15th September 2024 10.30am – 16th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on September 15, 2024September 14, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

James 3.1-12

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Mark 8.27-38

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

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

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Associate Priest.

Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to go to Greenbelt, a Christian festival that currently takes place
near Kettering. It’s probably the most inclusive Christian event that I know of in all sorts of ways and
there’s a wonderful variety of people who attend it.

Greenbelt has some great music and it also has some wonderful speakers. I was fortunate to hear
Professor Jason Arday talking. He is Professor of the Sociology of Education at the University of
Cambridge and he is the youngest black person ever to be appointed to a Cambridge Professorship.
Jason’s parents came to this country from Ghana and he grew up on a council estate in Clapham,
South London. He was diagnosed as autistic at 3 years old and he didn’t speak until he was 11. He
didn’t read and write until he was eighteen.

Professor Arday spoke with enormous grace and humility. But he is a man on a mission. He feels that
our current education system is failing too many young people. Too many are falling through the
cracks. Too many fail to get their voices heard. And he is trying to change that. It is wonderful that
Jason is a professor at Cambridge but I’m sure he looks forward to the day when he is not the
exception.

Today our readings challenge us to think about our voices. About who is heard and who isn’t. And
about the words that we use to talk about Jesus. Our first reading from the Letter of James warns
about the power of our tongues. While some animals can be tamed, no one can tame the tongue.
James describes it as a restless evil, full of deadly poison. I wonder whether James had had recent
experience of malicious gossip or unfounded rumours. Today his words might also be applied to
social media. James warns us to put a bridle on our tongues. To think before speaking. And there is
great wisdom in that. The noise of our world can be overwhelming sometimes. So many voices
clamouring for attention. So much news. So much chatter. In order to seek God, many of us have to
retreat to places of quiet. To a corner of our homes or to open spaces. We all need to cultivate
silence. To find peace.

But in shutting out the noise we have to be careful that we don’t shut out every voice. Those with loud
voices who command airtime may need turning down but there are other voices that need to be
heard. The poor, the vulnerable, the dispossessed. Those who are refugees. Those who are
homeless. Those who live at the periphery. These are dear to God. They were dear to Jesus. And
their voices need to be heard. The terrible riots in Rotherham and around the country during the
summer were appalling. But they didn’t come out of nowhere. In part they were the result of lies and
half truths about immigrants and asylum seekers on the internet. But some of those rioters were also
people who felt that their voices were not being listened to. Who felt ignored. Left behind. And if we
are to become and more cohesive society then there needs to be better listening. Better
communication. It was really moving to hear that members of the Abdullah Quilliam, Britain’s
oldest mosque in Liverpool, invited rioters to come into their mosque and have food and talk.

St James encourages us to use our words sparingly and wisely as indeed we should. But few of us
manage that all the time. And that was certainly true of the disciples. They frequently misunderstood
Jesus and said the wrong thing. And Peter is a prime example of that. In one moment he has real
clarity about Jesus and what he is about and the next he really puts his foot in it. In our Gospel today,
Jesus is doing some market research. ‘Who do people say that I am?’ he asks. I imagine that people
weren’t always sure what to make of him. And just as we compare new musicians or sports people to
their predecessors, people likened Jesus to John the Baptist or Elijah or one of the prophets. On
other occasions people likened Jesus to King David. It was quite unusual to imagine that God was
doing a completely new things. And it was verging on blasphemy to suggest that Jesus was the
Messiah. But that’s what Peter did. This humble fisherman really saw Jesus for who he was.

Jesus told the disciples to tell no one about him. That happens a lot in Mark. And as many of us
know, that’s often the way to spread news. ‘Don’t tell anyone I told you this but…’ is a surefire way to
spread gossip.

In Matthew’s later version of this story, Jesus really commends Peter for his insight. ‘Blessed are you
Peter, son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. And I
tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.’ In Mark’s version, however, Jesus goes
on to explain what his being the Messiah will mean. That he will have to experience great suffering
and be rejected by the authorities and be killed. And after three days rise again. This isn’t what Peter
wants to hear. This doesn’t sound like Peter’s idea of a Messiah. And Peter tries to talk him out of it.
That must have sounded tempting to Jesus in that moment. And he reacts harshly. ‘Get behind me,
Satan!’ he says. You need to see this differently. You need to see this as God sees it.

And Jesus goes on to explain what following him means. He knows that some of his disciples think
they can ride on his coat tails. Throw out the Romans and take power. But they need to listen. They
will have to take up their crosses too. They will lose their lives but by doing do they will find life
everlasting. Jesus tells them all this. But they are not really listening. They don’t hear him. He will say
it again, but it will only be after the resurrection that his words will be fully heard. And yet, Jesus
doesn’t give up on them. He still loves them. And still listens to their nonsense.

