever they look there are needy people. There’s to be no rest.
The Pretext
What were the Pretexts in which those passages were written?
Jeremiah: The Kingdom of Israel has tried to play politics on the world stage, backed Egypt against Iraq and lost. Jerusalem is destroyed in the process and the nations’ leaders are taken into captivity in Babylon leaving a remnant behind in to fend for themselves. Sound familiar?
Ephesians: Here in the early days of the new-born Christian church the local leaders are struggling to embrace the idea the Jesus Christ came to earth and died for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. Paul tells the Gentiles that, though they have only just heard about Jesus, they are as much Christian and those who have known of the Messiah from scriptures written a thousand years earlier.
Mark: Wherever Jesus and the disciples go, they are surrounded by people eager to hear what Jesus has to say and many who are desperate for healing. There is no time for rest, just a brief chat, a dash to find a quiet place, but even there, people find them. God’s work is urgent and everywhere.
The Context of Here and Now
When we hear the readings today, where do they connect with the society and communities in which we live. And if they connect, are they offering guidance for our ministry?
Jeremiah: It is hard to read Jeremiah’s diatribe without making connections to the politics of England today; to the numbers of people who have died prematurely & unnecessarily from Covid as a result of political decisions taken primarily for financial reasons. Even now, decisions are being taken which leave vulnerable people dangerously exposed; the relaxation of rules about face-coverings, the withdrawal of the £20 supplement to Universal Credit.
Ephesians: As we read Paul’s writing about bringing down walls between Jew & Gentile, ‘them and us’, where do we hear the echoes? In the context of Refugees risking their lives to cross the channel to safety in England – and in the government policy to keep them at bay, at all costs, to park them off-shore in a far-off hidden place? Or do we hear it in the language often heard among Christians in terms of ‘them’ outside the life of the church who seem to expect ‘us’ and our church to be there for them, but not to participate in its ongoing life?
Mark: The pressure on Jesus and the disciples seems overwhelming. And we know from other stories that it come from those that the Temple religion hasn’t been able to heal, and those that it excludes for reasons of uncleanness and contamination. Then there are the people made landless by wealthy landowners who profit from supplying the demands of Rome – more wine, olive oil, fish and grain – not to forget taxes. Again, familiar themes, of ‘landless’ young people who can’t afford houses, or the many who are dependent on food boxes.
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
I have painted a wide picture. Time to focus!
In fundamental ways, the society of 800BC and 50 AD was no different from ours. Concentration of power, politics and wealth in a few hands, destroys society and leads a trail of poor and excluded people in its wake. At times institutional religions collaborate with that, and lose their focus.
Jesus didn’t build any churches or create any services. He drew together a disparate group of people to share his ministry. They learnt by a process of apprenticeship and eventually, after Jesus’ death and empowered by this Spirit, they established a network of communities that lived The Way – Jesus’ Way.
That, now, is our challenge. To become Apostles, not Disciples – Doers not Learners. It is a challenge to each of us to lead our lives in ways that directly address those who society ignores and pushes to the margins. For each of us that will have a different focus- caring for a frail neighbour, helping at a food bank, writing to an MP, joining a national action group.
When we do that, we will find ourselves working alongside people who are also doing God’s work perhaps from an instinctive but unacknowledged faith. In some ways, I see them as the 21st century equivalent to Gentiles in the Bible. And it is my belief that when we church members re-focus our lives on society’s needs and away from maintain institutional church life, Christianity will be seen to be more relevant and ‘outsiders’ will see purpose in becoming insiders.
We may even come to see Sunday worship as our brief “huddle around the manager” for feedback and reappraisal rather than as our primary purpose.

Time of Prayer
Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn Inspired by love an anger

Personal Praise and Worship 11th July 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. It would seem we are nearly back to normality and we can soon look forward to Sunday services with songs of praise! At present we are having to step out of the church to do that. Something to look forward to. And so to our time together with our Lord. Let’s still our minds now and prepare ourselves for this time with Him.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we come before you this morning with grateful hearts but bringing also our needs and our hurts. With grateful hearts with thank you for the Grace you pour down upon us, knowing your love is never ending. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and move our feet that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may follow in your footsteps. Amen

Opening Hymn 378 O Lord all the world belongs to you

Oh Lord, All The World Belongs To You
And You Are Always Making All Things New.
What Is Wrong, You Forgive, And The New Life You Give
Is What’s Turning The World Upside Down.

The World’s Only Loving To Its Friends,
But Your Way Of Loving Never Ends,
Loving Enemies Too; And This Loving With You
Is What’s Turning The World Upside Down.

The World Lives Divided And Apart,
You Draw Men Together, And We Start
In Our Friendship To See That In Harmony We
Can Be Turning The World Upside Down.

The World Wants The Wealth To Live In State,
But You Show A New Way To Be Great:
Like A Servant You Came, And If We Do The Same,
We’ll Be Turning The World Upside Down.

Oh Lord All The World Belongs To You,
And You Are Always Making All Things New.
Send Your Spirit On All In Your Church
Whom You Call to Be Turning The World Upside Down.

Reading Mark 6 v 1-13 A Prophet Without Honour
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as you leave. It is a sign that that you have abandoned that village to its fate.”
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Reflections
Today’s Gospel readings gives so much to stop and think about, not just what Mark has recorded with regards to the people of Nazareth’s response to Jesus on his returning home or the preparation of the disciples to be sent out to preach repentance. The whole reading speaks directly to each of us about living here in this rural setting today, 2021.
Jesus, whose reputation for teaching and healing must have been common knowledge in his hometown, is met with scepticism, disbelief, total repudiation. His own kith and kin could not reconcile their knowledge and their closeness to Jesus, he is the local carpenter, a member of a family living down the road, how could he be the Son of God? Any faith that they have had for God couldn’t allow them to see in his teachings and his miraculous healing that as being God’s power at work!
Mark goes on in the next section of reading, which is possibly one of the most amazing passages in the Gospel, to tell us of the preparations of Jesus’ disciples to go out to spread the need for repentance and to heal. I don’t know what you make of this event, no training, just a few words of instructions, the giving of healing power, I would guess giving them the Holy Spirit, and off you go! By today’s normal Christian behaviour it would have been sensible to put people through training courses. After all we know that it takes years of devoted study and training before the Church of England will ordain a person to do God’s work. You can’t expect untrained people to achieve anything worthwhile if they don’t have the right tools for the job.
Jesus’ approach is quite the reverse. Sending people out to teach and preach before they know anything, so that they discover about relying on the power of the Kingdom. Then they will be ready to come back and learn something, maybe?
As many of you know, I spent some 25 years serving as a Royal Engineer, as a young subaltern I and my troop of some 50 Sappers were frequently sent out on operations, not just to fight but undertake projects, not only for the rest of the Army or RAF but also civil projects in third world countries. When we left our Regiment we went prepared, 10 lorry loads of tools and equipment, ropes lashings, timber spars and cement. My sappers were all trained artisans, having undergone a minimum of six months trade training in addition to their corps skills to fight with weapons. There were few tasks we were told to undertake for which we didn’t have the right tools and trade skills. We could go anywhere and do anything, build schools, provide water supplies, install electricity, operate a railway, build bridges, we were invincible or so we thought!! The fact is we very much learnt on the job, through experience, working in other cultures, climates, difficult circumstances – just as the disciples did in their first mission.
Today we Christians in our parishes and benefices are, I would suggest, at a cross roads, the established Church of Christ has faced many cross roads in its long history. The isolation and segregation we have been subjected to, flowing from trying to beat the pandemic, has shaken us out of our usual worshiping practices, denied Christian fellowship and, in spite of zoom services, separated Ministry leaders from their flocks. The established Church, recognising this as well as the down turn in funding, have suggested new ways of sustaining Christian Ministry by adopting what is called ”Local Ministry”. Basically this points to local groups of Christians finding ways of ministering to themselves from local resources and not relying upon there being an ordained Minister for every group. The group could be as small as a Parish or a Benefice.
How encouraging! God loves to use the ignorant, because then their knowledge can’t get in the way of his purposes. The ignorant can be simple in their trust, they can embark on God’s service only with the trust that God will provide and protect them. Isn’t that just what Jesus’ disciples did in today’s reading? That’s why it is so amazing.
Here’s the challenging question: how can we learn to trust God like the disciples on their mission, when we are surrounded by so much material stuff? Figuratively speaking, won’t we want to pack an extra jersey and a second pair of shoes, just in case?
And for the Established Church, what a risk! Remember the first time your child went off by themselves for evening’s fun – without a mobile phone! Will the Church be able to let go after all these centuries and trust in God? And Jesus would no doubt say the risk has to be taken providing God is at the heart of the matter.
I have asked a lot of questions, our Benefice and PCCs under Katherine’s leadership will be discussing them shortly and over the next few months and years, things will change. But of one thing we should be certain of, Christ’s Gospel message of Good News will continue to be heard in these parishes and it will be done by people, Lay or ordained, who simply put their trust in God and rely on his power for their efforts. Amen
We Declare our Faith
I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe that in despair God, sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to the his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to us to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life.
A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Final Hymn Father, I place into your hands

Father, I Place Into Your Hands The Things I Cannot Do,
Father, I Place Into Your Hands The Things That I’ve Been Through.
Father, I Place Into Your Hands The Way That I Should Go,
For I Know I Always Can Trust You.

Father, I Place Into Your Hands My Friends And Family.
Father, I Place Into Your Hands The Things That Trouble Me.
Father, I Place Into Your Hands The Person I Would Be,
For I Know I Always Can Trust You.

Father, We Love To See Your Face, We Love To Hear Your Voice.
Father, We Love To Sing Your Praise And In Your Name Rejoice.
Father, We Love To Walk With You And In Your Presence Rest,
For We Know We Always Can Trust You.

Father, I Want To Be With You And Do The Things You Do.
Father, I Want To Speak The Words That You Are Speaking Too.
Father, I Want To Love The Ones That You Will Draw To You,
For I Know That I Am One With You.

Fifth Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 4 July 2021

Setting the scene

As you come to worship you may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle and say:
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us
Thanksgiving

Spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that you would like to give thanks to God for:

Now say:
Thanks be to God
Forgiveness

Spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week for which you want to ask God’s forgiveness and then say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn – Morning has broken

The Word

Ezekiel 2:1- 3:15 – A bittersweet calling

A Reflection

This life-changing encounter with the majesty of God prompts Ezekiel to fall face down before the royal presence. But he hears the divine voice addressing him personally and experiences the mysterious “breath” or “spirit” raising him to his feet. He is not to grovel in the dust, but to hear and respond to the word of God, who is sending him. This affirmation and assurance of God’s presence is not simply a mystical gift upon which the prophet can rest and find comfort. It is also a call and a commissioning for service. Perhaps he had gone to the river on that particular day to reflect and grieve about his lost calling to serve as a priest in Jerusalem; now suddenly, he finds himself given a very different responsibility.
In the surreal fluidity of this visionary world, the prophet experiences God feeding him a scroll, which he eats. God’s words taste deliciously sweet, yet the message is less appetising, as is the briefing which God now gives to his messenger. The people of Israel to whom Ezekiel is sent are “a rebellious house”. Speaking to people with whom he shares a common language and culture will prove more difficult than preaching to foreigners! These early exiles, from the upper classes of Judean society, are probably hoping for a swift return home to their former positions of wealth and privilege. Ezekiel’s message – that the exile will not be short, and that rebellious Jerusalem will be captured again and this time totally destroyed – would not be well received by them. But God will hold Ezekiel to account: he is responsible for delivering this hard hitting message. If the people then ignore it, they will only have themselves to blame,
“The hand of God was on me”. Ezekiel feels bitterness and boiling anger, probably about the tough assignment given to him by God; returning to his community, he sits overwhelmed or appalled for days. He is very human, as emphasised in the way God repeatedly addresses him as “son of man”, which simply means “mortal” or “human one”. But he senses God holding, directing and toughening him up. The name which his parents gave him (Ezekiel means “May God strengthen”) is turning out to be more appropriate than they could ever have imagined.
Amen.

Time of Prayer

Pray for our churches here in Cam Vale and for our communities. Is there something specific you would like to pray for? Christian Unity, showing the love of God in our communities, for discernment for the future direction of the church – these are a few suggestions. What has God placed on your heart today?

Spend some time praying for the world, for our government and any other situations that are important to you and which need to be offered to God.

Spend some time naming those people that are on your heart; perhaps they need healing in some way whether in body, mind or spirit, write their names if you would find that helpful.

Hymn – Immortal, invisible, God only wise.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 27 June 2021

Setting the scene
As you come to worship you may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle and say:
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us

Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that you would like to give thanks to God for:

Now say:
Thanks be to God
Forgiveness

Spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week for which you want to ask God’s forgiveness and then say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, alleluia

Man shall not live by bread alone
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God
Allelu, alleluia

Ask and it shall be given unto you
Seek and ye shall find
Knock and the door shall be opened unto you
Allelu, alleluia

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, alleluia

Man shall not live by bread alone
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God
Allelu, alleluia

The Word

Mark 5:21-end – A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him.
And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?”’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
A Reflection

The theologian Tom Wright describes this reading from Mark as a story within a story. Firstly, we hear the tale of Jairus’s daughter who is seriously ill and in the middle of that is the woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. So why is this significant? Jairus was a leader in the Jewish synagogue and he would have had some standing within that community. He called Jesus teacher, recognising who he was, and begged him to heal his daughter and so Jesus went with him.

But before Jesus reaches the house we have the second part of the story – the story within the story. As Jesus is making his way a crowd surrounds him. He is approached by the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. It’s hard to imagine what that must have been like for her. She has done all that she can to help herself and nothing has worked. She knows, that if only she can touch Jesus, she will be healed. The problem with this is that she was viewed as unclean by society due to her condition and would almost certainly have been an outcast. And for Jesus to have touched someone in her condition would have been problematic for him too. The woman, who interestingly, isn’t named, is therefore taking a great risk. In the meantime, Jairus must have been frantic with concern for his daughter and impatient too. Why was Jesus stopping? Why wasn’t he getting on with it? But Jesus, as always, had his own way of being and his own timing. And this event was just as important to him. The woman touches Jesus and is healed. Jesus demands to know who has touched him and she owns up to this act but what does Jesus do? Does he rebuke her? No, instead he says to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

But this isn’t the only happy ending. Jesus then makes his way to see Jairus’ daughter. Sadly, she has died, but he brings about a miracle and raises her from the dead. Interestingly, Jairus’ daughter was twelve years old – the same number of years that the woman had been bleeding for. This is no coincidence.

But what does this reading mean for us today? I think it tells us something of the Kingdom of God. It is a glimpse into the priorities of those who wish to follow Jesus. In this reading Jesus does two things. He raises someone from the dead – a miracle in itself – and this person is the daughter of an official. But he also does something else – he heals and then calls out the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. By calling her out she had to show herself and admit that she had touched him. But in doing so Jesus was also giving a public demonstration of her healing. This was important as previously she would have been viewed as unclean. She had now regained her place in society.

I wonder whether we unconsciously reject people who are not like us? Do we give privilege to those who have wealth, social standing and power over those who do not? Society and culture tells us that money and possessions means that we are successful. They are certainly good and useful things to have, but are they the whole story? Perhaps not. So what might the Kingdom of God look like? There are many examples in the Gospels, mostly written in parables! But, to me, the Kingdom of God is a society of equality. It is a place where all have equal standing, no matter who they are. That is something that comes across in this Gospel reading. Jesus chose to heal someone who had been rejected by society and she was healed because of her faith. It was her faith that made her well and helped her find her place once again.

We are all made in the image of God as written in the beginning of the Book of Genesis. We are created and beloved by God. I often wonder if we truly understand what this means and whether we truly believe it in our hearts. So I’ll finish with offering this encouragement. This week, as you go about your daily business, do so knowing you are loved by God and reflect on what that means for your life. But also, reflect on what it means for those you encounter; your friends, your family and your own community. They too are made in the image of God and beloved by him. Amen.

Time of Prayer

Spend some time praying for the world, for our government and any other situations that are important to you and which need to be offered to God.

Spend some time naming those people that are on your heart; perhaps they need healing in some way whether in body, mind or spirit, write their names if you would find that helpful.

Hymn Tell out my soul

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age to same;
his holy Name–the Lord, the Mighty One.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Service of prayer, Praise and Worship – 20 June 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. Many of you may be disappointed that our release from lockdown rules has been postponed until hopefully July, and we must be patient a little longer before we come together as a Christian body. In the meantime let’s spend our time together in this service of worship with our Lord. Let’s still our minds now and prepare ourselves for this time with Him.

Hymn 335 Meekness and Majesty

Meekness and majesty manhood and deity in perfect harmony the Man who is God
Lord of eternity dwells in humanity kneels in humility and washes our feet
O what a mystery meekness and majesty bow down and worship for this is your God, this is your God

Father’s pure radiance perfect in innocence yet learns obedience to death on a cross
Suffering to give us life, conquering through sacrifice and as they crucify prays Father forgive
O what a mystery meekness and majesty bow down and worship for this is your God, this is your God.

Confession
Look back over the past few days at things that you now wished hadn’t surfaced, something said perhaps that you regret, thoughts that were unkind and lay them all at the foot of our Lord’s cross and say
Father have mercy upon me, forgive my shortcomings and draw me closer to you. Amen

The Book of Job – Ch38 v 1 – 11
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?

Reflections – The Trials of an Upright Man,
This reading selected for this Sunday is taken from the Book of Job. it’s a dramatic story, in fact a tragic story within a story. Job is a very prosperous, upright and blameless man with a large contented family and with herds and flocks of animals, a very contented man who fears God. The word “fear” in the Old Testament is used to denote a righteous response to God.
Satan challenges God that Job’s faith is just a result of his prosperity and that he is playing along with God knowing that if he acts this way he will always receive God’s blessing. Satan says that God has created humankind with devotion only because it is linked to his blessings. The tragic story within this story comes when God allows Satan to not only to strip Job of all his wealth, most of his family, but also inflict upon him a very painful illness. However, God doesn’t allow Job to be killed by Satan.
As the tragedy spirals downward Job’s friends come to counsel him to discuss the cause and meaning of his sufferings, each saying much the same thing, namely his misfortunes are all linked to some past sin, an argument not accepted by Job who truly has kept his faith with God. His wife goes as far as to urge him to curse God for the punishment he is inflicting on her husband. In Old Testament logic this was the prevalent thinking, linking sin and misfortune. And such thinking is not unheard of still today!
Finally Job has had enough of everyone telling him where he has gone wrong, he has brought all this misfortune down upon himself. Not so says Job. Increasingly agonising pain drives Job into the dark valley where he demands of God an answer to his question “WHY?” Initially God does not deign to answer, why would God be questioned by a mere mortal?
The long wait for some explanation triggers Job’s final outburst. In anguish and anger he cries out to God “Why are you doing this to me!!!” He boldly challenges God to come out of hiding. And then out of the storm God does respond, but not in the way that Job would have expected. In the last verse of our reading God puts Job in his place in the order of creation by asking questions that demonstrate the awe, the power, the majesty, the incomprehensibility of the Creator of everything, our Creator God. Job is reminded in the magic of poetry of the magnitude and complexity of God’s work in creating and organising the World, the Universe, the Cosmos, such that he cannot begin to comprehend or understand the majesty of God and his vast creation. Read verses 4 to 11 again and ponder on the vastness of our Lord and Maker.
Many of you will have watched a David Attenborough programme about the wonders of nature and felt your heart lifted in profound wonder and worship and praise of God. Most of us regularly thank God for the beauty of the countryside in which we are so fortunate to live.
God in responding to Job’s question is not interrogating him rather than offering God an opportunity to challenge Job’s perspective without formally indicting him. The questions God asked are intended to forge a link with him with the intent that Job will surrender his complaint and avowal of innocence and trust both his reputation and his future to God.
But the unanswered question of evil and underserved suffering are left hanging in the air. We should remember that the majority of mankind’s suffering is of our own making. War, famine, terrorism, refugees, genocide can all be traced back to human failings, as can climate warming and many diseases. None of this suffering can be laid at God’s door, almost all seems to have the hand of Satan upon it, the evil that is self inflicted by and within nations, by power hungry authorities working against God’s purposes can be laid at the door of we humans.
What do we learn from today’s reading? The purposes and plans of God will never be discernible, albeit we can be sure they are for our own good. We must hold on to our faith, especially when times are troubled and the future is unsure. We must hold on in the belief that our hopes in God are never in doubt and that the Christian life is to be lived in trust, love and with purpose, not ours, but Christ’s. Amen

The Creed
I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe in despair God sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to us to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life. Amen

Final Hymn 467 Tell out my Soul

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word –
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same –
his holy name: the Lord, the Mighty One.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by;
proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure:
tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!

The Sending
O time of worship together is ending, we are full of hope that by July we will return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So, once again imagine you are in your church, in a circle of friends looking around as we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen.
Our worship has ended, our service continues
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Second Sunday of Trinity Sunday – 13 June 2021
Living Creation’s Way
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us
Thanksgiving
In this Trinity season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of God as Father, Son or Spirit.

Now say: Thanks be to God

Hymn for Trinity – Lord, for the Years

Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided:
Lord for the years, we bring our thanks today.

Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us, and inspires us,
Lord of the word, receive your people’s praise.

Lord, for our land in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth, and care:
for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.

Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt you,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain,
hungry and helpless, lost indeed without you:
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.

Lord for ourselves; in living pow’r remake us –
self on the cross and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.

The Word: Readings from:-
2 Corinthians 5:6-17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Mark 4:26-34 “What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like …?”
A Reflection Living the Life of the Trinity

Setting the Scene
Each year, the cycle of church worship, from Trinity to Advent is focussed on how we, as Apostles, are to live our lives – following The Way – revealing the Kingdom of God.
For the past two weeks, the reflections have focussed on our Christian communities as being families, diverse groups of Christians sharing their strengths and weaknesses in mutual interdependency and always offering a welcome and acceptance to any comers.
Today, the readings take us on another step.
The New Creation
What beckons us as Christian communities is a whole new world – a new level of existence. As St Paul puts it to the Christians in Corinth, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Another way of expressing it is to say that The Kingdom of God is here – an enigmatic expression that Jesus used repeatedly.
The Kingdom of God
“What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like …?”
Jesus uses the way in which nature works to show his understanding of the Kingdom. It starts with a seed which mankind may plant. Often, they are tiny, but that is no measure of what the seed may become. Great trees start from small seeds.
The planting is all that mankind need do. Mankind can sleep or get up and go about his life. While he does that, nature gets on with the job providing soil, water and sunlight. An abundance follows; trees provide food and homes for countless species, and shade for plants. Grain seed will multiply tenfold or a hundredfold. There is no end to the abundance in God’s creation
The Forest Kingdom
I am currently immersed in a fascinating book, “Finding the Mother Tree”, by Suzanne Simard, a scientist who has spent her life researching the life of trees in the ancient & natural forests of British Colombia. She was born into a family that had harvested timber from these forests for many generations in a sustainable way, extracting a few trees here and there, then leaving the forest to re-generate itself.
An incident during her childhood provides inspiration for her career. A family pet dog falls down a hole and must be dug out. She watches her father digging down through a mat of tree roots and notices the web of mycorrhizal fungi encasing the roots. The colouring of the fungi fascinates her and reveals several different species.
Fast forward to a university course in forestry followed by her first job working for a big timber growing corporation. Now she finds herself asked to do research on the growth rate of high yield pine trees grown in areas of ancient forest that have been ‘clear cut’. Part of the research involves applying ‘Roundup” weedkiller to the area around some of the newly planted saplings to remove all the competition. In other areas she must cut down all the other plants competing for light, and in a third area, the saplings are left to compete with the natural vegetation. Her task then is to compare growth rates of the trees in the three areas. Surprise, surprise, the trees surrounded by bare earth die of drought in the summer heat. And the trees that grow fastest in the first years are the ones around which the brush is cut. But, in the long term, the ones that are most productive are the ones which get shade from the wild, free growing birch while they are young.
And not only do the birch trees shade the young pine saplings, but she learns that they feed them and water them through a network of mycorrhizal fungi. An ancient, natural forest is a self-sustaining community of different species living together in mutual interdependency. The very model of Christian Community
The Creative Process of a God who is a Trinity
When Jesus uses the examples from nature of the way in which the creative process works among plants and trees, he does so to show us how to live as humans with each other. How to let the life of the Kingdom of God rule our lives just as it does that of the forest or wild-flower meadow.
Over a lifetime of research, Suzanne Simard discovered over one hundred varieties of Mycorrhizal Fungi in a natural forest, some transmit sugars between tree roots as food, some pull water from deep underground up to shallow roots, some convert dead wood into new food, some eat away at rocks to provide mineral food for roots. And when there is a surfeit of energy, there fungi appear on the surface as Mushrooms.
It is a picture of how a God of three forms, Father, Son and Spirit, existing as a community wants us to live as a human community, feeding & watering each other, blessing each other with the ‘mineral’ treats of encouragement and gratitude, shading each other from danger, helping each other to ward off the things which can attack and weaken us.
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
In many ways it has been a source of joy to see how the life of our churches has been enabled to adapt to the extreme challenges of the pandemic, whilst also coping with the reduction of priestly ministry from two to one and of reader ministry from four to three and shortly down to two; not forgetting the challenge posed in Benefice, Deanery and Diocese caused by declining church membership.
But from my perspective, as a retired reader married to the administrator, I have been saddened to observe and to feel the pain and distress caused by those who impose their demands and expectations, sometimes in strong language in a fight for their personal preferences or those of their church. This is not the way of the Kingdom; not the way for Christian Communities to behave! It is debilitating for the leadership group, and it wastes precious time and energy .
The God, who is a community, shows us through his creation that we are to nurture each other, protect each other, to treat each other with care and respect, to be sensitive to times when any of us (leaders or others) need to be fed or given a boost. Our decision making and action must be done in recognition of our mutual interdependency; as St Paul says, “If one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers”.

Time of Prayer
Recall those times in your life as a Christian when being embraced by a loving Christian Community was vital to you. Give thanks for that experience and for the people who held you.

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn The Love of God Comes Close
(Tune: My Song is Love Unknown)
The love of God comes close
where stands an open door
to let the stranger in,
to mingle rich and poor:
The love of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way

The peace of God comes close
to those caught in the storm,
forgoing lives of ease
to ease the lives forlorn:
The peace of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way.

The joy of God comes close
where faith encounters fears,
where heights and depths of of life
are found through smiles and tears:
The joy of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way

The grace of God comes close
to those whose grace is spent
where hearts are tired and sore
and hope is bruised and bent:
The grace of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way.

The Son of God comes close
where people praise his name,
where what he said is done
with love, as when he came:
The Son of God is here to stay
embracing those who walk his way.

Personal Praise and Worship 6th June 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. I am told that these weekly printed/e.mail services have filled a gap in the variety Worship Services in the Benefice and will continue for a few more months yet. Good news. And more good news: Summer seems to be with us, at least that’s what my grass is telling me! And so to our time together with our Lord. Let’s still our minds now and prepare ourselves for this time with Him.

Opening Hymn 106 – Dear Lord and Father of mankind

Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise, in deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard beside the Syrian sea
the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee, rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee, O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love, interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace, the beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm, O still, small voice of calm!

