23rd June 2024 10.30am – 4th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on June 23, 2024June 23, 2024 by admin

The Readings

2 Corinthians 6. 1 - 13

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,

‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.

Mark 4. 35 - end

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

You may find this hard to believe, but I love washing up. Some people go into
the kitchen and see the chaos of piles of unwashed dishes and their hearts
sink. I go in and feel exhilarated. It brings me joy to be able to take control
and bring order out of chaos.

If I wonder why this should be, I think of the first chapter of the Book of
Genesis – the story of the creation. We tend to think that Genesis says that
God created everything from nothing – and the story is not incompatible with
that idea. But what Genesis actually says is that the Spirit of God made
something out of what was already there, taking something that was without
form and void, where darkness was over the face of the deep, and brining
order out of chaos.

The Spirit of God separated light and dark, bringing day and night, sun and
moon. The Spirit of God brought the land out of the water and populated both
with fishes, plants, birds and beasts, and people.

In other words, the Spirit of God brought order out of chaos, which is what we
do when we do the washing up. We take control and establish order. And that
gives me, at any rate, a good feeling.

I don’t know whether that will give you something to think about when you
next do the washing up – assuming you don’t just put it in a dishwasher – but
the idea of having control, of being able to overcome chaos and bring order
and stability is an interesting psychological insight. It’s something that seems
basic to human living, something we seek to do all the time.

But washing up is a trivial example. There are many ways in which chaos
threatens our lives and our well-being and they are ways that are less easy to
control.

Foundational things.

The relationships between parents and children, between partners, between
friends. They can be fractured. The jobs we have, the homes we live in, our
savings, our health, our ability to grow old with dignity. All can be at risk. The
chaos of anxiety, worry, even fear, is never far away. And our ability to control
externals of this kind may amount to little or nothing.

Now this, I think, is what today’s gospel is getting at. The story is simple. After
a day of teaching, by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus gets into a boat with his
disciples to go across to the other side. Exhausted, he falls asleep on a
cushion. A storm gets up. The waves crash against the boat and it starts to
take on water. The disciples are frightened. They wake up Jesus. He stills the
wind and the waves.

These are, if you like, the externals. But the focus is less on the externals and
more on the disciples and what is going on with them internally. We can
imagine the emotions they would have gone through as the wind starts to
increase. They are concerned. Their concern turns to worry. Their worry
becomes fear. A fear compounded by the fact that Jesus is asleep and seems
not to care.

This is a pattern of emotions we may well recognise from things that have
happened to us in life.

Think of health. We notice something wrong with us. We spot signs and
symptoms. We are concerned. We Google it up. We become worried. We go
the GP and are referred to the hospital. Our worries become fears. Or think of
finances. We lose our job. We are concerned. We write endless job
applications. Our worries become fears.

These are journeys any of us may have made or may yet make from
something external that impacts us. And for people of faith, such as us, we
may well feel that Christ is asleep in the boat.

The disciples need to hear the voice of Jesus, his re-assuring voice: ‘Why are
you afraid? Have you no faith?’

‘Peace! Be still,’ he says – and he says it as much to the disciples at to wind
and wave.

We cannot tell whether or not we will experience any of these moments when
chaos seems about to break in and rob us of our security, our happiness, our
peace of mind.

What today’s gospel is saying to us is this. There was once an occasion when
the hearts and minds of the disciples were threatened by external factors that
almost frightened them to death. They thought they had been abandoned,
that Christ did not care. Until they heard his voice.

If our inner peace is threatened, we ned to draw on that memory and hear
that same voice: ‘Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? Peace! Be still’.

The Prayers
Prepared by David.

Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea;
Day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying ‘Christian, follow me.’
We pray for the church, for our Bishops Pete and Sophie, for all who minister in our Mission Area
We give thanks for the calling given to each of us to serve in many different ways. Give us wisdom and strength to fulfil our calling, working together with you for the coming of the Kingdom.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy hear us.

