The Readings

Exodus 1.8-2.10

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.’ Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labour. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labour. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?’ The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.’

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, ‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’

 

Romans 12.1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

 

Matthew 16.13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

 

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.

One of the things that the lessons that I have taken from Black Lives Matter and the whole Windrush scandal is that it is important that we know our history. And not just the history of those in charge but the history of minorities. Those who peddle racism in this country often forget that many BAME people came to this country in response to a labour shortage in the post war era. In our first reading from Exodus, we have another example of the past being forgotten. A new pharaoh has come to the throne in Egypt and he knows nothing of the story of Joseph and of how the Israelites came to live in Egypt. And like many tyrants since then he decides to blame this minority for the ills of his nation and treats them as second class citizens.
But this story is not really about pharaoh. It’s about a group of remarkable, subversive women who find ways to fight the patriarchy. There are not that many stories about women in the Bible but this is one of the best. Too often, they are just given walk on parts and frequently they go unnamed. But in this story, we are told the names of some of the women involved and that that’s often a sign that people are doing something important.

The first two important women are Shiphrah and Puah. Like all midwives they have devoted themselves to bringing new life into the world. Pharaoh commanded them to kill every Hebrew boy that was born but they disobeyed him. Though pharaoh was thought of as a living deity and had absolute power, these women ignored his instructions and pretended that they never got to the births of the Israelite babies in time. The midwives feared God more than they feared pharaoh and God blessed them for their courage.

And then we have the story of Moses, one of those Hebrew boys. According to rabbinic literature, his mother’s name was Jochebed. And like any mother, she was tenacious in trying to preserve the life of her son. She hid him in that famous Moses basket in the reeds and set his older sister Miriam to keep an eye on him. And then pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to bathe. Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions give the princess many names. All three traditions bless her for preserving Moses’ life. She knew that he was a Hebrew baby. She knew that her father had ordered that such boys should be killed. But she used her limited power as a princess to save him. Moses’ sister Miriam was quick to make the most of the situation. She offered to go and find a wet nurse for the child. And so Moses’ mother ended up being paid to bring up her own child, something that many are still campaigning for today. Moses’ life was spared and he went on to lead the exodus, a defining event in Jewish history.

This story of seemingly powerless women subverting the system is an interesting contrast to our Gospel reading. Jesus asks the disciples who people say that he is. And they come up with a variety of responses. Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ And then Jesus asks the disciples who they say he is. And Peter comes straight back with the answer, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ He is right on the money. And Jesus praises him for his faith and insight. And he names Simon Peter, Peter, the rock on which he will build the church. And he gives him the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

And part of us wants to say, hang on a minute, this is Peter. The one who keeps putting his foot in it. The one who will deny Jesus three times. He is the rock? Can that be right? A whole system of power and influence, money and buildings has been built on this rock. But I suspect that none of those things were in the minds of Jesus or of Peter when those words were first uttered. Jesus knew Peter’s shortcomings. He knew that Peter would let him down. But he also knew that Peter had moments of huge faith and would ultimately follow him to the cross, and it was on these things that the church was to be built. In many ways, Peter stands for all of us. We all have times of doubt, times when we let Jesus down. But like Peter we have moments too when the clouds seem to clear and faith suddenly comes alive and that’s enough for Jesus. He can work with that just as he worked with Peter.

Peter is a reminder that we are called, warts and all to follow Jesus. And use the gifts that we have been given in his service. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, exhorts us to present ourselves as living sacrifices. And warns us not to be conformed to this world. Not to live by its standards of racism or sexism or any other sort of ism. But to see ourselves as God sees us. With sober judgement. Paul warns us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. And too often those words have been used by the powerful to keep others in their places. Perhaps they should be addressed to some of the people who are currently in power who seem to have a sense of entitlement but perhaps lack the gifts they really need. That work of self-examination goes both ways. Some may need to develop a bit of humility while others may need a bit more self-confidence so that they can take their rightful place in the church and in the world. They need building up not taking down.

As Paul says, like the parts of the body, we all have different gifts. And it is important that each one of us uses those gifts to the full. If we only use the gifts of a few people we are disabled as a church, as a nation and as a planet. As a church, I hope that we can model a way of working in which all can use their gifts. Where those without power do not have to subvert the system as the women around Moses had to. And where those who have power, as Peter ultimately did, are allowed to express vulnerability and make mistakes. We are all members of the one body and all of us have a part to play. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Barbara.

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

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

At this time of reception of exam results, we pray for all those involved in the grades debacle: the students, their parents and teachers, and the universities facing difficulties as a result. We pray for a good and wise outcome that supports all students in preparing for their future.

We pray for all those in leadership roles throughout the world, that they can find ways to lead their people out of these dark times to lives of peace, prosperity and good health. We pray that each one of us does our best to treat the world you have given us with all the love and good care that it deserves. Please help us to learn the best ways to achieve this.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

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

We pray especially for all those involved in preparing and leading worship within our mission area, including St Mark’s Broomhill, St John’s Ranmoor and St Mary’s Walkley. Please help us all to find safe ways to return to worship within our church buildings, as well continuing to worship together online. We know that there is no one right way to worship you – please help us to reach all of your family at this time of trouble and in the future.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

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

We pray for all those suffering from physical illness at this time, whether from covid-19 or from other causes. We pray also for all those suffering from mental distress at this time of great upheaval. Please bring them all your healing and comfort.

We pray for all those who are in financial trouble or who face losing their jobs or their homes. Please bring them your comfort too.

We pray also for all of those named to you in our hearts, knowing that you will know them and help them.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the peace of Christ, and we give you praise for all your faithful ones, with whom we rejoice in the communion of saints. We pray that they have found their place in your heavenly kingdom. …

All this we ask for Jesus Christ’s sake.
Amen.

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 Readings

Genesis 37.1-15

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.” And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honoured in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.’ Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Matthew 15.10-28

Then Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

 

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

“It’s not fair”

The exams were abandoned, but the results are in. And the students aren’t happy. There has been much hand-wringing and u-turning, dismay and protest. It was always going to be difficult working out a fair system for grading our school leavers this year, but pretty much everyone thinks that it could have been handled so much better. Students feel that their grades have been arbitrarily lowered at the whim of an algorithm. Schools which have not performed as well in previous years feel that this year’s more able cohort may have been penalised. Students who might have pulled out all the stops at the last minute feel that they have not had the chance to show what they’re really capable of. And so the cry goes out “It’s not fair!”

“It’s not fair” is a complaint that every parent will be familiar with. “Why was my brother allowed to go out when I wasn’t?” “Why was my sister given more pocket money than me at the same age?” “Why is my friend allowed to have a mobile phone and I’m not? It’s not fair!”

“It’s not fair” was a sentiment felt keenly by the 10 older sons of Jacob. As we were reminded in last week’s reading from Genesis, Joseph, was the favoured son, the golden boy who could do no wrong, the apple of Jacob’s eye. Joseph was honoured with a fancy coat and given only light duties while they had to go out all day and look after the sheep. And we were reminded of the outcome of such unfair treatment. The jealousy felt by Joseph’s brothers had dreadful consequences. At first they threw him in a pit, intending to leave him there to die. Then they relented slightly, deciding instead to sell him into slavery, and pretended to Jacob that he’d been savaged by a wild animal. And in doing so, they broke their father’s heart.

