Short service and reflection for Trinity 3, Sunday 28th June 2020

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

God our saviour, look on this wounded world in pity and in power; hold us fast to your promises of peace won for us by your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Confession

Let  us call to mind our sins, and make confession to our heavenly Father.

You were sent to heal the contrite: Lord, have mercy.   
Lord, have mercy.
You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.                   
Christ, have mercy.
You plead for us at the Father’s right hand: Lord, have mercy. 
Lord, have mercy.

May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love, in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

God’s Word - Romans, chapter 6, verses 12 to the end :-

Sin must no longer reign in your mortal body, exacting obedience to the body’s desires. You must no longer put any part of it at sin’s disposal, as an implement for doing wrong. Put yourselves instead at the disposal of God; think of yourselves as raised from death to life, and yield your bodies to God as implements for doing right. Sin shall no longer be your master, for you are no longer under law, but under grace.

What then? Are we to sin, because we are not under law but under grace? Of course not! You know well enough that if you bind yourselves to obey a master, you are slaves of the master you obey; and this is true whether the master is sin and the outcome death, or obedience and the outcome righteousness. Once you were slaves of sin, but now, thank God, you have yielded wholehearted obedience to that pattern of teaching to which you were made subject; emancipated from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness (to use language that suits your human weakness). As you once yielded your bodies to the service of impurity and lawlessness, making for moral anarchy, so now you must yield them to the service of righteousness, making for a holy life.

When you were slaves of sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. And what gain did that bring you? Things that now make you ashamed, for their end is death. But now, freed from the commands of sin and bound to the service of God, you have gains that lead to holiness, and the end is eternal life. For sin pays a wage, and the wage is death, but God gives freely, and his gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew, chapter 10 verses 40 to the end :-

Jesus said, ‘To receive you is to receive me, and to receive me is to receive the One who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will be given a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a good man because he is a good man will be given a good man’s reward. Truly I tell you: anyone who gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple of mine, will certainly not go unrewarded.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

Slavery played a bigger part in the history of our land and in the process that formed our modern western society than we sometimes like to think. The National Trust is wrestling with that issue just now, having discovered just how many of the great houses it administers and opens to the public have a slavery connection. The mission agency I used to work for owned slaves on Barbados, and went on owning them after the slave trade ended, until the ownership and use of slaves became illegal some thirty years later.

The fact that slavery was a fact of life for people like Paul played its part in assuring otherwise faithful Christian people that it was all right, even divinely sanctioned. As of course did the sort of unthinking racism - or perhaps I should say racial stereotyping - that allowed a white man to say that because an African looked different from him he was actually inferior, and to deduce from that that God had placed the African peoples on this earth in order to provide labour for those superior peoples who happened to have white skin. We find such views so utterly offensive now that it can be hard to comprehend that for many people they were unquestioned, and just a fact of life, 250 years ago or less.

Now in Paul’s day slavery was not like that. It was not the enslavement of one race by another. Anyone could be a slave, and any slave might become a free person. A slave could rise to a high status in society, though of course many or most would not. You became a slave as the result perhaps of being on the losing side in a war, or finding yourself grossly in debt. Or you might even choose to be a slave. The Greek word is the same for slave as for servant; to be a slave might be a neat and effective career move, like the person today whose ambition is to be a butler.

And that’s why Paul can talk as freely as he does about slavery without causing offence. Society then saw nothing wrong in the idea of one person owning another.  A slave was of course bound to obey his or her master; you would be bound to him. So choose whose slaves you are, says Paul. You were slaves to sin, but you’ve been emancipated, set free. So don’t go back there. Don’t put any part of yourself at sin’s disposal. Be instead a slave to righteousness.

Sin tends to be thought of in predominantly sexual terms these days. And as the list of things society believes it’s OK to do widens, so what gets classed as sin gets narrower. We could find ourselves honestly believing that sin has no hold on us, that really we’re doing all right, and certainly we’re no worse than the next person along. But Paul is asking us, reminding us, to take sin seriously.

The Greek word we translate as sin isn’t so much about doing things that are wrong as not getting it right. Sin is missing the mark, falling short, messing up. Our sins of commission (things we do that are bad) are well outnumbered by our sins of omission (the good stuff we somehow just don’t get round to doing). And unless we recognise that, and address it, we’re not taking sin seriously.

A slave is 100% owned, and therefore must be 100%  alert, responsive and reliable. There is an old tradition that if someone saves your life you belong to them, and Paul I guess is thinking along those lines here. The wages of sin, after all, are death (everyone knows that saying, and most don’t know where it comes from, but you do - Paul to the Romans, chapter 6). So if we are free from sin, we are free also from death, and we owe our lives and our very selves to the one who saved us. Paul knew this as a personal truth. “I am no longer my own,” he said. “I belong to Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  Amen.

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayers

Pray for the world:  for every place that is not peaceful; for every place where people are abused, enslaved, or denied human rights and access to justice. Continue to pray for the landless and refugee peoples of our world, often very vulnerable to illnesses, including Covid 19. Pray for wise leadership here and in every nation as we try to bring this disease under control, and for all who are working to find effective vaccines and treatments.

Pray that the Church everywhere may take seriously its call to faithful service, and that we may live as those who belong to Christ. Pray for Christians in India and for the United Church of North India. In our own Diocese, pray for Bishop Richard and for the churches and communities of the Abbeydore Deanery. Pray too for all Christian counsellors, spiritual directors and confessors.

Pray for all in need today: those who are grieving, lonely, worried or anxious, and all who are ill, including those infected by the Covid 19 virus. Pray for their care, treatment and recovery, and for the health and safety of all who care for them, and for all front line workers.

Pray for families and friends, and for the life of our communities. Continue to pray for our schools, shops and all places of work. As we re-open society may we do so safely and with care and thought for others.  Pray for all who have lost jobs or businesses, and for those who remain vulnerable. May we all act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing

May the wounds of Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the cross, be for us healing and peace; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround and sustain us now and always.   Amen.

A short service and reflection for the second Sunday after Trinity

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect

Faithful Creator, your mercies never fail us: deepen our faithfulness to you
and to your living Word, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession

Let  us call to mind our sins, and make confession to our heavenly Father.

Most merciful God, we have sinned in thought and word and deed. We are truly sorry, and we ask you to forgive. Help us by your Spirit to live the new life in Christ, loving you with all our heart, and our neighbours as ourselves; for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love, in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

God’s Word - Romans, chapter 6, verses 1 to 11 :-

What are we to say, then? Shall we persist in sin, so that there may be all the more grace? Certainly not! We died to sin: how can we live in it any longer?  Have you forgotten that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus we were baptized into his death? By that baptism into his death we were buried with him, in order that, as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might set out on a new life.

For if we have become identified with him in his death, we shall also be identified with him in his resurrection. We know that our old humanity has been crucified with Christ, for the destruction of the sinful self, so that we may no longer be slaves to sin, because death cancels the claims of sin. But if we thus died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing as we do that Christ, once raised from the dead, is never to die again: he is no longer under the dominion of death. When he died, he died to sin, once for all, and now that he lives, he lives to God. In the same way you must regard yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God, in union with Christ Jesus.

