Author: St Mary's

‘St. Mary; Death of Queen Elizabeth II’ – 11th September 2022

Posted on by St Mary's

To watch this week's service on YouTube, please click here:

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22 09 11 The Blessed Virgin Mary Eucharist v2

The Readings

2 Corinthians 4.16-5.4

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling— if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Luke 1.39-47

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
Mary’s Song of Praise
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour'

The Sermon

By Canon Dr Alan Billings

 

Our service today has more than one focus and as a result it produces in us a mix of emotions.

In the normal course of things, this would simply have been our patronal festival. We would be celebrating and giving thanks for the one to whom our church is dedicated – Mary, the mother of our Lord. But this week our Queen died and we have a new King. So celebration, but sorrow too. Let’s try and bring these emotions and themes together – reflecting on two lives and two mothers, starting with Blessed Mary.

The gospel reading this morning speaks of a young woman who is pregnant, Mary. She has just been told by the angel that she will give birth to the Son of God. She now goes to visit her much older cousin, Elizabeth, who is also pregnant.

So the life of Jesus Christ begins and ends with this young woman, Mary, his mother.

And Mary learns very early on what it means to be a mother, a parent – which is that the more you love your children, the more vulnerable you make yourself if they come to grief.

Shortly after Jesus is born, she goes with her husband, Joseph, from Nazareth to Jerusalem to present the young child to God in the Temple. They are met there by an old man, of deep faith, Simeon. He tells Mary that her son will grow up to have a significant impact on many people’s lives.

I think Mary would have heard those words with some nervousness, but mainly with pride. What mother wouldn’t be pleased to hear that her son’s life would be meaningful and worthwhile?

But then Simeon says: But a sword will pierce your own heart.

A sword will pierce your own heart. Why? Because the more she loves him, the more she can be hurt by him and what happens to him. His life will bring her joy, yes, but grief also. This is the vocation of parenthood, of motherhood. Vulnerability.

We can only guess at what those moments of anxiety might have been as the child grows up. Though we are given a glimpse of one such. We are told, you’ll remember, that Mary and Joseph return home from a visit to Jerusalem on one occasion and realise that Jesus, now twelve years old, is not with their friends and neighbours. I expect many of us have experienced one of those heart stopping moments when we have looked around for our child – on the beach, at the shops - and they seem not to be there.

But the final piercing of Mary’s heart will come at the end of her son’s life. He will die before her. And she will have to stand helplessly by as he is put to death publicly and in the most cruel and barbaric way.

The more you love, the more you can be hurt. A sword will pierce your own heart.

I have found those words popping into my head several times over the last couple of days as we have all been coming to terms with the death of Queen Elizabeth, and reflecting on her life.

For years we have been sharing her life – not only as head of state but also as a wife and mother – because she was the first monarch of the television age and the age of the mobile phone... and that has brought her into our homes in a way that never happened before.

We have watched how she has borne the ups and downs of family life - as we all do – though she has had to do all that publicly. And some of the griefs and sorrows have been particularly painful. A sword will pierce your own heart.

We have also realised something else in these last few days. When she dedicated her life – ‘whether it be long or short’ as she said - to one of service to us, we became, as it were, her extended family.

So that what happened to us, her extended family, also affected her deeply – whether that was the troubles in Northern Ireland, the Grenfell Tower fire or the Manchester arena bombing. A sword will pierce your own heart.

And she made her concern clear by visiting people and places in times of tragedy or broadcasting to us in times of anxiety, offering reassurance.

As Anglicans, we know that each Sunday our late Queen, the Supreme Governor of our Church, was in church listening to the same passages of scripture as us, drinking from the same spiritual well as us. What shapes our character as Anglicans, as members of a parish church, also shaped the way she understood her role as Queen – to look away from ourselves, to be of service to others.

But these roles – parent, mother, monarch, church member – require an emotional investment. And that make us vulnerable to that sword that pierces the heart.

This is what we saw in our queen and this is what we remember and thank her for today.

The Prayers

Prepared by David.

As we pray to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we say with Mary:
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

Your prophet of old foretold a day when a virgin would conceive
and bear a son who would be called God-with-us.
Help us to look forward to your deliverance
and to seek the fullness of your kingdom.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

Your angel declared to Mary that she was to be
the mother of the Saviour.
Help us all to be open to your word
and obedient to your will.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

Mary rejoiced with her cousin Elizabeth and sang your praise,
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.’
Help us to live joyful lives that sing your praise.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

Mary bore a son of David’s line,
a king whose reign would never end.
Bless all the nations of the world with Christ’s gift of peace.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

The child Jesus grew in wisdom and stature
in the home of Mary and Joseph.
Strengthen our homes and families,
and keep under your protection all those whom we love.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

The apostle John saw a vision of a woman in heaven,
robed with the sun.
Bring us with Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Shaun and all those who have died in the faith of Christ
to share the joy of heaven with Mary and all the saints.
We give you thanks:
for her love of family and her gift of friendship;
for her devotion to this nation and the nations of the Commonwealth;
for her grace, dignity and courtesy;
and for her generosity and love of life.
We praise you for:
the courage that she showed in testing times;
the depth and of her Christian faith;
and the witness she bore to it in word and deed.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

At the foot of the cross of Christ stood his mother,
and from the cross she received his lifeless body in her arms.
Give comfort and healing to all who suffer
and all who watch the suffering of those they love.
We pray for our Sovereign Lord the King
and all the Royal Family,
that you might reassure them of your continuing love
and lift them from the depths of grief
into the peace and light of your presence.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

Almighty and everlasting God,
your handmaid Mary magnified your name
and rejoiced in your saving love:
trusting in that same love,
we ask all these our prayers
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

‘Where your treasure is’ – 7th August 2022 – Eighth Sunday after Trinity

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To watch this week's service on YouTube, please click here:

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To download a copy of the order of service, please click here:

22 08 07 The Eighth Sunday after Trinity Eucharist

The Readings

 

Hebrews 11.1-3, 8-16

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

Luke 12.32-40
Jesus said: ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

 

 

Scripture Quotations are taken 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 Canon Dr Alan Billings

 

‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’

Words of Jesus from today’s gospel. ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’

Your treasure is the most valuable thing you possess. It could be something material – from a pair of trainers to a porsche. It could be money – though given the way inflation is currently going its getting harder and harder to hang on to that – in real terms.

In the gospels Jesus sometimes comes across people for whom possessions and money are their treasure and the place where their heart is. On one occasion he meets a man who wants to know how he is to set himself right with God and so inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to obey the commandments and when the man says he has done, Jesus tells him to go and sell all he has and give it to the poor and then he will find treasure in heaven. The man goes away sorrowing because he is very wealthy. His treasure is his money. That’s where his heart is and Jesus shows that to him through this challenge: go and sell your possessions, they are getting in the way. That should not be where your heart is.

But Jesus also comes across another sort of person for whom their treasure is not money but another person.

