26th March 2023 10.30am – Fifth Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on March 22, 2023March 26, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ezekiel 37.1-14

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’

John 11.1-45

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’

When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

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

The Sermon
By Revd Dr Alan Billings

As you know, there are four gospels. Four accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Three of those accounts – Matthew, Mark and Luke – are in many respects very similar. They have many of the same stories of the things Jesus said and did, often in very similar words. That has led scholars to believe that while those who wrote them did so in different places and at different times, they nevertheless had some common written material they were all drawing on.

But the gospel reading we have just had today is taken from the fourth gospel, that according to John. And that is very different.

We can best appreciate the differences between John’s gospel and the other three if we think about the beginning and the end of their accounts. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell a very human story, speaking of things from, as it were, ground level. John seems far more theological, considering matters from an altogether loftier perspective.

Take the stories of the birth of Jesus. Luke tells us about a poor young couple, Mary and Joseph, desperately trying to find a bed for the night, but failing. And so their baby is born in a stable. We can almost feel the hot breath of the animals, the cold of the night air and the pain of childbirth. A down to earth, human story. Jesus comes into the world as a vulnerable human baby.

But John speaks of the birth quite differently. He, as it were, looks down from some high vantage point and tells us that what we have here is the Word of God, who was with God from the beginning, and indeed is God. And now that Word is made flesh and lives among us. The emphasis is on this baby as the Word of God rather than a vulnerable child.

Something similar happens at the end with the death of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us a harrowing story of a man being put to death in pain and agony. Not just physical pain, but the emotional and psychological pain of dying feeling unsure about what he has achieved, if anything, even feeling abandoned by God: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.’
A vulnerable man, helpless, in the power of his enemies. This is Jesus as portrayed by Matthew, Mark and Luke.

But John sees things differently. Jesus at the end, according to his account, is always in control. If he dies, it is because he chooses to give himself into his enemies’ hands and he chooses to lay down his life, it is not snatched from him. As he dies he does not cry out ‘My God, why have you forsaken me,.’ No. In John’s account Jesus dies crying out, ‘It is finished.’ It is accomplished. In other words, I have done what I came to do.

A vulnerable Jesus. A Jesus in control.

And yet for all his attempts to show the life of Jesus as the working out of a plan that he is in control of, John occasionally shows us what the other gospels also show – the vulnerable Jesus. The Jesus who is like you and me.

We have it in today’s gospel reading in a series of short comments. Jesus is on his way to the village of Bethany, to see Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, who is ill. John tells us that Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus. He loved them. He speaks about Lazarus as a friend. But to love someone, to really love someone, means that you give up any attempt to control them or manipulate them. You give yourself to them. You, as it were, hand to them the capacity – yes, to return your love, which is wonderful – but also to hurt you. To love someone is to make yourself quite vulnerable.

And we finally see the depth of the love that Jesus has for Lazarus, and the extent to which he is, therefore, vulnerable, in what may be the best known and certainly the shortest verse in the Bible. Jesus wept. When Mary says to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Jesus wept.

As he tell the story of Jesus, John seeks all the time to draw out his true significance for all people in time and eternity. Jesus is indeed the Word of God. The Word of God come among us to show us that whatever comes our way in life or death, all things in the end are within our heavenly Father’s knowledge and control.

But in coming to show us this, the Word of God, is made flesh. He becomes one of us because it is by sharing our human emotions, that Jesus shows us what God is like.

Jesus wept. And when Jesus wept, we know that that was God weeping too.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica

Lord God. As we draw near to the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray for grace to observe this time with awe and reverence as we contemplate the great sacrifice he made for us in dying on the Cross for our salvation. We pray for the Church worldwide, that we may grow ever closer to each other as we observe this most solemn of times for all Christians.
Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.
We pray for the world, and for all your people experiencing war, famine, excessive heat or floods. Help us to understand their needs and do all that we can to help them, whether as individuals supporting charities, or as citizens of what remains one of the richer countries of the world. Your Son told us to love one another: inspire governments of richer countries to continue to put aside .7% of their riches to help those in dire need. We remember before you also those in our own country for whom life at present is very difficult, as everyday items get ever more expensive, and beyond their means to pay for them. Help us to help them also.
Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.
We pray for our City and local community of Walkley. As local elections approach, inspire all candidates to think of the needs of the city as a whole, and the particular needs of the area they hope to represent. We pray also for everyone involved in preparing for our own Walkley Festival, and that the two weeks will be truly memorable in bringing our community together.
Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are ill at this time, and remember Lazarus whom Jesus loved. We pray for all doctors, nurses and care-workers, both professional and family members, that they may find the will to continue their work and eventually receive the recognition they deserve in terms of pay. We pray for all known to us in special need of your healing grace at this time………
Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.
We remember before you all reaching the end of their natural life, that they may find their resting place with You, alongside all others who have already died. We remember those especially dear to us by name in a moment of silence…..
Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark and John, and all your saints, we commend ourselves and all Christian people to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father,

Accept these prayers

for the sake of your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

19th March 2023 10.30am – Fourth Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on March 22, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

1 Samuel 16.1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

john 9.1-end

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.