The Gospel Reading
Mark 3:20-30 – Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Reflections
O what a mess! And once again Jesus is in the middle of it! He has returned with his disciples to his home where you might have thought he would have received a warm welcome, in the light of the word spreading about his healing ministry. But no, confusion, compounded by the continuing Temple authorities witch hunt to diminish Jesus’ authority, turns the day into something akin to the mad hatter’s tea party. And to compound the hiatus Jesus’ family, seeing the disorderly and undignified mess around him, conclude he has gone mad! That’s family for you and moreover, it’s not until Jesus is nailed to the cross that his family finally acknowledge that this maverick son of Mary is indeed the Son of God.
Where did everyone come from? Why were they there? Many would have been driven to him by their needs; the poor, the sick, the confused and those searching. Others were probably just sightseers, attracted by Jesus’ healing, exorcism and of course watch the controversy between Jesus and the Scribes.
Mark, in this reading draws our attention to the increasing intensity of the Scribes, experts in Jewish law, to discredit the teaching of Jesus. His increasing number of followers is seriously undermining the Scribes and their interpretation of the Jewish Law. Moreover, Jesus’ lifestyle is not in accordance with religious codes of practice: it departs from Jewish Law and is at odds with their understanding of God’s commandments handed to Moses.
It is not at all unusual for crowds to gather around our Lord, but this time because he chooses to go into a house seeking food, it gets so crowded that a meal isn’t possible and to make matters worse the scribes jump on him for breaking their religious laws for table fellowship. And then comes the suggestion that Jesus was a tool of Satan! The absurdity of their accusations, indicative perhaps of their level of desperation, would have been utterly laughable if not for their evil intent.
What can explain the Pharisees’ implacable and vehement hostility to Jesus? How could his actions and teaching have generated such enmity? Yes, we know that He is undermining their authority but were they so blinded by their misplaced ambitions that they actually believed what they are saying about Jesus – that he was a tool of Satan? Did they really believe that he used demonical power which is evil and abhorrent to them and God. The logic of his response is irrefutable, how can Satan drive out Satan?
Jesus is no fool, he is not mad as his natural family thought, he certainly isn’t evil as the Pharisees advocated. As the Holy Spirit testifies he is the Son of God, sent into the world to rescue those bound by folly, evil and sin. He came to start a new family which he invites us to become a part of, to have brothers and sisters, those who do the will of God.
As Mark records “Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
So how does this help us – today – here in our Benefice, in the world of today. Well, as Stephen mentioned in his reflections last Sunday, the families of the twenty first century are no longer tight groups living close together, in each other’s pockets. Most are widely dispersed, living out of reach as far as everyday needs are concerned, needs that must be addressed. Children, who in past times would have cared for their parents, frequently are a good few hours drive away, if not in another country. These days of modern connectivity make it feasible to talk, see each member of the family on a screen, but when it comes to real needs, the internet can’t offer a practical solution. In these circumstances the only solution is for someone local, a neighbour, a friend, to step up and lend a hand. And of course where else would you look but to your Church, not the building, but the community of Christians, to the “hospital ward” as my old padre used to call it. Every church should have one.
You might feel that as we go about our daily lives fending for ourselves, being independent, such relationships don’t develop to the point that someone would actually put themselves out and come to your aid. Many would be too embarrassed to call for help! I recall a lady in our village who fell and broke a limb one evening and lay on the floor all night rather than call for help from her neighbour! (She phoned in the morning when she thought it wouldn’t be inconvenient). Is that because we don’t think of ourselves as brothers and sisters of Christ? Is Christian fellowship to be limited to a cup of coffee after the morning service and not be taken any further? That’s not what Jesus is telling us nor what Mark records in our reading. Jesus is equating close family to those believers amongst whom we live.
For the last couple of years or so, I have been caring for my wife through a long illness, she died peaceful in our home at the end of January. It was quite evident that she was slowly going downhill and most of our friends were aware of our struggle. There was never a need to ask for help because people were offering it, knowing that our children were not near at hand to aid me and could visit only occasionally. Covid restrictions made matters worse, but still the help and much needed support kept coming. My many Christian friends were there beside me to the end and beyond. It has been and still is a difficult time, but I know I am not alone, I am a part of a church, a Christian community that cares.
A dear neighbour lost her husband very suddenly last Christmas eve and the same group of village friends came to her rescue and has supported her as well, making things as smooth as they can to carry her through her grief hopefully to a time when life will return to something nearer “normal”, if ever!
So I think I have answered my own questions, No, Christian fellowship is not limited to coffee after morning service, and my Brothers and Sisters in Christ live right here in the heart of these Somerset villages, in the towns and countryside around, in most parts of this world that our Maker created. I know I have a very large family as Jesus said,” Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Amen

A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, the future development of our Benefice and its Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love in our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Final Hymn 60 Bind us together Lord

Refrain
Bind us together Lord, Bind us together With cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord, Bind us together, Bind us together with love.

There is only one God,
There is only one King;
There is only one Body,
That is why we sing:
Refrain
Made for the glory of God,
Purchased by His precious Son;
Born with the right to be clean,
For Jesus the victory has won.
Refrain
You are the family of God,
You are the promise divine;
You are God’s chosen desire,
You are the glorious new wine. Refrain

The Sending
Our time of worship together is ending, we are full of hope that in a few more weeks we will return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So, once again imagine you are in your church, in a circle of friends looking around as we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen
Our worship has ended, our service continues
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Trinity Sunday – 30 May 2021
Living as Apostles
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us
Thanksgiving
In this Post-Easter season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of Resurrection.

Hymn for Trinity Today I Awake
(Appropriate as these words are for Trinity, the tune is difficult to sing, so the words are best treated as a poem
Today I awake
and God is before me.
At night, as I dreamt,
he summoned the day:
for God never sleeps
but patterns the morning
with slivers of gold
or glory of grey.

Today I arise
and Christ is beside me.
He walked through the dark
to scatter new light.
Yes, Christ is alive,
and beckons his people
to hope and to heal,
resist and invite.

Today I affirm
the Spirit within me
at worship and work,
in struggle and rest.
The Spirit inspires
all life which is changing
from fearing to faith,
from broken to blest.

Today I enjoy
the Trinity round me,
above and beneath,
before and behind;
the Maker, the Son,
the Spirit together –
they call me to life
and call me their friend.

The Word: Readings from:-
Isaiah 6.1-8 “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord, ….
(He said) .. Whom shall I send?
“Here I am, send me.”
John 3. 1-17 Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. Jesus tells him that he must be born again of the Spirit.

A Reflection Living the Life of the Trinity
Last Saturday evening Rosemary & I met a couple of our oldest and dearest friends for a meal. It was the first time we had eaten in the company of other people for 10 months. – and a joyful occasion. However, I was also aware of a melancholy that seemed to haunt our conversation. We are all in our mid 70’s and feeling our age. For Mike & Sue, who were not blessed with children, that means facing the question of who is going to look after them in their last days. They have no other family! Rosemary & I might hope that our children, to whom Mike and Sue have been wonderful ‘aunt and uncle’, will provide some support. But they have their own family responsibilities so that is a big ask.
That story was mirrored by another in the Guardian on Tuesday. Emily Kenway, a political journalist wrote of suddenly being taken to hospital, seriously ill, and finding that she had no one who she could name as her next of kin. She had been brought up by a single parent who was herself already in hospital and in intensive care. She wrote, “The family unit is the conventional building block of care, but it is often too small, too busy with work, or too geographically spread out to perform that function. – It is not how we are supposed to live. It’s not how many of us want to live.”
The Limitations of Family
Emily has recognised that the concept of family is too closely bounded. Despite that, governments and religious organisations constantly emphasise its importance as a building block of society. But Jesus knew its limitations which is why he called together a diverse group of disciples with whom to share his life and ministry. By sharing his day-to-day, itinerant life with them he gradually shaped them into a community bonded by love and mutual interdependency; a community that was so strong that it would test the family relationships of the disciples; a community that eventually took on Jesus’ own ministry and began to build what we now know as the church
However, let’s put that thought aside for a moment and turn to the story of Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus.
A Clandestine Meeting
Nicodemus was a pillar of the establishment in Jerusalem; a descendent of an ancient family and a member of the Sanhedrin, the governing council of the Temple. As the head of a Jewish family he was both the father figure and the religious head – almost a priest figure who led family worship, sat at the head of the table for the Sabbath meal, ensured that the family life conformed to Jewish Law and that children and grandchildren were taught the faith. And that household of faith was modelled on a Creator God, Yahweh, who held all of creation in his hands and structured the life of mankind with the Law.
That hierarchical structure was also reflected in Roman society of that period. The Emperor was to be worshipped as God, and family life led by the father figure who, under the Pater Familias Law owned his wife, his offspring and slaves.
Something drew Nicodemus to Jesus, but perhaps it’s not surprising that such a pillar of the establishment should ask to meet Jesus secretly, after dark. Sadly, St John only gives us a fragment of the conversation between the two men, and an enigmatic one at that. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again.
What did Jesus mean when he spoke of being born again and why might that have been the most important message he could give Nicodemus.
Born Again
I have come to believe that the expression “being born again” does not simply mean to be born into a spiritual relationship with Jesus. It now seems to me that it means allowing oneself to be reborn into an entirely new form of ‘family’, one that is not tied together by law or blood relationships, a shared story and historic ownership of land and property. It means committing one’s life to, a ‘family’ of diverse Christians who share their lives in community. St Paul described the range of that diversity as one in which there would be no distinction between Jew & Gentile, slave and free, male and female. That is the model of community that Emily Kenway, and our friends, need and seek.
Overarching that understanding of Christian Community is the radical understanding of the Godhead as a community – The Trinity
The Trinity
The model of the traditional Jewish household was a reflection of Yahweh’s role over his creation; a hierarchical structure of power.
However, Jesus had shown his disciples another way of living in a community where everyone is equally valued and loved by God, and it is modelled on a God who exists in community. Andrei Rublev’s famous icon represents this well. Notice the posture of each of the figures in relation to each other. No one is dominant; each defers to the others. Study the layout; you, the viewer, are instantly included in the circle, accepted into the Godhead. Each of the parts of the Godhead has its own specific gifts and role, yet no one can function without the others – they are mutually interdependent. And, as Isaiah’s vision shows him, God has a place and a task for him – and the Trinity have a place and a role for each of us, too.

Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
There can be no doubt now that the existing pattern of church life in our villages is unsustainable. The hierarchical structure of the CofE is too dependent on delegated authority that, to me, reflects an Old Testament image of God. And that centralised control, moderated a little by quasi-parliamentary, democratic structures, places churches against each other in a fight for resources – for each congregations’ choice of services, a smaller portion of the Parish Share, or more of our Priest’s time. That should not be!
A re-appraisal of the Trinity and of how we might adjust the practices of the churches in the Benefice to live and work in mutual interdependence seem vital. And with it must go a re-examination of how we might live together as Christians in Community; that is with deep personal relationships of love, akin to our family relationships, but which make space for and embrace a much wider cross section of society (whatever in our culture is the equivalent of rich & poor, Jew and Gentile, slave and free).
Question: Ask yourself what it might mean to you to live a more open and intimate life with your fellow Christians and with your neighbours – and what effect that might have on the society in which we are set.

Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.
Think of the people around you to whom you feel drawn, among family, friends and neighbours – and also those you find difficult. Give thanks for the values and the love that you see in them. Pray for them as fellow disciples, whether or not they profess a faith.
Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.
Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Hymn Praise with Joy
This hymn for Trinity can be sung to the tune “Praise my soul, the King of Heaven”

Praise with joy the worlds Creator;
God of justice, love and peace,
source and end of human knowledge,
force of greatness without cease.
Celebrate the maker’s glory –
power to rescue and release.

Praise the Son who feeds the hungry,
cloths the naked, finds the lost,
heals the sick, upsets religion,
fearless of both fate and cost.
Celebrate Christ’s constant presence –
Friend and stranger, guest and host.

Praise the Spirit sent among us
liberating truth from pride,
forging bonds where race or gender,
age or nation dare divide.
Celebrate the Spirit’s treasure –
foolishness none dare deride.

Praise the maker, Son and Spirit,
one God in community,
calling Christians to embody
oneness and diversity.
Thus the world shall yet believe
when shown Christ’s vibrant unity.

Personal Praise and Worship 23rd 2021 May 21
Pentecost Sunday

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. Welcome.
Let’s quiet our minds now and prepare ourselves for this period with our Lord.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we come before you this morning with grateful hearts but bringing also our needs, our hurts. We are full of praise for being ever near you. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and move our feet that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may follow in your footsteps. Amen

Hymn 131 Filled with Spirit’s power (Sung to the tune “Sing out my Soul”)
Filled with the Spirit’s power with one accord
the infant church confessed its risen Lord.
O Holy Spirit, in the church today
no less your power of fellowship display.

Now with the mind of Christ set us on fire,
that unity may be our great desire.
give joy and peace; give faith to hear your call,
and readiness in each to work for all.

Widen our love, good Spirit, to embrace
in your strong care people of every race.
like wind and fire with life among us move,
till we are known as Christ’s, and Christians prove.

John 15 v 26 – 16 v 15 The Work of the Holy Spirit
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince, of this world now stands condemned.

Reflections
I see that conflict has broken out once again between Jews and Arabs, a revival of a conflict over the land of Palestine, conflict that has been going on since 1948, over 70 years. It is probable that there has been more time spent in seeking the way to bring peace between these two warring people’s, to find a way for them to share this ancient land once inhabited by God’s chosen people, than many other conflicts, but so far to no avail.
There has always been war in this world, there was conflict right from the beginning of creation the moment when mankind first lived on this earth, when Satan had a chat with Eve. There has always been a conflict between Good and Evil and there was a time when God in despair sent his Son to reclaim his people. But the people in authority wouldn’t listen and chose the evil path and crucified Our Lord.
But the victory was with God: the resurrection of our Lord Jesus proved that the power of good would always prevail and after Christ, having spending time with his disciples, ascended into heaven to live with the Father. Although Jesus in today’s reading is warning his followers what was to happen they didn’t understand and didn’t want to hear that Jesus was going to” abandon them”. How could the ministry of Jesus continue if he left them, especially as Jesus says “They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.? They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.
The authorities had reached a point that they had lost God, Jesus says “they had not known the Father”. God was there to be found, but the elders of the Temple were looking in the wrong place.
In this context I always enjoyed the story about two tearaways youngsters living in a village. Jimmy and Tom were invariably in trouble, trespassing, scrumping and playing tricks on old people and generally causing a bit of nuisance.
Their parents were at their wits ends to put a stop to it and their father had reach the point where he was really going to give them a good hiding. Their mother suggested that they could ask the vicar to have a word with them. So Jimmy and Tom were marched off to the vicarage and the aged vicar agreed to speak with them separately.
He began by asking young Jimmy “where is God” Jimmy stared out of the window, looking uncomfortable but said nothing. The vicar not wishing to be ignored repeated his question “Where is God”. Jimmy again looked away and stayed silent
So the vicar raised his voice and asked the question slowly again “Where – is – God” The boy clamped his jaw shut tight and remained silent. The Vicar losing his patience shook his finger at Jimmy and shouted “Where is God”
At that Jimmy bolted out of the house ran home and hid himself in the cupboard under the stairs. His elder brother Tom followed him home and joined him and asked what had happened – Jimmy answered “we are in BIG trouble this time. God has gone missing and they think we did it!”
Jimmy may have mistakenly thought the vicar had lost God, but there can be doubt that the authorities of the Temple, who mistakenly believing they were doing God’s work , crucified Jesus, continued their persecution against Christ’s followers.
I wonder if his followers understood when Jesus went on to tell them that it was for their own good that he was leaving them. I think we all know there comes that moment in most family’s lives when parent have to cut children loose so that they can learn to stand on their own two feet. We do what we can to instil those principles and characteristics that will keep them on the right path, but finally they must experience life for themselves and gain confidence and learn to make a life of their own. That is exactly what Jesus is telling them in today’s reading.
It was necessary if the early church was to survive and fight evil, that it must grow and spread over the entire world, and to accomplish this his followers had be sure in their belief in Christ’s teaching and full of courage to spread what we call the Gospel, the Good News. They will need the Advocate, to join them in their work.
Jesus goes on to explain what the Advocate would achieve in God’s fight with Evil. Jesus speaks in advertorial terms we associate with law courts; the Advocate or prosecutor will prove the world wrong, will prove sin, will reveal injustices, evil will be condemned. and will bring out the truth. The Holy Spirit is the prosecuting counsel and we are to be his witnesses, we will provide evidence of the evil? But such advertorial work will only be done in love, we are not to give judgement. That is for God alone to do.
The Advocate of course comes in many forms to live and work through us, this link with God is his Holy Spirit, his Counsellor, his Messenger, his Comforter. When the Holy Spirit descends upon us we are given power to do those things God would have us do, even though we may think we do not have the strength, the merit, the stamina to do it.
And that is the relevance of today’s reading. There is no point in welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives if we don’t use the power of God that comes with it. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, stressed that God’s grace was for “other sheep” not just the Jews but for the whole world. And as I have said many times, we Christians are the only hands, feet and voice available to him. We are a part of his church, the body that must sustain that same ministry launched by Christ some 2000 years ago. The baton has passed to us.
So take heart let’s make a move to do something that we have been thinking of doing for some time but didn’t believe we had the courage or strength to do. With the Holy Spirit at work alongside us we may surprise ourselves. Give it go, what have we got to loose?
“What is ours, now to do? Amen
The Creed
I believe in God who created the world, a power that is working everywhere and in everyone, sometimes visible, often invisible, a power of good that overcomes evil.
I believe that in despair God, sent his son Jesus Christ to live amongst us to reveal what God looks like, to teach his ways and to fight evil. Evil thought it had won when it crucified Jesus but was defeated when he was resurrected from the dead and finally returned to the his Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that God sent to us to guide us so that we may show his light to the world. I believe in the God the Father, God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit, this is my faith and this is my hope for eternal life.

A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, our Benefice Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love of our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week, those who are facing illness, loneliness or are grieving for lost loved ones.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.

Final Hymn
Holy Spirit, we welcome you
Holy Spirit, we welcome you
Move amongst us with holy fire
As we lay aside all earthly desire
Hands reach out and hearts aspire
Holy Spirit, holy Spirit, holy Spirit, we welcome you

Holy Spirit, we welcome you
Holy Spirit, we welcome you
Let the breeze of your presence blow,
That your children here might truly know
How to move in the Spirit’s flow.
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, we welcome you

Holy Spirit, we welcome you
Holy Spirit, we welcome you
Please accomplish in me today
Some new work of loving grace I pray…
Let the breeze of your presence blow,
That your children here might truly know
How to move in the spirit’s flow.
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, we welcome you

The Sending
Our time of worship together is ending and there are signs that Summer is going to happen. We are full of hope that perhaps next month we will return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen
Our worship has ended, our service continues
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
7th Sunday of Easter – 16 May 2021
Seeking ‘Other’ Disciples
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia

Thanksgiving
In this Post-Easter season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of Resurrection.
Now say:
Thanks be to God

Hymn for Ascensiontide: Sing to the World
(Appropriate as these words are for Ascension, the tune is difficult to sing, so the words are best treated as a poem)

Sing to the world of Christ our sovereign Lord,
tell of his birth which brought new life to all.
Speak of his life, his love, his holy word;
let every hear and nation know his call.
Sing to the world of Christ our sovereign Lord,

Sing to the world of Christ the Prince of Peace,
Showing us the Father’s loving care,
pleading that love should reign and wars might cease,
teaching we need the love of God to share.
Sing to the world of Christ the prince of Peace.

Sing to the world of Christ our steadfast friend,
offering himself to live the constant sign,
food for our souls until we meet life’s end,
giving us his flesh for bread, his blood for wine.
Sing to the world of Christ our steadfast friend.

Sing to the world of Christ our Saviour King,
born that his death the world’s release should win.
Hung on a cross, forgiveness he could bring;
buried, he rose to conquer death and sin.
Sing to the world of Christ our Saviour King.

Sing to the world of Christ at God’s right hand,
praise to the Spirit both have sent from heaven.
Living in us till earth shall reach its span,
time be no more, and Christ shall come again.
Sing to the world of Christ at God’s right hand.

Words: Patrick Lee Tune: Ernest Sands
©OCP Publications via Calamus
Found in ‘Common Ground’ published by St Andrew Press

The Word: Readings from:-
Psalm 1. “Happy are those who delight in the Law. They are like trees planted near water”.
Acts 1.15-17, 21-end The Disciples choose a replacement for Judas.
1 John 5.9-13 “Whoever has the Son has life.”
John 17. 6-19 “Sanctify them in the truth”. Jesus asks God’s blessing on the Disciples – those who God gave him.

A Reflection Seeking ‘Other’ Disciples
In one way or another, all the readings chosen for today are about discipleship; seeking disciples, choosing disciples and living The Jesus Way as disciples.
The Disciples choose a replacement for Judas
Twelve is a significant number in the Jewish tradition. The twelve sons of Jesse found the twelve tribes of Israelites who, after exile in Egypt, settle in the Promised Land. A millennium later, Jesus chose and nurtured a band of twelve Disciples.
But when Judas killed himself leaving a band of just 11, it quickly became imperative to find a replacement. It seems that there were two candidates; Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias, but only one vacancy. We might guess that there was little to choose between them, or that they each had the same number of supporters because, instead of voting or of praying and trying to come to one mind by discussion, they trusted to luck and drew lots. Matthias was selected and the Disciple band was complete again.
I wonder why they didn’t count their blessings at having two worthy candidates and accept both. One of the things which endears me to Masterchef is the way in which, occasionally, Greg & John are unable to make a decision and seem quite relaxed about changing the rules and taking three candidates through to the next stage of the competition instead of two, knowing that a decision will be easier later. What might have happened if the Disciple band had taken Joseph as well as Matthias?
Seeking and Choosing Disciples
So what was it that attracted the eleven disciples to Joseph and Matthias? What was the evidence of their suitability?
Our other readings point to some signs that could be helpful. Psalm 1 says that those who delight in the Law (of the Lord) will be like trees planted by water, their leaves will always be healthy, and they will produce fruit in due season. So people with a zest for life, who radiate energy and enthusiasm, who get things done, might be candidates. In his first letter, John writes that, “Whoever has the Son has life”; whoever bears evidence of the Jesus Spirit in their lives. That seems to be born out by the stories of the early Gentile converts to Christianity. As I wrote two weeks ago, the common element in many of the stories recorded in Acts is of people who already exhibited signs of the presence of the Risen Christ even before they had heard of his existence; the Ethiopian Official, Cornelius the Soldier, Philemon the slave owner, Priscilla & Aquilla, Lydia. This also suggests that there will always be a ‘buzz’ of The Spirit around potential disciples.
However, Jesus’ prayer for his Disciples in the Gospel of John suggests another factor. He understood his followers to have been God’s gift to him, rather than his personal choice. That suggests a element of chance – they were the ones who presented themselves at a particular moment in time. That idea is also born out in the gospel stories of the formation of the disciple band. Walking along a beach one day, Jesus encounters some fishermen – “follow me”, he says; and they do. Later, he happened to see Nathaniel sitting under the fig tree. Together with others, they are God’s gift to him of a community with whom he could live The Way – God’s Way of life.
Our Context – the villages of Cam Vale Benefice.
As readers of this reflection you are likely to be only too well aware of the number of people who have moved away from the six parishes in the past year or two; also of those who have died, most recently Carole Carter. The local band of church members has diminished in number. There are gaps to be filled and space for more disciples; and now there is no maximum number!
So where might other disciples be found? How will they be identifiable?
Jesus understood that his disciples had been chosen for him – by God. I think that meant that they were individuals that he ‘bumped into’ as he lived the life he had been given; people with whom he felt an empathy. However, his encounter with Nathaniel does make it clear that Jesus was observing and reflecting on those around him and noting aspects of their lives; in Nathaniel’s case, that he was a true Jew, ‘in whom there is no deceit’, who could be found under his fig tree – in that culture and time, often the quiet place for personal prayer. Furthermore, as we have already seen, after Pentecost and the sending down of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ followers repeatedly found themselves among people who were already full of that Spirit, without knowing its source.
Together, those things beg a QUESTION.
Who are the people you encounter and in whom you see the signs of the Jesus Spirit: That is, the people who are caring for the widows and the sick ; volunteering at Covid Vaccination clinics; supporting the food banks for the starving; fighting the cause of the refugee; working to restore balance to ecology; resisting racial and identity discrimination?
The church has taught its members that those individuals are to be ‘evangelised’ and brought into the church community. I want to affirm the opposite: it is our task to go out from church and to join them in their vocation; to recognise the Spirit in them and, by attaching ourselves to their cause, to help create a better world – The Kingdom of God.

Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Think of the people around you to whom you feel drawn, among family, friends and neighbours. Give thanks for the values and the love that attracts you to them. Pray for them as fellow disciples, whether or not they profess a faith.

Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

When God Almighty came to earth,
he took the pain of Jesus’ birth;
he took the flight of refugee
and whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty went to work,
carpenter’s sweat he did not shirk;
profit and loss he did not flee,
but whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God’ Almighty walked the street,
the critic’s curse he had to meet;
the cynic’s smile he had to see
and whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty met his folk,
of peace and truth he gladly spoke
and set the salve and tyrant free,
and whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty took his place
to save the fallen human race
he took it boldly on a tree
and whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty comes again,
he’ll meet us ingognito as then;
and though no words may voice his plea,
he’ll whisper, “Humbly follow me.”

Sunday Worship in Camvale Benefice
A Service of Personal Praise and Worship 9th May 2021
Good morning to you all, and welcome once more to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. Although services in parishes are recommencing once more while still observing Covid rules, the distribution of this service of Personal Praise and Worship is to continue for those who are not able to attend or are seeking a different form of worship. So now, let’s still our minds and gather together and prepare to spend time with our God.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we come to you this morning to give you thanks and praise for all the good things you provide for us, our food, our health, the countryside in which we are blessed to live. Open our minds to hear your word that we may be strengthened and better prepared to live the life you would have us live. Father, open our hearts that we may draw ever closer to you. We pray this in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

First Hymn
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Confession
Before we make our confessions, take a moment to think back over the week. Bring to mind moments that were good and cheering, the people that have touched you this week and prayers that have been answered and say thank you: and now bring to mind those things that were wrong, regretted and ask for God’s mercy.
We say together
Holy Father, there things in my life that must cause you pain, I do try not to do hurtful things and yet they still happen. Straighten me Lord that with your help
I can do better. And thank you Father for the good things that brought smiles and contentment to my day. Continue to pour down your Grace upon me, that Christ may shine on and in me. We prayer in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Reading taken from The Message edition: John 15:9-17
“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.
“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
“You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.
“But remember the root command: Love one another.”