Jesus asks us, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ And there will be times when we give the right answer.
When we can say, you are the Messiah. You are God. You are friend and brother. Our shepherd and
our king. When we know that our redeemer liveth. When we comprehend his amazing grace. And
sometimes we think we understand what that means as Peter did. But then Jesus will often challenge
us. Shake us up. Question what we mean. Sometimes Jesus needs to expand our understanding of
those words and we will need to listen hard. And sometimes, like Peter, we will get it wrong. We will
deny Jesus. Be ashamed of him. Give up on him. But he will not give up on us. Throughout it all, in
the good times and the harder times, Jesus continues to love us. He is always listening to us. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe.

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

Help us to recognize You for who You are and to trust in Your
purpose for our lives. Give us strength to follow You, even when the
path is hard, and to deny ourselves so that we may fully embrace
Your will. Let our hearts be open to Your teachings and our spirits be
willing to take up our cross, as You took up Yours.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for all those impacted by war and civil unrest throughout
the world. In Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Russia, Haiti, Sudan, Myanamar
and all places where people live in fear.
We pray for those affected by storms and floods throughout Eastern
Europe and the world.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of
Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. We keep in our
prayers those who are homeless at this time. We pray that during
this season we remember all those less fortunate than ourselves and
do what we can to support them. We pray for those who will be
affected by changes in pensions and welfare payments, that they
may be safe from harm in the coming winter.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

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

Finally, Lord, we silently bring before you those special to us, and
those issues and concerns that we have in our own lives.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

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

8th September 2024 10.30am – The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Eucharist

Posted on September 8, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 61.10-11

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

Luke 1.46-55

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

The Prayers

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

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

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

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

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

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

The apostle John saw a vision of a woman in heaven,
robed with the sun.
Bring us with all those who have died in the faith of Christ
to share the joy of heaven with Mary and all the saints.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

At the foot of the cross of Christ stood his mother,
and from the cross she received his lifeless body in her arms.
Give comfort and healing to all who suffer
and all who watch the suffering of those they love.
Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.
Holy is your name.

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

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

1st September 2024 10.30am – 14th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on September 1, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

James 1.1-27

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings.

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved.

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Mark 7.1-8

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’ He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
“This people honours me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.”
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.’

Mark 7.14-15

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.’

Mark 7.21-23

For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’

The Prayers
Prepared by David.

In peace let us pray to the Father, through the Son
and in the power of the Holy Spirit, who make, sustain and renew all things.

Heavenly Father,
we pray for your Church throughout the world, that we may be faithful to our baptism.
We prayer for Elinor to be baptised this afternoon, and for her parents Rose and Tom.
With the dawn of each day, may we be awakened to the beauty of the earth
and rejoice in the wonder and diversity of creation in all its forms and colour.
God of life:
hear our prayer.

Lord of life,
as all living things depend on the good quality of the air, the soil, and water,
may your wisdom guide us as we care for the environment.
Deliver us from selfishness and rapacious greed.
Help us to share the rich resources of this world gladly and justly,
in the cause of stability and peace between nations and peoples.
God of life:
hear our prayer.

Lord of mercy,
we bring before you areas affected by chronic shortage of water,
and pray for those suffering as a result of drought or the lack of safe water to drink.
We pray for those suffering from the effects of extreme weather
and whose environment has been damaged by cyclones, floods or destructive wildfires.
May we better understand the effects of the changing patterns of weather on our planet.
God of life:
hear our prayer.

Lord of abundant life,
we give thanks for the rich harvest of the seas;
may we cherish the good things you have created
and be successful in reducing the pollution in our oceans, rivers and lakes that life may flourish.
May your wisdom help us to maintain the biodiversity of our fragile planet.
Strengthen our resolve and bless the efforts of all who seek to protect the marine, animal, insect and plant life that are threatened with extinction.
God of life:
hear our prayer.

Lord of creation,
you have placed us on the earth to care for it, and call us to be co-workers with Christ your Son.
Bless our farmers, those who work in our nature reserves and National Parks,
in our Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Scientific Interest,
and all who are custodians of our landscape.
God of life:
hear our prayer.

Lord of the universe,
you have made us from the stuff of the earth,
and to earth we shall return.
By your grace, may we tread lightly upon this earth and live our days wisely, and sustainably,
and at the last come with all your saints into paradise and enjoy creation made new.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

25th August 2024 10.30am – 13th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 25, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ephesians 6.10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

John 6.56-69

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Many years ago when I was a student, I had a friend who was a Quaker.
His father was a house master at a Quaker boarding school in Ackworth, near
Pontefract, and sometimes in the holidays I went to stay with them. The
masters and their families lived in houses in the school grounds.