Matthew, chapter 10 verses 24 to 39 :-

Jesus said, ‘No pupil ranks above his teacher, no servant above his master. The pupil should be content to share his teacher’s lot, the servant to share his master’s. If the master has been called Beelzebul, how much more his household!  So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing covered up that will not be uncovered, nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I say to you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight; what you hear whispered you must shout from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Fear him rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

‘Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet without your Father’s knowledge not one of them can fall to the ground. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than any number of sparrows. Whoever will acknowledge me before others, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; and whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

‘You must not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man will find his enemies under his own roof. No one is worthy of me who cares more for father or mother than for me; no one is worthy of me who cares more for son or daughter; no one is worthy of me who does not take up his cross and follow me. Whoever gains his life will lose it; whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it.
       
Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

Today’s readings are really rather difficult ones, I think. Paul’s letter to the Romans is his most theological writing, and often quite hard to unravel. What, for example, does he mean by “dying with Christ”? But Jesus himself, as Matthew presents his teaching, is also giving us some hard stuff. One of the titles we give to Jesus, especially at Christmas, is “prince of peace”. Yet here he’s saying, “I haven’t come to bring peace but a sword.” And then he goes on to speak of people set against each other, of family members set against each other. It sounds as if he’s not going to solve the world’s problems, but to add to them.

One of the moving images from last weekend’s “Black Lives Matter” demos was of a couple of black guys protecting a white far right supporter from the beating he was getting, and carrying him to safety. Like in the parable of the Good Samaritan, I guess what motivated those guys was just “This is someone who needs my help. It doesn’t matter who he is or from what tribe, if he needs help and I can give help, he’s my responsibility.” I’ve no idea what faith these people followed, if any - but what they were doing seemed to me a good and godly thing.

Now Jesus makes very clear that loving your enemy, and doing good to those who treat you badly, is fundamental to the faith he calls us to follow. It may mean - it very likely will mean - going against what the crowd decide to do. His attackers went on trying to hit that white guy even while his rescuers were carrying him away. And anyone who puts Jesus first will likely offend causes, organisations, political allies, people, friends, even family members, who feel they’re being downgraded, that they should have pride of place. Although anyone truly putting Jesus first will always be doing their best for those around them, because that’s what Jesus would want us to do.

Putting Jesus first is what Paul is referring to when he writes about “dying with Christ”. He means letting go of the life we own and can do what we want with, to live in a new way, shaped by the cross of Christ. Jesus himself says, “No-one is worthy who does not take up his cross and follow me.” This means not following the way of the world. Christians are not called on to be nice, but to be true; and we’re not promised popularity, but we are assured of our Father’s blessing.

For me the cross is a powerful image of a way of living that reaches up in praise and in prayer, that reaches out in fellowship, but also is always ready to reach down to raise up the fallen, to rescue the needy, to challenge injustice. A life that’s not content to leave things as they are, but is always wanting to proclaim how things could be, how things will be, as we are remade in the image of Christ.

This isn’t something I can do, not on my own. So I need to be joined to the example of Jesus, to the love of Jesus, to the death of Jesus, to win through. As Paul writes to the Church in Rome: “See yourselves as dead to sin, and alive to God, in union with Christ Jesus.” Amen.

Statement of faith

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayers

Pray for the world:  for every place of deprivation, suffering and injustice; for all who are abused or exploited, for landless people and refugees; and for those places where the impact of Covid 19 continues to grow. Pray for wisdom and clear vision for all in places of leadership and power, and also for all who are working to find effective vaccines and treatments for Covid 19.

Pray for the Church everywhere to be cross-shaped in its witness to the world. Pray for Christians in Nigeria, and for the Anglican Church in that nation. In our own Diocese, pray for a ministry that reaches out to all and affirms the worth of each person regardless of age, gender, background or race. On World Music Day, give thanks for all church musicians and composers.

Pray for all who are in need today: for any who are grieving, for any who are lonely, worried, or anxious, and for all who are ill, including all infected by the Covid 19 virus. Pray for their care, treatment and recovery. Continue to pray for the safety of all front line workers, especially those in hospitals, health centres and care homes.

Pray for families and friends, and for the life of our communities. Continue to pray for our schools, shops and other premises beginning to re-open, and for the safely of all; also for those whose jobs or businesses are lost or at risk. Pray for all who continue to self-isolate, and that all of us may continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing

May the cross of Christ be our guide; may we bear that cross with courage and with faith, and may all we do be done in love; and so may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround and sustain us now and always.   Amen.

A short service and reflection for Trinity 1, 14th June, 2020

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

God of truth, help us to keep your law of love and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life in Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

Confession

Let  us call to mind our sins, and make confession to our heavenly Father.

Most merciful God, we have sinned in thought and word and deed. We are truly sorry, and we ask you to forgive. Help us by your Spirit to live the new life in Christ, loving you with all our heart, and our neighbours as ourselves; for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love, in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

God’s Word - Romans, chapter 5, verses 1 to 8 :-

Now that we have been justified through faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us access to that grace in which we now live; and we exult in the hope of the divine glory that is to be ours. More than this: we even exult in our present sufferings, because we know that suffering is a source of endurance, endurance of approval, and approval of hope. Such hope is no fantasy; through the Holy Spirit he has given us, God’s love has flooded our hearts.

It was while we were still helpless that, at the appointed time, Christ died for the wicked. Even for a just man one of us would hardly die, though perhaps for a good man one might actually brave death; but Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, and that is God’s proof of his love towards us.

Matthew, chapter 9 verse 35 to chapter 10 verse 8 :-

Jesus went round all the towns and villages teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every kind of illness and infirmity. The sight of the crowds moved him to pity: they were like sheep without a shepherd, harassed and helpless. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The crop is heavy, but the labourers too few; you must ask the owner to send labourers to bring in the harvest.’

Then he called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to cure every kind of illness and infirmity. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, also called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not take the road to gentile lands, and do not enter any Samaritan town; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go proclaim the message: “The kingdom of Heaven is upon you.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You received without cost; give without charge.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

Many years ago, just before I went to theological college in 1978, we had a big mission campaign in my home church. Franciscans were coming to do the actual mission, but we were sent out first to prepare the way. Every house was visited. We had a simple questionnaire, the aim being to help the mission team decide who to prioritise when they started on the mission proper. It was a bit scary, but we did a lot of praying beforehand, and set out, each with our list of streets to cover.

I was reminded of this by the last words of our Gospel reading - “You received without cost; give without charge” - because to be honest many of the people I called on expected me to be asking for money. And on the whole they were quite prepared to give money, if only to get rid of me and with a clear conscience watch me go. “No, I’m just here to ask some questions,” I said. “Oh dear,” I could see them thinking. “This could be more complicated than we thought!”

At the moment of course I am having to ask for money. The reality of it is that our churches have no money coming in, or not very much, but there’s still money going out, including of course our parish offer to the diocese. “Why are we still sending money to the diocese?” I was asked the other day. “What do they do with it all?”

An amazing amount, is the short answer to that question. On what is quite a small budget our Diocesan Board of Finance manages to enable a lot of mission and ministry to happen, and it’s still happening, even though we’re locked down. By and large, what the parish offer pays for is mission and ministry. Put at its simplest, it pays for vicars, including me. And vicars are doing our best to keep working, and to keep doing mission, even though most of our visiting has to be done by phone or Zoom, and our services are mostly streamed or (like this one) Youtubed.

