‘Happy Fathers Day’ – 20th June 2021 – 3rd Sunday after Trinity

Posted on June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Job 38.1-11

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

‘Or who shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb?—
when I made the clouds its garment,
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed bounds for it,
and set bars and doors,
and said, “Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stopped”?

Mark 4.35-41

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

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

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

In the not too distant past, when we had more actual bookshops including the Christian Literature shop, where we could enjoy browsing real books and the other items they stocked, I occasionally used to buy some of the little cards with interesting verses or prayers or sayings on them. They can be quite comforting or inspiring or encouraging and last week a few words from one of them came to mind as I struggled to relate our readings from Job & Mark to the fact that today is Father’s Day. The verse went something like “don’t give up though the going seems slow, for you may succeed with another go” and so it proved to be. In fact it has been true of the whole process of writing this sermon. I’ve really had to beat it into shape! I knew that I wanted to speak about fathers and indeed the importance of all people in parental type roles but somehow it just wasn’t coming together in a meaningful or coherent way or saying what I wanted to say. However, I stuck at it and gave the readings another go and then with the passage from Job, the penny suddenly dropped and I could see the relevance. What a relief!

God, the Father, is speaking to Job, one of his children, and by the sound of it, he seems to be really putting him in his place. I suppose it depends how you read the passage and where you put emphasis on the words but the way it sounded to me indicated that God was not entirely happy or impressed. “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements- surely you know! Not a talking to you’d want to be on the receiving end of and by the end of it, some 71 verses later, I imagine Job was pretty uncomfortable and shamefaced.

I found the story of Job a very difficult one to read and I have to admit that he’s a character I have a lot of sympathy with. Perhaps this was partly because at the time when I read it, I could identify with his efforts to do the right things, only to be met with one disaster and disappointment after another. He isn’t perfect, none of us are, but he tries to be faithful and good but eventually, after many painful trials and tests he begins to crack and challenge God about the unfairness of what is happening to him. The response he gets is probably not what he was hoping for. What God is effectively saying is “Who are you to speak of what you don’t know or understand?”

The brief passage we’ve heard demonstrates the relationship between parents and children very well. Children don’t always appreciate that parents know and understand far more than they do and that this usually comes from wisdom acquired through life experience. Being told that an unpopular decision is “for your own good“ doesn’t necessarily make it more palatable or easy to accept though. Children may feel that the parental figure doesn’t acknowledge or understand their situation or point of view and they often feel aggrieved about this. I’m sure we can all remember such feelings when as young people we couldn’t get our own way. What we probably didn’t realise at the time, is just how hard it can be, to be the one having to disappoint or say no.

The importance of good role models in the form of parental figures cannot be overstated and just as we celebrate mother figures so we should celebrate father figures too. Whether as fathers, grandfathers, Godfathers, stepfathers, uncles or friends, all have a part to play in nurturing and developing and inspiring those who need their loving care and guidance. Perhaps at this point I should say that I’m well aware that these relationships aren’t always easy; not everyone has a good relationship with their father, some fathers find their role difficult, I’m sure they all do at times, or they may feel inadequate. For many men who long to be fathers, it doesn’t always happen and they have to find other ways to play a fatherly role. However they may feel about their situation though, they all have the potential to play a very positive and important part in the lives of the children who look up to them and depend on them. I’m sure Joseph’s experience of fatherhood was not quite what he thought it would be but without his faithful and loving care, what would have become of Jesus?

It may seem obvious for young people as they are growing up but in truth we all continue to need and benefit from good role models throughout our lives. My own dad died nearly fourteen years ago and I still miss his wisdom, huge enthusiasm and encouragement, especially when we were working together on a new project. I miss being able to ask his advice and to talk things over with him, likewise with my mum and other family and friends who have died. I’m sure you all have people who were special to you whose loving guidance and support you miss.

That said, as adults we are usually the ones with the life experience and the wisdom and the ones making decisions so it can be hard to find ourselves in what can feel like a “junior” role, especially if the person we feel “junior” to is younger than we are. Maybe it’s not so strange with people like doctors and other health professionals or others who are trained in their particular fields but at other times it doesn’t sit so well with us. But in truth we shouldn’t be too proud or stubborn to learn from or be guided by anyone who has more knowledge and wisdom than we do, regardless of age or any other factor. As a nurse I remember learning a lot from auxiliaries and technicians who I was supposedly senior to and let’s be honest, when anything computer or tech related goes wrong, most of us are thinking “where’s a young person when you need one to fix it”!

We need a degree of humility to recognise and accept when we are the ones needing guidance and support and this is especially so in our relationship with God. As with Job, we may not always find some of God’s promptings entirely comfortable, indeed they may very challenging, painful and costly. However worldly wise we think we are, whether we are nine, nineteen, fifty nine or ninety nine we are never too young or old to be in need of God our Father’s loving and guiding presence in our lives.

So to God and to all of you who have loving fatherly roles, I’d like to say thank you for all the good that you do, and Happy Father’s Day.

The Prayers
Prepared by David, adapted from Common Worship.

We pray for the flourishing of God’s gifts to his Church, saying:
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

God our Father, you give us gifts that we may work together
in the service of your Son:
bless the leaders of your Church, our Bishops, Pete and Sophie,
that they may be firm in faith,
and humble before you.
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Bless those who teach, who break open God’s word in preaching
that they may increase our understanding,
and be open to your word for them.
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Bless those who minister healing during this time of pandemic
that they may bring wholeness to others,
yet know your healing in themselves.
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Bless those through whom you speak, prophets and the voices crying out in the wilderness
that they may proclaim your word in power,
yet open their ears to your gentle whisper.
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Bless those who work in your world today,
that in the complexity of their daily lives
they may live for you, fulfil your purposes,
and seek your kingdom first.
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

Bless those who are uncertain of their gifts
and those who are powerless in this world’s eyes,
that they may be made strong in your gift of the Holy Spirit.
Lord of the Church,
in your mercy hear us.

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

‘The parable of the growing seed’ – 13th June 2021 – 2nd Sunday after Trinity

Posted on June 13, 2021June 12, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ezekiel 17.22-end

Thus says the Lord God:
I myself will take a sprig
from the lofty top of a cedar;
I will set it out.
I will break off a tender one
from the topmost of its young twigs;
I myself will plant it
on a high and lofty mountain.
On the mountain height of Israel
I will plant it,
in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,
and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live;
in the shade of its branches will nest
winged creatures of every kind.
All the trees of the field shall know
that I am the Lord.
I bring low the high tree,
I make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree
and make the dry tree flourish.
I the Lord have spoken;
I will accomplish it.

Mark 4.26-34

Jesus also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’

He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

The Sermon
By Joe P, a Reader at St Marys.