You will recall that time when one of the important men in a local synagogue , sought out Jesus and fell down at his feet begging him to come and help his twelve year old daughter, who is dying. it’s such a touching moment. Here is this important man in his community who must act at all times with the dignity his position demanded. Yet he will do anything for his daughter, even making himself look pathetic, kneeling before a wandering rabbi, in public. He is not a man who begs anyone for anything. But here he is, begging, pleading with Jesus. Because his treasure, the place where his heart is, is not his status, not his position, not his money. His treasure is his little daughter; she has his heart.

I thought of that this week as I read and heard about Archie Battersbee. Archie, you will recall, was an energetic young twelve year old, who was found unconscious by his mother earlier this year. Since then he has been in a coma. The doctors said he could never recover and he was in a persistent vegetative state. They wanted to stop the treatment, that was keeping him alive, though lacking consciousness. His parents applied to the courts to stop the doctors ending his life and to require the hospital to continue his care. But they failed at every successive court hearing. And there have been many.

Whatever your view on the ethics of this, there could be no doubt about where Archie’s mother saw her treasure. Her boy was her treasure. And this was where her heart was. And that is why this has all been so sad and painful and difficult.

Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.

George Elliott, the Victorian novelist, has a lovely story which I always think takes these words of Jesus and shows what they can mean in the circumstances of an ordinary life.

She tells the story of a working man, Silas Marner. He’s a weaver, living alone in the countryside, making cloth on a little loom in his cottage. This is the early nineteenth century when we all worked from home.

Silas speaks to few people and is withdrawn and carries a grudge. He was once falsely accused of theft. He makes money but has nothing and no one to spend it on, so he hoards it – pieces of gold - under the floorboards, taking it out once a week to count it. You have a vivid picture of the pile of gold shining in the glow of the fire. This is his treasure and this is where his shrivelled and shrivelling heart is centred. But he is robbed, and loses it all and sinks deeper into despair.

Then one night, a destitute woman, clutching her small child, trying to get to the workhouse, collapses and dies near Silas Marner’s cottage,. The child, who has very fair hair, wanders into the weaver’s cottage, curls up and goes to sleep on the floor – the same floor beneath which he once had his stash of gold. When Silas wakes he sees the child, sees her golden hair, shining like the gold coins he once hoarded, and he is deeply moved.

He’s allowed to keep the child – no one else wants her – and he brings her up. She transforms his life, turning a self-centred, self-pitying miser into a loving and generous adoptive parent.

His treasure shifted from those gold coins to that golden haired child. And where his treasure was, there was his heart. But a new heart, a loving heart, not a shrivelled heart.

So the words of Jesus come as a challenge – to pause this morning and be clear to ourselves about where our treasure is. What do we value above all things? For where our treasure is, so is our heart and its our heart that God wants to be in the right place.

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.

As we look back and reflect on the Lambeth Conference, we pray that all attendees and the communities that they represent can find true compassion in their hearts for all of your children, irrespective of sexuality and gender.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

 

We are told in our Gospel reading; “Do not be afraid.” We are also told to be ready for the coming of the Kingdom of God. We pray that we will be generous in our dealings with others, and that we will prove ourselves to be good servants of the Lord.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

 

We pray for the people of Ukraine that the war may soon come to an end and a just and lasting peace can be created between Russia and its neighbours. At this time of increased tension between China and Taiwan, and Israel and Gaza, we pray for all those affected by conflicts and international tension; civilians, soldiers, those trapped in war-zones and those who are refugees.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

 

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. We pray for all those affected by the increases in food and energy prices. We pray for those who have taken in refugees, and those who have found refuge in this city, and for our sister city of Donetsk.

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 life has proven difficult for. We pray that you strengthen them and bring them the healing and peace that belong to Christ’s kingdom. In a few moments of silence, we bring to mind those we know who need your healing presence.
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 also 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.

Amen.

 

 

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is used here is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council 2000

‘Waiting on the Lord’ – 17th July 2022 – Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Posted on by St Mary's

To watch this week's service on Youtube, please click here:

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To download a copy of the order of service please click here:

22 07 17 The Fifth Sunday after Trinity Eucharist.docx

The Readings

 

Colossians 1.15-28

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Luke 10.38-42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

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 Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes

 

My wife Cathy spent much of her childhood In Iran where her parents were missionaries. She was friends with the daughter of the Bishop of Iran. Her name was Guli Dehqani and she is now the Bishop of Chelmsford. At her diocesan synod last month, Bishop Guli questioned some of the language that is popular in the Church of England at the moment. Words like vision and strategy and growth. Many of these words come from business. Bishop Guli warned that this language risks missing the many blessings that are to be found in the small, the vulnerable and the marginal. Places where Jesus was often to be found. Bishop Guli warned that our current orthodoxies risk putting too much emphasis on our human powers – that if only we try hard enough and pull together well enough and all follow the same programme… we can ensure the future survival of the Church.
I have to confess that I do sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that if only I could try harder, do more, then the church would flourish more and God’s kingdom would come closer. And I’m afraid that the writings of St Paul are not always helpful. For all his talk of grace, he was a man of action, a doer, a servant, a sufferer. And he sometimes leaves me feeling rather inadequate.
But then I read today’s Gospel and breathe a small sigh of relief. The story of Martha and Mary. Martha the home maker. The cook. The provider of hospitality. The doer. And Mary, the disciple, the dreamer, the woman of faith. Who just wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen.
I’m afraid I tend to be like Martha rather a lot of the time. Keeping busy. Feeling restless. I come from a long line of Marthas. But I know in my heart that the Marys have the better part. They know themselves to be justified by grace, not by what they do. They are prepared to sit and be. To listen. To give time to others. To receive.
We all need to cultivate our inner Marys and particularly perhaps at the moment when the weather is so hot and we really shouldn’t be rushing around doing things. Perhaps there is a seasonal quality to the Mary and Marth thing and this time of year is a time for us to be like Mary. A time for holidays and relaxation. A time for reflection when we can recharge our batteries.
The Marthas of this world are to be commended but they are not always easy to live with. Sometimes they find themselves running on barely repressed fury. You can hear that fury in Martha’s words to Jesus. They are often stressed. Anxious. Distracted. And they can be hard to be around. And a church that is anxious is not all that attractive either. We live in anxious times and people come to church in search of something different. They come in search of grace, beauty, transcendence and hope.
Bishop Guli is not the only bishop to encourage others to look beyond the language of targets and strategy. Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, spoke at our Diocesan Conference at Swanwick last week. He was very open about not having a plan, a strategy for the church in the northern province. I heard him again at General Synod. My wife Cathy was elected to the Synod last year. She is the Diocesan Environment Officer and she was making her maiden speech, encouraging the synod to reduce its carbon footprint. Our busyness as human beings is often detrimental to our planet. For the sake of creation we need to slow down, travel less and live more simply.
At the opening of the Synod, Archbishop Stephen gave the presidential address. He didn’t talk about Mary specifically but he did call on us to be more like her. To be. To spend time with the Lord. To meditate and pray. He said this:
Writing to the saintly Bishop Edward King in 1861, his predecessor as Principal of Cuddesdon, H.H. Swinny wrote this on the importance of meditation –

‘We all try to do too much and don’t give enough time to earnest quiet thought… Somehow even my prayer, and Divine Service within God’s congregation, lose much of their reality without this deliberate bringing of the Unseen into sight, and basking in the light and warmth of it for a little season. We shall accomplish more by attempting less.’

