sunday 29th november 2020 - advent

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 The Readings for 29th November

Isaiah 64:1-9 1   Corinthians 1: 3-9   Mark 13: 24-37

Thoughts for this Week

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, the start of a new Christian year. 

Advent means "coming." The time of year for remembering Jesus coming; Christmas is coming. Is our picture of Christmas of a small helpless baby surrounded by farm animals ? Our reading in Isaiah today says – “O that you would burst from heaven and come down” – not the meek and mild little child. Someone powerful. 

Would we prefer the meek and mild or with many in the world do we long for justice and kindness, the correcting of inequality and exploitation, truth instead of just a flood of data or fakeness, the end of terror and evil, .. ?

The writer of Isaiah seems to be in a bad situation – in a world that was broken, forgotten, .. but then he remembers that God “did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations”. We are reminded to look back to the times when God did the same for us, an unexpected job opportunity, a home found almost before it was looked for, a smile where frowns were expected, forgiveness that we didn’t deserve, …. 

In later verses we are reminded of our sin – that we have left undone the things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done – “when we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags”. And that is the whole reason for Christmas and that Jesus came into the world.

“No ear has heard and no eye seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him”. 

This poem from Jan Richardson reminds us of some waiting:

Who wait for the night to end - bless them.
Who wait for the night to begin - bless them.
Who wait in the hospital room - who wait in the cell - who wait in prayer - bless them.
Who wait for news - who wait for the phone call - who wait for a word
who wait for a job - a house - a child - bless them.
Who wait for one who will come home - who wait for one who will not come home
bless them.
Who wait with fear - who wait with joy - who wait with peace - who wait with rage
who wait for the end - who wait for the beginning
who wait alone - who wait together - bless them.
Who wait without knowing what they wait for or why bless them. 

Who wait when they should not wait - who wait when they should be in motion
who wait when they need to rise - who wait when they need to set out - bless them.

Who wait for the end of waiting who wait for the fullness of time
who wait emptied and open and ready
who wait for you, Lord, -  bless them.

So this is a time of preparation to celebrate Jesus’ arrival in a few weeks’ time, a time to spend reflecting, to quietly think what Christmas really means to us, what is important and who we are waiting for. To be open and ready for God. In expectation and hope, to celebrate the unfolding purposes of God for ever at work in ourselves and the world.

Janet Butcher-Weisner

Although we are apart, we pray together:

From Psalm 91

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,

Who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

Who say to the Lord “My refuge and my fortress;

My God in whom I trust.

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,

And from the deadly pestilence;

He will cover you with his pinions,

And under his wings you will find refuge;

Hid faithfulness is a shield and a buckler,

You will not fear the terror of the night,

Or the arrow that flies by day,

Or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

Or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

We give thanks for our leaders, international, national and local, government, faith leaders and those who support and advise them. 

Give us and them strength and wisdom to see clearly and deeply, work together for the common good and make the best and right decisions.

We give thanks for all those working across our world to build an environment where there all life can flourish and thrive both now and in the future. 

Give us generosity and opportunity to support and work towards a healing world where all life is valued.

We give thanks for good health in our community and for those working and volunteering to help us stay well – both those in our front-line health services and all those whose work is in shops, offices and delivery services and other places. 

Give those who are facing the challenge of poor health in body, mind or spirit, hope of healing, knowledge of your love, peace of mind and rest. We think especially of Lyle Arnold, Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, John Hammond and Sheila Godden.

We give thanks for the lives of those who have recently died. May we remember before you Eliot Gower and Paul Hutchings, andthose dear whose year’s mind falls at this time, Brenda Finn, Pauline Davis, Gladys Hearsey, Bunty Blain, Evelyn Hoare, Michael Fisher, Michael Pain, Denise Swinn and Leslie Holmes.

Give to those who mourn comfort and courage to face the future even as it looks dark.

We give thanks for the invitation of Advent, for creativity and for hope, for the slow journey over hard ground to Bethlehem and the new birth and beginning.

Give us the willingness and humility say yes and to make that journey together with You.

We ask these things in the name of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen

A prayer of St Anselm (1033-1109)

My God,

I pray that I may so know you and love you that I may rejoice in you.

And if I may not do so fully in this life,

Let me go steadily on to the day when I come to that fullness.

Let the knowledge of you increase in me here,

And let it come to its fullness.

Let your love grow in me here, and there let it be fulfilled,

So that here my joy may be in a great hope, 

And there in full reality. Amen

Diana Baldwin

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;   

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. 

 The Readings for 22nd November

Ezekiel 34: 11-16, 20-24 Ephesians 1: 15-end Matthew 25: 31-end

Thoughts for this Week

Barack Obama, the former 44th President of the United States once said: “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” Thoughtful words indeed for one to reflect upon.

In our Gospel reading today Jesus says: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? ...” 

Incidents occur globally which can significantly affect many. Natural disasters often happen without warning for which there are no apparent reasons or control. Famine, drought and disease feature prominently within this sphere, with sometimes devastating results. Climate changes can also increase problems which are difficult to overcome.

Customarily, people in life hope and pray for the good nature of others in times of need. Without this kindness, they can be left isolated. Hebrews 13:16 reminds us "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." 

Helping others in times of need is to live by the wishes of God. For some, personal and unforeseen circumstances can dramatically change their lives. It can cause a transformation from a life filled with happiness to one of misery and hardship. Life can suddenly become tough and may sometimes appear intolerable. People can feel total despair within themselves. Perhaps the only option left is to become dependent and totally reliant on the good deeds of others. Without these, they may have nothing.

No-one should be left alone to face troubled times, the consideration of a little comfort or a listening ear can make a big difference. It can help them feel that they don’t have to face the problems of life on their own. We should remember that a trouble shared is a trouble halved, which is the first step forward on the road to recovery. 