We clergy are spread quite thinly these days, but then again Jesus sent out only twelve men in our Gospel reading - and look what happened when they really got going! Of course, in today’s story they were doing exactly what I was doing back in 1978 and in the parish of Rickerscote. They were preparing the way. They had Jesus with them to do the actual mission work. It was only after Pentecost that the disciples ceased to be just disciples - learners, students - and became also apostles - folk with a story to tell, and a message to give, and a love to share.

Now asking for money could get in the way of mission. I see that. What Jesus gave, on the cross, he gave for free, for people who neither paid for it nor deserved it. In Rickerscote we had built a new church, in, I think, 1956, and many of the people I visited remembered buying a brick or two to help raise the cost of a building they’d perhaps hardly been to since, though they were glad it was there. Some of them I think resented me calling again on them - they reckoned they’d done their bit.

But, as Paul writes to the Romans, Christ died for us while we were yet sinners - in other words, while we didn’t care, while we went our own way, while we could only think of ourselves, while we didn’t deserve it. Whatever I do, and whatever I give, I can never repay such amazing love. And that’s what motivates not only my Christian preaching, but also my Christian giving - even if what I give ends up being sent to the diocese. And in any case the diocese isn’t them, it’s us (or should be): all of us doing what God calls us to do, to prepare the way, and share the love.

Statement of faith

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayers

Pray for the world:  for those discriminated against because of race or language or creed; for those living under the shadow of tyranny or conflict; for those who have no land or settled place to call their own; and for all still suffering and fearful as the Covid 19 crisis continues. Pray for wise leadership and clear vision, and that efforts to find a safe and effective vaccine meet with success.

Pray for the Church everywhere to be strong in discipleship, in mission and in service. Pray for Christians in Kenya, and for the Anglican Church of Kenya. In our own Diocese, give thanks for our global mission links, for the mission done in our own churches and communities, and for our links with other denominations and other faiths.

Pray for all who are struggling or in need today: for all who are grieving and for those who are lonely, or worried, or anxious. Pray for all who are ill, including all who are infected by Covid 19,  for their care and treatment and recovery. Continue to pray for the safety of all front line workers, especially those in hospitals, health centres and care homes.

Pray for families and friends, and for the life of our communities. Pray for our schools, shops and other premises beginning to re-open, and that we may do this safely; pray those continuing to self-isolate because of other health conditions or age. May we continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing

May we be on our guard, standing firm in the faith, as people of fortitude and courage; and may all that we do be done in love; and so may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround and sustain us now and always.   Amen.

Service and Reflection for Trinity Sunday

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen.

Theme Prayer 

O God our mystery, you bring us to life, call us to freedom, and move among and between us as wind and fire. May we so participate in the dance of the Three in One that our lives may resonate with your love, now and for ever. Amen.

Confession

Hear what Paul writes: “Be imitators of God; love as Christ loved; do not grieve the Holy Spirit; put away all anger and bitterness, all slander and malice.” So let us confess our sins to the Lord our God.

Father, you come to meet us when we return to you. Lord, have mercy:
(Lord, have mercy.)
Jesus, you died on the cross for our sins. Christ, have mercy:
(Christ, have mercy.)
Holy Spirit, you give us life and peace. Lord, have mercy:
(Lord, have mercy.)

May almighty God cleanse us from all our sin, and renew us in the fellowship of his Son, who calls us sisters and brothers, and may we know the freedom of his Holy Spirit, who declares that we are God’s children.  Amen.

God’s Word - Isaiah, chapter 6, verses 1 to 8 :-

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the skirt of his robe filled the temple. Seraphim were in attendance on him. Each had six wings: with one pair of wings they covered their faces and with another their bodies, and with the third pair they flew.  They were calling to one another, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.’

As each called, the threshold shook to its foundations at the sound, while the house began to fill with clouds of smoke. Then I said, ‘Woe is me! I am doomed, for my own eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts, I, a man of unclean lips, I, who dwell among a people of unclean lips.’

One of the seraphim flew to me, carrying in his hand a glowing coal which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘This has touched your lips; now your iniquity is removed and your sin is wiped out.’ I heard the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ I said: ‘Here am I! Send me.’

John, chapter 16, verses 5 to 15 :-

Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Now I am going away to him who sent me. None of you asks me, “Where are you going?” Yet you are plunged into grief at what I have told you. Nevertheless I assure you that it is in your interest that I am leaving you. If I do not go, the advocate will not come, whereas if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin, justice, and judgement: about sin, because they refuse to believe in me; about justice, because I go to the Father when I pass from your sight; about judgement, because the prince of this world stands condemned.

‘There is much more that I could say to you, but the burden would be too great for you now. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak only what he hears; and he will make known to you what is to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and make it known to you. All that the Father has is mine, and that is why I said, “He will take what is mine and make it known to you.”’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Readings

Christians very definitely do not believe in three Gods, but in one. And yet the Oneness of God isn’t enough to express the mystery of how God who is so utterly beyond our sight, our understanding, our knowing, nonetheless seeks to be in relationship with us, and, in ways that touch and change our hearts, demonstrates his love for us and calls us to share that love with the world.

Isaiah’s response to the revelation he had of the presence and power of God was one of abject fear, and a dread realisation of his sinfulness, of his people’s sinfulness, and of his unworthiness to be in that place at all. When I walk down the path in my garden, beetles and bugs scurry away and hide under stones. It’s a natural response when we’re faced with something too big to handle. But Isaiah’s lips are touched with a burning coal, and his sinfulness is removed. And when challenged with the words, “Who will go for us?” he replies, “Send me.”

Those words are used at most ordination services. The new deacon or priest ought to be terrified - it’s an impossible job, and a truly daunting task, for which none of us is fit for purpose: except that God makes us fit for purpose, and meets us in our weakness with his healing touch, and allows us to call him “Our Father”.

The first disciples came to see in Jesus more than just a rabbi or teacher, more than just a friend; and they came to see the cross as the decisive event in which all evil is confronted, all sin is named for what it is, and where God’s justice, a justice based in love, triumphs over the chaos of this world’s selfishness and prejudice. And as they reflected on this in the light of Easter, the movement that would become the Church was born in the fiery gift of the Holy Spirit. Nowhere in Scripture are we clearly told that God is Trinity, “three in one and one in three” as one of our hymns puts it, but Trinity is the best way the early apostles could find to talk about what they had experienced. All the fullness of God is completely present in each person of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But in each person God makes himself and his love known to us in a distinct and special way. The Son is not the Father, the Father is not the Spirit, yet each is wonderfully and completely God.

Yet even that is not enough. If it was, then we would have God precisely defined, identified, systematised. And we don’t, we can’t. Today does not honour a doctrine that says all there is to say about God, that has God all wrapped up. It is just our best way to talk about the ways in which God reveals himself to us, declares his love for us, and - though he is an unknowable mystery, before whom our natural and sensible response should be one of abject fear - declares that he is for us, that we can make our home in him, and that we are called and chosen in his service.

Statement of faith

We believe in the Father, the Creator, who lit the world and breathed the breath of life for us. We believe in the Son, Jesus Christ, who by his cross saved the world, stretching out his hand to his people. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who ranges over the world, and plants seeds of yearning in our souls. We believe in the Trinity of love, God above us, and beside us, and beneath us, the one who is from everlasting to everlasting. Amen.