On Sunday, I would go with them to their service, which they called a meeting
for worship. The boys at the school had all gone home for the holidays, and
many of the teachers had gone as well. Only a few masters and their wives
were left, and so they held the meeting for worship, not in the large school
hall, but in a much smaller teachers’ common room.

About twenty or so chairs were put out in a semi-circle round an enormous
fireplace – which in winter had an enormous log fire in it.

As you may know, Quaker worship is completely silent. The meeting started
when the first person arrived and sat down. It ended an hour later when the
two elders – like our churchwardens – stood up and shook hands with each
other. In between, nothing was said or done. Just silence.

The idea was that you would empty your mind of all the day to day clutter that
it was filled with and wait for the Holy Spirit to engage with you in some way.
Occasionally, one of the worshippers might feel moved by the Spirit to stand
and say something aloud; but that was very rare and it never happened
during the times I was there. Nothing broke the silence.

The heart of religion they believed lay in our encounter with the Spirit of God
– and God’s Spirit was like the wind – unseen, intangible, blowing where he
willed. You couldn’t reach out and take hold of the Spirit. But what you could
do was wait upon the Spirit in silence, emptying your mind.

This contrasted somewhat with all the things that made worship possible for
me. I wanted something to look at: an altar, a cross, some candles. I wanted
a Bible, a prayer book, a hymn book, some bread and wine - so that I could
hear the scriptures read, so that I could say prayers and sing, and see bread
broken and wine outpoured.

But for the Quakers, all these things, they believed, crowded out the Holy
Spirit. How could you know the Spirit or hear what the Spirit might be saying
to you if your mind was distracted all the time by such material things.
And behind this, I think, lay a deeper objection: the idea that the material
world, the physical world, the world we live our lives in, was quite separate
from the realm of the spirit. God is spirit, and the Spirit blows where he wills
and cannot be flesh and blood, bread and wine.

I thought about my old Quaker friends when I read the gospel for today. The
people at the time of Jesus seem to be having similar issues, with some
wanting to draw that sharp line between material things and things of the
spirit.

Admittedly, Jesus does say things which at that time must have seemed very
puzzling – hard sayings. He says they are to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
How can such a shockingly physical act – eating and drinking – have
anything spiritual about it?

Only later will they realise that he is talking about the bread and wine that, at
the Last Supper, he says is his body broken and his blood outpoured. Then,
after his death and resurrection, they are to go on eating and drinking bread
and wine, both as a way of remembering him, but more particularly, a way of
receiving him spiritually into themselves. The material, the physical is not in
opposition to the spiritual but the means by which we human beings receive
the divine spirit week by week.

At the heart of our faith, we don’t see this hard separation of the material and
the spiritual. We have understood that God, who is Spirit, became flesh and
blood in Christ Jesus. This is the mystery that lies at the heart of the Christian
religion.

And this is how God, who is Spirit, can save us, can transform our lives;
because in Christ what is human, what is fleshly, what is material, is taken up
into God, who is Spirit.

I greatly admire the hard discipline of my former Quaker friends. But I don’t
believe that Christianity teaches us that what is material, physical, fleshly gets
in the way of the Spirit.

On the contrary, there is no place on earth where God, who is Spirit, has
been closer to the human race than in Jesus Christ.

And there is no place where we can be closer to Jesus Christ than when we
take into our physical selves the blessed sacrament of bread and wine.

The Prayers
Prepared by Oli.

Lord God, thank you for our shared experiences with friends and families over this summer season. We pray for children starting school for the first time in the coming weeks, as well as those going back to school. We pray for those who find school difficult and we ask that they know your presence.
Lord in your mercy...

Lord God, we thank you for collaboration and community. We pray that you be with the mission partnership as we prepare for the mission area weekend in a few weeks time. We pray too for the children’s work at St. Mary’s as this starts up next month.
Lord in your mercy...

Lord God, as we enter the season of creationtide, we pray that you help us to act with your creation and the climate in mind - when at home, or at work, or travelling locally or further afield. We pray you give us the courage to change longstanding practices which damage this precious world you have entrusted to us to protect.
Lord in your mercy...

Lord God, we pray for those who are fleeing conflict or unstable situations to seek a life safe from danger. We pray for those vulnerable groups who are left with no alternative but to take extreme risks to reach a safe place to live, for example by crossing hazardous waters.
Lord in your mercy...

Lord Jesus, we thank you for the early harvest and the things which sustain us. As the days begin to shorten again and we approach autumn, help us to think about what we want to hold on to or let go from this season, to see us through the next season.
Lord in your mercy...

Lord God be with Those in despair and darkness as a result of sickness in body mind or spirit, have died, or who have faced recent bereavement. help them to know the hope and light of Christ. We hold them in a moment of silence before you now…
Merciful Father...