Luke 6:38 clearly states: "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

Just as the Good Samaritan did on the road to Jericho, we also should stop to offer a helping hand in times of need. Give what we can, no matter how little, for a little can mean a lot and it can make a tremendous difference in enhancing someone’s life.

There once lived an affluent businessman who had succeeded well in life. Through his negotiations and good business sense, he had become a multi-millionaire within a few short years by investing extremely wisely in several innovative projects.

He lived in a beautiful house set in several acres of land which included a stream with an abundance of fish and was situated in an extremely picturesque position. Much of his wealth had been invested in stocks and shares with a renowned company, centred in London. Due to a fluctuating economy, the business that he had invested in suddenly experienced financial problems which eventually resulted in its liquidation and the value of his shares fell to a worthless amount. He had become destitute overnight. He had to sell his lovely house to provide the necessary funds to live. Life had suddenly become extremely hard through no fault of his own. One day, when he was walking through the park, wondering what to do with his life, he saw an elderly gentleman sitting on a bench by himself and so he decided to join him.

The two began to chat and during the conversation, it emerged that the elderly gentleman had also lost his wealth due to an unscrupulous confidence trickster who had played on his trusting good nature and taken him for everything he had, before disappearing. The elderly gentleman informed him that his son had offered him a partnership in a newly acquired shop situated near the coast for a modest investment of £2500, provided that he would be prepared to run the shop on behalf of his son who would then be free to explore other ventures. He continued: "It is very sad for me, as I would love to accept my son's offer, it would give me a new lease of life, but I just don't have that kind of money and could never hope to raise it."

The once affluent businessman thought deeply and told the elderly gentleman that he didn't have much money, but he was prepared to lend him the necessary £2500 to provide the funds for his new venture with the proviso, that if he made a success of it, he would eventually repay the money. The elderly gentleman was amazed and readily agreed to the proposal with much gratitude and told his new benefactor: "To you, I am a stranger, who you know very little about and yet, you are prepared to help me at considerable risk of financial loss to yourself. I would like you to know that I appreciate this so much. You have demonstrated much kindness. Never before in my life has anyone ever shown me that much trust and confidence in something that I wanted to achieve." He then assured him that he would do his best to comply with the request.

The new shop became such a success, that not only was the £2500 repaid within a year but in addition, the good benefactor was also offered the managership of a second shop which had been purchased from the profits, together with a good annual salary. He proudly and sincerely told his benefactor that "One good turn deserved another." Proverbs 19:17 had been realised in that “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.”

Life is about sharing what we have and giving to others. It may be in the form of allocating our time to a particularly good cause or perhaps donating some money to a worthy charity who tries to help those who are suffering the misfortunes of life. Caring for the sick or elderly can be of paramount importance in their respective lives. Things can be done in a hundred different ways. But whatever it is, if we give it freely and within the love of God, then we are achieving a real purpose and truly accomplishing a life worth living. 

Amen.

Bill Meakin

Although we are apart, we pray together:

Christ the King: Prayers for the moment 

In Matthew 11: 28-30 our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying worldly burdens, and I will give you rest. Be my follower and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble of spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give to you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light”. May it be so…. Come Lord Jesus.

United with all God’s saints, we pray in a spirit of wisdom and revelation for ourselves, our neighbours and all creation….May we bring before God the Church around the world; praying that each Cristian community might serve with integrity, truth, wisdom, compassion and a Gospel-focused vision…..Please come Lord Jesus.

Christ our King is a light to the nations. May all leaders follow his way of selflessness, prioritising the needs of the poorest in society…. As appointed stewards of Christ’s Kingdom, we pray that we may tread lightly on this earth, sacrificially acting to halt the plunder of its resources…. Come Lord Jesus.

In this transitory life, many pressures afflict many lives; may Almighty God pour out, and encourage compassion, hope, healing and comfort to all who struggle with any kind of spiritual, physical, emotional or economic suffering…..Dear God, you know what is troubling us. But, whatever we do it won’t go away….Please give us the wisdom to put it in perspective; and the courage to do something about it…..Come Lord Jesus, forgive us, heal our wounds, absolve our guilt, grant us peace.

Dear Father God please comfort and heal those who are unwell and recovering at this time. May their healing and wholeness be empowered by your hand and may those who care for them be sustained in all aspects of their devotion, especially Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, John Hammond and Sheila Godden. 

Lord in your mercy hear our prayer and the prayers of others for their wellbeing.

At this time Father we are very aware of the deadly nature of enforced separation and spiritual isolation on the human condition. May we do all we can to pray for your intervention and remember with love and thanksgiving the harvest of so many lives who have enriched our own. May we remember before you Eliot Gower and Paul Hutchings, andthose dear whose year’s mind falls at this time, Timothy Parsons, Matthew Nixon, John Armstrong, Sam Perkins, Wally Palmer and Ann Ames.

Dear Lord, may we also include those who are heavy on your heart and those who mourn. Please bring them courage, faith and peace in the warmth of their memories…. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Holy and eternal God, as a shepherd hears the call of the flock, may you answer the cries of your people, as we bring our petitions before you in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord; who reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever…..Amen

Roger Davenport 

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. 

Amen. 