It’s not been fair for this year’s school leavers. Life often isn’t fair for children growing up. Things definitely weren’t fair for Joseph’s brothers. We can see and understand this easily.

But then in our Gospel reading we find Jesus saying “it’s not fair”. And it’s rather puzzling. A Canaanite woman is begging him to heal her daughter of a demon. And Jesus’ reaction is somewhat strange, considering we generally see him happily healing anyone who asks for it. First he ignores her. Then he says that he’s only been sent to the lost sheep of Israel. When she kneels before him, he seems to insult her, calling her a dog. And he says “It’s not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”. We’re left asking why exactly isn’t it fair to heal the woman’s daughter?

Earlier in Chapter 15 the religious authorities have been criticising Jesus’ disciples for not performing the ritual hand-washing before they eat. They are implying that if you don’t wash your hands in a certain way, you are unclean. Jesus has rebuked them, accusing them of passing off human practices as religious doctrine. What’s the point of washing your hands if your heart is full of evil intent?

Jesus knows that his mission is primarily to the people of Israel. He hopes to bring them, and their leaders, back to a right relationship with God. He continually offers them the chance of healing and renewal. He isn’t ready to give up on them and offer God’s grace to others instead. They are God’s special people. It isn’t fair to give to others what God declares is theirs.

But fair, or not fair, they aren’t responding. And the Canaanite woman points this out: “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table”. She is open to Jesus, receptive to any scrap of God’s healing grace that is left over or discarded. She will welcome with open arms what the religious authorities of Israel have rejected. Jesus sees this, and so her daughter is healed.

It wasn’t fair to sell Joseph into slavery and break Jacob’s heart. Understandable, maybe, fair, no! He must have felt rejected, unwanted and abandoned. But God was with him in Egypt, and he thrived. He found favour with Pharaoh, and his foresight and administrative skills helped Egypt to prepare during the years of plenty for the years of famine. Food was stored to be fairly shared, not only among the people of Egypt, but also with the refugees from neighbouring countries. And then when Joseph’s brothers came in search of food, he was able to show them God’s abundant grace, calling the whole family to move to some of Egypt’s best land where they too would thrive.

Life often isn’t fair. And this year’s school leavers are feeling it most keenly at the moment. We all suffer from unfairness from time to time. And yet, even when life is treating us unfairly, God continues to be with us. Let us pray that God is close to all the students who feel let down. And let us strive to be instruments of God’s justice, love and grace in this imperfect, unfair world.

The Prayers
Prepared by Hope

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the father.
Dear Father in Heaven bless all those around us who are struggling today, especially as a result of the pandemic.
Bless those who face soon having to lose their jobs, as government support runs out
Bless those who are so short of money now that they don’t know how they are going to cope
Bless children and teenagers who have had no school since March, and have needed it so much
Bless the young people who have received A Level results in England yesterday
Bless those who have had their exam grades adjusted by a complex system.
Bless especially those students who now fear that their life plans are crumbling around them
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Bless those in our own country who are suffering from the effects of violent storms and flooding.
Bless those affected by the derailment of the train from Aberdeen: the injured and the bereaved.
Bless those whose home countries are ravaged by war, as well as the effects of climate change.
Bless those who are so desperate that they struggle to reach this country in overloaded small boats.
Bless all those from this country and around the world who are most directly affected by Covid-19
Bless the people of Beirut. Grant them a better future for their city and their country
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Dear Father in Heaven
Grant us… Faith, in your power to redeem your creation
Hope, for a better future for those who are suffering
Love, which is a part of your everlasting love.
Show us how to understand better the needs of others
Help us to meet those needs, through prayer for guidance and by giving and sharing
Help us to live day by day with awareness of your presence with us in Jesus Christ.
Grant us, day by day, wisdom and strength in the Power of the your Holy Spirit
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We ask your blessing on all those who are living with anxiety and fear at this tough time.
We give thanks for the health workers, counsellors, carers, friends and neighbours who have given unselfish support when it is most needed.
We give thanks for the work of all our local church leaders in this time of digital support and services
Bless them all and be there for them
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember all those who have gone before us in the Peace of Christ.
That great cloud of witnesses who have inspired us and 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.

 

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 Readings

Genesis 37.1-4, 12-28

Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. This is the story of the family of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ So he said to him, ‘Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.

He came to Shechem, and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, ‘What are you seeking?’ ‘I am seeking my brothers,’ he said; ‘tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.’ The man said, ‘They have gone away, for I heard them say, “Let us go to Dothan.” ’ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.’ But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Matthew 14.22-33

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of 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 Dave, Reader-in-training at St. Mary's

Our Gospel passage today is a rarity for St Mary’s. The last section of it is depicted in one of our stained glass windows. See the picture nearby. It shows Peter, who has left the boat with the other disciples in, and moved across the water towards Jesus. Peter has clearly begun to sink and has called to Jesus who will lift him up out of the waves. But we’ve jumped into the middle of the story.

Our passage begins following Jesus’ feeding of 5000 people with two loaves and 5 small fish, see Matthew 14.13-21. A clear expression of his divinity, and God’s ability to turn that which is meagre and everyday into an unending blessing.

Following the miracle Jesus sends the disciples away in the boat, dismisses the crowds and goes up the mountain to pray. He withdraws and spends time with the Father.
When he comes to re-join the disciples, they are in, if not a dangerous situation, then one which is certainly causing them problems. The boat they are in is battered by the waves and they are far from shore. They have followed Jesus’ instructions. They have set out for the far shore, but through no fault of their own, they now find themselves buffeted about.

Jesus comes towards them on the water and they are terrified and fearful. Rather than remembering yesterday’s miracle with the two loaves and five fish, and therefore his extraordinary power, they retreat to their own flawed, human understanding, thinking this must be a ghost. Jesus reassures them, telling them to take heart, which gives Peter just enough courage to speak with Jesus and ultimately step out of the boat.

The wind is still blowing at this point. The water is still choppy. This can be seen in the window, it isn’t a placid millpond Peter has begun to cross. Yet, walk on the water he does. At least for a brief while. The wind and the waves get the better of him though. He loses his focus on Jesus and instead focuses on the tempest around him. He begins to sink, which is where we find the story in our window. Peter is reaching out to Jesus and Jesus is reaching out to Peter.

Jesus catches him, they both go to the boat, the wind ceases and the disciples acknowledge the reality of Jesus’ divinity. The boat with all aboard then makes it across to the far side.

---

The boat in this story is often interpreted as being God’s church, in pretty much every age. Jesus is no longer physically with us in the same way he was with the first disciples. The boat or church is buffeted from all sides as its members, Jesus’ disciples, us, try to steer it where we have been instructed to go. We do our best, but it’s hard work and sometimes it feels like we aren’t moving in the direction we should.
This interpretation raises interesting questions for us.

Jesus isn’t in the boat with us, but he is there on the water, out in the world. Peter is the only one who has the courage to leave the relative safety of the boat to venture and meet Jesus on the water. It doesn’t go particularly well for Peter, but then it doesn’t normally, does it? But he is caught by Jesus, gently chided and returned to the boat.

Under normal circumstances large parts of the church would gather in person to be fed by the generous spirit of God in both word and sacrament. At the end of the service we are dismissed “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord” replying “in the name of Christ. Amen.” Here we leave the presence of Jesus in bread and wine and go and seek him in the world. We venture out of the boat, knowing it may not go as well as it could, but that Jesus will catch us, in whatever form that may take.