12th March 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on March 12, 2023March 14, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Exodus 17.1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ So Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’

John 4.5-42

So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’

Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.’

The Sermon
By Kath B, a Reader at St. Mary's

Well here we are on the third Sunday of Lent already and if you have chosen to do anything to mark it I hope you’re finding it a meaningful experience. Traditionally Lent was perhaps more precisely and widely observed as a time for fasting from certain things such as particular foods like meat and fish, a time for prayer and focusing on Jesus’ life and work, and a time for reflection about our own sins and how, as Christians, we can live out our values better. Although all these elements still hold true today I think it would be fair to say that many of us tend to decide for ourselves how we want to observe Lent and often there is a more contemporary twist to our choices such as attending study groups or giving up or limiting use of our favourite tech items or social media if we’re into that. While for Christians the primary intention is to focus on our faith it can also be beneficial to see how our life choices are affecting us and even some non religious people use Lent as a prompt to do this because they worry about whether they are too attached or even addicted to some of the many delights so easily available in our modern world and how our part-taking of them can have implications for our nearest and dearest too. Ignoring them in favour of Facebook or Twitter or TikTok is perhaps not the most positive signal to send. One of my friends found Lent a good opportunity for “keeping the NO muscles in trim” as she put it and that’s probably a good thing to do from time to time.

However, I have to admit that I gave up “giving things up” for Lent years ago because apart from being a test of my willpower I didn’t find it did anything useful for me. I already know what I can be self disciplined about and what I’m not so good at. It’s still a work in progress and probably always will be. For a few years I went with the suggestion to “take things on” instead as a more positive approach to Lent but after a while they just became additional “things to do” when I’d already got more than enough on my plate so at times this made me feel a bit resentful which is sad because it rather defeated the initial intended purpose. Personally what I now find more meaningful is the idea of using the Lenten period as a time to look at my thoughts, beliefs and attitudes a bit more critically and to see whether they really are in line with the values my faith journey has instilled in me. It can be easy to become fixed or hardened in our attitudes if we don’t periodically examine them or allow anything to challenge them. When you think about it, if we’re unwilling to to do this how can we or anything else ever change or develop or grow? Being willing to change is not a weakness or a watering down of faith, it’s quite the reverse.

Our Gospel story this morning is, I think, a very good example of how willingness to look afresh and to break with a society’s attitudes can be so transformational. In our society the word Samaritan is associated with doing good. The organisation The Samaritans, through its volunteers who staff telephone helplines has helped and saved countless people who are in distress and feeling alone in their troubles and who may be harming themselves or even contemplating ending their lives. How could we view this work as anything but good, but in Jesus’ day Samaritans were very much looked down on by Jews who would go to great lengths, literally not travelling through Samaria, to avoid coming into contact with them. Jews and Samaritans hated each other which is why the story of the “Good Samaritan” that we’re so familiar with and Jesus encounter with the Samaritan woman in our story today are so remarkable.

The question I’d like us all as individuals to consider privately is “who are our Samaritans”? By this I mean who are the people we might, for whatever reason, find it difficult to regard in a positive light. There are all sorts of issues that divide people so that they can’t or choose not to see each other positively. The USA is a prime example of how polarising this can become and how difficult it is to undo. It may be differences about politics, class, cast, ethnicity, colour, culture, gender, sexuality, education, financial status, employment status, job title, rank or privilege and of course religion that we don’t always see eye to eye on and this list, though long, is by no means comprehensive. We are all of course entitled to our opinions and attitudes and often they have grown out of very good reasons but in our modern world where we see so much intolerance, impatience, rudeness and sometimes aggression, vitriol and even violence displayed by some towards others with whom they disagree, it can be hard to resist getting drawn into this way of responding. In the face of a lowering of standards of behaviour in both public and private life it can be hard to hold onto our values and trying to live by them can sometimes feel like a losing battle. What’s the point in trying when selfishness, “me first” and shouting others down so often seem to get the best results. It can be depressing and disheartening at times.

One of the things that keeps me going when I’m feeling like this is reading or listening to the stories of inspiring people who have found ways to keep going in the face of difficulties, who have overcome the bad things that have happened to them and decided not to give in to hatred or blaming or a desire for revenge. They have found ways to look at their situations and break with the usual ways of reacting to them just as Jesus did in today’s Gospel story. He broke with the way his society expected him behave by talking with the Samaritan woman and staying with her people as their guest. Breaking rules and taboos about how to treat people was something he did a lot, not because he wanted notoriety but because those ways were wrong and he wanted people, especially people in positions of authority to look at what they were doing, to understand why they were wrong and to change their ways.