  The Readings for 15th November

Zephaniah 1: 7,12-end  1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11   Matthew 25: 14-30

Thoughts for this Week

Some people, both Christian and non, have great difficulty with this parable; however to my mind the meaning of this parable extends far beyond financial investments and reward for the bigger profit. The English Language clashes the important word “Talent” with a measure of finance coinage with a measure of ability and other meanings. Like a red herring we see in Luke 19.11-27 Jesus uses the measure of a Mina which historians tell us was worth about three months wages and therefore there is no doubt in its meaning. However, in my opinion, Jesus uses parables as important teaching tools and let me say that God has given us a wide variety of gifts, and he expects us to employ those gifts in his service. He doesn’t expect us to “work” at it 24 hours a day, he gives us the opportunity to sleep soundly having given of our talents. However he says It is not acceptable to put those gifts away for emergency use and until then ignore them. Like the three servants, we do not have gifts of the same degree. The return God expects of us is commensurate with the gifts we have been given. The servant who received one talent was not condemned for failing to reach the five-talent goal; he was condemned because he did nothing with what he was given. The gifts we receive from God include skills, abilities, family connections, social positions, education, experiences, and more. The point of the parable is that we are to use whatever we have been given for God’s purposes. The severe consequences to the unproductive servant, far beyond anything triggered by mere business mediocrity, tell us that we are to invest our lives, not waste them. I’ve known of several Businessmen who “dabbled” with the Stock Exchange and made big gains (but I suspect that with taxation on profits now being so high that such profits have melted away into the Exchequer’s Coffers). Jesus uses this parable to show money is not the problem. It depicts investing, not hoarding, as a godly thing to do if it accomplishes godly purposes in a godly manner. In the end, the master praises the two trustworthy servants with the words, “Well done, good and trustworthy slaves.” In these words, we see that the master cares about the results (“well done”), the methods ("good”), and the motivation (“trustworthy”). He will surely praise us if we use our talents, our skills to the best of our ability. We know Jesus has doubts concerning those who are rich and do not look after the poor. By the same degree if we have the skill and ability in abundance and do not look to help the poor, the weak and the vulnerable we can expect to be cast aside where there will be gnashing and wailing on a big scale. Work to our best endeavour we will encompassed by our Saviour to sit with him at the time of reckoning. Amen.

Paul Sharman

Although we are apart, we pray together:

Gratitude: We begin our Heavenly Father in a spirt of gratitude. We thank you for all that has happened in the past week. Each day has been a gift from you Lord. Thank you for the gifts you have given us to serve others. Thank you that you have been present with us each moment of the day, though we may have been neglectful to acknowledge your presence and light. We thank you for our families and friends, for the ties that help us to know that we belong and are accepted. We thank you for the unconditional love you have for us Lord. 

‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?’ (Romans 8 verse 35).

Pause to consider those things for which you are grateful for.

Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.

Confession: We come Lord Jesus into your presence to recognise that we long to be, to act, to speak and to think in a way that pleases you. Yet we recognise that our thoughts and attitudes are definitely not very holy. We come in a spirit with familiar words of confession:

Merciful Father, we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the schemes and desires of our own hearts, and have broken your holy laws. We have left undone what we ought to have done, and we have done what we ought not to have done. Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us; restore those who repent, according to the promises declared to us through your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant, merciful Father, for his sake, that from now on, we may live godly and obedient lives, to the glory of your holy name.

Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us. 

Covid pandemic: Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress especially as we are in a further period of lockdown. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from the love in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

For hospital staff and medical researchers: Gracious God, give skill, sympathy and resilience to all who are caring for the sick, and your wisdom to those searching for a cure. Strengthen them with your Spirit, that through their work many will be restored to health.

For mission workers worldwide, especially those serving in areas acutely impacted by COVID-19. We pray for each ministry team to know how to carry out their responsibilities.

For those who are guiding our nation at this time, and shaping national policies, that they may make wise decisions.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4 verses 8-10)

Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us. 

Our needs: We bring before our Lord those things that we need. Lord we pray that we will walk each day with you, mindful that as you have loved us, we too should love others.

For our families. Where there is poor health, may you bring healing. Where there is any conflict, may harmony return. For our benefice, that during this period of restrictions you will uphold all those who lead the ministry. We particularly pray for Jane, Stephen and Deb that you will give them strength, insight and energy in their ministry to us.

There may be things which you have on your heart to pray about – a moment of silence to bring these to the Lord.

We pray for all in sickness. We particularly remember those in our benefice Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, John Hammond and Sheila Godden. 

Also, we think of those recently departed, Eliot Gower and Paul Hutchings, andthose dear whose year’s mind falls at this time, Ella Watkins, Michael Speedy, Kathleen Atkins and Doris Field.

Take us and use us to love and serve you, and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gary Colvin

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;     

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. 

  The Readings for 8th November

Amos 5: 18-24   1 Thessalonians 4: 13-end   Matthew 25: 1-13

Thoughts for this Week

A SONNET FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

November pierces with its black remembrance

Of all the bitterness and waste of war.

Our silence tries but fails to make a semblance

Of that lost peace they thought worth fighting for.

Our silence seeths instead with wraiths and whispers,

And all the restless rumours of new wars,

The shells are singing as we sing our vespers,

No moment is unscarred, there is no pause,

In every instant bloodied innocence

Falls to the weary earth, and whilst we stand

Quiescence ends again in acquiescence,

And Abel’s blood still cries in every land.

One silence only might redeem that blood

Only the silence of a dying God.

Almost exactly 100 years ago, four unidentified bodies were selected at random from amongst the thousands buried in four temporary cemeteries across Europe. The soldiers charged with exhuming the bodies were told nothing of the task, except that they were required. Later, one of these bodies was selected, again, at random, whilst the others were reburied. This single body was then afforded all the honour and dignity usually reserved for the highest ranking official and, in a series of sombre stages, was then transported across Europe, arriving in Dover adorned with a Union Flag, ready for a journey to its final resting place in Westminster Abbey. 