And Edward King himself persistently maintained that our first priority must be to ‘secure our own individual reunion with God through Christ, nurtured in those times apart, in solitude and silence.’

‘Oh, blessed are the poor in spirit’, says Jesus, ‘theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 5.3)

At the heart of what it means for us to be a Christ centred Church is this renewal of prayer and spirituality, the disciplines of contemplation, the pursuit of holiness, the recognition that we don’t have all the answers, a poverty of Spirit which is a richness in our need of God’s mercy and redemption, the ‘deliberate bringing of the Unseen into sight’, that even a so-called vision and strategy is simply a call - a call to God, a call from God, to centre our lives in Christ and then a few questions that we think are worth addressing and around which we will order our priorities.

So how can we grow younger and more diverse?

And how can we create new pathways of belonging for those who don’t yet know Christ, revitalising the parishes and chaplaincies of our Church and expanding our vision to create new communities of faith and see more people come to faith in Christ?

And how can we learn to be disciples of Jesus ourselves?

Archbishop Stephen’ answer was this. He quoted Psalm 27, verse 4. Gladden your hearts with the sight of the Most Fair. Be constantly renewed and resourced by the beauty of Christ, the beauty of worship, the beauty of scripture. One thing I ask of the Lord. This I seek. To live – to find my life - in the house of the Lord… to behold God’s fair beauty. Amen.

 

The Prayers

Prepared by Oli G

Lord Jesus, we pray for our world. We pray for the planet as the UK faces the hottest temperatures on record. Help us to act with the urgency and immediacy that the climate crisis demands. We pray you be with all of us as we keep each other safe and cool, and be with the emergency services as they manage the repercussions.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, we pray for the conflict being waged in our world, across our continent, and within our communities. Help us to be peacemakers and to find solutions to conflict. Help us to bring reconciliation where there is division to enable your kingdom of justice, equity and peace to come closer
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, as our country’s leadership enters a time of uncertainty, help those responsible for deciding on our future prime minister use wisdom to select a leader with integrity, honesty and who wants the best for all members of our society.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, as we approach the school summer holidays, we pray that families are able to make the most of the time they have together, finding times and places to unwind and relax into a slower pace of life. We pray that with the increased costs of living, families are able to find cheap and free activities to enjoy during this time
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, as we enter the season of weddings and marriage, help us to celebrate love in all its forms and affirm all forms of relationships, supporting those who face prejudices as a result of their sexual preferences.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, we ask today that you be with all those who are sick or unwell in mind, body or spirit. We pray too for all those whom we love but see no longer who have joined you in the kingdom of heaven. We pray especially for Kath’s granddaughter Lucy, who would have celebrated her 19th birthday on Monday.
We enter a time of silence to hold those close to us in prayer.
Merciful Father
Accept these prayers
For the sake of your son
Our Saviour
Jesus Christ
Amen

‘It’s difficult to talk about death, it’s difficult to talk about dying’ – April 4th 2022 – Passion Sunday

Posted on by St Mary's

To watch this week's service on YouTube, please click here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

To download a copy of this week's order of service, please click here:

22 04 03 Fifth Sunday in Lent Passion Sunday Eucharist

The Readings

Isaiah 43.16-21
Thus says the Lord,
   who makes a way in the sea,
   a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
   army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
   they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
   or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honour me,
   the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
   rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
Psalm 126
A Song of Ascents.
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
   we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
   and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
   ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
The Lord has done great things for us,
   and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
   like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
   reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
   bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
   carrying their sheaves.
John 12.1-8
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
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 Rev d Dr Beth Keith