If we only see others as this or that, a particular religion or race or party or gender etc and refuse to see anything else about them we dehumanise them and in so doing we diminish our own humanity. For me, being a Christian is about having standards and values inspired by Jesus and the way he lived and I try my best to live by them rather than adhering to a set of hard and fast rules that must be obeyed to the letter. I respect that others in all sincerity think and feel differently but for me, when rules, tenets, beliefs and attitudes get in the way of humanity then they at least need to be re-examined and re-evaluated and maybe changed. Surely the ultimate yardstick by which to measure what we think and say and do should be “What would Jesus make of this”? “What would he make of me”?

The Prayers
Prepared by Oli.

Lord God, like the water that came from rock, help us to be open to witnessing and celebrating the miracles we encounter in our lives - whether that be childbirth, wild flowers blooming or
through an experience revealed only to us.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

Lord God, grant us the awareness of our neighbour in need. Help us to respond in love to those who sleep on our streets and those we see who are hungry and impoverished.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

Lord God, for the strangers, migrants, foreigners and travelers like the one encountered by the Samaritan woman at the well, help us to be welcoming. Help us to be the thirst quencher, the
warm home provider, the friend in the wilderness. In our country and within our community, may we freely open our arms to those escaping conflict who have already had to survive the most extreme of trials.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

Lord God, during our fasting and ‘giving up’ in lent, help our bodies focus on your spiritual food, allowing us to be filled with a clearer sense of our vocation or where God may be sending
us.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

Lord God, help us to appreciate what has already been sown. We thank you for your unconditional gifts that we reap and we are sorry for when we fail to gather your harvest which sits on our
doorsteps.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

We close the prayers with the words of a taize chant: Let all who are thirsty come, let all who wish receive the water of life freely, come lord Jesus.

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

5th March 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on March 5, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Genesis 12.1-4a

Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

John 3.1-17

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The Prayers
Prepared by David C.

With confidence and trust let us pray to the Father.

For the one holy catholic and apostolic Church. For our Bishops, Pete and Sophie, for all who serve in our Mission Area.
That in faithful witness the gospel may be preached
with humility and justice.
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

For those preparing for baptism and confirmation
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. We pray for Ukraine, Turkey, Syria
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 refugees, prisoners, and all in danger;
that they 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,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of compassion,
in your mercy hear us.

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

26th February 2023 10.30am – First Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on February 26, 2023February 25, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Genesis 2.15-17, 3.1-7

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Matthew 4.1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

The Sermon
By Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings

One way of understanding the temptations of Jesus is this.

He goes into the wilderness on the brink of beginning his main life’s work. His days of working in the carpenter’s shop with Joseph, his father, are now behind him. He is about to become a public figure, teaching and preaching in the towns and villages of the Galilee. It’s a leadership role, and Jesus has spent time thinking hard about what sort of leader he is being called by God to be.

The gospel for today externalises what I think has been going on in the heart and mind of Jesus.

Each of the temptations is about different ways of being a leader, different ways in which you can attract and keep a following. And he’s been struggling with that: what are the wrong paths down which he must not go. So the temptations clarify for him the nature of his leadership, his mission.

Give people bread. They follow someone who meets their material needs. Jesus has to resist that because, as he says, people do not live by bread alone. He will feed the hungry; but that is not the heart of the mission which is to satisfy something that is not material but spiritual.

Give people marvels, miracles. They will follow someone who dazzles and amazes. Jesus has to resist that too because whatever divine help he can call upon, it must not be used to boost his own popularity.

And finally, forge your people into an Irresistible force who will conquer the world. Don’t be afraid of using the weapons of evil – the sword - to bring the world under your rule.

This temptation has to be resisted again at the end of his public ministry when Jesus comes to Jerusalem for the final time. The crowd want to make him just such a leader, waving their branches of palm and shouting hosanna. So he deliberately enters the city, meek and on a donkey to make the point to himself and to them: I am not that sort of leader.

So the temptations are about a struggle to understand what his leadership must be. Paths down which Jesus must not go.

And we should not suppose that they are unrealistic paths. Jesus was clearly a charismatic figure whose teaching and preaching could move people. These were all possible leadership roles which Jesus could either take or find himself in, unless they were firmly resisted.

Jesus has to reject them. People must follow him freely, out of love and devotion, or not at all. They must freely choose his way – to show kindness and gentleness and generosity and love.

I say people must follow Jesus freely. That is important. Each of the leadership roles I have outlined sooner or later are about forms of control or coercion. The leader who promises bread creates a people dependent on him. The leader who dazzles similarly creates a people who need more wonders and can never be satisfied. The conqueror will require an unquestioning obedience. Controlling and coercive leadership. How often we have seen it down the years and across the nations.

Christ’s followers must follow him freely, out of love and devotion, or not at all.