This happened 100 years ago. None of us can know what it was like – we can get an idea from pictures and from recollections passed on from others. But these events are now outside our living memory. And yet, there’s something about this event in particular that lives on. To this day, this unknown soldier’s tomb, surrounded as it is by royalty and celebrity, is unique. It is the only tomb in the Abbey which remains untrodden. Some of us will vividly recall scenes of Princess Diana’s funeral back in 1997. Swathes of London were cordoned off to allow the funeral procession to take place; roads were blocked, ordinary people’s routes to work were disrupted, all to make way for this extraordinary event. On arrival at the Abbey doors however, it was the funeral cortege that moved aside, walking around the tomb of the unknown soldier instead of taking the shorter route straight across it. 

It’s an extraordinary legacy, isn’t it? In many ways, this was just an ordinary man, doing what hundreds of thousands of people had done before him. Perhaps we should challenge the use of the term ‘ordinary’. He was unique, and special, and precious - in the same way that each of us is unique, and special, and precious. 

And it was a similarly ‘ordinary’ man who came up with the idea. Rev David Railton was a curate here in the Elham Deanery, based at a church in Folkestone. During his time, he became padre to the armed forces, and served on the Western Front, being awarded the Military Cross for his heroic efforts. He was appalled at the sufferings he witnessed – both on the front, and on his return home. When he was subsequently asked about his idea, he tried to explain it, by expressing the myriad questions he had been assaulted by on seeing an anonymous grave. His primary pastoral concern was for those who were left grieving. He said this “What can I do to ease the pain of father, mother, brother, sister, sweetheart, wife and friend? Quietly and gradually there came out of the mist of thought this answer clear and strong. ‘Let this body – this symbol of him – be carried reverently over the sea to his native land.’” And so the idea was born. In fact, the Union Flag draped over the coffin for its final journey was the very flag Rev’d Railton had used as an altar cloth when he was serving on the front. 

An unknown soldier to us he may be. But let us not forget what we do know. We do know that he was someone’s son. He may have been a father, brother, husband. He will have left people behind, people who grieved his absence. As we read the names on our memorials, let us also call to mind this unknown soldier, who represents for us the hundreds of thousands of soldiers whose bodies could not be identified. He represents for us all those who, in conflict and in peacetime, have made the ultimate sacrifice. And he represents for us all those who are left behind, grieving the loss of a loved one. 

An unknown soldier to us he may be. But let us not forget what we do know. God knows him by name and loves him. As he does each of us. Whether the sun is high in the sky, or hidden behind clouds of thunder, we can be sure and confident in the promise of God’s love. We can be sure God always remembers us, as he does all those who have passed into the safety of his perfect peace. The poppies, the memorials, the wreaths, the scenes of lowered flags and notes played on a lone bugle, the tomb of an unknown warrior – these all serve as prompts to call to mind all those who have given their lives in the pursuit of freedom and peace.

And, at the going down of the sun, and in the morning – named and unnamed - we will remember them. 

Amen x

Deb Scoble

Although we are apart, we pray together:

Heavenly and forgiving father, 

We remember today, and for many days, all those who have died in any kind of war throughout your world, soldiers who perished in the horror of battle, innocent people buried beneath the rubble from bomb attacks, men women and children brutally attacked and murdered in their villages, towns and cities. We remember especially those victims of the two world wars including those close to us, or to our parents and grandparents. We remember those who came home with terrible injuries, both physical and psychological and those whose loved ones never returned.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer

Lord God, 

We pray for the leaders of the nations at this time, asking you to pour out your spirit of reconciliation on them. Give them a longing to bring freedom from fear and freedom from want for all peoples. Give strength and courage to those who bear heavy responsibilities for the peace of the world. We pray also for the Christian Church, called to witness to your love in this generation. May Christians work with all men of goodwill to break down the barriers which divide people. May those who profess one faith respect those who sincerely hold another faith and build a community where there is harmony and understanding.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer

Jesus our Saviour, 

Be with us all at this time thinking especially about those living alone and vulnerable to so many things. We ask your mercy on all those proving positive to Covid 19 virus test and give them strength to fight it and return fully fit. We ask your help for all those working on the front line; watch over them and ensure they get sufficient help, rest and refreshment. 

Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer 

Jesus Christ is the light of the world, a light which no darkness can quench.
We now remember before God all those who have died and light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ, which eternally shines and brings hope.
 

We pray for all in sickness. We particularly remember those in our benefice Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, John Hammond, Sheila Godden. 

Also, we think of those recently departed, Paul Hutchings, and those dear whose year’s mind falls at this time, Denise Swinn, Marjorie Heritage and Ron Lamb.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. 

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

Paul Sharman

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on     earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, 

and the glory are yours  now     and for ever.

 Amen.

  The Readings for 1st November

Revelation 7.9-17   1 John 3.1-3  Matthew 5.1-12

 Thoughts for this Week

On All Saints we celebrate all those who have reached the kingdom of heaven, but not those whose festivals are specifically named. No, these are the multitudes of people who have led their lives in God’s service, but whose attaining of a place in heaven is known only to Him. Which is why we remember the beloved departed on this day. In the trust that they are already resting and at peace with our maker.

In this morning’s reading we hear Jesus speak the beatitudes as the start of the Sermon on the Mount, and his use of the word “blessed” is interesting. The word blessed in Hebrew is “ashar”, and means to walk the right road. Thus blessed are the merciful becomes “walking the right road are the merciful.” These statements by Jesus are not just a litany of instructions for living a godly life. They are far more than that. What they tell us is about the nature of God himself. Walking the right road means following God’s call and example. 

These beatitudes therefore cease to be preaching or suggestions, but they become statements of fact. Thus, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” becomes walking the right road of the peacemakers means you will be considered as a true child of God. For you have emulated his justice and compassion. 

How strange it must have sounded to those listeners who first heard these words from Jesus. Although the OT scripture contains some very similar phrases, particularly in Isaiah, the wording of these beatitudes, these blessings, turn the normal ways of this troubled world on their head. Those who are meek (or humble, as a closer translation) seldom do inherit the earth. Those who are merciful do not always receive mercy back. And those who mourn are not always comforted. But that is the earthly perspective. The view from the kingdom of heaven is very different. 