This week as Passiontide begins, our church calendar shifts towards the events of Holy Week. We aren’t there yet, but our readings start to focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ death.
Like birth we have taken death and dying out of our homes, we may get through childhood knowing little of it, confined in hospitals, spoken of in hushed tones, and kept out of sight. In most cultures there are stories, ingrained in how we talk about death, which offer to keep death away from us. These tend to fall into one of four types.
The first type is the story of the elixir of life. In earlier times these were the stories of magical healing potions. Though we might laugh at these stories now, similar hopes are today placed in the discovery of a new medical cure, trials of new drugs, and of herbal remedies.
Many cultures have some kind of resurrection story, that death though occurring cannot hold us. This story of resurrection associated most strongly with Christianity is found in myths and other religions. And, if you’re looking for a more scientific resurrection story, perhaps cryonics may appeal.
Other options in defying death are to talk about the ongoing life of the soul beyond the death of the body. Whilst neuroscience has questioned this by locating the soul within the physicality of the brain, this view persists. The digital age offers us everlasting life in the potential to create avatars to carry on our existence after our physical bodies no longer exist.
And for those who find these three types too fanciful, there are stories of legacy. That we will live on in the lives of those who love us, in our children and the passing on of genes, or in the legacy of our work.
These death stories promise, to some degree, to keep death away, to protect us from death, to keep us from the inevitable. But in the last few years, death and dying has felt closer than ever before, as we have collectively faced covid. Our risks and vulnerabilities have become more apparent. The assumed safety of our daily lives questioned, and perhaps we have also lost loved ones.
During Holy Week we visit and replay the narratives of Jesus death. Whilst we cannot know the extent to which Jesus knew what was going to happen, the gospels suggest he knew about the inevitability of his death, that it would happen soon, and the manner in which it would occur. He seems to know he was dying, perhaps not that day, but that he was already on the path to his death.
Across the history of the church, as Christians have sought to understand Jesus’ death, different aspects or metaphors, referred to as atonement theories, have developed. One of these has been referred to as ransom theory, in which Jesus’ death is understood as an act of ransom or payment that bought the world its freedom from sin and death. Another is labelled the substitutionary or sacrificial victim model, in which Christ’s death is understood as the sacrifice necessary to atone for human guilt and sin. Moral influence theory, takes Jesus’ death as a model of moral behaviour, revealing to humanity how much God loves them. Aspects of each of these explanations and metaphors are found in the liturgies and hymns we will say and sing over the next couple of weeks.
Whilst each of these models are developed from scripture, the writings found in the Gospel of John do not fit easily into any of these. Metaphors of ransom or substitution are entirely absent from John’s gospel. And whilst the gospel talks of God’s love, unlike moral influence theories, John’s gospel emphasises human action to a much greater extent than the atonement theories suggest.
John’s gospel from start to end hangs in the tension of Jesus described as fully divine and fully human. In birth, life, death, and resurrection Jesus brings together as one, reconciles together humanity and God. Whilst other scriptures seek to explain how this reconciliation occurs and give metaphors and imagery for this. Jesus’ explanation of his death in John’s gospel is embedded in his body and in his being, in his humanity and divinity. In this drawing together as one, so God and humanity is drawn together as one.  God and humanity inseparably joined, in birth, in living, in dying.
Rather than explaining this reconciliation between God and us, John’s gospel offers this connection embedded and embodied in the Jesus. Not in explanation or reason but in person. In the living and dying and living of Jesus. In these last events and moments, when Jesus knew his death was coming, in his actions and words, as he connects with those around him, we hear his words of comfort and his words of life.
A few years ago, I read a book called Everything Happens for a Reason, and Other Lies I’ve Loved, by Kate Bowler. Professor Bowler is one of the leading theologians writing about the influence of prosperity gospel theology in the church in America. This branch of Christianity that promises a cure for tragedy. At the age of thirty-five and having recently become a mother she was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Her book charts her path.
She writes of her struggle in coming to accept her life and death and the unhelpfulness of the stories which try to protect us from death, in her case, the allure of magic gospel promises about faith and healing. She also writes about the how inevitability of death can open us to a brightness and beauty lost on us in normal life:
"When I was sure I was going to die, I didn’t feel angry. I felt loved. At a time when I should have felt abandoned by God I was not reduced to ashes, I felt like I was floating. The feeling stayed with me for months. And as I spoke to theologians, pastors and nuns they knew what I was talking about because they had either felt it themselves or read of it in great works of Christian theology. St Augustine called it ‘the sweetness’, 
Thomas Aquinas ‘the prophetic light’. "
Her experience chimes with research on those who have near death experiences, that many describe the same odd thing: love. This was something I also felt, twenty years ago, when I was very ill with malaria, and it wasn’t clear I would recover. Though physically thousands of miles from home, and though my family had no idea I was ill, I felt held in their love, and held in God’s. In these moments somehow, we can be drawn further into God, further into love.
There has been lots of research done, particularly within the field of palliative medicine about dying well. These studies suggest that alongside the reduction of unnecessary pain, aspects of dying well include touch, connection, peace, and wonder. The importance of connecting through touch and the body’s other senses. To connect with others and feel the connection that lasts beyond death. To know you will be remembered. To feel peace, wonder and spirituality.
As I read Kate Bowler’s account alongside John’s gospel, I have been struck again by the humanity of Jesus facing his own death. As he allows Mary to wash and anoint his feet, as we heard in our reading today. As he draws together his friends and companions for one last meal, the familiar smells and tastes, the rituals of the meal. As he asks his friend to take care of his mother. As he asks them to keep meeting like this. As he asks them to remember him. As tragedy moves close, we see Jesus drawn further into connection and love with others and with God.
In John’s gospel we perhaps see this clearer than in other parts of scripture, that this inevitable tragedy is necessarily connected to the birth and life of Jesus. That in his birth, God is with us, that in his dying God is with us, and in his rising God is with us. There is so much in between that distracts and distorts that. That pulls us away from our connectedness to God. Things that break these bonds of love. In Jesus’ dying we are reminded of God’s promises, that there is no sin, darkness, or place, that God cannot find us in and love us back to life.
It cannot explain away the horror of tragedy or the depths of loneliness, the pain of grief, it cannot answer for the injustice, but that love persists, braves the horror of bodies broken and left undone. That somehow the world can become more beautiful when life is at its most bleak is the work of God. God with us, God present in our dying, present in our living.

The Prayers
Prepared by Lizzie I

God who listens
We pray for our church communities, particularly in our mission area of St Mary’s, St John’s and St Marks. We give thanks for the communities of friendship and love that have grown out of our Lent groups this year and the opportunity to pray, lament and reflect on the last two years.  Help us look forward with hope and not give up on looking for your transforming presence in unexpected places and encounters.  As Easter approaches may we continue to discern creative ways of sharing your extravagant and limitless Love.
Your Kingdom come
Your will be done
God who longs for justice
In the week of fuel costs doubling, we hold before you those who are making the stark and impossible decision between eating and heating, particularly in this community. Bring compassion to those who have the political power to support and help those struggling. Help those of us who can to discern how to give voice with those who lack agency or capacity to do so.
We continue to pray for and with organisations who  give voice to the sin of food and fuel poverty, and which seek to give agency to those living it,  particularly the Trussell Trust and Church Action on Poverty.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
God who feels suffering
We lament the loss of all life because of the violence of war. We hold before you the despair and desperation of those held captive because of the desire for control and power of others. We pray for those who are starving and dying in places that are besieged – Tigray in northern Ethiopia, Mariupol in Ukraine. As food and aid attempts to get to those places, be with and protect those who seek to provide help in the most dangerous of conditions.
We pray that we do not become numb to the horror of war – that we continue to bear witness to the suffering of others, even in places we do not know, and we pray for peace and reconciliation in all places of conflict.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done.
God who is present to the bereaved, the unwell, the dying,
We hold before you all those we know and don’t know who are sick at this time, and for those caring for them
We pray with the bereaved in this community and continue to hold before you the lives and families of
Sunita, Glenda, and Don
For all those we love, but no longer see.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
Amen.

‘Bearing Good Fruit’ – 20th March 2022 – 3rd Sunday of Lent

Posted on by St Mary's

To download a copy of this week's order of service, please click here:

22 03 20 Third Sunday in Lent Eucharist

To watch this week's service on YouTube, please click here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

The Readings

Isaiah 55.1-9
Ho, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
   come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labour for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
   listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
   my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
   a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
   and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
   for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
   call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
   and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalm 63
A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
   my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
   I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
   and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.
But those who seek to destroy my life
   shall go down into the depths of the earth
Luke 13.1-9
At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’
Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’
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 Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes

In the past few weeks we have witnessed unimaginable suffering in Ukraine. Defenceless people attacked as they hide in their homes or try to flee the Russian onslaught. Though President Putin uses spurious excuses there is no justification for what is happening. The suffering of others raises big questions for us as human beings.  It is as old as the hills and different cultures and different eras have found different answers to it. It’s probably the biggest challenge that we face as people of faith. The traditional Old Testament answer to that question is that suffering is a punishment for sin. Certainly, the sufferings that the Israelites endured in the wilderness were perceived as punishments for their immorality and faithlessness. Paul seems to have accepted this interpretation as he looked back on that time in his First Letter to the Corinthians. And it was this world view that Jesus had to work with in his ministry. People assumed that those who were ill or were suffering in some way had sinned, or their parents had sinned.
But when people come to ask him about it, Jesus confronts this view. It appears that Pilate had murdered some Galileans and many thought that they must have been particularly sinful. We do not exactly know what incident Jesus was referring to. The historian Josephus tells us that Pilate used funds from the Temple to build an aqueduct and when some Jews opposed this many were brutally killed by his soldiers. So the incident that Jesus is referring to doesn’t seem entirely out of character.
We don’t know anything about the tower of Siloam either but it seems that this was just an accident. A story in the news that would have made the front page when it happened but was soon forgotten about. In neither case, says Jesus, were those involved particularly sinful. His message is that we are all sinners and we all need to repent. By dying on a cross, Jesus showed us that God is not remote from our suffering but shares in it with us. By rising again, he showed us that suffering does not have the last word. It should not define us.
That does not mean, however, that we should take God’s grace for granted. The events that Jesus mentions, the war in Ukraine, these all remind us that life is fleeting and precarious. We cannot take it for granted. And we need to use it wisely. The prophet Isaiah reminds his people that God loves them and longs to refresh the thirsty. He longs to feed them with rich food. But he tells them that the time is now. The banquet is prepared. They need to listen to him, to seek the Lord while he may be found, to call upon him while he is near. The wicked need to abandon their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. They must return to the Lord so that they can know God’s mercy.
And having returned to God, they need to be fruitful. Returning to the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree. A man planted one in his vineyard but it failed to bear fruit. I had the same experience in my last house. My father gave me a fig tree which was an offshoot of his tree. But it never produced anything and I’m afraid I got rid of it. The man in the parable is inclined to do the same but the gardener begs for a stay of execution. He is more merciful than I was.
The gardener promises to take care of the fig tree. To dig around it and put manure on it. And I find this interesting because for fig trees to be fruitful you have to be quite tough with them. You have to plant them so that their root growth is restricted. You usually plant them next to a wall and you might create a box of paving slabs around the roots. And although a fig needs plenty of sun, it does pretty well on poor soil so it seems odd that the gardener wants to add lots of fertilizer. I wonder if Jesus’ hearers would have known that. Perhaps they would have interpreted this horticultural largesse as another sign of God’s abundant grace and love.
But even the gardener says there are limits. If the tree doesn’t bear fruit he says that the owner would be justified in cutting it down. It’s a phrase we hear a few times in the New Testament. Not just from Jesus but from John the Baptist too. And it leaves us with the question: are we bearing good fruit? Both as individuals and as a church? The past few weeks have reminded us how blessed we are in so many ways. We live in peace and security. We have access to healthcare. We have shelter, food and warmth, though these are becoming more and more expensive. And what do we do with these blessings? How do we spend our lives? How are we a blessing to others? All of us will have different answers to that question. My wife and I are fortunate to live in a five bedroomed vicarage. Our children have left home so we are thinking about hosting Ukrainian refugees. But there are so many other things we can do.
Today is our APCM. And it’s an opportunity for us to look back and give thanks for God’s faithfulness over the past year. It has been amazing to see the evolution of the worship here as we come through the pandemic. St Mary’s is hugely blessed with some very committed and gifted people who have given so much. It’s been lovely to see people coming back to church and people joining for the first time. And of course, that growth and change will continue. Hopefully, Covid restrictions can be further eased. We can resume things that we did before the pandemic but also start new things. Do things differently. St Mary’s Church is very well placed to serve this community of Walkley and we need to think about how we do that better in the future. We are thinking about this building and how it can be developed to be of greater service to people here. So as well as looking back we are also looking forward. Thinking about how we as a church can be more fruitful in the future. Perhaps some of us here are called to take on new responsibilities. God has given us so much. There is so much for us to be thankful for. How should we respond to that in the months to come? Amen.

The Prayers

Adapted from Common Worship: Times and Seasons

With confidence and trust let us pray to the Father.
For the one holy catholic and apostolic Church
For our own local churches – St. John’s, St. Mark’s and St. Mary’s,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
For the mission of the Church,
that in faithful witness it may preach the gospel
to the ends of the earth,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
For those preparing for baptism and confirmation
including those from our local churches …
and for their teachers and sponsors,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
For peace in the world
For Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and other areas of conflict…
that a spirit of respect and reconciliation may grow
among nations and peoples,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer
For those known personally to each of us…
for refugees, prisoners, and all in danger;
that, like Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori,
they too may be relieved and protected,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
For those whom we have injured or offended,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
For grace to amend our lives and to further the reign of God,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
In communion with all those who have walked in the way of holiness
including those known to us personally …
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.
God our Father,
in your love and goodness
you have taught us to come close to you in penitence
with prayer, fasting and generosity;
accept our Lenten discipline,
and when we fall by our weakness,
raise us up by your unfailing mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.     
Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here, is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council

‘Called by God together’ – 6th February 2022 – Fourth Sunday before Lent

Posted on by St Mary's

To watch this week's service on Youtube, please click here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

To download this week's order of service, please click here:

22 02 06 4th Sunday before Lent Eucharist

The Readings

Isaiah 6.1-13
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’
Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ And he said, ‘Go and say to this people:
“Keep listening, but do not comprehend;
keep looking, but do not understand.”
Make the mind of this people dull,
and stop their ears,
and shut their eyes,
so that they may not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and comprehend with their minds,
and turn and be healed.’
Then I said, ‘How long, O Lord?’ And he said:
‘Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is utterly desolate;
until the Lord sends everyone far away,
and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.
Even if a tenth part remains in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak
whose stump remains standing
when it is felled.’
The holy seed is its stump.

Luke 5.1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of
Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

 

Scripture Quotations are from: The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Sermon
By Revd. Sue Hammersley

I love the story of the miraculous catch of fish because, notwithstanding the miraculous outcome, it is so human and so helpful for weary disciples.

How often do we approach our faith with a sigh…
What’s the point? I pray but nothing seems to change… I ask God for guidance but remain in the dark… I look at everything the world is going through and wonder why God seems so remote…

The seemingly innocent request from Jesus to “let down your nets for a catch” must have been galling…
Simon was a fisherman, Jesus was a carpenter…
Simon had spent all night fishing and was exhausted. He’d already started cleaning the nets and putting them away – it wasn’t quite as straightforward as Jesus might have made out, what he was asking of Simon was costly.

I can imagine a certain “tone of voice” in Simon’s response…
We know these waters and we’ve worked them hard all night – what do you know? Oh, but you say “let down your nets” and everything will be OK – let’s see about that – watch and learn – carpenter boy…

So, when Simon can hardly manage the catch of fish the whole scenario turns on its head – from scarcity to abundance, from cynicism to possibilities, from exhaustion to delight…
What we’ve all been going through has been exhausting at so many levels.
The idea that God might be asking something particular of us might feel overwhelming at the moment. But God’s view of the world is different from ours.

One of the things we sometimes overlook in this story is that Simon was not able to fish alone – it would have taken a team of fishermen to do this work. We are not called to serve God on our own but to use the many resources which are around us to make a difference.

Simon Peter’s revelation, on seeing the enormous number of fish was to fall to his knees and apologise… His shortcomings hit him like a slap with a wet fish. Like Isaiah he could have called out, “Woe is me! I am lost!”
But far from chastising Simon, Jesus sees this as the opportunity to ask more of him. Blessed are the poor in spirit for they know their need of God and with God all things are possible, so put down your nets now – I need your boat to help me teach the crowds about the abundance of God’s love – abundance which is even greater than this catch of fish.