But those are normal circumstances. Which we are definitely not in.

At the risk of stretching the metaphor a bit, it can feel like we are bobbing around in the water trying to latch on whatever remaining bit of the blasted apart boat floating by. We’ve gone through the initial wrecking of the boat, who would have thought that public worship in the Church of England would ever be suspended for more than three months? We’ve followed our Royal National Lifeboat Institution guidance on hitting the water and floated on our backs till we could assess the situation, work out what life and the church might look like after the wreck. We are now looking at the differently shaped pieces of wood which each of us has and wondering how we can put them all together into something vaguely seaworthy. All the while bobbing along.

I can guarantee that it won’t look the same as it did before. It will probably be more raft-like than ship and maybe that’s okay. A raft has low sides, easy to get in and venture out of, whereas a ship has tall, imposing sides.

Leaving the metaphor behind, how does that look for St Mary’s? It might mean that the weekly commitment to sermons on the website, etc. is continued. It might mean that services back in the building are live streamed. It could mean plenty of other things that have yet to become clear, not least of which is how to respond to what could be one of the biggest economic crises of our time and the need that arises from that. Ours is definitely not the only boat that has been blown apart.

But through all of this Jesus is constant, out in the world, hoisting people onto floating debris, creating chance encounters and pushing bits of broken apart boats together so that we can build a fleet that works for all.
I’d like to finish with the words of the first verse of a hymn by Cecil Frances Alexander.

Jesus calls us o'er the tumult
of our life's wild, restless sea;
day by day his sweet voice soundeth,
saying "Christian, follow me."

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine

God of work and of leisure:
We pray for all who work on the land -
For those tending livestock or bringing in the harvest
so that others may eat.
We pray for all who work in tourism
with the particular challenges of this summer,
for those unable to take a holiday,
and for those whose holiday has not been the hoped for time of rest.

God of crowds and of solitude:
We give thanks that you are with us
whether we are together, or alone.
We pray for Christian communities everywhere
Challenged to worship and to share your love
together while apart.
We pray for all who are working towards
the safe re-opening of local church buildings.

God of families and rivalries,
and of those who strive for peace:
We pray for all families and communities
For those whose relationships have been strained to the limit by lock-down
For all who are suffering from inequality and injustice.
We pray for the work of mediators, counsellors and politicians
remembering with gratitude the peace-making work of John Hume.

God of strong winds and small boats:
May we feel your presence when times are particularly stormy.
We hold before you all those places of strife, conflict, poverty and disaster.
We pray for migrants crossing dangerous waters in overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels.
We remember those who have lost their livelihood,
or whose jobs are insecure.

God of all who reach out for you, but then lose heart:
We pray for all those who are sad, lonely or downcast
for those whose faith is being tested.
We pray especially for those injured in Beirut’s explosion
and their severely compromised hospitals.
We remember all who are unwell or frail
thinking in particular of anyone known to us personally.
We ask for strength, courage and an assurance of your presence.

God of the missing and the dead:
We hold before you especially this week the people of Beirut,
those anxiously seeking news of friends or relatives,
those mourning the dead.
We remember anyone who has died this week,
and in particular anyone known to us personally.

God of the dreamers and those who see visions:
We look in hope to the fulfilment of your kingdom
on earth as in heaven.
Guide us in our lives
that we may reflect, however imperfectly,
your never-ceasing love for your world
and for all your people.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.

The Readings

Genesis 32.22-31

The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’ The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Matthew 14.13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 

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 Kath, a Reader at St. Mary's

I think I can say, with a fair amount of confidence that I’m not alone in liking to know how things work. I say “with confidence” because many TV channels are full of programmes about how things work or how they are designed or made and if you’ve ever tried getting a place on a tour of a factory or power station or theatre or indeed any kind of “behind the scenes” visit you will know that they get booked up pretty quickly. Obviously a lot of us “like to know”. We’re curious, fascinated, intrigued and sometimes amazed at what we see and learn and quite rightly so. I’ve been on numerous such visits and loved every one of them and I’ve spent many a happy hour watching programmes like “How it’s Made”, “Kirstie’s Handmade Home”, “Grand Designs” “Abandoned Engineering” and even “Wheeler Dealers” where each episode, Ed China, a mechanic, skilfully restores some clapped-out old vehicle to its former glory. There are some very clever people around!

That said, although we might like or want to know, much of the time we don’t actually need to know how something works in order to use it, appreciate it or benefit from it. For instance, I can drive a car and although I have a rough idea of how it works, I don't know in detail and I certainly couldn’t explain it or mend it if it broke down. Likewise with the computer I’m using to write this sermon, I can operate it without knowing much about how it works nor do I really understand how the internet works in order for it to reach you. Interesting as it all is, I don’t actually need to know.

Maybe it’s quite a leap, maybe not, to say that I have a similar approach to what I encounter in the Bible. I like to know and understand and be able to see an explanation or reason in the stories but that isn’t always possible because some things are beyond the ability of even the cleverest of us to understand or explain so that certainly rules me out. And I’m ok with that! I’m certainly not advocating that we don’t question what we are presented with; that would be foolhardy and has in the past been very damaging and disastrous when faith has been placed in individuals who are either deluded about their own greatness or have ulterior motives, nor should we wilfully ignore evidence that doesn’t fit in with what we want to believe but I accept that there are some things we just can’t explain or know. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t true or didn’t happen or that we can’t benefit and be enriched by them. People who are sceptical or hostile about religious faith want evidence, which believers can’t provide; if we could it wouldn’t be called faith, and the sceptics can’t prove that our faith is wrong or misplaced. The most obvious example of something we all know to be real but can’t be proved with empirical evidence is love. Love can take many forms and expressions of love can be of an even greater variety but no matter how extravagant they might be, they are not proof. In matters of love there is also a lot of trust involved and a willingness to make ourselves vulnerable. We can’t know for certain whether the love professed for us is real however much we want to.

Our reading from Matthew’s Gospel tells the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, one of the best known of the miracles he performed and it’s a story known to more than just church goers and believers. Many of us choose to believe it but we can’t prove it happened or know how Jesus did it. But do we really need to know in order to benefit or be enriched by it? I personally don’t think so because there is a lot more besides the miracle itself to be enriched by.

To set the story in context, Jesus has been rejected by the people of his hometown Nazareth. In spite of hearing his teaching in their synagogue and being amazed by his deeds they can’t get past the knowledge that he was “the carpenter’s son”, they know his mother is Mary and they know his brothers and sisters and they effectively devalued him. So he moved on. He then received devastating news that his cousin John, who baptised him, had been executed, murdered because he had upset Herodias by criticising King Herod’s relationship with her. Understandably Jesus wanted some time to himself to take in and start to come to terms with what had happened and no doubt to grieve for John. He may also have been frightened; we can’t know.