Reflections
Our reading this morning is a part of longer teaching session Jesus is having with his disciples. He is preparing them prior to leaving them, preparing them to continue his ministry after his ascension to his Father. In this morning’s passage he speaks about what is at the core of his ministry – Love.
He begins by explaining to his disciples the relationship he has with God, his Father and the relationship we should have with him – all based on love. He stresses that his ministry is and always will be centred on love, the same love that his Father has for him. As expressed in this reading from the Message Bible Jesus says “Make yourselves at home in my love.” He is expressing here the depth of love that he is seeking from his disciples and us. This passage is not speaking of some casual relationship that is variable in quality and commitment, to be turned on and off as it is suits us as we go about our daily lives. It goes even beyond devotion. It is that sort of love that not only will fills us with joy but also immerses us in a protective layer that will give us peace, the sort of protective assurance most of us knew when we were children living in the bosom of our families.
And yet it is even more than that because this love has another dimension, it is an active love that gives us power to look outwards. Not the inward looking self gratifying type of love that frequently leads us to just wrap it around ourselves. As the second commandment puts it, the type of outward looking love that commands us to love our neighbour.
The depth and width of this love that flows from God to us through Jesus is difficult to comprehend; Paul’s description of it in his prayer to the Ephesians 3 v. 17 -19 gives us perhaps a the best insight.
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power………to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”
Jesus is saying that the loving relationship he would have with us is one that will fill us with the fullness of God. It can’t get better than that. However, Jesus then introduces a caveat for that love to continue to flow, it is conditional upon keeping his command, the command to love one another as I have loved you. He says ”That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love” He entreats us to do the same
I sometimes wonder if we humans are capable of this depth of love, it’s not easy, we are not all Mother Teresa. There always seem to be good rational reasons why we don’t want to go all the way in our commitment, our egos perhaps come to the surface and we start doing those things we don’t want to do. But we must remember the purpose behind this love is that we bring and share the joy of Jesus and by so doing, bear fruit, fruit that benefits the community, as well as ourselves. The joy of Jesus isn’t the same as what is commonly understood as happiness or excitement. The joy of Jesus is not the pleasure of a life of ease; it is the exhilaration of being right with God, and consciously walking in His love and care producing His fruit.
Perhaps like me, the emphasis once more about bearing fruit makes me despondent, as much as I would wish these days I don’t seem to have much to offer my neighbour. All the little energy that I do have I need to look after myself. However, Jesus in verse 16 gives us the reassurance that we need. It’s not just up to us God has a hand in this as well!
There is an important lesson here. God chooses whom God chooses. God empowers whom God empowers. A padre of my Regiment talking about fruit of the spirit and empowerment once told me that a look around a typical congregation shows that God has not chosen the brightest and the best. Most Godly work is done by ordinary people distinguished by only one characteristic—they have invited Christ into their lives, they have become friends of Jesus.
That should encourage us. and perhaps more importantly it should also make us hesitant to judge any person’s potential. The person who seems to have the least to offer might be the person that God chooses to transform the world, well if not the world at least the Parish. God chooses whom God chooses.
If we are to produce fruit for Christ, it is important that we seek his will for our lives—to let him direct how and where we reach out to others. and that takes thought, listening and prayer’
I’m reminded of the story of a journalist in Jerusalem who, from his apartment overlooking the Wailing Wall, notices over time that whenever he looks at the wall he sees an old Jewish man praying vigorously.
The journalist, wondered if there was a publishable story here, goes down to the wall, introduces himself and says: “You come every day to the wall. What are you praying for?”
The old man replies: “What am I praying for? In the morning I pray for world peace, then I pray for the brotherhood of man. I go home, have a glass of tea, and I come back to the wall to pray for the eradication of illness and disease from the earth.”
The journalist is taken by the old man’s sincerity and persistence. “You mean you have been coming to the wall to pray every day for these things?”
The old man nods.
“How long have you been coming to the wall to pray for these things?” The old man becomes reflective and then replies: “How long? Maybe twenty, twenty-five years.”
The amazed journalist finally asks: “How does it feel to come and pray every day for over 20 years for these things?” “How does it feel?” the old man replies.
“It feels like I’m talking to a wall.”
Have you not noticed that when you look around and ask yourself where do I see Christians at work, you see it, if you notice it at all, in the quiet, humble little things, that are making the difference to the quality of the community, nothing very obvious, no acclaim, no ringing of bells to recognise God’s work, just someone using the fruits of their Spirit, just as God has chosen. Often this work may go unnoticed by us, and sometimes we are prompted to do something without realising the consequences. The Jew who prayed at the wailing wall for 25 years has no appreciation of what God did with his prayers. Who remembers the name of the friend who gave the evangelist Billy Graham a lift to a Christian gathering in the next town where his gift of oratory was launched?
The humblest Sunday school teacher, serving whole-heartedly in a Christ-given appointment, can render as important a service as any pastor or bishop. Christ often uses very humble people to change the world.
Through Jesus, God has chosen us to for his divine purpose, namely for Joy, for expressing acts of love, to be his friend, and to be his hands and feet and voice, to be His people. All we have to do is chose to follow Jesus, why not? – he simply asks us to make ourselves at home in his love. That’s what Jesus says is at the core of this teaching if you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. As I said it can’t get any better than that! Amen.

The Apostles Creed
We say together
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.
Amen.

A time of Prayer
Bring to the cross any prayers you have perhaps about the wider Church of Christ, our Benefice Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, particularly the great suffering in India, our thanks for love of our community, and hold in your hand those who are sick and grieving. End your time of prayer by saying the Lord’s prayer
Our Father………..

Final Hymn
Love divine, all loves excelling joy of heaven to earth come down
fix in us Thy humble dwelling all Thy faithful mercies crown
Jesus, Thou art all compassion pure, unbounded love Thou art
visit us with Thy salvation enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe, Thy loving spirit into every troubled breast
let us all in Thee inherit, let us find that second rest
take away the love of sinning, Alpha and Omega be end of faith, as its beginning sets our hearts at liberty.

Come almighty to deliver, let us all Thy life receive
suddenly return and never, never more Thy temples leave
Thee we would be always blessing, serve Thee as Thy hosts above
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing, glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be
let us see thy great salvation, perfectly restored in thee.
changed from glory into glory, ‘Till in heaven we take our place
till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.

To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace with them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.
Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.
Till we meet again God be with you

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
Rogationtide and the 5th Sunday of Easter – 2 May 2021
Resurrection for the whole of Creation
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia

Thanksgiving
In this Post-Easter season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of Resurrection.
Then say:
Thanks be to God

Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn: We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land

We plough the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand:
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft, refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heav’n above;
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
for all his love.

He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
he fills the earth with beauty,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us, his children,
he gives our daily bread.
Refrain
We thank thee then, O Father,
for all things bright and good:
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
for all thy love imparts,
and, what thou most desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts.
Refrain

The Word: Readings from:-
Acts 8.26-end Philip takes the ‘wilderness road” and encounters the Ethiopian, baptises him, and Christianity begins to spread into Africa
1 John 4.7-end “Little Children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”

A Reflection “Resurrection for all”
For some months, it has been my custom to take a line from each of the Bible readings and to weave a brief reflection around them. This time, I also want to draw strands from pieces written by two local residents and to put them alongside the Bible readings.
Resurrection for All
So, to the first local contribution. In his reflection last week, Pat noted that the moment of Crucifixion was no longer a local conflict in Jerusalem between Jesus and the Sanhedrin … but had global implications”. The Good Shepherd had given his life for ‘other sheep’ not just Jewish ones. Then Pat asked a question. “Why is it then that the church appears to claim exclusive and parochial possession of the death and resurrection of Christ”.
His question set me thinking. Was he right about the church? It certainly proclaims that ‘life after death’ or ‘life in all its fullness’ is only available to those who confess a belief in Christ. And it demands the believers must be baptised and confirmed to participate in the life of the Christian Community.
However, the Acts of the Apostles points us to very different patterns of spiritual growth; some of the first gentile converts come to faith in Christ having first explored the Jewish faith as proselytes; others from an instinctive faith which has nurtured a life of devotion to others. Either way, the Apostles find themselves encountering Godly people in whom the Spirit of the Risen Christ is evident, so their role is to recognise that, to acknowledge it and to baptise.
Philip and the Ethiopian
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is just such an event.
It begins. with an Ethiopian official in the Court of the Queen who makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover Celebrations. For that official, it is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event involving a round trip of 4,000 miles, a long way even in a chariot! It is likely that he was a convert to Judaism rather than a Jew by birth, but clearly driven by a very real faith.
Then there is Philip, a disciple of Jesus who is encouraged, by an ‘angel’, to set out on a 50 mile journey from Jerusalem to Gaza taking the ‘wilderness road’. One imagines that he would have been on foot. Was he planning to take the news of Jesus’ resurrection to the remote city of Gaza. We’ll never know.
While on the road, Philip is overtaken by the Ethiopian’s chariot. It stops and they meet. Philip quickly notices that the Ethiopian is reading from the prophet Isaiah, which can’t have been easy on a bumpy desert road. And that gives Philip his opening to speak of Jesus and his resurrection. It appears that they travelled on together and later, as they come to a wadi, the Ethiopian asks to be baptised and, Philip recognising that this man is full of the Spirit, baptises him.
It is as Pat says, Resurrection is for all. And in this Spirit filled moment a foreigner, and Ethiopian from a nation 2,000 miles away becomes the first follower of The Way, the first Christian in that country; and an influential one, at that.
If we were to read on further into Acts we would find the story of the Ethiopian is just the first of a number in which the Apostles encounter Gentile and proselyte people who are full of the Spirit of the Risen Christ and exhibiting all the signs of Jesus’ resurrected life. There is the Roman Centurion, Cornelius in Acts 10, Lydia, the seller of purple cloth in Acts 16, and the Jailer in Ephesus, also in Acts 16.
Evidence of Resurrection in the Benefice.
Now to the second local story. When Mike Groves died in Corton Denham a few days before Easter, Rosemary & I were asked to take the funeral service. We met the family, his widow, Sybil, daughter Bridgette and granddaughters Bronya and Abbi on Easter Saturday, when they shared memories of a much-loved husband, father and grandfather. Bronya and Abbie had written a tribute to “Our Grandad”, which ends with a wonderful sense of resurrection – of new life that is to come., and I have their permission to quote from it
In sadness and bereavement, Bronya wrote “our safety net has gone”, which immediately reminded me of how the disciples were feeling on the first Easter Sabbath. But then she did what the disciples did on the Emmaus Road, she reflected on what Grandad had meant to them, “You’ve instilled so much in all who knew you – to carry on together”. Is this not what the first disciples did? After a few false starts, like going back to fishing, they pulled together as a group and came to realise that their task was to carry on with the life they had led with Jesus. And when they did that, the Spirit of their resurrected Lord inspired them to teach and to heal as he had done. Bronya, too, began to see that same possibility, “The time we had with you has given us each a part of you to carry through life always …”.
Once again, in this place, Resurrection is revealed to be for all.
Rogation
I am in danger of appearing to overlook the fact that this is the season of Rogation, traditionally a time to ask God’s protection and blessing on the crops that will feed us for the next year. However, it seems to me that Rogation and Resurrection are intimately connected. There can be no more convincing sign that Resurrection is at the heart of God’s Creation than the annual awakening of all life that takes place in Springtime. The enormous surge of energy brought about by the increased hours of sunlight, without human intervention, yet self-sustaining over thousands, if not millions of years, is incredible – and can only be of God.
However, such is the destructive power of the human race, that the balance of nature within God’s Creation has, in the last half century, been disturbed. Numerous life forms have been crucified as humans have sought to control their world and to harness it to their pleasure.
So when Pat writes of Resurrection being for all, we need also to recall St Paul’s words about the whole of creation groaning as it awaits its redemption from its bondage to decay.
Consequently, we humans now need to preface of Rogation-tide prayers to God for his blessing on our crops, with a lament for the destruction done, with confession for our part in that, and for a commitment to re-imagine the way we live to bring it back within the bounds that God has set.
Then all of created life might begin to experience Resurrection.

Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.
Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

O Jesus Christ, in human flesh
you practised heaven’s care,
besieged by need, betrayed by greed,
sustained by faith and prayer.

Before you spoke, before you healed,
before you broke the bread,
in crowds, as in the quiet place,
you felt for where God led.

Not to escape, but to prepare,
to fathom and fulfil,
you let your heart and hands be tuned,
in silence, to God’s will.

So we, responding to your call
to walk your chosen way,
admit our need to learn from you
to love and work and pray.

Then send your Spirit to inspire
our cautious hearts and hands,
till work and prayer and rooted deep
in love which understands.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
A Service of Personal Praise and Worship 25th April 2021
Good morning to you all, and welcome once more to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. Like me I expect you are enjoying the spring sunshine and the relaxing of isolation rules, perhaps meeting up with friends and family? I see the grass has started growing again and services in parishes are commencing once more. This service of Personal Praise and Worship is to continue for those who are not able to attend or are seeking a different form of worship. So now, let’s still our minds and gather together and prepare to spend time with our God.
Opening Prayer
We come to you this morning to give you thanks and praise for all the good things you provide for us, our food, our health, the countryside in which we are blessed to live. Open our minds to hear your word that we may be strengthened and better prepared to live the life you would have us live. Father, open our hearts that we may draw ever closer to you. We pray this in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ Amen
First Hymn
Awake, awake: fling off the night! for God has sent a glorious light;
and we who live in Christ’s new day, must works of darkness put away.

Awake and sing, with praises strong, in psalm and hymn and Spirit-song.
Let love our words and works renew, with all that’s good, and right, and true.

Let in the light; all sin expose to Christ, whose life no darkness knows.
before the cross expectant kneel, that Christ may judge, and judging, heal.

Then rise, as children of the light, be neither proud, nor hide from sight.
be careful how you live, and wise, to sift the truth from cunning lies.

Through Christ give thanks to God, and say,to other sleepers on the way:
“Awake, and rise up from the dead, that Christ may shine on you instead!”

Confession
Take a moment to think back over the week. Bring to mind moments that were good and cheering ,the people that have touched you this week and prayers that have been answered and say thank you: and now those things that were wrong, regretted and ask for God’s mercy. We say together

Holy Father, there things in my life that must cause you pain, I do try not to do hurtful things and yet they still happen. Straighten me Lord that with your help
I can do better. And thank you Father for the good things that brought smiles and contentment to my day. Continue to pour down your Grace upon me, that Christ may shine on and in me. We prayer in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gospel Reading John 10:11-18 – The Good Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Reflection
Did you know that sheep are mentioned 400 times in the Old Testament and 70 in the new? They are used extensively in the Bible as symbols or pictures of mankind, helpless, easily led and often lost, but also happily restored! Of course Jesus is regarded as the ultimate “sacrificial” lamb.

In our reading today we are not talking about sheep but the shepherd, the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. In the Bible the term shepherd is used as one who has political or spiritual responsibility for other people.

Writing about Shepherds I love the story of a man walking along a country lane and comes across a shepherd leaning over a gate looking at a huge flock of sheep. The man stops and says to the shepherd, “I will bet you £50 against one of your sheep that I can tell you the exact number in this flock.” The shepherd thinks it over and, knowing it’s a big flock, he takes the bet. “973,” says the man! The shepherd is astonished, because that is exactly right. “OK” says the shepherd “I’m a man of my word, take an animal.” The man picks one up and begins to walk away.

“Hang on wait a moment,” cries the shepherd, “Let I have a chance to get ev’n.

Double or n’thing that I be guessing your job.” The man says “yes, certainly.” “You be an economist for one of they government think tanks,” says the shepherd. “Amazing!” responds the man, “You are exactly right! But tell me, how did you deduce that?”

“Well,” says the shepherd, “put down my dog and I’ll tell he” —–

You see not all shepherds aren’t dim yokel folk that we sometimes joke about, they need a detail knowledge of the environment in which their sheep graze, the dangers that their flock need to be guarded against, and those in the flock that are more likely to stray! Shepherds really care for their flock.

Jesus Christ, our shepherd not only lovingly tended his flock but, as God had ordained, at the end of his ministry on earth, he laid down his life for them doing so that on the third day he would be resurrected to full life again. God’s love for his Son is linked with the Son’s death because their mutual love willed that the world would be saved.

That moment of crucifixion was no longer a local conflict in Jerusalem between Jesus and the Sandrine, the horizon had broadened out and it became clear that the sacrifice of the Good Shepherd had much wider significance and brought deliverance and life to “other” sheep, sheep that were at that time way beyond the sound of Jesus’ voice. Christ’s sacrifice had and has gone international and has global implications. The calling of Christ goes out not just to the Jews but the “other” sheep, the Gentiles, in fact everyone in the world. The whole world will be blessed by the sacrifice that was made at Golgotha.
Why is it then that the church appears to claim exclusive and parochial possession of the death and resurrection of Christ? As John writes “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen; I must bring them also……….there shall be one flock and one shepherd”. If the death of the Good Shepherd has global significance why does the Christian church treat it as an exclusive possession? Christ, in his act of atonement, did it for the whole world, not just Christendom.

Looking back at the established church’s history, one can see that the many, many conflicts that have taken place over the millennia have been driven by religion. The great schism in Christ’s church came about due to a complex mix of religious disagreements and political conflicts. Today I find it hard to believe one of the disagreements between the western (Roman) and eastern (Byzantine) branches of the church had to do with whether or not it was acceptable to use unleavened bread for the sacrament of communion! Can it be true that the breaking up of that Christian community ordained by Jesus – “They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” came about over the correctness of the use of yeast!!!?

Certainly our branch of Christian belief and our feeling of superiority has played its part in underpinned some terrible events and movements around the world, Christian crusades and in part colonialism. Probably most were undertaken with the best of intent, with “divine” guidance, the need to “spread the Gospel” albeit with economical and commercial elements of gain! The church that was (and still is) at the heart of the establishment claimed authority to spread the Gospel through that most Holy of possessions the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

However, we are where we are. Today we live in a multi-cultural society with several strands of faith, living together on a small island fairly densely packed together. And bye and large we rub alongside one another in peace and harmony. One cannot ignore the tensions that exist, the movements that are out on the streets seeking understanding and equality. Jesus Christ may well have been out there with them, he being the rebel that he was seen to be in his earthly ministry. But today’s reading quite clearly tells us that His goal and that of our church is to work towards one flock with one shepherd and, given the nature of the world, it should be progressed in a peaceful and reasoned manner pointing the way, providing opportunities for letting our risen Lord, to do the work of occupying room in empty hearts. We insiders need to help someone to hear the knock and open the door and find Christ waiting to enter. The love of Jesus does everything else!

The Good News of Easter has to be more widely broadcast without being dogmatic. Strange as it may seem, the forced isolation we have recently experienced has offered a good opportunity for us insiders to do our work of “spreading the Gospel” (I’m not sure I like that expression, it has overtones of a virus?). People have suffered in many ways not just loneliness but also sudden loss and grief and these are the conditions in which people seek help, seek understanding, try to give meaning to their lives. What we have experienced in our lives as Christ’s sheep has to be put to work. The Shepherd’s voice has to be heard by “other” sheep so that they may discover the fullness of life that flows from his death and resurrection. It is not the church’s sole possession. We insiders must not keep it to ourselves. Amen

The Apostles Creed – We say together
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.

A time of Prayer
Bring to the cross any prayers you have perhaps about the wider Church of Christ, our Benefice Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love of our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. End your time by saying a prayer, a variation on the prayer that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws. Amen.

Second Hymn
Faithful Shepherd, feed me in the pastures green;
faithful Shepherd, lead me where your steps are seen:

Hold me fast, and guide me in the narrow way;
so, with you beside me, I need never stray:

Daily bring me nearer to the heavenly shore;
make my faith grow clearer help me love you more:

Consecrate each pleasure, every joy and pain;
you are all my treasure, all I hope to gain:

Day by day prepare me as you purpose best,
then to heaven bear me to my promised rest.

The Sending
So, imagining that you are not alone but amongst your Christian brethren we say as we look around at them
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen
Our worship has ended, our service continues, until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
3rd Sunday of Easter – 18 April 2021
New Life Inspired by the Risen Christ
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia
Thanksgiving
In this Post-Easter season spend a few moments recalling something from the past week that has spoken to you of Resurrection.

Then say:
Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable.
Then again, remembering that Jesus forgave even Peter’s betrayal, say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven
Hymn : Easter Evening

As we walked home at close of day,
a stranger joined us on our way.
He heard us speak of one who’d gone
and when we stopped, he carried on.

“Why wander further without light?
Please stay with us this troubled night.
We’ve shared the truth of how we feel
and now would like to share a meal.”

We sat to eat our simple spread,
then watched the stranger take our bread;
and, as he said the blessing prayer,
we knew that someone else was there.

No stranger he; it was our eyes
which failed to see, in stranger’s guise,
the Lord, who risen from the dead,
met us when ready to be fed.

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
As Mary and our sisters said,
The Lord is risen from the dead!

The Word: Readings from:-
Luke 24.36-48 “… in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering ….”
Acts 3.12-19 “In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.”

A Reflection – Who was Jesus?”

Both readings are afterthoughts, brief records of the after-effects of larger, better known events.
The reading from Luke’s Gospel records what happened when the two disciples returned to the rest of the group in Jerusalem after encountering Jesus on their walk to Emmaus.
The reading from Acts tells us of Peter, explaining to the rest of the followers just how he appeared to heal the beggar in the Temple precinct, not by his own efforts, but by the name and power of the Risen Jesus.
Setting the scene
Whilst we 21st century Christians rejoice at the resurrection of Jesus in this post-Easter period, the readings we hear during Sunday worship tell of 1st century disciples suffering immense confusion; a confusion that was a mixture of post-crucifixion trauma, bereavement, bewilderment at Jesus’ appearances, and disbelief at what they were experiencing. To add to that, they were leaderless, living in fear of their lives and the Cause to which they had devoted three years of their lives appeared lost.
But what was that Cause? Who was Jesus and what had Jesus been trying to achieve?
Who was Jesus?
In his book “Letter to England”, Stephen Cottrell notes that the accounts of Jesus’ life in the Gospels reveal that, “those who follow (Jesus) don’t seem to know who he is. They have hopes for him, but those hopes are dashed. He is neither the religious Saviour nor the political leader they were craving”.
That is the shift of thinking that the disciples are having to face in the days between the first Easter Day and the events of Ascension and Pentecost. Who was it that they had been following? What had he been trying to achieve? And what was the role of the disciples to be now that he had been killed?
Clearly some of his followers saw Jesus as the political leader who would throw out the Roman armies and restore Israel as God’s chosen nation; that he would be a new King David. Others saw the Messiah as a religious figure who would renew the moral and spiritual life of the nation.
But in his earthly life, he does neither of those things. He doesn’t try to become King in any traditional sense. Nor does he attempt to become Chief Priest or to take control of the religious institution and change it from within.
What was Jesus’ cause?
To my mind the most important factor in Jesus’ ministry is to call together a community and to minister with them. Creating Community was the first thing he did at the beginning of his ministry ; people with whom he would live and share everyday life. Reading the gospel accounts of the life of that group gives the strong impression that they became an itinerant band, moving around the country from Galilee into the Gentile lands further north, and also south through the Jordan Valley and across the highlands of Samaria to Jerusalem. There is little evidence of any grand plan dictating a route or timetable, apart from a growing compulsion to go to Jerusalem at the end of the three years.
The Gospels record a series of encounters and event which appear to happen while they are on the move and at random. The sick are healed, groups of people are taught, meals are eaten in company, but they all appear to happen out of chance, everyday encounters. They meet a group of lepers; a woman touches Jesus’ cloak, a centurion asks for help; they take tea with a tax collector; all spontaneous events, many of which have miraculous consequences.
So, one has to conclude that Jesus the Messiah led the life that circumstances presented to him, with no intent to use the power available through political or religious institutions. His ‘power’ lay in his connection to God and in his relationship with the disciple community.
What did the Disciples do, after Jesus’ death?
The two reading give us some clues. In the days after Easter, Jesus continues to appear to the disciples. He eats with them; he walks with them and continues to inspire. He forgives Thomas for his doubts and Peter for betrayal.
And gradually they come to see that if they continue their life as a close community of disciples worshipping and eating together, and if they attend spontaneously to the needs of the people they meet then they will be able to do what Jesus himself could do.
What is ours, now to do?
We are living through difficult times. The society of which we are part has suffered badly in the past year. Today there are many bereaved people around us, victims of Covid and its consequences. The number of poor and destitute families has increased dramatically, the particular needs of young people have largely been overlooked.
And the life of the institutional Christian Church, which has been severely weakened over recent decades, has also been further hampered by the effects of lockdown, making it difficult for the church to respond as an institution.
But perhaps a re-telling of the post-Easter Gospel accounts can show us Christians a New Way. And perhaps it is not about how the Christian Church, as an institution, can regain its power to act in society, but can begin to thrive again from powerlessness.
What if it’s about how you and I live and work together as a community – Living the Way of Jesus, rather than being Christian Church. What if we shared meals together in each other’s homes and broke bread there “in remembrance’? What if, instead of serving the community from the powerbase of the church building and institution, we did so in ones and twos in the day-to-day encounters in our local communities. What if …?

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Hymn Jesus was doubted

Jesus was doubted when he said
that he would rise up from the dead,
until, released from mortal pain,
he rose to live and love again.

God’s Spirit moves across the earth
bringing potential to birth,
revealing truth, disarming lies,
enabling buried hopes to rise.

We are not here to stay the same,
to leave this world as when we came.
Some things must die, some systems fail,
the powerless thrive, the powerful quail.

‘All things must change and be made new’ –
if this is strange it first is true.
God wills a new heaven to appear
among the ashes of life here.

Personal Praise and Worship – 11th April 2021
Good morning to you all, and welcome once more to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. Easter was well celebrated with an out of door service in our village on a chilly but very sunny morning and we can look forward now to lockdown measures gradually relaxing and Sundays when we can gather again in fellowship to worship in our church buildings. In the meantime let’s gather together now and prepare to spend time with our God.

Opening Prayer
We come to you this morning to give you thanks and praise for all the good things you provide for us, our food, our health and for the beauty of the countryside in which we live. We also come to hear your word that we may be strengthened and better prepared to live the life that you would have us live. Father, open our hearts that we may draw ever closer to you. We pray this in the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

First Hymn
All heaven declares the glory of the risen Lord
who can compare with the beauty of the Lord?
forever He will be the Lamb upon the throne
I gladly bow my knee and worship Him alone

I will proclaim the glory of the risen Lord
Who once was slain to reconcile man to God
forever You will be the Lamb upon the throne
I gladly bow my knee and worship You alone
forever You will be the Lamb upon the throne
I gladly bow my knee and worship You alone

Acts 4 v 32 – 35 – The Believers Share Their Possessions.
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

Reflections
If you recall a couple of weeks ago we reflected on how we should react to the needs of God. In that reflection entitled “The Lord needs it” we reviewed possible reasons why we sometimes hold on tenaciously to our belongings, withhold our talents, our abilities to share in spite of being aware that there are moments along the way when someone else may need our help.
Today’s reading is very much on the same Christian concept; today’s text from Acts paints a graphic picture of that first Christian community, Christian fellowship at its best. What drives it? What binds it together? What flows from it?
Before we go overboard and start invidious comparisons with our own churches today, let’s first set the scene in which that first Christian church was formed. Our Lord Jesus had recently been crucified, had risen from the dead, had walked amongst numerous people, primarily his disciples, had ascended to his Father and the Holy Spirit had come down upon his believers left behind. His disciples had finally grasped the true meaning and depth of Christ’s teaching and, enabled by the Holy Spirit, are now able to speak our boldly to those who were drawn to this new community. For that first church everything was new and fresh.
It is in this highly charged setting where Jesus’ presence was very much in evidence that God’s love sprang up and took hold of the new community. Their awareness of each other’s needs is the driver to their willingness to share. Their sharing held no expectations of return. Their giving was truly a response to having something that someone else needed and could be freely spared.
One might think that people in need might have just drift into this bountiful group of Jews, receive largesse and drift back out again. Not so, God’s grace to that community was clearly reflected in their love and generosity towards one another that people in large numbers were drawn into their midst to become one of this joyful band of believers. This was so different from the Temple’s teaching of the Torah, this was New Life.
And that’s what flowed out from this new community, an out pouring of God’s love manifested in the teaching of Jesus Christ, made all the more powerful and convincing by Christ’s witnesses being right there in their midst, speaking powerfully with the authority of the Holy Spirit that had come upon them. The proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection had enormous power, no wonder the Temple authorities were very frightened by what they were witnessing. The crucifixion of Jesus had not achieved their aims of squashing this radical movement, far from it, it would seem.
So where does this leave us, our church, our community. As I said it would be so easy now to start beating ourselves up because we fall well short of this first Christian community. Many would say that the nation’s welfare system, so admired by the refugees of the world, takes care of the needs of the poor, few starve, the NHS is there to heal the sick. In a way that is true but where is the love, the compassion, the person that sees the need, the friend that come alongside? The state requires a form to be filled in and submitted before a need is recognised, children go hungry and mothers scratch around to make insufficient ends meet. There appears to be little comparison and yet our laws, our culture are all based on Christian principles and the intent to meet the needs of the poor is manifestly at the heart of our nation’s policies.
But subsidies, spending programmes, new laws and tax cuts can’t make people kinder or more generous – only God’s Spirit can do that. And that’s where we individuals come into play. Within our means, with the gifts the Lord gave us, with our church’s community spirit and by the Grace that moves us, we can and do give help. In our Benefice there are PCCs that give generously to Christian based charities, some give annually 10% of the parishes income, our PCCs generously support the Yeovil based Lord’s Larder and the needs of others are seen and addressed. Rarely do we not respond to a Christian appeal.