18th August 2024 10.30am – 12th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 18, 2024August 19, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ephesians 5.15-20

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6.51-58

'I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’

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

Back in the 1980s there was a comic strip called ‘Bloom County’,
which followed the adventures of a motley group of characters in a
fictional US community. One of the characters was a penguin called
Opus; in one strip he’s seen watching the TV news with the images of
war, terrorism, starvation, crime – you get the picture. He turns off
the TV, walks to the top of a hill, and sits down amongst the flowers.
The caption on this last picture is simply ‘Dandelion Break’.

Our passage from Ephesians begins with a call to wisdom:

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are
evil”

The days are evil – in Ephesus, in Bloom County, and in the world
today – it’s hard to argue with Paul. The days are evil; they’re scary;
they’re confusing.

Paul offers guidance, urging the Ephesian Christians to be vigilant
and discerning in their walk of faith. It also applies to us; be vigilant
and discerning; our world is full of temptation and distraction, and
evil days make it easier for us to throw up our hands and lose hope
and bury ourselves in those distractions.

As a Christian, living wisely means more than just making good
decisions; it involves aligning our lives with God's will. Paul contrasts
the life of wisdom with foolishness, and he emphasizes the
importance of understanding the Lord’s will. How often do we pause
to consider whether our daily actions, decisions, and attitudes reflect
God's will? The wisdom that Paul speaks of is not just intellectual
knowledge, but a deep, spiritual discernment that comes from a
close relationship with Christ.

Paul continues by instructing the believers to “be filled with the
Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). This command is crucial, for it is the Spirit
that empowers us to live the Christian life. Without the Holy Spirit,
we are prone to fall into the traps of the world – lack of the Spirit has
us, as Malcolm Muggeridge once said, “going to and fro in the world
and up and down in it like Satan”.

Being filled with the Spirit allows us to align ourself with God; the
gifts of the spirit provide us with the tools we need to manage. The
spirit manifests in various ways: through joyful worship,
thanksgiving, and mutual encouragement, generosity, kindness, love.
Paul mentions “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and
songs from the Spirit”. We are reminded in an individualistic world
that our faith is not just a private matter; it is something we live out
in community, encouraging and building one another up in the Lord.

When we gather here every Sunday, we are not only expressing our
love for God but also reinforcing our shared beliefs and values. We
proclaim the truth of the Gospel; we show joy and gratitude; we
express our love of God; we express our love for one another. We
attempt to embody ‘living wisely’, and with luck we take that
attitude and expression of the Spirit out into the world when we
leave here.

We are reminded – and we all sometimes need reminding – that the
Spirit is within us, and that the Spirit is there to align us with God.
Which leaves us with a question; how do we stay strong in Spirit
when the world is the way it is?

In our passage from John, we encounter Jesus speaking about
Himself as the Bread of Life.

He says,

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever
eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I
will give for the life of the world”.

Sounds familiar; we heard very similar words last week. THAT is how
important this is.

Jesus offers Himself as the bread that satisfies the deepest hunger of
the human soul. Unlike the manna that the Israelites ate in the
wilderness, which sustained them temporarily, the bread that Jesus
offers leads to eternal life.

Jesus is pointing forward to His sacrificial death on the cross, where
His body would be broken, and His blood shed for the forgiveness of
sins. By inviting us to eat His flesh and drink His blood, Jesus is calling
us into a deep and intimate union with Him—a union that is both
sacramental and spiritual.

At first glance, the messages of Ephesians 5 and John 6 might seem
unrelated, but they converge beautifully when we consider the
Christian life as a journey of wisdom, guided by the Spirit and
nourished by Christ Himself.

Living wisely, as Paul describes in Ephesians, requires us to be
constantly filled with the Spirit, who empowers us to walk in the
light. But how do we stay filled with the Spirit? How do we maintain
this divine wisdom? The answer lies in our continual communion
with Christ, the Bread of Life.

When we partake of the Eucharist, we are not just participating in a
ritual; we are receiving the very life of Christ into our own bodies and
souls. This sacrament nourishes us spiritually, strengthening us for
the journey of faith. It is in the Eucharist that we are most closely
united with Christ. Through the sacrament we are spiritually
renewed and purified, our spirits are lifted, we share a common
experience that unites us. The Spirit within us is renewed and
fortified, and we can then draw on this ‘fuelling up’ to enable us to
show the strength and discernment that Paul pointed out we need in
our lives.

There is a strong and genuine connection between our daily lives
with our work, friends and community and our sacramental lives as
Christians; we draw on the strength of the sacraments to feed and
nurture us. But Jesus is not just present in the sacraments, and in
this place of worship. He is present in every aspect of our lives.