May I speak in the name of the father, son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Earlier this US Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert asked the following question during a congressional hearing:

"I was informed by the immediate past director of NASA that they've found that the moon's orbit is changing slightly and so is the Earth's orbit around the sun. We know there's been significant solar flare activity, and so, is there anything that the National Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management can do to change the course of the moon's orbit or the Earth's orbit around the sun? Obviously, that would have profound effects on our climate."

In other words, he seems to believe that we might be able to fix the damage that we have done to the climate via technology.

Unfortunately for the Congressman, it doesn’t work like that. Complex technical fixes and interventions are often popular because they offer a way of fixing things that often doesn’t involve changes to our lifestyles. But Creation has it’s own rules, that we often don’t fully understand, and, as Richard Feynman said ‘Nature cannot be fooled.’

And we are creatures of God’s Creation, and as such, we work within those rules – even when we are bringing about the Kingdom of God.

Today’s readings both emphasise the very organic nature of bringing the Kingdom of God in to being. After all, an omnipotent God could choose to bring about His Kingdom in an instant, but the theme that keeps recurring through scripture – not just in today’s readings – is the sense of the Kingdom of God being cultivated into being, grown with time and love, not just zapped in to existence.

Both Old and New Testament writings draw heavily on agricultural metaphors. We are told be stewards of creation; we are reminded that there are appropriate times for sowing and reaping. Jesus’s parables are particularly rich in terms of these stories – He teaches using images and ideas that would be meaningful to His audience.

This morning I want to focus on the first part of our Gospel reading – the Parable of the Growing Seed:

“He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

This parable occurs just after the ‘Parable of the Sower’, in which we hear the story of the man sowing seeds on to different types of soil – some good soil, some thorny, some rocky. Jesus explains that parable by telling the disciples that the seed represents the Gospel, the sower represents anyone who proclaims it, and the various soils represent people's responses to it.

This parable is about the growth of the Kingdom of God; it’s therefore clear that it’s related to the ‘Parable of the Sower’, but puts a different emphasis on it. It’s a parable that is only to be found in the Gospel according to Mark, and there are a number of interpretations around it. Although it seems to be related to the Parable of the Sower, it doesn’t immediately follow it; the parable of hiding your light under a bushel separates the two.

Some commentators say that the sower referred to is Jesus himself, based mainly on the interpretation that if the sowing of the seed represents the seeding and growth of faith, then the person reaping the ripened grain of faith at the end can only be the Lord.
I’m not sure about this; I like to think that this parable is a lot more general in it’s application.

So, what do we have.

We have a sower – someone spreading seed, who after spreading the seed in what is clearly fertile soil, then leaves the seed to it’s own devices in the natural scheme of things. He doesn’t know HOW the seed grows; he just gets on with the rest of his life whilst this minor miracle of creation unfolds beneath the soil, eventually resulting the plants growing and achieving maturity in their own time.
We have the seed; this can be seen to be the word of the Gospel leading to the Kingdom of God.

We have the soil itself; it’s good soil, receptive soil, soil that is allowing growth. I like to think of this as the good soil described in the Parable of the Sower. This soil can be seen as the heart, mind and soul of someone who is at least somewhat receptive to the Word of the Gospel, and hence is open to having the Kingdom of God start to grow within them.

Even when the sower is sleeping or dealing with the rest of their lives the seed starts to grow; the Kingdom of God is growing, at a rate and by a means set by God, not man.

The writer George Knight has suggested that this parable:

“serves as a "correction provided for any ancient or modern disciples who might be feeling discouraged with the amount of fruitless labour they had extended toward those" who failed to hear the message of which the parable of the Sower spoke.”

In other words, the Parable might be a means of telling the disciples that whilst they may teach the Gospel, and spread the seed of the Kingdom of God in the hearts and minds of people, the growth of that seed is still in God’s hands, not theirs.

Perhaps a useful reminder to us Readers who are often said to be in the ‘Preaching and Teaching’ ministry. And it’s a valuable reminder about Evangelism in it’s broadest terms; we may put the Word of God before people, but how and when faith emerges is not in our hands.

The Apostle Paul felt this as well.

Look what he has to say about the Church in Corinth, when he writes in the first letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 3 verse 6:

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

The growth of the Kingdom of God in Corinth is God’s work; Paul and Apollos were just workers in the field.

The seeds of my own faith were initially sown by my Aunty Harriet when I was a child. It’s safe to say that the seed lay for a while – about forty years – before God prodded it to life. Aunty Harriet died back in 1983; she didn’t see how the seeding the Kingdom of God within me would unfold. And we still don’t know what God has in store for me – or for any of us.

But remember the sower; you never know how and when the seeds YOU cast to others in your life will be contributing to the growth of the Kingdom.

Have faith that God will work on those seeds in His time, to His plan, and for His greater glory.
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, we bring before you the needs of the world, in particular those countries where people are in greatest need due to war, illness and oppression. Give wisdom to the leaders of the world’s richest nations, currently meeting in Cornwall, to make decisions which will address these problems and share resources to help our fellow human beings, all of whom are your children.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide, that it may be a force for good. We pray for church leaders of all denominations that they may always seek to spread the teachings of Christ that we should seek to serve You by serving our neighbours, most particularly those in need. We pray for our Archbishops, our diocesan Bishops Pete and Sophie, and all working in parishes to witness to your word. Especially we pray for members of this church and St Mark’s and St John’s as we work together in partnership in this part of Sheffield.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our community of Walkley, and all the people working to revive our shops and businesses after the difficult times over the last year and a half. We thank you for all who work to build up our sense of community, at the library, keeping our green open spaces and gardens beautiful, and so making this a welcoming place for newcomers.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are unwell at this time, who are stressed because of economic insecurity, who are awaiting overdue treatment because of the pressures on the NHS due to corona virus, and those people who are beginning to become infected again. We ask you to be with them and all the medical and nursing staff and care workers, as they try to deal with the pressures of the last year and longer. May they all know your healing grace. In a moment of quiet we pray for those known to us….
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We remember before you all who are approaching the end of their earthly life, and those who have gone before us in the peace of Christ. We remember by name those we loved and see no more………
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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

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

‘The Lens of Goodness’ – 6th June 2021 – 1st Sunday after Trinity

Posted on June 6, 2021June 6, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Genesis 3.8-15

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.’ Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent tricked me, and I ate.’ The Lord God said to the serpent,
‘Because you have done this,
cursed are you among all animals
and among all wild creatures;
upon your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.’

Mark 3.20-35

and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

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

The Sermon
by Revd Cate Thompson

It’s an inevitability of faith that we will encounter doubt – in fact, I would argue that doubt plays a necessary role in the cycle of belief and unbelief that draws us deeper into understanding.

But we aren’t alone in our questioning – Jesus’ claims were (and still are!) radical. A carpenter from Nazareth, a wandering Galilean is starting a movement, drawing crowds to see him heal the sick, perform miracles, cast out demons… and hear him teach with authority about the will and Kingdom of God. He is gathering Disciples and declaring that they now share this same authority.

Who is this man to make such claims?