Yes, the church in several ways mirrors that first Christian community, where it fails perhaps is in not drawing people to join and sustain it in its unending work. Christ’s work needs hands and feet! We may not have the personal testimony to Jesus’ resurrection to fire up our church, but we do have a clear understanding of Christ’s teaching brought alive in the Bible, we know of God’s love for us and the power of the Holy Spirit to nudge us along the way. People need to become Christians to change on the inside. People need to believe the Christian Gospel so that God can get to work on their hearts and minds.
And with that internal change we have the Grace of God that pours down on us, we have all that we need to shine brightly, all we need now is to tell others how essential to a good life these blessings are, all freely available. Easter is now behind us, the wrappers of our Easter eggs, the Christian symbol of new life, are in the dustbin so all that remains is to go out and tell the Easter Story, the Good News. The news that Christ has risen from the dead, and with that we now all have hope for eternal life.
Most of us are familiar with this famous phrase that the Three Musketeers used to say: “All for one and one for all”. That’s how it’s supposed to work in a church? Lots of different people from lots of different backgrounds coming together, and they’re all working in union with one another. They’re all working together. When all of us are working for oneness, a church becomes very, very powerful with the Gospel and making disciples.
What do we need in our churches to replicate that new community? Now we have the answers to those questions. Paul in this reading from Acts tells us what drives it, what binds it together and what flows from it.
As we come out of this latest lockdown with hope for a brighter and safer future, let’s not go back to where we used to be, let’s try to emulate that first Christian community, after all what have we got to lose? Amen.

The Creed
We say the Apostles Creed together
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

A time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, our Benefice Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love of our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week, end your time by saying a prayer, a variation that our Lord Jesus taught us:

Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws. Amen.

Second Hymn

Brother, sister, let me serve you;
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christlight for you
in the night time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow,
till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.

Brother, sister, let me serve you
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that l may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.

The Sending
Our time of worship together is ending, Spring has arrived, and we are full of hope that in a few weeks we will return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So we say together:
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever. Amen.

Our worship has ended, our service continues
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
Easter Sunday – 4 April 2021
New Life for Weary World
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia
Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say:
Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful
Then say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn : Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth:
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me;
I danced for the fishermen,for James and John;
They came with me and the dance went on:
Chorus

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame:
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high,
And left me there on a cross to die:
Chorus

Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
Chorus

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone;
But I am the dance, and I still go on
Chorus

They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the life that’ll never, never die.
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me:
I am the Lord of the dance, said he.
Chorus

The Word: Readings from:-
Acts 10. 34-43 “We are witnesses of everything he (Jesus) did in the country of the Jews”. They killed him … but God raised him from the dead.”
John 20. 1-18 “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance!”

A Reflection New Life for a Weary World
Rosemary’s letter in Parish magazines this month touches on the paradox of Easter Day: To Christians around the world, it is a day of great joy. From dawn on Easter Day in New Zealand until Midnight in Alaska almost 48 hours later, millions of Christians around the globe will rejoice in remembering the Resurrection of Jesus. They will greet each other with the words “He is Risen!”, and the response will be, “He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!” Words that convey the absolute certainty of the original event made possible by two millennia of hindsight.
But, if one wanted to be true to the experience of the first disciples on that first Easter Day then we, disciples of 2021, would have to hide away on Easter Day in small groups immersing ourselves in the post-traumatic stress of having watched our dearest friend and leader die slowly by crucifixion. Anguish, bereavement, and fear would be the features of our Easter Day. – not joy! Then we might try to make sense of the words of one of our number who says that she has seen our very dead friend.
In some ways, that might be a more appropriate way to mark Easter Day in 2021 than the traditional celebrations, because for so many people in our nation, the year since last Easter has brought unforseen bereavement, loss of employment with consequent poverty, even the inability to house or to feed oneself and ones’ family. To people in those situations, the Prime Minister’s refusal to meet representatives of bereaved families, the government’s reluctance to hold an enquiry, the lack of financial support for those who caught Covid but lacked sick pay, might well feel akin to culture of the Roman occupying force in first century Palestine.
So how do the first disciples find Resurrection and what might that tell us?
And where is Resurrection to be found by the families and friends of the 140,000 people who have died of Covid19, or the million now unemployed?
Evidence of Resurrection
All my experience of bereavement tells me that there was no easy way for the disciples to move from the horror Good Friday to a true understanding of what happened on Easter Day and to an acceptance of what that meant to them in their lives. However, the Bible does make it very clear to its readers that by Pentecost, the disciples are transformed, renewed people, the Disciples (learners) have become Apostles (practitioners). The disciples who had watched Jesus heal the sick and listened to his teaching have become the ones who heal and the ones who preach. Jesus’ life has been resurrected in the lives and ministries of Peter, Andrew, John, James, & Philip. So how does the change happen?

The Long Haul from Easter Day to Pentecost
The forty days, or however long it took, between Easter Day and Pentecost, were marked by moments of euphoria when Jesus appeared, and despair when he vanished again. “Then were they glad when they saw the Lord”. And on another day, so lost that they tried to return to the old life of fishing but didn’t catch a thing.
But, for me, there are two really significant turning points for the disciples. The first occurs to when two of them walk to Emmaus and Jesus joins them. In the conversation that follows, and the sharing of a meal at the end of the journey, they gain a new perspective on his life and ministry, and a reminder to keep breaking bread together and he will be present.
The second happens after the failed fishing trip when Jesus appears on the beach, tells them to try again, and then cooks them a fish breakfast. In the conversation that follows he forgives Peter for denying him, restores his self-confidence, and empowers him to be the person on whom the church will be built – an Apostle, no longer a Disciple.
From Disciples to Apostles
So, this weekend, as those who consider themselves Christians take the journey from Good Friday to Easter Day and on towards Pentecost, I am going to take time for my mind to move from Jesus’ death to a position where I can say, with confidence, “He is Risen”. And as I do so, to remind myself that I too am an apostle – a ‘sent-out’ One, no longer a learner. It will require a re-appraisal of Jesus’ life and ministry, a fresh listening to the Gospels, and a re-assessment of what it means to be an active Christian and not just an apprentice.
“Resurrection” in our neighbourhoods and for our neighbours
But after such a traumatic year for our society, how might resurrection be revealed in coming days and weeks? Spring is bursting out all around us and Creation’s ability to be resurrected from the darkness and shutdown of winter reveals that Resurrection is at the heart of God’s purpose for his creation. But what will be the personal challenge as we come out of lockdown?
After completing his census form and ticking the box “No Religion”, the journalist, John Harris, found himself asking, “How do faithless people like me, make sense of Covid”? His answer was, “For many of us, life without God has turned out to be life without fellowship and shared meaning – and in the midst of the most disorientating, debilitating crisis most of us have ever known, the social tragedy cries out for action.”
I feel sure that he is not alone. All over the country, in villages, towns, and cities other people who have been bruised by Covid are likely to be asking similar questions, and John’s answer is a universal one – to be part of a Loving Community.
The Church can offer that hospitality – but only if it first allows itself to be resurrected. Jesus was absolutely clear. His body of people was to be the ‘Church”, not any building or any ritual apart from sharing meals; just a group of people living The Way, his way; that is being open to each other in the rough and tumble of everyday life, offering a listening ear, sympathy, friendship, a meal.
Easter Day 2021 can be the start of a renewed life at a personal level if we each walk the Emmaus Road and take time to re-appraise the life and teaching of the earthly Jesus and allow it to resurrect us from Disciples to Apostles.

Declaration of Faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.
Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Hymn Thine be the Glory

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay.

Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won.
Lo, Jesus meets us, Risen from the tomb!
Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom.
Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.
Chorus.

No more we doubt Thee, Glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without Thee: Aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors, Through Thy deathless love;
Lead us in Thy triumph To Thy home above.
Chorus..

Personal Prayer and Praise 28th March 2021
Good morning to you all, and welcome to this time of praise, prayer and reflection. Let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this period with our Lord.

Opening Prayer
Almighty God, on this Spring morning as nature wakens from its winter’s rest and the beauty and marvel of your world is revealed once more, we turn to you in thanks for the freedom to worship you openly, for the grace you pour out on all your people, for the knowledge that you are our Father and you will hear us when we call upon your name in our times of trouble. We enter your presence in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen

Hymn – All glory, laud and honour

All glory, laud, and honour to thee, Redeemer, King
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring

Thou art the King of Israel thou David’s royal Son
who in the Lord’s name comest the King and blessed One

The company of angels are praising Thee on high
and mortal men and all things created make reply

The people of the Hebrews with palms before Thee went
our praise and love and anthems before Thee we present

To Thee, before Thy passion they sang their hymns of praise
to Thee, now high exalted our melody we raise

Thou didst accept their praises accept the love we bring
who in all good delightest thou good and gracious King.

Gospel Reading Mark v 11:1-11 – Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly. They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.
When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Reflections “The Lord needs it”
One day a young man and his brother drove into the neighbouring market town to buy some replacement strip lighting for their father’s shop. The shop had a high ceiling and it was clear that in addition to the new strip lighting they would also need a tall ladder, this thought only came to them as they were parking their pickup truck outside the shop.
Having bought the lights they drove around the streets wondering where they could find a tall ladder when they saw one propped up against a chain link fence in the back yard of an old house.
The boys stopped and knocked on the door and an old lady appeared. They explained their situation and asked if it would be OK if they borrowed it. The old women looked at the two young, unknown lads that had just arrived out of the blue and said “Sure, just be sure and put it back where you found it.”
They thanked the old lady and took the ladder, fixed their father’s lighting, drove back and replaced the ladder where they had originally found it. They thanked the old lady for her kindness and drove home
On the way back, the oddity of it all sank in: How amazing – to think that someone would just take them at their word and out of the blue loan them a ladder. They couldn’t help speculating about what her husband might have said if he’d come home early and seen that the ladder was missing: “You did what? Did you get their names? Did they leave a deposit? Woman, what were you thinking? Have you lost your ever-loving mind?”
The Lord needs it.” That’s what I’d like us to think about in our reflections this morning, the fact that the Lord needs the things we have –our time, talent, gifts and service – and the big question is whether or not we’re willing to let go and entrust them to him.
Let’s be clear about this moment in Jesus’ life. He had been to Jerusalem many times. He was dedicated to the Temple as a baby, around the age of twelve he had stayed behind in the Temple when his parents left to go home listening to the elders and he had, with his parents, come to Jerusalem every year for Passover feasts. However, this time his reasons for entering the city were different, he didn’t bring a lamb to be sacrificed at the Feast, he was the lamb who was to be sacrificed!
He was arriving, not as a carpenter and not as a preacher, but as the Son of God, the King of kings, Saviour of the world. This is borne out in the fact that, as he came down the hill on the back of the donkey, his followers spread their cloaks on the road, rolling out the red carpet, as it were, for him to ride over. As he rode, they waved palm branches and shouted,
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
that is coming in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”

For now, let’s go back to Jesus’s transport – the donkey. Jesus told his disciples to go into the village and find this donkey on which no one had ridden, untie it and bring it to him. Some would call this borrowing without permission. Some would call it stealing.
Jesus knows this, of course. He even anticipates what might happen. He says if anyone asks what you’re doing, just say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back.” They went to get the donkey and, sure enough, some of the people standing by saw what they were doing and questioned them, and they said, “The Lord needs him.” That’s all it took. Like the old lady with the ladder, he said, “O.K. Just be sure to put it back where you found it.”
This level of trust is found in several differing situations in the bible. Perhaps you recall the widow in Zarephath to whom God sent Elijah with a special blessing, a destitute, near starving widow with a son and next to nothing to eat. And yet Elijah who had travelled a long way, asked for some water – was that too much to ask? But he didn’t stop there. He said” And, while you’re at it, bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
The widow had just enough oil and grain in a jar to make a morsel for Elijah which she cooked and gave to him, and yet as quickly as the jar emptied the Lord filled it up again!! Put what we have in God’s hands, and God will bless us more abundantly in return. So, why don’t we do it?
I can offer a couple of reasons. One, the need is so great and we have so little, by comparison: Feed the hungry, house the homeless, save the lost? What difference will my paltry little contribution make?
But never think what we have to offer isn’t important. Whether it’s our time, our talent or our money, every gift counts, however great or small. God isn’t asking us to save the world by ourselves, only to be faithful and let him use what we have to his glory.
We hold back because we don’t think we have much to offer. That’s one reason. We also hold back because – well, to be honest – we don’t want to let go of what we have. Like a two-year-old, a little voice inside of us screams, “It’s mine, and you can’t have it!”
Why are we so possessive? Perhaps it’s a combination of things: Selfishness, fear of not having enough, and the false sense of security of being surrounded by all this stuff. Whatever the reason, it comes back to the question of faithfulness and what we’re going to say when that little voice inside us whispers, “The Lord has need of it”. Christ’s teaching never varies. Jesus always ends up asking us the same challenging question “What is ours, now to do”. Do we cling on to our pile of goodies, sit in a deckchair on the lawn and admire nature or do we let the Lord use what we have where it’s needed? We will not be asked by God to do what we are not able to do, He knows our given gifts, He knows are inner-most thoughts He knows what we are capable of.
So what do we learn from today’s reading? When we’re willing to say yes to whatever it is the Lord may be asking of us, God will bless us in marvellous ways. Amen

The Creed
Lets say together the creed said amongst the Ionian community
We believe in God above us maker and sustainer of all life,
of sun and moon, of water and earth, of male and female.
We believe in God beside us, Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, born of a woman, servant of the poor, tortured and nailed to a tree.
A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, he died alone and forsaken.
He descended into the earth to the place of death.
On the third day he rose from the tomb. He ascended into heaven to be everywhere present throughout all ages, and His kingdom will come on earth.
We believe in God within us, the Holy Spirit burning with Pentecostal fire, life-giving breath of the Church, Spirit of healing and forgiveness, source of all resurrection and of eternal life. Amen.

A Time of Prayer
Relax, open your mind to our Father about what troubles you, things that may be affecting your family, friends. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week. Reflect the weeks news and situations and people where you wish God’s healing hand is needed. Hold up to the Lord by speaking out loud.
End your time by saying the prayer that our Lord Jesus taught us – Our Father

Hymn 435 Ride on, ride on in majesty

Ride on, ride on in majesty; hark, all the tribes Hosanna cry.
O Saviour meek, pursue thy road with palms and scattered garments strewed.

Ride on, ride on in majesty; in lowly pomp ride on to die.
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin o’er captive death and conquered sin.

Ride on, ride on in majesty; the angel hosts beyond the sky
look down with sad and wondering eyes to see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on, ride on in majesty; the last and fiercest strife is nigh.
Thy Father on the sapphire throne expects thee, loved, anointed Son.

Ride on, ride on in majesty; in lowly pomp ride on to die.
Bow thy meek head to mortal pain; then take, O God, thy power and reign.

The Sending
We come to the end of our worship together. I wish you a very safe, healthy and rewarding week, full of hope that we shall return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen

Our worship has ended, our service begins
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
5th Sunday of Lent – 21 March 2021
A Change of Heart?
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then, recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.
Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say: Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful
Then say: Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind:

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind,
forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence praise,
in deeper reverence praise.

In simple trust, like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian Sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word,
rise up and follow thee,
rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest, by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love,
interpreted by love.

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of they peace,
the beauty of they peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
the coolness of thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind & fire,
O still small voice of calm!
O still small voice of calm!

The Word: Readings from:-
Jeremiah 31. 31-34 “The days are coming”, declares the Lord.
Psalm 51. 1-13 David asks Yahweh for forgiveness
John 12.20-33 Some Greeks wish to see Jesus.

A Reflection A New Heart for the World
Setting the scene
Here we are, one week before Palm Sunday, and being presented with a reading from John’s Gospel of events which took place immediately AFTER Palm Sunday! And it’s a very strange reading. Some Greeks ask to see Jesus, but John doesn’t tell us if they meet him. Instead, in a non-sequetur, John recounts Jesus speaking of his death.
Alongside that reading we hear, in the psalm, of King David’s plea to God for forgiveness for his adultery with Bathsheba.
Thirdly, we are invited to read Jeremiah’s beautiful prophecy of the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem marking the start of a New Age.
What are we to make of such a bizarre collection of ideas offered to us on the 5th Sunday in the season of Lent? Not forgetting the events going on around us in the disturbed world of Britain in 2021; a young woman kidnapped and murdered, a peaceful vigil brutally broken up by police, children returning to school after weeks for lockdown, and the government deciding that we need more nuclear weapons to protect the nation and its inhabitants.
Changed Hearts appears to be the key.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
King David, the shepherd boy, anointed to be King by the prophet Samuel led a chequered life. The national hero who killed the Philistine giant, Goliath of Gath, might never have become king if his predecessor, Saul, had succeeded in killing him. But once he was king, power went to his head. He committed adultery with Bathsheba who became pregnant, had her husband killed, and was chastised by the prophet Nathan who prophesied that the baby would die. When it did, David was full of remorse and asked God for forgiveness in the words of Psalm 51; asking God to give him a new heart and to renew his spirit.
I imagine that many of us will share David’s remorse for things done in the past and, like him will long for a new start, a new heart that doesn’t keep falling back into old ways, and a renewed spirit that knows right from wrong and that can hold fast to God’s sense of rightness.
The Days are Coming says the Lord
In a way, Jeremiah’s prophecy to the exiles in Babylon has a similar theme, but at a national level rather than a personal one. He foresees a time when the Jewish exiles will have paid the price of their punishment in captivity and when that is done, God will put his “laws in their minds and write it on their hearts”. No longer will it be necessary to teach each other about God. Everyone, from the least to the greatest will know God instinctively in their hearts.
Wow! A heart transplant for a whole nation!! What a wonderful idea. What an Idea for this moment in the life of our nation when so many voices are saying that the future, post Covid, must to be different from the past.
Some Greeks wish to see Jesus
It is against the background of those two Old Testament readings that we come to the Gospel. As John tells it, the events of Palm Sunday have happened and Jesus, with his disciples, remains in the area of Bethany and Jerusalem. There are other visitors in Jerusalem at this time who have come for the Passover Festival. The ones we hear about are not Jews, but probably Greek converts to Judaism. A group of them ask Philip if they can meet Jesus. Philip asks Andrew and Andrew, taking Peter with him, goes to relay the message to Jesus. Jesus doesn’t even acknowledge the question.
He responds with theses strange words, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” That response only makes sense for me when I connect it to verse 19, the verse which precedes today’s reading. It is spoken by Pharisees to one another after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. That verse reads, ”You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
I think these events gave Jesus two pieces of evidence to confirm that his ministry was coming to its fulfilment, even if that meant his death. The first, in the words of the Pharisees, tells him that he has put new heart into the ordinary Jewish people and frightened the religious establishment. The second, in the words of the Greeks, revealed that even the hearts of the Gentiles are being renewed.
As Jeremiah foretold, the time had arrived when people were coming to know the Lord. They didn’t need to be taught it. The knowledge was put into their hearts by witnessing Jesus’ life and deeds.
for today
So, we may use this 5th week of Lent to ask God to cleanse us and to create in us pure hearts. But the proof of changed hearts will be changed lives that reveal that we know God in the depths of our being; and more than that, lives dedicated to creating a better world.

A pause for further thought

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Poem or Hymn The God who sings:

The God who sings
a new world into being
shows the way for many voices,
varied gifts to sound in symphony.

The God who shouts
in fury when the powerful shame the poor
will break the chains,
and those who hide in fear he will restore.

The God who weeps
when fields lie barren and the missiles fall
throws wide his arms
and offers in his love refuge for all.

The God who laughs
as unexpected overturns routine
releases us to risk in faith,
and find what joy can mean.

The God who calls in
hearts of those who hear his Chosen One
forgives, transforms, empowers renews us
while we journey on.

Personal Praise and Worship 14th March 2021

Good morning and greetings on this Mothering Sunday, when we turn our thoughts to home, Mother, perhaps the home of your youth, a place where we were given warmth, shelter and comfort and a parent who, like God, loved us enough to put up with our growing up pains. Just be still for a couple of moments and prepare yourself for this time with our Father.

Opening Prayer
Gracious and loving Father give us wisdom to perceive you, intelligence to understand you, diligence to seek you, eyes to behold you and life to proclaim you through the power of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

Opening Hymn
I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky, I Have Heard My People Cry.
All Who Dwell In Dark And Sin, My Hand Will Save.
I, Who Made the Stars Of Night, I Will Make their Darkness Bright.
Who Will Bear My Light To Them? Whom Shall I Send?
Here I Am Lord, Is It I, Lord?
I Have Heard You Calling In The Night.
I Will Go Lord, If You Lead Me.
I Will Hold Your People In My Heart.
I, The Lord Of Snow and Rain, I Have Borne My People’s Pain.
I Have Wept for Love Of Them, They Turn Away.
I Will Break Their Hearts of Stone, give Them Hearts for Love Alone.
I Will Speak My Word to Them Whom Shall I Send?
Refrain
I, the Lord Of Wind And Flame I Will Tend the Poor and Lame.
I Will Set a Feast or Them, My Hand Will Save
Finest Bread I Will Provide, Till Their Hearts be Satisfied.
I Will Give My Life to Them, Whom Shall I Send?
Refrain

A time of confession
Think back over this last week and call to mind those moments when you felt hope for changing times, a smile that cheered your day and thank our Lord for his bountiful love for you
Perhaps there were things that needed your attention but got passed over, words of comfort not spoken because you got your priorities wrong and put yourself first. Ask God for forgiveness and help in future to do things the way that would bring a smile to the face of Jesus.

Lord of all mercy, forgive me for things and thoughts that I get wrong, may the Holy Spirit show me the way to walk with you in love and peace. Amen

The Reading – 2 Corinthians 1:2-7 – the God of Comfort
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Reflections
It’s Mothering Sunday a day when traditionally children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. A day set aside to recognise mums and reflect upon home, the place where we feel safe, secure, the space where parents and partners create a haven in which, God willing, children are nurtured and loved? Well that’s how it used to be.
The definition of “home” is a place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household. And today with families being raised by just male and female partners, this day of recognition must include those homes as well. The love of a parenting male in bring up a child is no less compassionate than that of a mother.
My mother has long since passed away and I guess I don’t think about her as often as perhaps I might. And yet the values by which I have lived my life have basically been inculcated in me by her from the days I first clutched her apron strings. Her ways, her drive, her tenacity, her approach to life, her devotion are reflected in part in the way I have lived my life. As a child she was my comforter.
Unlike Fathers who are equally important in their influence in the family but are something else, mothers are the home makers, the administrators, the healers, the feeders, the safe pair of arms to which children flee when things go wrong. Mothers are the hub of families.
Yes, mothers can be an embarrassment, licking handkerchiefs to clean a face in front of your friends, quizzing the girlfriend you bring home. While serving with United Nation Forces in the Belgium Congo I was contacted in a wireless message telling me to write to my mother to assure her I was still alive, she having phoned a contact at UN Headquarters New York demanding to know my whereabouts! That cost me a few beers!
Yes, I am generalising in my portrayal of mothers, there are unfortunately the exceptions, those mothers that are so harassed and poor that they are not able give the time and devotion that nearly all mothers are able and do give.
But being a comforter is not solely a gift of mothers, as Paul tells us in our reading today we all abound in the skill of comforting. Just as the Father comforts us in our times of pain and suffering he does it so that the experience we gain from his compassion can be used by us. As Paul puts it – “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
I have recently experienced the loss of someone very dear to me and have experienced the suffering that loss brings, even though I thought I had prepared myself for the grief that lay in wait. What I hadn’t prepared for was the suffering of our children and how to address it. I had lost a wife, but they had just lost their mother, the one they always phoned (rarely Dad), the mother who knew intuitively from just a few spoken words if they were happy or not! The hub of our family had gone and I was inclined to nurse my loss in isolation!
But when those around are suffering there is an imperative to reach out and address their needs and set them on the path to healing, and the knowledge that the God of all comfort is there beside us, gives strength and makes it possible to tend the hurts of others and bring them some release from their suffering.
This knowledge based of faith and planted by God in us through our Lord Jesus gives the indwelling Holy Spirit the power to find ways to lessen the pain of a lost mother, a much loved Nana, ways of expressing words that projects a positive outcome from grief, a reassurance that God is there beside them and that the sun will surely shine once more in their lives.
And it is true that in sharing in others suffering, it brings a lessening of one’s own.
The whole world is going through a sustained period of pain as a result of the pandemic. Families are grieving because loved ones have died suddenly, remotely from them in hospitals and the strict rules of isolation have made it impossible for family to visit, to say farewell, to gather and support each other ,to talk about their shared memories. There is for many just a void, a darkness and perhaps anger that the opportunity to express their love has been denied.
The Church has been locked out of these many situations where normally comfort and compassion would have be sort and found. The Church has been denied the opportunity to come alongside broken families and bring God’s compassion to painful situations. The comforting words of Christ spoken for the departed and those grieving have only been heard by a few in hurried, short services at the crematorium.
But there are despairing people all around us. I have just listened to the pleas from National Care Homes asking for people to come forward and volunteer to prop up the sagging strength of their staff. The staff of care homes have suffered a year of demanding care, much in isolation from the world outside, caring in the main for a large number of mothers most of whom look forward to once again being comforted and cherished by their families. The recruiting of care home staff is extremely difficult due, in the main, to low wages and long hours. The relatively wealthy care of the NHS stops at the hospital door and little money carries over into the Care Sector. Our local councils who have the Statuary responsibility for the poor in need of care, haven’t the funds to meet this task and precludes them paying the true cost of a care home patient. If ever there was a need for Christian compassion then care homes and their staff must be a very high priority.
Each of us, in our own small way, can help. I know from the words expressed in the many letters and cards I have received are indeed uplifting; the thoughts of many are reflected in those words of Paul “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Christ brought comfort and healing to many in distress, it was his very nature that he should reach out to those in need. And we followers of Christ have the same nature to follow his example, through prayer, through listening, if possible through practical help, and, if nothing else, through encouragement. Better still speak up and make it known that this way of comforting the aged is falling well short of their deserved needs, this past year’s experiences demands Christian compassion and Christian action. This is Mother’s day and there are far too many mums with insufficient care.
God has been so bountiful to us in Jesus, pouring out his grace into our lives. Our call is to let this overflow into comforting others in need. Amen.

