The Order of Service

Here you will find the order of service for this week in PDF format:

20 10 25 order of service

Here you will find the order of service for this week in Word format:

20 10 25 order of service

The Livestream

This week's service is at 6:30pm and will be livestreamed from church on the our Youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv0KDKmAwGyIsE1i07xmiiw

The Readings

1 Thessalonians 2.1-8

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Matthew 22.34-end

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ‘What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet’ ”?
If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

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 David, a Lay Reader in training at St Mary's.

O Lord, you have given us your word
for a light to shine upon our path.
Grant us so to meditate on that word,
and to follow its teaching,
that we may find in it the light
that shines more and more until the perfect day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

after Jerome (420)

What is the greatest commandment?

As our Gospel passage opens Jesus is again being questioned by the Pharisees. I say “again being questioned by the Pharisees” as we heard last week how they and Herodians tried to trap Jesus with the issue of paying taxes to Caesar.

In the space between that section of Matthew’s Gospel and today’s Jesus was questioned by the Sadducees, a different group of religious teachers, on how the resurrection life will work. True to form his response astounds them to silence, referred to at the beginning of our Gospel today.

This can seem quite confrontational to us. There are forums in the modern church for rigorous debate on specific issues of doctrine and practice. I’m thinking of the church’s synods, at Deanery and Diocesan level and General Synod, its equivalent of a parliament. It takes specific circumstances for this debate to filter into parish life.

We have some experience of this at St Mary’s, often advocating for the ministry of the ordinary parish church, rooted in loving service and mission to a community. Or quietly affirming that the threefold order of bishop, priest and deacon are open to all. But it’s not something we do day in and day out.

For first century rabbis this kind of debate was much more common. There are 613 commandments in the first five books of the Old Testament, known in Judaism as the Torah. Working out how to apply them in life and how to view some of the more general, all-encompassing commandments in light of the specific, focused ones takes some thought and much debate.

So, while the Pharisees are portrayed by the Gospel writer as testing Jesus, it is part of the normal religious discourse. What sets Jesus apart in most of these arguments is that he often leaves the other side in the debate stunned and speechless. But we aren’t told that here. His response, to choose two commandments – love God and your neighbour – and make them both equal, is in fact a fairly standard interpretation of the commandments in line with Jewish thinking of the time.

What we could easily miss – we’re used to hearing them together – is that the two commandments quoted by Jesus come from different books of the Torah, Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” And Leviticus 19.18 “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.”

We all need to be reminded of the importance of these commandments, but for now I’m setting aside the first one and focusing on loving our neighbour as ourselves. It has echoes of the Golden Rule in Mathew 7 verse 12 “‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” A similar sentiment is found in the practice of most major religions and provides common cause between those of different faiths and no faith.

Yet it’s practice still seems to be a revolutionary concept. This takes many forms.

I once heard a sermon by the former Bishop of Sheffield, Jack Nichols, where he said the problem is that we do love others as we love ourselves and that we don’t love ourselves enough. There is a lot of truth to this. Low self esteem and other mental health conditions are prevalent and likely to become more so in the next six months as we face what is likely to be a very difficult winter. We all need to learn to love ourselves a little bit more. This will in turn overflow into love of others.

But it’s a fine balance between loving ourselves and allowing that self love to consume us. Between seeing ourselves as Jesus does, forgiven, loved and free, and becoming a slave to our own ego. Between overflowing with love for others and hoarding all our love for ourselves.

None of us, as individuals or institutions, gets this right all the time. A particularly live example is the debate around provision in the holidays of free school meals to children who normally receive them at school. As a school governor I know how much of a difference these meals make to the children, their health and wellbeing and their ability to learn.

If decision makers on this issue don’t go hungry and those they serve do, they aren’t loving their neighbour as themselves.

While the church is not immune to this failure to love our neighbour as ourself, we do have a calling to model it in our private, public and institutional life. By modelling it we will hopefully highlight where it is not present.

How do we tell this truth without descending into a holier than thou smug attitude? Our first reading from 1 Thessalonians offers us a blueprint. “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts… we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others.”

This is our pattern, but not only ours. Marcus Rashford seems to be modelling this behaviour pretty well for us. He speaks from a place of experience on the issue and doesn’t seem to speak to please mortals. An MBE hasn’t stopped him advocating on the issue of child food poverty. He could have taken the award, the praise from mortals and stopped, but he hasn’t.

In Sheffield the City Council has decided it will fill the gap and provide food vouchers over the half term. They are not alone, other councils had already done so and more may follow, though time is running out.

All of these actions highlight how unjust the decision on extending free school meals was. But this also points us to a broader injustice within society. While anyone goes hungry and at the same time others have more than enough, we are not living up the ideal of loving our neighbour as ourselves.

The Church of England and the Worldwide Anglican communion of which it is a part adopted five marks of mission, drawn from the life of Jesus, and on which we are called to base the life and work of our churches. Number 3 is “To respond to human need by loving service” and those working to extend free school meal provision are doing exactly that. Responding to an immediate need with a swift response. A biblical example would be the feeding of the five thousand. We do a small part at St Mary’s in our support of the S6 Foodbank. But all of this is and should only ever be a sticking plaster.

The fourth mark of mission is “To transform unjust structures of society,”. This is what comes next. The immediate need is met, now we need to look at the structural problems which caused this need and address them. The danger is we never get here. We get stuck in responding to immediate need after immediate need, all of which should be addressed, but we never get to transforming the unjust structures of society.

Over the coming months many of us may have more time on our hands than we would normally. Much of our everyday activity isn’t possible, or is at least restricted. We can use this time to pray, to reflect on and respond to the immediate needs we see around us. But also how we might may our society more just. In doing so we will inch ever more closely to loving our neighbour as ourselves.

O Divine Master,
grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

a Franciscan prayer

The Prayers
Prepared by David, adapted from Common Worship.

Gracious God, fountain of all wisdom,
we pray for all people;
for Pete and Sophie our bishops,
and for all who teach and guard the faith.
May the word of Christ dwell richly in our hearts,
and knit us together in the bond of your love.
Hear us.
Hear us, good Lord.

We pray for the leaders of nations,
and for those in authority under them.
Give them the gift of your wisdom,
and a right discernment in all things.
Hear us.
Hear us, good Lord.

We pray for this community of Walkley,
for those who live, work and visit here,
and for all who seek the common good.
Speak your word of peace in our midst,
and help us to serve one another as Christ has served us.
Hear us.
Hear us, good Lord.

We pray for those who do not believe,
and for those of hesitant belief.
Open their ears to hear your voice,
and open their hearts to receive you, the very Word of life.
Hear us.
Hear us, good Lord.

We pray for those bowed down with grief, fear or sickness.
May Christ your living Word bring them comfort and healing.
Hear us.
Hear us, good Lord.

We give thanks for all who have died in the faith of Christ,
and we rejoice with Mary and all your saints,
trusting in the promise of your word fulfilled.
Hear us.
Hear us, good Lord.