I cannot tell how he will win the nations, how he will claim his earthly heritage,
how satisfy the needs and aspirations of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
We pray for the world and the leaders of the nations.
For places where human greed, hatred and hardness of heart cause pain and suffering.
We give thanks for peace makers, peace keepers and those work for the relief of pain and suffering.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Eternal Father strong to save, whose are doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep.
We pray for all those who travel the worlds waterways in a time of increased danger.
We give thanks for the crucial role they play in the transportation of food and other goods around the world.
We pray for their safety and the free flow of marine shipping throughout the world.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy hear us.

I cannot tell how silently he suffered,
As with his peace he graced this place of tears,
Or how his heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
We pray for all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit, the lonely, the anxious, the depressed and those in pain.
We give thanks for those who care, offering support through companionship, diagnosis and treatment and pain relief.
We silently hold in our hearts those known to us.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy hear us.

O Jesus, thou hast promised to all who follow thee,
that where thou art in glory there shall thy servant be.
We pray for those who have died and those nearing the end of their earthly lives.
We give thanks for all that they have given us and the ways they have shaped our lives.
We name them silently in our hearts.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy hear us.

O let me see thy foot-marks and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in thy strength alone:
And, Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end:
O give me grace to follow, my Master and my friend.
We pray for ourselves, for all that lies ahead of us in the coming week.
We give thanks for the people we will meet and for time spent in work and relaxation.
May we each take something of God’s love out into the world.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Merciful Father
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
Jesus Christ,
Amen.

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

10th March 2024 6.30pm – Lent Reflection Service

Posted on March 10, 2024 by admin

7th January 2024 4pm – Candlelit Epiphany Carol Service

Posted on January 7, 2024January 6, 2024 by admin

7th January 2024 10.30am – Eucharist on the Feast of the Epiphany

Posted on January 7, 2024January 6, 2024 by admin

The Readings

Isaiah 60. 1 - 6

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

Matthew 2. 1 - 12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

The Prayers

Today the Magi knelt before our Saviour.
Let us also kneel to worship him with great joy,
and to make our prayer to his heavenly Father.

Father, the Magi came from the east to worship your Son:
grant to Christians everywhere a true spirit of adoration.
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Father, your Son is the King of kings and Lord of lords:
grant an abundance of peace to your world.
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Father, the Holy Family shared the life of the people of Nazareth:
protect in your mercy our neighbours and families,
together with the whole community of which we are part.
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Father, your Son was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor:
show your love for the poor and powerless,
and strengthen all those who suffer.
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Father, the Magi presented to your Son gold, incense and myrrh:
accept the gifts we bring,
and the offering of our hearts at the beginning of this new year.
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Father, you are the King of heaven, the hope of all who trust in you:
give to all the faithful departed the wonders of your salvation.
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Magi, shepherds and angels,
and of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph,
we commend ourselves and all Christian people
to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

31st December 2023 10.30am – Eucharist on the First Sunday of Christmas

Posted on December 31, 2023 by admin

The Readings

Isaiah 61. 10 - 62. 3

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Luke 2. 15 - 21

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The Sermon
By the Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.

After all the initial anxieties and hardship,
After finding nowhere in Bethlehem to stay, save this outhouse beside an inn.
After the birth, with no cradle for the child, only an animal’s feeding trough.
After the first visitors, the locals, shepherds, have come and gone.
After all the pain and discomfort and stress, there’s a pause.

And this young mother, almost certainly a teenager, looks down at her son,
and ponders in her heart.

Ponders what, we might wonder?

Well, she’s probably thinking in ways that all mothers do as they take a
moment to look at their new-born child and wonder.

Wonder in both senses. Wonder at how something as amazing as this – a
new life – should have come into the world through them, and wonder too at
what they must now do and be for them, if they are to grow and live well.
What the gospel writer is drawing to our attention is the fact that this marks
the beginning of two vocations. Yes, here begins the story of Jesus Christ.
But here also begins another, inseparable story, that of Mary, his mother.
One reason why I particularly like St Luke’s gospel is because of all the
gospel writers, it is Luke who, even as he tells the story of Jesus, threads the
story of Mary through it as well.

So it’s in Luke’s gospel that we will hear how Mary and Joseph take the child
to Jerusalem for the ritual of Mary’s purification after childbirth. It’s then that
they will meet the old man Simeon who will tell Mary that her son is destined
for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and a sword will pierce through her
own soul also.