So much of bible teaching turns the norms that we are used to upside down. Matthew himself reports on “the last will be first, and the first will be last”. Mark says “Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be the servant of all” (10:44). The parable of the vineyard tells us that those who come to faith late in the day will receive the same blessings as those who have believed and served all their lives.

In this vein of things being turned on their heads, and reversed, I suggest that All Saints is nota commemoration of separation. Not a remembrance of the divide between those still living here on earth and those who have died. It is of course a solemn occasion, reminding us afresh of those we have lost from this life. 

It is also one where we should remember the unity we share with the faithful ones now gone from us. A time to be grateful for the grace they have already received, and that which we hope to share. Acknowledging the sharing of a faith that joins us in union with all other Christians, living or departed.

In this topsy turvy situation, though we might be separated from some of those we love, are we not still also united? Do we not still have so much in common? The experiences we shared, the 

memory of the love they bore us? the mutual love of family members and other friends? 

So although we are grieved by our separation from those we love,  and who are no longer with us, we can also look to the bonds we still share with them to help us. Charles Wesley sums this up when he wrote: One family we dwell in him; one Church above, beneath; though for now divided by the stream; the narrow stream of death. Amen.

Sharon Paine

Although we are apart, we pray together:

Glory to you , O Lord, from the whole company of heaven, from the saints in glory, 

from your people on earth, Father, we give you thanks that in the darkness of this world your saints shine. May we, with them, have a share in your everlasting kingdom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We give you praise for holy men and women who have been an inspiration to us,

for those who have set us an example to follow.

We will remember those who were fully dedicated to you and your glory,

those holy martyrs who looked forward to entering your kingdom,

men and women who stood up for the faith, and set themselves against evil.

May your church be inspired by their lives, seek to keep before it their dedication,

and follow after their vision. We pray for all who are seeking to fulfill their vocation,

for all who seek to quietly dedicate themselves to you and your glory.

Lord of the saints, strengthen our faith.

Blessed are you, Lord our God. You have called us to a world full of good things.

We thank you for all who have set out to improve our world.

We pray for all who work in the health services, for those who care for others especially during this Covid pandemic, for all who have sacrificed themselves in the service of others in this country and around the globe. We remember those in poverty and hunger, for those who seek to live simply that others may simply live. Lord of the saints, strengthen our faith.

We give you thanks for those who taught us the faith, for those who gave generously and sacrificial it for us, for all who have led a us in the ways of goodness and truth.

We remember Jane, Stephen, Deb, all our lay readers, Church Wardens and PCC members.

May they be guided by your Spirit as they seek to serve our communities.

We pray that our homes and our work may be places of holiness, that we may be an example to others. Lord of the saints, strengthen our faith.

We pray for all who are being persecuted or suffering for their faith, all who are facing mockery and scorn, all whose faith is being tested at this time.

For our Christian brothers and sisters in Ukraine, China, Somali, Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, North Korea and Yemen.

We pray for all in sickness. We particularly remember those in our benefice Barbara Newton, Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Baby Rowan, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, Paul Hutchins, John Hammond, Sheila Godden. 

Also, we think of those recently departed and those dear who’s year’s mind falls at this time, Peter Vincent, Mavis Hodson and Jacqueline Nonis.

Lord of the saints, strengthen our faith.

Lord grant us a share in the inheritance of your saints in glory.

May we at the last be part of the church which is victorious.

Grant that we will be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus;

and the that the peace of the Lord will always be with us.

Lord we ask all these things in the name of Jesus our Saviour, Amen.

Adapted from ‘Radiance of His Glory’ David Adam.

Gary Colvin

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;

Contemporary

 Our Father in heaven,
 hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
 your will be done,
 on earth as in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
 Forgive us our sins
 as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation
 but deliver us from evil.
 For the kingdom, the power, and the lory are yours glory now and for ever.
 Amen.

  The Readings for 25th October

Leviticus 19: 1-2,15-18 1 Thessalonians 2: 1-8 Matthew 22: 34-end

Thoughts for this Week

Text : Matthew 22: 34-46 The greatest commandment

Our Gospel reading this morning describes yet another scene in a long line of pharisaic questions to Jesus. Which, superficially at least, is brilliant. I’m all for asking questions! Jesus himself modelled the asking of questions in order to elicit a deeper understanding. So let’s get something very clear right away – despite regularly calling Jesus ‘Teacher’ and being defferent in their address of him, the Pharisees (by and large) are not asking questions in order to learn. Far from it. They are manipulating the situation, trying to force an answer that will condemn Jesus in front of the crowd. These are tests designed to catch Jesus out. In last Sunday’s reading we learnt of an unexpected collaboration between the Pharisees and the Herodians, an alliance borne out of fear for the loss of the control and influence these two opposite groups of society maintained. Jesus had been subjected to intense questioning concerning the Torah by the Sadducees too. So I don’t suppose we should really be all that surprised that, like a terrier with a bone it just won’t let drop, the Pharisees are trying again to trip Jesus up. They seem to be becoming increasingly concerned that he will not incriminate himself. Their way of life is more at risk now than before – crowds of people are following Jesus from place to place, and the stability they deem so precious is under threat. So the questions keep coming

Yet again, it’s a deceptively simple question, with hidden depths into which the challengers are hopeful Jesus will plunge. It’s not just about the Ten Commandments either – although that would maybe be challenging enough – there are in fact over 600 commandments in the Torah (the first five books of what we call the Bible, and which Jewish children had to memorise), and it is of these that the Pharisees expect Jesus to pick the most important. Jesus, of course, was Jewish; he had been brought up in the traditional way, and had followed the paths set before him as a young male. As he grew up. He both worshipped and taught in the temple, and some present might even have likened him to one of the Pharisees himself. He arguably spoke of the importance of the way of God in much the same way as the Pharisees spoke of following the law. But, he is not agreeing with them. He is critical of their insistence on following the letter of the law, rather than understand and embracing the spirit behind it. 