We’re called upon to see the Christ in everyone, and in everything.
Every decision, every interaction, every moment of worship, every
aspect of our lives can become a means of encountering Christ if we
approach that moment with the wisdom and discernment that come
from the Spirit. We may occasionally drop the ball; that’s OK; just
return to the discernment and wisdom offered by the Spirit.

In this way, the wisdom we are called to live by is not separate from
our sacramental life. Rather, it is deeply intertwined. The Eucharist
sustains our walk of faith, filling us with the grace we need to live
wisely in a world that is often dark and confusing.

Our Dandelion Breaks are just a prayer, a thought, an opening up to
the Holy Spirit away from us.

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 Ukraine, Russia, the Gaza Strip and
Israel, but not forgetting conflicts such as those in 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 rebuild our services, especially the
NHS, social care and education, so that they are fit once more to serve all our people. Please help us to do
what we can to help them.

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 we approach 1.5 degrees of
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.
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 all those involved in the Walkley Horticultural Show and Makers’ Market here at the end of the
month. Please help us to participate fully and to use this to help to build a strong and compassionate
community here in Walkley.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

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 employed in the NHS. We pray for all ambulance paramedics, giving thanks for their
service, covering all of Yorkshire. We pray for all A&E staff, from the receptionists to the medical staff and
porters, thanking them for their patience and care. We pray also for all medical and ancillary staff
throughout the hospital and ask that you help them to feel satisfaction in their work.

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 ...

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.

11th August 2024 10.30am – 11th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 11, 2024August 16, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ephesians 4.25-5.2

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

John 6.35 and 6.41-51

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

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

I’d like to begin by asking you all a question, I’m not expecting an answer, it’s more something for you to mull over in your own time. The question is this, “what sort of person do you see yourself as”? I’m pretty sure that most of us like to think that we’re reasonable, honest and decent, maybe kind and compassionate, understanding, perhaps patient and tolerant. We probably hope that others regard us favourably as good or even nice people and it can hurt when we’re misunderstood or misrepresented as somehow being bad people.

What set me thinking about all this was when I first looked at our reading from Ephesians a few weeks ago and the line that stood out to me was the one about anger. I have never considered myself to be a particularly angry person but on reflection I do get riled up at bad or unjust situations. Let’s face it, in our messy, troubled world, there is a lot to get angry about. Perhaps as one commentator put it “there is almost too much to get angry about “ and it can be both exhausting and dispiriting. I’ve always been interested in current and political affairs both at home and throughout the world and sadly there is a great deal that is worrying and distressing. When there seems to be so little that I and most of us can do to change things for the better, I can find myself feeling angry. Now anger at something that is bad or wrong or unjust isn’t necessarily a bad thing; perhaps I should feel angry, but the danger comes when all too easily it tips into being judgmental, especially when I don’t know all the facts or the full story. Fortunately my moments of anger don’t cause me to start attacking others or destroying anything; I generally confine my responses to shouting at the radio or television or discussing the matter with whoever I’m with or writing to the appropriate body. I don’t doubt that there are an awful lot of people who feel and respond similarly. A big problem comes though when angry and frustrated people, who feel they’re not being listened to and their concerns not taken seriously, are hijacked by others with ulterior and malicious motives and whipped into a state of uncontrollable anger which they proceed to act on in some form of violence. We’ve seen some appalling examples of this in our own towns and cities following the truly awful stabbing of some little girls and the adults trying to protect them at a dance class in Southport and the death of three of those little girls. People were rightly appalled and outraged by this but most tried to show their support for those involved by an outpouring of sorrow and prayer. But other used it as an opportunity to foment trouble by misrepresenting the facts and stirring up hatred against groups of people they don’t like.

When I saw the terrible scenes of the riots on the news I almost instinctively thought “what horrible people, why are they behaving so disgustingly and hurting so many others, especially the families of those killed and injured in the Southport incident “? But again I had to pull myself back from being judgmental and seriously ask the question, why? Some of those involved in rioting were of ill intent, others were taking the opportunity for committing crimes, some were enjoying causing trouble and fighting but some were people who wouldn’t ordinarily behave this way. They have legitimate concerns but feel unheard and disregarded. Some, who didn’t actually riot have said as much and that they are tired of being misrepresented as bad people when they try to express their concerns.

It’s easy and tempting to rush to judgment but it’s seldom a good response to any situation. What I have made a conscious effort to do for sometime now is step back from my immediate angry or judgmental feelings and try to see the fuller picture and understand why people are behaving as they do, even if I still profoundly disagree with them. If I still feel anger, at least I’m better informed and have a better understanding and appreciation of what is going on. How can we put things right if our own anger and rash reactions just add more fuel to the fire? If we can all try to step back and take a moment to think before we judge, just maybe we can find some more constructive ways forward.