We Affirm our Faith in God
We believe in God above us, maker and sustainer of all life, of sun and moon, of water and earth, of male and female.
We believe in God beside us, Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, born of a woman, servant of the poor, tortured and nailed to a tree.
A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, he died alone and forsaken.
He descended into the earth to the place of death. On the third day he rose from the tomb. He ascended into heaven, to be everywhere present throughout all ages, and His kingdom will come on earth.
We believe in God within us, the Holy Spirit burning with Pentecostal fire, life-giving breath of the Church, Spirit of healing and forgiveness, source of all resurrection and of eternal life. Amen

A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Lord things that are in need of His helping hand, events that grabbed the media headlines, strife and uprisings caused by injustice, thanks for the care that surrounds our community, for the start of Spring and the lengthening days. Hold up to Him people who are, sick, anxious lonely or grieving. Say out loud your prayers ending by saying the prayer our Saviour taught us
The Lord’s prayer Our Father…………..

Our Final hymn
Father, I place into your hands the things I cannot do,
Father, I place into your hands the things that I’ve been through.
Father, I place into your hands the way that I should go
For I know I always can trust you.
Father, I place into your hands my friends and family.
Father, I place into your hands the things that trouble me.
Father, I place into your hands the person I would be,
For I know I always can trust you.
Father, we love to seek your face, we love to hear your voice.
Father, we love to sing your praise and in your name rejoice.
Father, we love to walk with you and in your presence rest,
For I know I always can trust you.
Father, I want to be with you and do the things you do.
Father, I want to speak the words that you are speaking too
Father, I want to love the ones that you will draw to you
for I know that I am one with you.

The Sending
And now we come to the end of our worship together. The Lent course continues on Thursday evening’s at 7.15 pm if you can Zoom! Meanwhile keep safe and cheerful, there is more than just a chink of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and the beginnings of our slow return to near normality once more. We say the blessing
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you, and those you have prayed for, this day and for evermore. Amen.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
3rd Sunday of Lent – 7 March 2021
God’s Economy
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
Begin by reminding oneself that, though one may well be using this liturgy alone, as you read, reflect and pray, other people in the Benefice will be doing the same, and across the parish, Benefice and Diocese, hundreds of voices will be praising God.
Then recognising that they and God’s Holy Spirit are present with you, light a candle and say ..

Come, Holy Spirit come!
inflame our souls with love
transforming every heart and home
with wisdom from above.
O let us not despise
the humble path Christ trod,
but choose to shame the worldly wise,
the foolishness of God.

All-knowing Spirit, prove
the poverty of pride,
by knowledge of the Father’s love
in Jesus crucified.
And grant us faith to know
the glory of that sign,
and in our very lives to show
the marks of love divine.

Give us the tongues to speak,
in every time and place,
to rich and poor, to strong and weak,
the word of love and grace.
enable us to hear
the words that others bring,
interpreting with open ear
the special song they sing.

Come, Holy Spirit, dance
within our hearts today,
our earthbound spirits to entrance,
our mortal fears allay.
And teach us to desire,
all other things above,
that self-consuming holy firs,
the perfect gift of love!

The Word: Readings from:-
Exodos 20.1-17 Moses tells the people the Ten Commandments.
John 2.13-22 Jesus drives those who were selling doves out of the Temple.
1 Corinthians 1.18-25 “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world”.

A Reflection God’s Economy
Setting the scene
A few months ago, a new book was launched, “LET US DREAM: The Path to a Better Future”. It is a call to “redesign the economy so that it can offer every person access to a dignified existence, while protecting and regenerating the natural world”.
Last Thursday, another new book was launched, “DEAR ENGLAND: Finding Hope, Taking Heart and Changing the World”.
One might imagine that they were written by environmentalists, economists, or perhaps politicians, for a post-Covid world, but one would be wrong. ‘Let us Dream’ was written by Pope Francis. ‘Dear England’ was written by Stephen Cottrell, The Archbishop of York. Both books are passionate attempts to stimulate change in the economic systems driving our society, and they are timely.
On Monday, scientists were expressing concern that global warming is beginning to slow the Gulf Stream, which warms the coast of western Europe.
On Tuesday it was reported that a billionaire hedge fund manager had paid himself a record sum of £343m out of profits from last year’s trading. It represents 9,000 times the average British income!
On Wednesday, The Chancellor of the Exchequer extended the £20 per week supplement added to Universal Credit during the pandemic for people whose earnings do not even provide sufficient food or housing. Today some of those families were wondering how they will pay for school uniforms when schools re-open next week.
Was there ever such a need to redesign the economy? So it is helpful that the readings for this Third Sunday in Lent, take us back to God’s Economy.
Jesus drives those who were selling doves out of the Temple.
Jesus, overturning the tables of the money-changers in the Temple, and driving the cattle and sheep out, gives us a dramatic picture of some of the underlying principles of God’s Economy. To Jews of that time, the Temple was God’s house. He dwelt in the Holy of Holies, so turning the building into a market hall that desecrated the place and by implication, God himself. Secondly, the trading processes were exploitative. They centred around the offering of sacrifices to “buy” God’s favour, his forgiveness, healing or blessing. Not only were they exploitative, but they demean God, who cannot be bought; who doesn’t have to be bought because his whole being wants to Grace us with Blessings. Thirdly, the Temple authorities had their own currency, and it wasn’t the one in common use, so every purchase of a sacrificial offering also involved trading one currency for another and we all know the cost of doing that.
The sacrificial system was theologically wrong because it gave a false image of how God works and where he dwells; by perpetuating the idea that God can be held within a building, the Temple authorities were ‘privatising’ him for their own profit.
No wonder Jesus was angry.
The Ten Commandments
Hearing the Ten Commandments read today reminds us of the principles which underpinned Jesus’ understanding of God’s Economy
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul and mind.
And your neighbour as yourself.”
The Commandments make it very clear that God’s Economy is not based on money, finance, profit or investments. The currency is love, graciously given and received. It doesn’t have to be bought, earned, banked or traded. It can’t be borrowed. It can only be shared freely – no strings attached. And is endlessly available
Each of us has been gifted with a life; a life to be lived on Planet Earth. The planet has been provided with all the resources that are needed to sustain the life contained in it. All the gift of a gracious, bountiful Creator. God’s gift of life and the example we have been given in the life and death of his son, Jesus, presents each believer with a wonderful opportunity; to live our lives as a gift, given in the currency of love.
But, as we have already seen, our society operates with a different model, one based on scarcity, where there isn’t enough to go around, where children starve, unemployment is a tool to maintain balance, debt and profit are the marks of success and failure, and contrary to economic wisdom, wealth defies gravity and trickles up not down.
For today
In our journey through Lent, the subject of this week’s readings, is one of the hardest to face; to review our personal economic creed. The bottom line is this. Do I live by trust in God’s bountiful grace – OR – do I put my trust in the world’s currency – financial assets. The problem with the latter is that one can never have enough to be REALLY secure. The pension pot is never quite big enough. It is always easy to imagine circumstances that will drain our savings. And what if unemployment, illness, accident or ………. should strike?
So I commend to you a practice from the Iona Community, which, in some small way, seeks to help its members to keep track of the hold that the world’s economics has on their lives.
Once a year they account for their use of money, to the other members of their local group, noting how much they have earned, given away, and spent on sustaining themselves.
A pause for further thought

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Poem or Hymn How can we stand together:
A hymn about standing together for a renewal of the economy.

How can we stand together
if we don’t agree to meet?
How can we walk in circles
when no fetters bind our feet?
How can we talk of losing
when defeat is far from sure?
How can the Lord be neutral
when the privileged fleece the poor?

“Stand up” says God “and see the crime
which subtly stalks the land.
Integrity is not a word
the powerful understand.
The mansions of the rich are blessed
by state and sinecure.
And shall the Lord be neutral
when the privileged fleece the poor?

“The sounds of empty praise and prayer
which drowns the cries of need;
the masquerade of charity
which covers up for greed”
the lust to do what’s proper –
these are things I can’t endure.
Shall I, the Lord, be neutral
when the privileged fleece the poor?”

Because he came among us,
washed our feet and broke our bread;
because he sat with beggars,
and ensured that all were fed:
because he dared to break the law
and cursed wealth’s constant lure,
we see God can’t be neutral
when the privileged fleece the poor?

So let us stand together
as in Jesus’ name we meet.
No longer treading circles
we’ll walk close behind his feet.
Nor shall we talk of losing
since the faithfulness is sure
of Christ, the King of Heaven
and the Saviour of the poor.
© 1998 WGRG, Iona Community
To end, imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.
Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and worship 28th February 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. We are now into Lent and the first of our Benefice Lent zoom courses was held last Thursday. I think we are all going to find them a challenge especially as we have already had the best part of a year of lockdown and time to reflect what it has brought, slowing down the tempo of our lives and providing us time look more deeply into our lives.
Let’s still our minds now and prepare ourselves for this period with our Lord.

Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we come before you this morning with grateful hearts but bringing also our needs, our hurts, we are full of praise for being ever near you. Still our thoughts that we may hear you, open our eyes that we may see you and move our feet that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may follow in your footsteps. Amen

Hymn 325 Loving Shepard of thy sheep

Loving Shepherd of your sheep,
all your lambs in safety keep;
nothing can your power withstand,
none can pluck them from your hand.

May they praise you ev’ry day,
gladly all your will obey,
like your blessed ones above,
happy in your precious love.

Loving Shepherd, ever near,
teach your lambs your voice to hear;
suffer not their steps to stray
from the straight and narrow way.

Where you lead them may they go,
walking in your steps below;
then, before your Father’s throne,
Saviour, claim them for your own.

The Gospel Reading – Mark 8 v 31 – end – Jesus Predicts His Death
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The Way of the Cross
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Reflections
Today’s reading sets us a challenge, an uncomfortable challenge, it raises important questions the answers to which we may have tucked away in the back of our minds or conveniently forgotten. Who do you say that Jesus is? Think carefully, because the answer determines who we are and how we should live!
The reading begins with an emphatic statement in verse 31 “the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected … and that he must be killed.”: Not that he will suffer, but that he must. It’s a part of Jesus’ mission.
The Messiah’s death had been prophesied, some 500 years earlier by Isaiah in Ch. 53.
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”.
But even though Peter recognised that Jesus was the Christ and the King that the Israelites had been expecting, whose coming had been prophesied in the Old Testament, he still can’t accept that this Christ – this Son of God – would allow himself to be put to death; after all Kings rule, Kings overthrow oppressors, Kings didn’t suffer, as Jesus had just stated. As ever Peter hasn’t grasped what Jesus had actual meant!
But all this raises the question: why was it so necessary for Jesus to die? The prophecy makes it quite clear, we have all gone astray like sheep. We have all rejected the God who made us, and done wrong against him. But, in His mercy, God provided a sacrifice of himself: Jesus, the Son of God, took all the punishment and the penalty of our sin for us on the cross, so that through his death all who believe in Him may obtain forgiveness and salvation.
So this necessity for Jesus’ death puts Peter’s rebuke in v31 into sharp relief. And this provokes a further question in my mind: Why does Peter, who knew Jesus well, who only a few verses before had declared him to be the Christ, reject what Jesus says about having to die?
When Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, what he had in mind was someone who was going to fulfil this image he had of the warrior king. But Jesus says, no – that’s not right. As we’ve already seen, the crux of his mission was to die. Peter’s expectation of what it meant to be the Messiah was wrong, it needed to be fixed. He didn’t realise what Jesus’ mission was all about. He didn’t realise that it meant that he, Peter, was to be to be a follower of Jesus. And this is our challenge: Although Peter called himself a follower of Jesus, he still managed to get things wrong. Isn’t it much the same with us?
Jesus says, v34, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Now at this point I think our culture gets in the way of understanding this fully. I’m sure most if not all of us are familiar with the expression “having a cross to bear”, or something similar, meaning “a heavy burden of responsibility or a problem that they alone must cope with.”
But that’s not the cross that Jesus was talking about here. If you saw someone carrying a cross in first-century Jerusalem, you knew that they were heading out to die Jesus already knew what kind of a death He was going to face. What Jesus is saying is that to be a follower of Him means taking up your cross and following him out to die. Once again language becomes a problem, causing misunderstanding.
The apostle Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Notice that expression ‘crucified with Christ’. Paul knew what it meant to take up his cross and follow Jesus. It didn’t mean a physical death, it meant a spiritual death: it meant dying to that part of him which was in opposition to Christ, and instead living “by faith in the Son of God”. Did you notice Jesus says in our passage, “deny yourself, take up your cross…” We need to deny ourselves because it is in our nature to go against what God wants!
But if we are crucified with Christ, it’s a complete change of direction: we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord of our lives, and by faith we live a new life to please Him in the knowledge that we have been forgiven. Now, you might be sitting there thinking, “that’s all very well, but how can a follower of Jesus completely share in Christ’s death? Surely no-one can be totally transformed like that?” This is true, and that’s exactly the point, no one can live a life which is completely transformed. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Just because we aren’t yet totally transformed, just because we don’t totally love God and don’t love our neighbour as ourselves, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to do those things with God’s help.
And Jesus acknowledges this. If you look at the parallel passage in Luke’s gospel, Luke 9:23, Jesus actually says that taking up our cross is something that his followers need to do daily. It’s not something which we do once and then never have to do again. He is saying, if you are his follower you will make mistakes, you will fall down. But keep persevering and He will help you. This is why we Christians take communion together regularly: it’s to remind each other that we need to keep coming back to the cross, keep reminding each other of the forgiveness that we find there, and keep promising to deny ourselves and take up our cross. This is the way of salvation.
Get a life! I am sure you have heard that expression inferring that instead of devoting yourself totally to doing something, you must get out there and loosen up and enjoy life, and perhaps that is how some perceive the Christian life to be: Being the Good Samaritan? Not going out and partying? Get a life! Life is out there to be lived – get out there and please yourself!
How wrong can that way of seeing the Christian way be? Jesus never asked his disciples to turn their backs on the world with all it’s imperfections! On the contrary, Christ wanted them to be in the world with all its pain, injustices and needs. Christ doesn’t want us to be kill joys, whist trying our best to whole heartedly love God. Doing our best to love God more doesn’t preclude us enjoying life as at the same time loving our neighbour!
At the beginning of these reflections I asked the question Who do you say that Jesus is? The question was asked because today’s reading is fundamentally, about our life, our identity. Where do we find our identity, as individuals and as a church? If we find our identity in our own preferences or our own comfort zones, then we will lose our identity because that is the nature of an impermanent, shifting world. That’s what Peter was discovering. But if we find our identity, our life, solely in Christ and in the gospel, we will save our identity because Christ and the gospel are eternal.
I am challenged every day of my life: and perhaps you are too, to differentiate between what is of God and what is of my ego. And sometimes, I can dress my ego up in such a way as to fool myself that my preference is of God. But I need to constantly be trying to lay aside the things of the ego and allow God to be at work in me.
And that is what this passage is about – and what this period of Lent is about. Jesus was calling Peter into a place of self-reflection: to reflect deeply on whether he wanted Christ or whether he wanted his own idea of Christ. Does he want to be a disciple of Israel’s superhero King? Or does he want to be a disciple of the broken Messiah?
And we too are called into that same process of self-reflection throughout the period of Lent. What does it mean for us to die to self? What does it mean for us to die to our own ego? What does it mean for us to lay down our comfortable images of Christ and the church for the sake of Christ and for the sake of the gospel?
For now put aside the rest of the Gospel story, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the Glory, we know how it all ends. For now just concentrate on your answer Who do you say that Jesus is?
Can we be courageous enough this Lent to embrace the hurt and the scarring and the pain of ego-death and self-sacrifice, knowing that we too will be resurrected in Christ and brought into the presence of the Father for all eternity? I said it was a challenge Amen

The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

A Time of Prayer
Bring to our Father your thoughts about the wider church of Christ, our Benefice Ministry team, our concerns for the world and its troubles, our thanks for love of our community, and prayers for the sick and grieving. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week, those who are facing the daily trauma of this pandemic.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.

Final Hymn 553 – When we walk with the Lord

When we walk with the Lord, in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will, he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

But we never can prove, the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favour he shows, for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

Then in fellowship sweet, we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do, where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]

The Sending
Our time of worship together is ending, there are signs that Spring is on its way, and we are full of hope that in a few months we will return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen
Our worship has ended, our service continues.
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
First Sunday in Lent, 21 January 2021
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
At about 10.30 on Sunday morning, Katharine will celebrate the Eucharist, visible to those using Zoom, and she will invite those who are watching to take bread and wine (or other elements of your choice) in their homes and to consider them blessed by her words of Consecration. Please feel free to do the same, using the words at the end of this liturgy.
Gathering in
The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.
Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say: Thanks be to God
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful

Then say:
Father forgive us.

Hymn:
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o’er the world’s tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us
for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
if our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us;
all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
thou didst feel its keenest woe;
self denying, death defying,
thou to Calvary didst go.

Spirit of our God, descending,
fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
love with every passion blending,
pleasure that can never cloy:
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
nothing can our peace destroy.

Readings:
Psalm 25. 1-9 (“Lead me in your truth and teach me”)
Mark 1.9-15 (“Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him)
A Reflection “Lead me in your truth”
As we begin the Lenten Season, the psalm for today encourages us to ask God to “Lead me in your truth and teach me. Not a bad way to start this season
The reading from Mark takes us back to January 10th when we celebrated the Baptism of Jesus using the first part of the passage from Mark’s Gospel. In the reflection for that day I speculated on some of the people and events in Jesus’ early life which had led him to John the Baptist as he tried to discern what God was calling him to be and to do. Now Mark tells us, in great haste and very few words, of the manner in which God guides Jesus on from baptism to the next steps of that search for his calling.
There are two stages; God leads him into the wilderness of Palestine to find the truth for his life; and he teaches Jesus a collaborative leadership style – in other words – that he will need a community of disciples.
When Jesus goes into the wilderness, he is following an ancient Palestinian tradition of going on a sarha which Raja Shehadeh describes in his book, Palestinian Walks. “A man going on sarha wanders aimlessly, not restricted by time and place, going where his spirit takes him to nourish his soul and rejuvenate himself”. Perhaps you have been doing that during lockdown; walking purposefully around the neighbourhood, or ambling slowly letting nature nourish you? It’s what we do, mentally, in the period of Lent, ‘nourish our souls’ rejuvenate our spirits’.
While on sarha in the wilderness Jesus has to face the challenges we all face when we set a course for our lives.
• Should Jesus use Power and Domination in his work and in his relationships with those around him – another King David building up wealth and power by marriage contracts and a strong army.
• Should he be a crowd pleaser, giving people what they want – food for everyone.
• Or a showman/clown/magician hiding behind a mask, wowing the crowds as he dives off the pinnacle of the Temple – or in the language of 2021 encouraging people to live a Virtual Reality life.
Our Lenten rejuvenation enables us to review the extent to which those same universal temptations may have taken more control of our lives over the past year.
• Have I allowed finance to take a bit more control of my life, playing the savings market for the best return, using my buying power to drive the best deals for energy or insurance, buying the latest fashion accessory or mobile phone? Seeking God’s truth during this Lent might lead us in a different direction – to check our carbon footprint or to make an extra donation to a charity suffering because its fundraising activities have been stopped.
• In my dealings with other people, how open and honest am I?
o Have I allowed my need to be appreciated cause me to do things which make me appear good? Or have I avoided dealing with a difficult relationship to avoid conflict.
o Have I been open about my needs and sought support when I needed it, or have I hidden myself behind a mask pretending that all is well when it is not.
Jesus’ sarha provided space for him to find time and quiet space for God’s truth to nourish his soul and to rejuvenate his life and to set him on a new course. In the same way, a quiet space in each day during Lent – perhaps taken on a slow meander along the lanes of the Benefice if one’s mobility allows – can feed our souls and enable aspects of our lives which have become distorted by the pressures of society to be rejuvenated.
In the last part of the lesson from Mark, Jesus leaves the desert and goes off to Galilee where he forms his disciple community, the people with whom he will share his life and ministry for the next three years.
In the church’s year, Lent coincides with the period when Wardens and PCC’s have to account for their activities in the past year, to prepare financial statements and to write reports of how the church’s ‘Charitable Purpose’ has been fulfilled. It was a year in which church life was turned upside down by the pandemic, so we might use this Lent to stand back as the disciples of Jesus in this place and to ask ourselves how our worship has nourished us and given praise to God; how our social care has contributed to the life of each village, and how the quality of our lives has revealed Jesus’ life to those around us?
That is a lot of questions and it could be a busy Lent if we try to answer them all, both at a personal level and as Christian communities. But this is a very crucial time in the life of society and many voices are asking how a better world might be built after the pandemic has been brought under control. For that to happen, a Christian perspective will be vital, and so we as individuals and our churches need to be ready to contribute.
What is ours now to do?
Pause for further thought

A Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Then lift those people to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn

Jesus calls us here to meet him
as, through word and song and prayer,
we affirm God’s promised presence
where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise;
praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit, who, among us,
to our hopes and fears attends.

Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of Life and Lord of all,
sharer of our flesh and frailness
saving all who fail or fall,
Tell his holy human story;
tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory
came to earth to meet us here.

Jesus calls us to each other:
vastly different though we are;
race and colour, class and gender
neither limit nor debar.
Join the hand of friend and stranger;
join the hand of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter
in the common search for truth.

Jesus calls us to his table
rooted firm in time and space,
where the church in earth and heaven
finds a common meeting place.
Share the bread and wine, his body;
share the love of which we sing;
share the feast for saints and sinners
hosted by our `Lord and King.

If you would like to receive Communion continue to the next paragraph. If not, continue at The Peace

The Communion
Before moving on, be sure to have the elements to hand for Communion
Gathered around a table is where Jesus so often met people ..
… gathered around the table of Matthew,
the table of Zachaeus,
the table of Simon,
the table of Peter,
the table of Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
.. gathered round a table where he could see people face to face,
listen to their stories, share their laughter.
And here, in your room, and despite the exceptional circumstances, Jesus is here where he promised to be whenever people gathered to break bread and take a cup in remembrance of him.
Remembering that our Priest, Katharine, has said words of consecration over the plates and cups prepared in houses all over the Benefice, say …
The Sanctus
Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of power and might;
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the Highest.

The Invitation
He who was with God in the beginning,
comes to us in this bread.
He of whom the prophets spoke
is present to us in this cup.
To all who hunger and thirst
for a better life,
for a deeper faith,
for a better world,
here is the bread of life:
feed on it with gratitude;
here is the cup of salvation
drink from it and believe.
The gifts of God for the people of God.

Consume your chosen food and drink at this point

Almighty God, giver of all good things,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the precious body and blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
We thank you for your love and care
in assuring us of your gift of eternal life
and uniting us with the blessed company
of all faithful people. Amen

The Peace
Now imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.

Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and worship 14th February 2021

Good morning to you all, and welcome to this service of praise, prayer and reflection. We are fast approaching the start of the Benefice Lent course, something that perhaps, because we are still in isolation, will help us all draw closer to one another and strength us during the long period away from the fellowship on which we would normally feed. Let’s still our minds and prepare ourselves for this period with our Lord.

Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, we turn to you this morning with thanks in our hearts that you came to us to bring hope, love and salvation to all people. We ask that with contrite minds, you will speak to us in this time of worship together and make straight the ways in front of us for this coming week, that we may serve you and bring light to the dark places in this world and bring glory to you our Father, all through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen.

Hymn 158 Glorious things of thee are spoken
Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded, thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters, and all fear of want remove;
who can faint while such a river ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hov’ring, see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov’ring, showing that the Lord is near;
thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna which he gives them when they pray.

Saviour, if of Zion’s city I, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity, I will glory in thy name;
fading is the worldling’s pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion’s children know.

The Gospel Reading Mark 9:2-9 – The Transfiguration
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Reflections
Mark’s Gospel is filled with pointers to Jesus’ identity, but in this reading of the transfiguration it is as if the curtain is lifted to allow us a glimpse of the reality, showing Jesus as divine, as the beloved Son of God
God is linked with mountains several times in the bible, and so it would seem not unnatural that Jesus would choose to take his three closest companions to a high place. The whole event is to my mind pure theatre. Staged high on a mountain, with a selected audience of just three disciple – Peter, James and John, the closest three honoured by Jesus to share this retreat, the attendance of Elijah and Moses, the two most powerful heroes in Hebrew ministry, how much more dramatic or memorable an occasion could have been enacted! .
The theatre is made more memorable by the detail that is included in this story, Peter records with such honesty the foolish things he blurted out, he and his two compatriots were clearly not in their right minds. The reference to building stone shelters is what Jews did when God came close to them in their earthly journeys. Cairns of stones, pillars, or shrines had always been a traditional response to record sacred experiences, so why not create shelters to witness Gods presence, unbelievable though it must have seemed to Peter? On that mountain history and heaven came together in an experience that is deeply Jewish and at the same time profoundly new.
But for all the theatre, the central point of this story is the transfiguration and the clear announcement that Jesus is the Son of God, affirming beyond any doubt the divine ministry of Jesus.
How like us is Peter, he was not supposed to be talking or building or suggesting, he was there simply to listen. How often do we spend time talking and suggesting instead of simply standing still and listening!
Mountains have featured greatly in my life, I was a compulsive rock climber, mountaineer who sought challenging faces of rock to climb and like most mountaineers I looked down my nose at skiers and walkers who simply played on mountains. That is until I was introduced to skiing and realised what a fool I had been. There is something so special about standing in sparkling snow on the top of a mountain under a deep blue clear sky surrounded by the grandeur of other mountains. The power of nature, the closeness to heaven, the peacefulness of the moment compels one to stop, be still, and simply reflect on the glory of God’s creation. As Isaiah wrote “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made”. We were all created for God’s glory and it is our purpose in life to live so as to add to it.
It is often the simple every day actions that we do that reveal the glory, the needs of others that are addressed, the holding of a hand, the patient moments of listening, the writing of a note, that little bit of shopping, all very small and seemingly meaningless actions and yet acts that recognise the needs of others that, like Holy grease, make the wheel of life go round.
It is the way a life is well lived, that reveals the glory of God, not necessarily extravert and flamboyant, just the humble life of commitment, the Capt, Sir Tom type of life that sets an example for our youth, for us all, a light that although not of the transfiguring brightness of God’s glory, is visible to the world.
It is just 9 days now since my wife Margery passed away, peacefully, painlessly in her own home just as she wished it to be. The words of love for her that have poured in, the many tributes to her for the help she gave, the thanks for the hospitality she provided both here and in many foreign countries, the international leadership she gladly gave to the Girl Guides movement in countries that she lived and her efforts to foster the Christian way, all point to a life well lived and, in a little way, added to God’s glory.
However, to see the full glory of God, is impossible for us humans. Moses demanded evidence that God was with him in his endeavour to lead the nation of Israel into the desert. He said “Please show me your Glory” and God’s response “I will show my back part, no one can see my face and live” and so Moses was tucked into a rock crevice to shield him from the passing of God. God does reveal his full glory to us, just glimpses here and there.
The glorious glimpses of God in the Old Testament are no less stunning because they are only partial. Nor are they less divine because they are limited or restrained so that they don’t destroy the viewer. But in every case it is to strengthen faith that God made his presence known, that God was present, and God will ever be present.
And that is what our world needs now in the face of this pandemic that has turned our world upside down. We need people to know of God’s presence, we need signs that strengthen our faith, signs that can only come from us as we go about our daily Christian lives, those little actions that point to God’s glory. Those little glimpses of God’s glory that say, ”Fear not, I am here with you”. Amen

The Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

A Time of Prayer
Relax and close your eyes and picture you are looking up at a bright blue hole in a fluffy white cloudy sky, through which the sun’s rays from heaven shine. Speak your mind to our Father about what troubles you, things that may be affecting your family, friends. Thank the Lord for prayers that have been answered, the people that have touched you this week, those who are facing the daily trauma of this pandemic.
End your time by saying a prayer similar to that our Lord Jesus taught us
Lord God, we live in a world where things have gone badly wrong because we have forgotten you and left you out of our reckoning.
We have worship other Gods and have not hallowed your name.
We have adopted the world’s standards and have not served your Kingdom.
We have gone our way and have not chosen your will.
We have done thinks that grieve you,
Have mercy upon us, O Lord our God.
Forgive our sins and folly and turn us back to yourself, that we may worship you, the Holy One, submit to your kingly rule of love and justice, and order our lives according to your laws.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.