It’s in Luke’s gospel that we will hear how Mary and Joseph again take Jesus
to the temple at the age of 12 – the age at which boys become part of the
congregation of Jewish men - and accidentally leave him behind when they
return home.

And above all, it is Luke who will tell us how Mary will be present in
Jerusalem when her son is arrested, cruelly treated and put to death.
So Mary’s vocation as a mother also begins at Christmas.

But how is her mothering of the Saviour to be different from that of other
mothers whose children are not so destined?

The answer is, it isn’t different. The whole point about Christianity is that God
becomes one of us. This is the heart of the faith and the very thing that has
shocked many pious people down the ages.

It shocks devout Muslim friends of mine today: how can you say that God is in
Jesus Christ when Jesus Christ is humiliated, suffers and dies? God cannot
be subject to such frailty and failing. This cannot be God in the manger.
But we say: this is God choosing to come among us, revealing himself
through the life of this human child, who is no different from all the other
babies that were born that night.

And this takes us to the heart of Mary’s vocation.

Children do not come into the world with fully formed characters. They learn
by observation and imitation. If anything, we arrive self-centred and selfish
When we are hungry we don’t consider the needs of others, we cry until we
are fed. When we are in discomfort we scream until someone changes our
nappy. This is how a child survives – it is totally dependent on its parent or
guardian. We make the journey from being utterly self-centred to something
more considerate as we see in those around us other ways of behaving,
imitate them and are praised for our unselfishness.

If Jesus is to be kind, generous, loving, forgiving, he must see that in his
mother’s care. Because this is a critical way in which human character is
initially formed.

If this all seems so risky a venture, so it is.

But it’s what we mean when we say, the Word became flesh. God chose to
become human in order to show us the better ways of living. And key to that
is this young woman, his mother. He will imitate her.

This is the profound and frightening truth that she ponders as she looks at her
new-born child.

25th December 2023 10.30am – Christmas Day Eucharist

Posted on December 24, 2023December 24, 2023 by admin

The Readings

Isaiah 9. 2 - 7

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Luke 2. 1 - 20

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!’

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The Sermon
By Catherine, Reader at St Mary's.

I wonder if any of you have felt a sense of unease singing some of our
Christmas favourites this year? Can we sing about peace and calm in
Bethlehem or Jerusalem when the Holy Land is anything but peaceful at the
moment? Before the atrocities of October 7th and the appalling devastation in
Gaza since, Bethlehem’s hotels were fully booked. The innkeepers were
struggling to accommodate hopeful visitors. But now no one wants to visit and
there is plenty of room at the inn. Bethlehem has cancelled its Christmas
celebrations this year.

The land of Judah is not a safe place to be at the moment. But nor was it safe
during the time of Isaiah. The Assyrian empire was expanding, its people
overpowering their neighbours by unimaginably brutal means. Israel had
already fallen victim, her people killed or exiled. Judah feared the same could
happen to her.

Yet into this dangerous and frightening situation Isaiah proclaims a message of
hope. In some of the most beautiful and well-known poetry of the Old
Testament comes a promise.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The rod of the
oppressor has been broken, the soldiers’ boots and blood-stained garments will
be thrown on the fire. There will be peace, an everlasting rule of justice and
righteousness.

A voice of hope in a time of struggle. All will be well.

But who’s going to bring this about? A new-born baby!

A child has been born for us, a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Hope for Judah’s people. A new king perhaps already born or yet to be born, a
descendent of King David’s line. A priest-king for the holy temple, God’s
representative in Jerusalem. Peace and order re-established on Earth.
But he will start out as a baby. He will need to be nurtured, to grow, to learn.
And in the meantime someone else will have to look after his needs – to feed
him, clothe him, keep him safe, help him to learn and reach his full potential.
He’s fragile, and living in a dangerous world. He might not make it. The
people of Judah will have to be patient. But they have hope.

****

Isaiah’s words continued to give hope to the people of Judah centuries later.
And the early church came to see them come to fulfilment in the person of
Jesus of Nazareth.