But his time alone was not to be because the crowds followed him. Instead of insisting on his own need for privacy and space we are told that when he saw them “he had compassion for them”. He goes to them to “cure their sick” and he teaches them. As evening drew near, the Disciples, quite sensibly, suggested that Jesus send the people into the nearby towns so they could get some food. They too were probably thinking of the people’s welfare and concerned for Jesus himself. Imagine their feelings when he said “you give them something to eat”. What? How are we supposed to do that? We’ve only got five small loaves and two fish! No doubt their stress levels were immediately rocketing. But then came the miracle when Jesus blessed the food and gave it to the Disciples to share among the crowd. It would have been impressive if he had fed twenty people with such a modest amount of food but we are told that five thousand men plus women and children, so possibly seven to ten thousand people, “ate and were filled” and there were twelve baskets of leftovers. We can’t know how Jesus did this. Does that detract from the story? Not for me. For those who demand hard, irrefutable evidence before they will believe anything all I can think is that our history books would be a lot thinner than they are and life in general would be a lot meaner and poorer than it is. For me what stands out in the story is Jesus’ loving care and compassion for others, something each of us can do our best to emulate, thereby enriching life for us all.

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 to create a place of worship here in Walkley. At this time when we are physically separated from our brothers and sisters in Christ, we pray for each other.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray that we can exhibit the generosity of spirit, time and resources as exemplified by the feeding of the five thousand. May we all be willing to put whatever resources we have at your disposal, so you can multiply what we offer to further your Kingdom.
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. We pray for the late US Civil Rights leader John Lewis, who used his influence and faith to be a cause of ‘good trouble’ in furthering the rights of black Americans throughout his life. As parts of the country go in to local special measures for Covid-19, we pray for those in positions of leadership in those areas.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our community here in Walkley, and for the city of Sheffield, and for our neighbours and friends. We also pray for those in the North West and West Yorkshire where Covid-19 has again flared up, leading to restrictions of family contact. This is particularly sad coming at the time of Eid, and we pray that all those affected may still find your presence around them.
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.
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.

 

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 Readings

Genesis 29. 15-28

Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?’ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, ‘I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.’ Laban said, ‘It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.’ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.’ So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?’ Laban said, ‘This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me for another seven years.’ Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.

Acts 11.27-12.2

At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.

Matthew 20.20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’

When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

 

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 Anne, a Reader at St. Mary's

Saints and people who have done great things for God must have been free of the constraints and complications of family, mustn't they? We can imagine them striding across history, dedicated to their calling from God, unaffected by the family ties, responsibilities and complications that can make our own attempts to follow Jesus seem at times weaker and less wholehearted than we might aspire to.

In fact the Bible shows us people whose lives were just like ours, whose walk with God also involved family who sometimes seemed to get in the way! A bit like video interviews on TV that have been interrupted by children or animals, especially in recent months, sometimes family do creep into the narrative.

St. James was one of Jesus' disciples who went on, after the first Pentecost, to be the first apostle to be arrested and martyred by King Herod (Acts 12: 1-2). His saint's day was yesterday, July 25th, but we are remembering him today.

James was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee along with his brother John, working with their father, Zebedee. When Jesus called the brothers to be disciples they were mending nets on Zebedee's boat. Sometimes called the “Sons of Thunder” (or Boanerges), James and John were singled out, along with Peter, to accompany Jesus to the Transfiguration where Jesus' glory was revealed on the mountain top.

Interestingly, the passage from St. Matthew's Gospel that is set for St. James' day, is the story of his mother coming to Jesus to ask a favour for her sons. This story comes as Jesus and the disciples journey to Jerusalem for the final drama of Jesus' life – his arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus has just been telling the disciples what is coming, when James' and John's mother comes and kneels before Jesus and asks that her sons should sit on Jesus' left and right in his kingdom.

Were the brothers embarrassed at their mother coming to Jesus like this? Were they taken aback? Had she been badgering them ever since they walked away from their father's boat? I can imagine her repeatedly asking them questions like, “Who's going to help your father now?”, “How are we going to survive?”, “Who will look after us in our old age?” “What are you getting out of following this Jesus?” “Is it worth it?”, “If he is a king, what's in it for you?” *Will you be honoured for being with him?” “Have you asked him what place you will have in his kingdom? If you won't, I will”

And here, now, she does come with them to Jesus. It almost feels like a mum dragging her reluctant children to a situation saying, “Now, let's get this settled.” But these are not children. James and John are grown men, fishermen, who have already spent a considerable time with Jesus, being part of the incredible activity around Jesus, seeing his miracles and hearing his teaching. Are they embarrassed that their mum has come like this? Whatever they are thinking, she does kneel and ask Jesus this favour, that her sons should have honoured places in his kingdom.

Jesus does not get angry, although the other disciples do! Jesus asks the brothers if they can drink the cup that he will drink, can they suffer as he will? They say yes but Jesus still says it is not for him to say who will have prominent places in the kingdom. He reiterates that being a follower of his is not about power or position but about servanthood. His kingdom is not about lordly position, but humility and sacrifice. The first will be last and the last first. Was mum satisfied? She did not get the answer she wanted. We don't know how she reacted; the story moves on.

In our Old Testament reading, Jacob also encounters family complications, with his uncle and father-in-law, Laban, who cheats him by substituting his elder daughter Leah for Rachel at Jacob's wedding. Jacob had returned to his mother's family in search of a wife and had set his heart on Rachel, working seven years for Laban to win her hand. On the wedding night Laban substituted Leah, later saying that it was not right for the younger to marry first. He had had seven years to find a husband for Leah, but she was still unmarried. Laban did let Jacob marry Rachel as well, but demanded another seven years of service.

There is irony in this story, as, before leaving home, Jacob had tricked his own elder brother, Esau, out of his birthright and his father Isaac's blessing for the older son. Now Jacob himself has been tricked. He does get his own back on Laban by amassing a fortune at Laban's expense, but that is another story!

Had Jacob only married Rachel, he would never have had the large family he did, including the twelve sons who went on to the the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. Only Joseph and Benjamin were Rachel's sons. Laban's trickery had an unexpected positive outcome!

When we look at key players in the Bible it is easy to forget that they were, like us, part of larger families of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, in-laws and cousins who did not always understand what they were doing. These were real people with families who were sometimes helpful, supportive, kind and encouraging but who could also be difficult, obstructive, argumentative, jealous, unsupportive and lacking in understanding.

God deals with all of that. He guides people through the difficulties of family relationships and still manages to lead those he has called to the places where they can be who he wants and achieve what he has planned.

Sometimes we perhaps feel that our attempts to be followers of Jesus are complicated by our families but there is nothing new in that. Remember that in Jacob's family, Joseph's brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. He went on to become powerful in Egypt and was able to save the family in time of famine. When his brothers eventually threw themselves on his mercy, Joseph said he forgave them because although they meant evil by their actions, God had turned the situation to good.

We live in the real world, in our families with all the complexities that that entails. We encounter the whole range of personalities, emotions, tensions, ideas; all the love, encouragement and support and all the envy, dismay, bafflement and misunderstanding. We encounter other people's ambitions and other people's agendas and sometimes struggle to put our point of view across. But so did the Biblical Old Testament heroes, so did the disciples and apostles who grew the young church after that first Pentecost.

We are who we are with the family we have. God knows our situation. He created us in our families. He called us where we are, not in some other place we might consider would be more ideal. So let us not think things might be easier if only ….. Let us ask God to show us how we can serve him best in the context in which we find ourselves. Let us be servants for Christ and follow the saints of history, following Jesus' word and example.

St. James' mother did not really understand Jesus' kingdom and she was not granted the favour she asked, but James and his brother, John, her sons, went on to serve with distinction as disciples and apostles promoting Jesus' kingdom within which they took their own place.