The Pharisees, in their questioning in this passage, seem at pains to ensure Jesus negates the law, by saying that one or other commandment is the greatest. Jesus again sees that this is not genuine questing after knowledge, but a malicious attempt to derail God’s mission. And his answer not only calls their bluff, as it were, but shows them to be the hypocrites they are. By summing up the entirety of God’s law in “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and will all your mind,” and “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” and stating that these are the basis for everything written in the law and by the prophets, Jesus succinctly skirts the thorny issue presented to him, and promotes another way of looking at things. We are not just to love God, but our neighbour too. And not only that, we are also to be loving towards ourselves. This was a revolutionary thought in a culture bound by guilt and admonishment for misdemeanours. Sound familiar?

These are challenging thoughts, even for us today, some 2000 years after Jesus first expressed them. He spoke of a love that was selfless, of putting another’s needs ahead of our own. He spoke of a love that has its very roots in the love of God towards creation – the Greek term, which we use still, is agape. Agape love is the love that’s generated by God towards each and every one of us and for all creation. If we can accept it, and begin to see ourselves through the lens of God’s loving gaze, then we stand a chance of seeing others as God sees them too. 

This is not mere sentimentality or a surge of emotion – this is something far deeper, and infinitely more beautiful. It is this love for humanity that cost Jesus his life, that has seen countless men and women stand up for the oppressed and vulnerable, to fight against society’s injustices and to seek a better, kinder way of doing things. God’s love for us isn’t dependant on what we do for a living, where we make our home; it’s not diminished when we find it difficult to say our prayers or to read our Scripture. That would be a very human way of expressing love. God’s love for you, or me, is no different to his love for anyone else. A love based in God which puts the needs of others ahead of our own isn’t a love that leads to self-loathing or acceptance of abuse; it’s also not a love that simply watches while others do whatever they want. Love can, and must, be tough sometimes. A love centred on God is about setting boundaries, and maintaining them, even when others ask you questions that are designed to trip you up.

It is this love, this God-given love, that is central to the divine dance of the Trinity, and to the believer’s relationship with their Maker. And it is not easy. It is this love that saw a young man, hanging on a cross, look down with compassion in his eyes and speak words of forgiveness over those who did him harm. It is not easy. But it is this love which is at the very core of our being – the love which gives us purpose and life itself. 

Each day, we are challenged to follow Christ’s teaching in today’s Gospel. We are challenged to find words of forgiveness towards those who have hurt us, to stand up for those who are being oppressed, to seek to live in a better way. Each day, we are challenged to see ourselves as God sees us, and, in so doing, to see others through his eyes. We are challenged to ensure that our very limited, human way of expressing love actually aligns with the enormity and overabundance of what we experience as God’s love. It’s not pure emotion, or about trying to be nice. 

Being prepared to love ourselves and others as God loves us is welcoming the opportunity to make a conscious decision. With every word I speak, action I take, thought I have, I have the option to participate in the love that God has for each of those whom I encounter. That love doesn’t start with me, with my hopes and desires, my thoughts and plans. It starts at the very heart of God himself, as it always has. The words of Jesus invite me to choose to join in, and welcome me as I decide to do so. 

The challenge I am offered then by today’s Gospel is to not only speak words of love to God, to others and to myself, but to intentionally call those words to action in every relationship and encounter I have. I trust that God’s love towards me is patient and kind and will never fail, and I seek to express that same love to and amongst the people I meet. I hope it’s a challenge we might all find ourselves aiming to achieve.

Amen x

Deb Scoble

Although we are apart, we pray together:

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us your gift of faith that, forsaking what lies behind and reaching out to what lies ahead, we may run the way of your commandments and win the crown of everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever 

Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till the find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; 

Lord, the God of righteousness and truth, grant to our Queen and her government, to Members of Parliament and all in positions of responsibility, the guidance of Your Spirit.

May they never lead this nation wrongly through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideals, but laying aside all private interests and prejudices keep in mind their responsibility to seek to improve the condition of all mankind; so may Your kingdom come and Your name be hallowed. Amen.

We pray for our communities and those around us who are struggling with the divisions in our society and are worried about the future. May we be able to bring peace and offer a hopeful vision to those around us.

God of compassion, be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation. 

In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Gracious God, give skill, sympathy and resilience to all who are caring for the sick, and your wisdom to those searching for a cure. Strengthen them with your Spirit, that through their work many will be restored to health; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Love never fails

Even in the darkest moments, love gives hope. 

Love compels us to fight against coronavirus alongside our sisters and brothers living in poverty.

Love compels us to stand together in prayer with our neighbours near and far.

Love compels us to give and act as one. 

As we pray in our individual homes – around the nation and around the world – we are united as one family. Let us pause and find a moment of peace, as we lift up our hearts together in prayer:

For the health workers tending the seriously ill - for the scientists working on a vaccination 

for the researchers analysing data and identifying trends - for the media outlets working to communicate reality

for the supermarket workers, hygiene and sanitation providers - for the good news stories of recoveries and effective planning

for the singing from balconies by locked-down communities - for the recognition that isolation doesn’t need to mean loneliness

for the notes through letterboxes offering help and support - for the internet and telephones and technology that connects

for the awakened appreciation of what is truly important - Thanks be to God.