The story of the birth of Jesus has a simple beauty that in more peaceful years,
we sometimes forget that it, too, is set in difficult and dangerous times. The
land is ruled by a tyrannical and violent king. Mary and Joseph travel a great
distance because of the census, Mary heavily pregnant. When they arrive at
Bethlehem, all the rooms have been taken. The only available shelter is among
the animals. It will be dirty and smelly. No comfortable bed to lie on, no cot
for a newborn. And that’s where Mary gives birth. Then, when Jesus is still an
infant, the family has to flee from the violent king to Egypt for the baby’s
safety. Bethlehem is not a safe place to be. But Mary and Joseph have hope.
And they act on it.

At Christmas we continue to remember and celebrate Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem
year by year, generation by generation, and throughout the world. But

Christmas is also about the coming of Christ, born anew in every generation
and every place. In the prologue to John’s gospel, which was read at our
midnight service, we hear how Christ, the Word of God, was with God in the
Beginning, and how he came into the world to live amongst us.

There is no Christmas tree in Manger Square in Bethlehem this year.
Celebrations are muted. But as a reminder that Christ came into a troubled
world to be among us, standing in solidarity with the victims of violence, so the
holy family are there, represented still. Standing on rubble, surrounded by
razor wire is a nativity scene – Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus. A reminder
that Christ continues to live amongst us.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light

The Prayers
Prepared by Shirley.

Let us pray to Jesus our Saviour.

Christ, born in a stable,
give courage to all who are homeless.
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.

Christ, for whom the angels sang,
give the song of the kingdom to all who weep.
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.

Christ, worshipped by the shepherds,
give peace on earth to all who are oppressed.
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.

Christ, before whom the wise men knelt,
give humility and wisdom to all who govern.
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.

Christ, whose radiance filled a lowly manger,
give the glory of your resurrection to all who rest in you.
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.

Jesus, Saviour, child of Mary,
you know us and love us,
you share our lives
and hear our prayer.
Glory to you for ever. Amen.

24th December 2023 11.30pm – Christmas Midnight Eucharist

Posted on December 24, 2023 by admin

The Readings

Isaiah 52. 7 - 10

How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.

John 1. 1 - 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

The Sermon
By the Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

At one time I was a parish priest in Kendal, in the Lake District.

Each year, as people left midnight mass, a woman, the same woman, would wish me a
Happy Christmas, and then say: ‘See you next year, vicar.’

She did this unfailingly for the fourteen years I was there.

‘See you next year.’ She wasn’t being cheeky or flippant. On the contrary, she was telling
me that this service meant a great deal to her. She wouldn’t miss it for the world.

I think there were two reasons why.

First, in this service, we are taken to the very heart of the Christian faith. And at its heart is
a happening, an event.

Sometimes people speak about Christianity as if it were a set of beliefs. But that’s not quite
right. Christianity is not in the first place beliefs. That should cheer us up if at times we
struggle with some of those beliefs.

No, Christianity doesn’t begin with beliefs; it begins with the story of this night. The birth of
a child to a young mother and her soon-to-be husband, in an outhouse, by an inn, in the
little town of Bethlehem – a town which is still there, of course, on the Palestinian West
Bank.

It is the story of how the invisible God makes himself known to us. He does it, not through
words – the messages of prophets or priests, the writings of theologians. God makes
himself known through the birth of a child. His message to us, his word to us, is a Word
made flesh. A Word made visible, in human form. If you want to know what God is like,
look here.

At Christmas we tell this story in many different ways – in school nativities, on Christmas
cards, in carols and in the crib you can see beneath this altar. And as we sing the story or
look at it, we go there in imagination to the place where God chooses to meet us – in this
child.

Yes, beliefs can follow from that. You can put into propositions and doctrines what all this
means – as we do in the creed following this sermon. But we don’t start with beliefs. We
start with an event, a happening, the story of Christmas.

And that brings me to the second reason why the woman in my Kendal parish came every
year to midnight mass.

She wanted to hear the story again and to respond to it. She knew that having a faith is not
about carrying a bundle of beliefs around in your head, but it is about letting this story work
its way in you, in some profound way and at a deep level.

As one year came towards its close and another stood beckoning, she wanted to ground
her life again in the things that matter, the values that the story of the Christ child
suggested to her – the loving-kindness of the God who comes to us, the love of the mother
who cares for her child.