How did he go from craftsman to rabbi?

Why should we listen to him – the carpenter – over the religious leaders with all their study and education?

Even his family – who would have heard him speak with wisdom from his early years (enough to astonish the teachers in the temple in Jerusalem) – cannot grasp this sudden claim to authority, this sudden move to action – a change dramatic enough that people are saying that he’s having what we’d now call some sort of episode.

Scribes have come all the way from Jerusalem to investigate and conclude that he must be possessed. But Jesus responds calmly and logically: what purpose would there be for the power of a demon to cast out demons?

In the face of this doubt, Jesus’ response is as to say: look at my actions - are they the product of love, of peace, of justice, of joy? Do they bear the fruits of the Spirit? If you doubt my origins, then trust the goodness of my actions. Doubt me, but do not doubt the Spirit.

Then if you trust in the Spirit, you can trust me.

This is the line of thought that I find helps me most when I find myself doubting. When I find it hard to believe, it is my trust in the goodness of the faith that carries me through until I can believe again.

It is the goodness of Jesus that says to me, ‘even if he isn’t the Son of God, even if there isn’t a God - this way of living, of treating people, of acting is good.’

And this lens of goodness also helps me interpret the faith – it is the question I ask when I encounter something I don’t understand or find difficult to believe: is it good? Because if it is good, if it demonstrates the fruits of the Spirit, then I can trust that it is consistent with the God of love and goodness. But if the answer to ‘but is it good?’ is no, then just maybe it is something to be challenged.

In doing this we, like Paul, are looking beyond the now and towards the divine – beyond the temporary corruptions of human stumbling to the eternal truths of God: of love, of peace, of justice, and of joy. These are the values to which we aspire, and which speak of the Spirit in our lives.

And it is this lens of interpretation that causes me to be passionate about justice and active about inclusion. I look at the systematic racism in our world, in our church, see that it is not good, and know this is not of God. I look at the growing divide between rich and poor, see that it is not good, and know this is not of God. I look at the stigmatisation of LGBTQIA+ people, see that it is not good, and know this is not of God. I look at the destruction of our environment, see that it is not good, and know this is not of God. …and I could go on.

But it doesn’t stop at recognising what is good and what is not – it can’t.

As Jesus says look at my actions to see that I am good, so our actions must reflect that goodness. We must seek to transform the unjust structures, to respond to human need through loving service, to safeguard creation – as through these actions we proclaim the Gospel, the Good News of God’s redeeming love.

Let us pray,

Help us, Good Lord, to trust in your goodness:

when we doubt,

when we praise,

when we hope.

In our questioning, may we be drawn ever deeper into knowledge and love of you,

that we may understand your goodness and embrace your eternal truths

of love, justice, peace, and joy.

May this be the lens through which we see the world

and interpret our faith.

And may our actions reflect your goodness

as we seek to transform this world to good.

We ask all this for the sake of your redeeming love.

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe.

We pray for God’s Church throughout the world. We pray for our
Archbishops Justin and Stephen, for Bishop Pete and Bishop
Sophie, all here who lead us in worship and prayer, and all those
whose time and talents are given to St Mary’s and our sister
Churches. We pray that we, and all of our brothers and sisters
in Christ throughout the world, continue to be aware of your
presence in our lives.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all those in authority, and those who have influence
in the world, that their power and voices be used
compassionately for the good of all. As the G7 governments
prepare to gather together, we pray that they will make
decisions that are just, compassionate and forward-thinking.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of
Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. As the country
prepares for a further relaxation of Covid restrictions later this
month, we pray that levels of the illness can be kept under
control. We pray for those employed in hospitality and other
business areas that have been seriously affected in the last year.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or
spirit. We pray that God’s power and spirit will fill them and
bring them the healing and peace that belong to Christ’s
kingdom.
We also pray for those involved in delivering the vaccination
programme, and those clinicians and scientists who have made
vaccination possible. We pray that steps are taken to ensure
that the poor of the world are not forgotten at this time.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those 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 those who have died without the comfort of their family
around them, that they were comforted by the presence of the
Lord.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

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

Rejoicing in the communion of Mary 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

‘God is like a Shamrock’ – 30th May 2021 – Trinity Sunday

Posted on May 30, 2021May 29, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 6.1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

John 3.1-17

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

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

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

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

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

I’m generally fairly oblivious about dates and special occasions. By this I mean that apart from Christmas and New Year, I tend to not realise that a particular date may be a bank holiday or festival or when we mark something or someone. In the past this has made me less than popular at home when I’ve not thought to request time off work. And it’s been the case with today because until a few weeks ago I hadn’t realised that today is Trinity Sunday. It was only in a chance conversation with my friend Joe about a month ago when I said I was preaching on the 30th May he said “Oh, Trinity Sunday” and then he indicated that it was a great opportunity to almost certainly commit some form of heresy, indeed that it would be almost impossible not to. Immediately a number of thoughts sprang into my mind and I decided that rather than tie myself in knots trying to avoid saying anything out of order, I’d jump straight in with both feet, get the potential heresy out of the way then we could all relax. So here goes!

One of the funniest descriptions of the Trinity I’ve ever come across was in a film called Nuns on the Run. If you have never seen it and you’re in need of a good laugh I would thoroughly recommend it. In it two gangsters, played by Robbie Coltrane & Eric Idle, are trying to escape from some other gangsters, from whom they have stolen some money, and in desperation they dive into a laundry that happens to be part of a convent and they don very old fashioned full length nun’s habits. They successfully evade the other gangsters but quickly get spotted by the nuns and have to pass themselves off as visitors from another convent. They’re given hospitality but also invited to teach a class of teenage girls about the Trinity. Sister Euphemia of the five wounds (Eric Idle) tells Sister Inviolata of the Immaculate Conception (Robbie Coltrane) that he knows absolutely nothing about the Trinity and has no idea what to say. Sister Inviolata, remembering what he had been taught by his old priest tells him to think of God like a shamrock with three leaves on one stem representing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately things don’t go according to plan in the lesson and Sister Euphemia gets flustered by the girl’s questions about the Trinity and in panic he says “God is like a shamrock, small, green and split three ways. Class dismissed!” and he makes a run for it before he can be grilled any further on the topic.

Hilarious as this is, it highlights the fact that the Trinity is a very difficult concept to understand let alone explain to anyone else, even for those of us who come to church regularly. So I looked up some definitions. According to the Britannica website “Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The doctrine of Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God”. Another from The Gathering Community says “The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct persons – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person.” There is also a diagram which is rather helpful. It shows that although God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Father is not the Son or the Holy Spirit, the Son is not the Father or the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son, each is a distinct entity but all are inhabited by God. It can still sound a bit beyond us though. In fact I think the harder we try to explain it the more potential for confusion there is. To bring it down to more human terms I remember a friend telling me that the way she thought about it was that she was a daughter, a mother and a grandmother; one person with three distinct roles or aspects of herself.