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

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2006 and published by Church House Publishing.

You can download a PDF of this week's order of service here:

20 10 18 order of service

This week's service and meeting to elect 2 Churchwardens will be livestreamed together on the parish YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv0KDKmAwGyIsE1i07xmiiw

The Readings

1 Thessalonians 1.1-10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of people we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place where your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

Matthew 22.15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

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

The Sermon
by David, Reader-in-training at St. Mary's

The question raised by Jesus in our Gospel passage today is one worth considering. It’s not something many of us often think about, and it has the capacity to divide as well as unite us. We shouldn’t avoid it because of this.
How should we, as Christians, relate to secular authorities?

The passage opens with the Pharisees, religious teachers, sending followers to test Jesus. With them come the Herodians, followers of King Herod, the local ruler who governs with the occupying Roman Empire’s permission.
They begin with flattery, hoping to feed Jesus’ ego and catch him off guard. Then the question to trap him. Here is the moment of danger:
“Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”

Why is this dangerous for Jesus?

If he says it is not lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor then the Herodians, whose master owes his position to the Romans, will label him as subversive, seditious and a threat to Roman authority. More than enough for his arrest and execution.

If he says it is lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor, then his disciples and the crowds gathered around him will feel betrayed by his apparent acceptance of the occupying Roman force.
It’s a no-win situation.

Jesus, aware of their intent to trap him, turns the question back upon them.
“Show me the coin used for the tax.” forcing them to handle the Roman coin used for the census tax. It would likely have had the image of the emperor Tiberius and carried the inscription “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, high priest.” A problem for devout Jews who viewed the Emperor’s claims of divinity, and his image, as blasphemous. A problem also for Jesus, the actual son of God.

Jesus then questions them about the coin: “Whose head is this, and whose title?” getting the obvious response: “The Emperor’s”.

The climax of the story follows with Jesus declaring: “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” He leaves the Herodians and Pharisees shocked and speechless.
Jesus appears to be separating some things as belonging to God, and some to earthly rulers. This feels like it goes against our understanding that everything we have comes from God, and we offer back to him. See 1 Chronicles 29.14 “For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you”.

It can appear as if Jesus is setting up two equal and different authorities here, Caesar and God, and that we are called to give to both with equal weight.

But the context is important.

The Jewish people were not minting coins during Jesus’ lifetime; all currency used was Roman or Greek. During Jewish rebellions against the Romans between AD 66-73 and again between AD 132 and 135 they did begin to mint their own coinage. It seems odd this was a high priority when defending against the Roman army.
It highlights how much a symbol of occupation and oppression these coins were. Which helps us see that in Jesus’ eyes these coins did not come from God, but earthly rulers.

Giving the blasphemous coins back to the Romans as tax wasn’t giving away something that was God’s. The Jewish people could, and can, follow the rules and expectations of secular rulers and society without breaking their covenant with the living God. The Emperor could have their money, but not their allegiance. The people belonged to God, not to Caesar.

How does this impact our interaction with secular rulers and authorities?

If we belong to God, then we should offer to God the first fruits of our labours, rather than what we have left over.
I’ve often wondered why the Church of England’s teaching on giving, 5% to the church and 5% to other charities, is based around gross income, the money we are paid before taxes, national insurance and pension contributions are taken off. It always seemed a bit unfair, particularly for those on lower incomes. Surely using the net value, what is left once the contributions to the state are paid, would be more just? Here is an answer: we are called to give to God from all that we are given, regardless of any given to the modern-day Caesar.

This could equally apply to our time as our money. How often do we give God the time when we are tired, at the end of a long day?

Neither of these points are supposed to add to the burdens of those who are poor in time or money, especially as time and money offered to God can take many different forms, and doesn’t always take place through the church.
How then should we, as Christians, relate to the secular authorities?

At the heart of this question is one of citizenship.

Theresa May uttered in 2016: “if you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere”. This felt odd when I heard it, particularly from someone who professes the Christian faith. It fails to knowledge people often feel ties of citizenship to multiple places. We might be citizens of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, the UK, as well as the world.

But for Christians this goes one stage further, Paul reminds us in Philippians 3.20 “our citizenship is in heaven” and Jesus at his trial tells Pilate “My kingdom is not from this world”.

This is not to advocate a complete rejection of secular authority. HMRC, if you’re watching, I’m not telling people to evade paying tax. But we must remember that our primary allegiance is to God and our citizenship is of his kingdom.
The practical outwork of this will mean potentially coming into conflict with secular authorities over issues where our faith tells us one thing, and secular authority another. An example of this includes the Conscientious Objectors, many of whom refused compulsory military service in the First World War on the grounds of Christian pacifism and were subsequently jailed, being treated appallingly. Or more recently the members of Christian Climate Action, associated with Extinction Rebellion, engaging in civil disobedience to highlight the damage done to God’s creation, who also face criminal charges for ultimately telling truth to power.

Whether we agree with their methods or not, one has to admire their faith and recognise that their primary allegiance is to God and his kingdom. How would we react when faced with such a difficult choice?

May we set the example of Jesus, and those who have followed him with faith before us when we are similarly tested.

Let us pray:
Now to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
be ascribed as is most justly due,
all might, majesty, dominion and power,
now and for evermore. Amen.

The Prayers
prepared by Joe

With thankful hearts we bring our prayers to our heavenly Father.

We pray for the Church of Christ, for Bishop Pete and Canon Sophie, all here who lead us in worship and prayer, and all those whose time and talents are given to St Mary’s. On this day when we recall the life and work of Luke the Evangelist, we pray that the Gospel continues to be preached truthfully and widely, and that in these difficult times we find new ways to spread God’s word.

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 influence be used compassionately for the good of all. Bring clarity of thought and vision to those who make an implement policy, and ensure that wise decisions can be made on national and international issues. We pray for a resolution to the conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh, and pray that the UK and EU can come to a satisfactory and just arrangement for trade relations in the future.

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 our region settles in to a new level of precautions to try and slow the spread of Covid-19, we pray for all those whose jobs and livelihoods are threatened by the new rules.

Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy.

Lord, we pray for those we know who are worried and troubled especially at this time of continuing uncertainty. We pray for those whose health and livelihoods have been affected by Covid-19, and those who have ongoing health or emotional problems where treatments are still only partially available.
Luke was also a physician; inspire our physicians with professionalism and compassion for their patients. Enable them to cure the ills of both body and spirit that afflict so many.
We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or spirit, those that need your grace and blessing. Be with them at this time, Lord, and give them peace and strength.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

We pray for those close to death at this time, 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 especially pray for those who have died without the comfort of their family around them, and those who felt fear and felt alone in their last moments. We pray that they were comforted by your presence, Lord, and that you give strength and love to all those close to death and caring for the dying at this time.