If that is what the temptations are about for Jesus, what about us? Do they say anything to us now and the way we live our lives?

I think they do.

We may not be called upon to be leaders in any big way, but we all forge relationships with others. And the temptations to be controlling or coercive are no less for us. Lent is our time in the wilderness, our chance to look at those relationships and ask ourselves a few questions. Am I controlling? Am I coercive? With my partner, my family, my friends, those with whom I work? Do I show to them the generosity, the kindness, the love that Jesus in his life showed to those around him?

One last thought on this particular Sunday in this particular year.

Listen again to the third temptation.

The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and said to him, ‘All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’

Among those Christians who may hear this gospel today could be the President of Russia. Will any of this cause him to change his behaviour?

Will any of it cause us to change ours?

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica

Lord God, help us as we begin this time of reflection and contemplation of your son’s temptation and passion, in order to give his life so all people might live, to mark this Lent season in prayer and consideration of our sins, and to live our lives better as a result. Forgive us for our lapses, and support us as we try to live according to your will.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We bring before you the sins of our world, the war in Ukraine, the failure of the rich countries of the world to help those in poorer countries, the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and everywhere where there is division in society and failure to share out all the riches of the world with which you have endowed us. Help us to care for your world, and to ensure that its riches are passed on fairly to future generations.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for our city and local community, that all may work for the good of all our fellow citizens, particularly those who serve as local councillors. Guide them to work for the good of all. We give thanks for all our local organisations who help make our Walkley area a good one to live in.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, particularly those coming to the end of their life here on earth. We ask that all who work in the Health Service or as carers may have the strength to carry out their work under very difficult circumstances, and that they will be recognised for the valuable work they do. In a moment of quiet we remember those known to us in special need of your healing grace at this time………….

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who have died, both recently and many years ago, who were family, friends and people we only knew slightly, but continue to miss. We give you thanks for all they have meant to us, and remember some of them by name now………….

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark, John and all your saints, we commend ourselves and all your people to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father,

Accept these prayers

for the sake of your son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

12th February 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday Before Lent Eucharist

Posted on February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 8.18-25

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Matthew 6.25-end

‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The Sermon
By Joe P

Today’s reading from the Gospel according to Matthew makes me take a short intake of breath and whisper ‘If only….’ In the last few of years we’ve had a pandemic, noticeable, worldwide changes to the climate, tension between the super-powers going back to a level not seen since the height of the cold war, recession, fake news…and on a personal note I’ve started getting arthritis.

And here’s Jesus…

”Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life”

OK. I’ll really try hard….

Of course, as with any of Jesus’s teachings, it isn’t quite as simple as “Don’t worry, be happy.”

The first word is ‘Therefore’ – so it behoves us to look back at what comes before. And we have to go quite a way back to the start of Jesus’s speaking that includes today’s verses – all the way back to Matthew 5:1. For our reading is part of ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ - that includes The Beatitudes - and is the first of the long sermons or discourses of Jesus that are given in Matthew.

Whether this sermon was preached all in one go, or whether Matthew assembled it from various sermons preached by Jesus is up for debate, but it is in the context of this sermon that our reading – with it’s underlying theme of ‘Don’t worry’ – needs to be taken.

The Sermon gives us a review of what it means to be a Christian. There are a series of moral and ethical admonitions – such as Do not Murder, Do not commit adultery, Love your enemies, and instructions on fasting – which would be recognisable as part of the Mosaic Law and tradition by the listeners. But Jesus questions the pure legalistic approach offered by the religious authorities of the day. He says that righteousness through works and external obedience of the Law is not enough, but that what matters is a righteousness from within, which He brings.

The verses immediately before tonight’s reading tell us:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do NOT destroy, and thieves do NOT break in and steal.”

Jesus reminds people his listeners : “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.

And we’re told rather bluntly “You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Which brings us to this morning’s reading.

When we recall what has gone before, I think it’s clear that Jesus is not really talking about food, our bodily appearance and what we wear. These are Earthly things; they’re important for our survival, but they should not be the centre of our focus.

We’re reminded that food and water are important to the birds as well as to people, but they deal with them differently. They take what’s available from the bounty of God – they don’t stockpile stuff away in barns.

The lilies? They too are as beautiful as any person could be in their finest clothes – if not more so. But their beauty, provided by God, is short lived and they will end up being used for oven fuel.

These are external things, core to the overall human condition. They’re not just things that the people of God experience – even the Gentiles (or, in some translations, pagans) – will spend their time asking “What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear?”.

This isn’t to say that they’re not important – in Verse 32 we’re reminded that “your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.” But we’re being encouraged to look at the difference between need and want. We’re being reminded to look at what’s important to us – because those things that are important to us – our Earthly treasures, if you like – will determine where our focus is.