The Prayers
Prepared by Irving

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

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

We continue to pray for the peace, stability and unity of the world as we continue to respond to Covid-19. We pray for all who are planning our country’s path towards greater freedom of movement and personal contact. May they respond to challenges of Covid with fairness, prudence and sound judgement. May their efforts help alleviate economic burdens, compensate fairly for losses, protect employment and ensure protection for the poor, fearful and isolated.
We pray particularly at this time for ‘the West’s’ relationships with China and Hong Kong, that peaceful, fair and productive outcomes will be found to the current differences and disputes.

At home we pray for all who look after Walkley, its postmen and women, refuse collectors and street cleaners, shopkeepers and businesses, medical workers and school staff. We pray for those who, like Walkey Community Forum and Walkley Library, have continued to support people during Covid.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer

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

We pray for all in Sheffield Diocese, especially at this time the Deanery of Laughton. We pray for and give thanks to all at St Mary’s who have kept our church alive by their newsletters, electronic ‘virtual’ worship and meetings, coffee mornings and in so many other ways. We pray especially for those who are responsible for planning the eventual re-opening of our buildings and resumption of services and other activities.

We pray for all at St Mary’s Church of England Academy as they prepare for the planned re-opening of school and a new academic year.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer

We commend to your fatherly goodness all that are anxious or distressed in mind or body; comfort and relieve them in their need; give them patience in their sufferings, and bring good out of their troubles.

Especially we pray for all affected by the Coronavirus, both physically and emotionally. We pray for all who feel isolated, lonely and without hope. We pray for all who care for and treat Covid sufferers and for those working on protective vaccines and treatments.

And in a few moments of reflection, we bring before God our own prayers and concerns…….

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 Readings

Genesis 25.19-end

These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,
‘Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.’
When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

 

Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’

‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’

 

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.

Being literate is a great boon, being literal can be something of a mixed blessing. We’re probably all aware of the ‘Biblical Literalists’ who take everything in the Bible literally, whereas it’s likely that whilst some scripture is historically factual, there is also much that is metaphorical, or dealing with symbols and ways of expression that people of the time when it was written would understand.

It's a bit like when my mum used to tell me ‘I’ll be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail’; lamb’s do indeed shake their tails vigorously, and there was no way that my mother would get from wherever she was to me in such a short length of time. But the meaning, whilst not literally true, was meaningful enough for me to know that she would be with me quickly.
In the New Testament the teaching form that we know as the Parable is used to good effect. This would be something that the Jewish people would be aware of and expect from their teachers; teaching would be done through stories, and the mixture of literal truth and symbolic meaning would be pored over by the students and other teachers to extract the points that the teacher was trying to make. Jesus does much of his teaching in the form of parables. And occasionally – like in ‘The Parable of the sower’ – He enlightens us with the meaning.

Which, you would be perfectly right to say, means that my job as a preacher becomes a little easier when I preach on this parable. After all, the heavy lifting – the ‘exegesis’, the process of drawing meaning from the parable – has been done.

Or has it?

Like many of Christ’s parables, I get slightly sweaty and paranoid when I read this. Am I stony ground? Am I a briar patch? Am I shallow soil? Am I – please God, let me be this - good soil that will return a harvest to the sower? Go on, admit it; how many of you feel the same?

And that is something to consider – part of our personal learning process from listening to the parable. But, when we read Jesus’s explanation, we realise that if this were all there was to be gotten from it, it would be called ‘The parable of the soils’ or something similar.

It isn’t; it’s called the parable of the sower.

So let’s shift our mental model a bit; let’s stop getting nervous and paranoid and worrying about what sort of agricultural growth medium we are, and let’s focus on ‘The sower’.

Who is the sower? Good question. To get the answer we need to look at what is being sowed. What is the seed that is sown – that grows or fails to thrive?

The seeds are the Word of God – the Gospel, the teachings of Christ. Look what is said in Verse 19 – the first line of the explanation:

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it….”

The sower is casting the word of the kingdom in to the hearts and minds of all who are within earshot. The comparison of the hearts of those hearing the Word to different types of land would be something that people from an agrarian economy could get their heads around. They’d know how difficult it is to grow crops in certain types of soil, and so as a teaching model it’s a good one for Jesus to use.

You can imagine that if you had valuable seed that you wished to grow in to a good crop, with as high a return on your efforts as possible, you’d make some preparations. You’d plough up those brambles and briars to start with. Where the soil’s a bit thin you might spend time preparing it. The really rough areas of your land – well, you’d just leave them to the wild animals. And the good soil – well, you’d certainly be focusing your efforts on the parts of your land you know to be fertile. There the stakes are high – anywhere between 30 and 100 fold return! I’m pretty sure that most of us would focus our efforts there, and especially on that high yielding corner.

But this Sower takes a rather different approach to most farmers.

This Sower – our Lord – takes the most valuable seed there is – the Word of God – and casts it with no concern for where the seed landed. He throws it out generously, showering abundant opportunity for growth on all these soils – on every circumstance of human heart and mind, knowing that in some cases there will be little or no return. But the Word has been generously and openly given; it’s not something available to only the ‘good of heart and mind’ or those with special knowledge and gifts to make the Word of God grow and be fruitful within them. It’s available to everyone.

Of course – not everyone is in a place where the seed can actually take root and grow.

And this maybe for a lifetime, or a season in our lives.

But the generosity of the Sower is such that the seed will always be cast. The Word of God is always open to us – wherever we are, whatever our state of mind. Whether we’re in a barren period of our lives, or whether we’re so buried under concerns that we don’t have time for it. But the seed is there; the sower has cast it; it has not been with-held because you’re unworthy, that the seed wouldn’t grow in you. The seed falls, and when a season comes when you will be able to provide a place of growth for the Word of God, the seed will be there for you.

And if the seed takes root and grows strong, what then?

You’re blessed with the Word and all that goes with it.

And there is a return expected of you; remember what was said?

“But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

What’s done with all that seed that is returned?

It can be gathered up, and sown.

Perhaps some of it may be sown by you. In recent months I’ve found myself wondering whether I am serving God properly? Am I bringing the word to people who need to hear it? I have a little seed of my own, given by God, to sow. I need to be generous with it – as do we all. We need to do what we can to spread the Word – we don’t know where the seed will land, who will respond, who will not respond.

But we know the Sower who has taught us. We know that we should sow the Word of God generously, with no thought of what the return will be. That is not our job; our job is to sow. There is a saying, usually mis-attributed to St Francis – “Preach the Gospel; use words only when necessary”. We can sow the seed of the Word of God by our words, our deeds, our generosity of spirit and our love for all creation at this time.

Get sowing.

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Siobhan Hoyes adapted from acireland - https://acireland.ie/

In today’s gospel we are reminded that God is a generous sower of seeds in our lives. We pray that the seeds of love and wisdom bestowed on us will fall on fertile ground and that our lives are fruitful. We pray for your church throughout the world, especially our mission partnership. May the clergy and worship teams be gifted with wisdom as they discern the best to proceed safely to welcome people back into the church. We pray seeds be sown which will strengthen working together, so we might deepen our relationship with God, each other and our communities.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for Governments and decision makers here and across the world. May they be mindful of their responsibilities for the poor, marginalised, homeless and those who are in most need. We pray for everyone experiencing job insecurity and an uncertain future at this time, that in their difficulties they may receive a share of the bounties of the earth gifted by our creator God. We remember the many charities, who depend on fund raising activities to continue their valuable work. May they find new and fruitful ways of generating much needed funds.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We thank a God for our health service, our hospices, nursing homes and for all those who work in the community to care for the sick. Bless all the doctors, nurses, hospital and community staff who have supported people during these challenging times. Thank you for the flexibility and adaptability many staff have shown as they have stepped into new roles to provide holistic care. Help them to feel affirmed in their work, to celebrate close team work and new skills acquired. May staff be offered appropriate psychological support in the coming months, so they can reflect on, and process any difficult experiences they have encountered.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are sick at this time both at home and in hospital. May they be strengthened and sustained by your loving presence and grace. We remember those affected by Covid, who after the acute phase of illness continue to experience a range of symptoms, breathlessness, fatigue, and emotional distress. May therapeutic and rehabilitation input be recognised as important, so people receive the ongoing support they need.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for families that are bereaved. Let us remember their loss and show genuine empathy for their broken hearts. Let us show kindness and compassion to their needs and travel beside them on their journey through grief.