Prayers

Pray in our world for those nations, like our own, aiming to lift restrictions gradually and with care, that we may be able to do this safely and begin to      re-open our economies. Pray for those nations where Covid 19 is still increasing in severity, especially where resources to combat the disease are lacking. Pray for co-operation among nations, both in the cause of welfare, peace and justice, and in the search for a vaccine and treatments for Covid 19.

Pray that the Church everywhere will be ready to hear God’s call to active and loving ministry. Pray for the churches of Mexico, and for the Anglican Province of Mexico. In our own Diocese, pray for all who are involved in safeguarding, ensuring that children, young people and vulnerable adults can work, worship and share fellowship safely and securely.

Pray for all who are in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. Pray for all who are ill, including all who are infected by Covid 19,  for their care and treatment and recovery. Pray for all front line workers, and especially for all who work in hospitals and care homes, for their safety and health.

Pray for families and friends, and for the life of our communities. Pray for our schools; pray also for all who are continuing to self-isolate because of other health conditions or age. May we continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing

May God the Father, who made all things, embrace us for ever in his creative love; may God the Son, our Servant King, bear our burdens of grief and sin and shame; may God the Holy Spirit inspire and enthuse our life together; and so may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround and sustain us now and always.   Amen.

A short service and reflection for Pentecost, 31st May 2020.

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Collect

Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, ignite in us your holy fire;
strengthen your children with the gift of faith,
revive your Church with the breath of love,
and renew the face of the earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God’s Word - Acts, chapter 2, verses 1 to 21 :-

The day of Pentecost had come, and the disciples were all together in one place. Suddenly there came from the sky what sounded like a strong, driving wind, a noise which filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them flames like tongues of fire distributed among them and coming to rest on each one. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them power of utterance.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem devout Jews drawn from every nation under heaven. At this sound a crowd of them gathered, and were bewildered because each one heard his own language spoken; they were amazed and in astonishment exclaimed, ‘Surely these people who are speaking are all Galileans! How is it that each of us can hear them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of Judaea and Cappadocia, of Pontus and Asia, of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; Cretans and Arabs - all of us hear them telling in our own tongues the great things God has done.’ They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What can this mean?’ Others said contemptuously, ‘They have been drinking!’


But Peter stood up with the eleven, and in a loud voice addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow-Jews, and all who live in Jerusalem, listen and take note of what I say.  These people are not drunk, as you suppose; it is only nine in the morning!
No, this is what the prophet Joel spoke of:  “In the last days, says God, I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.  Yes, on my servants and my handmaids I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy.  I will show portents in the sky above, and signs on the earth below - blood and fire and a pall of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before that great, resplendent day, the day of the Lord, shall come. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord on that day shall be saved.”

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

When “sharing the peace” first began to happen at services of Holy Communion, we eagerly espoused this in my home church, because we were quite modern and go-ahead, or so we thought, anyway. We did it, though, in an awfully nice and safely Anglican sort of way. The Vicar would stand at the chancel step, and the two churchwardens would come forward, receive the peace solemnly, and then just as solemnly pass it on by shaking hands with the end person on each pew, who would then pass it along the pew. It was a little bit like taking the collection in reverse. Even so, it was too much for Vera, who never came on a Sunday again, but only to the midweek service where dangerous things like passing the peace didn’t happen.

I may well speak about the Peace some other time; suffice for now to say that the way we did it then at St Peter’s does for me neatly encapsulate the way we often deal with the Holy Spirit, who is of course the most troublesome and hard-to-handle person of the Trinity (apart, that is, from the other two). Luke’s account of the gifting of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is profoundly chaotic for the most part. The disciples had been praying for this promised gift, but it still knocked them off their feet. Luke speaks of wind and fire, uncontrollable, dangerous things. The disciples are sent spinning out onto the city streets, no longer exactly in control of their own selves, so full of joy that it overflowed from them, so full of joy that the more sceptical of the passers-by decided they must be drunk. That probably happened a lot at Pentecost, which was the harvest festival of the grape harvest. But the disciples had been filled not with the wine of the grape, but with the New Wine of the Holy Spirit.

We’re not very keen on chaos for the most part, and we like our religion orderly and manageable. So we surround the Holy Spirit with doctrines and liturgies, so as to keep him (or her, as “spirit” is feminine in Hebrew) safely in a box. And, though there are of course Pentecostal Christians who do a lot of hand-clapping and arm-waving and smiling, and indeed there is the charismatic movement within our own church and the other mainstream churches, which is a bit the same way inclined, for the most part we seem to manage to keep the Holy Spirit where he or she belongs, as a fairly brief footnote to God, in the lower third of the Creed.

But today forces us to think again. The Church was born Pentecostal. Charismatic simply means “gifted”, and church history begins with the gifts of the Spirit, showered liberally on the disciples of Jesus as they prayed. Nor is the Holy Spirit somehow different from (and more troublesome than) the Father and the Son: the Spirit is the Spirit of the Father, the Spirit of Jesus, the sheer life changing love of God so profoundly present not only around but within the disciples that day that they could no longer help themselves, they had to get out there and tell the world what God had done for them, what God would be doing for everyone.

And out of that chaotic event came order, for folk on the streets all heard that message in their own language. How should we interpret this strange and unusual event? For me, I see it terms of challenge. We shouldn’t impose limits on who is to hear and receive God’s word. No-one is barred, all are invited in. And what began that day in Jerusalem among Jews - yes, from different places, but all of them Jews - would leapfrog that boundary wall too. God intends and desires the language of his love to be heard and received and understood by people everywhere.  People have always wanted to own their own god or gods - but the Holy Spirit came to people who were ready to be owned by God; that’s what their praying had been about. They were placing themselves into God’s hands, to be used by him.

And if what that led to seemed a bit chaotic, chaos isn’t always bad. For example, our countryside has been getting too tidy of late, and when there’s too much tidiness, things die. It’s years since I last heard a yellowhammer; they used to be along all the scruffy hedgerows when I was a child. Pentecost reminds us that true religion, religion that will change the world, can never be us keeping God safely tucked into a corner of our tidy life, and must always be us engaging with, offering ourselves to, the God who is hugely, uncontrollably alive, like wind and fire.

A Statement of Faith

We believe in the living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For Jesus said, ‘Those who are thirsty, come to me and drink. If you believe in me, streams of living water shall flow from within you.’ He spoke of the Spirit his disciples would later receive, the Spirit to be given, once he had been glorified.            from John 7.37-9

Prayers  -  

Begin this time of prayer by simply being silent before God, confessing our sins before him, and seeking the healing and renewing power of his Spirit.

Pray for the world, for peace where there is conflict, for healing where people are hurting, for relief and comfort where people are afraid. Pray that leaders of the nations may govern with wisdom, discernment and integrity. Pray for a spirit of co-operation as scientists and epidemiologists continue to work to battle the continuing threat of Covid 19.

Pray for the Anglican Province of Melanesia, and in our own Diocese for Richard our Bishop and for the churches of the Ross and Archenfield Deanery. And pray for the Church in its mission and service in all the world, and for a joyful, obedient and purposeful openness to the Holy Spirit among all of us.

Pray for all who are worried, grieving or in need today: for those struggling with isolation and loneliness, and separation from loved ones. Pray for all who are ill, including all who are infected by Covid 19,  for their care and treatment and recovery. Continue to pray for the safety of all front line workers, in hospitals and care homes, in transport, and in essential and emergency services of all kinds.