Final Hymn 163 Glory to thee O God
Glory to thee, O God, for all thy saints in light,
who nobly strove and conquered in the well-fought fight.
Their praises sing, who life outpoured
by fire and sword for Christ their King.

Thanks be to thee, O Lord, for saints thy Spirit stirred
in humble paths to live thy life and speak thy word.
Unnumbered they whose candles shine
to lead our footsteps after thine.

Lord God of truth and love, thy kingdom come’, we pray;
give us thy grace to know thy truth and walk thy way;
that here on earth thy will be done,
till saints in earth and heav’n are one.

The Sending
And now we come to the end of our worship together. I wish you a very safe, healthy and rewarding week, full of hope that we shall eventually return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So we say together
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen
Our worship has ended, our service begins
Until we come together again may God’s peace be with you.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
2nd Sunday before Lent – 7 February 2021
The ‘Word’ and the Wisdom of God
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.
Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.
Then say: Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful
Then say:Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn Hallelujah! This is the day that God has made:
New words on an old theme

This is the day that God has made;
grace, truth and beauty are displayed.
No day will ever be the same
so let’s praise God’s holy name.

This is the day when we can see
God’s passion for diversity:
colour and culture, landscape, race
different contours, each in place.

This is the day when we may find
nourishment for both soul and mind:
insights and wisdom, calls to care,
food enough for faith and prayer.

This is the day in which we know
kindness and love are meant to grow:
love to the stranger, to the friend,
to the world – love without end.

This is the day we will rejoice,
stretch our horizons, raise our voice,
join in earth’s symphony of love
improvised for heaven above.

The Word: Readings from :-
Proverbs 8.1,22-31 “The Lord created me (Wisdom) at the beginning of his work
John 1.1-14 “In the beginning was the Word”.
Colossians 1.15-20 “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”

A Reflection God’s Word and Wisdom
As we move into a new month, so we move to a new stage in the church’s year. Epiphany is behind us and Lent beckons, so now the mood changes. Gone are the stories of Jesus’ birth, and the early steps of his life. Epiphany starts with a baby, recognised as special by shepherds, wise men, and two elderly, devout Jews, Simeon and Anna. In some years we would hear about Jesus growing up, obedient to his parents, and conversing with scholars in the Temple, leading to his encounter with John the Baptist and to Baptism. And then he goes into the desert to wrestle with inner demons. It’s a human story of the early years in the life of a boy, albeit a special one, with the emphasis on his humanity and the way he finds his calling in life.
But it’s followed by a sequence of events which point from his humanity to his Godliness. At his Baptism, God speaks out to acknowledges that Jesus is his son, ‘in whom he is well pleased”. That is followed by Jesus gathering a band of disciples and performing his first miracle. Next week we will read of the Transfiguration when his Godliness is revealed to his closest followers.
Today’s readings form the turning point as the theologian St John reflects on the paradox of Jesus being presented to the world of humans as a baby, while having existed at the heart of God from before the Creation. Its mind boggling to us mere humans
In the beginning was the Word
Whether one believes in a God or not, modern scientific knowledge has revealed that, however Creation might have come about, it clearly operates to some fundamental rules. For a century or more, it has been known from fossils that life evolves, comes into being, lives, dies, and its matter carries on. Now we also know that this happens at every level of existence. Stars are born from dust and if in a warm part of the universe may develop life, before cooling and becoming life-less. Yet they may be reformed by collision and begin a new life. That same pattern also exists at the micro level among microbes and viruses. We see it in the seasons and cycles of life.
One of the rules embedded in creation is that of Life, Death and Resurrection which will be made real for us humans in the next weeks as we move towards Easter and Pentecost.
Another fundamental principle or rule of creation is that nothing exists in isolation. David Attenborough’s nature programmes reveal time and again how small groups of plants, animals, and insects, have evolved and exist in micro-environments and which are themselves embedded in bigger systems. And every component has a relationship with all the others that is essential to the life of the micro or macro environment; everything in balance. Jesus models that for us in his community of disciples and in their collective relationship with the society in which they existed. Paul, too, makes it the model for his young churches
I think of these underlying principles of life which I see in creation as being the Word of God. They are confirmed for me by the life of Jesus and made real whenever I find myself within a group of people who try, as best they can to form mutually interdependent community; accepting each other’s unique humanity, living with difference, and diversity, forgiving each other, and feeling a responsibility to enhance each other’s lives and that of the wider community. When that happens, the impossible becomes possible – the Miracle of Multiplication otherwise known as the Feeding of the 5000 takes place.
“The Lord created me (Wisdom) at the beginning of his work
At the beginning of his rule as King of Israel, Solomon is recorded as asking God to give him Wisdom. And the way in which Solomon’s writing in Proverbs describes Wisdom suggests that he saw it as one of the principles of God’s creation. In other words, if one saw the world as God sees it and tried to live to the rules of creation, then one would be given Wisdom. Note too that Wisdom is portrayed as being female.

However, Wisdom is not fixed, defined, applicable in every situation, or permanent. Some people live with the understanding that God has a plan for their lives, that everything is predestined. Some theologians write of Jesus earthly ministry as if Jesus had a grand plan and that he followed it to the Cross. I find those concepts difficult. Jesus’ earthly ministry often appears spontaneous – a woman touches his coat and is healed, Zacheaus climbs a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus and Jesus invites himself to tea. Likewise, the pattern of my life seems to have evolved out of spontaneous events. That is the Spirit’s way.
Wisdom for today
So, what might we draw from today’s readings? That the right path for ourselves and for society will be found when God’s wisdom is tapped and that will happen when we live God’s Word; by listening to diverse voices and opinions; by building community which accepts everyone as a child of God; that quickly makes peace with forgiveness when disagreements arise; that lives sustainably and shares resources compensating for each other’s weaknesses and enhancing each other’s strengths.
Then life will flourish, and we will experience the Miracle of Multiplication generated by God’s Word and Wisdom

A pause for further thought

Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.
This week we may want to give thanks for the life of Capt. Sir Tom Moore, for the life of Margery Davall, and any others who have died recently and were known to you; also to bring to mind the thousands who have died from Covid in the past week.
Pray for the Government, for the NHS and Local Authorities, not forgetting the many charities and local volunteers bringing support and healing to the nation
Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.

Poem or Hymn The Enemy of Apathy:
A hymn about the Holy Spirit and the way in which God’s Word and Wisdom act.

She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters,
hovering on the chaos of the world’s first day;
she sighs and she sings, mothering creation,
waiting to give birth to all the Word will say.

She wings over earth, resting where she wishes,
lighting close at hand or soaring through the skies;
she nests in the womb, welcoming each wonder,
nourishing potential hidden to our eyes.

She dances in fire, startling her spectators,
waking tongues of ecstasy where dumbness reigned;
she weans and inspires all whose hearts are open,
nor can she be captured, silenced or restrained.

For she is the Spirit, one with God in essence,
gifted by the Saviour in eternal love;
she is the key opening the scriptures,
enemy of apathy and heavenly dove.
From: Common Ground: 32
Words & Music: John L Bell & Graham Maule
© WGRG Iona Community

Personal Praise and Worship – 31st January 2021

Well here we are at the last day of January and there is a little light at the end of the very long tunnel of this pandemic. And with this thought of hope in our minds let’s put aside all the negative news that surrounds our lives of isolation and come together to spend time as Christians, looking forward with hope and trust to the day when we will be worshipping alongside our friends in fellowship.

Opening Prayer …O God of peace whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life, look with compassion upon the anguish of our world and the grieving families of the 100,000 taken from us by the Covid virus with thy healing power, make whole both people and nations through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Lord, look down with mercy upon us and take away those things in our lives that grieve you: give us the strength and the resolve to live the life you would have us live and to do it with joy and thanks in our hearts, we ask this in the name of our Saviour Jesu Christ Amen

Hymn 175 God of mercy, God of grace

God of mercy, God of grace,
show the brightness of your face.
Shine upon us, Saviour, shine;
fill your world with light divine;
all your saving health extend
unto earth’s remotest end.

Let the people praise you, Lord;
be by all that live adored.
Let the nations shout and sing
glory to their gracious King;
at your feet their tribute pay,
and your holy will obey.

Let the people praise you, Lord;
earth shall then its fruits afford.
Unto us your blessing give;
we to you devoted live,
all below and all above,
one in joy and light and love.

Gospel Reading – Luke 2:22-40 – Jesus Presented in the Temple
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Reflections
Only Luke‘s Gospel brings us this story of Simeon and Anna and their recognition of the Christ child. Luke’s Gospel has moved us on from the birth of Jesus and he is now a few weeks old and, as Mosaic Law required, his parents have brought him to the Temple to be circumcised. There is nothing remarkable about that; all Jewish boys followed the same path and yet Luke chooses to bring this event to our attention. Why? The answer must surely point to this remarkable very old man Simeon, waiting for consolation. And why does Luke highlight it as the salient element of this story? Because of this man’s faith and devotion spanning a very large part of his earthly life has led him to wait. God had made Simeon a promise that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah.
Now there is in my mind waiting and WAITING if you follow me. I am like most people I have a fair degree of patience and can wait for something to happen, in the expectation that that it will turn up before too long, something will happen in a reasonable time: the treatment for cancer will work eventually, my children would eventually be able to feed themselves and go to the toilet as well (they did before they were 21!) or, as we are just now, looking for an end of this pandemic. Our waiting is to be measured in weeks or perhaps as long as a year or so!! The waiting we have for most things is finite.
But Simeon’s wait was measured in decades and sustained by his faith in that God, through the Holy Spirit, had told him he would see the Messiah before he died. His confidence that God’s promise would be fulfilled is partly based on his knowledge of the prophet Isiah and his declaration that “the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and He will be called Immanuel”, partly because he was a righteous and devout Jew who was already waiting for the consolation of Israel, but mostly because God spoke to him and made a promise.
What is ‘consolation’? In a general sense consolation is defined as ‘comfort that is received by a person after a loss or a disappointment”, something that every devote Jew would be looking for following the wrath of God in inflicting the punishment of exile, domination of the Roman occupation. God had always promised that he was their God and the Jewish nation was looking to be consoled for the hardship that had come upon them.
The waiting for Simeon was bordering on the miraculous, as unlike Anna, he did not spend every day in or around the Temple and over his lifetime, which some have said was as long as 260 years, he would have been aware of thousands upon thousands of young male babies brought to the Temple for this traditional ceremony. The Holy Spirit moved him on this one occasion to be at the right place at the right time to witness Mary and Joseph bring our Lord to the Temple and bring Simeon’s wait to fulfilment. His prayer of praise is the same prayer we say at our evening worship – the Nunc Dimittis – this devoted Jew who proclaims that Jesus has come not just to save the Jews but “the face of all people, the Gentiles”, you and me.
What strength do we draw from this man Simeon. Waiting upon God is not wasted time and heaven knows during these extraordinary times we have had long spells to stop and contemplate. As we frequently pray, we are all waiting for God’s Kingdom to come and, assuredly it will come if we his children work to hasten its coming.
But I am also waiting for other prayers to be answered – prayers seeking greater equality, the wealth of our nation to be more fairly shared. As this pandemic has demonstrated so graphically, I don’t want to return to the ”normal” of the past. This period of waiting for this virus to be overcome, the price paid of now over 100,000 Covid 19 deaths has highlighted the inequalities in our society, our priorities that make for some of us a safe life, the cheap labour that underpins our life style. We take for granted that truck drivers will haul food, stackers will eke out a living stacking shelves, porters will support harassed medics for long hours on basic wages, carers will sacrifice their families to look after the sick and elderly in care homes, the low wage workers that have had to work even though they are not feeling well and have had to leave the home and in doing so, added to the spread of this disease. We cannot just accept it as the way our society is made to be!
This is the time to start making changes, changes in how we look at our world, resolve to carry forward the caring that has blossomed during this time of hardship, the generous way most have looked around them to look for and helped needing people, Christian fellowship that shines like a bright light in spite of isolation. This time of waiting has allowed us to stop and look around, speak with our neighbours, chat with the lonely, write to old friends that are having a rough time. All good, valued things that must feature more prominently in our lives and in our society when life returns to “normal”. We must bring the light of Christ in to this dark world.
So as we wait in isolation let’s search our hearts and make personal plans to answer the question we continue to ask “What is ours, now to do?”
A short period to let the Holy Spirit whisper to you.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

And now a time of prayer
Relax and close your eyes. Think through the past week and bring to mind those things, conversations that made you want to bring change to unhappy circumstances or thank God for prayers answered. Hold up to our Lord those who are in trouble, sickness, lonely, grieving or anxious, and place at the feet of our Lord those things in your life that need mending.
Speak out loud your prayers to God, our Father ending up by saying the prayer Christ taught us

Our Father who art in heaven……

Hymn 98 Come thou long expected Jesus

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

Remembering those who, in happier times, would be worshipping with you this morning wish them the Peace
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.
Blessing
And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
3rd Sunday in Epiphany, 24 Jan 2021
Re-imagining our Calling
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.

Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.
Then say: Thanks be to God

Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful
Then say: Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven

Hymn I Owe My Lord a Morning Song:
This can be sung to the tune Crimond – The Lord’s my shepherd

I owe my Lord a morning song
for God has made this day.
Through fears of night and hidden light
God moves and wills my way.

I owe my Lord a morning song;
for Jesus rose at dawn;
he made death die and would not lie
that others might live on.

I owe my Lord a morning song;
the Spirit gave me voice
nor did she force my soul to praise
but honoured me with choice.

I owe my Lord a morning song.
how can I help but sing
when God is all in all, and I
am one with everything?

The Word: Reading from :-
John 1.43-end “Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit”.

A Reflection – Re-imagining our Calling
Nathaniel or Bartholomew?
The account of Jesus’s meeting with Nathaniel, which we heard in last week’s service, has remained with me during the past few days and so I want to return to it again this weekend.
Who was Nathaniel and what do we know of his life as a disciple? The answer is very little! He is only mentioned in John’s Gospel; once when Philip brings him to Jesus and again, after Jesus death, when Nathaniel is listed as being on the beach of Lake Tiberius when Jesus appears and cooks a fish breakfast for his disciples.
“Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit”.
Nathaniel is just one of a number of people who make brief but memorable appearances in the Bible and about whom we never hear again. This leads me to wonder whether, he and they might have something to say to us ‘ordinary and unremarkable’ Christians about the nature of our vocation, our life as Christians in society today.
From the Gospel, it is clear that Nathaniel makes a big impression on Jesus, apparently in a short time. “Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” I understand the ‘no deceit’ bit. What you see is what you get with Nathaniel. There is no hidden side. But the ‘true Israelite’ phrase is more difficult to unpack.
I imagine that Jesus sees Nathaniel as a faithful Jew, maintaining his household in the Jewish family traditions, bring up his children to know the stories of his ancestors, saying the psalms and praying regularly, probably a leading figure in the local synagogue and within the community. Jesus’ remark that he had seen Nathaniel sitting under his fig tree is significant. For big Jewish families living in small homes, the quiet space in the garden under the shade of a fig tree was the place for reflection and prayer. Perhaps Jesus also saw Nathaniel in conversation with passers-by and noted the way in which he greeted everyone, listened to them and was respected by them; a honoured pillar of society.
So, did his encounter with Jesus change Nathaniel? Perhaps not much. I can imagine that Jesus recognition of him as true Israelite acknowledged that Nathaniel had already understood the Kingdom of God and was leading that life.
Cornelius, Lydia and Philemon
There are other ‘Nathaniel’ like people in the New Testament.
Cornelius, a Roman centurion, living in Caesarea is a much-respected member of his community known to be a person of prayer and to have supported the local synagogue (See Acts 10). When an angel suggests that he should invite the apostle Peter to come to his house, he does so. Then he invites his friends and neighbours to hear Peter preach. When Peter reaches the house he quickly senses that there is something very special about Cornelius, his household and his neighbours. He finds that the Holy Spirit has preceded him, and so he is inspired to break all the rules. First he enters a Gentile home (an unclean place for a Jew) and to baptise the whole Gentile group. The first Gentiles have received the Holy Spirit of the Risen Christ. As with Nathaniel, so with Cornelius.
Lydia is a business woman living in Philippi when the apostle Paul reaches there on his second journey (Acts 16.13-15). She is a trader in fine purple silk, a symbol of wealth and power in Roman society. On the sabbath, when Paul seeks to join a group of Jewish worshippers he goes to a riverbank outside the town where a group of prostlyte women (Gentile converts to Judaism) gather to worship and pray. When Paul speaks to the women, the Lord opens Lydia’s heart to listen, and Paul is moved to baptise her and her household and then to stay in her house (another breach of the rules for Jews).
When Jesus met Nathaniel, when Peter met Cornelius, when Paul met Lydia, the crucial element of the meeting was the quality of the personal lives that they encountered; trusted and respected members of society whose faith was revealed by the spirit undergirding the way they lived their lives.
Re-imagining our personal calling
For a very long time, the church has spoken of vocation and calling, almost exclusively, in terms of priesthood. Consequently you and I have not been encouraged to see the different facets of our lives as a calling from God. So, when asked …
“What is ours, now to do?
… the question appears hard to answer.
But I know what is challenging me at this moment in time – and I guess that you do too.
• How to support the spirits of four teenage grand-children facing exams this year, and having to spend 6 hours a day being taught through a computer screen, while week by week the government changes the rules by which education operates.
• How to support the finances of two older grandchildren made redundant during Covid when state benefits leave them without income for 6 weeks.
• Having received the Covid vaccine last week, delivered by a team of volunteers, should I offer to help?
• With half-term approaching, how can the CaryCares Project ensure that children from poor homes have enough food when, once again the government changes the rules.
Sadly, at this crucial moment in times, our church buildings are of little use. But God’s purposes can be worked out by the lives that you and I lead – and particularly by the way in which we keep alert to changing events and respond quickly.
That is ours now to do!
That is our calling – our vocation AND IT IS VITAL.

A pause for further thought

Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful. Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Remember, too, those situations around you which trouble you; the ones to which you are unsure how to respond. Lift them to God for his inspiration.
Then lift those people and situations to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Poem or Hymn The ‘other person’:
This can be read as a poem, but if you wish to sing, try using the tune for Amazing Grace

The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
was one the rest despised,
his virtues unidentified,
her worth unrealised.

The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
was known for what was wrong,
not for the wrong once done to him,
nor for her soul or song.

The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
had faith nobody knew,
and grounded hope and grateful love
found only in a few

The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
was meant to laugh and shout,
defy authoritarian rules
and drive the demons out.

The ‘other person’ Jesus sees
is also known to me:
it’s who I am beneath the masks
and who I’m meant to be.

Come gently, Jesus, to our aid;
let there be recognised
the good each ‘other’ has to share,
even when it’s well disguised.

Personal Prayer and Worship 17th January 2021
Welcome to this time of personal prayer, worship and reflection. I hope that you are safe and well and are in that frame of mind to join me now in praise, prayer and preparation for the coming week.
Opening Prayer.
Holy Father, be with me now as I turn to you with thanks for my life and the support of the community in which I live. Quiet my mind that I may focus on you and hear your words; give me guidance for the lonely days ahead and build me up that I may be worthy of being your servant. Amen

Opening Hymn 46 At the name of Jesus
At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him king of glory now;
this the Father’s pleasure, that we call him Lord,
who from the beginning was the mighty word.

At his voice creation sprang at once to sight,
all the angel faces, all the hosts of light;
thrones and dominations, stars upon their way,
all the heavenly orders, in their great array.

Humbled for a season, to receive a name
from the lips of sinners unto whom he came;
faithfully he bore it spotless to the last,
brought it back victorious when from death he passed.

Bore it up triumphant with its human light,
through all ranks of creatures to the central height;
to the eternal Godhead, to the Father’s throne,
filled it with the glory of his triumph won.

With his Father’s glory Jesus comes again,
angel hosts attend him and announce his reign;
for all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him king of glory now.

A time of Confession
Lord Jesus, forgive us the thoughts and deeds that have made you weep, the things that the Spirit prompted us to do but we didn’t, things we know are not healthy for us but we nevertheless, did. Look upon us with mercy, frail people that we are, and give us strength and the resolve to do better in the weeks ahead, we ask this in your Holy name our Lord and Saviour Amen

We read the Gospel reading set for this Sunday
John 1 v 43 – end – Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Thoughts
It is well known at this end of our village that I have fig trees, simply because every other year they produce a bumper crop and I spend a lot days in August plaguing my neighbours to help eat the fruit, which is way too much for my wife and I. Hence, my eyes were drawn to the numerous references to fig trees in today’s reading and what they symbolised in the verses of John’s account of Jesus’ calling of Phillip and Nathaniel. But to me of even more importance is the last verse in which Jesus tells us of what you might call a bridge that will be established linking God and his people, a bridge created by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, a bridge carrying everything humanity will ever need.
In our reading this morning John tells us that Jesus is seeking the men that would become his disciples and take over his earthly ministry, Israelites who would eventually establish the Christian church of which you and I are today’s members.
At first glance Jesus’ manner of selecting his disciples may strike us as being a trifle haphazard, apparently just wandering around Lake Galilee inviting fishermen to drop their nets and follow him. Some of them were disciples of John the Baptist who left him to follow Jesus after John revealed just who this man from Nazareth really was. As he declared “I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One”
So far from haphazard selection, we can see how the team of disciples were motivated to “follow” Jesus, because like the wise men who were seeking the baby Jesus, these Israelites were seeking the foretold Messiah.
But Nathaniel is a bit like Thomas the doubter and can’t credit that anything of this magnitude could come from a back yard place called Nazareth! It was Jesus who spotted Nathaniel sitting under a fig tree. It would seem strange to us that Jesus could know that Nathaniel was the disciple he was seeking simply from his act of resting under a fig tree. Even more bewildering to Nathaniel was that Jesus was specifically looking for him
. He simply didn’t understand how Jesus could know him. But you can see from the reflections of last weeks service the linkage between the disciples of John the Baptist, and Jesus following his baptism in the Jordan, how many men switched to following the Son of God.
In praising Nathaniel for recognising him as the King of the Jews, Jesus goes on to reveal that he would become THE BRIDGE between humans and God, he would become the gate to heaven. But a bridge doesn’t achieve anything unless the world knows it exists and why it was created. And that was why Jesus was selecting and calling men to be his disciples. They would have a long journey in front of them sitting at Jesus’ feet imbibing his teaching albeit that a lot of it would pass over the heads until much later when Jesus has risen to be with the Father.
But as the New Testament reveals, these men served God faithfully and fulfilled their tasks of:
sign posting the existence of the Christ Bridge that Jesus built, teaching the world why it was built and what was to be found at the other end, explaining how the bridge was capable of carrying every conceivable load that human beings might experience and want to unload and, revealing that there was no toll charge, just belief and trust in God.
I have a lot of experience in bridge building, both military and civil, perhaps my most pleasing being the magnificent bridge that stands 180 ft up in the air flying across the M62 motorway, a sculpture in the sky. Before bridge design can begin its essential to establish what load it has to support and what kind of traffic will use it.
Way back in time as a very young Royal Engineer officer I was taking part in a very large military exercise in the Sinai desert, involving a brigade of some 5,000 men. Deep in the desert the advance of this force was blocked by a deep wadi and my troop of Engineers was called forward to bridge it. Having decided the probable span and load it would have to carry, I ordered from our base some 100 miles away the parts needed. At 2 am some 20 lorries arrived carrying the heavy components which we assembled into a 150 ft bridge to span the gorge. Just before dawn the brigade’s tank regiment crossed the wadi and the full brigade followed moving deeper into the desert. My men and I slept for a bit, jumped into our vehicles and crossed to catch up with the rest of the brigade.
Some 8 days later the exercise ended and I returned with my Troop to dismantle the bridge, only to discover it wasn’t there! It was clear where we had built it but there was not one solitary component of it to be seen. The Egyptians were renown at stealing things and clearly this is what had happened even though it had been built 120 miles away from civilisation! Of course none of the bridge was ever found. When I left the Army some 25 years later I still owed the Army one 150 ft Baily bridge which had been on loan to me all my career!
The point I am making is that unless a bridge is built in the right place, used and maintained it loses its purpose and may even disappear! I came across a poem about the Christ Bridge which I hope you will enjoy.

One day they nailed a carpenter to a rugged tree thinking He would never build again
there they held Him through His hands and feet, still He carried out a master plan.

Jesus built a bridge to heaven so that I could have a way up to Him
Jesus built a bridge the only way He could with only three nails and three pieces of wood
with one rugged cross, Jesus built a bridge

The Father looked from heaven to the world below and it seemed there was no way to claim His own
So to the world God’s Son, the master builder, had to go to make a way to bring God’s children home

With only three nails and three pieces of wood with one rugged cross, Jesus built a bridge

Nathaniel and the other Disciples, in writing their gospels, made it clear that this holy bridge had dual carriageways and that it carried a never ending stream of God’s love, compassion and truth to all mankind, not just the Jews but all humanity. The church of Christ, of which you and I are members, has the same tasks to fulfil as those disciples. Stephen reminded us last week there is a question that needs addressing
What is ours, now to do?
And a part of what Christ asks of us is to maintain and support Christ’s Bridge less it just get lost or perhaps disappear! We must make sure we tell the world the Way to the bridge and that it was built with Jesus’ sacrificial body. We may be isolated in our homes but it is just the right time to reflect on our own lives and the harm, albeit mostly unintentional, we may have caused to God’s world in our selfish use of its resources, the injustices we have chosen to ignore and perhaps take a little comfort from the good we have been prompted to do. We can’t truly repent until we can see where we might have gone wrong. Finally let’s thank our Father that Christ’s Bridge will always be there for us and we should use it daily as I have learnt at first hand, bridges can disappear if we leave them unattended! So keep sign posting and praying. Amen

The Creed
We say the Creed together:
We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power and love, whose mercy is over all his works, and whose will is ever directed to his children’s good.
We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the gift of the Father’s unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.
We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need.
We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth.
A Time of Prayer
Relax and close your eyes and imagine you are sitting basking on a warm Summer’s day looking up at vivid blue sky through a hole in towering white clouds – a bridge to heaven. Think through the past week and bring to mind those things, conversations that left you feeling uncomfortable, think about what and who makes your parish church work for you, our Rector Katherine and the ministry team, think of the things and people for whom you need to say thank you, those working in the NHS, truck drivers, caring nurses Hold up to our Lord those who are in trouble, are sick, lonely, grieving or anxious
and conclude your prayers by say the prayer our Saviour taught us
Our Father who art in heaven ……….

Final Hymn
When God Almighty came to earth, He took the pain of Jesus’ birth,
He took the flight of refugee, And whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty went to work, Carpenter’s sweat he didn’t shirk,
Profit and loss he didn’t flee, And whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty walked the street, The critic’s curse he had to meet,
The cynic’s smile he had to see, And whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty met his folk, Of peace and truth he boldly spoke
To set the slave and tyrant free, And whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty took his place To save the sometimes human race,
He took it boldly on a tree, And whispered, “Humbly follow me.”