In reality we all have multiple roles through which we relate to others in different ways so maybe it shouldn’t be so hard to grasp that God relates to us in different ways. It’s just a personal impression but I think there are times when we can feel closer to God as either the Father or Jesus or the Holy Spirit depending on what is going on in our lives or perhaps we as individuals are more attuned to one of these. For me personally I tend to talk to the Father most of the time but there have been times when I have felt the closer presence of Jesus. I note that some of my friends obviously sense the work of the Holy Spirit and trust that he or she will support them through life’s twists and turns.

One more snippet from the internet that made me smile and feel a bit better about not being an expert was this. “The Trinity is a controversial doctrine; many Christians admit that they don’t understand it, while many more Christians don’t understand it but think they do.” On balance, I think I’d rather admit to being one of the former.

As our reading from Isaiah seems to indicate; we may not feel worthy to be God’s messengers but by his grace we can have a role to play. Perhaps by being open and honest about finding some aspects of the Trinity hard to grasp, we may give others the courage to at least give it a hearing. Admitting that we cannot and do not know and understand everything about God is a not a weakness or a failing. Perhaps it’s a saving grace.

The Prayers
Prepared by David C.

We come boldly to the throne of grace,
praying to the almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
for mercy and grace.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Father of heaven, whose love profound
a ransom for our souls has found:
We pray for the world, created by your love,
for its nations and governments …
Extend to them your peace, pardoning love, mercy and grace.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Almighty Son, incarnate Word,
our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord:
We pray for the Church, created for your glory,
for its ministry to reflect those works of yours …
Extend to us your salvation, growth, mercy and grace.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Eternal Spirit, by whose breath
the soul is raised from sin and death:
We pray for families and individuals, created in your image,
for the lonely, the bereaved, the sick and the dying …
Breathe on them the breath of life
and bring them to your mercy and grace.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Thrice holy! Father, Spirit, Son,
Mysterious Godhead, Three in One:
We pray for ourselves,
for your Church, for all whom we remember before you.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Bring us all to bow before your throne in heaven,
to receive life and pardon, mercy and grace for all eternity,
as we worship you, saying,
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

‘The Spirit gives voice’ – 23rd May 2021 – Pentecost

Posted on May 23, 2021May 22, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 2.1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

John 15.26-27, 16.4b-15

‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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

Once upon a time, all the people of the world spoke one language. They settled in the land of Shinar and started to build a great city, with a tower that reached the heavens. They worried that if they didn’t make a name for themselves, they would be scattered across the whole earth. God saw this and thought “If they can build this, there will be no limit to what humans will achieve. So I will confuse their language”. And so it was. The people were scattered far and wide, their greatest fear realised. The city and tower remained unfinished. It became known as Babel, which means “to confuse”.

The Hebrew people told this story to try to explain why communication can be hard: “We speak different languages and don’t understand each other. When we can’t communicate effectively the other person or nation becomes different, inferior, threatening. We get scared, we dehumanise the other, we fight. Was there once a golden age when everyone could be understood? Perhaps human pride and ambition led to this breakdown in human communication and co-operation!”

Some commentators suggest that the story of Pentecost provides a counterbalance to the story of Babel.

Jesus’ disciples had experienced something incredible. Their friend and teacher had been brutally executed as a criminal. But God had raised him from the dead. He’d appeared among them again. He wanted them to share this good news. And they wanted to share it. But it’s difficult to do this if you don’t speak the same language. And the people of Jerusalem came from many nations and spoke many languages. But then came the miracle at Pentecost. God’s Spirit came down in the form of a great wind and tongues of fire and rested upon Jesus’ disciples. Immediately they spoke out, praising God and his great acts of power. A crowd gathered, amazed that each could understand these Galileans in their own language.

The early Hebrew storytellers imagined a golden age where everyone spoke one language. The danger of linking the stories of Babel and Pentecost is to imagine that God does indeed want us to speak one language. But history has shown that this belief can have devastating consequences.

Language is vital to communication. But it also shapes a community’s identity and tells its story. When the early Puritan settlers arrived in America, they made great efforts to convert the native Americans to Christianity. In the Spirit of the Pentecost story, some of them translated the King James Bible into the native languages.

But overall, the settlers and their descendants did not respect the native people. They took over the land, forcing the native people to move on to reservations. Over time, the native ways of life, their customs and languages dwindled and died out. English became the one language, even among the native peoples. They were uprooted. They were diminished. Generations were traumatised. They had lost nearly all sense of who they were.

A recent radio programme interviewed a woman from the Mashpee Wampanaog tribe of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She is part of a project aiming to reclaim the tribe’s heritage, and her role is to teach its language in schools. Recovering the Wampanoag language is a vital part of restoring the tribe’s sense of identity and self-worth. Ironically the main resource that has helped the language to live again has been the very translation of the Bible made by the 17th Century missionaries. Written down phonetically, as the language was actually spoken, it has enabled 21st century learners to pronounce the words just as their ancestors did.

The Holy Spirit enabled the pilgrim fathers to translate the Gospel message into the native languages of America. They may never have imagined that in doing so, they would provide later Native American generations with the means of recovering their language, their sense of identity and their voice.

If you learn someone’s language, you can make yourself understood. But if you learn someone’s language, it says something much more powerful. It says to the other person “You matter. You have value just as you are.” It says “I am interested in learning about you, your story and your culture. And I am interested in what your voice might have to say to me”.

The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to communicate in the languages of others. Communicating the Gospel message was never about insisting on one language. Unless, of course, that language was love.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica H.

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

O God, the creator and preserver of us all, we pray for all your people throughout the world at this time especially where the pandemic is particularly strong in places like India and Yemen. Guide those in authority to work in partnership with all, especially the poorer parts of the world, to share the vaccines that are being developed. Guide them also to seek peace where there is war, especially in the Middle East, support the cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians, and bring aid to all who are suffering where there is conflict or natural disaster.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

At this time of Pentecost we pray for the Church worldwide, for our Archbishops, for Bishops Pete and Sophie in our Diocese, and all clergy and lay people working in their communities witnessing to your love to all your people. May the power of the Holy Spirit move all Christians to seek to live according to the teachings of Christ, and work together for the good of all the peoples of the world.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our city and community. We pray that you will inspire successful new councillors, Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners with wisdom and common sense to work for the good of all in their community. We give thanks for all the volunteers who give their time to provide support to NHS workers delivering the vaccine programme. We ask your blessing on teachers and children, now back in school, trying to catch up after all the disruption of the last year.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, suffering from corona virus or other conditions, who have had to wait longer for treatment than normal. Be with them all, and all who work in the NHS, that they may know your care and healing grace. In a moment of quiet we remember by name those known to us who are suffering at this time.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the peace of Christ. Grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom. In a moment of quiet we remember those we have known and loved.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary and all your saints we commend ourselves and all creation to your unfailing love.