Some of these external things – food, drink, clothing – we need. We need them in the same way that birds and plants do. If we don’t have enough of them in our daily lives, we shall die. And at that level we are just like the other members of God’s creation. But once we start making them into fetishes or idols, when we start regarding them as having importance above and beyond the importance to us of food and clothing – then we are starting to lay up Earthly treasures which can rot, be lost, be stolen.

We then start focusing our time and efforts on stopping our Earthly reassures being taken from us. Before we know it, we’re not just spending time and energy on worrying about real issues that we can fix or resolve, but we start getting anxious about other, less relevant things.

From an understandable concern about food and water, clothing and shelter we can find ourselves buried in the more artificial anxieties and worries of our daily lives. Not so much ‘have I got clothes to wear’ but ‘I only want to wear designer brands.’

We can become attached to these worries; and if we are attached and anchored to our Earthly goods and concerns, it will be harder for us to achieve the kingdom of Heaven.

We’re not being told to ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ – we’re being told to hold our concerns appropriately. We’re being told to not allow ourselves to get so worried and anxious that we become paralysed by fear or descend in to being busy for the sake of it, or, worse still, get to be too scared to do the right thing – to focus on our Earthly desires rather than doing what’s right. And yes, it’s hard; but by striving righteously for the Kingdom, all else will follow. We can’t get the Kingdom of God by building and populating barns of Earthly wealth, but we can get what we need on Earth by focusing on righteousness. As the Rolling Stones sang “You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes, you might just get what you need.”

The world is a scary place. Jesus knows this; he warns us

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Each day has trouble enough for us to handle; there is no point in us making ourselves overly anxious by worrying about things that are not yet certain.

And the world is full of real threats right now – many of which are beyond our control. We’ve all found ourselves in situations where the events in our lives are such that we are forced to fall back on the basics of getting through the next 24 hours. Times when today’s trouble is indeed enough for today.

There’s an old joke that says ‘I can handle things day by day; but every so often several days gang up and come after me at once…’ When we find ourselves dealing with days like that, we need to remember that God is with us; we can pass our worries on to him to allow us to deal with today’s troubles as they come. Tomorrow will indeed have problems of it’s own – but we can’t worry them out of existence by trying to live tomorrow today.

The Prayers
Prepared by David C.

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.

We pray for the church. That it may act with humility and justice.
We hold before you O Lord, this past week's General Synod debate, and pray for greater realisation of your love and justice within the church.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for the world. That peoples and nations may work together for benefit of all and restore the beauty of creation.
We hold before you O Lord, all those effected by natural disasters, praying especially for the peoples of Turkey and Syria,
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for our local community. That it may be a place of welcome and hospitality, and a vibrant place to live and work.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who suffer in body, mind or spirit. The lonely, the anxious and those in pain.
Grant them knowledge of your healing presence in their lives.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who have died. Remembering especially those who we have known and loved and those who have died in this last night with noone to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

A prayer for Racial Justice Sunday:

Compassionate God,
who sent Jesus Christ
to deliver us from all manner of injustices and inequalities,
create in us new hearts and enlarged visions,
to see the image of God in every person
irrespective of background, race and ethnicity.
May we be generous in our love of others
as we work towards ending misunderstanding, racism and injustice;
creating communities of human flourishing,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

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

5th February 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday Before Lent Eucharist Service

Posted on February 9, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

1 Corinthians 2.1-end

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him’—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.

Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.
‘For who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?’
But we have the mind of Christ.

Matthew 5.13-20

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

29th January 2023 10.30am – Candlemas Eucharist

Posted on January 29, 2023January 28, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Malachi 3.1-5

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Luke 2.22-40

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

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

This feast of Candlemas is something of a pivot point in the story of Jesus and so in the life of the Church’s worship year. It marks when Christ was presented to God, his father, in the temple by his earthly parents. They do this to follow the laws given to Moses, by God, in the Old Testament. They are observing the standard practices of a Jewish family of the time. As usual in the story of Jesus, what is normal and standard becomes transformed.

Most families would have come, made the offerings, and departed. Not so with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. First Simeon, who we are told was righteous and devout, enters the scene. Upon an attentive reading of the passage, I realised I have always made an assumption. I tend to think of Simeon as spending all his time in the temple. But we’re told the Holy Spirit rests on him and guides him there. He was clearly being righteous and devout out in the world. Simeon comes, takes Jesus in his arms, and speaks his song of praise to God.

We are told Mary and Joseph are amazed. A perfectly reasonable reaction given the slightly odd situation.

Yes, Jesus’ birth was unusual with the local shepherds arriving shortly afterwards. They gave Mary much to ponder in their telling of the angels message.

Yes, Magi from the East arrived sometime after the shepherds, and gave gifts more fit for a palace or temple than carpenter’s home.

You would think Mary and Joseph would be used to this. Or maybe they both wondered when all this might stop. Especially when the signs are less than cheerful. The Magi gave myrrh, used in the rituals around death and anointing of bodies.