There are many more people in the places affected by the riots and disorder who have stood against what has been happening and said “not in our name”. They have got together to defend and protect those being targeted and they have cleaned up the mess left behind. They have comforted and cared for each other and shown the best in human nature which is so much stronger and more precious than the worst. I’m heartened by the growing willingness of people to understand that we don’t have to hate, vilify and crush those with whom we don’t agree, in spite of what some would have us believe. This was epitomised by a woman carrying a placard after the riots in Southport which read “Hope not hate” and a group of men from a mosque who offered food and conversation to those demonstrating against them.

In our very troubled world, the advice in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is as desperately relevant and needed as ever so I’m going to end by repeating it. Listen carefully to every line.

“So then, putting away all falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with malice, and be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, you promised through your Son, Jesus Christ, to hear us when
we pray in faith.
We pray for the Church worldwide, that all who profess the Christian faith may work together to
further your kingdom, support others, and bring about peace and cooperation among all people.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the world. We thank you for our wonderful planet, and that we may care for it to pass it
on in good health to future generations. May those fleeing climate change or war always find a
welcome in our own country. We thank you for the Olympic Games which have brought together so
many athletes from all over the world to compete with each other and congratulate each other as
they win medals.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for this City of Sheffield, our community of Walkley, and for all who serve on the Council or
teach in our local schools. We thank you that we are able to provide a local venue for many of the
activities that happen here.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer,

We pray for all who are ill at this time, holding in our hearts those known to us, and those injured in
wars across the Middle East or in Russia or Ukraine. We pray also for those injured in the knife attack
in Southport recently.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who have died, whether recently or many years ago. We pray for all attending the
first funeral today of one of the victims of the stabbings in Southport, Alice, and especially for all the
grieving parents. We pray also for the victims of the plane crash in Brazil, and also those killed in the
recent bombing of Gaza.
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.

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

4th August 2024 10.30am – The Transfiguration – Eucharist

Posted on August 4, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Daniel 7.9-10 and 13-14

As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousand served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement,
and the books were opened.

As I watched in the night visions,
I saw one like a human being
coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion
and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
that shall never be destroyed.

Luke 9.28-36

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

The Prayers

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

Lord of glory, it is good that we are here.
In peace we make our prayer to you.
In trust we confirm our faith in you.
Help us to set our faces steadfastly to where you would have us go.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Lord of glory, look with favour on your Church,
proclaiming your beloved Son to the world
and listening to the promptings of his Spirit.
May she be renewed in holiness that she may reflect your glory.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Lord of glory, look with favour on the nations of the world,
scarred by hatred, strife and war.
May they be healed by the touch of your hand.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Lord of glory, look with favour on those in need and distress,
suffering as your Son has suffered
and waiting for the salvation you promise.
May the day break
and Christ the Morning Star bring them the light of his presence.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

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

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

21st July 2024 10.30am – 8th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on July 21, 2024July 20, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ephesians 2.11-22

So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

Mark 6.30-34 and 53-56

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. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Associate Priest

Ephesians 2.11-22; Mark 6.30-34,53-56

Where do you find God? For many of us, I assume, one answer to that question would be here in church. These walls have been hallowed by the prayers of generations. St Mary’s has hosted countless baptisms, weddings and funeral. Its windows, furnishings and memorials are full of memories and meaning. They encourage us to look up and beyond the everyday. Away from the busyness of life to the eternal. This is a place of sanctuary. Of peace. We gather together in the nave, this upturned boat which is designed to evoke feelings of security and calm. It is a place where we can draw closer to God by hearing and reflecting on God’s word and by sharing in Holy Communion.

Church buildings have an important role in nurturing our faith. But they are not an end in themselves. As you know, I spend much of my time at St John’s Ranmoor. The building is very dear to the hearts of the people who come to it. It is always a pleasure to see the reaction of visitors when they first step through the door. But that reaction, that love, can sometimes run the risk of becoming a bit idolatrous. Worshipping the building rather than the one it points to. On a number of occasions, the congregation of St John’s have had to learn that the church is the people not the building. That lesson came early on in the history of St John’s when it burnt down nine years after it first opened. When I first arrived in Ranmoor six years ago the church building had been closed for nine months after a fall of plaster from the ceiling. The congregation worshipped in the parish centre. That wasn’t easy. People had a profound sense of loss at not being able to gather in the church building. But they would also say that they learned from that experience. There is less space in the parish centre so people got to know each other better during that time. It reminded them again that the church is not the building but the people of God. That was a lesson brought home to us by Bishop Pete at my induction. One of the readings from that service came from our first reading for today: St Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. Paul writes: So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God. The church is the people of God, built together spiritually with Jesus as the cornerstone into a dwelling place for God.