We remember those known to us who have died, may they rest in peace and rise in glory.

Let us pray for a moment for our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers.

Gracious God, grant us the grace to nurture the seeds of wisdom you grant us that we might be fruitful servants in this earthly harvest.
Amen.

The Readings

Genesis 24.34-38, 42-49, 58-67

So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.”

‘I came today to the spring, and said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,’ and who will say to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels also’—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.”

‘Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, “Please let me drink.” She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, “Drink, and I will also water your camels.” So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’ And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
‘May you, our sister, become
thousands of myriads;
may your offspring gain possession
of the gates of their foes.’
Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Matthew 11.16-19, 25-30

‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,
“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’

At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

 

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 Lay Reader at St Mary's.

In a normal year, this weekend would have marked the end of the annual Walkley Festival. But this is not a normal year and our festival had to be cancelled.

In a normal year at St. Mary’s we would have created our annual well dressing. A picture would have been designed, pricked out into clay and lovingly created from petals and seeds. We would have had our doors open and people from the church and the wider community would have dropped by to watch, to chat or to join in. The finished picture would have then been displayed outside the church alongside an improvised well. People would have stopped by to look, maybe even take a photo. Conversations would have happened as they paused to look. The act of creating and displaying the well-dressing would have enabled it to become a place of encounter.

Wells are places of life-giving water. Without wells people would die of thirst. But they are also places of encounter.

A man approaches a well. A man charged with a serious task, who has travelled a long way from a far-off land. With his 10 camels laden with gifts, he hopes to find a bride for the son of his master, Abraham. He’s mulling over things in his mind. He has some doubts about the success of his mission. Isaac is a troubled young man. How will the servant know he’s found the right woman for him? Will she consent to the marriage and return to Canaan with him? The servant is tired and thirsty. His camels are flagging too. He reaches the well and halts, exhausted. And then he prays.

“Please God, let the young woman who I ask for a drink freely offer to water my camels too. Let that be a sign that this woman will be the right bride for Isaac.”

A young woman approaches the well. The man makes his request for water and, joy of all joys, she does indeed offer to provide water for the camels too! The servant learns that she is Rebekah, the daughter of Abraham’s nephew, Bethuel. He adorns her with jewellery and she offers him and his camels hospitality. So he travels on with her to meet her family.

Before he will accept any food, he insists on explaining why he has come. After some discussion, the family, and more importantly, Rebekah herself, agree to the match. And so the next morning when Abraham’s servant sets back off home, Rebekah is with him. Rebekah, the generous young woman who provided replenishing water, quenching the thirst of a stranger. Rebekah, whose generosity extended to watering the 10 thirsty camels too, and to providing them all with rest and lodging for the night. And Rebekah is accompanied by her nurse. Later in Genesis we learn the nurse’s name – Deborah – which means “Bee – provider of nourishing honey”. Her presence ensures the best possible start for any children Rebekah will have with Isaac.

A man returns from a well. A man whose father has sent his servant to find him a wife. This man’s name is Isaac. For a man whose name means “laughter” there hasn’t been much to laugh about. As an infant, his half-brother and playmate, Ishmael, has been sent away. As an adolescent, he’s gone through the trauma of being bound to an altar as a sacrifice by his own father, only to be saved by God at the last minute. And as a young man he has suffered the bereavement of his mother. We can barely begin to comprehend the potential emotional damage caused by all this. Not a stable start for married life.

But before Isaac meets his new bride we find him returning from Beer-lahai-roi. This is not just some random place. It’s another well. This is the place to which the pregnant Hagar fled when Sarah had mistreated her. It’s the place where she had an encounter with God. It’s the place where she saw God and lived. Where she named God El-roi, which means “God who sees” or “God hears”. Where God saw her anguish and gave her the strength to return to Abraham’s household to give birth to Ishmael. This place became known as Beer-lahai-roi, which means “Well of the living one who sees me”. And this is where Isaac has now been. We don’t know what he experienced at this well. But we do know that when he meets Rebekah, he is able to welcome her into his home as his wife. And we know that she provides solace from his bereavement. She enables him to live again.

Wells are places of life-giving water. Without wells people would die of thirst. But they are also places of encounter. They are places where people meet each other. But they are also places where people encounter the life-giving Spirit of God.

This is not a normal year. But that does not mean that we have been unable to encounter each other. We couldn’t have our well dressing, nor many other of our usual festival activities. But we have been able to share in each other’s creativity, through displays of artwork, messages or plants in our windows and gardens. And in our festival week, there have been a number of impressive scarecrows to enjoy too. We have encountered each other over the phone or online, over our fences or through our windows. As the lock-down restrictions have eased, we have begun to meet in person again at a distance.

This is not a normal year. Many people have found to their surprise that the life giving Spirit of God has sprung up in unexpected ways throughout the crisis. And if like, Abraham’s servant, Rebekah or Isaac, we reach out in trust to God, with an open heart and mind, we will surely find him there ready and waiting for an encounter with us.

The Prayers
Prepared by Anne.

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

Lord we pray for our world in these difficult days that we may find your kingdom arising in unexpected places as we open our eyes to see you at work in our world.

Lord we pray for those who find themselves waiting at this time, for ordination, to be married, for medical appointments or treatments, for the results of “exams” that have never been sat, for schools or workplaces to reopen. Hear their anxious longings, their frustrations and fears, their pain and their hopes. Grant them patience and fortitude as they wait and peace in their hearts.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Lord we pray for those who feel overwhelmed by the circumstances and changes of these times, for those whose income has dried up, whose jobs have been cut, whose lives feel as if they have been turned inside out and upside down and those struggling to cope with new ways of doing what were familiar routines. We pray for those who daily juggle the challenges of working from home, home-schooling children and caring for others and those who feel utterly isolated and alone. Ease the burdens of, and bring comfort to those who feel stretched to breaking point or buffeted by storms they could never have foreseen.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Lord we pray for young people and children whose education is disrupted and who feel anxious about their future in both the short and long term. Breathe hope into their hearts and vision into their thoughts that they may see beyond the current crisis to a time of stability and adventure.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Lord we pray for those who are ill or infirm at this time, in body or mind, and for those who care for them. May they know the sustaining grace of your presence with them. Bless those who have sacrificed their own home life to care for others. Bless all those who have striven to keep us all provided with food, with water and power and who have continued to collect refuse or process waste throughout these days of pandemic and whose dedication has carried us through these times.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Lord we pray for all who are grappling with new regulations and restrictions as they try to reopen businesses, premises and even churches. Help us as we work out how we can safely be the welcoming and worshipping people of God in these changing days. Guide us as we weigh up risks and responsibilities, longings for normality and concerns for safety.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Lord we pray, bless those who mourn, especially those whose hearts were broken when they were unable to see or touch loved ones in their last days. We pray for all whose hearts are heavy with grief and loss. Surround them with your gracious love and hold them close to your heart, we pray.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Lord, we remember in your presence all those have died in these difficult days, from whatever cause. We know that no-one has died without your knowledge and loving presence. We pray that you receive them into your presence, according to your promises.
Living Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Walk with us on the way.