For those who are unwell and concerned for loved ones - for those who were already very anxious 

for those immune suppressed or compromised - for those vulnerable because of underlying conditions

for those in the ‘most at risk to coronavirus’ categories - for those watching their entire income stream dry up

for those who have no choice but to go out to work - for those who are afraid to be at home 

for those who are more lonely than they've ever been - for those who are bereaved and grieving.

God be their healer, comfort and protection, be their strength, shield and provision

be their security, safety and close companion 

And raise up your Church to be your well-washed hands and faithful feet;

to be present to the pain, to respond with love in action if even from a safe distance.

God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent in the fellowship of your gospel that, abiding in you, they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service;

We pray for all in sickness. We particularly remember those in our benefice Barbara Newton, Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Baby Rowan, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, Paul Hutchins, John Hammond, Sheila Godden. 

Also, we think of those recently departed and those dear who’s year’s mind falls at this time, Reginald Cornell, Mary Atkins, Derek Richards, Shirley Marshall, Joy Ingle, Richard Dines and Eileen Hart.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. 

Mike Chinneck

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;

Traditional

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. 

  The Readings for 18th October

Isaiah 45: 1-7      1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10    Matthew 22: 15-22

Thoughts for this Week

The Inspiration of St Luke the Evangelist.

Readings:Isaiah 35: 3-6. These are words of comfort and encouragement to those who feel weary and vulnerable. They also promise healing and restoration for the faithful.

2 Timothy 4: 5-17. Powerful words from Paul to Timothy about the necessary dedication to apostolic mission. With a brief mention of Luke’s loyalty. Encouraging others in the example of his mission for Christ, as he allows the baton to pass to them.

Gospel: St Luke 10: 1-9. Soon after he begins his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus sends 70 apostles ahead of him, to speak on his behalf. So begins the harvest of our apostolic faith and the building of the Kingdom of God.

Thoughts: For about the last 40 years, Sir David Attenborough has warned world leaders about toxic gasses, fossil fuels and the byproduct of human waste on the erosive life contamination of the planet. This unique planet through which the creative evolutionary Spirit of God is revealed. A planet for which humanity currently holds the lease, thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, within the Tenancy Agreement of Holy Scripture.

On Tuesday 29th September at 10 a.m. I had an appointment at St Thomas’s Hospital and on my way, stood for a moment on Westminster Bridge Road...A car came over the bridge and after a pause two cyclists...Having lived and worked in London for 30 years, the absence of traffic and people was uncanny...I could almost hear the birds sing and smell the flowers...And then it hit me! What David Attenborough had struggled to achieve in 40 years, almighty God had brought about, worldwide, in 6 months and the Kingdom of God seemed very close...Old Testament Scripture is punctuated with similar occasions, when God has said, “Enough is enough”! The Isaiah reading has a view on it. (Please Read Is.35: 3-6)

Yes, our God of creation is a gracious God but in those two words, “...terrible recompense”, in verse four. He makes it known that humankind can’t avoid the price it will have to pay for unbridled self-interest without due consideration for our Landlord or His Tenancy Agreement. The final four verses of the Book of Revelations seem to give weight to this.

As individuals we can’t do the impossible, but we can do more in partnership with God than without Him. As always, we all have a choice, but when it comes to choice, our nation as a whole seems to have arrived at a crossroads of divisive ideologies and the way to proceed in 2021 remains unclear.

For us who seek to follow the way of Christ there is still the Good News of God’s love for his creation to be proclaimed by ordinary people as in Luke’s Gospel today...In the current very uncertain climate where the harvest remains large, and the workers few, the ordaining spirit of Christ continues to guide the most unlikely people into God focused ministry. 

(Please read again Lk.10: 3 & 9)

Naturally, these two verses of Luke, as with the other seven, leave out the stipulation to be safe and follow government guidelines. For then as now, the power of God and the building of The Kingdom, lies in the giving of self for others and fearlessly confronting the burdens of the physical world within the guiding power of the Holy Spirit.

So perhaps our mission begins when we find new ways to reunite with our neighbours and friends, sharing our faith experiences...Jesus sent out the seventy to take risks on his behalf, as sheep among wolves, sharing the lives and pains of others...May we all know this empowering, that we too may say, the Kingdom of God has come near to us all…..Amen 

Roger Davenport

Although we are apart, we pray together:

O Lord our God, you deal gently with the ignorant and the wayward; in your great goodness, lead us into the ways of justice and peace, that we may faithfully serve you on earth until we rejoice in your kingdom in glory.

Lord in your mercy...

Lord, as you have called us, make us worthy of our calling. Let us see you in others: Let others see you in us. Make us more sensitive to others and their needs, make us more ready to help and to show our care. Lord, make us a serving church, a giving church, a loving church.

Lord in your mercy...

We pray for the world's poor, for desert-dwellers and places where crops have failed, for all who have suffered from floods or other disasters, for all who have no place to call home, for street children and displaced persons.

Lord in your mercy...

Lord, make us useful in the community in which we live. Make us gracious to others, make us generous, make us aware of where we can help. We pray for loved ones and friends, especially those in need.

Lord in your mercy...

Lord, be a strength to all who are finding life difficult, for any with a difficult decision to make, for any having difficulty at work or in their relationships. We pray for those who await operations, or the doctor's diagnosis, for all who are allowed in these troubled times and can sit by the bed of a loved one who is ill, and for all suffering people.

We pray especially for Barbara Newton, Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Baby Rowan, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, Paul Hutchins, John Hammond, Sheila Godden. 

Also, we think of those recently departed and those dear who’s year’s mind falls at this time, known only to us.

Lord in your mercy...

God has called us into life to love Him, make us worthy of your calling; strengthen, establish, settle us and make our hearts live at peace on earth and in your kingdom.

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

Amen.

Bill Meakin

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;

Traditional  

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. 