I think that’s a lesson that the congregation at St John’s will be reminded of again and again. It is something that we will be forced to reflect on in the coming years as we embark on a major building project. Unfortunately, St John’s church spire is in a rather parlous state. It is crumbling on the inside. In order to obtain the funds needed to repair it, we will have to make it much more available to the community. And that may well mean taking out the pews to create a more flexible space for different activities. And that will be hard for some. But we keep reminding ourselves that the church is not the building but the people of God. And the church does not stand still. We are people of the way, not the destination.

Some of us will find God very much in others. We love to be around people. We find them energising. We can see Christ in others. To use another of Paul’s metaphors, we are all members of the body of Christ and can appreciate the gifts that other parts of the body can bring. That’s partly why we gather together as a community to worship God. But again, that’s not the whole of the story. People can be annoying or tiring or confusing. In our Gospel reading, we heard that the crowds followed Jesus wherever he went. He was a celebrity. And Jesus’ had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. But Jesus also knew that he could not just constantly teach and heal and care for the people who came to him. He needed to recharge his batteries from time to time. And he knew that the disciples needed to take time out as well. So he encouraged them from time to time to come away to a deserted pace by themselves and rest a while. To find space. To be rather than do.

We all need to take time out from time to time. We all need to get away. Have a rest. A change of scene. And I’m sure we all have different ideas about what that might look like. Some of us might fancy an all inclusive cruise with thousands of people. Others might imagine going to a deserted beach or island. But these opportunities to do something different are not just times of escape or absence. They can also be times of encounter. Times when the normal busyness of life with all its background noise subsides and God can get a word in edgeways. A rather extreme example for me is when I spend six days travelling on a lorry in Sudan when I was nineteen. I had been ill and was feeling rather low. But it was only then that I was really able to listen to God and it was in that situation that I felt able to hear the beginnings of a call to be a priest.

The Bible is full of examples of times when people encountered God in empty spaces. We think of Abraham talking to God in the desert under the stars. Or Moses coming across God in the burning bush. Or Jacob wrestling with the angel by the Jabok River. Jesus had some of his most important encounters in the wilderness and on mountain tops. Though the Temple was important to him as it was to all Jews, it was also a place of danger, corruption and political intrigue. Though it was God’s footstool on earth, God was often much more present elsewhere.

All of us will find God in different places and in different ways. And Christian discipleship is partly about learning where we can draw close to him. Where the thin places are. And just showing up. At this time of the year we tend to think a lot about taking time out. Time for rest and refreshment. Holidays which were once known as holy days. We all need to come away from time to time. But we should not imagine that by coming away from our normal routine, we can come away from God. Quite the reverse in fact. As we take our rest in these days of summer, it may be that we find God in new and unexpected places.

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine

Jesus Christ, cornerstone of the church, we pray for your church worldwide. We give thanks for the ministry of those recently ordained priest or deacon, and for those soon to be licenced as lay ministers. We think of all who faithfully give time week by week to their local churches in however ordinary a way, so that our buildings and communities can offer a welcome to all.
Hear us, Lord of life:
heal us, and give us rest.

Jesus Christ reconciler of the nations, who brought Jew and Gentile together as one, we pray for our world. We think of all those places where there is hatred, conflict or exploitation. We pray for people caught up in war and famine and for those suffering as a result of unwise, uncaring or malicious political actions. We continue to remember the people of Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Gaza, Yemen and other places of unrest.
Hear us, Lord of life:
heal us, and give us rest.

Jesus Christ who cared about both friend and stranger, we pray for our local area, our friends, families and neighbours. We remember children, young people and teachers as the schools close for the summer holidays, that they might find rest and refreshment. We think of those families struggling to feed their children or find childcare over the summer and pray for all volunteers who give their time to provide holiday clubs or food-banks.
Hear us, Lord of life:
heal us, and give us rest.

Jesus Christ, healer of the sick, we pray for all who are unwell or struggling at this time. We ask that they might feel your love and strength through their time of ill-health, frailty or other difficulty. We pray for all who care for a relative or friend. In a few moments’ quiet we think of those known to us in particular who need our prayers.
Hear us, Lord of life:
heal us, and give us rest.

Jesus Christ comforter of the bereaved, we remember those who have died and all who mourn their loss. We pray in particular for..., and in a few moments quiet, we remember others known to us who are no longer with us.
Hear us, Lord of life:
heal us, and give us rest.

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

14th July 2024 10.30am – 7th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on July 14, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 12.9-16

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Matthew 28.16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

In our service this morning we are celebrating two sacraments – Baptism and
the Eucharist – as our Lord told us to do.

Baptism is a once in a lifetime sacrament. The Eucharist we celebrate every
Sunday.