Moving from despair to delight is the message of today’s Gospel reading and, in order to make that move we might have to change something in our own lives. Change can be threatening and difficult but Jesus is constantly calling us away from that which separates us from God’s liberating love and towards that which is life-giving – not just for us but for those around us.

Today we remember the extraordinary call upon Princess Elizabeth, aged just 25, in 1952. She knew that she would follow her father but how could anyone be ready or imagine that her call would continue for 70 years, at least?

Fear is a common response to being called by God. Isaiah narrates the terror that, having seen God, this man of unclean lips would surely die – and yet his call is affirmed and he states, “Here am I, send me!”

When Simon Peter falls to his knees in shame, Jesus reassures him by saying, “Do not be afraid”.

Fear paralyses where love liberates, but our freedom is not permission to withdraw, it is the authority we need to be the people we are called to be, to use the resources which have been given to us to let God’s kingdom break into the world and turn it round.

I don’t think I am talking this morning to a group of fisherfolk but, as a church, maybe we are being called upon to approach things from a different perspective? Perhaps there are different ways in which we are being called upon to serve the people of Walkley? Please pray for the recruitment of a parish administrator, we have received some very strong applications and will be holding the interviews in a couple of weeks. The person who is appointed will help us to look at what we are doing from a different angle, to offer some support to the existing team and release them to be able to develop aspects of their role which they might not have been able to focus on for a while. But we’re not appointing someone who is going to miraculously draw new members to our church, all of us together are responsible for helping people find their way to the church and all of us are responsible for bringing the teachings of the church to life in the ways in which we live our lives.

I hope that together we can discover and relish in the delight of our faith, a delight which can be more infectious and more long-lasting than any virus.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe P

With thankful hearts we bring our prayers to our heavenly Father

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.
We pray that we may hold firmly to the teachings of the Gospel, so that we may follow in the footsteps of the Apostles.
Lord of glory,
Hear our prayer.

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth 2nd to her throne, we thank you for the long and loyal service that Her Majesty has given to this country.
Lord of glory,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for world leaders at this time, that they can come together in a spirit of peace and willingness to resolve tensions in Ukraine. We pray that all leaders value truth, justice and compassion above personal power and influence.
Lord of glory,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. We pray for those who have health worries and financial concerns at this time. We pray for those with responsibility in local government, that they make the best decisions for our city.
Lord of glory,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or spirit, those that need your grace and blessing. We pray that God’s power and spirit will strengthen them and bring them the healing and peace that belong to Christ’s kingdom.
Lord of glory,
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. We pray for those who mourn. We particularly hold Catherine and her family in our prayers at this time.
Lord of glory,
Hear our prayer.

Finally, Lord, we silently bring before you those special to us, and also those issues and concerns that we have in our own lives.
Lord of glory,
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.
Amen.

 

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is used here is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council 2000

‘God’s Generous Love’ – 26th December 2021 – St. Stephen’s Day

Posted on by St Mary's

To watch this morning's service on Youtube, please click here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

To download the order of service, please click here:

21 12 26 St Stephens Day Eucahrist (1)

The Readings

Acts 7.51-end
[Stephen said] ‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.’

When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.

Matthew 10.17-22
Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The Sermon
By Canon Dr. Matthew Rhodes

It is good to see you all on this Boxing Day. I wonder why you are here rather than at home nursing a hangover or having a lie in. Perhaps it’s because you are really hard core Christians who never miss a Sunday, in which case, well done. Or perhaps it’s because you need to get out of the house. If you’re on your own this year as many of us are, it’s good to be with others. Or perhaps you have a house full and need to escape. Whatever your motivation, you are very welcome and I might just have the very saint you need.
Today we celebrate the Feast of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Yesterday we gave thanks for the birth of the baby Jesus, but in the space of 24 hours our faith has to leave the stable and the ox and the ass and encounter some rather adult themes.
I heard some children on television the other day suggesting that Boxing Day was so named because the sport of boxing was created on this day. The truth of course is that the boxes in question are Christmas boxes which are traditionally given to servants and tradespeople. But there is still a certain amount of violence connected with today. There’s always quite a bit of violence and murder on the television at this time of year.
Perhaps it provides a balance to the need for us to be nice to each other at Christmas. A bit of spice to balance the sweetness of this time. But whatever the reason, it seems that violence at Christmas goes back a long way. In the church calendar on Boxing Day we hear about the brutal killing of Stephen by the religious authorities. He was stoned to death for his faith in Christ. And Saul, who later became St Paul, looked after the coats of those who did the stoning.
Stephen’s story reminds us of the may Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith. Sometimes we may be called on to give a reason for the hope that is in us and we pray that like Stephen, we can be brave enough to do that. We also pray that as Jesus promises in our Gospel, the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to speak. And it may be that we need to find the right words to say at home too. Christmas can be a stressful time and an hour in church may help us to know what to say, or not say, when we get home. I have a lot of respect for Stephen but part of me wonders if he should have kept his mouth shut a bit more. Sometimes it’s a case of least said, soonest mended. What I really admire him for though is the fact that he was able to forgive the people who were killing him. And if Stephen could do that surely we can find it within our hearts to forgive those who cause us pain.
One of the themes that comes to the fore today is the theme of charity, or caritas, which is sometimes translated as love. Stephen showed enormous charity to his killers. And we are called to be charitable to the people we encounter. To our nearest and dearest and also to our neighbours. Boxing Day reminds us of the need to be generous to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. And that is strongly reinforced by the carol which we will sing at the end of this service. Good King Wenceslas. It’s a carol beloved be carol singers for generations because it tugs at the purse strings of those who hear it.
The carol ‘Good King Wenceslas’ may not give God much of a mention but hopefully it will send us out in a good mood. Willing to play our part in building the kingdom that Jesus came to inaugurate. Like Wenceslas and Stephen himself, we are called to reflect God’s generous love to the world. To give of ourselves as God gave of himself when he sent his son to be one of us. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Sue H and Sybille B

Saviour, we hear your call.
Help us to follow.

Holy God,
though this world depends on your grace,
it is governed and tended by mortals.
We pray for those
who walk the corridors of power
in the parliaments of this and other lands,
whose judgements we value or fear.

Saviour, we hear your call.
Help us to follow.

We pray for those who hold key positions
in the worlds of finance, business and industry
whose decisions may profit some
or impoverish many.
May they always value people higher than profit;
may they never impose burdens on the poor
which they would not carry themselves;
and may they never divorce money from morality
or ownership from stewardship.

Saviour, we hear your call.
Help us to follow.