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

‘Glimpses of the Sacred’ – 16th May 2021 – The 7th Sunday of Easter

Posted on May 16, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 1.15-17, 21-end

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people) and said, ‘Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus— for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.’
So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

John 17.6-19

Jesus said, ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

The Sermon
By Siobhan H, Reader at St Mary's.

Glimpses of the Sacred

‘All mine are yours’
‘Keep them’
‘Protect them in my name’
‘So I send them into the world’

These were the phrases which jumped out for me when I first read the Gospel passage we have heard this morning.

In it, Jesus intercedes to his Father on behalf of his disciples. We witness Jesus’ encouragement of them not to dwell in feelings of abandonment or despair, but to hope in the assurances of Jesus’ continuing presence with them. Through the words “keep them” and “protect them”, he reveals his love and commitment to them.
We too are assured in this prayer that each of us belong to Jesus and of his continuing presence with us.

Jesus also tells his disciples to be his hands and feet in the ordinariness of the world and this applies to us too. There is no promise in Jesus’ prayer that as we engage with the world we will be free of illness, suffering, pain or physical death. There is though, the assurance nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

We are all God’s children.
We are all held and protected in God’s name.
We are all sent into the world to live and work to the glory of his name.

For me it is important to set this passage in the context that prior to this prayer Jesus had just instituted the sharing of bread and wine in remembrance of him. It is my belief communion strengthens and sustains us as a way of receiving the love of Jesus deep within us. Over the years communion has led me to recognise grace can be found in both the joys and the sorrows of life.

When I was licensed as a chaplain I promised, with God’s help, to exercise a ministry which serves the whole institution in which I am employed, to be out in the world, to live in the midst of struggle, and to embody the divine attributes of love, compassion, mercy, justice, parity of resources, generosity and unity. Over the past ten years I have come to see our world and all people as sacred and have been open to recognising that the divine is interwoven into the fabric of the ordinariness of our everyday lives.

Today I have been asked to speak specifically about raising awareness of how we can better support people with dementia and their carers in church and out in the community.

As many of you will know, dementia is an illness which affects brain functioning and progressively worsens. It can be a difficult illness for the person who has it and also for their families and friends. This morning I would like to suggest that if we stop assuming dementia is solely an affliction which takes us into a bad place, it may become a grace which moves us into a better place. If we truly come close to those with dementia and their carers we can learn radical new lessons about how to love and live.

My mother had dementia and one of my greatest fears is that I will also develop this illness. For a while I thought it was the suffering of this disease I feared. Further reflection led me to realise behind my fear is one concern:
“If I no longer have capacity, am vulnerable and dependent on those around me, how well will I be cherished, valued and cared for?”

Perhaps my fear is exacerbated by living in a culture where we are held captive to the idols of independence, autonomy, control and productivity. It’s hard to to feel secure when our sense of self is shaped by these things and when we perceive our sense of worth is valued by others in terms of what we add to society.

How would it be if our sense of self was determined not through what we achieve but by how Jesus sees us?

The Jesus who intercedes for us to his Father, who keeps us and protects us, enfolds us in love and accepts us as just as we are. The sanctity and holiness of each of us does not diminish if our memory or body physically declines. It doesn’t change as we age and it isn’t connected to our ability to function in a certain way. It endures through all stages of dementia and this imparts dignity to all people. When the church embodies divine love to all people regardless of their illness or disability it demonstrates all parts of the body of Christ are valued and honoured.

How would it be if we recognised and celebrated our interdependency on one another? If we answered the call to care and to go out into the world embodying compassion for one another. If we recognise there is a mutuality and reciprocity between us and we can benefit too by gaining insights from those with dementia.

The Alzheimer’s society has a strap line which speaks of people ‘living well with dementia’. My experience is that living well with dementia only happens when others enable it. This applies not only to dementia but to any illness or disability where we rely on the support of others. In my experience with my mum, it was small acts of kindness that made a big difference - the lady from the hospice who took mum out each week, giving dad a rest, the local Eucharistic minister who brought communion, the Golden Memories Group where mum and dad danced, sang and shared food with others, neighbours who walked the dog. There’s one memory that particularly stays in my mind which I would like to share with you.

It’s been a hard day, the car journey to Salford difficult as mum is anxious and doesn’t want to get out of the car. Eventually, I persuade her into the Harvester. There are long banks of tables with benches. I order tea and ask the waitress to check mum doesn’t move. In the ladies I breathe deeply in, exhale, and re- emerge into the restaurant. What I see next touches me deeply: the waitress is singing tea for two and two for tea and mum’s joining in. As I sit down a young mother with two toddlers sits at the table next to me. Mum, a teacher of many years smiles at them, trying to engage them and they accept her just as she is. They have been dancing their mum tells me. A moment later a lady and man with Down’s Syndrome sit at the table on the other side of us. Now we are all chatting to one another, three tables together and there is a sense of lightness. Orchestrating all of this is a waitress anticipating our needs, more bread, more tea, some ice cream she enquires. And then it hits me - THIS is communion. I smile, strengthened and renewed to go out into the world again.

Each of us at some point in life will become unwell and very often it is the feelings of things being stripped away, losing independence which people talk about at the end of life or in times of acute illness.

In my work on the dementia unit I conduct services which are adapted to be dementia friendly with familiar hymns and prayers. Before Covid, St Mary’s conducted similar services at Moorend Place and Carol has continued the link with them throughout the pandemic. If we are willing to slow down and in the words of one of my residents “trust God, accept and be still,” we can gain a new window on the world. I now have a renewed appreciation of the beauty of soft pink cherry blossom, the perfumed scent of roses, or the twinkling stars in a velvety night sky deep in the depths of Connemara. The savouring of steaming hot chocolate, freshly whipped cream and fluffy marshmallows. Imagine for a moment how it might be if we were learn to slow down, simplify our worship and be intentionally present throughout. Imagine the gift we might give and receive if we sat fully present with another. Or how much more we might connect more fully with creation if we walked at a slower pace through our world. Accompanying my mum helped me realise our essence is retained and love transcends both dementia and death and somehow, even in grief I know nothing separates her or me from the love of God through Jesus Christ.

I am very aware these are my personal reflections and just as each person with dementia is unique so is their story and that of their families. It is my hope that as the three churches of this mission area we will listen to these stories and begin exploring how we can best support those with a dementia diagnosis and their families.

As we do so, let us remember we are all called, held, protected and sent into the world.

As Jesus modelled for us in today’s Gospel, I’m going to end by offering a prayer adapted from words by Louise Moore.

My spiritual self is reflected in the divine and given meaning as a transcendent being.
As I travel toward the dissolution of myself. My personality, my very essence, my relationship with God needs increasing support from you. My other in the body of Christ. Don’t abandon me at any stage, For the Holy Spirit connects us, I need you to sing with me, pray with me, To be my memory for me, You play a vital role, in relating to the soul within me, connecting at this eternal level. Sing alongside me, touch me, pray with me, Reassure me of your presence, And through you, of Christ’s presence. For we are one bread, one body, We are one body in this one Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe P.

We pray that we may be protected from evil as we try to follow in the footsteps of Jesus through our dealings in the world. Remind us that, we should not consider ourselves as belonging to the world, but that we belong to Jesus.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all those in authority, and those who have influence in the world, that their power and voices be used compassionately for the good of all. We pray that the violence and bloodshed in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank will cease and that a just, long-lasting and peaceful solution will be arrived at.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. We pray for those in our community who have celebrated Eid this week. We pray for a safe and successful relaxing of Covid restrictions next week, especially with the presence of new variants of Covid-19.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or spirit, those that need strength and grace. We pray that God’s power and spirit will fill them and bring them the healing and peace that belong to Christ’s kingdom. We pray for all those who are feeling isolated and lonely at this time.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those 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 those who have died without the comfort of their family around them, that they were comforted by the presence of the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

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

Rejoicing in the communion of Mary 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.

‘Love One Another’ – 9th May 2021 – 6th Sunday of Easter

Posted on May 9, 2021May 9, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 10.44-end

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

John 15.9-17

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

The Sermon - Love One Another
By Joe P, St. Mary's

May I speak in the name of the father, son and Holy Spirit

There is a popular, is somewhat irreverent Internet meme which features a picture of Jesus speaking to a crowd of followers. He is saying ‘Love one another, as I have loved you’. And the audience, after a moment of silence, start with the questions…’But he’s a Samaritan…that one’s a Roman…a Tax Collector…He’s a foreigner…he lays with men…she’s a prostitute….you can’t mean we should love these people?’ A stone-faced Jesus is seen in the meme saying ‘Did I stammer? What part of Love one another didn’t you get?’

Those of you who know the mean will also have probably encountered some versions where Jesus’s last question to his followers is not at all suitable for Church.

‘Love one another, as I have loved you’

This lies at the centre of todays reading from the Gospel according to John. It’s not the only time that Jesus teaches us the overwhelming importance of love. In the Gospel according to Matthew, we read:

'Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”'

He we’re told that that we should ‘Love our neighbour as yourself’ – which is great as far as it goes. But many of us have trouble loving ourselves – sometimes we may have problems even liking ourselves. In today’s reading Jesus sets a high bar for how we should love each other.

We are expected to love one another with the same limitless, overwhelming love that Jesus felt for his friends and followers.

I have a number of friends – and extended family members – who’re agnostic or atheist and who have been known to ask me to sum up Christianity for them. I give them a short answer; “Love God, love one another, and don’t be an idiot.” (Although I have been known to use stronger words than idiot…)

Jesus’s teachings point us towards God; they are of the Jewish tradition that would be understood by all in the society in which He lived. But His lived out love. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, challenged society’s view of what people were worth.

He tells his followers that they’re not his slaves or servants, but they are his friends. It’s worth considering what this would mean in society. If you were recognised as a friend of the king or other senior official then you had a degree of social cachet; you would also be in that enviable position of being able to make suggestions to the King. And in this case, the King just happens to be the Son of God.

WE have been chosen to be Jesus’s friends, and we’re told that to remain in that friendship, we are to follow His commandments, like He followed the commandments of His Father. And being a friend of Christ can be a very serious – in some cases deadly serious - business:

In our scripture, Jesus says:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. “

He knows that soon He will be crucified; He lays down His life so that the scriptures will be fulfilled. What are we to make of this? How can we love to this degree? This is a question many followers of Christ have considered.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran Pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi activist was executed in Flossenburg concentration camp in April 1945. He wrote:

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

As with many statements we encounter in theology, it’s not quite what it seems. Bonhoeffer went on to say “It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world.” Basically, the death Bonhoeffer wrote about was the death of losing our attachment to the everyday world. We start to do this at the start of our journey with Christ, not at the end of our lives.

What can we do in our lives to love people in a Christ-like manner – that is, to love in such a way that we remain in friendship with Christ?

We have to give something of ourselves up – the metaphorical or occasionally literal death that Bonhoeffer mentions. Just as Jesus gave His life for us, to retain his friendship we need to sacrifice something of ourselves.

Like I said – loving in a Christ-like manner is a serious business. For us in our daily lives, though, it’s relatively easy to start by remembering that love is not just a feeling, it’s a verb. It’s something you do.

We are called upon to love lavishly, extravagantly. This isn’t always easy, and sometimes we will find it impossible. After all, we’re only human. But we should try.

We should love when the recipient of our love can do us no favours. After all, Jesus loves us in that way; we’re all sinners, broken, but Jesus loves us all the same and His grace saves us.

We need to love when we don’t necessarily feel like it. Jesus spent time at the very end of his life explaining the importance of love to his friends and followers. He was about to die in a humiliating and horrific manner, and yet he spent time expressing His love.

The last year has made us all question what it means to love. Suddenly loving someone has meant staying away from them. We have worked out new ways of loving our neighbours as ourselves. We have worked out new ways of loving God. We have often found ourselves loving – and being loved - in a sacrificial manner, where love is expressed in a way that doesn’t necessarily benefit the lover.

As we return to a world more like we had before Covid-19, it’s going to be more important than ever to continue to love all around us in a Christ-like way; our challenge is to remain friends with Jesus through expressing whatever forms of sacrificial love we can.

Amen

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine B

The Holy Spirit filled those who heard Peter proclaiming the gospel, and so they were baptised. Let us pray for those from several different churches preparing for their baptism or confirmation on Thursday at St. Mark’s, that they might be filled with the Spirit too.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

The Apostles looked outwards from Jerusalem towards the whole world. As our own country gradually eases out of lock-down, let us look outwards too, and pray for all those countries overwhelmed by Covid infection: India, Brazil. Let us pray too for all living here who have friends and relatives in those countries. We pray too for the people of Mexico following the recent bridge collapse, thinking of those who have been killed, bereaved or injured.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

The Apostles worked together to serve others. Let us pray for those newly elected or re-elected in Thursday’s elections, and pray that they might work together to serve their community with wisdom and compassion. We pray too for the work of Christian Aid, and for all the fund-raising initiatives being conducted locally during Christian Aid Week.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Jesus commanded his followers to love one another. We pray for those whom we love, especially those who are struggling with sickness, isolation or to cope with day-to-day life at the moment. In a few moments’ quiet, we bring before God those known particularly to us. We ask for God’s healing presence upon all who need it.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Jesus overcame death, that we might have eternal life. We pray for those who have died. In a few moments’ quiet we remember anyone known to us whose earthly life has been completed and we see no more. We pray for all who mourn at this time, naming in our hearts anyone known particularly to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

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

‘At the Crossroads of life and faith’ – 2nd May 2021 – 5th Sunday of Easter

Posted on May 2, 2021May 1, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 8:26-end
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.’
The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’ He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

John 15: 1-8

Jesus said:
‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

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

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

He was a distinguished man: an official of the queen's court in Ethiopia, in charge of the treasury. He was an admirer of Israel and Israel's religion - what the New Testament refers to as a "God fearer". For this foreigner, Israel had indeed been a light to the nations, as God intended. Eager to know more, he wanted to visit Jerusalem and offer his own worship at the temple. So he planned a pilgrimage. He saved up for the trip, perhaps over several years. Perhaps he needed special permission to go. Perhaps he’d combine the pilgrimage with business matters - there were long links between Israel and Ethiopia, with respect to trade as well as religion. For Ethiopia was the land of Sheba – that of the famous Queen.

So he gets to Jerusalem after a long journey, a journey full of anticipation and excitement. He spends some of his savings on a scroll of Isaiah. And at last he reaches the temple to pay his respects to the God of the Jews he so admires.

We're not told what happened when he arrived. But if the temple officials were following the rules set out in Deuteronomy, he wouldn't have been allowed in. Why?

Deuteronomy 23.1 states that:

"No one whose reproductive organs are crushed or cut off shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord"

This Ethiopian pilgrim was a eunuch. According to the letter of the Jewish Law, he’d have been considered defective in the sight of God.

If so, imagine how he’d feel. He's been denied access to the God he's been encouraged to follow. Those who are supposed to be God's people won't let him worship. He’d feel humiliated, downcast, puzzled. God seems not to want him. His pilgrimage has been in vain.

With a heavy heart, he turns around for the long journey home. While travelling, he opens his Isaiah scroll. He reads it, puzzling over it, perhaps seeking to make sense of his experience through it. He's reached a spiritual crossroads, one which could make or break his faith.

He reaches a physical crossroads too, crossing the path of Philip, who’s been called there by the Holy Spirit. Philip hears him reading Isaiah and asks if he understands it. He doesn't, so invites Philip to join him to discuss the passage.

It comes from Isaiah 53:

Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.

Could the eunuch perhaps relate to the humiliation, and justice denied? Did he feel that part of himself had died?

He asks who the passage is about. For Philip this is easy – it’s about what happened to Jesus at his trial and crucifixion. But Philip knows what happened next and tells the eunuch about how God raised Jesus from the dead giving hope and life to all who feel hopeless and humiliated. The God of Israel IS interested in the eunuch.

In Isaiah 56 there’s a passage which backs this up. It says:

Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say,
"The Lord will surely separate me from his people";
and do not let the eunuch say,
"I am just a dry tree"
For thus says the Lord:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
I will give, in my house and within my walls,
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.

Although Acts doesn’t mention it, Philip might have pointed it out. The eunuch is now full of hope and joy. Look! There is water! What might prevent him being baptised?

Nothing!

The eunuch is baptised and goes on his way. Philip disappears, job done. We don't know what happened next. We do know that one of the earliest Christian communities was established in Ethiopia.

If this interpretation of the story is valid, what can we take away?

Here are a few ideas:

When sharing our faith with someone who is showing an interest, we can try to find the point where Jesus' story meets their story. Like the eunuch they may have already been following the faith, but a bad experience with life or with the church has caused them to ask serious questions of it.

We can be especially mindful of people who are different to us. Those who society finds it difficult to accept as they are. Those who the church finds it difficult to accept as they are. And to remember that even within the Bible itself, different views are presented. If the Bible can change its mind about eunuchs then maybe there are some things which the church can change its mind about too.

We can show people they are welcome, not only with words, but with actions, just as Philip reassured the eunuch of God's love for him through Jesus, and then put this into immediate action by baptising him.

A one-off encounter may be all that is needed. As far as we know, Philip and the eunuch met just once. We don't know exactly what happened next. Philip went on his way. The eunuch went on his way. The rest was left up to God. When we share our faith with someone, we may never find out what happens next in their story. We may never know if they embraced the faith themselves or rejected it. God doesn’t expect us to tally of how many converts we make. But God does expect us to be like Philip was, open to his call and to the opportunity to share the gospel message.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe

We pray for God’s Church throughout the world. We pray for our Archbishops Justin and Stephen, for Bishop Pete and Bishop Sophie, all here who lead us in worship and prayer, and all those whose time and talents are given to St Mary’s and our sister Churches. We pray for those Christians in parts of the world where to express their faith is to risk their lives and livelihoods.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

We pray that, like the Ethiopian eunuch, we are wise enough to know that sometimes we will need guidance in our understanding of scripture. Open our minds to the Holy Spirit, and those moved by the Spirit, so that we can gain a greater understanding of the word of God.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

We pray for all those in authority, and those who have influence in the world, that their power and voices be used compassionately for the good of all. We pray that the international community can come together to resolve the ongoing issues with our changing climate, especially the effects it has on the poor.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. As the vaccination programme here in the UK continues to reduce the number of cases and deaths from Covid-19, we pray for the people of India
and other countries where the illness continues to cause illness and death.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or spirit, those that need your grace and blessing. We pray that God’s power and spirit will strengthen them and bring them the healing and peace that belong to Christ’s kingdom. We pray for all those who are feeling isolated and lonely at this time.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

We pray for those 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 those who have died without the comfort of their family around them, that they were comforted by the presence of the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

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

Rejoicing in the communion of Mary and of all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to God.

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

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

25th April 2021 – 4th Sunday of Easter

Posted on April 25, 2021April 24, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 4.5-12

The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is

“the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.”

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’

John 10.11-18

‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

The Prayers
Prepared by Oli Giles

Risen Jesus, in this Eastertide, as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, help us to appreciate the beauty of Spring, and of new life bursting around us. Help us to be open to the colours and smells of the wild flowers, the orchestra of birdsong, and the longer, lighter days that give us the energy for new ideas.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Risen Jesus, As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to bring an enormous burden of disease globally, as well as thousands of deaths every day, help us to hold in our thoughts and our hearts the countries around the world who have poorly resourced healthcare systems, and help us to be with those who are grieving the loss of loved ones.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Risen Jesus, with the easing of national restrictions, keep us thankful when restarting forgotten activities, and seeing our loved ones again after so long. Help us to be kind to our planet, being mindful of how we can reduce our carbon footprint with these renewed freedoms.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Risen Jesus, as the May Elections draw closer, help us work in partnership with those who are elected. Be with the new councillors as they make important decisions, discerning your wisdom and listening to their ward’s residents.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Risen Jesus, your resurrection brought hope to early Christians in dark and difficult times. Help us to be hopeful in responding to the challenges in our lives, as well as bringing the joy and hope of your resurrection to all those we meet.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

‘Resurrection’ – 18th April 2021 – 3rd Sunday of Easter

Posted on April 18, 2021April 17, 2021 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 3.12-19

When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.

Luke 24.36b-48

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

The Sermon
By the Revd Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Assistant Priest at St Mary's.

I don’t suppose I’m the only one who has been reflecting a bit on the death of Prince Philip in the past week. It’s been interesting to observe the very varied reactions among people in this country and around the world. From those who were angry at having their television schedules disrupted to the people of Tanna in Vanuatu who worshipped him as a divine figure. From older members of the population who might remember when Prince Philip married young Princess Elizabeth, to our younger people who probably knew him only as a sometimes politically incorrect elderly man. Prince Philip lived a long and active life. Like Her Majesty the Queen he was a committed Christian. So I find it hard to see his death as a tragedy. But I have come to appreciate what an extraordinary person he was and how much there is in his life that we should thank God for, and not least his support for the Queen.

When preparing services in the past eight days, it has been a challenge to find the right balance between official mourning and the celebration of Easter. Working out how many alleluias I should put in or leave out. People seem to be in such a wide variety of places. And I suppose that was also true in the days after the resurrection. For the vast majority of people, the resurrection passed them by. Many were hostile or at least indifferent to the carpenter who had been executed on a cross. Rumours of his resurrection probably meant very little to them. For those on the inside, to his disciples and followers, there was sadness, guilt, grief, doubt and then elation, joy and peace. But the rollercoaster of emotion continued as Jesus kept appearing unexpectedly. To Simon, and to Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus. And in today’s Gospel we are told that the eleven were startled and terrified, full of wonder and disbelief. The risen Jesus comes to the disciples where they are but the good news of the resurrection is not simple or easy to digest. It disturbs and challenges. And that is probably important. The resurrection should challenge us. Upset old certainties. Make us see the world in new ways.

One of the great legacies that Prince Philip leaves behind is a movement to modernise the monarchy. He understood the power of television and it was because of him that the coronation was televised. He tried to show that the Royal Family was made up of real human beings and he wasn’t afraid to reveal his own humanity. In our Gospel today, the risen Jesus also demonstrates that he is human. Although he can pass through walls and locked doors he is not a ghost. He shows the disciples his hands and feet and invites them to touch him. At the same time though, the risen Jesus seems to be slightly out of focus. Hard to pin down. And perhaps we just need to be open to that ambiguity.

To prove that he is not a ghost, Jesus asks the disciples for something to eat. They give him a piece of broiled fish and he eats it in front of them. I don’t suppose that the risen Jesus really needed to eat but by doing so he showed the disciples that it was his body that had risen, not just his spirit. And for me that is a reminder that the resurrection is about this world. Not just about forgiveness or what happens to us when we die. Not just about the promise of heaven. It’s about the redemption of all that is.

I expect Prince Philip has touched the lives of quite a few of us in one way or another. I was lucky enough to meet him when I got my Duke of Edinburgh Award 34 years ago and even then he seemed quite old. He had had to stop shaking hands with people. As a curate, I helped out a reception at St James’ Palace for the Council of Christians and Jews and I was impressed at how knowledgeable Prince Philip was and by how much interest he took in people. I’m also very thankful for the leadership programme that Prince helped establish at Windsor. In the past week we have been reminded of the extraordinary range of interests that the Prince had. From the Royal Navy to engineering. From carriage riding to painting. And from the environment to interfaith matters. Prince Philip read voraciously and widely and many of his books were on matters of religion.

We don’t often see that range of interests in one person. As I’ve been reflecting on them this week, I’ve been challenged to expand my ideas about what resurrection might mean. Forgiveness of sins and life everlasting are fundamental of course. But resurrection is so much bigger than these things. It is about the whole of our lives. The whole of creation. We are used to seeing resurrection in terms of the arrival of spring. Flowers opening and new leaves budding. And this year we have a strong sense of resurrection as another lockdown ends. As the vaccination programme is rolled out. As shops and pubs and businesses reopen. As a Church, resurrection involves the reopening of our buildings. The resumption of public worship.

But of course, resurrection is much bigger than all these things. Surely it means things like an end to inequality. An end to things like foodbanks. An end to racism. An end to totalitarian regimes. Resurrection is not always comfortable. It unsettles, challenges the status quo. In recent years we have become increasingly aware of our impact on the climate and biodiversity. Resurrection surely means the reversal of global warming and the restoration of creation. And that involves change. Sometimes costly change. But it is something the Church of England has committed itself to and we can all play a part in helping make it happen.

I wonder then what resurrection means to you. What does might it look like in your life? Or in the lives of those around you? How might you help to bring about resurrection in your family life, in the lives of friends or of your local community? What might resurrection mean for the church on the street? Of course, it’s not just about the resumption of public worship but how we go out into the community and share good news with others. Resurrection is not something we can keep to ourselves behind closed doors. Part of our calling as Christians is to share it with others. Jesus sends us, as he sent the disciples, to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem, from Walkley, and to the ends of the earth. We are witnesses of these things. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

O God, the creator and preserver of us all, we pray for all your people throughout the world at this time of mutating pandemic. Guide those in authority to work in partnership with all, especially the poorer parts of the world, to use the inventiveness of our geneticists and virologists to share the vaccines that are being developed. Guide them also to seek peace where there is war, and to bring aid to all who are suffering where there is conflict or natural disaster.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our Queen and all the members of the Royal Family as they mourn Philip Duke of Edinburgh whose funeral took place yesterday. We give thanks for his life of service to this country and the Commonwealth, remembering how millions of young people’s lives have been enriched by participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, in addition to his many royal duties.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide, especially for the Queen, the supreme governor of the Church of England, that her faith will give her strength at this sad time. As we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, may all Christians seek to live according to the promises made by Christ, and work together for the good of all the peoples of the world.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our city and community and for the elections due in the next few weeks. We pray that you will inspire successful candidates to work for the good of all constituents in their community. We give thanks for all the volunteers who give their time to provide services, and keep our streets and green open spaces clean and beautiful.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, whether from corona virus or other conditions and have to wait longer for treatment than normal. Be with them all, and all who work in the NHS at this time of great strain, that they may know your care and healing grace. In a moment of quiet we remember by name those known to us who are suffering at this time.
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the peace of Christ, especially your servant Philip and others known to us, including Patricia Browning and her family. Grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom. Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary and all your saints we commend ourselves and all creation to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.

St Marys Walkley

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

Category: Sermons

‘Happy Fathers Day’ – 20th June 2021 – 3rd Sunday after Trinity

‘The parable of the growing seed’ – 13th June 2021 – 2nd Sunday after Trinity

‘The Lens of Goodness’ – 6th June 2021 – 1st Sunday after Trinity

‘God is like a Shamrock’ – 30th May 2021 – Trinity Sunday

‘The Spirit gives voice’ – 23rd May 2021 – Pentecost

‘Glimpses of the Sacred’ – 16th May 2021 – The 7th Sunday of Easter

‘Love One Another’ – 9th May 2021 – 6th Sunday of Easter

‘At the Crossroads of life and faith’ – 2nd May 2021 – 5th Sunday of Easter

25th April 2021 – 4th Sunday of Easter

‘Resurrection’ – 18th April 2021 – 3rd Sunday of Easter