The signs don’t end there, Simeon blesses Mary and Joseph and then offers Mary a portent of what is to come. Not just about Jesus and his life, but hers as well. “A sword will pierce your own soul too”. We aren’t told of Mary’s reaction to this prediction. Maybe she was too stunned or shaken to know how to react. Maybe she didn’t have much time to dwell on it there and then. Once Simeon has handed Jesus back to his parents, and faded back into his devout life and promised peace, Anna steps forward.

Anna is described as living a life of worship and prayer. Unlike Simeon she does this within the confines of the temple. Anna doesn’t take Jesus, perhaps more aware of the sensitivities of separating a baby from his parents. But she too praises God, speaking about Jesus to all who are willing to listen. We aren’t given her exact words, something I think is a shame. But those looking for the redemption of Jerusalem would hear and understand. Then she too fades into the background. Mary and Joseph finish all required of them in the law and return home. And, aside from one story of Jesus aged 12 in the temple, we leave the Holy Family for a time to their ordinary lives.

I mentioned at the start that Candlemas is a pivot point in the life of Jesus and the Church’s year. As Alan said in the introduction to our service “In this eucharist, we celebrate both the joy of his coming and his searching judgement, looking back to the day of his birth and forward to the coming days of his passion.”

We tend to think of Christmas and Easter as distinctive, separate festivals, and in many ways, they are. The two great feasts of Christianity. Each celebrates a different moment in Jesus’ life, Christmas his incarnation and Easter his resurrection. Given they are celebrated at different times of year it’s easy to reinforce this separation. But they are inextricably linked.

Both of them together are required for God’s story, our story, to be completed. At Christmas the fullness of God becomes incarnate in human form. Jesus, the Christ, born into creation, to live as a fully human being. At Easter that same fully God, fully human Jesus, dies and rises again to redeem all of humanity and creation.

Christmas Jesus, incarnate in human form, without Easter would have lived a normal human life. God would have experienced humanity, but not redeemed it. Easter Jesus, would have been impossible without the incarnation. Without becoming fully human in creation, could his death, assuming it were even possible, have redeemed the world?

Candlemas marks the day when we try to hold in our sight, both the mystery and wonder of Christmas, and the pain and joy of Easter. Like Mary, we have much to treasure, and much think about.

I’ll finish with some words from a hymn we will sing this evening at the Candlemas carol service.

They see before Mary a heart-piercing grief,
But trust is complete at the end of their life.
For Mary will follow, with tears in her eyes,
Her Saviour and Son to the foot of the cross.

O Spirit of God, with like courage inspire
Your everyday saints who face up to despair.
We pass through temptation, through failure, through death.
When darkness descends we plod onward in faith.

Like Anna, like Simeon, may we have trust,
The eyes to see Jesus, and peace at the last.
The candles invite us to praise and to pray
When Christmas greets Easter on Candlemas Day.

The Prayers
From Common Worship Times and Seasons.

Let us pray to the Father through Christ who is our light and life.

Father, your Christ is acclaimed as the glory of Israel:
look in mercy on your Church, sharing his light.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father, your Christ in his temple brings judgement on the world:
look in mercy on the nations, who long for his justice.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father, your Christ, who was rich, for our sakes became poor:
look in mercy on the needy, suffering with him.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father,
your Christ is the one in whom faithful servants find their peace:
look in mercy on the departed, that they may see your salvation.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father, your Christ is revealed as the one destined to be rejected:
look in mercy on us who now turn towards his passion.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna,
and showed them the infant King.
Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises,
and the patience to wait for their fulfilment;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

22nd January 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

Posted on January 22, 2023January 21, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 9.1-4

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
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.

Matthew 4.12-23

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.’
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.\

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

The Sermon
By Rev Dr Alan Billings

In today’s gospel, two sets of brothers do something which we might want to say was either brave or foolish. They give up their jobs, they turn away from their homes and families and go off with a complete stranger simply because he asks them to. ‘Follow me’, says Jesus. And they do.

The way the story is told does make it sound like a sudden and impulsive thing. They don’t say, ‘We’ll think about it’. They don’t even ask, ‘What will we get out of it?’ They just down tools – well, fishermen’s nets – and follow this visiting teacher and healer from Nazareth.

Now I’m quite sure it wasn’t as simple as that. I expect they did in fact already know something about Jesus. His reputation my have gone before him. Perhaps they had even heard or seen him in the days before – and been moved or impressed by him. I’m sure there was something charismatic about Jesus – the way he spoke, the things he spoke about, the things he did, the way he noticed people, the way he treated people - high or low, rich or poor, men or women or little children. We know from many places in the gospel that all these things impressed and moved people as they might move people today who hear or read the gospels.

So although today’s gospel reads as if Peter and Andrew, James and John, had never met or heard of Jesus before, and just happen to bump into him as he walks along the seashore, I think we have to assume that they did know enough about Jesus to make them make this decision. ‘Follow me,’ he says. And they did.