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 included here, is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council 2000 

Here you will fine an order of service for this mornings Eucharist in Word format:

20 10 11 order of service

The Readings

Philippians 4.1-9

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Matthew 22.1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

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

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

“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice”

The words of Phillippians 4:4 as expressed in a popular chorus with a jolly tune.

“The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord….” - The words of Phillippians 4:7 paraphrased in the blessing given at the end of our service of Holy Communion.

Two very familiar bible quotes.  But taken out of context they can be less than helpful.  The jolly chorus sounds nice and happy, dare I say it, trite even.  The words of the blessing give the impression that all is full of peace and love.  All is well.  But when all is not well, this can cause problems for those who hear or sing these words.

However, if we look at the passage from which these quotes are taken, it’s clear that the context is not all jolly, and maybe not so full of peace and love.  Maddeningly, we don’t know exactly what has been going on, but Paul is concerned about two women, Euodia and Syntyche.  At some point in the past, they have been his co-workers and together as a team, he, they, Clement and others have struggled together sharing the gospel and building the church.

But now something seems to be causing friction between Euodia and Syntyche.  Have they quarrelled?  Have they completely fallen out with each other, or are they just disagreeing over something which is difficult to resolve?  We don’t know.  Actually, we don’t even know if there’s a problem between Euodia and Syntyche at all – perhaps the two of them are disagreeing with the rest of the community over something!

Whatever it is, the problem is serious enough that Paul feels these women need help and support.  He urges each of them to “be of the same mind in the Lord”.  Does Paul want them to think the same way about whatever the problem is?  Does he want this from the rest of the church community?  Not necessarily!  It’s interesting that he doesn’t say “I urge Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind….”, he addresses each woman individually.  He respects them each as a person in her own right, with her own view.

But Euodia and Syntyche, along with Clement and the rest, are part of a community.  Life as a pioneering community in the earliest days of Christianity was not easy, and indeed not always safe.  It was vital that despite difference, the community could hold together.  Despite difference, a collective way forward through difficulties had to be agreed.  It is in this context that the group are encouraged to Rejoice in the Lord always, and that their hearts and minds be filled with the Peace of God.  God is to be at the centre of their lives individually and as a group, whatever their individual differences.

With cases of Covid-19 rising seriously again, along with hospital admissions, things are not well in our country at the moment, nor indeed in the world.  And while it seemed in March that most people in Britain were “of the same mind” with respect to the lock-down restrictions, and bore the resulting hardships with patience and understanding, it is clear that this is not the case now.  There is much disagreement about how to control the spread of the virus.  People are confused by the different restrictions in different places.  People’s livelihoods, businesses, relationships, education, physical and mental health are all being affected by the restrictions.  It doesn’t help matters when some of those in the public eye are discovered to have broken the rules.  It doesn’t help when some of the scientists don’t agree with the rest.

Does this evening’s reading from Philippians have anything to say to today’s church in pandemic Britain?

One of the things that outsiders noticed about the early church, was the love Christians had for each other.  It was so unusual that people commented on it.  Here was a community of people from diverse backgrounds and opinions that nevertheless managed to see beyond these differences.  Here was a community of people who, despite the odds, managed to work together enough of the time to arouse the curiosity of others and draw them in.  They drew on the knowledge, love and peace of God and modelled to the world what it looks like to “be of the same mind in the Lord”.

If today’s church can do the same, this will indeed be cause for rejoicing.

The Prayers
Prepared by Hope.

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

Oh God the creator and preserver of all, we pray for people in every kind of need.
Bless all those around the world who are suffering from the effects of climate change, war and Covid-19
Bless those whose homes have been destroyed by wild fires, bombing or other violence.
Bless those who are now faced with the challenges of rebuilding their homes, businesses and lives.
Bless those whose endurance seems to have come to an end and who can see no future now.
Bless all the powerful leaders of our world.  Grant them renewed compassion.
Grant them the skills and wisdom needed at this critical time, so that those citizens who are suffering most may be supported and not forgotten.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for your church throughout the world.  Guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit
Bless all those called to leadership in your worldwide church.
Bless all those carrying special responsibilities at this time of Covid-19.
Bless those who minister in parts of the world where war and deprivation add vastly to people’s struggles
Bless our local leaders, here at St.Mary’s, and at St.John’s Ranmoor and St.Mark’s Broomhill
Bless our Bishops, Peter and Sophie, and all who work with them across the diocese of Sheffield
Bless all those who lead and support their churches, and other faith communities too, across this country.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body or estate.
We ask your blessing on all those whose lives and livelihood are being torn apart by the Covid-19 virus.
Bless those who are very sick and being admitted to hospital at this time
Bless those who are suffering in the long term from this disease, afraid that they may never fully recover
Bless the younger people, including children, who are unexpectedly suffering severely from Covid-19
Bless the carers. The parents, adult children and all those who are looking after family members, sick and perhaps infectious at home.
Bless those who are facing the loss of their work and livelihood.
With faith in your presence with us, with hope for the future, grant us all patience, endurance and compassion at this time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the Peace of Christ. We remember our own friends, family and those who have inspired us over the years, who are no longer with us.   We give you praise for all your faithful ones, with whom we rejoice in the Communion of Saints.

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

Here you will find a link to this week's order of service in PDF form

20 10 04 Harvest Order of Service 20 10 04 Harvest Order of Service

Here you will find a link to the order of service in Word form

20 10 04 Harvest Order of Service

The Readings

2 Corinthians 9.6-15

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,
‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures for ever.’

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Luke 12.16-30

Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

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

The Sermon
by Canon Dr Alan Billings

Harvest is one of those seasons when Christian people so easily slide into sheer sentimentality when thinking about the natural world. The trap is set for us by many of our Harvest hymns.

All things bright and beautiful
all creatures great and small
all things wise and wonderful
the Lord God made them all.
                            Cecil Frances Alexander

I don’t know how much of the natural world is bright and beautiful, wise and wonderful, but not all of it is. The poet William Blake reminds us of another side to nature in his poem The Tyger. The tiger is no doubt a beautiful and bright creature, but hardly friendly towards other creatures.

When Blake thinks about the tiger in the forest of the night – its sheer sinewy ferocity - it makes him ask the question, What kind of a God made you?

When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Blake reminds us that nature can be red in tooth and claw. And if nature includes the tiger as well as the lamb it also includes cancer and the coronavirus. No adequate doctrine of creation can forget that.

So we shouldn’t be simply sentimental about the natural world.

Nor should we continue with that mindset which leads us all the time to think that the natural world is ours to control, a sort of stage on which the human story is played out, that we can manipulate all the time for our purposes. That is a trap we fall into if we misuse the story of creation in the Book of Genesis.

In that story the first human is told to have dominion over the earth. That can be read in two ways. It has been read to mean that the earth is there for our use and we can manipulate it as we want. That is in part the attitude of the rich man in today’s gospel parable. It leads him to have a false sense of security. But having dominion could also mean that we should treat nature in the same way that a king in ancient Israel was told to have dominion over his people – which meant that the king was to have a pastoral concern for them. Those kings who exercised dominion by exploiting their people were regarded as bad kings. In the same way, those who treat the natural world as if they can do with it what they like are also acting badly.