Pray for our own families and friends, and for the life of our communities. Pray for our schools as they plan for the possibility of children returning. Pray we may continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing

May the Spirit, who hovered over the waters when the world was created, breathe into us the life he gives.  Amen.
May the Spirit, who overshadowed blessed Mary when the eternal Son came among us, make us joyful in the Lord’s service.  Amen.
May the Spirit, who set the Church on fire upon the Day of Pentecost, bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ. Amen.
And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and always. Amen.

A short service and reflection for Easter 7, Sunday 24th May 2020

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Theme Prayer
Risen, ascended Lord, as we rejoice at your triumph,
fill your Church on earth with power and compassion,
that all who are estranged by sin may find forgiveness and know your peace,
to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Confession
Through Jesus our risen and ascended High Priest, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, ready to confess our sins. Let us keep a moment of silence, and ask God to hear us and heal us.

Father, creator, you welcome your people into eternal glory. Lord, have mercy:
(Lord, have mercy.)
Jesus our Saviour, you plead for us at the Father’s side. Christ, have mercy:
(Christ, have mercy.)
Holy Spirit, you are promised to us, to fill us with love and to open the eyes of faith. Lord, have mercy:
(Lord, have mercy.)

May almighty God cleanse us from all our sin, and make us ready to receive his Spirit and to take his message of love into all the world.  Amen.

God’s Word - John’s Gospel, chapter 17, verses 1 to 11 :-

Jesus looked up to heaven and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you. For you have made him sovereign over all mankind, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. This is eternal life: to know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

‘I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world began.

‘I have made your name known to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your command. Now they know that all you gave me has come from you; for I have taught them what I learned from you, and they have received it: they know with certainty that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

‘I pray for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, because they belong to you. All that is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine; and through them is my glory revealed. I am no longer in the world; they are still in the world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you have given me, that they may be one, as we are one.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

The event known as the Ascension is described only by Luke. On Ascension Day, last Thursday, we heard how the disciples saw their Lord taken away from them into the clouds. Luke uses that story to close his Gospel, and then to open his second book, the Acts of the Apostles. We might find ourselves thinking that it’s just a sort of stylistic device; but this is very clear from all the Gospels and from other witnesses too, the letters of Paul for example, that for a while after Easter Day Jesus was physically present with his disciples, but then he wasn’t. And he had said to Mary Magdalene in the garden on that first Easter morning that he would at some point ascend to the Father. The message she took to the disciples spoke of “My Father and your Father” - a promise that through the death and resurrection they - and we too - had been brought into a new relationship with God.

So, however the Ascension itself happened, the important thing is that it did, and it’s also important that we take to heart what the disciples did next. They prayed. Prayer should be something that underpins every aspect of Christian life, that flows through everything we do. Too often it’s a nod to God at the beginning or the end of the day, or at the start of a church meeting, or it’s maybe the emergency button to be pressed when something goes wrong. I used to work in a coal mining parish, and I remember an old miner telling me, “When you hear a pit prop crack, you won’t find any atheists down there!” Well, it occurs to me that this present period of enforced shutdown does give us an opportunity to pray purposefully, or maybe to plan prayerfully.

That’s what the disciples did in the period between Ascension and Pentecost. That’s what Jesus told them to do - well, he told them to wait to receive the gift of the Spirit, but I’ve no doubt he meant them to wait prayerfully, and it’s clear that that’s what they did. In Acts chapter 1 we read that all the disciples were “with one accord constantly at prayer.”

Some years ago the present Archbishop of Canterbury called for the ten days between Ascension and Pentecost to be a period of prayer, prayer with mission in mind, prayer to realign ourselves with what God is calling out from us, and what he is desiring for his world. That call for ten days of prayer spread around the world and was taken up by every Christian denomination, under the banner of “Thy Kingdom Come”. Today we’re almost halfway through these ten days, and if you haven’t already been using the prayer prompts I’ve been sending round, please do join in for the rest of this week, in prayer that joins us together, and seeks the presence and the power of God.

For some years now I’ve been editing the Prayer Diary for our diocese - not because I’m brilliant at praying, because I’m not - but because I do believe prayer is important, as a discipline, as something that can help establish a sense of common purpose in mission and service, and because we need to be placing ourselves before God regularly and faithfully, and seeking his presence in our lives. Jesus himself prayed constantly, and our Gospel reading shows us the closeness of his own relationship with the Father, and that those who pray “belong to God”.

Notice I haven’t said anything about asking for stuff! Of course, we do do that when we pray, and we should, but ultimately prayer is about finding out what God wants from us, rather than asking him to bless our own proposals or fulfil our own desires. Prayer is not my campaign speech to God, or my shopping list, and much of the best prayer hardly involves words at all, just that we be still before God - waiting on him, listening for his word, open to his presence. That, I think, is what the disciples were about as they waited there in the Holy City. And that’s what “Thy Kingdom Come” is about too: that we wait in prayer to discover what God is wanting to do with us, and for us, and through us.

Statement of faith

Let us proclaim the mystery of our faith: 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, who was revealed in the flesh, attested by the Spirit, seen by the apostles, proclaimed to the nations, believed in throughout the world, and taken up to glory.  Amen.

Prayers

At this time when all the world is vulnerable, and many are afraid, pray for those who are most at risk, and especially for the poor, the homeless, and the many in our world who live as refugees. Pray that aid to the poorest in our world will be sufficient to enable them to counter the threat of Covid 19. Pray that all world leaders may have the vision and courage they need, and that the search for a vaccine and effective treatments will meet with success.

Pray that the Church everywhere will be constant in prayer and ready to do the will of God in these testing times. On Anglican Communion Sunday pray for Archbishop Justin and for staff in the Anglican Communion Office, and in our own diocese for all who work in Communications. On the day that would normally commemorate John and Charles Wesley, pray for the Methodist Church locally and throughout the world.

Pray for those in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. Pray for all who are ill, including all who are infected by Covid 19,  for their care and treatment and recovery. Pray for the safety of all front line workers, and especially for all who work in hospitals and care homes.

Pray for families and friends, and for the life of our communities. Pray for our schools as they plan for the possibility of children returning. May we continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Prayer for today and Blessing

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Amen.

May Christ our King pour upon us his gifts, and bring us to reign with him in glory. And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.   Amen.

A short service and reflection for the 6th Sunday of Easter (17th May 2020)

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Theme Prayer 
Remember, Lord, your mercy and loving-kindness towards us. Bless this good earth, and make it fruitful. Bless our labour, and give us all things needed for our daily lives. Bless the homes of our parishes and all who live within them. Bless our life together and our care for our neighbour. Hear us, good Lord. Amen.

Confession
As God’s wayward children, forgetful of his love, who has made all things, we turn back to confess our sins and to seek his love afresh.

Father, you enfold us with wings of love, as a bird protects her young. Forgive our own failure to love. Lord, have mercy:
(Lord, have mercy.)
Jesus, you gather us around you, that we may learn your ways. Forgive us when we fail to listen and to follow. Christ, have mercy: (Christ, have mercy.)
Holy Spirit, you feed us with the seed of your holy word. Forgive us when we fail to nurture that seed into growth. Lord, have mercy: (Lord, have mercy.)

May almighty God cleanse us from sin, and make us worthy of the kingdom of his glory.  Amen.

God’s Word - John’s Gospel, chapter 14, verses 15 to 21 :-

Jesus said to the disciples, ‘If you love me you will obey my commands; and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another to be your advocate, who will be with you for ever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because the world neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you bereft; I am coming back to you.