We pray for those in caring professions,
who look after and listen to
kind, cruel and cantankerous folk.
May they always sense the sanctity of life
and every person’s uniqueness;
may they help and heal
by their interest as well as their skill;
and may they be protected from the tiredness
which comes from an excess of demands.
We hold before God all who have asked for our prayers and all we carry in our hearts this day.

Saviour, we hear your call.
Help us to follow.

May the words we have shared this Christmas
lead to courageous acts which transform people’s lives;
may the carols we have sung
help others sing, even in their sadness;
may the gifts we have exchanged
deepen our spirit of generosity
throughout the coming year
and may the stories we have told and retold
be good news of great joy to us and all people

Saviour, we hear your call.
Help us to follow.

We rejoice in our communion with Stephen
and all the saints and martyrs,
whose hope was in you, the Word made flesh
and with whom we for evermore are one.
Lord, receive our prayers
and perfect them by your heavenly intercession,
to the glory of the Father.
Amen.

‘God’s Unmasking’ – 25th December 2021 – Christmas Day

Posted on by St Mary's

We regret that we are unlikely to be able to live-stream our Christmas morning service.  If we do manage it, you can access it here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

To download a copy of the order of service, please click here:

21 12 25 Christmas Day Eucharist

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!’

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.

 

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 Canon Dr. Alan Billings

For the past two years or so, in my day job, I have been having meetings that have followed a strange ritual. Well, it would have seemed strange in all previous years, but it has now become quite normal.

I go into a committee room and stand on the far side of a long table. Other people come into the room and join me, spreading out round the table.

What’s strange is that we are all wearing face coverings. We’re all wearing masks. It’s as if we are a branch meeting of the ku klux clan. It’s only when we are all assembled that we sit down and take the masks off. Then we recognise one another.

This is what the pandemic has done to life in so many offices.

Sometimes I am meeting people whose voices I think I recognise – from seeing and hearing them speak on calls over the internet. But I need them to take their mask off to be really sure that it is them. I need to see their face.

I need to see their face. Because our face is so revealing.

Think of some of the things we say about faces.

She’s got such an honest face.

I wouldn’t trust him. He looks like a crook. He looks. His face gives him away.

I can read her like a book? Why is that? Because her face says it all.

I know there are certain sorts of Christmas present I dare not buy my grandchildren. Oh, they are very polite. My granddaughter would say, ‘Thank you grandpa for the sturdy pair of outdoor shoes you have bought me for Christmas. They’re just what I wanted.’ But her unsmiling face would tell me that the real message behind the politeness is, ‘If only you’d given me the money.’

If two years of being masked has taught us one thing, it’s this. Our faces matter. They are such a big part of the way we communicate with one another. When we talk to one another without masks, we can see immediately any of those subtle changes in expression that speak more than words.

When I first began to marry people as a young curate fifty years ago there was a very dramatic moment in the service when the bride put back her veil and revealed her face. It’s not done any more. I don’t know why or when that tradition began, but the symbolism was very clear. For the couple, marriage was a sort of unveiling or revealing of one to the other. The bride and groom open a door to one another and invite each other in. For that to happen, they had to communicate face to face, not mobile to mobile.

So faces matter. They are the window onto our personalities, they reveal our very souls.

And this is why the face of a dead person can be so disturbing. In one of the crime novels by P.D.James there is a moment where one of the characters sees the face of the murder victim. But the face, the window onto the soul, is saying that the soul has gone. He cries out in his distress: ‘Cover her face.’

If all this is true of human beings, isn’t it also true of God? And isn’t this what we are celebrating today, Christmas Day. Today is the day of God’s unmasking.

This is what the Church means when it speaks about the incarnation. Day to day, God is hidden. Masked, if you like. But once, on this day, he chose to make himself known to us, to show us his face, in the face of this child, this particular human being, once born on earth, once come among us.

So, whenever we find any of those age old human questions forming in the back of our minds – where is God? what is God like? does God love us? does he love me? - the Church points us here for the answers. To this child. Born today. This is God showing us his face, and so giving us that window into his nature, his very self.

Christ in the manger is God’s unmasking. Which is why, whatever the circumstances, for us it’s a Happy Christmas.

The Prayers

Prepared by Catherine B

Jesus, whose mother was Mary:
we pray for parents and carers of children everywhere, and those caring for elderly relatives and friends. We give thanks that Christmas is a time when many families can celebrate together, but remember too those who find family life difficult, or who will be on their own this year.
Lord Jesus,
hear our prayer.

Jesus, cradled in a manger:
we pray for all those who are homeless this year. We think of those sleeping on the streets of Sheffield. We pray for all who have fled their own countries trying to find somewhere safe to live. We give thanks for all charities working with the homeless and refugees and pray for the work that they do.
Lord Jesus,
hear our prayer.

Jesus, sharing the stable with the animals:
we pray for our world and all created life. We think of the joy that being among nature brings, and give thanks. We pray that we might look after our planet wisely and carefully.
Lord Jesus,
hear our prayer.

Jesus, worshipped by shepherds and kings:
we pray for people and nations throughout the world. We pray that leaders act with wisdom, justice and kindness, that all may thrive.
Lord Jesus,
hear our prayer.

Jesus, our Emmanuel:
we pray for all who are finding life difficult, through illness, bereavement or other troubles. We give thanks for healthcare workers, counsellors and all who provide practical support. We pray that we all do our bit to help those we know who need it. In a short time of silence, we think of those we know who need our prayers this Christmas.
Lord Jesus,
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.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here, is copyright (c) The Archbishops’ Council

‘Midnight Mass’ – 24th December 2021 – Christmas Eve

Posted on by St Mary's

To watch our Midnight Mass on Youtube, please click here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

To download a copy of the order of service, please click here:

21 12 24 Christmas Midnight Eucharist (2)

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.

 

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 Joe P, a Reader at St. Mary's

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Well, like the determined lady in the Tesco advert, we’ve made it to
Christmas Eve, in THIS place, which is quite an achievement all things
considered. It’s wonderful for us to be here together on this special
night.

When I was a child I was not a church going boy. I went to Church on
Christmas Day just once. It was the year I was bought a train set for
Christmas (for those interested, Hornby 00 Jinty locomotive in BR
Black, pulling a light engineering rake including a crane) and my Mum
took me to Church so that my father could set the train set up.
When we returned, we were greeted by all of the menfolk in my
family gathered around the trainset, playing. I think I got a look-in
mid afternoon…

For me, Christmas as a child is inextricably would up with women,
particularly my Mum and my Aunty. Most of the time, the general
attitude towards the menfolk was stay out of the way, go to the pub,
DO NOT drink too much and be back for dinner, which would be after
the Queen’s Speech.

This year it struck me how much the women in the Gospel writings
around the birth of Christ are ‘up front and centre’. In a society
where women were not regarded with any degree of equality, Mary
is given the agency to agree to carry Jesus in her womb. She doesn’t
ask Joseph, who simply accepts the truth of what Mary has
experienced and gets on with life. Elizabeth, mother of John the
Baptist feels her own baby acknowledge the Christ-child within Mary
when they meet, and her husband, Zechariah, spends the pregnancy
as a mute witness having been rendered (literally) speechless by the
Angel Gabriel. In the Magnificat, Mary recognises the radical nature
of what God is doing through her:

“He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in their conceit;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and
exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has
sent away empty.”