But the brave or foolish part is what happens next. The point is that they don’t know, can’t know, everything about Jesus. And they don’t know or can’t know what will happen next. Because the future is a land no one has ever been in before. This is the start, then, of a story and a journey of trust. They make the decision that they will get to know Jesus better, intimately, and to have him as the one who will guide them through the unknown land that is the future.

For them, that means leaving behind a lot familiar things. Not just their jobs, their homes and families. They also must know that by following the teacher from Nazareth they will be leaving behind old ways of thinking and doing as well. That may be the hardest part. Is it brave or foolish?

Does all this seem a million miles away from us and our experience?

Well, of course, in a straightforward sense, yes it does. WE do not meet Jesus in the flesh. We are not being asked to give up our jobs, turn our backs on family and friends and go literally with Jesus on a journey. Our vocation is not that.

But in one crucial respect what we do is what those first disciples did.

Something has brought us to this time and place. We know something of Jesus Christ. By him we have been inspired, moved, disturbed, challenged, comforted – some or all of these things. We have committed to let him be our guide into that unknown land, which is our future. We don’t know what waits for us in that future. But we do believe he will be with us and give us whatever we need to make a difference for good or simply to face things. In this respect we are like the first disciples. We may not know everything yet about him but we want to know. We trust him.

One of the great twentieth century New Testament scholars was Albert Schweizer. He is remembered now, if he is remembered at all, because he gave up a career as an academic and indeed as a musician as well, re-trained as a doctor and founded a hospital in what today is called Gabon in west Africa. He came to see that we only really know Christ, as we know another person, over time. To follow Christ is to commit to get to know him over time, perhaps even a lifetime.

He once wrote some lovely words about this, comparing the way we follow Christ now with the way the first disciples Andrew, Peter, James and John - did. I’ll end by quoting what he wrote:

“(Christ) comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks the same word: ‘Follow thou me!’ and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfil for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as in ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica

O God, the creator and preserver of all people, we thank you for sending your son Jesus to live among us and heal the sick and serve all he came into contact with. We bring before you the needs of your world now, all those who are suffering hunger and drought, cruelty and oppression, and above all, those suffering in the war in Ukraine. We pray that peace will be restored, and international and voluntary organisations will support all those suffering starvation at this time.

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide. In this week of prayer for Christian Unity, we pray that all denominations will work together to further your kingdom by showing love to all your people of all faiths and none, for all are your children.

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

We pray for our City of Sheffield, and for our local community of Walkley. We give you thanks for all the groups that make it such a good place to live – its churches, the Library, Walkley Forum, the S6 Foodbank, those caring for our open green spaces, Langsett Advice Centre, Zest, and all working together to plan for this year’s Walkley Festival.

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Jesus went about, healing people who were ill. We pray for all those who are ill at this time, for those awaiting treatment or operations at a time when out Health Service is under great stress, or simply feel very unwell. We pray that all who work in the service, or need its care, may feel your grace, and in a moment of quiet we remember anyone known to us who is ill at this time…

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Hear us when we remember those we have known, both family members or friends and acquaintances, giving you thanks for all they have meant to us. We think of them in a short period of silence, particularly Liz...

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark and John and all your saints,

we commend ourselves and all your people to your unfailing love.

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,

15th January 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

Posted on January 15, 2023January 14, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 49.1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, ‘You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’
But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.’

And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says,
‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’

Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
‘Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

John 1.29-42

The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

The Sermon
By Rev Dr Matthew Rhodes

This coming Wednesday is beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It runs until 25th , when we celebrate the Conversion of St Paul. The ecumenical movement has come along way, particularly at the local level. It is important that we continue to work towards greater unity. But we don’t just do that because it’s a good thing to do. We do it because unity is at the heart of God the Holy Trinity. And we do it because of Jesus’ prayer. He prayed that his followers may be one so that the world would believe. We also do it for the sake of mission which, alongside unity, is another of the great themes of the Epiphany season. The incarnation of Jesus Christ, God sending his son into the world, shows us that mission is part of the nature of God. And by becoming human, Jesus invites us to
share in that mission.

Mission is part of our calling as Christians, as human beings. And it can sound a bit scary but mission takes many forms. Evangelism, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in an explicit way, is part of mission. But mission is bigger than that. It is about growing the kingdom, making God’s love known, bringing about peace and justice and caring for creation. And we may do that in our work. In our volunteering. At school. In our social activities. In our family responsibilities. Or through political involvement. God is at work in all sorts of areas of life and our job is simply to join in.

Our first reading this morning both talk about calling. Isaiah writes, ‘Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.’ Each of us is blessed with particular gifts that we are called to use in God’s service. And one of the great challenges of life is discovering what those gifts are and how we might best use them. And when we do discover that secret we can find huge fulfilment. We find our groove. Our meaning.