‘In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me; because I live, you too will live. When that day comes you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me and I in you. Anyone who has received my commands and obeys them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father; and I will love him and disclose myself to him.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

Today is often called Rogation Sunday, and we probably would have had a Forest Church service today somewhere where we could look out over the land, and give thanks for creation and for all that gives life, and pray for the growing crops and those who work the soil. Rogation means prayer - in my dictionary “a solemn supplication”, so serious prayer. Traditionally the last three days before Ascension Day (which is this coming Thursday) were kept as Rogation Days, special days of prayer. And that became linked with farming and our use of the land because, well, this is the time when crops are growing - but also because, even before Christian times, prayers would be said out in the fields at this time of year, for the health of the growing corn, and for a good harvest.

There are lots of places in the Church year when we think of God’s creation, and I’m glad there are. For we are part of that creation, and it’s when we get above ourselves and forgetful of God that things go wrong. The quieter world of the last months or two has seen some healing, the result of the lightening of our often over heavy footprint on the planet. The smog of Indian cities has cleared, and people can once again see the Himalayas. Birdsong is clearer in our gardens, and several people have reported to me that they’ve heard the cuckoo for the first time in years. My brother in Blackpool tells me that the seagulls and pigeons have deserted his hotel for the beach, though that’s probably because there aren’t as many left over chips and kebabs along the pavements.

It would be good if we came out of all this having learned a few lessons, and maybe discovered a new balance. A recent survey discovered that only 9% of people in the UK want us to go back to “how things were before”. A prayer in the Rogation Sunday resources in a book I have of “Seasonal Worship in the Countryside” reminds me that as “sons and daughters of God” we are also “brothers and sisters of birds and beasts”. And, for me, taking that thought seriously, and lightening therefore our own tread on the surface of the earth, has to be part of what I mean by seeking a new sense of balance.

Where do we get this new balance from? What are the guidelines? Jesus said to his friends, “If you love me you will obey my commands.” And he goes on to tell them that he will send them the Spirit, the Spirit of truth who will not only dwell with them but will actually be in them, enabling their vision and inspiring their action. So being balanced in our living as God’s people honouring his creation begins when we allow his creative power, in the person of the Holy Spirit, to rule in our hearts.

In Genesis chapter 1, right at the front of our Bibles, we find a story of creation in which God speaks, and things come into being. I recall the writer of one book I read back in student days saying that the word God spoke was, “I love you” - and I’ve always found that idea of God loving his creation into existence hugely helpful. In St John’s Gospel Jesus is described as “the Word of God”. “Love is his word, love is his way”, we sing in a modern Communion hymn. To be like Jesus, to be guided by the Holy Spirit, means to make love the heart of all we are and do.

A poster I put on my Facebook page the other day read, “And they will know you are my disciples by your - rules (crossed out), theology (crossed out), then righteousness, power, rhetoric, purity (all crossed out), even clubs (crossed out). Leaving at the bottom of the list - love.” That’s John chapter 13 verse 35. “If there is love among you, then everyone will know you are my disciples.”

The other side of that is also true. If love is not the heart of our life - and if we don’t have that prayerful connection with the one who calls us into love, and shows us just what the love of God is really like - then we won’t be recognised as God’s people, or at least  not in any way that attracts and persuades. If love does not motivate the practical business of living together on this little planet, then things go out of balance, and what should be green and growing and beautiful is at risk of becoming an arid wasteland.  Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near - on this Rogation Sunday especially, that his love may guide both hand and heart, establishing in us a new and Christ-like balance.

Statement of faith

We believe in God above us, the maker and sustainer of all life. We believe in God beside us, Jesus the Word made flesh. He came to teach and to lead, but also to serve, and at last to die forsaken even by his friends. Laid in a tomb, he burst its bonds on the third day, and ascended into heaven to be everywhere present. We believe in God within us, the Holy Spirit setting hearts on fire and the life-giving breath of the Church. We believe in one God, who is over us, and beside us, and within us, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Prayers

Pray for all our use of the earth’s resources, and that we seek to live in a balanced way together, sharing what the earth produces, and valuing and protecting the other living things with which we share this planet. Continue to pray that those searching for ways to overcome the Coronavirus will meet with success, and that those nations whose resources are limited may be given the support and assistance they need.

Pray that the life of churches everywhere may be based in a Christ-like love which finds its spring in a prayerful resting in him and openness to his Spirit. We pray today for the Anglican Church in Korea, and for our own Deanery of Pontesbury. We pray there may have been a good response to this year’s Christian Aid Week appeal, and on National Children’s Day we pray for all our work with children and families.

Pray for those in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. Pray for all who are ill, including all who are infected by Covid 19,  for their care and treatment and recovery. Pray for the safety of all front line workers, and especially for all who work in hospitals and care homes.

Pray for the farmers of our communities, and for all who work the land. Pray for our churches and for our families and friends. May we continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Prayer for today and Blessing

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Amen.

May God our Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen us to walk with him in his risen life. And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.   Amen.

A short service and reflection for the 5th Sunday of Easter (10th May 2020)

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Theme Prayer 

Eternal God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life:

grant us to walk in his way, to rejoice in his truth, and to share his risen life;

for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.  Amen.

Confession

By the wounds of Jesus wounds we are healed. We come to the Lord our God knowing our need of his grace, to make confession of our sins.

Father, you entrust the world to our care: forgive our thoughtlessness and neglect. Lord, have mercy: (Lord, have mercy.)

Jesus, you entrust our neighbours to our care: forgive our thoughtlessness and neglect. Christ, have mercy: (Christ, have mercy.)

Holy Spirit, you entrust your gifts to our care: forgive our thoughtlessness and neglect. Lord, have mercy: (Lord, have mercy.)

God is good. On all whose lives are open to change from guilt to grace, and from darkness to light, he pronounces his pardon and grants his peace. Thanks be to God.  Amen.

God’s Word - John’s Gospel, chapter 14, verses 1 to 14 :-

Jesus said, ‘Set your troubled hearts at rest. Trust in God always; trust also in me. There are many dwelling-places in my Father’s house; if it were not so I should have told you; for I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I shall come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also; and you know the way I am taking.’  Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus replied, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me.

‘If you knew me you would know my Father too. From now on you do know him; you have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father; we ask no more.’ Jesus answered, ‘Have I been all this time with you, Philip, and still you do not know me? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Then how can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? I am not myself the source of the words I speak to you: it is the Father who dwells in me doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else accept the evidence of the deeds themselves. In very truth I tell you, whoever has faith in me will do what I am doing; indeed he will do greater things still because I am going to the Father. Anything you ask in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name I will do it.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

There are some big promises in today’s reading, and none bigger than those last few words. “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” Anything? So how come we are still surrounded by this virus, when people all over the place, people of faith, are praying that it might go away or be defeated. How come so many other ills in the world still persist, in spite of our prayers, in spite of our hopes and dreams, in spite of our faith?

St John shows us Jesus speaking these words on his last night with them, out in the Garden of Gethsemane, literally just minutes before they are surrounded by armed guards who seize their Master and take him away. On the next day, as they see him crucified, or hear about it from the women who were there, all their dreams are shattered, and the faith Jesus has encouraged them to have is sorely tested.