We live busy lives. We spend so much time on mobile phones and the internet. That often
leaves us physically exhausted and spiritually drained. We lose sight of the things that
matter, and it’s hard to find time to stop and think about what is important in life, what in
the end gives real satisfaction and meaning to all we do. Midnight mass is a precious
moment for quietly reflecting.

So tonight we remind ourselves of the story on which we ground our faith – a faith that will
guide us in our living and sustain us through whatever life has in store for us in times to
come.

A young couple. A birth. A God who draws near to us in that baby. Who now knows our
human life from the inside of a human skin. One with us. One of us.

Ponder the story. It’s why we say Happy Christmas. It gives us a blessedness that will
underpin our living through all the coming days.

Tonight, you have no need to gaze up to heaven. Heaven has come down to you.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Father, in this holy night your Son our Saviour
was born in human flesh.
Renew your Church as the Body of Christ.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night there was no room for your Son in the inn.
Protect with your love those who have no home
and all who live in poverty.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night Mary, in the pain of labour,
brought your Son to birth.
Hold in your hand all who are in pain or distress.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night your Christ came as a light shining in the darkness.
Bring comfort to all who suffer in the sadness of our world.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night the angels sang, ‘Peace to God’s people on earth.’
Strengthen those who work for peace and justice
in all the world.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night shepherds in the field heard good tidings of joy.
Give us grace to preach the gospel of Christ’s redemption.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night strangers found the Holy Family,
and saw the baby lying in the manger.
Bless our homes and all whom we love.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night heaven is come down to earth,
and earth is raised to heaven.
Hold in your hand all those who have passed through death
in the hope of your coming kingdom.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night Christians the world over celebrate Christ’s birth.
Open our hearts that he may be born in us today.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

Father,
in this holy night angels and shepherds worshipped at
the manger throne.
Receive the worship we offer in fellowship with Mary,
Joseph and the saints
through him who is your Word made flesh,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

24th December 2023 4.00pm – Christingle

Posted on December 24, 2023 by admin

The Readings

Luke 2. 1 - 20

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

The Prayers
Prepared by David.

Lord Jesus,
you were born into an ordinary family:
We pray for families everywhere,
especially for families in difficulty or in poverty,
and for families and relationships that are breaking down.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus,
your bed was in a manger,
because there was no room at the inn.
We pray for all those who have no home:
those who sleep on the streets,
and all who have lost everything
through violence or disaster.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus,
the animals shared their stable with you;
We pray for the earth, and for all living things,
that we might learn to live in peace and harmony with the natural world,
and treat all of creation with honour and respect.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus,
you were worshipped and adored by shepherds and kings:
We pray for the people and nations of the world,
and especially for peace and understanding
between different faiths.
You came as the light for the whole world,
so in you may we find that we have more in common
than that which divides us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, God with us,
we pray for people we know who are in need.
We pray especially for children who are in difficulty,
and for the work of The Children’s Society
in standing up for justice
and bringing light and hope into darkness.
Help us to show to one another
the same faithfulness and love
that you revealed at Bethlehem.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus,
you came to be with us on earth
so that we might be with you in heaven:
Keep safely all those who have died.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

24th December 2023 10.30am – 4th Sunday of Advent – Eucharist

Posted on December 24, 2023 by admin

The Readings

2 Samuel 7. 1 - 11, 16

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.’

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.
Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever. .

Luke 1. 26 - 38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

The Sermon
By David, Reader at St Mary's.

Our Gospel this morning has several different titles. One is “The Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary”. Another is “The Birth of Jesus Foretold”. These two different titles highlight differing views about Mary within Christianity. One where she is venerated above all others, and another where she doesn’t appear at all. It’s probably wise to chart a middle path between these two extremes. Maybe our passage today can help us with this?
The apostles and saints mentioned in scripture were very human, it’s easy to forget this. But traces of who they were can be seen. Peter was a passionate fisherman, John was fiery, Thomas doubted, Paul was a zealot and a tentmaker. But who was Mary? And why does it matter? Mary is often described as, and praised for being obedient and submissive. She is held up as role model for women – sinless, placid, ethereal, an extra holy saint, all of which can make her difficult to relate to.

The visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary was his second appearance in six months. Previously, while Zechariah was serving in the temple, Gabriel had revealed that Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth would have a child, John the Baptist. There are some stark contrasts between these two appearances.

Zechariah was a priest and serving in the sanctuary of the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem. He had high status in society and was engaged in important work. Mary was in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee. We aren’t told what she’s doing. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth are described as “righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.” Mary is not described as living a righteous life before the angels visit. To quote Luke Timothy Johnson, “Mary is among the most powerless people in her society: she is young in a world that values age; female in a world ruled by men; and poor in a stratified economy.
“Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you!” These are Gabriel’s first worlds to her. A favoured one of God is not privileged or powerful or preserved from sin. God’s favour doesn’t depend on any of these. She has been chosen and gifted what she needs for her life ahead.

What does it mean to us to be favoured?

Many of us, young and old, will be judged, bullied or belittled for how we look, our level of education, the way we speak or any number of other things. To be favoured by God is to be affirmed for who we are. We are affirmed as God affirmed Mary in her vocation as Jesus’ mother.

Mary is understandably perplexed by the angels words. There is much to ponder. She doesn’t have all the answers. She has questions and worries, like anyone discovering they will be a parent. She is not unthinkingly obedient. Then she says yes to God because she wants to, not because she has to. Saying yes to God doesn’t make us less ourselves, but more so. In saying yes to God, we become the people we were always intended to be.

In saying yes to God Mary becomes the first to believe the good news of Jesus, the first disciple – the first faithful voice. Later on in Luke chapter 2 she bursts into song with the Magnificat, the Song of Mary, itself a powerful hymn of God’s promise. Her response echoes those of other faithful women and men in scripture. In the Old Testament Miriam sings as Israel is freed from Egypt and Hannah sings as she hands her son, Samuel, to Eli. Later in Luke’s Gospel Simon and Anna will sing about Jesus at his Presentation in the temple.

On the window ledges around church you may have noticed a number of different nativity scenes. These are part of a private collection, on loan for Christmas from one of the congregation. They are beautiful in many different ways. They showcase the breadth of human skill and crafts in different mediums, wood, glass, wool, clay and others. They show the diversity of human culture and the worldwide reach of Christianity. But more than this, they show us that Mary’s experience and song of faith transcends the boundaries of time and place and can resonate with each of us.

But it can sometimes be hard to sing the song of faith. When life is difficult and the world seems a desolate place, we can lose sight of the hope of God’s promise to us. When that happens we should remember that we are not alone. The song of faith is communal.

In these times of difficulty if we listen attentively, we may be lifted up by the song of countless Mary’s around the world, of faithful women and men in scripture, and others known more personally to us. When we can’t sing - they take up the song.

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine.

In joyful expectation of his coming to our aid we pray to Jesus.

Come to your Church as Lord and judge.
We pray for your Church throughout the world
And especially the churches in the Holy Land and other areas of conflict.
We pray for local churches up and down our country
celebrating your birth with many visitors
Help us to live in the light of your coming
and give us a longing for your kingdom.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your world as King of the nations.
We pray for all continents and countries
remembering especially those places struggling with war, famine, poverty and
disaster.
Before you rulers will stand in silence.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to the suffering as Saviour and comforter.
We pray for all who are ill, bereaved or lonely at this time
thinking of....[and] others known to us.
Break into our lives,
where we struggle with sickness and distress,
and set us free to serve you for ever.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our souls.
We remember all those we love and see no longer.
Give us with all the faithful departed
a share in your victory over evil and death.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come from heaven, Lord Jesus, with power and great glory.
Lift us up to meet you,
that with Mary, Mark, John and all your saints and angels
we may live and reign with you in your new creation.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Merciful Father:
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

17th December 2023 4pm – Candlelit Christmas Carol Service

Posted on December 17, 2023December 17, 2023 by admin

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

Author: admin

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24th December 2023 4.00pm – Christingle

24th December 2023 10.30am – 4th Sunday of Advent – Eucharist

17th December 2023 4pm – Candlelit Christmas Carol Service