When God Almighty comes again, He’ll meet us incognito as then;
And though no words may voice his plea, he’ll whisper are you following me

The Sending
And now we come to the end of our worship together. I wish you a very safe, healthy week ahead, full of hope that we shall eventually return to more normal times, those Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So let us say together:
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen

Our worship has ended, our service begins
Until we come together again may God be with you

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
3rd Sunday in Advent, 10 Jan 2021
The Baptism of Jesus

Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
Gathering in
The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.
Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say: Thanks be to God
Forgiveness
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful

Then say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven
Hymn On Jordan’s Bank: a reminder of John the Baptists role in Jesus ministry

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry,
Announces that the Lord is nigh.
Awake and harken, for he brings
Glad tidings from the King of Kings.

Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
make straight the way for Christ within:
prepare we in our hearts a home,
where such a mighty guest may come.

For thou are our salvation, Lord
our refuge, and our great reward;
without thy grace we waste away,
like flowers that wither and decay.

To heal the sick stretch out thy hand,
and bid the fallen sinner stand;
shine forth and let they light restore
earth’s own true loveliness once more.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee
whose Advent doth thy people free,
whom with the Father we adore
and Holy Ghost for evermore

The Word: Readings from :-
Genesis 1.1-5 – “Then God said, “Let there be light’, and there was light.”
Mark 1.4-11 – Jesus comes to John the Baptist seeking baptism for himself.
Acts 19.1-7 – Paul encounters followers of John the Baptist in Ephesus in 55AD.

A Reflection Jesus’ Vocation Unfolds
“Let there be light!”; and there was light.
Last week, Pat spoke to us of the dangerous world into which Jesus was born and the importance of the Wise Men and their dedicated search for him, following the light of a star. Pat encouraged us to seek God’s light to guide us into a better future. Pope Francis does the same in his newly published book “Let us Dream”, exhorting us to seek out ways to reach beyond making the world normal again, and to strain to make a better world.
As we recall how Jesus found the light of God through his baptism by John, and as we remember how it was confirmed by God, let’s use the moment to review our own personal calling by asking ourselves, “What is ours, now to do?”
“Into what then were you baptised?”. They replied, “John’s baptism”.
When Jesus sought God’s light to lead him, he went to find John the Baptist.
It is easy to hear the stories of John the Baptist and only to absorb his message of being an ‘unworthy forerunner’. In so doing we would miss his importance as a major prophet who emerged in a dark period of Roman Rule in Palestine and who bridged the gap of 400 years between Malachai and Jesus, between the Old Testament and the New. We would also miss the fact that he had a band of disciples like Jesus, and a large following of curious seekers. People followed John because, in the darkness of those times, he offered light, an uplifting message of repentance – of a turning around to face life in a new direction; a turning-around that was marked by having the past washed away in baptism.
The short reading from Acts, dated c55AD, reveals the extent and endurance of John’s ministry. Twenty-five years after it began, his followers are still to be found, 1200 miles away from the Jordan desert at Ephesus in western Turkey. Nor should we overlook the fact that, after John’s beheading, some of his bereaved disciples became disciples of Jesus.
Going to meet John and receiving his baptism was decisive for Jesus, not least because it took him to the margins of society; from town to desert; from traditional Jewish community to seek a radical prophet; and into the company of others on the edge of society.
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan”
St Mark doesn’t waste words, and his matter-of-fact statement that Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan neglects to mention that it was a round trip of 160 miles and that the return journey involved a climb of 3,000ft. Nor does it allow for the fact that John was itinerant and might not be by the Jordan when Jesus got there.
Going to meet John was no spontaneous decision. Jesus had a powerful reason for going on that pilgrimage.
At the time, he was, as far as we know, a 30 year-old carpenter or builder in Nazareth, probably the wage earner for a household that supported his mother and any siblings. So something powerful was pulling him away from what might have seemed to be his life’s work, a satisfying craft that he may well have enjoyed. We might wonder how he experienced the pull towards a new vocation.
I can say from personal experience, that Spirit of God will have been making him restless. Friends will have been suggesting to him that he has other gifts; an ability to teach, a pastoral heart, and a listening ear. And we can be certain that his mother will have been encouraging the search, probably telling him to go to find his cousin John for a chat.
“You are my Son; with you I am well pleased”
Mark gives us very little detail of what happens when Jesus encountered John; just one line, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan”. We know not whether the cousins spent hours, days or weeks together. We have no idea what they discussed. But what we do know is that Jesus was baptised by John, and that can tell us much. By accepting John’s baptism Jesus joins himself to the cause to which John has given his life; in essence that was to encourage his followers to turn from the corrupted Temple based worship, to personal lives lived according to God’s will.
For Jesus, going to meet John and allowing John to baptise him begins a new vocation; a call to be a teacher, a rabbi, and one dedicated to the poor, and the sick.
What is ours, now to do”?
I began by suggesting that we might use the readings to ask ourselves a question. I heard it asked in a Hogmanay Vigil from Iona Abbey, by Ruth Harvey, Leader of the Iona Community.
“What is ours, now to do?
At this dark moment in history, what is it that our God is asking of each of us?
Many of us are in the latter stages of our lives and may not consider this a moment to expect or to seek a new challenge. However, there is much wrong with the world we live in today; homelessness, unemployment, high levels of anxiety and anger, children starving in this wealth country, more people in prison than ever before, pollution of air, land and sea, rising global temperature. And while none of that is new it has become significantly worse in our lifetimes as a consequence of our lifestyles. There were few motor vehicles or refrigerators when I was born, and no civilisation in all of history has consumed and wasted on the scale of today.
What is it in our lives now that we must repent and turn away from? And what might it be that God is calling us to do and to which he will give his blessing?

A pause for further thought

A Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful. Dwell on your feelings about the world in which you are living and how you might, in some small way, make a new contribution to its reshaping.

Hymn O Jesus Christ, in human flesh: chosen because it reminds us of the way Jesus sought God’s guidance and encourages us to do the same.

O Jesus Christ in human flesh
you practiced heaven’s care,
besieged by need, betrayed by greed,
Sustained by faith and prayer.

Before you spoke, before you healed,
before you broke the bread,
in crowds, as in the quiet place,
you felt for where God led.

Not to escape, but to prepare
to fathom and fulfil,
you let your heart and hands be tuned,
in silence, to God’s will.

So we, responding to your call
to walk your chosen way,
admit our need to learn from you
to love and work and pray.

Then send your spirit to inspire
our cautious hearts and hands,
till work and prayer are rooted deep
in love which understands.

Personal Praise and Worship 3 January 2021

Good morning everyone and may I start by wishing you a very happy and healthy New Year. Let’s put 2020 behind us with all its trials and tribulations and look forward with hope for something much better in 2021. So let us put aside all our worldly concerns and concentrate our hearts and thoughts on God, our Father
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, we turn to you this morning with thanks in our hearts that the Word was made flesh and you came to us to bring hope, love and salvation to all people. We ask that with contrite minds, you will speak to us in this time of worship together and make straight the ways in front of us for this coming year, that we may serve you and carry out lives you would have us live, through the Grace of Lord and Saviour Amen.

Hymn 78 Christ is the world’s true light
Christ is the world’s true light, it’s captain of salvation, the day star clear and bright of every race and nation; new life, new hope awakes where ‘er we own his sway: freedom her bondage breaks , and night is turned today.
In Christ all nations meet, their ancient feuds forgetting, the whole round world complete, from sunrise to its setting: when Christ is throned as Lord, all shall forsake their fear, to ploughshare beat their sword, to pruning hook the spear.
One Lord, one great name, unite us all who own thee; cast out our pride and shame that hinder to enthrone thee; the world as waited long, has travailed long in pain; to heal its ancient wrong, come, Prince of Peace, and reign!

A time of Confession
Before we make our confessions let’s sit still for a moment and think back over the hectic week past, full of joy and also of sorrow and bring to mind the things that we rather wish we hadn’t done and the moments we selfishly looked away
Lord Jesus, forgive us the thoughts and deeds that have made you weep, the things that the Spirit prompted us to do but we didn’t. Look upon us, frail people that we are, with mercy and give us strength and the resolve to do better in the weeks ahead, we ask this in your Holy name our Lord and saviour Amen

We read the Gospel reading set for this Sunday
Matthew 2 v 1 – 12 The Magi Visit the Messiah
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Some thoughts to reflect upon
So here we are in a New Year. The outlook for the next few months doesn’t look very brilliant in fact we find ourselves in a bit of a mess something I was thinking about before Christmas, when we were hearing about the mess that Mary was in at the time of Jesus’ birth. But out of that mess came a miracle, the birth of Mary’s Son Jesus Christ, the long awaited Messiah.
And as I said we ourselves are now in a mess, I won’t dwell upon all the things that have overtaken our nation, every news bulletin reminds us how bad things currently are. But we must take heart, remain positive and remind ourselves that God is in the midst of the mess we find ourselves in – the danger from a rapidly transmitting new variant of the Covid virus uncertainties resulting from the new treaty with Europe not to mention any problems we may be personally experiencing at the start of this New Year.
But our own miracle has appeared out of our mess, vaccines that have miraculously been created in a time frame that only a year ago was thought to be impossible and now there is real hope that we may be able to return to normality by the end of 2021. There is real hope for our mess, just as there was hope out of the mess Mary and Joseph’s world was in at the time of our Lord’s immaculate birth. However, today’s reading adds to that of Mary’s world in that it tells us that Jesus is in real danger.
From the very start of his life Jesus was in danger. The fear that came upon King Herod on hearing the news that a new King of the Jews had been born is understandable. Whether or not he already had an inkling that the Messiah had arrived from gossip that may have spread from the mouths of the shepherds who had visited the place of Christ’s birth, we can only speculate. However, the arrival of the searching wise men must have removed any doubt that Herod may still have had. Here was a real and tangible threat to his authority and it couldn’t be overlooked.
Although the despot Herod Antipas ruled the land with a rod of iron he was in fact a puppet ruler appointed by the Roman Empire. After having killed off a number of his would be rivals, his father Herod the Great had been appointed by Julius Caesar in BC47. King Herod Antipas, like his father also lived a precarious life constantly looking over his shoulders, fearing for his safety. He was suspicious by nature but like many despots, weak at heart, to the point that, against his better judgement, he had John the Baptist beheaded just to please his illegitimate second wife Herodias. Clearly the baby Jesus was born into a dangerous world.
Moreover, the chief priest and his minions would have had moments of concern because if the long awaited Messiah had indeed come among them, their authority would be greatly diminished and perhaps undermined.
Hence, the arrival of the wise men, confirming any gossip that might have been around at the time about Jesus’ birth, wise men following a star that would surely lead them to a new King of the Jews, made it imperative that King Herod question them closely. Learning nothing that would allow him to take immediate protective measures, Herod pointed the wise men in the direction of Bethlehem and charged them to report back to him exactly where this new threat to his power was to be found no doubt with the intent of neutralising it as quickly as possible. We later learn in this chapter that King Herod did indeed order the mass killing of babies it being in eyes the only course of action. As the wise men thwarted King Herod by not reporting back the exact place of Jesus’ birth this despot had to resort to such desperate measure, unsuccessful was this action as we know that a little later Mary, Joseph and their new baby had to flee to the safety of Egypt.
The long journey of the wise men finally ends with success and we see that these searchers on finding Mary immediately humbled themselves to the newly born Christ and worshipped him. No questioning, no further enquiries, no seeking confirmation that this was indeed the Messiah just the acknowledgement that the wisdom they had received from God, through the prophetic story of Isaiah and the wonder of the star had truly led them to this holy baby. And such recognition is rewarded by the giving of precious gifts.
Speaking of gifts I am reminded of a story attributed to Archbishop Cary. He said that when you give a present to a person, whilst they may well thank you for the gift, it is just as important that you thank them that God has been so bountiful to you that you are in a position to pass on His bountifulness to them.
And what might be the message to us at the start of this New Year. Well for me it is about seeking, active seeking. The wise men, having found our Lord, did not celebrate the success of their cleverness in having accomplished their journey, they simply humbled themselves and worshipped. And that should be the focus of our lives as well, we have not only found the Lord Jesus but have also heard the good news, know the fullness of Christ’s love for us and we know that we live in the Grace of God. We Christians who know the full truth of Jesus, the Son of God made flesh, we insiders have every reason to humble ourselves before our Lord and saviour and worship him and give thanks. And, like the wise men he is deserving of gifts from us, the best being our commitment to follow in His footsteps by seeking those who are not insiders, those who have little or no knowledge of Christ and the blessings he brings to our lives.
At the start of this New Year we desperately need our Lord’s hand upon our troubled world, to lift us in these times of wrestling with an invisible enemy. We need to worship and pray, seeking God’s hand to give us hope that he will see us safely through to a time when we can once again join together in worship. And being seekers as well as being insiders, we must, in spite of these times of isolation, be active and live out our lives anchored firmly in the life and love of Jesus Christ. Amen

The Creed
We say the Creed together
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.
Amen.

A Time of Prayer
Relax and close your eyes and imagine you are kneeling in front of a cross. Think through the past week and bring to mind those things, conversations that left you feeling uncomfortable, think about what and who makes your parish church work for you, our Rector Katherine and the ministry team, think of the things and people for whom you need to say thank you, those working in the NHS, truck drivers. Hold up to our Lord those who are in trouble, are sick, lonely, grieving or anxious
and conclude your prayers by say the prayer our Saviour taught us
Our Father who art in heaven ……….

Final Hymn – God is working His purpose out
God is working his purpose out, as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing near:
nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God,
as the waters cover the sea.

From utmost east to utmost west, wherever foot has trod,
by the mouth of many messengers rings out the voice of God:
Listen to me you continents, you islands look to me,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God,
as the waters cover the sea.

We shall march in the strength of God, with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth may shine throughout the world;
we shall fight with sorrow and sin to set their captives free,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God,
as the waters cover the sea.

All we can do is nothing worth unless God blesses the deed;
vainly we hope for the harvest-tide till God gives life to the seed:
nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God,
as the waters cover the sea.

The Sending
And now we come to the end of our worship together, the first of this New Year. I wish you a very safe, healthy and rewarding year, full of hope that we shall return to more normal times, Sundays when we can congregate together in fellowship. So we say
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen

Our worship has ended, our service begins
Until we come together again may God be with you

Personal Praise and Worship 20th December 2020
Good morning to you all. Here we are fast approaching Christmas, only a few more days to the festival we so enjoy. If by chance you can lay your hands on a candle then now would be an ideal moment to light it and place it where you can see it shine out.
Obviously Christmas will be very different this year, the gathering of families will alas not take place and our isolation in our homes will make it seem strange. But if we turn our thoughts to just what is at the heart of our celebration, the birth our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, then a touch of joy and peace may well brighten our hearts and turn away the doom and despondency.
Opening Prayer
Holy Father, we put aside our worldly concerns and turn to you for assurance for the uncertain days ahead, to seek forgiveness for things that are not right in our lives and to give you thanks for the goodness you have bestowed on our lives. In this time of worship give us peace that we may hear you speaking to us and through your great mercy lift us to celebrate the day when your body became flesh in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen
Hymn 471 The angel Gabriel from heaven came
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes aflame.
All hail said he, thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favoured lady Gloria

For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honour thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
most highly favoured lady Gloria

Then gantle Mary meekly bowed her head,
to me be as it pleaseth God she said.
My soul shall laud and magnify his hoy name
most highly favoured lady Gloria

Of her Emmanuel, the Christ was born,
in Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn;
and Christian folk throughout the world will say
Most highly favoured lady Gloria

Confession
Lord Jesus, we seek mercy for the things that have gone wrong in our lives, acts that were selfish, the times we looked the other way when we should have reached out a helping hand. (a few moment of silence) We ask for forgiveness and your help to put right that part of us that leads us astray. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

The Gospel Reading – Luke 1:26-38 – The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Thoughts
Last week we were reading about John the Baptist who was born of a very old couple Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth who was well passed child bearing age and yet, following the visit of the angel Gabriel, Elizabeth gave birth, – God’s hand at work. In Luke’s reading this Sunday we are introduced to Mary and God’s hand is at work once again.
Mary, an unknown village girl engaged to be married living in a small Jewish village, Nazareth. I imagine her horizons looked no further than a normal married life amongst her community, bringing up her husband’s children, living close to her parents, nothing special, just and ordinary uneventful life. Little could she have envisaged the chaos and turmoil that would envelope her! Yes, the joy of her first child, but then Simeon in the Temple later tells her “a sword will pierce your own soul”, she has to watch her own villagers drive her son out of the village and finally she has to witness him die in agony on a cross, his body mutilated by a spear And yet the angel Gabriel says to Mary, “Greetings, favoured one!” It is beautiful, isn’t it, that Mary should be highly favoured by God: God has chosen this wonderful young woman to an incredible calling on her life to bear the Saviour of the World to be chosen for that ministry and to be blessed by God in that way. But what sorrow, what pain, what shame she would have to bear.
What a study of contrasts Mary’s life would experience. The angel Gabriel had said, “Greetings, highly favoured one!” Perhaps Mary thought back to this first encounter with Gabriel when she stood at the foot of the cross and looked back on the pain she had felt throughout her life, how the sword had pierced her soul and thought to herself, “If I am highly favoured by God, he has a strange way of showing it”.
Yes, Mary had known moments of deep joy in her life – of course she had – but she had also been taken into moments of deep, deep pain beyond understanding. Her life, like ours, was a study of contrasts: joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, clarity and confusion, purposeful and aimless. And Mary, like us, had to learn to navigate the waters of life in such a way as to find meaning and purpose as a follower of Christ.
Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” That was a pivotal moment, from that point on it seemed like her life had descended into chaos.
Firstly, Mary’s marriage was in a mess: we all know the story. Mary had become pregnant during the period of betrothal and, under the law of the Torah, she faced divorce at the very least and possibly even being stoned or killed for her perceived behaviour. Mary had become a disgrace to the family and an embarrassment to Joseph and he considered a quick and quiet annulment of the betrothal as a result. Her marriage was a mess.
Secondly, Mary was poor. When Mary and Joseph were travelling for the census and arrived in Bethlehem they had to put their heads down in a barn, Mary ended up giving birth in less than ideal circumstances and had to lay her baby in an animal’s feeding trough! Surely a few denarii would have made this holy birth a lot easier? By today’s standards we can see their finances were in a bit of a mess.
Her marriage was in a mess. Her finances were in a mess.
Thirdly, her community was in a mess. Mary was a good Jewish girl, growing up under the tyranny of an oppressive military dictatorship. The Romans were very much in control; the ordering of a census had proved that – but even their own leaders, like King Herod, were tyrants who ruled over society with a rod of iron. In Mary’s day, the world was a dangerous place in which to bring a child.
The angel Gabriel had said, “Greetings, highly favoured one!” The calling was beautiful – but the reality seemed to be so different: Her marriage was in a mess, her finances were in a mess, her community was in a mess. Mary’s world was in a mess.
And I think that you would probably agree that our world today isn’t too great! The entire planet gripped by a pandemic, our lives now ruled by Government dictates, isolated in our homes, our safety endangered by an invisible virus that can be passed to us by the friends around us. People are stressed as jobs evaporate from underneath them, livelihoods are disappearing, the tale of woe goes on and on and maintaining a cheerful outlook becomes more difficult. Sometimes it seems such a stark contrast to the hopes and dreams we once held and we may wonder where God’s favour has gone in our lives. Will “normality” ever return.
But take heart look back at the reading. Yes, Mary’s life was a mess: but there was an emerging miracle in that mess: Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World was emerging from her, and whilst she dwelt upon the external circumstances and could only see a mess, God was looking through all that and witnessing the birth of a miracle.
Do we ever think about miracles? I wonder if there is a miracle in our mess? Maybe it is obscured right now. But if we are able to look at the circumstances of our lives differently, perhaps we may get a glimpse, just a glimpse, of a miracle emerging? Our lives are full of contrasts, just like Mary’s. There is often a set of external circumstances that are a complete mess – but the inner reality may well be an emerging miracle and we need to be able to see the wood for the trees!
The angel Gabriel said to Mary, “Greetings, highly favoured one”. It is God’s grace that, whatever mess our lives may be at the present time, a miracle is emerging from it: an act of grace that even those circumstances that may seem beyond redemption can not only be redeemed but can even be blessed and can be the very soil in which a beautiful miracle will grow. Paul said: “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose”
If we look at our lives from a purely human perspective, we may only see mess. But if we try to discern the hand of God on us, we may just see a miracle emerging from the mess. Sometimes, we need to sift through the rubble of bad decisions, inappropriate actions and wrong choices – but, as we do that, so perhaps the miracle can be observed.
The miracle may not be birthed tonight, or even tomorrow – it may be growing inside of us and we will need to guard it secretly for a while longer. But in the right place at the right time, a time of God’s choosing, the miracle we need will be born. It will emerge into our lives and it will be the right thing for us.
Look forward with hope, put your trust in the Lord, and with God’s grace we may, like Mary, be favoured. Amen

The Creed
Let’s reaffirm our faith by saying the Creed together
We believe in God, the Creator, Maker of everything, author of the Universe, and Mystery behind every matter.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God from God, Light from Light, true God and true human, One with the Creator. He is the Word made flesh and the Saviour of all creation
We believe in the Holy Spirit, Breath of God moving among us, One with the Creator and one with Christ, He is our Guide and the Mentor of all creation. Amen.

And now a time of prayer
Having reaffirmed our close connection with God now cast your minds to those things and events that are troubling us, relationships that we shall miss this Christmas ,thanks for the good things that have brightened our lives, a prayer for friends in need and a prayer for ourselves.

We bring our prayers together by saying the prayer our Saviour taught us

Our Father, Hallowed be thy name……….

A Final Hymn – O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exhile here,
until the Son of God appear
Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel

O come thou rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them vict’ry o’er the grave
Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel

O come thou key of David, come
and open wide our heav’lny home;
make safe the ways that lead on high,
and close the path of misery
Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel

O come O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times didst give the Law,
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel

The closing
Once again imagine you are standing in your own parish church, surrounded by your fellow Christian friends, look into each pew as you say the Grace

Now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and remain with you always Amen

Until next time keep safe and have a peaceful and joyous Christmas, full of bright uplifting conversations with family and friends.

Sunday Worship in Cam Vale Benefice
3rd Sunday in Advent, 13 Dec. 2020
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.

Gathering in
The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.

Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say:
Thanks be to God
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful

Then say:
Father forgive us.
And know that you are forgiven
Hymn Long ago, prophets knew

1 Long ago, prophets knew
Christ would come, born a Jew,
come to make all things new;
bear his People’s burden,
freely love and pardon.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
when he comes,
who will make him welcome?

2 God in time, God in man,
this is God’s timeless plan:
he will come, as a man,
born himself of woman,
God divinely human.
Chorus

3 Mary hail! Though afraid,
she believed, she obeyed.
In her womb, God is laid:
till the time expected,
nurtured and protected,
Chorus

4 Journey ends! Where afar
Bethl’em shines, like a star,
stable door stands ajar.
unborn Son of Mary,
Saviour, do not tarry!
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes!
Jesus comes!
We will make him welcome!

Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000)

The Word: Readings from :-
Isaiah 61, 1-4 & 8-11 – “The Lord has appointed me (Isaiah) to proclaim good news …”
John 1. 6-8 & 19-28 – “I (John the Baptist) am the voice of one calling in the wilderness …”
I Thessalonians 5. 16-24 – “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them.”

A Reflection Proclaiming Good News!
What a week! How we long for good news amidst the darkness of December 2020. As I write, a ‘final’ decision on Brexit has been deferred until Sunday13th, Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc on our society, and the Rowntree Foundation has published horrifying research on the levels of deprivation being suffered by the poorest, youngest and weakest in our country.
Nothing new here. Isaiah wrote to Palestinian Jews exiled in slavery in Babylon, Iraq, 2,600 years ago. John the Baptist spoke to fellow Jews living under Roman rule in Palestine 2,000 years ago, a rule that drained the wealth from the nation to feed the people of Rome thereby impoverishing farmers and fishermen. And both proclaim good news in hard times, – though in rather strange and improbable terms.
Isaiah’s good news is for the poor, the broken hearted, the blind, and the imprisoned, and he foretells of time when their country and a nation will be rebuilt on God’s rule of justice and right behaviour; a nation in which all will flourish and which will become a beacon for the rest of the world. The good news from John the Baptist is that God himself has come to live among his people in human form in the person of Jesus, revealing by his lifestyle and priorities the way in which humans are intended to live.
We, of course, have been blessed with really practical good news this week; news of a vaccine against Covid-19. The product of the best multi-racial brains, and multi-national pharmaceutical companies. But wonderful as that is, we have no medication to treat the relationships torn apart by Brexit. Nor, despite the fantastic news of charitable aid for those impoverished by Austerity and Covid-19, do we have a just economic system to feed and house everyone. So, what form might a prophet of God take today and what would be the good news for now.
I met a prophet this morning, over a cup of coffee, in a form just as improbable as Isaiah or John. Some will have heard me speak of a friend who gave up employed work to build a low energy, low carbon home from sustainable materials – wood, straw and mud. It runs on solar power and logs for a wood burner – no gas, very little electricity. Well, now the work is complete and a new stage of life opens up. I asked him whether he would return to paid work. “No”, was the reply. “We can live simple lives now. We don’t need much money. I have a couple of projects in mind and its time to give something back to the local community. I’m not even very interested in travel any longer and can live without a car”
That may not appear to be very holy good news. It may not seem to have the national reach of Isaiah’s prophecy, or the global reach of John’s prophecy. But look a little closer. What could be more in tune with the spirit of creation than a simple sustainable lifestyle. What could be more in tune with Isaiah and John’s vision of a just society than time, energy and creativity devoted to the well being of one’s local community. Here is a prophet for our times who inspires me by his respect for God’s Creation and for his Christlike care for friend and neighbour, revealed, not in prophetic words, but in a distinctive lifestyle.
On this Sunday when we remember the prophets of old, remind yourself of the prophets who have inspired you in the past and do so today. Pray for them and encourage them.

A Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful. Remember particularly the prophets who have challenged your thinking, stretched your mind and enabled you to grow as a person

Then lift those people to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn Longing for light, we wait in darkness

1 Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.
Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

2 Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice.
Chorus

3 Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.
Chorus

4 Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stones.
Chorus

5 Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.
Chorus

Bernadette Farrell (born 1957)

Now imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.
Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and Worship 6th December 2020

Good morning, it’s good to be back with you once again and lead you in today’s worship. This is the second week of Advent where we have just started a new Christian year and looking forward to celebrating the birth of Christ albeit our celebratory services this year will be of a different form than those of years past. But the welcomimg of Christ will just the same
So let us start with a moment of peace and welcome God into our presence.

Opening Prayer …O God of peace whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life, look with compassion upon the anguish of the world and by thy healing power, make whole both people and nations through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Confession
In a moment of silence cast your mind back over the last week and let those things that trouble you bubble to the surface, make a resolve to speak them, to say them to our merciful Father and ask for forgiveness, then put them to one side.
Lord Jesus, we ask for forgiveness for those times when we brought dismay to you, when we put our wishes ahead of those in need and those moments when we turned our head and looked away. In your mercy Lord, forgive what we have done and things we should not have done and help us to try harder in the coming week. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.