I’ve said the word ‘sacrament’ a couple of times. Let’s pause for a moment
and think about what it means to speak about ‘sacraments’.

When I was a little older than Zoë and Asrai here – about a hundred years
ago – when I was about 12 years old, I was taught in the Sunday School I
went to, something called the Catechism. The Catechism was a series of
questions and answers about Christian faith and life which you learnt by
heart. The teacher would ask the question and you would recite the answer,
exactly as set out on the page.

The first question was dead easy. It was: What is your Name? You said your
name.

The second question was trickier. It was: Who gave you this Name? And the
answer was, My godfathers and godmothers in my Baptism.

A later question was: What meanest thou by this word Sacrament?

And the answer was: I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and
spiritual grace.

An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.

There are then two parts to the sacrament.

A sacrament has an outward and visible sign – something you can see that is
external to you – something visible. In the case of Baptism that’s water. No
water, no baptism.

In the case of the Eucharist it’s the bread and wine. Something we can see.
But in each case, what is external also has an inward aspect. It affects us,
spiritually, emotionally. Or to use Christian language, we make way for the
Holy Spirit to come to us.

One way of understanding why Jesus gave us sacraments might be this.

Last week I went to visit three of my grandchildren who live near Winchester
– in the deep south. I took each of them a small present. The present had no
great monetary value. It was an outward and visible sign of my grandfartherly
love for them. What they received outwardly was a little gift. As they did so,
what they received inwardly was that love. It was a sacramental act – the
present was an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.
Of course, I didn’t have to take a present. I could just have said ‘Love you’.

But we human beings are not pure spirits. We are embodied creatures,
material, physical creatures, and sometimes we need that bodily
reassurance. This is why we give presents or bestow kisses or hugs. We are
material, embodied beings. This is surely why our Lord gave us these two
sacraments.

So, we shall baptise Toby and his and Rayna’s two daughters, Asrai and Zoë.
They will receive the outward and visible sign – water – of God’s inward and
spiritual grace – his abiding love for them.

Wherever life may take them and whatever may befall them, they will meet
that future as baptised Christians. No one can take that from them. We pray
that knowing that will be their anchor through all the days and years ahead.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

Jesus, light of the world,
bring the light and peace of your gospel to the nations.
We pray that the hearts of those who look to violence may be turned to peace, and swords beaten into ploughshares.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, bread of life, give food to the hungry and nourish us all with your word.
We pray for all those whose lack food, shelter, warmth and safety.
May we work for a just sharing of resources.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, our way, our truth, our life,
be with us and all who follow you in the way.
We give thanks for Zoë, Asrai and Toby, baptised this morning, and for Jacob, to be baptised this afternoon.
Deepen our appreciation of your truth and fill us with your life.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, Good Shepherd who gave your life for the sheep,
recover the straggler, bind up the injured, strengthen the sick
and lead the healthy and strong to new pastures.
We give thanks for all who care for and heal others.
May we share in a ministry of loving service to those in need.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, the resurrection and the life,
we give you thanks for all whom we have loved and who have shaped our lives and our faith.
Raise us with them to eternal life.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

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

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

7th July 2024 10.30am – 6th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on July 7, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

2 Corinthians 12.2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Mark 6.1-13

He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe.

Lord, we pray for humility, that we may boast not in our own
abilities, but in our weaknesses, knowing that Your power rests upon
us. In our trials, let us find comfort in Your presence and rejoice in
our sufferings, for when we are weak, then we are strong in You.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

We pray all those wounded, suffering, imprisoned and displaced in
Gaza, that the current crisis may be brought to a just and peaceful
conclusion. We pray for those who have died in this conflict, and the
wider conflicts in the Middle East. We pray for the people of Ukraine
and Russia and hope for a just and peaceful resolution to that
conflict.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of
Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. As we reach the end of
the Walkley Festival, we thank you for the work of all those involved
in developing and growing our community.
We pray for those elected to Parliament on Thursday, and we also
pray that our new Government will act with compassion, justice and
skill to resolve the many issues that our country suffers from at this
time.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for those currently close to death, and those accompanying
them on this final part of their Earthly journey. We pray for those
who have died, recently and in the past, and those who mourn. We
pray for Tony Thorpe and his family at this time, and in a few
moment of silence we bring those departed in our own lives before
you.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

Finally, Lord, we silently bring before you those special to us, and
those issues and concerns that we have in our own lives.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

St Marys Walkley

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

Category: Sermons

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1st September 2024 10.30am – 14th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

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18th August 2024 10.30am – 12th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

11th August 2024 10.30am – 11th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

4th August 2024 10.30am – The Transfiguration – Eucharist

21st July 2024 10.30am – 8th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

14th July 2024 10.30am – 7th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

7th July 2024 10.30am – 6th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Mark 6.1-13