The present debate about climate change exhibit both of these attitudes. There is something arrogant about the idea that we have broken it so we can fix it. There is something more pastoral about acknowledging that we can behave better towards it. But let us not seek to exercise dominion over the earth with the same kind of hubris with which we wrecked it.

So what then are we to make of today, our harvest festival?

I think harvest calls us to something far simpler than the debates around climate change or food distribution or social justice, important though they may be. It is an invitation to adopt that same attitude of mind that Jesus is commending for his followers in the gospel.

Don’t be anxious about material things. Count your blessings – blessings that include food and drink, but above all life itself. And remember your true status – as creatures that God knows and bothers with.

All of which is summed up in our harvest gifts. They are emblems of our blessings and tokens of God’s love.

The Prayers

From Common Worship: Times and Seasons

Let us pray to God, the Lord of the harvest,
that he will bring to fruition all that he desires for his creation.

Lord of creation,
we see that the fields are ripe for harvesting:
we pray for your Church,
that it may be ready to gather fruit for eternal life.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

You have created the universe by your eternal Word,
and have blessed humankind in giving us dominion over the earth:
we pray for the world,
that we may honour and share its resources,
and live in reverence for the creation
and in harmony with one another.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

Your Son has promised that the Spirit will lead us into all truth:
we pray for the community in which you have set us,
for one another and for ourselves,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
in love and joy and peace.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

You have given your people a rich land,
yet by sin we have made a world of suffering and sorrow:
we pray for those who bear the weight of affliction,
that they may come to share the life of wholeness and plenty.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

Your Son Jesus Christ is the first-fruits of the resurrection
and will reap the harvest of the dead at the end of time:
we pray that he will gather us all together
with those who have gone before
in the banquet of the age to come.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

Source of all life
and giver of all that is good,
hear our prayers and grant us all that is in accordance with your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2006 and published by Church House Publishing.

The Readings

Philippians 2.1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Matthew 21.23-32

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe 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 Joe, a Reader at St. Mary's

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

Tonight, our reading from the Gospel according to Matthew brings us the parable of the brothers. Just to remind you:
“A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”

We KNOW that the answer to this question isn’t going to be what we expect; this seems to often be the case with Jesus, who seems to often speak in paradoxes, inverting social norms, and generally catching us off guard.

When we think of fathers and sons in parables, I guess the first thing that usually comes to mind is the parable of the Prodigal Son. Both that parable and tonight’s parable tend to cause us a few problems with interpretation and understanding today, especially if we see the stories through our 21st Century eyes. As with all the parables, to get even a feel for what Jesus was attempting to teach his disciples, we have to discard our usual ways of thinking and attempt to think like a 1st century citizen of the Roman Empire listening to an itinerant Jewish Rabbi.
Context is everything.

We need to look at tonight’s reading from the context of the society in which the story was being told, and the moment in Jesus’s ministry at which he is telling it.

Let’s start by looking at what’s happening in Jesus’s ministry at this point.

Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem and has been hailed as the ‘Son of David’, the Messiah, by the crowds. A leader who will usher in God’s will to the world. He’s done some healing, he’s withered a fig tree, and he’s turned over the tables of the money-changers in the temple. In other words, it’s not surprising that the priests and elders come to see him and ask Him by whose authority he is doing these things. Jesus immediately turns the tables, and asks them whether the baptism of John the Baptist was of earthly or heavenly origin. This question was quite a beauty; were the priests to say ‘From Heaven’, then Jesus could quite rightly point out to them that in that case they should be following in His footsteps, with the consequent loss of their position in society. And were they to say ‘Of earthly origin’, and retain their power and influence in society, then they are denying John as a man of God and Jesus as Messiah.

They give what they hope is a face saving answer; they don’t know. What is equally interesting is how they come to this answer; they discuss it amongst themselves, and they don’t seem to pray to God for guidance. What matters to them is trying to avoid people thinking ill of them – either Jesus or the crowd.

And in doing so, they lose what spiritual authority and leadership they have. Jesus’s question is forcing the priests to question their understanding of how God is working in the world. Leaders need to do what is right – even if that means you upset the status quo, lose face or upset people.
We now come to the parable.

Let’s try and look at the story from the viewpoint of those hearing it. The chances are that the audience would be mainly men. First century Jerusalem is a very male-oriented society, and respect for one’s father is very important. The cultural context and sensitivities of the priests and elders would colour their thought processes on this. Some would have thought that the son who says ‘No’ but then does the work is a good son; others would think that to publicly defy his father – even if he then went to work – is beyond the pale, and worse than publicly obeying the father and then privately disobeying him.

The father gets the choice of being publicly honoured and privately shamed (the second son) or publicly shamed and privately honoured (the first son). Messy. Indeed, quite a few scholars have suggested that both sons are being pains in the bum here; both could do with some behavioural adjustment – and I suppose THAT wouldn’t reflect well on the father either!

Both sons are defying their father to some degree; in a similar way, different groups of people – the sinners, like prostitutes and tax-collectors – and the religious leaders – were making decisions as to whether John the Baptist was a servant of God or not.

So, the question in the parable now becomes what and who matters to us when we make choices, but there is also something in there about salvation through deeds and salvation through faith.

Now, I have to admit that when I first encountered this parable I would have answered like the priests – Number 1 Son is eventually doing the right thing by his father. Jesus rebukes them when they give this answer – he suggests that those sinners will see Heaven before the priests do! Now, we’re used to the paradoxical thinking that often emerges from the parables, but how does this work?

The first son – defiant to his father, eventually does the right thing after changing his mind. This is the situation of the priests; they publicly make the right noises about worshipping God, just as the son publicly says ‘Yes’ to his father. But when they have seen and heard John the Baptist, they have have denied his holiness – they’ve not done the work in God’s kingdom that would be expected of them. The son in the story, later in the day, changed his mind (sometimes translated as ‘having a change in heart – a much stronger meaning) and did the work requested. In a similar way, there may be a point at which the priests experience a change in heart - do the right thing, and come to see John as holy, and do God’s work ‘in the vineyard’. But until that point, they’re not following the will of God.

The second son says Yes to the father, but then doesn’t follow it up with action. This is the position of the sinners who behaved poorly before encountering John, but when they do encounter John they say ‘Yes’ to him as a righteous man of God. They have shown faith, and respect for God. That faith has granted them access to Heaven before those who expressed denial of God.

This is why Jesus says that the priests will not see Heaven before the sinners. The sinners have seen fit to come to God through John, and acknowledged him as being from God. They say Yes to God, through their faith in John the Baptist. They will be saved through their faith, irrespective of their actions before they came to God.