These fifty days between Easter and Pentecost reflect the time it took for those disciples to realise the truth of what had happened that day. Initially they could only see it in terms of disaster and failure. Now we can say, “Lord, by your wounds we are healed.” Now we can see that on the cross Jesus freely accepted the weight of all our sin, but it took time and patient teaching for them to grasp that. The way of Jesus is not the way of the world. It is the way of the cross. We are not living in zoo cages, but in a world of freedom which inevitably includes the freedom for bad things to happen, even to good people. Small children may stamp their feet and cry out, “It’s not fair!” That’s a lesson we need to learn. Real life isn’t fair. But the very fact that we realise that shows we have a spark of God’s goodness within us.

The way of Jesus is to enter the unfairness and painfulness of the world and to share it, and in the spirit of a servant and a friend, to seek to transform it, to change things for the better - not by waving a magic wand, but with sleeves rolled up and sweated brow. And at the last, with the mark of the nails in hands and feet and the mark of the spear in his side, those marks still there as he appears to his disciples on the evening of Easter Day.

So we are not promised an easy ride, for Jesus says, “If you come with me, you must share in my cross.” And, if we are truly to ask in his name when we pray, we should not be praying for anything we’re not also ready to work for and to give for. For to pray in the name of Christ isn’t to use that name as a sort of magic formula that will make everything happen as we want it, but to commit ourselves to his way and to his work, and to seek his direction in all we do.

Pain remains a problem for all who live by faith. But in his book “The Problem of Pain” C.S. Lewis noted how pain inspires heroism. Just at the moment, in these hard times, thank God we are surrounded by heroes. Many of them are motivated by their own faith in God, many others are not, but all share what religious faith should really have at its heart - a desire to heal, to comfort, to make things better, to build a better world.

On Friday last we were reminded of the heroes who fought to save our land and our world from tyranny in the war that ended seventy-five years ago. Every day we are reminded of the heroes in our hospitals and elsewhere. There’s nothing special about them, they don’t have super-human powers. Heroes are ordinary people inspired to do extraordinary things. People who care, and who at the right and needful time stood up to be counted. And “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it” is a prayer to inspire and kindle the heroism latent in each one of us.

Statement of faith

We believe in the God who binds up the broken hearted, who proclaims freedom to those held captive, who calls for justice for those treated unfairly, and who lifts up those who are cast down and overburdened. We have seen his love in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his dying and rising again. He calls us to follow the way of the cross, and promises the gifting power of the Spirit to all who commit themselves to his service. May the one God who is Father and Son and Holy Spirit touch our hearts this day, and inspire us to love and obedience. May his name be praised for ever in his Church active on earth, and in the songs of saints and angels. Amen.

 

Prayers

Give thanks for the freedom preserved in the dark times of the Second World War 75 years ago, and pray we may value our freedom today and work for the freedom of all, and for an end to injustice and unfairness. Pray for all who are working to find effective cures and treatments for Covid 19. Pray for all world leaders, that they may have vision, understanding and discernment.

Pray that the Church everywhere may be inspired to follow the way of the cross, and to be like Jesus in the welcome, acceptance, healing and support we offer . Pray especially today for the Anglican Church in Kenya, for the many international links our own Diocese has, and for the work and witness of Christian Aid, as Christian Aid Week begins.

Pray for those in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. Pray for all who are ill, including all who are infected by Covid 19. Pray  for their care and treatment and recovery, and for all who are “on the front line”, as medical staff, carers and in other ways, that they may be safe at work and home,  and be given the support and protection they need.

As we look towards the easing of lockdown restrictions, pray for our own communities and for families and friends, and that we may continue to act with care, looking out for one another and keeping safe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Prayer for today and Blessing

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Amen.

May God our Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen us to walk with him in his risen life. And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.   Amen.

A short service and reflection for the 4th Sunday of Easter (3rd May 2020)

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Theme Prayer (today is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday”)
Risen Christ, faithful Shepherd of your Father's sheep:
teach us to hear your voice and to follow your command,
that all your people may be gathered into one flock,
to the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

Confession
Jesus the Good Shepherd calls us back to himself. Let us reflect on our need of his guiding hand and healing touch, and confess our sins to God.

Forgive us, Lord, when we stray from your way. Lord, have mercy.
(Lord, have mercy.)
Forgive us, Lord, when we fail to respond to your call. Christ, have mercy.
(Christ, have mercy.)
Help us to follow in faith, and to support and guide each other. Lord, have mercy.
(Lord, have mercy.)

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to seek and save the lost, bring us his pardon and peace, now and always. Amen.

God’s Word - John’s Gospel, chapter 10, verses 1 to 10 :-

Jesus said, ‘In very truth I tell you, the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is nothing but a thief and a robber. He who enters by the door is the shepherd in charge of the sheep.  The door-keeper admits him, and the sheep hear his voice; he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he has brought them all out, he goes ahead of them and the sheep follow, because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.’

This was a parable that Jesus told them, but they did not understand what he meant by it. So Jesus spoke again: ‘In very truth I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. The sheep paid no heed to any who came before me, for they were all thieves and robbers. I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe. He will go in and out and find pasture. ‘A thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and may have it in all its fullness.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

People often moan about the “Nanny State” and the way it intrudes on our freedom of choice, and presumes we’re not capable of making our own well informed decisions about how to live together safely and enjoy the world without harming others. But just at the moment, with the “Nanny State” operating at full blast, the vast majority of us are very happy to have what really are quite severe restrictions imposed on us, because we recognise how necessary they are; and those who try to dodge them and go their own way - heading for Snowdon or the beach, for example - are widely censured.

Even without a viral pandemic, living together safely requires all of us to surrender some of our freedom to do what we want, so that others too may have a measure of freedom and choice. Some of that is imposed on us, by the law of the land, and some is just about being a good neighbour. But freedom of choice isn’t something equally shared, and maybe the experience of covid-19 might encourage some rebalancing, in terms of who is really important to a safe and stable society, and how we reward them. We’re discovering that nurses, care workers, and even shelf-stackers and dustmen, may in fact have more to offer when the chips are down than football stars or media celebrities. Oh, I’m not so naive as to expect a brave new world once the virus is gone - but I do hope we learn some of the lessons this time is teaching us.

“All we like sheep have gone astray” we sang a couple of months back, as a choir I sing with prepared for a concert that would have included items from Handel’s “Messiah” had it happened. The people Jesus was speaking to in today’s reading knew all about sheep, and they knew that one thing sheep do very well is go astray. A shepherd on the hills of Palestine needed his wits about him, if he was to look after his flock and keep them safe.

The job of a shepherd involved risk and sacrifice, if it was taken seriously and done properly. A good shepherd cared for his sheep, and saw them as more than a commodity to be used and exploited. Jesus called himself “the door of the sheepfold”, and those who heard him would have known how a shepherd, having penned the sheep for the night, would himself lie across the entrance, so that any wolf, lion or robber would have to contend with him first.

At the end of our reading, Jesus says, “I am come that they might have life, life in all its fullness.”  A simple test of whether we’re on the right track, following our shepherd’s call as we should, is to ask: “Is what I do and decide adding life and light to those around me?” If not, maybe I’m doing the reverse - and to enhance my own freedom at the expense of others is the complete opposite of what I see in Jesus the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus calls us not only to be faithful sheep, but also faithful shepherds: to look out for one another, with a special care for those who are weak and vulnerable. He calls us to a servant ministry. I’ve heard some criticism of the lockdown as prioritising the needs of the elderly and vulnerable over those of the active, wealth-producing workforce. Well, I happen to believe that that in itself is the measure of a caring society, each member of which has value. And anyway, as Captain - now Colonel - Tom Moore has shown us, everyone has their place, and their part to play, their contribution to make.