Hear our prayers. Surround us with your love. Guide our feet on unfamiliar paths and bring us with joy into your kingdom of justice, truth, peace and everlasting love.
Amen.

 

The Readings

Genesis 22.1-14

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said ,'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.' So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.' Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, 'Father!' And he said , 'Here I am, my son.' He said, 'The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?' Abraham said, 'God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.' So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said, 'Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.' And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place 'The Lord will provide'; as it is said to this day, 'On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.'

Matthew 10.40-42

‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’

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

The Sermon

By Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Vicar of St John's Ranmoor

I’m rather glad that we didn’t have our first reading on last Sunday on Fathers’ Day. The sacrifice of Isaac is in many ways a horrific story and one which today would result in a call to social services. Its main point of course is to underline the faithfulness of Abraham. Over many years God had told him that he would be the father of a great nation and Abraham had trusted God even though he and his wife Sarah showed no signs of having children. And then finally, in their old age, they had had a son, Isaac, a miraculous baby, and it seemed that at last all the promises, all of Abraham’s hopes and dreams were coming true. And then extraordinarily, God told him to kill Isaac. To sacrifice this precious child. And Abraham was obedient. It’s an incredible story and it reminds us of the need to put God first. It reminds us too that nothing we have, not even our children, belong to us. However much we love them, we sometimes have to let them go.

As Christians, we read this story in the light of Jesus. It is often read on Good Friday as it has strong parallels with the crucifixion of Jesus. God so loved the world that he allowed his son to be the sacrifice for our sin. He is the ram caught in the thicket, the ultimate sacrifice who takes away the sins of the world. Despite this, too often, we somehow manage to sacrifice our children for the sins of our world.

Too often, institutions like the church have put their own survival ahead of the need to protect children from abuse. We have been slow to address climate change, blighting the future for generations to come. We have saddled our children with debt rather than address fundamental problems in our economy. And now with the coronavirus pandemic, many of children are missing out on education. Many do not have access to the internet and are lacking food and exercise. We don’t really know what effects this will have on their mental health and future prospects.

It has been heartening to see young people questioning these things. Like Isaac, they have asked what is going on. And unlike Isaac they have not been prepared to go like lambs to the slaughter. They have demanded real change. Young people like Greta Thunberg who has played a leading role in Extinction Rebellion. Young people in the Black Lives Matter movement who will no longer put up with institutional racism. Who question things that we have grown too used to and refuse to accept more George Floyds in the future. We have seen young people questioning old attitudes to gender and sexuality. They are no longer willing to put up with past hypocrisies and prejudice. As it says in the Books of Joel and Acts, our sons and daughters are prophesying and seeing visions of a better world. And the time for those visions to be fulfilled is now. They want change.

As we look back at the story of the near sacrifice of Isaac through the lens of the crucifixion, we are reminded that we don’t have to sacrifice our children. The whole point of Jesus dying on a cross once for all was so that we don’t have to do it again. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He set us free from that cycle of sin and sacrifice and his resurrection pointed to the fact that there is always another way. A better way. A more life-giving way. We just need to have the faith and imagination to see it.

Jesus put the poor and the marginalised first in the kingdom of God. And with them he put children. If we want to enter the kingdom of heaven we need to become like a child, he said. In our Gospel, Jesus says that whoever gives even a cup of cold water to a little one will not lose their reward. Children are at the heart of the good news. They are not things to be sacrificed but those who are closest to God’s heart. Not objects but subjects of God’s kingdom. Often, they know the secrets of the kingdom and we need to listen to them more.
Amen.

The Prayers 
Prepared by Veronica

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

We bring before You Father the needs of our world at this troubled time, when many thousands in countries all over the world are becoming ill or dying from coronavirus, and millions face great economic hardship. There is also much political tension and uncertainty as many national leaders jostle for power and influence rather than working for peace, justice and the alleviation of suffering. We pray for all in positions of responsibility at national or international level, that they may heed the cries of those suffering disease, the hungry and the refugees. We give you thanks for the work of charities and international organisations working to bring help to all in need, and ask Your blessing on them.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide, and all those of other faiths, also unable to come together for worship in their own building to prevent further spread of corona virus. Help us to work together to show your love to humankind by our support to those in need, whether by providing food or a friendly voice on the telephone. We give you thanks for modern technology which enables us to link in with our partner churches, St John’s and St Mark’s, and join with them in worship from home. Bless all their clergy and the Wardens and Readers at St Mary’s who are maintaining regular worship materials for St Mary’s congregation and beyond. When this crisis is over, may we meet together strengthened in our faith in you, and appreciating even more strongly the fellowship we share.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all key workers, in our Health Service, Care Homes, those keeping gas, water and electricity on tap, transport workers, shop workers and school staff, giving thanks that their dedication has enabled life to continue, even when their own lives have been at risk. We ask your blessing on children and young people uncertain about their future, particularly those for whom isolation has been very difficult, often in very cramped accommodation, and their teachers who will have the task of rebuilding their confidence.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, including all those unable to get the treatment they need because of the pressure on hospitals and fear of spreading corona virus further. We ask that you be with them all and strengthen them as they recover from their illness. Bless also all doctors, nurses, other hospital staff, care workers and family members as they support people through these difficult days.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer

We pray for all who have died, remembering those we have known and loved, and all others whose lives have been cut short. We ask your blessing on all who mourn, and they may know their loved ones are in your tender care. We hope that soon it will again be possible to come together at funerals and hug our relatives and friends as we say our final farewells.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our Prayer

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

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council 2000.

The Readings

Genesis 21.8-21

The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’ The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named after you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Matthew 10.24-39

‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

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.

The Sermon

By Kath, a Reader at St Mary's

Growth from Adversity (or doing the best we can with what we’ve got)

This may not be the easiest message to contemplate at the moment given that we are still in the throes of the COVID 19 pandemic with all the pain and loss and disruption that it has caused to so many people, but sometimes it is the adversities we face and the things that go wrong in our lives that can cause or enable us to grow in ways that wouldn’t otherwise have happened.

In our story from Genesis we hear of a situation where there is obvious pain and distress and sadness for all the people mentioned in it. Having been childless until his late nineties, Abraham is now the father of two sons. With the encouragement of his wife Sarah, he had Ishmael with Hagar, one of his household slaves and sometime later, in answer to long and heartfelt prayer, he and Sarah had Isaac. This might appear wonderful but it seems that following the birth of her own son, Sarah has a change of heart about the presence of Ishmael; she doesn’t want Ishmael to inherit from Abraham and tells him to send the boy and his mother away. I don’t know how this would have been viewed by people at the time but to me it seems hard hearted and unjust, especially given that it was Sarah who suggested that her husband try to have a child with her slave girl who she offered to him. Who knows how Hagar felt about that part of the arrangement but having provided a longed for child, who Sarah initially regarded as her own, she and her child are being sent away with nothing but some bread and water for a journey to who knows where. So Sarah is unhappy about the presence of Hagar and Ishmael, who she sees as a threat, Abraham, we are told, is very distressed by Sarah telling him to cast them out, (what loving father would want to do such a thing), Hagar has lost her home and security and is in despair at the prospect of seeing her son starve to death in the wilderness and Ishmael has lost his home, his father, his possible inheritance and his brother & playmate. Isaac seems to be the only one probably too young to have an opinion on all this loss and unhappiness. How on earth, you may wonder, does good come out of this complicated and unhappy state of affairs?