God is doing this through an unmarried teenage girl – not exactly
someone high up in the social calendar of society at that time. And
Elizabeth? She was 80 odd years old at the time she was carrying
John the Baptist.

And this is just part of what can best be called the paradox of the
incarnation. When we look at the story of the nativity, things unfold
in the way we might least expect! Remember the words of our
gathering tonight:
“Welcome all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span.
Summer in winter, day in night,
Heaven in earth and God in man.”

God is coming to Earth in the form of Jesus – fully human, and yet
fully divine, born in to the world like any other human child yet being
at the same time the divine Word. Our Gospel reading tonight puts it
perfectly:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We
have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who
came from the Father, full of grace and truth. “
One might have expected this event to take place at a centre of
power – Jesus to be born in to an existing royal dynasty, or close to
the centre of Imperial power in Rome. But no; Jesus will be born to
an unmarried teenage mother who has trusted fully in God, in
something of a back-water of the Empire.

Even the circumstances leading to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
seem to turn over earlier experiences that the Jewish people had
with God. In the first Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament, we
learn that King David organised a census of the people of Israel.
Now, in the Book of Hosea, which was written a couple of hundred
years before David’s rule, it was written that “the number of the
children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
measured.” By doing a census, David was attempting to count that
which God had said was uncountable – and he was punished for it.
But now, the Messiah will be born from David’s family tree, in
Bethlehem – the city of David - during a census arranged by the
Roman authorities, in which the house of David is being counted
rather than doing the counting.

The census attracts large numbers of people to Bethlehem to
register; so many that there is no room for Joseph and Mary.
Whether they are turned away from the inn, or are unable to get
accommodation with family members is somewhat unclear, but we
all know that Jesus ends up being born in what is usually referred to
as a stable. This may indeed be a stable, or it might be the lower
rooms of a family house were used for animals and storage.
Whatever the details, these are humble circumstances. The Messiah
is not born in a palace, surrounded by wealth, guards and servants,
inaccessible to all but the chosen few. He is born in straw and laid in
a manger; his first visitors are stabled animals and shepherds; he is
accessible and available to all – the King of all is born defenceless
into humility.

Thomas Merton, an American Trappist monk, pointed out the by
being born in such a place, Jesus is being born outside of normal
society. He’s not born in an inn, or a family house. During a
gathering together of people decreed by Imperial power, Jesus is
born as an outsider from the very start of His life.
From the beginning, it might be argued that in terms of earthly
power, Jesus ‘didn’t count’. There literally was no place for the King
of Kings to be born in to in the Roman world.
Merton argues:

“Christ’s place is with those others for whom there is no
room…with those who do not belong, who are rejected by
power because they are regarded as weak, those who are
discredited, who are denied the status of persons, tortured,
exterminated. With those for whom there is no room, Christ is
present in this world.”

But even at that moment of birth Mary and Joseph receive the
kindness of a roof over their head and straw for warmth and a place
to lay the baby. And this kindness does not come from those in
authority, but from nameless strangers who share their humanity
with the Holy family.

This Christmas we are again being confronted with uncertainty, with
the potential for further illness, people being away from family and
friends. This night, throughout the world, many people will feel that
they do not count, that there is no room in the world for them, and
that they are not treated as people.

This night, Christ becomes present in the world and joins refugees,
migrants, the poor, the homeless, those fleeing war and the ravages
of climate change, starvation and disease.

As we celebrate our Christmas, let us do what we can to offer those
people room in our hearts through acts of charity and compassion
wherever we encounter the need.

There is enough work for all of us, not just at Christmas, but all year.

The Prayers
From Common Worship: Times and Seasons

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.

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council

‘From the ordinary to the special’ – 24th December 4.00pm – Christingle

Posted on by St Mary's

Our Christingle service is online only this year. To watch it on Youtube, please click here:

https://tiny.cc/walkleystmary-youtube

If you have made your own Christingle at home, don't forget to have it ready!  You'll need something to light the candle with at the appropriate time.  If you are a child, make sure there is a grown-up with you to help you to do this safely.

To download a copy of the order of service, please click here:

The Bible Reading

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!’

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.

 

The Bible quotation is 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 Address

By Catherine B, a Reader at St. Mary's

Last Friday my Christmas tree went up. We added coloured lights and baubles, and hung other ornaments on the branches. I’d like to show you a couple of them. They are both made from recycled materials. The people who made these took things that weren’t very special and turned them into Christmas decorations.

My friend made this angel from sheet music paper. I’m not sure what the music was from, and I’ve not tried playing it. But it makes a very attractive angel. It reminds me of the angels in the Christmas story that we heard today. They told the good news about the birth of baby Jesus to the shepherds. And then they began to sing songs of praise to God.

This second ornament was made by someone in Bethlehem. It used to be a tear gas canister. The town of Bethlehem today is not always a very peaceful place and sometimes the soldiers fire tear gas to make crowds of people go away. But some people in Bethlehem collected the spent tear gas canisters and then turned them into something more beautiful. They’ve decorated them with coloured ribbon to look like little presents that you can hang on your Christmas tree. They’d like us to remember that Christ came to bring peace and joy, and to pray for peace in the land where he was born.

Ordinary or used things turned into something special for Christmas.

Mary turned something ordinary and used into something special for Christmas too. She and Joseph weren’t at home when it was time to give birth to her baby. She hadn’t got a cot or a Moses basket. They hadn’t even got a proper room because everywhere was full. But there was a manger in the stable where they settled down for the night. It was filled with soft hay. After Mary gave birth to Jesus, she turned the manger into a cot for her very special baby.

I’m sad that for a second year we can’t all be in church for this service and enjoy the light from all the Christingles together. But I wonder if you were able to make your own Christingle at home? It’s not too late to have a go – you can make one any time between Advent Sunday and Candlemas – so you’ve got until 2nd February!

Christingles are another lovely decoration made from ordinary objects – an orange, a candle, a piece of red ribbon or tape and 4 cocktail sticks with sweets and fruit on them. If you’ve not made one before, there’s a video on our website showing you what to do.

Your Christingle is full of meaning too:
The orange represents the world we live on.
The candle represents Jesus, who came into the world as a little baby.
The cocktail sticks full of fruit and sweets represent all the good things that are in the world for us to look after and share.
The red ribbon or tape represents all the suffering of the world, and especially the suffering that Jesus went through on Good Friday.
But when we light the candle, we remember that Jesus came into the world to overcome suffering and to be the light of the world, shining brightly for everyone. We remember that Jesus brings hope into lives that are often very difficult.

So like the angels and shepherds, let us give thanks and praise to God.

Happy Christmas to you all!

The Prayers

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.