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd;  ♦
therefore can I lack nothing.
2    He makes me lie down in green pastures  ♦
and leads me beside still waters.
3    He shall refresh my soul  ♦
and guide me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4    Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;  ♦
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5    You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me;  ♦
you have anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full.
6    Surely goodness and loving mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,  ♦
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,  ♦
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Prayers

Pray for our own nation and the world’s nations, as the battle against covid-19 continues. Pray too for countries battling other ills, such as climate change, civil conflict, and diseases such as HIV and malaria. Pray for world leaders, and for a coordinated response to the extraordinary challenge facing us all.

Pray that the Church everywhere may be inspired by the example of service and sacrifice we see in Jesus the Good Shepherd. Pray especially today for the Anglican Church in Japan, and within our own Diocese for the Deanery  of Ludlow. Pray for our own Deanery, and especially for those parishes presently without a Rector; continue to pray for all who work in hospital chaplaincy.

Pray for those in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. Pray for all who are ill, and particularly for those infected by the virus, for their care and treatment and recovery. Pray for health workers and carers, and for all who are “on the front line”. Pray for their safety, and that they may be valued for what they do and give not only now but also after this crisis is over.

Pray for our own communities and for our families and friends. May we be faithful not only as sheep but also as shepherds, looking out for one another and offering care. Give thanks for all who actively helping others during this time as volunteers, both in and beyond our local communities. Pray for our keeping of the VE Day anniversary on Friday.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Prayer for today and Blessing

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Amen.

May God our Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen us to walk with him in his risen life. And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.   Amen.

A short service for the 3rd Sunday of Easter (26th April 2020)

You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Theme Prayer
Risen Christ, you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope:
strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace,
to the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

God’s Word - Luke’s Gospel, chapter 24, verses 13 to 35 :-

Two of the disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, talking together about all that had happened.  As they talked and argued, Jesus himself came up and walked with them; but something prevented them from recognizing him. He asked them, ‘What is it you are debating as you walk?’ They stood still, their faces full of sadness, and one, called Cleopas, answered, ‘Are you the only person staying in Jerusalem not to have heard the news of what has happened there in the last few days?’ ‘What news?’ he said. ‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied, ‘who, by deeds and words of power, proved himself a prophet in the sight of God and the whole people; and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified him. But we had been hoping that he was to be the liberator of Israel. What is more, this is the third day since it happened, and now some women of our company have astounded us: they went early to the tomb, but failed to find his body, and returned with a story that they had seen a vision of angels who told them he was alive. Then some of our people went to the tomb and found things just as the women had said; but him they did not see.’

‘How dull you are!’ he answered. ‘How slow to believe all that the prophets said! Was not the Messiah bound to suffer in this way before entering upon his glory?’ Then, starting from Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them in the whole of scripture the things that referred to himself.

By this time they had reached the village to which they were going, and he made as if to continue his journey. But they pressed him: ‘Stay with us, for evening approaches, and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. And when he had sat down with them at table, he took bread and said the blessing; he broke the bread, and offered it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; but he vanished from their sight. They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts on fire as he talked with us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

Without a moment’s delay they set out and returned to Jerusalem. There they found that the eleven and the rest of the company had assembled, and were saying, ‘It is true: the Lord has risen; he has appeared to Simon.’ Then they described what had happened on their journey and told how he had made himself known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

A Reflection on the Reading

This is a story from the evening of Easter Day itself. Two disciples, heading for home - they’ve heard about the empty tomb, but they have no idea what that means, and  - when they explain what they’ve been talking about to the stranger who has joined them on the road - most of what they say is framed in the past tense. How sad those words are: “We had been hoping . . .”! Stories of the tomb being empty counted for little in these men’s minds, because all the stuff that happened before was so obviously not what should have happened. Hopes and dreams lay in ruins; the story of a man who had so clearly been worth listening to, worth following, had instead ended in failure.

What follows is an object lesson  in evangelism, and in what it means to come to faith. Jesus first of all instructs the two disciples, explaining how what had seemed to them like failure was in fact what the scriptures had said must happen. This, he patiently tells them, was what God’s Messiah was always going to do.

Evangelism begins with instruction, and that instruction must rest in the scriptures. Anglican theology rests on the three pillars of scripture, reason and tradition, but the test of the second two of these must always be whether they are true to what the Bible teaches us.

Invitation plays a role in this story too. And evangelism, sharing what we believe, involves both inviting and responding to invitation. Here, Jesus makes as if to go on, but the other two press him to stay, and he enters their house. I find I’m reminded of Holman Hunt’s famous picture, “The Light of the World” (which in fact illustrates  Revelation 3.20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock”). It shows us Jesus standing at a door which, perhaps we don’t notice straight away, has no latch on his side. He waits on us to open it.

Once Jesus is inside the house, we see the second phase of the disciples’ arriving at a new and mature faith - encounter and recognition. As Jesus breaks the bread, they realise who he is. And recognition leads to commitment. They head back to Jerusalem without delay, despite the lateness of the hour. We see how faith leads to action. What we believe isn’t fully our own till we’ve shared it with someone else, and the two disciples just couldn’t wait to do that.

Let us pray: Lord, you walk with us on the dry and dusty roads of our lives, and you wait outside the doors of our hearts. Forgive us when we fail to respond to your call, or when we go astray. Forgive us when we don’t understand, and when we fail to recognise you. Clarify our vision, and help us to welcome you into our hearts and lives, to know your love and to share it with others.

May Christ who meets us in the breaking of bread, and gladly enters the door when we open it, heal, forgive and renew us in his service, so that we may share his risen life. Amen.

Anthem

1    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  ♦
who in his great mercy gives us a new birth as his children.

2    He has raised Jesus Christ from the dead,  ♦
so that we may have a sure hope in him.

3    The inheritance promised to us can never be spoilt  ♦
because it is kept for us in heaven.

4    The ransom that frees us was not paid in silver or gold,  ♦
but in the precious blood of Christ, the Lamb without stain.

5 God raised him from the dead and gave him glory   ♦
so that we might have a sure faith and hope in him.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,  ♦
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.


Prayers

Pray for the peace of the world, giving thanks for the progress made in developing treatments, sharing understanding, and working towards being able to provide a vaccine, as we unite in the battle against covid-19. Pray too for countries battling other ills, and especially for nations in east Africa where there are huge locust swarms. Pray for the government of our own nation, and for those providing advice and leadership in science and medicine.

Pray that the Church everywhere may be marked by a strong and active and welcoming faith. Pray especially today for the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and within our own Diocese for all who resource us in mission and outreach. Continue to pray for all who work in hospital chaplaincy.

Pray for those in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. Pray for all who are ill, for those infected by the virus and for health workers and carers. Pray those on the front line may be kept safe from harm and infection.

Pray for our own communities and for our families and friends. May our faith bear fruit in witness, service and sharing. Give thanks for all who continue to be active helping others as volunteers, locally and nationally. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Prayer for today and Blessing

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Amen.

May God our Father,
by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead,
strengthen us to walk with him in his risen life.
And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.   Amen.