And that sense of calling applies to churches too. No church can do everything. Each one discovers its strengths. Its charisms. And part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being able to recognise and celebrate the gifts of other churches. We don’t need to feel threatened by other traditions. We can just give thanks for the ways in which God has blessed them and celebrate the things that they do well.

And we see a similar approach at play in our Gospel reading today. John the Baptist began his ministry before Jesus. He had his own disciples. But he knew that his purpose was not to point to himself or build up a power base. John’s purpose was to point to Jesus so that he could be revealed to Israel. And when Jesus came along John recognised him immediately. This was the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Previously, John had imagined that Jesus would come in judgement, which he did. But John soon realised that Jesus was much more than that. The lamb of God came not just to judge sin but to be a sacrifice for sins. To take the sins of the world away. John’s description of Jesus takes us right back to the sacrifice of Isaac and the Passover lamb at the Exodus.

When Jesus passes John and two of John’s disciples, John points Jesus out. Look, there is the Lamb of God. And that is our job too. Not to point to ourselves but to Jesus. We don’t have to have all the answers. We don’t need to make other Christians in our image. Sometimes we just need to point people in the right direction and let God do the rest.

John’s disciples follow Jesus. And, as he does on other occasions, Jesus asks them what they want. He doesn’t tell them what they need, although he probably knows. He puts the ball in their court. And that’s an important lesson in mission. Too often when people engage in mission they decide what other people need and do it to them. And that infantilises them and often frustrates them. And they don’t then own what is done. If we can meet people where they are, help them explore their needs and then empower them to find answers then those answers are often much more effective and long-lasting.

John’s followers ask Jesus where he is staying. And he invites them to come and see. It was the tenth hour - about four o’clock. Tea time. Sometimes mission is just about hospitality. About inviting people to come and see. Creating spaces where they can discover Jesus for themselves. Offering them a cup of tea and the chance to chat. St Mary’s has some wonderful spaces. This church and the hall next door. I really love coming here when the these spaces are open to everyone and different members of the community find a welcome here.

The ripples of that invitation from Jesus spread outwards. Having been invited to tea, Andrew, one of the two disciples of John, doesn’t just keep this encounter to himself. He goes straight out and finds his brother Simon Peter and tells him that they have found the Messiah. Because of this, St Andrew is particularly associated with the missionary work of the Church. Simon Peter of course became the leader of the church. The rock on which it was built. But that wouldn’t have happened without Andrew who made the introductions. Sometimes we just need to be the catalyst, the broker, the matchmaker. Sometimes we just need to spot the need or the gift in others.

As we enter the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity I hope that you will pray for our brothers and sisters in other denominations. And also for those who do not yet know Christ. Unity does not mean uniformity. God is at work in all sorts of people in all sorts of ways. And the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a chance for us to celebrate that and get involved in God’s mission. It is not about having all the answers but about being willing to share in the journey. Creating spaces
where God can be encountered and inviting others to come along too. Pointing always to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine

Father God, who called Israel to be your servant,

we pray for your servant church:

For those who serve in ordained and licensed or authorised lay ministries

For those who serve in chaplaincies

For those who serve on church councils, committees,

coffee and cleaning teams

For those who serve through their prayers.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, who came into the world to show us how to serve,

we pray for those who serve in the world:

For diplomats and negotiators

For those working in trade or for charities

For those trying to keep the peace in places of unrest or conflict

For those working to protect endangered species and the environment

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, who came to the people of ordinary towns and villages,

we pray for those who serve in our community

For small businesses and schools,

For those running fitness, leisure and activity classes

For the library and its volunteers,

And for those who give up time to tidy up litter.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Holy Spirit, healer of the sick,

we pray for those who serve as healthcare professionals,

particularly during this current time of crisis.

We pray for carers both paid and unpaid

And remember all who are sick or struggling at this time.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Holy Spirit, comforter,

we pray for those who support the dying and the bereaved,

For hospices, funeral directors and celebrants,

For families and friends of those who are dying, or have died.

We pray for those known to us who have died or mourn the loss of a loved one.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Holy Trinity,

Help us to serve you together as one

Build us up to strengthen each other

That with Mary, Mark, John and all the saints,

we might shine as a light to the nations

As you called your servant Israel to shine and serve.

Amen.

St Marys Walkley

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

Author: St Mary's

26th March 2023 10.30am – Fifth Sunday of Lent Eucharist

19th March 2023 10.30am – Fourth Sunday of Lent Eucharist

12th March 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday of Lent Eucharist

5th March 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday of Lent Eucharist

26th February 2023 10.30am – First Sunday of Lent Eucharist

12th February 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday Before Lent Eucharist

5th February 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday Before Lent Eucharist Service

29th January 2023 10.30am – Candlemas Eucharist

22nd January 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

15th January 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist