17th November 2024 10.30am – 2nd Sunday before Advent – Eucharist

Posted on November 17, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Daniel 12.1-3

‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Mark 13.1-8

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

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 Catherine, Reader at St Mary's.

Picture the scene. It's perhaps your first visit to Jerusalem. Here’s
the temple you've heard so much about - for real. It's big. It's
impressive. You're awestruck. You say so. And then your
respected friend and teacher declares that it will all come tumbling
down. Not one stone will be left. What do you think?

Perhaps you're aghast. How could he say this about the holiest
place of your faith, a place dedicated to worshipping God?

Or perhaps, like Peter, James, John and Andrew, your ears have
pricked up. Things are politically unstable – the Romans rule, and
times are tough. Prophetic voices, including some from your own
tradition have declared that the end is nigh. Things are so bad that
God will bring about the destruction of the world as you know it. A
new and greater order will take its place.

As a follower of Jesus, you’ve also heard him speak frequently
about the coming of the Kingdom of God. Now that you’ve reached
Jerusalem, it appears as though things might be about to happen.
So you ask Jesus when this might be.

But He doesn't give you a date. He gives you a warning. The end
will come. Before that there will be wars and rumours of wars.
There will be earthquakes, famines and suchlike. And there will be
people excitedly proclaiming "this is it! God is coming!" But it won't
be the end just yet. In fact it's just the beginning...

Jesus challenges the temple authorities. They have neglected the
weakest members of society focusing instead on protecting the
institution. He warns that the end will come. The Jerusalem temple
was destroyed a few decades later.

Within so many human institutions lies something ugly. Corruption.
Cover-up. Abuse of the weak. Failure to listen. It’s happened in
the Church of England. Senior people in the church were aware of
the horrific abuse perpetrated by John Smyth over decades, but
failed to act to stop it. His abuse continued overseas. This week
Archbishop Justin Welby resigned as a result of his own part in the
collective failure to respond properly. Sadly this is not the only such
case that has affected the Church.

The Church of England has rightly come under scrutiny. Over
recent years, it has begun to take a good, hard look at itself and
how it has responded to Safeguarding concerns. Survivors and
victims of abuse have warned that if the culture of the Church
doesn’t change, this institution will come crumbling down.

Today is Safeguarding Sunday. And I, your Parish Safeguarding
Officer, have, landed today’s preaching slot!

And I want to tell you that among the dire and very necessary
warnings are signs of hope. Signs that God’s kingdom is breaking
into the ugliness of the culture that has prevailed. Positive change
is happening. We can all help the nastiness crumble and a new
caring culture thrive.

It begins at parish level. What are we already doing at St. Mary’s?

-Over recent months members of the PCC have spent hours
making sure all the many policies regarding safeguarding,
health and safety, working on your own and such like are
robust, up-to-date, shared and followed.

-We are following the approved Safer Recruitment procedure
whenever we appoint someone to a role, be it a paid or
voluntary role. This means that some activities, such as our
new children’s activity have taken longer to get started than
they might have done 20 years ago, but we can be confident
that the activity is being run as safely as possible.

-Many more of us are taking part in training. For those of us
with particular roles, such as clergy, Readers, and PCC
members there are several different courses to do. I was
doing one of these myself only the other day. And there’s one
course that is open to anyone – it’s an online course called
“Basic Awareness” and helps to develop your confidence in
noticing when something isn’t right, and what to do next.

Jesus said about the coming of God’s kingdom: we aren’t at the end
yet, we are only at the beginning.

Sadly the national church has not yet done all that is needed to
become a safe and caring place for everyone. It has made huge
steps to help us achieve this at parish level. We are not there yet.
There are more things to do at national level. There are more
things to improve locally too, and hopefully over the next few weeks
and months you will notice some positive changes. We can’t do this
alone. But with the help of God and each other, together we can
help to make the church a safer place for everyone.

The Prayers
Prepared by Barbara.

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

O God, the creator and preserver of all, we pray for people in every kind of need; make your ways known on
earth, your saving health among all nations ...

We pray for all those affected by war, thinking of people in Ukraine, Russia, the Gaza Strip and Israel,
particularly, as they face the outcome of the US election. Please bring strength and comfort to all those
affected and help every one of us to be part of a path to peace throughout the world.

We pray also for all those involved in trying to fight the climate crisis, as we approach 1.5 degrees global
warming throughout the world. Please give all governments the political courage to resist further use of
fossil fuels and to invest in sources of renewable energy instead. In particular we pray that the UK
government faces up to its responsibility to help poorer nations achieve the necessary measures to bring
climate warming under control. Please help us to put pressure on our government to do so.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We pray for your Church throughout the world; guide and govern us by your good Spirit, that all who
profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit,
in the bond of peace and in righteousness of life ...

We pray especially for our worshipping community of St. John’s Ranmoor, St. Mark’s Broomhill and St.
Mary’s Walkley, that we may continue to bear witness to our faith in the way we live our daily lives.

We pray for the whole of the Anglican Communion, but especially for the Church of England, and ask that
you help our church to recognise the wrongs done to children and others, where safeguarding measures
have clearly failed. We are sorry for this continuing problem and for our church’s tendency to export this
problem to other countries both in the recent past and in more historical times, thinking of affected
children in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Canada. This is not a new problem, and we need your help in
finding ways to make reparation and to ensure that it doesn’t continue to happen. Please help us to find a
way to peace and reconciliation.

It is not just the church that needs to improve its safeguarding policies. Our government also needs to
recognise its responsibility for ensuring that children who come into the care system do actually receive the
care that they deserve. People are reluctant to step forward to be foster parents, as they are seldom properly
recompensed for the money and time that they expend on behalf of looked after children. The previous
government outsourced more and more of this care to for-profit organisations, some of whom charged the
government a lot but delivered little. Please help us to recognise the need for reform and the need to finance
this reform through our taxes.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Tender God, look with mercy on all who have experience profound harm and any for whom faith is associated with hurt and damage. Bless those for whom this week’s events have stirred up memories and emotion that evoke grief and woundedness. Send your Spirit on your church, that it may be wiser and more rigorous even as it is sadder and humbler. Surround Archbishop Justin as he faces the glare of public scrutiny and blame. Guide your church to cherish all your children, exalted leaders and vulnerable members, that in your Son’s broken body we may see not only sorrow but also your everlasting faithfulness to us. In Christ we pray.
Amen.

We commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any way afflicted or distressed, in mind, body
or estate; comfort and relieve them in their need, give them patience in their sufferings, and bring good out
of their troubles ...

We pray for all those caught up in waiting lists for health care. Please bring them healing and future good
health.

In moments of peace and contemplation, we name to you all those known to us who are suffering. Please
care for them and for all those of whose suffering we are unaware.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the peace of Christ, and we give you praise for all your
faithful ones, with whom we rejoice in the communion of saints ...

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

10th November 2024 6.30pm – Eucharist

Posted on November 10, 2024November 9, 2024 by admin

The Readings

Revelation 7. 9 - 17

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

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

Matthew 5. 1 - 12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Sermon
By the Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Over the last few years I have visited many schools across South Yorkshire. One thing I have noticed, wherever I have been, is that every school has a set of values. They are often displayed: posted on noticeboards, painted on walls, they sometimes appear on tee shirts. They vary hugely, though there are some commonalities.

All primary schools seem to have something along the lines of ‘kindness’ or ‘friendliness’. Secondary schools generally have something along the lines of ‘ambition’ or ‘excellence’. Both primary and secondary will have ‘tolerance’ or ‘respect’ or something that means the same thing.

But there are many other values. From memory I recall: empathy, happiness, resilience, compassion, confidence, fairness … the list goes on.

I wondered when this need to set out the school’s values like this started as I didn’t remember it from the schools of my youth.

At least that was what I first thought. Then I realised that my boys’ grammar school did have values, but hid them inside a Latin motto that was part of the school badge – which I wore on my cap until I was 18.

We also sang the values in songs and hymns every day at morning assembly, which in those days was an act of worship.

One of my favourites was called Treasure. I still remember it. The first verse went like this:

Daises are our silver,
Buttercups our gold.
These are all the treasures
We can have or hold.

This is not very aspirational. I can see why ni head teacher would want that sung now. We must aspire to a good salary and not be content with a buttercup. (Though it didn’t stop my school producing a governor of the Bank of England.) But it does commend an appreciation of the natural world, which is very relevant in these days of anxiety about nature.

In those decades just after the second world war, many of these hymns reflected quite explicitly Christian values. We shall have one later:

When a knight won his spurs
in the stories of old,
he was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold...

Other hymns commended unselfishness, sacrifice, hard work, not clock-watching, putting others first. It was thought that these values got us through the war and were needed to bring post-war renewal.

These were the default values of that time.

Fast forward to the present and we find that these are not the values people want to start with now. Not hard work and self sacrifice but almost the opposite. And all organisations have them, not just schools. They are often now about personal well-being, life-work balance and so on.

A well-being champion in my office in my last job summed them up in a wonderful post one week. It said: When you are saying yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself’. That captures the essence of so many of these modern values very well. This is the new default position.

No wonder so many people find Remembrance day a puzzle. It creates a tension between that new emphasis and what the men and women who fought and died stood for.

Putting the interests of others ahead of your own, self-sacrifice. These are not often part of the default values of modern Britain. Perhaps on Remembrance Sunday it’s time to revisit them.

The Prayers

Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict,
and ask that God may give us peace:

for the service personnel
who have died in the violence of war,
each one remembered by and known to God;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For those who love them in death as in life,
offering the distress of our grief
and the sadness of our loss;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

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

For civilians, children and adults
whose lives are disfigured by war or terror,
calling to mind in penitence
the anger and hatreds of humanity;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For peacemakers and peacekeepers,
who seek to keep this world secure and free;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For all who bear the burden and privilege of leadership,
political, military and religious;
asking for gifts of wisdom and resolve
in the search for reconciliation and peace;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

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

10th November 2024 10.30am – Remembrance Sunday

Posted on November 10, 2024November 9, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 1.16-19

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow.

Come now, let us argue it out,
says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;

1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

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

I think I can say, without fear of contradiction that our world is in a mess right now, perhaps more so than it has been for a long time. This description could be applied to the climate crisis, mass migration, financial crises, public health, crime and many other areas of life, but this being Remembrance Sunday it is conflicts throughout the world that I want us to focus on.

A few years ago, I think in preparation for a sermon, I looked up how many active conflicts there were and although I can’t remember the exact number, it know it was big and it really took me by surprise. I looked again the other day and according to to an organisation called Vision of Humanity there are 56 wars going on right now with 92 countries involved in conflicts outside their own borders. This number apparently does not include gang wars and the like and is the highest since The Second World War. Even though we see or hear reports of war pretty much daily through the various media, these numbers may surprise you. But sadly, most of these conflicts, terrible as they are, seldom if ever make the news, at least in this country. Perhaps there are two ways of thinking about this. One is to feel troubled by our lack of knowledge about them and another is that if we were aware of the scale of all these human tragedies we would feel overwhelmed and paralysed by them. Feeling helpless about the ones we know of is hard enough to bear, especially over the last two or three years.

Looking back through history it seems that there were always people fighting somewhere or other but some wars really stand out and last long in our collective memories. The first and second World Wars, the American Civil War, Vietnam, Korea, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, the Cold War to name but a few. It can feel like we never stop fighting with each other. When I was younger this really got to me at times. The Northern Ireland troubles felt very close to home, especially when there were bombings here on the mainland in pubs and night clubs. These were just the sort of places my friends and I might go for a night out together. It was frightening, even though we were very much on the periphery of this particular conflict. But hard as this may be to believe, people get used to war and its effects and it can become a way of life that has to be coped with, just as it did in the World Wars and as it is in Ukraine and other places today.

Another sad fact that we have to acknowledge is that for all sorts of reasons, war suits some people’s purposes, especially those hungry for power, influence, control and vast wealth that they couldn’t otherwise acquire and many of them have no scruples whatsoever about how they acquire it. We cannot afford to be naïve about such people and need to be aware of these sort of agendas if we are to avoid being manipulated into conflicts that benefit the few at the expense of everyone else. I don’t know about you but sometimes when I watch the news I just can’t understand why groups of people or even whole nations choose what appear to me to be awful leaders or regimes who are repressive and cruel. But often there are reasons, that again don’t make the news, such as people who are repeatedly not listened to or who are struggling against deep seated corruption that blights all efforts to to do good. Their choices, however bad they may very well be, are the least worst option open to them and have outcomes they didn’t foresee or want. We see this in places like Afghanistan where the choice was a very corrupt government or the Taliban.

So many people, both military and civilians have fought and sacrificed bravely for what they believed to be right and against what they believed to be wrong and yet here we are in the 21st century with more conflicts than ever. Why does the path to peace continue to elude us? How do we stop repeating the same patterns and mistakes? I was struck by the straightforward words in our reading from Isaiah, “cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression”. An awful lot of the strife we see in the world is caused by oppression, a lack of justice and deeds that are undeniably evil. Again in the words from Isaiah, when God says “Come now, let us argue it out “he is inviting us to be part of the solution.

When faith based solutions are suggested, for many people they can seem too slow or, dare I say, a bit airy fairy, they want something more dynamic with rapid results. But in reality things seldom work that way. Instead of feeling discouraged, we have to take what feels like a slower path and hold onto the values God has given us and do our utmost to practice them in our daily lives, whatever the challenges. In a world where standards of decency and respect for others is often in decline, this can be hard to stick with but if we lower or abandon our own standards of how we treat our fellow people we already know what the results will be because we are already seeing them; people being trolled or ridiculed or persecuted by those who disagree with them, pretty much anyone being fair game for those bent on exploiting them, civilians being targeted or tortured as weapons of war,.

All this can feel very disheartening but one of the benefits of getting older is that I have seen many of the interminable conflicts that have happened in my lifetime, come to an end. Even the Hundred Years War came to an end and the ones that are going on at the moment will eventually cease. What war weary victims really need is the opportunity for healing and well-being, space for rest and recovery. They need peace. We all do and we should never stop working to achieve it.

The Prayers

Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict,
and ask that God may give us peace:

for the service personnel
who have died in the violence of war,
each one remembered by and known to God;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For those who love them in death as in life,
offering the distress of our grief
and the sadness of our loss;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

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

For civilians, children and adults
whose lives are disfigured by war or terror,
calling to mind in penitence
the anger and hatreds of humanity;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For peacemakers and peacekeepers,
who seek to keep this world secure and free;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

3rd November 2024 6.30pm – All Souls Memorial Service

Posted on November 3, 2024 by admin

The Reading

Romans 14. 7 - 12

The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
We shall all have to stand before the judgement seat of God; as scripture says: By my life – it is the Lord who speaks – every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall praise God. It is to God, therefore, that each of us must give an account of themselves.

The Sermon
By Kath, Reader St Mary's.

Losing people we love or are close to is sadly inevitable at some stage, especially as we ourselves grow older; it’s part of our human existence. Such loss is hard enough to bear when a death is expected or even “timely” but so much harder when it is sudden or traumatic or untimely. How do we deal with such loss? The simple answer; although it isn’t a simple process to go through, is that we grieve. How we grieve is unique to us as individuals and to our relationship with the person we have lost, and it is something that develops and changes over time. This is as it should be because there is no “one way” that works for everyone for all time.

To illustrate what I mean I’ll share some of my own experiences of loss. I loved my mum and dad dearly and we were very close. We worked together for many years and saw each other socially a lot, so perhaps you can imagine how guilty and bad I felt when I couldn’t cry when they died. That is still the case to this day and I lost my dad seventeen years ago and my mum six years ago. How could it be that we were so close and yet I couldn’t cry? At first all sorts of awful thoughts went through my head. Had I become hard-hearted or unfeeling I wondered, genuinely fearfully. But I had to tell myself no, because I continue to love and miss my parents. One of the biggest things that has helped me deal with these uncomfortable feelings is the realisation that I actually did a lot of my grieving for them while they were still alive and this in turn reminded me of one of the most meaningful lectures I’ve ever heard. It was given by the then chaplain at the Northern General Hospital, Revd. David Equeall, when I was a student nurse back in the 1970s. Up to the time I heard his lecture I had always thought of grieving only in relation to death but he explained how we can grieve for many other kinds of loss too, and indeed I saw this in many of the patients I went on to care for.

My dad lived for ten years after receiving a terminal diagnosis and during that time I watched him gradually lose many of his skills and abilities, his strength, his privacy and dignity, his freedom to go about his life as he once had. He never really complained much and was endlessly practical in finding ways round his difficulties but I know each loss hurt him. He had always been the one to fix things for others and now he was the one needing to be helped. It didn’t sit well or easily with him and I grieved those losses with and for him. Towards the end of his life he was in a lot of pain and when he died, if I’m completely honest it was a relief that he was no longer suffering.

The illness that took my mum from us was Alzheimer’s disease and it was truly heartbreaking to see her gradually robbed her ability to enjoy her life and to look after herself, her dignity and autonomy and worst of all her wonderful personality and her voice. She had always been unfailingly kind and compassionate and loved talking to people so it was cruel to see her grow quieter and quieter until she barely spoke at all. Again I grieved this and felt angry as it was happening and then relief when she was finally released from what this awful disease had done to her. But much as I loved and miss both my mum and dad I couldn’t have wished to hold onto them or to wish them back unless it was without the suffering they endured.

As preachers we seldom get a choice of readings for the services we preach at but this one is different. At first I struggled to find one that really spoke to me but when I found the one from Romans; and it is a slightly unusual version, I knew it was the one and it was the first sentence in this particular translation that I found so powerful.

“The life and death of each of us has its influence on others;” The very fact that you’re here at this service tells me that you have been through your own unique journey or journeys of loss and perhaps, like me, you have a whole host of mixed feelings and emotions about your relationship with your own loved one and the way you lost them. But wouldn’t it be saddest of all if it was the ending of their lives that was our overriding memory of them. When the time is right for us it’s good to remember all the different aspects of our time with them. We don’t have to pretend that all was perfect because that’s seldom how life really is but hopefully there will be positive, happy and uplifting memories to cherish that will help to sustain us as we move on with our own lives because move on we must. Grief, when it is raw, can be all consuming and allowing it to soften can feel like betrayal but think about it another way. If we were the ones who had died, would we want those we left behind to be in pain forever? I’m pretty sure the answer to that is no.

Thinking of what our loved ones have been to us, perhaps we should also consider who and what we are to others. Do we support and inspire and encourage them to live good lives as we have been inspired. I will be forever grateful for the love and support and life lessons I have received from the people I have lost and I hope in turn that I’m doing the same for the people I still have.

God gave us his own beloved Son that we might have life. Should we not take this gift of life and value it as it deserves in gratitude to the one who gave it, even in the midst of our sadness. Surely the answer this time is yes.

Amen.

The Prayers

God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith.

We give you thanks for the lives of those who we have loved and lost.
For all that we were to each other and all that we shared together.
Hear us, risen Lord,
our resurrection and our life.

Comfort us in our times of grief and help us to help each other in our sadness.
Hear us, risen Lord,
our resurrection and our life.

Guide and uphold us through the loneliness and darkness of loss, especially when it feels like our pain will never come to an end.
Hear us, risen Lord,
our resurrection and our life.

But when the time is right, Lord give us the courage to live again, for our own sake and for those who love and need us, secure in the knowledge that those we have lost, rest in peace with you.
Hear us, risen Lord,
our resurrection and our life.

May God in his infinite love and mercy bring the whole Church,
Living and departed in the Lord Jesus, to a joyful resurrection and the fulfilment of his eternal kingdom.
Amen.

3rd November 2024 10.30am – All Saints Sunday – Eucharist

Posted on November 3, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Revelation 21.1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

John 11.32-44

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.’

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New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989

27th October 2024 10.30am – Last Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on October 27, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Hebrews 7.23-end

Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.

Mark 10.46-end

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

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New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Bartimaeus is blind.

We don’t know whether he was born blind or became blind. But he cannot see. He cannot see Jesus as he sits by the roadside just outside the little town of Jericho.

I remember Jericho from visits I used to make to the Holy Land at one time in my life. Starting from Jerusalem, high up in the hills, we would take our way east, dropping down and down on that road through the wilderness that Jesus speaks about in his parable of the Good Samaritan.

At last we would come to the small settlement of Jericho, just before the river Jordan. It’s an oasis town, full of palm trees; very hot, very dry, very dusty. 846 feet below sea level. The lowest town in the world, not in Israel but in what’s called the West Bank.

Being blind, Bartimaeus cannot work. What a contrast with being without sight in this country today. There is no help for Bartimaeus. No charity for the blind. No guide dogs. No welfare state. I think of a friend of mine, blind from birth, born on Parson Cross, who with great determination got himself to university, became an MP, then Home Secretary, and now sits in the House of Lords. What more could he possibly have achieved had he been sighted?

But for Bartimaeus, it’s a different story. He scratches a living from begging. As he sits, his begging bowl beside him, there’s a commotion. And he hears that Jesus and his disciples are leaving town.

So he calls out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’

The words are very familiar to us today because at certain times during the year, we incorporate them into this service. Lord, have mercy upon us. Kyrie eleison. Whenever we sing or say that we are echoing Bartimaeus’s cry for help. Have mercy. This is where the words come from. Something that Bartimaeus goes on calling out, even through people around try to shut him up.

And Jesus, we are told, stopped. Jesus stopped. And he tells those around to call the blind man. Which they do. Bartimaeus springs up, and stands before Jesus. And when Jesus asks him what he can do for him, Bartimaeus says, ‘Master, let me receive my sight.’ And he does receive his sight.

But it’s what Jesus says next that is so intriguing, and important. Jesus says, ‘Your faith has made you well.’ Not, ‘I have healed you’. Not, ‘God has healed you’. But, ‘Your faith has made you well.’

There’s something about this man’s faith and something about well-being and not just about being cured of a disability that we need to grasp.

Bartimaeus’s faith comes before his healing. Despite his circumstances, he does not doubt that God is with him and his life counts for something. This is what enables him to be undeterred by those around him and to reach out to Jesus – ‘Son of David, have mercy on me.’

This attitude, this refusal to be silenced, this determination, this courage, this faith, Jesus commends. It’s as important as any physical healing.

This approach to life and living is captured in one of the hymns we are singing today: Father, hear the prayer we offer. The sort of faith that Jesus commends is found there.

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

What Jesus understands is that our human lives are lived out in a world where good and bad co-exist all the time. This is the price we pay for having freedom and choice. There would be no freedom and no choice if all we could ever do was choose the good. There would be no freedom or choice if nothing bad ever happened to us.

So we live our lives in a world where change and chance, good luck and misfortune, come our way. What makes the difference is how we deal with them. Our faith.

Bartimaeus will not let his misfortune overcome him, which is why he has the strength to cry out to Jesus. And that’s the real well-being here. It’s not just about having his sight restored. Because Jesus knows well that all physical miracles are only ever temporary. Sight is restored, but it can be lost again. The sick are healed, but they can become sick again. Even Lazarus, who is restored to life, will one day die. The real well-being that Bartimaeus has is his faith. That does not depend on the way things go in life. It can take him through good times and bad.

So let the last verse of the hymn be our prayer as it most surely was Bartimaeus’s:

Be our strength in hours of weakness,
in our wanderings be our guide;
through endeavour, failure, danger,
Father, be thou at our side.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

We give you thanks for all your blessings to your people. We ask you to help us to ensure that all
people most in need may share in the wealth you have given us. We pray for all who are finding life
difficult at present, for whatever reason.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide, for all its leaders, that they may work together to do your will for
all your people. We pray for the Church of England, for our Archbishop Justin, and our bishops Pete
and Sophie. We thank you for all the Christian organisations that work to bring help to the needy
and suffering. We give you thanks for our partnership with St Mark’s and St John’s, and for all who
take our services here at St Mary’s.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our suburb of Walkley and our City of Sheffield. May this city always be a place of
friendliness and welcome to all who arrive here whether to work or study.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, or in special need of your comfort. Support all who work as
doctors or nurses in their often difficult work. We pray also for all caring for a loved one. In a
moment of quiet we remember before you all those known to us in special need of your grace………
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember before you all those who died many years ago, or who have died recently. We ask for
your comfort to all who still mourn their loss………….
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark, John and all your saints we commit ourselves andyou’re
your creation to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Amen.

20th October 2024 10.30am – 21st Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on October 20, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Hebrews 5.1-10

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you’;
as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest for ever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.’

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Mark 10.35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ They replied, ‘We are able.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

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New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath.

God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith. We give you thanks for the many wonderful gifts you have given us. May we take the time to see and truly appreciate all that we have and help us to look after it for this generation and those to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Father, we pray for your church throughout the world and for those of other faiths who worship you. Now more than ever, may we strive to find ways to live together peaceably and respectfully in your name rather than clinging to what divides us.
We pray for all in our mission partnership giving thanks for the time, talents and gifts that our churches and communities benefit from. We especially give thanks for the appointment of Rev Dr Beth Keith as our priest in charge. We pray for her and her family as she prepares to take up her new role and we look forward to her ministry among us.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our very troubled world and all peoples who are suffering because of wars, oppression and need. Especially in light of recent events, Father please guide and strengthen all leaders to genuinely work for peace for all people. Be with all who are courageous in standing against greed, corruption and tyranny which blights so many nations and societies and help us to value and defend the freedom and liberty we have.
We pray for all going through the process of elections, that they will be conducted openly, honestly and honourably and that voters will consider matters beyond their own personal benefits and seek the common good.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill and those who are nearing the end of their lives. May they receive the care, comfort and compassion they need. We pray for those who accompany them on their journey who also need to be supported.
In a moment of quiet let us call to mind anyone known to us who is in special need of our prayers at this time and let us also pray for ourselves and our own needs and concerns.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember all who have died, some recently and some long ago. We pray that they are at peace and that those who love and miss them will be comforted in their loss.
Especially we pray for Liam Payne, the young singer who died on Thursday, for the woman and her unborn child who died in a tragic road traffic accident and for the refugees who lost their lives trying to reach this country in a dinghy.
Again in a short time of quiet let us remember those special to us who are no longer with us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

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

13th October 2024 10.30am – 20th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on October 13, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Hebrews 4.12-end

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Mark 10.17-31

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’

Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

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

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

Our Gospel reading is quite well known – the reading from Hebrews
probably less so, I think it acts as a useful lead-in…

The author of Hebrews tells us that
"the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-
edged sword."

God's Word wasn’t just written down and intended to sit on a page –
or these days, on a web server – as an interesting historical note. It
is dynamic, living, active – a weapon. It is as relevant today as it was
when written. It cuts right to the core of our identity, discerning the
thoughts and intentions of our hearts. This is not always
comfortable. In fact, it can be deeply unsettling.

God's Word doesn’t just inform us; it transforms us. It challenges us
to confront the parts of ourselves we may prefer to hide—the parts
that cling to worldly values, that seek comfort and security sourced
from earthly things over faith and trust in God. God’s Word reveals
our true motivations, our struggles, our good intentions, our hidden
fears, our hidden sins.

There is no hiding place. In His presence, we can have no secrets.
When we engage with Scripture, we’re not just reading words on a
page. We’re encountering the living God. We’re treading on
dangerous ground, where we’re invited into a process of
transformation, a deepening relationship where we are constantly
being shaped into Christ’s likeness. This is inevitably going to be….
Uncomfortable. I don’t know about you, but I have a few things I’d
like to keep hidden in my life – things that I’m not entirely
comfortable about – and also some parts of my personality that I’d
like to keep for me, if you don’t mind. How much are we willing to
give up and expose? In the presence of God’s word – everything.

We don’t have a choice.

We come before a God who knows us completely—our failures, our
weaknesses, our brokenness—and yet still loves us deeply. Jesus
sympathizes with our weaknesses. He knows what it’s like to be
tempted, after all, He was fully human as well as being fully God.
With Jesus’s intercession, we can approach God with confidence,
knowing that we will receive mercy and find grace to help us in our
time of need.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus and his disciples meet a rich young man.

This is one of those Gospel stories that tends to make us
uncomfortable, especially if we’re honest about how much we value
our possessions, our financial security and our way of life. This young
man could actually be any of us; feel free to shuffle uncomfortably if
you wish to!

The young man approaches Jesus with a sincere question:

"Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

He’s clearly someone who has lived a moral life, keeping the
commandments from his youth What we’d probably refer to as a
decent, law-abiding citizen – a pillar of the community. But Jesus
sees the one thing that is holding this man back from fully embracing
the Kingdom of God: his attachment to wealth.

When Jesus tells the young man to sell all he has and give to the
poor, He isn’t making a general rule for everyone to follow. He’s
identifying something very particular to this man; something that is
so big in his life, that it will stop him becoming more Christ-like. His
wealth.

Each of us has something within us that can potentially be that road-
block. It might be wealth and possessions; it might be our careers,
obsessive hobbies – any number of things that we can make the
centre of our lives, and that would prevent us from trusting and
serving God fully. Because that is what following Jesus is all about;
trusting and serving God in a whole-hearted and full manner.
The young man’s reaction is telling.

"His face fell, and he went away sad, because he had great
wealth."

Jesus doesn’t chase after him. Instead, He turns to His disciples and
says something that, for the people around him, would have been
truly shocking:

"How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!"

This was a radical statement at the time, because wealth was often
seen as a sign of God’s blessing. Jesus turns this idea upside down,
telling us that wealth, if we are not careful, can become a stumbling
block—a barrier between us and the more abundant life that God
offers.

Today we live in a world that often equates success with financial
prosperity. We’re constantly bombarded with messages that tell us
we need more—more money, more stuff, more security. What I’ve
occasionally referred to as the ‘You’re worth it’ culture.

But Jesus calls us to a different kind of wealth. He calls us to trust in
God and to live according to the Gospel teachings – with love,
generosity and mercy. This doesn’t mean that everyone is called to
sell all they have, but it does mean that we’re called to ask ourselves
a few questions. Are we placing our trust in our wealth and worldly
circumstances, or in God? Are we clinging to the things of this world,
or are we willing to give and share with those in need? In the song
‘Once in a lifetime’, David Byrne sings:

And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"

And later in the song, we hear:

You may ask yourself, "What is that beautiful house?"
You may ask yourself, "Where does that highway go to?"
And you may ask yourself, "Am I right? Am I wrong?"
And you may say to yourself, "My God, what have I done?"

We are being prompted to ask ourselves what stops us from fully
following Christ. It’s going to be something unique for all of us. And
we almost certainly will find ourselves asking ‘Am I right or wrong in
how I lead my life?’ And we may well find ourselves asking God, in a
prayerful manner ‘What have I done?’

Jesus goes on to tell His disciples that it is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the
Kingdom of God. A well-known story and saying, but we can now see
it differently. Entering the Kingdom requires total dependence on
God. It’s not something we can achieve through our own efforts,
wealth, or status – it relies on God’s grace.

The disciples – probably aware of their own shortcomings, and likely
concerned about their own future - ask, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus answers:

"With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are
possible with God."

This is good news for all of us. Whether we struggle with wealth,
pride, fear, or anything else, salvation is not something we can earn
or achieve on our own. It’s a gift of grace, made possible by God’s
love and mercy. Our job is to trust God, to follow Christ, and to let go
of whatever is keeping us from fully embracing God’s call on our
lives.

So, what can we take away from these readings today? First, we are
reminded that God's Word is alive and relevant. It challenges us,
questions us, and can transform us. We are invited to let the Word of
God do its work in our hearts, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Second, we are reminded that following Jesus requires surrender.
What we have to surrender is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit –
through study of scripture, prayer and making ourselves open to the
idea of change. Whether it’s our wealth, our plans, or our sense of
control, we are called to let go and trust in God. This isn’t easy. Like
the rich young man, we might find it hard to part with the things we
hold dear; such sacrifices are costly. But Jesus promises that those
who give up everything for His sake will receive a hundred times
more in this life—and in the life to come, eternal life.

May we, like the disciples, have the courage to ask, "What must I do
to follow You more fully, Lord?", the greater courage to follow
through with actions based on the answer we get, and may we trust
that with God, all things are possible.

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared By Barbara.

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

O God, the creator and preserver of all, we pray for people in every kind of need; make your ways known on
earth, your saving health among all nations ...

We pray for all those affected by war, thinking particularly of people in Israel and Lebanon, but not
forgetting conflicts such as those in Ukraine, Myanmar and Sudan. Please bring strength and comfort to all
those affected and help every one of us to be part of a path to peace throughout the world.

We pray for our new government here in the UK. Please help them to reach all those struggling to keep
warm this winter, helping people who are not currently claiming all the benefits to which they are entitled
to do so. Please help us to do what we can to help them.

We pray for all those employed in social services in the UK. We pray for all the hard decisions they have to
make, giving thanks for their service and the assistance they provide to those who need their help, thanking
them for their patience and care. We pray that the government finds ways to better fund social services,
thinking particularly of those that are helped, including children, the elderly and those who cannot find
gainful employment. Please help us to recognise their needs and the need for the government to meet those
needs.

We pray for all those in the USA who will be voting this year to choose a new government for their country.
Please help all of those who can vote to consider the future of the world and what government would be best
placed to achieve a future free of war and able to support all the world’s population. Help them to vote for a
world that is more considerate of all its inhabitants, both human and non-human.

We pray also for all those involved in trying to fight the climate crisis, as our government develops
initiatives to increase solar and wind power in the UK. Please give all governments the political courage to
resist further use of fossil fuels and to invest in sources of renewable energy instead.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We pray for the church in Canada, celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. We thank you for your
bounty and for the understanding encouraged by the recent Truth and Reconciliation Day. Please help your
church in Canada to make amends for all the wrongs we have done to Canada’s aboriginal peoples.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the peace of Christ, and we give you praise for all your
faithful ones, with whom we rejoice in the communion of saints. Today we particularly remember Alex
Salmond, thinking of his family and friends at this time.

We name to you in our hearts all those known to us both near and far who are suffering the loss of friends
and loved ones, asking that you bring your comfort and healing to them at this time of grief.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

29th September 2024 10.30am – Harvest – Eucharist

Posted on September 29, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

1 Timothy 6.6-10

Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

Matthew 6.25-33

‘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.

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

This morning’s Gospel reading is one I’ve become familiar with over the years. It’s been read at a family funeral, and the version that appears in Luke’s Gospel was part of the Gospel reading at our wedding service.

It’s always been a source of comfort and reassurance.

But sitting down to preach on it forces you to read and reread the passage in a critical way. You end up stripping layers of meaning away to get to the next one.

It’s a bit like peeling an onion.

As I read through the passage and books exploring the passage, our two cats, Ellie and Fergie, began miaowing. I would say in the background, but these two don’t do anything half-heartedly, least of all asking for food.

For medical reasons they’re house cats, aren’t able to hunt for themselves and so rely on us for food. Despite what they would have you think, they are well fed!

But before we took them in, their life experience included abandonment and lack of food.

They still worry about where their next meal is coming from.

This is partly a result of their experience, but also natural for most mammals.

In our Gospel it appears Jesus is asking us to do something that goes against how we are programmed. That we should not worry about our basic needs of food, drink, clothing and shelter. That we should trust that they will be provided.

It’s a sentiment it’s easy to support when you live in relative comfort, as some of us do. When you don’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, or how to afford shoes for your children.

But when you live from pay check to pay check, with little to no safety net, or in poverty, it can be a platitude, at best, to be told not to worry about the basics of living.

The final verse of our Gospel makes this particularly difficult. “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. At first reading it seems that all we have to do is strive for God’s kingdom and our basic standard of living will be met.

But what does that feel like for those faithful Christians, or anyone else, who, for all their striving, doesn’t have their basic needs met?

Are they not striving for God’s kingdom strongly enough?

Some Christians would say yes. They would subscribe to a “gospel of prosperity”. Where your health, wealth and success are linked to your faith, and how much you give to church. That worldly success, measured by money and possessions, is a sign of God’s grace and favour.

This “prosperity gospel” is, quite rightly, criticised as being exploitative and false.

We don’t exist in isolation. We can strive for the kingdom and its values of humility, truth and love, but if others are striving for a world with vast inequality and for unjust power structures that keep people in poverty we will have an uphill struggle.

It is by transforming these unjust structures that we strive for the kingdom of God. In this way will the necessities of life be available to all.

Our God is one of abundance, not excess. There is enough food to eat, if it’s equitably shared.

We celebrate harvest today. A harvest of fruits and vegetables. Of grains and pulses. Of ingenuity and imagination. Of artistic talent and skilled craftsmanship. We give thanks for all that we are as God’s children and pray for a just and equal sharing of all that the earth offers.

The Prayers

Let us offer our prayers to God for the life of the world
and for all God’s people in their daily life and work.

God, the beginning and end of all things,
in your providence and care
you watch unceasingly over all creation;
we offer our prayers
that in us and in all your people your will may be done,
according to your wise and loving purpose in Christ our Lord.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for all through whom we receive sustenance and life;
for farmers and agricultural workers,
for packers, distributors and company boards;
as you have so ordered our life that we depend upon each other,
enable us by your grace to seek the well-being of others before our own.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for all engaged in research to safeguard crops against disease,
and to produce abundant life among those who hunger
and whose lives are at risk.
Prosper the work of their hands
and the searching of their minds,
that their labour may be for the welfare of all.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for governments and aid agencies,
and those areas of the world where there is disaster, drought and starvation.
By the grace of your Spirit,
touch our hearts
and the hearts of all who live in comfortable plenty,
and make us wise stewards of your gifts.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for those who are ill,
remembering those in hospital and nursing homes
and all who are known to us.
We pray for all who care for them.
Give skill and understanding
to all who work for their well-being.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We remember those who have died,
whom we entrust to your eternal love
in the hope of resurrection to new life.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We offer ourselves to your service,
asking that by the Spirit at work in us
others may receive a rich harvest of love and joy and peace.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

Merciful Father:
Accept these prayers
For the sake you Son
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

22nd September 2024 10.30am – 17th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on September 22, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

James 3.13-4.3

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4.7-8

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Mark 6.25-33

Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Jesus and his followers are on the road. They are making a journey from the
north of the country – up near present day Lebanon - to the south.

They stop at the different small towns and villages on the way, and Jesus
speaks to the crowds that gather in each place, gives his message, heals the
sick. Its an exhausting time, constantly on the move. The final destination will
be Jerusalem.

If you want to get some idea of the terrain they were travelling through, next
time you see television pictures from the West Bank, that is largely the land
through which Jesus passes. Its hot. Its dry. Its dusty. Its hilly. The land is
hard to cultivate. The few trees there are – mainly olive trees – are often
stunted and brown.

Jesus speaks to people about how to live the good life, a morally good and
worthwhile life. However tough just living may be, this is how to do it well, to
do the right things, so that at the end of your life you can say to yourself, not ‘I
did it my way’, but ‘I did it the right way’; I did it well.

As he journeys, between villages, there is plenty of time for the men and
women who go with him to talk among themselves. And on the occasion we
have just heard about in the gospel, Jesus asks his followers what they have
been talking about.

At first they are silent – and we can soon see why. Because when they do tell
him, it must have made him quite depressed.

They could have been talking about some of the weighty matters he had been
speaking to the crowds about. They might even have had some cheerful
gossip.

It’s none of these. They’ve been discussing which of them is the greatest.
Who is the greatest!

The people they have been meeting in the towns and villages of the Galilee
want help. Their lives are hard. Getting a living is hard. They want to live a life
that will seem good and worthwhile, in their own eyes and in God’s. And all
the disciples seem bothered about is deciding who is the greatest.

It’s depressing. Will they never learn? Will they never understand what the
mission is?

Somehow he has to break their way of thinking before it becomes a habit.
He calls to his inner circle, the twelve.

He tries again. Don’t bother talking about who will be the greatest because in
the world as he envisages it, the first will be last. And if you want to be first
then you must learn to be last, by being the servant of all others.

That is the message. But how do you get people to hear that message? How
do you help them to understand, to see things differently?

Wherever Jesus goes, there are always men and women, and people of all
ages, including little children. We know that people often wanted to bring their
children to him because once the disciples tried to stop them and he has to
tell them off. Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them.

On this occasion he sees a child and leads him into the middle of the twelve.
Then he takes the child into his arms. ‘Receive this child’, he says.

It’s an invitation for them to reorder their thinking.

Receive is another way of saying welcome. Welcome this child. How do you
welcome him? You welcome the child by doing things that will be in his best
interests.

Welcome this child, welcome all children. Change your perspective on things.
Put him and his well-being at the centre. Ask yourself how you have to
behave so that he can live well, live securely, live the kind of life that God
would want for him.

Jesus picks a child out because children are often among the least in society,
often overlooked, not taken into account. But you must receive children,
welcome children.

Whatever that requires the disciples to do, it doesn’t start with a discussion
about who is the greatest. In fact, there is no place for that kind of thinking at
any point.

Is this a lesson for all time? How would our perspective on life shift if we
heard Christ saying to us now, Receive this child? Welcome this child. If we
heard him saying it in the land where he first said it?

We have to think differently if we are to act differently. And the way Jesus
banishes all the silly talk about who is the greatest is to set a little child in the
middle and say, Start here. Start with this: receive, welcome the children.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

Oh God, you sent your Son to teach us how to live according to your will. Help us to listen to his
teaching. May we respond to the needs of all people whether at home or abroad, especially where
there is real suffering. We think today especially of your children in need. We pray you will guide the
leaders of the rich world to reach out to all who suffer at this time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the church worldwide, for our bishops Pete and Sophie, and for all Christian leaders of
whatever denomination, that they may work together in accordance with the teachings of Christ.
We thank you for the many Christian organisations which work for the greater good of all people.
We thank you for our partnership with St John’s and St Mark’s which enables us to continue to serve
our area of Walkley.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our city of Sheffield, that it may continue to be a City of Sanctuary, and make all who
arrive in our city welcome. We pray for all the students at our two universities, some of whom mat
be leaving home for the first time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, and think also of all who are in special need of your comfort.
We thank you for the work of doctors, nurses and carers. We ask you to give them strength in their
work. In a moment of quiet we remember by name those known to us in need of your saving grace
at this time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember before you all who have died recently. We ask for your comfort for those who mourn
their loss. We think of those we have lost and see no more.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark and all your saints, we commend ourselves and the whole
creation to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

St Marys Walkley

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

Category: Sermons

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