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

Posted on October 20, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Hebrews 5.1-10

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

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

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

Mark 10.35-45

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

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

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

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

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath.

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

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

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on October 13, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Hebrews 4.12-end

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

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

Mark 10.17-31

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We don’t have a choice.

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

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

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

The young man approaches Jesus with a sincere question:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And later in the song, we hear:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared By Barbara.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

29th September 2024 10.30am – Harvest – Eucharist

Posted on September 29, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

1 Timothy 6.6-10

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

Matthew 6.25-33

‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

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

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

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

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

It’s a bit like peeling an onion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Prayers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on September 22, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

James 3.13-4.3

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

James 4.7-8

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

Mark 6.25-33

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

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

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

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

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

The Readings

James 3.1-12

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

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

Mark 8.27-38

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe.

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

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

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

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

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

We pray for those currently close to death, and those accompanying
them on this final part of their Earthly journey. We pray for those
who have died, recently and in the past, and those who mourn.
Lord, hear us:
Lord graciously hear us.

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

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

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

Posted on September 8, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 61.10-11

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

Luke 1.46-55

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

The Prayers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

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

Posted on September 1, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

James 1.1-27

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

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mark 7.1-8

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

Mark 7.14-15

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

Mark 7.21-23

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

The Prayers
Prepared by David.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hymn verses copyright (c) of their respective owners.

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

Posted on August 25, 2024 by St Mary's

The Readings

Ephesians 6.10-20

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

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

John 6.56-69

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

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

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Prayers
Prepared by Oli.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Readings

Ephesians 5.15-20

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

John 6.51-58

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

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

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

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

Our passage from Ephesians begins with a call to wisdom:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He says,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Prayers
Prepared by Barbara.

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

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

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

We pray for our new government here in the UK. Please help them to rebuild our services, especially the
NHS, social care and education, so that they are fit once more to serve all our people. Please help us to do
what we can to help them.

We pray also for all those involved in trying to fight the climate crisis, as we approach 1.5 degrees of
warming throughout the world. Please give all governments the political courage to resist further use of
fossil fuels and to invest in sources of renewable energy instead.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Readings

Ephesians 4.25-5.2

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

John 6.35 and 6.41-51

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St Marys Walkley

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

Category: Sermons

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

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