Well if it had been purely an earthly situation then at the very least Hagar and Ishmael probably would have starved to death and Abraham’s distress would have been compounded. But God is at work here. Much as he is upset at the prospect of sending Ishmael and his mother away, Abraham trusts in God when he tells him to obey Sarah’s wish and that with regard to Ishmael he says “I will make a nation of him also”. We then hear that when Hagar has run out of food and water and puts her son under a bush so that she won’t have to watch him die, she is visited by an angel telling her too that God will make a nation of him, and water is provided to sustain them. By the end of the passage we are told that they both survived, that Ishmael lived in the wilderness and eventually married. In time he does indeed become the founder of a nation. Had he stayed in Abraham’s household he would probably not have done this and likely have remained resented by Sarah and of lesser status than his brother Isaac. Growth came out of adversity!

Life was complex in Abrahams’s day and it still is for us here and now, it probably always will be. There are seldom, if ever, any concrete answers or solutions to the problems we face and rarely only one absolutely right way to do something or one clearly right path to follow; most of the time they are complicated by multiple factors and what ifs and maybes and if onlys. We may not want to be the one who has to sort out some particular problem or situation, especially if it’s not of our making, but instead of automatically feeling fearful or resentful or negative about it we can view it as an opportunity to serve and in so doing we can learn and grow.

Last week I was listening to the autobiography of a police officer who said that in the early part of his career, domestic violence was seen as an area of policing that nobody, including himself, wanted to deal with because it was so complicated and difficult. However, he was put in charge of a unit where he had to face this and he described how over time he had learned to understand a great deal, particularly about the psychology of victims and the circumstances and attitudes that made them into victims and kept them there. He went on to have a long career as a police officer where he witnessed some of the worst effects and consequences of violent crimes, which along the way took a serious toll on his own mental health, but ultimately he described how police attitudes to these crimes have changed over the years and while there is still a very long way to go, they have improved. He had not shied away from a difficult job that no one wanted; he had stepped up and made a difference. I never cease to be amazed and heartened by the stories I hear of other people who have done likewise.

It’s tempting to assume that such people are extraordinary, and in some ways they are, but not because they are uniquely qualified or skilled or confident in the knowledge that they can do whatever task has come to them. They are extraordinary because they take it on regardless and do the best they can with what they’ve got. Jobs or tasks or services or whatever we see them as don’t have to big or spectacular to be of worth. Indeed, it’s often seemingly small things that can make a big difference to those on the receiving end, kindness, patience, listening respectfully, believing someone or believing in them. Using our own experience of adversity to help others see a way through theirs can be both encouraging and empowering for them and us.

Only this week we have seen how Marcus Rashford has used his own experience of going hungry when he was a young boy to persuade the government to make free school dinners available throughout the summer holidays. This will make a big difference to a lot of people’s wellbeing in more ways than just filling their stomachs. Something good has grown out of adversity.

One of the things I’m learning (very slowly) is to stop expecting that there is any such thing as a once and for all answer to problems. In the past I’ve thought that if I looked hard enough and tried hard enough and for long enough I would find these answers and in finding them, all would be well and I’d have arrived at a place of safety and security. Of course it didn’t happen. Instead, for much of the time, life felt like a long, complicated, often painful, winding road that was nearly all uphill. Each time I got to a bend in the road and | could see round it, instead of the hoped for easy bit or respite or desired result for all the effort, there would be just be more uphill. Depressing, or so I thought!!!

I’m now learning to see things differently. I’m slowly realising that the adversities and mistakes, the disappointments and losses that I have experienced, just as many people do, and sad and awful as some of them have been, they have caused me to grow and to become far more capable than I otherwise might have been and enabled me to be there for others with greater understanding and empathy when needed. I really do believe that God is always there for us and with us, especially in the difficult times, helping us to bring growth from adversity if we are open to it.

One final thing, just in case you thought I’d forgotten. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, granddads, Godfathers and father figures out there, especially those of you who have brought good things out of difficulties in your own childhoods and those of you doing your best with difficult situations now and teaching those in your care how to do the same. Enjoy your special day.

The Prayers
Prepared by Hope

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

O God the creator and preserver of all, we pray for people in every kind of need; make your ways known on earth and your saving health among all nations. Be with us as we pray in faith for the lessening of the grip of the coronavirus, on our country, and all around the world. Grant wisdom to all those who are carrying heavy responsibility for safely reducing the lock-down in the UK.

We think especially today of the children who have lost so much schooling since March, especially those who are being most damaged of all by lack of education, basic nutrition, and peer group fun and company. We know that every child matters to our Father in Heaven. Our reading from Genesis reminds us that Ishmael as well as Isaac was within God’s care. So, grant wisdom Lord to those who are working hard to make the best use of all funds available, to implement the great national Catch Up, in every way, for our children and young people. We remember locally those at St.Mary’s Primary School in Walkley.

Grant wisdom and skill to all those who are starting to work to implement the outcomes of the many reviews, studying the injustices suffered over the years, by black and ethnic minority (BAME) members of our society. Bless all creative initiatives at grass-roots level, including the start to teaching ‘Black History’ in a school curriculum in Leeds. We pray especially at this time that all that has been learnt about the causes of BAME people’s increased likelihood of severe illness and death during the pandemic, will lead urgently to preventing avoidable suffering and death.

Grant wisdom and inspiration to us all in our daily lives, so that we may be able to protect others, by our behaviour, and support our families, neighbours and communities as best we can and as you would have us do.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for your church throughout the world; guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians, may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace and righteousness of life. We ask your blessings, Lord, on all those who are working harder than ever for their churches, in order to provide spiritual support and opportunities for shared worship in this time of social distancing.

Bless all the members of St. Mary’s own worship and leadership teams, and our wider worshipping communities of St. Mark’s Broomhill and St. John’s Ranmoor. Bless the churches of all denominations and around the world, especially their leaders, as they cope with the struggles of living and with the virus, and leading communities in worship. Send your Holy Spirit to be with us all, especially to those in settings more isolated, more risky or simply less equipped with digital technology. We thank you Lord, that we and our families are not alone in this time of sadness: that you are with us always.
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: comfort and relieve them in their need, give them patience in their sufferings and bring good out of their troubles. We ask your blessing on all those thousands of people who are suffering from the coronavirus itself or from dangerous illnesses that are made even more dangerous, due to delays in care.

We pray for all those known to each of us who are suffering from financial pressures, illness, bereavement or simply fear, for their families and future. Be close to us all at this strange time. Help us to grow in grace and understanding.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have gone before us in the Peace of Christ. We give you praise for all your faithful ones, with whom we rejoice in the Communion of Saints, thinking especially of Kath Gratton and John Browning and their grieving families and friends.
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 this service, is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council 2000.