5th November 2023 10.30am – All Souls Memorial Service

Posted on November 5, 2023 by admin

The Reading

John 6. 37 - 40

Jesus said, ‘Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’

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 Kath, Reader St Mary's.

I’ve sometimes heard it said that we, as a society, are not very good at speaking about and dealing with death. Obviously it can be a difficult and often painful subject, especially when it’s close to home affecting someone we know or love or if we’re contemplating our own end, but for everyone’s sake, death shouldn’t be a taboo subject. That said, how we choose to refer to it is personal. Whether we call it death or loss or passing away or passing on or anything else is entirely up to us. What matters is that we don’t shut out all thoughts or discussions about it.

In the course of my own life I’ve noticed many gradual changes in how we deal with death and I think for the most part they are for the better. For very loving and well meant reasons, as children my sisters and I were “protected” from it. Death and the process of dying were spoken of in hushed tones and largely hidden away. We were not allowed to go to funerals, even of close family members because it was feared that we would be upset. When I was finally allowed to attend funerals I found they tended to be very solemn, somber occasions and rather lacking in warmth if I’m honest. Much better now, in my opinion, that we talk about the person who has died and their life as well as conducting the formalities of the service and it can also be helpful that people don’t feel constrained by an over prescriptive dress code. If the deceased was a riot of colour in their style or personality it hardly seems fitting for convention to dictate that everyone wears black.

But as our ways of conducting funerals have improved, I wonder if grieving has got a little squeezed out. Is it, like many other aspects of our culture, getting compressed, so that we’re expected to get over it fairly quickly and get back on with business as usual.

In previous times, such as the Victorian era, there were specified periods for mourning and codes of practice which in some ways may have seemed overly prescriptive but on the other hand they may have allowed much more space for people to grieve and shielded them from the pressures others may have put on them. Nowadays there can sometimes be an expectation that a couple of weeks or even days should be enough for people to sort out their feelings and the inevitable practicalities that follow a death and that they should get back to “normal” whatever that might be, in terms of work or running a home or caring for others for example. But we are all different and all relationships are different so it follows that our ways of grieving are different and very personal. Advisors and counsellors can provide help and guidance about what we might feel, the so called “stages of grief”, but ultimately there is no right way or set time or period for grieving. It can’t be forced and it shouldn’t be denied or buried.

For a long time I felt bad because I didn’t really cry when first my dad, then my mum then my youngest sister died. I loved them all very, very much but I couldn’t cry. I thought in time the tears would come and wondered whether I was losing my capacity to feel when they didn’t. It was only much later that I realised I had done much of my grieving as I watched each of them slowly robbed of their health and well-being, their independence and dignity and their abilities to be and do all the things that made them the unique and wonderful people they were. It was heartbreaking but I’m grateful that they allowed me to be alongside them in the final parts of their earthly lives and to grieve with them. However we experience grief it is important that we are allowed and allow ourselves to go through it in the ways that work for us and that includes the grieving that takes place before death.

The only proviso I would add is that we don’t become stuck in a place that prevents us living our own lives. When the time is right, gradually letting go of the pain of grief and moving on doesn’t take anything away from the deep love and respect we felt and always will feel for the person we have lost. When grief is raw that may be hard to comprehend but think about it another way, would we want our loved ones to grieve and be miserable forever when we die? I’m pretty sure the answer to that is no. We would hope they would miss us and not forget us but ultimately we would want them to find happiness and be able to smile again. Would our loved ones really want anything less for us?

I’d like to end by sharing with you a poem by the late Mosiah Lyman Hancock which I think expresses this beautifully.

When I’m Gone

When I come to the end of my journey
And I travel my last weary mile
Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned
And remember only the smile

Forget unkind words I have spoken
Remember some good I have done
Forget that I ever had heartache
And remember I've had loads of fun

Forget that I've stumbled and blundered
And sometimes fell by the way
Remember I have fought some hard battles
And won, ere the close of the day

Then forget to grieve for my going
I would not have you sad for a day
But in summer just gather some flowers
And remember the place where I lay

And come in the shade of evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west
Stand for a few moments beside me
And remember only my best

by Lyman Hancock

Amen.

The Prayers Prepared by Kath. God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith. We give you thanks for the lives of those who we have loved and lost. For all that we were to each other and all that we shared together. Hear us, risen Lord, our resurrection and our life. Comfort us in our times of grief and help us to help each other in our sadness. Hear us, risen Lord, our resurrection and our life. Guide and uphold us through the loneliness and darkness of loss, especially when it feels like our pain will never come to an end. Hear us, risen Lord, our resurrection and our life. But when the time is right, Lord give us the courage to live again, for our own sake and for those who love and need us, secure in the knowledge that those we have lost, rest in peace with you. Hear us, risen Lord, our resurrection and our life. May God in his infinite love and mercy bring the whole Church, Living and departed in the Lord Jesus, to a joyful resurrection and the fulfilment of his eternal kingdom. Amen.

5th November 2023 10.30am – All Saints Eucharist

Posted on November 5, 2023November 6, 2023 by admin

The Readings

Revelation 7.9-end

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing,
‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honour
and power and might
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Matthew 5.1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Sermon
By the Revd Dr Beth Keith.

When I was a teenager, we lived in a house with 3 stories. My bedroom was on the middle floor and my
sisters’ rooms were on the top floor. Most days we would return from school, and immediately drop our
stuff, our shoes, bags, PE kits, coats, on to the floor in the hallway. So, when my Dad returned from a busy
day at work, his first view of the house when he opened the door, was a complete mess.

It wasn’t unusual for us to be shouted down to clear it up. On various occasions this would begin with
‘Elisabeth, come down here’. Elisabeth, rather than Beth, was only used when I was in trouble. So out of
my room I would come, to an annoyed father, who wanted me to clear up the mess.

“But Dad, most of it is Rachel and Felicity’s mess, I’m only going to clear up my own mess.”

To which he would say, “well your down here now, please will you clear it all up.”

After this had happened a few times, I asked him, why, when he didn’t know which bits of the mess
belonged to which of his daughters, did he only shout for me.

“Well, it’s because your room is on the middle floor, when I shout for you, you come down, when I shout
for them, they can’t hear me.”

This felt deeply, tragically, unfair to my teenage mind. But when I protested, with a wink he would say,
“Life isn’t fair, ah well, great will be your reward in heaven”.

Little help that was, was Jesus really going to give me some king of heavenly gold-plated shoe monitor
badge?

But what will heaven be like? I imagine if we went round the room and shared what we think heaven
would be like, we would get many different ideas. Because, although there are pointers in the scriptures,
prophecies, and revelations, none of us know with certainty what life after death might be like.

There is, however, a thread throughout the Bible, that God will make things right; that there is more than
what we see before us. That God exists beyond our human interactions, and God’s justice, God’s kingdom,
has the final say. Some Christians emphasise God’s Day of Judgement, a day when we will all be held to
account for our actions. Other Christians emphasise God’s love, a time when God will gather us in, and we
will be made whole in love.

Knowing that there is more to life than this, can be a comfort and strength to us. When we experience
grave injustice or evil. When we are challenged to forgive someone who has done us great harm,
unspeakable harm which is almost impossible to forgive, knowing that we can leave that injustice with
God, can help us to move on from the harm caused. Knowing that there is more to life than this, can
challenge and encourage us to life lives based on God’s values. Putting the needs of other’s first, trying to
do what is right even when that is costly.

But this kind of theology can also be misleading. It can push us into thinking that this is some kind of
cosmic transaction, a cosmic tit for tat, where each deed of ours is measured and weighed up with specific
rewards allocated for specific deeds, specific judgement for others, and specific redress for injustice
experienced. Whilst the Bible does point to God’s rule of justice, there are plenty examples littered
throughout the Old and New Testament, where God stretches the rules. Where God’s justice is stretched
by God’s great mercy, and love. We might include the stories of Jonah, or Job, in these examples, where a
human call for a kind of cosmic tit for tat, is challenged by the mystery of the all-encompassing love of God.
This kind of stretching of justice is also seen in Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God. A rule which
seemed to stand opposed to the Kingdom of the Romans in which he lived. A kingdom that threw the
normal rules upside down. A kingdom where those who were most despised and most pitied, where
treasured, honoured, and healed.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.

When we pray ‘Your Kingdom Come’ as we do each time we pray the Lord’s prayer, this is the kingdom we
are praying for.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

November marks the beginning of Kingdom Season in the Church. One of the prayers we pray in kingdom
season gives us the image of Jesus,
‘on the last day, gathering up all things,
that we may enjoy the fullness of God’s promises’.

It’s an image I take comfort in. Though I cannot fathom how this will happen, I have faith and trust in Jesus,
who has experienced and found a way through all the difficulties and injustices we may experience.
Kingdom Season is a time of remembering and mourning and looking forward with hope. And it is also the
season where we lift our eyes beyond what we can see. A season when we pray that God’s rule of justice
and love will become more evident here, more evident in our lives, more evident in our church, and in our
community. One way is which we do this, is to honour and remember the Saints that have gone before us.
Saints in the Bible and those saints since, who have shown us what following Christ can look like. Today we
may also want to think about the people in our own lives, ordinary folk who have discipled us, helped us,
and supported us in our own faith journey.

You may have noticed that before I started to preach, I took off some of my vestments. You may notice
that Janet is also wearing something similar to me. The clothes we wear for services, are all designed for a
reason. The white robes you see us wear come from the image from Revelation that we heard in our first
reading. The saints in glory appear in white robes. When we wear these for services, we remember, that
whatever part we may be playing in the service, we are merely saints, ordinary people following Jesus. It is
only through Jesus’ sacrifice and salvation that we are here. It’s not very practical, but really we could all
be wearing white robes to get the symbolism right. Perhaps when you were baptised or confirmed, you
wore white, as a symbol of this.

In a few moments I will put on the stole and chasuble, the chasuble is seemless garment which points to
Christ, and to the celebration of the feast we share at the Eucharist. Whereas this white robe fits me, the
chasuble doesn’t. It’s not mine, it’s the churches, worn by whoever come to celebrate Eucharist. I put it on,
I take it off. Whereas this white garment fits, I wear it each week, I take it home, I wash it when it gets
dirty. In some ways it is a good image for how we all stand before God.

God clothes us, give us an identity in Christ which is pure, and which also fits us. An identity as a child of
God, as we are, fully loved and forgiven. Through Christ we are counted among the saints, not through
great works or acts of service, not through our achievements, or our suffering, but through God’s great
love and mercy. And so today as we celebrate with all the saints who have gone before us, we come to this
table. We come to Jesus, who turns the rules of this world upside down, and invites us to join in with his
Kingdom.

So, let me finish with a prayer.
Eternal God, our maker and redeemer,
grant us, with all the faithful departed,
the sure benefits of your Son’s saving passion and resurrection
that in the last day,
when you gather up all things in Christ,
we may with them, enjoy the fullness of your promises,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Prayers

Prepared by Catherine

United in the company of all the faithful
and looking for the coming of the kingdom,
let us offer our prayers to God,
the source of all life and holiness.

Merciful Lord,
strengthen all Christian people by your Holy Spirit,
that we may live as a royal priesthood and a holy nation
to the praise of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Bless Pete and Sophie our bishops and all ministers of your Church,
that by faithful proclamation of your word
we may be built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets
into a holy temple in the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Empower us by the gift of your holy and life-giving Spirit,
that we may be transformed into the likeness of Christ
from glory to glory.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Give to the world and its peoples
the peace that comes from above,
that they may find Christ’s way of freedom and life.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Hold in your embrace all who witness to your love in the
service of the poor and needy;
all who minister to the sick and dying;
and all who bring light to those in darkness.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Touch and heal all those whose lives are scarred by sin
or disfigured by pain,
that, raised from death to life in Christ,
their sorrow may be turned to eternal joy.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Remember in your mercy all those gone before us
who have been well-pleasing to you from eternity;
preserve in your faith your servants on earth,
guide us to your kingdom
and grant us your peace at all times.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Hasten the day when many will come
from east and west, from north and south,
and sit at table in your kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We give you thanks
for the whole company of your saints in glory,
with whom in fellowship we join our prayers and praises;
by your grace may we, like them, be made perfect in your love.

Blessing and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honour and power,
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen.

29th October 2023 10.30am – Simon and Jude, Apostles, Eucharist

Posted on October 29, 2023 by admin

The Readings

Ephesians 2.19-end

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

John 15.17-end

I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
‘If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, “Servants are not greater than their master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. It was to fulfil the word that is written in their law, “They hated me without a cause.”

‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine.

God of Simon and Jude, we pray for your church. We give thanks that they
answered your call to follow Jesus and were among the earliest people to share
the good news of your kingdom. We pray for all churches worldwide, whether
they be long established or pioneering, like the early church. We pray for
church leaders, ministers, evangelists and pastors, and for all who give of their
time and resources to share the gospel in today’s world.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of Simon and Jude, who lived and served you first in Israel-Palestine and
then perhaps in Persia, we pray for the Middle East. We ask for a safe return of
the hostages in Gaza, and an end to the violence. We pray for the leaders of the
Israelis and the Palestinians, and for those of countries worldwide, that all
might work wisely towards a peaceful and just solution to the conflict.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of Simon and Jude, who were among Jesus’ circle of friends, we pray for
our own communities of family, church and friends. We give thanks for the
mutual support and care we receive from each other, remembering that you are
a God of community. We pray for any who find it difficult to make or maintain
friendships and ask that we be open and inclusive of all who might feel lonely.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of Jude, patron saint of lost causes, we pray for all who are suffering or
find life a struggle. We ask that you bring comfort, healing and hope to all who
are in particular need. In a few moments of silence we think of Kath, and
others known to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of Simon and Jude, who followed you faithfully to the ends of their
earthly lives, we remember all those who have gone before us and who we see
no more. We remember those who have died recently or long ago, giving
thanks for their lives and examples to us and resting in the hope of everlasting
life.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

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

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material
from which is used here is copyright © The Archbishops’Council 2000

22nd October 2023 10.30am – The Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Eucharist

Posted on October 22, 2023October 21, 2023 by admin

The Readings

1 Thessalonians 1. 1 - 10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of people we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place where your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

Matthew 22. 15 - 22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

The Sermon
By the Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Jesus had two main types of enemy.

First, were those who were jealous of him. His words and his actions
attracted and inspired people in ways they couldn’t match. They couldn’t
compete. So they resented him. They were jealous.

Then second were others who felt threatened by him. People listened to what
he had to say – about God, about how to live well. People took notice of him,
not them. He spoke with authority. So they felt undermined, threatened.

Both those who were jealous and those who felt threatened were the more
educated, the more powerful, the better off. They thought of themselves as a
cut above the ordinary people.

So his enemies – the resentful and the disturbed - come together to find ways
of diminishing the standing and authority of Jesus among the ordinary people.
Today’s gospel tells us what they tried to do.

Being educated and clever, they decide to trap him into saying something that
would make the ordinary people angry and might even get him into trouble
with the authorities.

They ask him whether paying taxes is lawful – which means morally and
religiously right as well as a legal duty. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the Roman
Emperor? Remember, the land in which Jesus lived was occupied by foreign
soldiers, who made sure that taxes were paid to Rome.

Of course, people resented the occupation, resented the presence of Roman
soldiers, resented having to pay taxes to the Emperor, to Caesar. So if Jesus
said, It is lawful, there would be many who would no longer trust him in
matters of morality and religion. He was siding with the regime that had
conquered their land. On the other hand, if he said it was morally and
religiously wrong to pay taxes to the Emperor, that would get him into serious
trouble with the authorities. He would look like a troublemaker, someone
trying to lead the people astray.

So it was a trap either way; and his enemies must have thought themselves
very clever in devising a question where either a yes or a no would bring
trouble.

Before they put the question, they try to get Jesus to lower his guard,
pretending to be on his side with a bit of flattery: ‘Teacher, we know that you
are true, and teach the way of God truthfully..... Tell us then, is it lawful to pay
taxes to Caesar or not?’

Jesus recognises the malice behind the flattery and he gives a clever neither-
yes-nor-no answer. ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to
God the things that are God’s.’

We can see how this got Jesus out of a tricky spot at the time; but what about
all those Christians who come after? What about us? Did Jesus mean his
words to have any on-going relevance?

It’s possible that Jesus was only meaning to get himself out of a potentially
difficult situation. That what we have here is just an example of how his
enemies conspired against him and how he outwitted them. In which case we
shouldn’t read too much into what he said.

But I think he does say something that has continuing relevance for us – in
two respects.

First, he says Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. In other words,
Christian people should be in no doubt that there is a proper place and role
for rulers, for government, for the state. Those Christians who don’t believe
this and who refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy under God of worldly
rulers – like Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Amish – are wrong.

Human communities need good governance if they are to thrive. Without
good governance human communities fall into pits of lawlessness or squalor.
So even if rulers and governments are secular or anti-religious, they are still
what God wants for us. Their role is to protect and safeguard their people and
to seek their well-being. This is why it is right that we should pray for our
rulers. That is not to say that all forms of government are the same and none
is better than another. But it is a sharp warning to Christians that even a bad
government – like the Roman Emperor – is better than no government, better
than anarchy and chaos. That is not always an easy message to hear.

But we also render to God the things that are Gods. We acknowledge that the
values by which we as Christians live come to us from God, not the state. So
we give our ultimate loyalty to God not to any earthly ruler – which can put
Christians in a tricky place if rulers like Emperors or dictators demand worship
or unconditional obedience, which Christians can’t give.

We are lucky in this country. We can render to the state the things that are the
states. We can give thanks for good governance. There are many Christians
in the world who are not as fortunate and we must pray for them and their
rulers.

For whether they acknowledge it or not, those rulers too are under God and
one day they too must answer to him. And render to God the things that are
God’s.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe.

We pray for the Church of Christ, for Bishop Pete and Bishop Sophie,
our Archbishops Justin and Stephen, all here who lead us in worship
and prayer, and all those whose time and talents are given to St
Mary’s, St John’s and St Mark’s.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

In these difficult times we pray that we too can become imitators of
the Lord, and welcome the Gospel in to our lives with joy. We pray
that we can become inspire others to come to Christ through our
faith and deeds.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray all those wounded, suffering, imprisoned and displaced in
Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, that the current crisis may be
brought under control, and that a non-military solution that is just to
all involved may emerge. We pray for those who have died in this
conflict. We pray that other countries do not become involved, and
that a long-term solution be sought for the region. We pray for the
people of Ukraine and hope for a peaceful resolution to that conflict.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those affected by storm Babet, that communities will
have the resources to repair the damage. We pray for those who’ve
lost their lives, and their families and friends.
We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of
Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or
spirit, and those who find life especially difficult at this time. We pray
that you bring them strength, healing, and peace. In a few moments
of silence, we think of those we know who need your healing
presence in their lives.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those currently close to death, and those accompanying
them on this final part of their Earthly journey. We pray for those
who have died, recently and in the past, and those who mourn.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Finally, Lord, we silently bring before you those special to us, and
those issues and concerns that we have in our own lives.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the communion of Mary, Mark, John and of all the Saints,
let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to God.
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our
Saviour, Jesus Christ.

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

29th January 2023 6.30pm – Candlemas Carol Service

Posted on January 29, 2023 by admin

‘What then should we do?’ – 12th December 2021 – The 3rd Sunday of Advent

Posted on December 12, 2021 by admin

The Readings

Zephaniah 3.14-end

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors
at that time.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.

Luke 3.7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

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
The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

‘What then should we do?’

This is what the people ask John the Baptist when they go out into the wilderness to
be baptised by him. What should we do?

I can see why they might ask that after John has given them such a roasting.

They had come out of their villages and walked several miles across scrubland and
stony ground to hear John speak and to be baptised by him in the Jordan river
because they wanted to renew their faith and hear a message of hope.

Life for them was hard. They were poor. They had to work hard to scratch a living –
from the soil or their animals or from fishing. They were at the mercy of the
elements. A drought could wipe out the crops and threaten the sheep and goats. Bad
weather could make it impossible to fish. They couldn’t afford to get ill.

Their one consolation was their religion, their faith.

They were Jews. And God, they believed, was the God of the Jews.

They knew that in the distant past he had guided their remote ancestor Abraham.
They knew too that God had brought them out of worse conditions than this. He had
brought them from being slaves in Egypt to this land where at first they were free
people.

Now they were not so free. The country was part of the Roman empire and Roman
soldiers and Roman tax collectors were a fact of life. It was depressing. Like a great
cloud of misery hanging over them all the time. Hard working but oppressed.

So they went out into the wilderness to hear this charismatic preacher, John the
Baptist, tell them something that would lift their spirits. Perhaps he would baptise
them as a sign that they were indeed children of Abraham whom God had protected
and guided.

A bit of cheer, a bit of hope, in a dark and uncertain world. That’s all they wanted.

Imagine the shock then when he speaks to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned
you to flee from the wrath to come? …. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have
Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able form these stones to raise up
children to Abraham.’

They can’t plead their religion, their faith. They can’t rely on that to see them
through. So what should they do? What should they do?

John’s answer is in one sense quite simple: repent and bear fruit. Because if you
don’t, even now, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire.

But when he goes on to spell out what it means to bear fruit, it gets quite hard.

Bearing fruit means this:

If you have two coats, share with anyone who has none. Do the same with food. If
you are a tax collector, don’t cheat people but only collect what is prescribed. If you
are a soldier don’t use your power to extort – and live according to your means, your
wages.

We could sum it up like this. John is saying to the people of his day: the way you lift
the cloud of misery that hangs over you is not by falling back on your religious
credentials – we are children of Abraham – but by conforming your life to these
principles, the principles that Abraham and all the prophets lived by: be kind, be
generous, share, think of others, don’t cheat or lie or threaten. Live like this and you
will be able stand before the Messiah when he comes.

Today, the third Sunday of Advent, the Church puts this gospel before us as we too
look for the coming of the Messiah. Like those Jews at the time of John the Baptist,
we too are finding life a bit hard. We have had two years of the pandemic and we
cannot yet see any end in sight. A dark cloud of misery hangs over us.

But for us too, religion can’t become a crutch, a prop. The Lord asks for repentance, a
change of heart and mind, a determination to live differently, to live better.

So, be kind, be generous, share, think of others, don’t cheat or lie or threaten. Live
like this and you will be able stand before the Messiah when at Christmas he comes.

The Prayers

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

Come to your Church as Lord and judge.
We pray for wisdom as we arrange services for the Christmas season under
ever changing and uncertain circumstances.
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 the troubled places of our world - Myanmar, Afghanistan,
Yemen and others. For refugees worldwide, especially those on the
Belarus/Polish border, or risking their lives at sea. We pray that leaders of
nations act with compassion and wisdom.
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 waiting for hospital treatment or diagnosis. For all
who are suffering due to the effects of the pandemic. For all who are anxious
about what the future might bring.
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 who have died – this day, this week, this year or less
recently, thinking especially of those known personally to us.

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.

Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay;
give new courage to your people,
who trust in your love.
By your coming, raise us to share in the joy of your kingdom
on earth as in heaven,
where you live and reign with the Father and the Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2006 and published by Church House Publishing.

‘Doubting Thomas’ – 19th April 2020 – Second Sunday of Easter

Posted on April 19, 2020April 18, 2020 by admin

John 20.19-end

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

The Sermon

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit – Amen.

I’m writing this on Thursday, April 16^th – I expect sometime this afternoon or early evening we’ll be told that our lockdown will continue for at least another three weeks. Let me take this opportunity to hope that you and your family and friends are managing under these exceptionally challenging conditions.

I’d like to spend some time with Thomas tonight. He gets a bit of a mixed coverage in the Gospels; he comes over as being quite gutsy in the story of Lazarus when it’s he who suggests that the group should join Jesus in going to see Lazarus, despite the risk. “Let us go and die with him” are his words, and the disciples are rallied to return with Jesus to Judea. He shows courage and resolve; at this point he’s willing to die with Jesus if that’s required. He then seems to drop out of sight for a while, and makes less of a good impression at the Last Supper, where he comes over as being a bit confused as to what’s expected of him. In John 14, we read:

“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Perhaps this gives Thomas a bit of a hint that the path ahead for the disciples is going to involve great sacrifice; they need to walk ‘the way’ of Jesus. It’s not going to be easy. And indeed, like the others he scarpered when Jesus was arrested, despite his earlier willingness to die with Christ.

And so we come to tonight’s reading:

“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

The disciples were in their own ‘lockdown’ – they were understandably afraid that the Jewish religious authorities might try to finish the job they thought they’d started by crucifying Christ. Where Thomas was at this time isn’t clear; maybe taking a brief bit of exercise, maybe trying to get some time on his own in which he could think through what had happened over the last week or so. There is a poem by Thomas Troeger about Thomas that starts with the words:

“These things did Thomas hold for real:

The warmth of blood, the chill of steel,

the grain of wood, the heft of stone,

the last frail twitch of blood and bone.”

Thomas indeed knew the reality of what had happened; his world view was very much that of a good Jew; when you died, you stayed dead. Blood flowed and went cold and clotted; steel spikes broke flesh, a steel lance would open a body up. And then it’s over; a final twitch, you’re dead. One can imagine Thomas trying to wonder whether ‘the way’ of Christ simply ended in death, and if so, how could he follow it, and, what would be the point.

When he returns and is told the news of what’s happened, he famously retorts that he won’t believe that Jesus has been miraculously resurrected until he can see things for himself. No, more than that, his doubt is so strong that he won’t believe that Christ is risen unless he can stick his fingers in the wounds. Or, as Troeger put it:

“His brittle certainties denied

That one could live when one had died,

until his fingers read like Braille

the markings of the spear and nail.”

Thomas seems to be suffering from what we’d call today an ‘existential crisis’ – something has happened – or has been reported to him – that is so ‘out there’ that it forces him to reconsider everything he holds as his firm and central beliefs as a Jew, despite everything he will have experienced as a disciple.

Sometimes, things happen that are just so big that we can’t cope.

Many years ago, when my mother was seriously ill in hospital, we got talking about times in her life she’d been really worried or scared. I expected her to tell me of the times she’d been ill or in danger in the Second World War, or when I’d given her cause for concern, but she added “A Saturday night in October 1962” – the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when she had gone to bed, with me in the next room, not sure than she – or anyone else – would see the following morning. An existential event in her life, totally outside of her experience and beyond her control.

This Easter, we’ve all experienced an event which has overturned our expectations and made many of us wonder ‘Will things ever be normal again’.

Like Thomas, we currently find our certainties challenged. We’re confined to our homes, we learn the news of the same changes applying to country after country in the world as Covid-19 brings about a ‘new normal’. Some people feel they need proof that it’s as bad as we’re told; some believe that it’s ‘just the ‘flu’ and that all the precautions are not needed. Like Thomas, most of us are a bit distanced from the reality of death and suffering – we’re told what’s happening, but fortunately for most of us we’re not there when proof in the form of death is given.

When Jesus appears the second time, he brings the proof Thomas demands – in the form of his wounds. Thomas acknowledges Jesus as ‘My Lord and my God’ – a statement that would be resonant with the citizens of the Roman Empire as this was how you were supposed to speak of the then Emperor. To use it as Thomas did is an act of love for Jesus, and act of treason against the Empire. His courage is returning.

In being exposed to the wounds of Christ, Thomas regains his faith; he’s admonished by Jesus because he needed to see to believe. Thomas had to come back to faith, by experiencing something at his level of understanding. He couldn’t argue with the fact that death was not the end of things, and he himself would eventually become a martyr, speared to death, probably in India.

Thomas’s rationality, his logic, his form beliefs in the Jewish understanding of life and death failed him at the time of crisis. I think all of our beliefs are currently being challenged in a similar way; but Thomas’s experiences are guidance for us. He went from brave, to confused, fled, returned, demanded proof, regained faith and courage and also eventually understood that the ‘way’ described by Christ would involve suffering and his eventual death as a martyr.

Troeger’s poem finishes:

“May we, O God, by grace believe

And, in believing, still receive

the Christ who held His raw palms out

and beckoned Thomas from his doubt.”

In this time of uncertainty, fear, confusion, and doubt, when many of the certainties of our daily lives have been washed away, may we receive the certainties of Christ into our lives.

Amen

The Prayers

The following prayers are based on today’s gospel reading - John 20.19-31

“...the doors of the house were locked for fear….” (v.19)

We pray for our locked-down nation and world
for those feeling isolated, lonely or depressed
for those feeling scared for themselves or for those they love
for those for whom lock-down is not a place of safety, but one of danger.