The priests, on the other hand, didn’t see John in this way, and didn’t acknowledge his position as being from God – even after they heard of his actions. They have said a public Yes to God, through their work and position, but have denied God through their attitude to John the Baptist.

All is not lost for them – they may still experience a change of heart and do God’s will by acknowledging the message of John the Baptist as coming from God; but until they do – until they have that change of heart – they are not seen as being as righteous as the sinners who followed John.

I once viewed this as a disturbing parable – confusing, paradoxical, upside down. Now I view it differently.
We simply need to say ‘Yes’ to God and let Him into our lives.

The act of saying ‘Yes’ is what matters.

And we get lots of opportunities to say yes to God, every day of our lives.
Amen

The Prayers
prepared by Catherine

Let us pray….

To the words:
Lord, in your mercy:

Would you respond
Hear our prayer.

Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church...

For the church throughout the world
and especially those churches in dangerous and challenging places.
For the church in Sheffield
For our diocese and deaneries
For Bishop Sophie, and Archdeacon Javaid, installed this week.
For all who have been ordained deacon and priest this week.
For our churches at local level – St John’s, St Mark’s and St Mary’s –
our congregations and communities,
and their businesses, schools and care homes.
May we all be of the same mind as Christ
And serve others with his same humility.

Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the World…
Exploited by a humanity grasping at equality with God.
For all countries as they grapple with the challenges of Covid-19
For places stricken by war, poverty and the effects of extreme weather or climate.
For those seeking refuge far from home
For those struggling to accommodate refugees
For greater compassion from those who could do more to help.
We pray for our own country, its regions and cities
For wise and compassionate decision making regarding the pandemic
And wise and compassionate responses.

Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those in need
For the sick and those recovering from illness or injury
for the frail, the scared,
the lonely, the homeless,
the estranged, the bereaved.

In silence we remember those known personally to us who are in particular need.

Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have died
We pray for their families and friends
And for all who mourn.

In silence we name those loved ones known to us who we see no more
May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.

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 included in these prayers is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000

Here you will fine an order of service for this mornings Eucharist in Word format:

20 09 20 Order of Service

The Readings

Exodus 16.2-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’

Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?’ And Moses said, ‘When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.’

Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.” ’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.” ’

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Matthew 20.1-16

Jesus said ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’

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 the Revd Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Vicar of St John's Ranmoor.

Every other Wednesday morning, at St John’s, we have a collection for a local foodbank. I really enjoy it because it means I get to meet some of my parishoners in the flesh and can have a socially distanced chat outside the church. I think it also serves a need in many people at St John’s. A need to do something. Many people in my congregation are on good pensions and they know that many in our city are struggling and they want to do something to help. Hopefully, the tins and nappies and packets of loo roll do make a difference. But when I take our contributions to the foodbank in the afternoon, I often reflect that this is a terrible way to address inequality. People from St John’s buy things at the supermarket. They bring them to church. I then take them to the foodbank and the foodbank distributes them to people who apply to them for help. It’s very inefficient. It’s demeaning to those who rely on the Foodbank. And it only meets the needs of those who ask for help. As furlough ends there will be more people needing help in the coming months. And some people have been asking whether we need a universal living wage. A basic income which anyone is entitled to. This might help to protect all those who work in the gig economy and might simplify our benefits system.

It’s an interesting idea. One of the arguments against it is that if you pay everyone the same, regardless of whether they work or not, you remove some of the incentive for people to look for a job. Some might even say it smacks of communism. But it doesn’t seem a very long way from what’s happening in our Gospel reading today. The landowner employs different groups of people at different times of the day and pays them all the usual daily wage. It doesn’t seem very fair but it does mean that more people get enough to live on. These workers don’t have any job security or employment rights and many in the world are in a similar situation.

Jesus often uses money in his parables because people care about money. They listen when money is mentioned. But money tends to be used as a metaphor for something else. So what is this parable really about? Well, one interpretation is that it is about the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews, as we know, have been God’s people since the time of Abraham. They and God have had their ups and downs but they are still his people. Heirs of the covenant. Perhaps they are like the workers who started early in the morning. But then, centuries later, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all sorts of other people start calling themselves his children. These Jonny come latelys were now part of God’s family too. That might have been hard in a religion and culture that placed so much emphasis on family and descent. Matthew, we know, was writing for a Jewish Christian audience, and perhaps there were tensions between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. And perhaps this parable tried to address them.

Another commentator reminds us that this parable was addressed to the disciples rather than preached to the multitude. They suggest that there were tensions between the disciples themselves. They were not all called at the same time. Matthew, who we celebrate tomorrow, was called after Peter, Andrew, James and John. And maybe there were tensions between the disciples. Perhaps a pecking order was starting to develop. Just before this week’s passage, Peter reminds Jesus how much they have sacrificed to follow him. Jesus says that many who are first will be last and the last will be first. Our place in the kingdom of God is not determined by how long we have been a disciple. And we know that intellectually but how often in churches do we develop pecking orders. You can’t sit there because Mrs so and so has always sat there. Or you can’t have that hymn because Mr so and so doesn’t like it.

Even if this parable is particularly addressed to the disciples, it still has meaning for us. It’s so easy for us as human beings to establish pecking orders but the Gospel constantly subverts them. Putting down the mighty and exalting the humble and meek, filling the hungry and sending the rich empty away. But this parable is not just about pecking orders it’s about grace. It’s about everyone having the same access to God’s grace, regardless of their status, how long they have been a Christian or how hard they work for the kingdom. We are loved and accepted and forgiven by God because that is what God does. It is his free gift.

Our first reading from the Book of Exodus is a good illustration of this. The Israelites have crossed over the Red Sea and are in the wilderness. And they are getting a bit nostalgic about their old life. They sound a bit like the Four Yorkshiremen in the Monty Python sketch. I won’t attempt the accent but it goes something like this:

Who'd have thought thirty year ago we'd all be sittin' here drinking Château de Chasselas, eh?
In them days we was glad to have the price of a cup o' tea
A cup o' cold tea
Without milk or sugar
Or tea
In a cracked cup, an' all
Oh, we never had a cup. We used to have to drink out of a rolled up newspaper:
The best we could manage was to suck on a piece of damp cloth
But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor.

The Israelites seem to have forgotten that they were abused and exploited by the Egyptians. At least there was bread to eat, they said. And now this idiot Moses had brought them to the middle of nowhere and they were probably going to die of starvation. Like children on a long car journey, they kept saying they were hungry and asking, ‘Are we nearly there yet?’

Moses is exasperated and complains to God. And God sends manna from heaven for the Israelites to eat. And the important thing about the manna is that there is enough for everyone. Not too much and not too little. The Israelites are not to hoard it because if they do the manna will become infested with worms and rot. And grace is like that too. It is a gift from heaven. It comes freely and unearned. And there is enough for everyone. Not too much and not too little. Like the daily wage paid to the workers in the vineyard, everyone gets enough.

We may struggle to grasp that sometimes as human beings. But this is God’s work. He does what he chooses with what belongs to him. He chooses to be generous. And we need to learn to accept that free gift of grace and to be generous with others. So that all may have enough. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

Lord God, we give you thanks and praise that we are again able to meet together here at St Mary’s Walkley to worship you, joined via Zoom by those unable to attend in person. Strengthen our faith in these difficult times and make us always ready to reach out to those in need as taught by our Lord Jesus.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.

We bring before you the needs of the world, where so many are suffering, not just from the effects of the Covid pandemic, but also from acute poverty, hunger, lack of medical care, oppression and war. We pray for all countries in need of wise leadership and those in a position to provide it. Bless the work of the United Nations, the World Health Organisation, the European Union, and all the voluntary organisations working to bring emergency aid. Inspire all nations and their leaders to look beyond their own boundaries to work with others for the good of all.
Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide, that all denominations and traditions may work to show your love and care to a suffering world. We pray for our Archbishops Justin and Stephen, our diocesan bishops Pete and Sophie, and all clergy and laypeople working to maintain our mission and worship in these difficult times. We give thanks for our partner churches for their support.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our city and our Walkley Community, especially our schools as teachers and pupils meet again after so many months, with many new conditions to deal with, often, as in St Mary’s School, in buildings where distancing is difficult. We pray also for all the students about to start the new academic year. May they feel welcome and show responsibility in dealing with a very different learning environment from what they could have expected a year ago.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time in mind or body, whether from corona virus or other ailments for which treatment is being delayed. We give you thanks for our NHS and care workers, for all their efforts over the last 7 months, often risking their own health or lives. In a moment of quiet we think of those known to us who are in particular need of your healing grace at this time………
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember before you all those known to us who have died recently, and all who mourn them, often without the comfort of families and friends around them. We entrust them all to you as we hold their memory in a moment of silence………
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

With Mary and all your saints we commend ourselves and all your creation to your unfailing love, in which we put our trust.
Merciful Father:
Accept these prayers,
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Order of Service

Here you will fine an order of service for this mornings Eucharist in PDF format:

20 09 13 order of service

Here is a link to the YouTube channel where the service will live streamed:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv0KDKmAwGyIsE1i07xmiiw

The Order of Service

Here you will fine an order of service for this mornings Eucharist in Word format:

20 09 13 order of service

The Readings
Isaiah 52.13 - 53.12

See, my servant shall prosper;
he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at him
—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of mortals—
so he shall startle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Ephesians 2.11-22

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

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

Well the schools are finally back. And parents, students and teachers are generally relieved about the return to something like normality. Some things will be done differently for everyone in order to try to keep everyone as safe as possible from the virus. There may be disruptions along the way should there be a case of Covid-19 at the school. But returning to the routine of school and lessons is generally welcome.

Things won’t be the same as they were in March. Staff and pupils will each have had very different experiences of lock-down. Some will have been able to work reasonably well, others not. Some will have had good enough technology to learn at home, others not. Some will have had a home environment conducive to nurturing and learning, others not. Some will have suffered trauma due to bereavement, illness, family difficulties, or the isolation caused by lock-down itself. Others may have come through lock-down unscathed. Others may have even thrived on its restrictions. Schools will find a huge gap between the well-being and learning of different groups of students. There will be those who are pretty much ready to continue learning. There will be others needing a lot of pastoral support before they can face the prospect of double maths on a Wednesday afternoon. There will be, as it were, an “in” group and an “out” group. If this isn’t handled sensitively, it may hinder the educational progress of a large number of young people. It’s a challenging time for our schools.

Churches are gradually reopening too. And we are experiencing some of the same issues that schools are facing. Some of us have found it relatively easy to learn the new technology to keep in touch by video call and email. Others aren’t online, or find online interaction difficult. There have been traumas, illnesses, and the challenges of isolation or being with family members 24/7 among many of us too. And whilst we’ve tried to keep in touch with people individually, it’s not been perfect, and some people have managed this more easily than others. Those who have managed to keep in touch have found that they’ve got to know each other better. But not everyone. Some of us have perhaps returned to church feeling more left out. Others may not feel able to return at all yet. We too have found that there are different groups of people. A group of people who feel near, and a group who feel much further away. We won’t be the only church to feel like this.

There were groups who felt like this in the early church. Some felt they clearly belonged to the church community. Others felt more distant. Often the separation into groups happened along Jewish/Gentile lines. Those from a Jewish background sometimes wanted to insist that their Gentile brothers and sisters signed up to Jewish customs and practices such as circumcision. Those from a Gentile background sometimes felt inferior because they didn’t have the Jewish grounding in the faith to start with. They felt more distant. The Christians in Ephesus seem to have come from this second group – they had a Gentile background. And it seems from the letter to the Ephesians that they were indeed feeling rather distant from the Church as a whole, perhaps feeling like second-class Christians.

Paul is keen to address this. He reminds his readers that in Christ, human divisions such as circumcision are irrelevant. Whilst Gentiles were once not part of the chosen people, before Christ, this is no longer the case. They are very much fully Christian, fully members of Christ’s family and fully members of God’s household. Christ has broken down all divisions and brought his people together. Christ has proclaimed peace to those who were far off, and peace to those who were near. Therefore the two groups are to come together as one, and to work together to build up God’s spiritual temple among all his people. This message has held true for Christians experiencing division ever since. It holds true, just as much, for the Church today.

When churches throughout the country moved their activities online during the pandemic, some people felt excluded. However, other people found themselves suddenly included, perhaps for the very first time. People, for instance, who can’t easily get to a church service, perhaps through disability, or caring responsibilities, or work. When they switch on their computer or phone, there is no longer a barrier to being part of a service of worship, or a church community. How then, can the Church work towards re-opening its buildings for worship, whilst continuing to include these once-excluded people, and indeed include them fully?

At St. Mary’s, the word “Inclusive” is part of our strap-line. The experience of lock-down, and having to do things differently, has made many of us realise that we can do so much more to be inclusive. And so now, beginning in a small, imperfect way, you’ll see how we’re attempting to do this. As well as altar and lectern, we now have a laptop set up at the front of church, and the service is being live-streamed to people at home. So our congregation includes not just you and me here in the building, but all you who are joining us now at home. It includes you who are watching the recording later, and you who are reading elements of the service on our website in your own time.

We are all part of St. Mary’s. We are all part of the whole Church of God. God is challenging us to work together, to share with each other, to learn from each other as equals.

Our challenge is to have hearts and minds open and willing to do this.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe

The bidding for our prayers this evening is “God be near us”.
The response is ‘God give us strength'

With thankful hearts we bring our prayers to our heavenly Father...

We pray for the Church of Christ, for Pete our Bishop, Canon Sophie, all here who lead us in worship and prayer, and all those whose time and talents are given to St Mary's to create a place of worship here in Walkley. As we return to worship in this place, we offer special thanks to all who have worked hard behind the scenes to make it possible for us to gather together in person once again.

God be near us,
God give us strength

We pray that we always remember the words from Isaiah; that we are members of the household of God. Give us the presence of mind to keep this at the front of our thoughts as we go about our daily lives.

God be near us,
God give us strength

We ask that all civic and political leaders throughout the world remember their power and influence, and that they use their power and words to heal with love and compassion, rather than generate hatred. As politicians in Europe and the UK face the issues of Brexit and Covid-19, we pray for them to show wisdom and good judgement.

We pray for refugees and those people affected by war and climate change at this time, particularly those affected by wildfires in the US and the refugee camp fire in Greece.

God be near us,
God give us strength

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. As we enter into yet another period of uncertainty, remind us that you are our strength and our certainty in this quickly changing world.

God be near us,
God give us strength

Lord, we pray for those we know who are troubled at this time, who feel excluded from society, who feel nervous and frightened for the future – especially as we face an increase in incidence of Covid 19. We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or spirit, those that need your grace and blessing. Be with them at this time, Lord, and give them peace and strength. We particularly remember ….

<silence>

God be near us,
God give us strength

We pray for those close to death at this time, and those accompanying them on their journey. We pray for those who have died, recently and in the past, and those who mourn. We particularly remember ….

<silence>

God be near us,
God give us strength

Finally, Lord, we silently bring before you those special to us, and those issues that trouble our hearts and minds at this time.

<silence>

God be near us,
God give us strength

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 included in these prayers is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council 2000

The Order of Service

Here you will fine an order of service for this mornings Eucharist in PDF format:

20 09 06 Order of Service

Here is a link to the YouTube channel where the service will live streamed:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv0KDKmAwGyIsE1i07xmiiw

The Order of Service

Here you will fine an order of service for this mornings Eucharist in Word format:

20 09 06 Order of Service

The Readings

Isaiah 61.10-end

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

Luke 1.46-55

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

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 the Revd Sue Hammersley, Vicar of St Mark's Broomhill.

A day of celebration?

It is such a privilege to be with you this morning as we take a tentative step back towards being together in this sacred space again.

I know it’s not the same, but it’s good to gather together today (and for those reading this sermon, I hope it feels good to know that there are members of the congregation meeting together in the building again).

I don’t know how this virus has affected each of you but in so many ways we are all living with profound (and subtle) change, and the lack of clarity about how long this might go on for adds to the tension.  I hope that each of you is keeping well and accepting the support of others when it is offered, as well as offering help where you can.  It doesn’t matter if it’s as simple as a phone call or a postcard, keep in touch and let’s make the most of the contact we can have with each other.

Today is an important day in the life of St Mary’s for another reason too.  Today is your patronal festival - a day to celebrate Mary, the mother of Jesus.  You mark this day on the Sunday closest to the day chosen by the church as her date of birth (September 8) and using the readings for the day which the church sets aside as her commemoration, August 15.

What an appropriate day to come back into the building.  Not simply because it is your patronal festival but also because of the role Mary plays in our faith story.

When we think of Mary we remember how God broke into her life, quite probably before she was ready.  This reminds me that God is always present, always active in our lives – even when we are not willing to respond.

My faith is incarnational: the God of heaven is present on earth; so I am on a mission to bring Mary back to earth too.

We believe that she was a young girl and unmarried – the stigma of being pregnant would surely have meant that any woman old enough to give this their full consideration would have refused.  But Mary, we believe, said yes.  She allowed God to turn her world upside down…

We are living through a time of confusion and uncertainty.  How does Mary’s story speak into our lives today?

A manifesto for hope…

Not only does Mary say yes but she is filled with a sense of confidence in the God who can do extraordinary things.

Her song of praise is quite remarkable…

I am sure that you will know this text very well but it never ceases to speak to me.

This young woman has such a vivid sense that the God of heaven is present on earth.

She can see how God turns everything on its head: upsets the balance of power; feeds the hungry from the store cupboards of those who have plenty; honouring the covenant made with our ancestors.  This pandemic has revealed such inequality in our world – even the simplest of instructions to wash our hands requires clean water, but being told to stay at home assumes that home is a safe place.  Here in the UK, here in Sheffield, here in Walkley there will be many people for whom home is not a safe place.  The church must find its voice, as Mary did, yes to sing God’s praise but also to call out injustice, to name inequality and to offer a different model of community, based on God’s kingdom values of love and justice.

Mary, a young uneducated girl, can see that she has been blessed.  Echoing the words in Isaiah, her whole being praises God…

As the earth brings forth its shoots, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Righteousness and praise belong together.

Whatever difficulties we may face in life I hope that we can hear Mary’s voice of praise, singing to a God who is utterly present, utterly grounded in our humanity, calling us to respond to an invitation to believe in life in all its fullness.  When Mary sings her song of praise her life has just been turned upside down.  She may not be living through a pandemic but her life is full of uncertainty.  But she knows that God is at work within her.

If we have just a fraction of Mary’s faith just think what we could do…

Prophetic action…

As the people called to say yes to God, in this place, at this time, how can we help each other listen to God calling us to life in the midst of the chaos and disruption that we face today? How can we ensure that righteousness and praise belong together?  How can we use our faith to make hope visible in our world today?

When Mary met Anna and Simeon in the Temple she was told that her heart would be pierced.  We know that Mary suffered in ways we can hardly imagine, unable to prevent her son from experiencing pain, rejection and death.  She couldn’t protect him but she showed us a way through the difficult paths we tread, a way which always trusted the God who had brought her life, a way that led her through the valley of the shadow of death to a new landscape of resurrection hope.

Behold, I am doing a new thing, God says.  Can you not perceive it?

In every time, in every place, God is inviting us to bring hope to life.  We can be sure that it will disrupt our plans, make us question the things we have taken for granted, see the world differently, but if we have eyes to see and ears to listen, hearts willing to be softened and lives open to change then we, like Mary, might allow God to plant hope deep within us; we, like Mary might see the possibilities for that hope to grow in the lives of those around us and we, like Mary, might be willing to suffer the pain of living through our fear because we know that God will never abandon us, that God is always part of a bigger picture.

From generation to generation

Here at St Mary’s you are facing enormous challenges.

The church is being called to respond, with faith, to a new way of revealing God’s presence in our midst.  A new way of being the church on the road.  Now is the time and you are the people.

St Mark’s and St John’s are faced with different but similar challenges and we are committed to working together to explore imaginative ways of being church, new possibilities for serving our communities, different patterns of ministry, not because there’s anything wrong with what we’ve done before but because God is always doing new things, God is always breaking into our reality and bringing hope alive, God is always asking preposterous things of us and hoping that, like Mary, we might just say…  yes?

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe.

With thankful hearts we bring our prayers to our heavenly Father

We pray for the Church of Christ, for Bishop Pete and Canon Sophie, all here who lead us in worship and prayer, and all those whose time and talents are given to St Mary’s.  As we gather together again for the first time in several months, we especially thank all those who have worked tirelessly to bring us together in worship whilst we have been separated.
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 influence be used compassionately for the good of all.  Bring clarity of thought and vision to those who make an implement policy. We pray that you offer all of us discernment at this time, so we can make sensible and sound decisions based on truth and sound judgement.  Recalling this morning’s reading, we pray indeed that “the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”
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.  At this time we pray for school children, students and the staff of our schools, colleges and universities as they also come back together for a new academic year in difficult circumstances.  We also pray for those whose livelihood as been affected by the pandemic.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer

Lord, we pray for those we know who are worried and troubled especially at this time of continuing uncertainty.  We pray for those whose health and livelihoods have been affected by Covid-19, and those who have ongoing health or emotional problems where treatments are still only partially available.

We pray for the aged and infirm, and those sick in mind, body or spirit, those that need your grace and blessing. Be with them at this time, Lord, and give them peace and strength.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer

We pray for those close to death at this time, 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 especially pray for those who have died without the comfort of their family around them, and those who felt fear and felt alone in their last moments.  We pray that they were comforted by your presence, Lord, and that you give strength and love to all those close to death and caring for the dying at this time.
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.

The Readings

Exodus 3.1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’ When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ He said further, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’

But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.” ’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”:
This is my name for ever,
and this my title for all generations.

Matthew 16.21-end

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

‘For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’

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 Joe, a Lay Reader at St Mary's.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

This week I came across the following news story:

Mother Mechthild is the abbess of Abbey of Maria Frieden in Kirchschletten, Bavaria. She is presently being pursued by the authorities in court for having granted asylum in her convent to an Eritrean woman.

“I have stood up for what I consider to be right. I could not be proud of it, I would simply have to accept it. But I would have a clear conscience, because I have stood up for what I consider to be right”,

The Reverend Mother Mechthild Thürmer, told the newspapers, the Verlagsgruppe Bistumspresse with regard to the possibility of her imprisonment.

Quite a woman; and quite a follower of Christ.

After looking at this Sunday’s readings – especially the Gospel reading -  I’d already decided that I could only focus on a small part of the scripture.

It is an astonishingly rich text – I think I worked out that if I put my mind to it I could get maybe 6 sermons out of it – in which Jesus lays out some central truths of our faith.

I decided to focus on one verse, that I think we need to bear in mind on every part of our Christian journey.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Actually making this decision and then encountering the news item above made me think ‘Yep, that’s the one!’

This statement from Jesus is present in the Gospels according to Mark, Matthew and Luke.  Jesus’s Ministry has become widely known, and people have been wondering who He is – some say he’s John the Baptist; some Elijah; others think he is another prophet.  Jesus is able to confirm what Peter thinks He is; that Jesus is ‘the Messiah’.

Jesus then tells them that “undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Now, there are a number of places in the Gospels where I wish that the writer had given us some insight into the reaction of the listeners.  This is one of those moments.  This is almost certainly not what people expected would happen to the Messiah.  And then, to drive this home, Jesus tells His followers that to follow Him they need to deny themselves and take up their own cross.

Powerful words, especially as everyone present would know that the cross was a cruel method of Roman execution used against those who would raise their hand against the state.  This is probably NOT what they all signed up for!

Following Jesus can be looked at in two ways. You might think of following Jesus in the same way you follow the activities of a celebrity or a soccer team; you might follow and study His teachings in the Gospel, in an almost academic way. Alternatively, following Jesus involves you ‘walking the walk’ as well as ‘talking the talk’.  Jesus says (John 14:6) “I am the way and the truth and the life” and in this statement I think we see what approach Jesus expects of his followers.  The way of Jesus is to be walked; the truth to be found; the life of Jesus to be lived.  Following Jesus is an active process, a life changing process.

Jesus is pointing this out to his followers.

This is where things start getting real; your life will change; you may die; this is what following Jesus really means.  Sounds heavy; I have to say that if I’d been there I might have considered this to be a good time to remember I had an important appointment to keep….about 200 miles away.

In Jesus’s statement we’re given three things to do if we wish to follow Him.  They’re actions – not just statements of belief or promises.  We’re told:

To DENY ourselves

To PICK UP OUR CROSS

To FOLLOW Him

At this point it sounds really hard; we’re going to follow Jesus to death.

But, as is often the case with Jesus’s statements, there’s more…

Now, in the version of this statement in Luke 9.23, there is an extra word:

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me”

A subtle but important change; discipleship involves a daily denial, and a daily taking up of the cross.  It’s a process; it’s a lifestyle; the cross may not be the instrument of our physical death, but a symbol of the death of our old life.  When we become a disciple; the change is total – our previous self dies.

So, what are WE to do to become followers – disciples – of Christ?  There is a cost to discipleship.

We deny ourselves – we focus on following the teachings of Christ and become the best representation of Gospel living we can be.  We will never be perfect, and we’ll always have things to do.  We will be denying the prime importance of the daily world in our lives, and making ‘Gospel living’ our prime aim.  We deny our own desires and follow the commandments and teachings of Christ in our lives.

Now – taking up our cross.  None of us wish to put ourselves through pain and humiliation, or even death.  But sometimes, this is necessary for a Christian.  Dietrick Bonhoeffer said “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”  This may be physical, literal death – or it may be a great personal loss or struggle – or it may be imprisonment – like Mother Mechthild.  Or it may be something within our lives that needs to be gone.

For example, if we find it difficult to control our anger with people, we can carry the personal cross of being patient and showing humility.

If we are judgemental, we can carry our individual cross of being forgiving.

And we do this daily, as long as is needed.  For some people it will be a lifetime struggle to carry their personal cross.

And finally, we follow Christ; we follow Him knowing that everyone who truly follows Christ is also denying themselves, carrying their own crosses.

May we offer our fellow travellers all the support and help that Christ Himself offers us.

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by David.

From the rising of the sun to its setting, let us pray to the Lord.

We pray for your world.
For peoples and nations and for those who work across such boundaries.
We offer to you the challenges which affect the whole world and pray that we may each be given wisdom and inspiritation to respond as best we can for the sake of the common good.
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for your church.
Scattered and divided, may she be united in purpose and love of you.
We pray for Pete, our Bishop, Sophie, Bishop Designate of Doncaster, and all who minister within the Diocese of Sheffield.
Praying especially for our partners at St Mark's Broomhill and St John's Ranmoor.
May we all be guided by you in paths that lie ahead.
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for our communities.
Whose with whom we live, work and enjoy life.
With so many necessary barriers between us at this time may we find new and creative ways to live our shared life.
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for those who suffer, in body, mind or spirit.
The lonely, the anxious, the depressed. Those suffering, in pain or grieving.
We pray for the light of your presence with them, your healing in their lives, and where we can ourselves as servants in this work.
We offer to you those known to us and all known only to you O Lord.
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for those who have died.
We give thanks for the gift of their presence in our lives.
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

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