Hymn 98 Come thou long expected Jesus

Come thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people fee, from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee

Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art, dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us for ever, now thy gracious kingdom bring

By thy own eternal spirit, rule in all our hearts alone,

The Gospel Reading
Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, make straight paths for him.’”
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Thoughts
Where to begin? Well let’s start from where we are at this moment – in the middle of a pandemic that has made a nonsense of 2020, turned our lives upside down, caused us to isolate and in doing so, made us all do a lot of thinking, ruminating, and left us feeling a bit low. And it’s only a few weeks now to Christmas when family gatherings will take a severe knock!!
We are in need of some GOOD NEWS. And that is what Mark’s reading bring us today. The coming of Jesus Christ is indeed good news, the best news of all. Mark gets right to the point. This story is about Jesus, God’s messiah and Son. From our vantage point, more than 2000 years later, this might not seem so startling, but for the people hearing Mark’s words for the first time, it was news indeed. And it was good news. It lets us into the secret of Jesus’ identity and purpose in advance and it makes us “insiders”. Mark doesn’t intend us to be superior insiders looking down on the poor” outsiders” who don’t get it. We are insiders in order that we can help to spread the good news and point towards Jesus and better understand the struggles of the “not-yet-believers” of today’s world.
Have I mentioned that Margery and I have a friend called Jesus, Jesus Paulo is a Madeiran taxi driver who we first met some forty years ago when I first went to work on that mountainous island. Since then he and his wife Rita have become close friends and over the years we have made friends with his parents, brothers and many Madeirans. Through him we have visited out of the way places, bars, restaurants, beaches and lavada walks high up in the mountains, far from the Madeira known to tourist. He has led us to become “insiders” to know the culture of the island, their way of life and their hardships and hopes for their children
On our first visit it took Jesus Paulo something like two and half hours to drive from the airport to our apartment near Funcal – to cover a mile as the crow flies would take perhaps three miles of driving in and out of steeply sided valleys – narrow winding roads on which one could easily get lost.
Now Engineers have driven tunnels through mountains and bridges that leap over deep valleys and the journey takes just 20 minutes. The way for tourist, the main source of income for the island, has been made straight, the way has been prepared for people to begin their holidays smoothly, to find their way to their hotels without getting lost!
And talking of making ways straight let’s return to this morning’s Gospel reading.
In these first eight verses, Mark takes us through the past, present, and future of salvation history.
First, he looks back in time to the prophets Isaiah and Malachi, even as far back as Exodus He looks back to a time when Israel was lost in the wilderness, hoping for deliverance. Then he draws his audience into his own present time, describing the wilderness ministry of John the Baptizer, whose call to repentance and call to baptism are one and the same thing.
Immediately Mark introduces us to John the Baptist who has been sent to prepare the way of the Lord and to point the way towards Jesus. And we insiders have a similar calling, even though, like John, we are not worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’ sandals.
Like John who, had no authority that was recognised by Jewish custodians of the Law to preach redemption and salvation, Jesus has empowered us with his teaching and the help of the Holy Spirit to spread the good news even though many us feel that speaking out as a committed Christian is in the current secular society not easy.
We could be forgiven for thinking that if John was to prepare the way for the coming Messiah, he would go to where the larger number of Jews congregated, perhaps around the temple in Jerusalem. However, John was brought up in the wilderness, he was at home there and the whole Jewish nation would connect John in the wilderness with where their ancestors had learnt to trust and worship God after forty gruelling years in the wilderness of the Sinai desert, having been rescued from slavery under the Egyptian rule It may seem strange to us but the Jews would recognise the calling and be attracted to go into the wilderness to meet and learn from John the Baptist, to seek forgiveness of sins and be baptised in the Jordan river.
Like John we are not worthy to tie his shoes but we do have a responsibility to pass on the message of repentance and forgiveness, we do have a responsibility to live a moral and distinctive life (though we don’t have to be distinctive in our dress).
And like John we should grab every chance to point people to Jesus because uniquely it is through him people can encounter God, our God who baptises with the Holy Spirit.
All insiders knowledge carries a temptation to superiority and all attempts to live distinctive lives can delude us into thinking we are better than others. But just as Christ was a servant King, so must we look out on the world with humility, after all it’s our humility that makes us so great!!
Amen
The Creed
Let’s reaffirm our faith by saying the Creed together
We believe in God, the Creator,
Maker of everything, author of the Universe, and Mystery behind every matter.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God from God, Light from Light, true God and true human,
One with the Creator. He is the Word made flesh and the Saviour of all creation
We believe in the Holy Spirit, Breath of God moving among us,
One with the Creator and one with Christ,
He is our Guide and the Mentor of all creation. Amen.

And now a time of prayer
Relax and close your eyes and imagine you are kneeling in front of a large cross. Think through the past week and bring to mind those things, conversations that weren’t quite right that left you feeling uncomfortable. Hold up to our Lord those who in trouble, sickness, lonely, grieving or anxious
Now lay your prayers at the foot of that cross and say
Dear Lord take from me these sins and grant me mercy that I may be in your grace for ever. Amen

Hymn 329 Make Way, Make Way for Christ the King

Make way make way for Christ the King, in splendour arrives, fling wide the gates and welcome him into your lives.
Make Way, Make way for the King of kings, Make way, make way, and let your kingdom in

He comes to broken hearts to heal, the prispner to free, the deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance, the blind shall see
Make Way, Make way for the King of kings, Make way, make way, and let your kingdom in

And those who mourn with heavy heart, who weep and sigh, with laughter, joy and royal crown, he’ll beautify
Make Way, Make way for the King of kings, Make way, make way, and let your kingdom in

We call you now to worship him, as Lord of all, to have no gods before him, their thrones must fall
Make Way, Make way for the King of kings, Make way, make way, and let your kingdom in.

The Sending
And so we come to the end of our worship together looking forward now to brighter, happier times, albeit not going out in public too much just yet. Join me in once again closing your eyes and imagining you are amongst you friends and say
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God be with you and those you have prayed for now and for ever, Amen.
Our worship has ended, our service begins
Until we come together again may God be with you.

Advent Sunday, 29 Nov. 2020
Setting the scene
You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.
At about 10.30 on Sunday morning, Katharine will celebrate the Eucharist, visible to those using Zoom, and she will invite those who are watching to take bread and wine (or other elements of your choice) in their homes and to consider them blessed by her words of Consecration. Please feel free to do the same, using the words at the end of this liturgy.
Gathering in
The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.
Thanksgiving
Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say:
Thanks be to God
Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful

Then say:
Father forgive us.
The Word
Readings: Mark 13 24-end and 1 Corinthians 1.3-9
Stay Awake
A Reflection
During the past week, the compilers of the Oxford English Dictionary have announced the new words that entered common usage in the past year, amongst them ‘unmute’, ‘mail-in’ and ‘Covid-19’. But the word that has caught to my attention in recent months, is the term ‘woke’. At first, I got the impression that to be ‘woke’ was to be cool or with-it; perhaps even a bit too smart. So I was very glad to find Kenya Hunt’s essay, “How the world woke up”, in the Guardian Review last Saturday, in which she defines twenty different uses of the word! However, most dictionaries define its principle meaning as
‘Woke’ – a perceived awareness of inequality and other forms of injustice that are normally racial by nature.
So, to be ‘woke’ is to be aware, awake, on the alert to injustice, particularly of a racial nature. How ironic that it should take me until now to wake up to this word, which first appeared in common usage in 2017, and which is so appropriate to these times.
The season of Advent begins on Sunday 29th, the time when Christians prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth; an event first noticed by the most ‘woke’ people on that day, shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. The Gospel reading for Advent Sunday brings words from the last days of Jesus’ life on earth; instructions to his followers to stay awake and watchful for his return. Staying alert and awake is a common theme of Jesus’ teaching. He chastises the disciples for being able to predict the weather from signs in the sky yet being unable to interpret signs of the times in which they are living. (Matt 16.3). And he struggles to keep them awake on the Mount of Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Being woke, awake, alert is a huge challenge to us today in an age when truth is such a nebulous thing. We are surrounded by issues of racial prejudice; Covid-19 seems to affect different racial groups in different ways; the nation’s approach to immigration and to refugees is focused on race; persecution of Jewish and Moslem people is rife; similarly, the Black Lives Matter movement and others. And it’s not just racial prejudice to which Christians need to be ‘woke’ at this critical moment in our society.
So, this Advent `season could be a time to ‘woke-up’, to remind ourselves that much of Jesus’ ministry on earth was directed to people who were oppressed in Roman Palestine and by the Temple culture; people without a family structure, orphans and widows; the landless, poor tenant farmers; the handicapped, and others who were isolated by disease and un-cleanness such as lepers. Then we might use new-found ‘woke-ness’ to rededicate ourselves to the care of those who are experiencing injustice in our country and neighbourhood.
Declaration of Faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
A Time of Prayer
Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Then lift those people to God in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Communion
Gathered around a table is where Jesus so often met people ..
… gathered around the table of Matthew,
the table of Zachaeus,
the table of Simon,
the table of Peter,
the table of Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
.. gathered round a table where he could see people face to face,
listen to their stories, share their laughter.
And here, in your room, and despite the exceptional circumstances, Jesus is here where he promised to be whenever people gathered to break bread and take a cup in remembrance of him.
Remembering that our Priest, Katharine, has said words of consecration over the plates and cups prepared in houses all over the Benefice, say …
The Sanctus
Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of power and might;
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the Highest.
The Invitation
He who was with God in the beginning,
comes to us in this bread.
He of whom the prophets spoke
is present to us in this cup.
To all who hunger and thirst
for a better life,
for a deeper faith,
for a better world,
here is the bread of life:
feed on it with gratitude;
here is the cup of salvation
drink from it and believe.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Now imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews as you share the Peace to them.
Peace be with you.
And hear the echoes of response: And also with you.
Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

Personal Praise and Worship 22nd Nov 2020
Good morning everyone, it is good to be back with you especially as we are all in isolation. Though we might be lonely we are together in spirit and text rather than as a group of Christians worshiping in fellowship together. Even in these lonely days we are still in God’s keeping so let’s try to gather our thoughts and centre them on our Lord knowing that you are for a little while joining with other people in Christian fellowship
So we say together Holy Father, we gather this morning to give you praise, to open our hearts in penitence for the times that are past, to hear and dwell on your word and prepare ourselves for the week ahead.
Confession
Lord Jesus, we ask for forgiveness for the times when we brought dismay to you, when we were a bit selfish and when we turned away when others needed our attention and help. In your mercy Lord, forgive what we have done and not done and help us to try harder in the coming week. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.
The Gospel reading Matthew 25. V 31- end – The climax of the Age
31” When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Some thoughts about our reading
So here we are at the day of reckoning, the Second coming, the day when all the nations are gathered for judgement, and amongst that multitude stand you and me.
I am glad it’s so easy and clear for Matthew. He continues to draw these lines and has no doubt who is on which side. He has no questions. It’s all pretty simple for him. Feed the hungry. Give the thirsty something to drink. Clothe the naked. Welcome the stranger. Care for the sick. Visit the prisoner. But for some it’ not so easy to pick out the sheep – a story
A man walking along a road in the countryside comes across a shepherd and a huge flock of sheep. He tells the shepherd, “I will bet you £50 against one of your sheep that I can tell you the exact number in this flock.” The shepherd thinks it over; it’s a big flock so he takes the bet. “973,” says the man. The shepherd is astonished, because that is exactly right. He says “OK, I’m a man of my word, take an animal.” The man picks one up and begins to walk away.
“Wait,” cries the shepherd, “Let me have a chance to get even. Double or nothing that I can guess your exact occupation.” The man says sure. “You are an economist for a government think tank,” says the shepherd. “Amazing!” responds the man, “You are exactly right! But tell me, how did you deduce that?”
“Well,” says the shepherd, “put down my dog and I will tell you.”
Yes, Jesus will have no difficulty in knowing which are the sheep. Jesus states without any ambiguity that people will be divided into two groups and the yardstick he will use for his judgement will be based on our behaviour. Now I don’t know how this strikes you, but it causes me to stop and question myself, I am not clear overall where I stand. It’s not just a simple task of going through a check list and categorizing people as either a sheep or a goat, those who cared for “the least of these” and those who did not. It’s not that easy for me and I don’t think it is for you either.
When the day of judgement comes what do I imagine will be in Christ’s mind as he looks at each of us? I think Jesus will look into our hearts and seek the depth of our faith.
At the final Judgement he will look for a faith that has been lived-out: not if we just have faith but if we have put that faith into action. Note that Jesus confirms this when he says to the disciples about how the final judgement will be assessed, – ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me..”
It depends upon whether or not we did something – there is an action verb in each of his questions have we fed the hungry? cared for the lonely? given shelter and companionship to the sick? visited the prisoner? Jesus is looking for a faith of action.
Before we become disheartened because we aren’t all outgoing people that are always in the thick of what’s going on, full of energy or gifted hosts or ardent volunteers. We must bear in mind that the fruits of the Spirit has given us different gifts. We are not all Billy Grahams. There are few Mother Teresas. The critical word here is “Least” the extent of help is not the point, it’s the motive that prompted us to spot a need and responded to it. That’s what Faith in action means.
So even though we are shut off from one another in our homes with little chance of providing practical care, there are still be ways we can, with a bit of thought, extend that Christian hand of fellowship and give someone a lift, cheer the fed up and brighten an otherwise dull day of isolation. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you and help you to think of something positive that will cause you to start baaing like a sheep!
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Having spent a couple of minutes reflecting about what the Holy Spirit may have said to you, let us now reaffirm our faith by saying together the creed
We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Now a hymn to challenge us – you will know the tune

Hymn 120 Father hear the prayer we offer
Father hear the prayer we offer, not for ease that prayer should be, but for strength that we may ever, live our lives courageously
Not for ever in green pastures, do we ask or way to be, but the steep and rugged pathway, may we tread rejoicingly
Not for ever in still waters, would we idly rest and stay, but would smite the living fountains, from the rocks along the way
Be our strength in hours of weakness, in our wand’ring be our guide, through endeavour, failure, danger, Father, be thou at our side

Let us now have a period of prayer. A time to talk to God about those things that are on your minds, people and situations that you are concerned about and, not forgetting yourself, things you want changed in your life.
Finally, let us bring them all together and lay them at Jesus’ feet by saying
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever.
Amen
We close are time together this morning by, closing our eyes and imagining we are back in church surrounded by those who normally worship with us, look each one of them in the eyes and smile as you say
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.
Thanks for sharing this time with me, back with you in a while, keep safe.

15 Nov. 2020 – Personal Prayer and Praise

Setting the scene

You may like to have a Bible to hand and to light a candle as you begin this time of worship.

Gathering in

The Lord is here, His Spirit is with us.

Thanksgiving

Spend a few moments recalling events from the past week that have brought a smile or lifted your spirits; perhaps write a word or two in the space below.

Then say: Thanks be to God

Then spend a few moments recalling an event from the last week that jarred with your values as a Christian and left you feeling uncomfortable; again, writing a word or two might be helpful

Then say: Father forgive us.

The Word

Read Matthew 25.14-30 – The Parable of the Talents

A Reflection

It is hard to make sense of this passage on its own and commentators who do differ widely in the interpretation of it. I find it helpful to consider Chapters 5 and 25 of Matthew’s Gospel to be like bookends holding Jesus teaching together.

Chapter 5 gives us The Beatitudes, Jesus first teaching to his followers. We read part of it last week on Remembrance Sunday, “Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, ……, and blessed are you when, having blessed those people, others revile you. At the other end of the Gospel, Chapter 25 records Jesus final teaching to his followers after 3 years together, and shortly before his arrest. It consists of a series of parables about judgement, essentially a challenge to his followers to ask themselves whether they have learnt to live out the Beatitudes, to focus their lives on the people on whom Jesus himself has focused his life, the poor, the sick, the widows & orphans and the imprisoned.

The Parable of the Talents is just one part of the challenge; in it Jesus asks his followers to consider the extent to which they had used the gift of life to the full: had their time with him led them to see and experience The Kingdom of God, life in all its fullness. One can imagine that Jesus’ was wondering whether they would be able to live that life when he was no longer with them. Reading that passage today brings the question to us. To what extent are we using all the gifts and opportunities that God has placed into our lives to bring about His Kingdom where our lives are led?

Now many of us who are self-isolating may feel that we are past the most productive part of our lives; that there’s not much new talent left to be found and used, particularly in the difficult circumstances created by Covid-19 in 2020. But I would encourage you to think again! Even in lockdown, perhaps especially in lockdown, there is the opportunity to try new ideas, learn new skills and to renew old ones. The sewing machine has come out of hiding in our house and, for the first time for 40 years, dresses have been made for little girls, great-granddaughters. In the garage, metal work is in progress; cutting, grinding and welding to create a trellis. And in that burst of creativity, we find a fullness in life.

Of course, Jesus was talking about a fullness of life in His Kingdom which reached out to others and that is especially vital at present. That too has been happening around us. Many of the residents in our close, met to clap the NHS on Thursday evenings during the summer. By week three, bottles of wine and glasses were to be seen, and socially distanced conversations were deepening. After 15 years we now know the names of all our neighbours, and everyone can support the recently widowed man, chat through the kitchen window to a 93 year-old, house-bound lady and keep a eye out for a blind neighbour.

As we head into Week 2 of the second lockdown, let’s use this the Parable of the Talents to remind ourselves of the still-untapped possibilities which God has created in us and resolve to use them to reach out to those who He most wants to bless.

Declaration of Faith

To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.

A Time of Prayer

Spend some time naming those people and situations that are on your heart; perhaps write the names if you would find that helpful.

Then lift those people to God in the words of the Lords Prayer.

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Now imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews. As you say the Grace to them, look each in the eye.

Blessing

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen.

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November 8th – Personal Prayer and Praise

Act of Remembrance

We meet in the presence of God. We commit ourselves to work in penitence and faith for reconciliation between the nations, that all people may, together live in freedom, justice and peace.

We pray for all who in bereavement, disability and pain continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror. We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow those lives, in world wars and countless conflicts past and present, have been given and taken away.

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. We will remember them.

So we keep silent for a while and dwell on people we may have known who have been torn from their families leaving big gaps in their lives.

366 O God our help in ages past

O god our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home

Beneath the shadow of thy throne, thy saints have dwelt secure, sufficient is thine arm alone, and our defence is sure

A thousand ages in thy sight, are like an evening gone, short as the watch that ends the night, before the rising sun

Time like an ever-rolling stream, will bear us all away, we fade and vanish, as a dream, dies at the op’ning day

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, be thou our guard while troubles last, and our eternal home.

A Reading John15.v 13

For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And the great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for a friend

Remembrance Thoughts

Remembrance is by no means only a soldier’s, a sailor’s, or an airman’s preserve. It encompasses all of us. It is the business of our loved ones, our families, our friends. Remembrance envelopes, enfolds and endures for our entire nation and all those who have served her over the hundreds of years which have passed, to the present and for the future. Remembrance is timeless, it is boundless. It is bearable and it is unbearable. It is for the known; it is for the unknown. It is for ‘them over there’; it is for all of us. It is national; it is personal. It is yours; it is mine.

I have stood at the graves of fallen men and women of the Armed Forces all over the world, at the great war graves of World War 1 – graves stretching as far as the eye can see and graves in small little corners of grave yards in Germany, Cyprus, Egypt, Malaya and Sarawak all places where bodies of servicemen have been buried close to where they had fallen. The grave stones are well maintained, well recorded, certainly not forgotten.

Now that we have air transport, bodies of the dead can be flown home and we have all witnessed the bodies of service men and women being paraded through the town of Wotton Basset; at least these bodies to be returned to their loved ones.

The service men and women that have and still do swear their allegiance to the Crown, are young mostly just eligible to vote, and have undergone hard training to become skilled and efficient at their new trade, that of waging war. Squads of civilians have been welded into military units that rely upon each other for their survival for their very lives. They fight together not out of love of fighting but out of comradeship, they fight as men and women who have become comrades through hard training, the haranguing of the sergeant major, the drive of their officers and they fight because their Government has sent them to defend the interests of our nation. Men and women are forged into warriors so different from civilians, with different morals and strong allegiances to their cap badge and their Queen

When deployed on active service they live in conditions that civilians would consider rough, they will share their food with you, their water ration and their remaining ammunition, and out of that strong comradeship, they will put their life on the line for you as well. They don’t die with premeditation, when they are killed they are just unlucky, the fortunes of war. War is an inhumane, cruel business.

To make it easier to bear we use language that deadens the reality of war. We talk about those killed as the fallen, the heroes, we use phrases like “he who bought it, copped it, kicked the bucket, bought the farm, popped his clogs, snuffed it – all euphemisms to make it less painful to talk and remember the inhumanity and pain of conflict.

The Armed Forces have asked for little in return except our friendship and understanding. They are the valiant few of our lifetime, those to whom we have given birth, nurtured and guided. They are those we now ask to defend us. They are of us, they are of our time.

And we are indebted to them, we owe them we are remembering that they laid down their lives to protect us from harm so that we can not only live in peace but have hope for a good future. We owe them because as they put it “for your tomorrow we gave our today.”

If their sacrifice means anything to us we should stop and ask ourselves how can we repay the debt we owe them? Just remembering their sacrifices is surely not enough? And the only response I can think of is to so order our live with purpose that the fruits of God flow from it, to try and make this planet in which we live a peaceful and God fearing place. There maybe a limit to what we might achieve but that is for God to decide. Each of us in his or her small way can contribute towards making where we live a better place. We can play our humble part to minimise the frictions in our country which lead to division and hatred. We can offer hospitality to refugees seeking asylum, we can do all the things that our Christian upbringing has taught us is right, summed up in that commandment – love thy neighbour.

Let us not repay those who gave up their lives for our tomorrow by figuratively speaking sitting around in deckchairs sipping wine, let’s use what God gave us, our hands and feet, to soldier on in a purposeful way. Let’s use our tomorrows in a positive way so that we can at least hold our heads up and say to the fallen we are doing our best, you did not sacrifice your lives in vain. Amen.

And now let us turn to prayer

Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict, and ask God may give us peace

For the service men and women who have died in the violence of war, each one remembered by and known to God -May God give peace

For all those who love them in death as in life, offering the distress of our grief and the sadness of our loss – May God give peace

For all members of the armed forces who are in danger this day, remembering family, friends and all who pray for their safe return – may God give peace

For civilian women and children and men whose lives are disfigured by war or terror, calling to mind in penitence the anger and hatred of humanity – may God give peace.

For peace-makers and peace-keepers, who seek to keep this world secure and free – May God give peace

Let us bring all our prayers together by saying the prayer our Saviour taught us

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, as it is in heaven give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth and all the people, peace and concord; and to us and all God’s servants, life everlasting.

And the blessing of God Almighty, Father Son and Holy Spirit be with you all and remain with you always. Amen.

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October 25th – Personal Praise & Worship

I have been asked to put together some thoughts on paper to be passed to those of you who for personal reasons have not been able to join in worship services in the Benefice for a very long time. My guess is that the threat of Covid 19, an enemy that is invisible to the human eye and difficult to detect, has made you wary of moving around too much in public. The Government asked us all to isolate back in March and you are still doing just that.

So I will try to give you something to think about, something that is lifting, hearting spiritually, something that keeps you in touch with those in the Benefice that are still able to join in services that are being held around the parishes. Like all Christians we can only burn brightly and feel drawn to God if there is a breeze that blows on the embers of our faith; separated from other Christians those embers can lose their glow. So here goes and let’s start with some praise to our Father

405 Hymns O & N(and you can sing it marching up the hall)

One more step along the world I go, one more step along the world I go,
From the old things to the new, keep me travelling along with you

And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me travelling along with you.

Round the cornerof the world I turn, more and more about the world I turn
All the new thigs that I see, you’ll be looking at along with me

And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me travelling along with you.

As I travel through the bad and good, keep me travelling the way I should
Where I see no way to go, you’ll be telling me the to go.

And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me travelling along with you.

The Gospel reading – Matthew 2 v 34–40 The Greatest Commandment

³⁴Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
³⁷Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Thoughts

When our politicians assemble to create a new law they seek to frame it so that there can be no doubt, no mistake with its meaning or dispute over its interpretation.

And yet lawyers make a living out seeking loopholes in the laws, changing the original intent and purpose for which it was created. They do it to seek how far the law can be stretched.

A man walked into a bar with his alligator and asked the bartender “Do you serve lawyers here?” “Sure do,” replied the bartender. “Good,” said the man. “Give me a beer, and I’ll have a lawyer for my ‘gator”.

In this reading we can clearly see that the leaders of the Jewish faith had over the many years taken the laws, given to Moses by God and set in tablets of stone, had been twisted, stretched and distorted to the point that the leading lawyer of the Pharisees would pose such a question to test Jesus.

The faith in and of God is based on love. There could have been no other response from Jesus but to quote the First Commandment. It is the central pillar of our faith to love, – this is the heart of the law of God. As Paul put it “Love is the fulfilment of the Law”

And yet the Pharisees had so manipulated the Mosaic Laws that they had generated some 613 text or rules that prescribed the faith they expected the Jewish nation to observe. Simply put the Pharisees saw religion as keeping to a set of rules! They had clearly lost the plot

Now it is easy for us, with our understanding of Jesus’ teaching to shake our heads and wonder how they could get it so wrong. Before we start throwing stones we should ponder on the times we have found it hard (if not impossible) to live by God’s Commandments and devised some ”wriggle room” to accommodate the way we choose to live our lives? Don’t we devise let out clauses for ourselves which are less demanding than keeping the strict Laws of God?

When God said ”love thy neighbour” I’m sure he hadn’t in mind that time …………. (and here we can probably call to mind times when we turned a blind eye to something or walked away from something we should have walked towards?).

If I ignore the letter of God’s law and give myself a sort of let off clause then that will keep me the right side of God. After all I am human. God made me and knows I am far from perfect, He will understand if I make some leeway in keeping His Laws so that my life is bearable.

Remember poor Paul, he continually struggled he said “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very things that I hate” (Romans 7 v 15).

If apostle Paul struggled, take heart that at those times we find it hard going. All our Lord requires is that we recognise our shortcomings by confessing them and then ask the Holy Spirit to help turn ourselves around and do better next time. Love thy neighbour is all that’s required. How difficult can that be!!

Prayer Time For me this is difficult because as I sit at my laptop I don’t know what is concerning you. In our house group each mentions the things that are on their minds and this gives more purpose to the way we bring their worries to the Lord. Without your prompt I can only shoot arrow prayers heavenwards hoping that they are not too wide off the mark?

Holy Father, we turn to you in prayer bringing those things that are troubling us, our families or neighbour. You know what is on our hearts and the Holy Spirit has heard our groans as we wrestle with our troubles. Lord, help me to lay my problems at your feet, to put my trust in you that, no matter what I would wish for, Your will be done.

As we face the coming winter and the threat of Covid 19 continues to impact upon our lives, we ask Father that you would keep our families safe from harm, hopeful in the knowledge that this is your world and that good will eventually prevail.

We give you thanks Lord for the blessings you have bestowed on us, for the conversations that brighten our days and the support of those that care for us. Keep me from bemoaning my lot, and loosing heart as the lonely days of isolation seem to stretch endlessly on. Help me to look forward to brighter times when once again we can come together to worship and enjoy fellowship.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Closing Hymn 73

Brother, Sister let me serve you, let me as Christ to you, pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey, fellow travellers on the road, we are here to help each other, walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christlight for you, in the night-time of your fear, I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear

I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you, I will share your joy and sorrow, till we’ve seen this journey through

When we sing to God in heaven, we shall sing such harmony, born of all we’ve known together, of Christ’s love and agony

Now close your eyes and imagine you are in your church and see the faces of your friends in their pews and say the Grace to them, look each in the eye as you say it

Blessing

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all and remain with us always. Amen