Contemporary  

  Our Father in heaven,
 hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
 your will be done,
 on earth as in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
 Forgive us our sins
 as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation
 but deliver us from evil.
 For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.
 Amen.

  The Readings for 11th October

Isaiah 25.1-9 Philippians 4.1-9 Matthew 22.1-14

Thoughts for this Week

As a shipbroker working to earn a living in many places around the world, I spend a lot of time with clients in the Middle East  who are always exceptionally intense and warm in their hospitality. Every culture has its traditions of hospitality, but in the Middle East the relationship between host and guest is very  important and a great deal hangs upon it.

So it’s natural then that Jesus, a man from the Middle East, tells a story of hospitality, likening God to a king who has prepared a banquet for his son’s wedding. The king had sent out invitations to the local dignitaries, and now, on the day of the banquet, when the food is just about ready, he sends servants to summon those who had accepted the invitation. But they all refuse to come. It is unbelievably rude and in Middle Eastern terms, quite insulting as well.   Imagine the response if you had accepted an invitation to any wedding, let alone a Royal wedding, and then on the day itself you say, “Sorry, I can’t be bothered to come.” 

But now the humiliated king sends his servants out again; it’s as if he’s going down on bended knee, pleading: “The food’s on the table, the wine’s uncorked, the band’s playing. You can’t do this to me! Please come!” But the guests snub him again, mistreating and even murdering his servants.

In the end the king takes an amazing decision: the party must go ahead, so if the VIPs won’t come, let them be punished, but bring in anybody who’d like a meal. Minibuses are sent out and return with whoever can be found on the streets: asylum seekers with nowhere to go, bored teenagers, down-and-outs, young women of dubious reputation. Not the normal guest list at royal banquets – but they are all brought in, and finally the marquee is full.

Those hearing Jesus would not have missed the point he was trying to make. He’s in Jerusalem, just after Palm Sunday, with plenty of support on the street but facing the opposition of the religious authorities, who want him destroyed. The strange story told by Jesus makes bold claims. The king is God, and the dignitaries who snub him are Israel’s religious leaders. By rejecting Jesus they are rejecting the God who sent him and so bringing judgement upon themselves; in their place the outcasts of Israel are summoned to God’s banquet and are entering the kingdom.

We all know the joys and woes involved in hospitality when giving a party. To host a party that goes well is a wonderful feeling and you feel good with everyone enjoying themselves. But a party that goes badly is a nightmare. So when we are expecting guests, most of us feel nervous. Hospitality makes us vulnerable; we are risking humiliation. And it’s like that with our hospitable God. By inviting us to his banquet, to enjoy the abundance of his love, God risks our rejection, and he gets it from us all, not just from the irreligious but also from the faithful. And it is in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, that we see the full extent of the vulnerability of this hospitable God: “He opened wide his arms for us on the cross.” Let that be at the centre of all we think and feel about God. 

But if this story tells us about what God is like, it also says something about responding to God. The royal invitation comes with an RSVP.   Whereas other invitations can be declined or accepted without huge implications, how we respond to this one shapes all that we are and all that we will be. Saying “yes” to God is the very heart of the Christian life, and this “yes” needs constant renewing. Invitation and response are dramatised in the Eucharist: week by week, the divine love bids us welcome, and we say our “yes” by eating and drinking at the Lord’s table.

And finally there is the rather harsh conclusion of the parable where a guest is booted out for not wearing the right clothes.  What is this tension all about?  But perhaps we shouldn’t press the details of Jesus’ parables too far; often they make one big point, which here is that those who accept God’s invitation are to “clothe” themselves with an appropriate, Christlike pattern of life.  For this too is part of our “yes”, and in the words of a prayer often said after the Eucharist, “may we who share Christ’s body live his risen life”.   Amen. 

Stephen Dougal

Although we are apart, we pray together:

Our Father, 

We thank you for music – for our organists and guitarists who encourage and refresh us with their music even when we can’t sing in our churches.
Help us, if we usually enjoy singing, to make time to sing at home or in the car – especially the music which glorifies you – hymns, requiems and Christian songs.
We thank you for all musicians. Thank you for music that soothes and quietens, and lifts our spirits.

We pray for those who are ill or depressed, especially those known to us (in some minutes of silence) ….Vanessa Ashman, Margaret Morphew, Kevin Bennett, Janet Thornby, Daniel Stevens, Katherine Goody, Baby Rowan, Mike Wilson, David Ratcliff, Colin Laker, June Edwards, Derek Ufton, Jean Anderson, Paul Hutchins, John Hammond, Sheila Godden. 

Also, we think of those recently departed known only to us.

And we remember those dear, whose year’s mind falls at this time: Drusilla Gammon, Anthony Farmer and Roy Atkins.

We think of those in other countries who are poor or oppressed, those in refugee camps, those fleeing terror or torture. We lift them to you. Help us to do what we can to relieve their distress, 

We pray for all those people whose work helps us – farmers, lorry drivers, bus drivers, those in supermarkets and shops, all NHS workers, carers, rubbish collectors and postmen.
Give them ingenuity to keep people safe and earn their living. We depend on long chains of supply that stretch all over the world. We thank you for all those who make life easier for us and provide us with our coffee and tea, our bread and butter, our milk, our fruit and veg.
Help us to guard the environment and support local producers and businesses.

We pray for all those who volunteer in any form. Encourage, comfort and strengthen them. We pray for those who work and support Foodbanks, soup kitchens, the Rainbow Centre, Age Concern, the Farmers Community Network and any organisation that brings warmth and light to other people.
Bless them all in their work.

We pray for all young people that they may be helped to see what is valuable in life, help them to build good friendships and learn how to cope with adversity and challenges. We pray especially now for the young people we know….

May your peace guard our hearts and minds. Amen

Trust in the new ways which the Lord is pointing you to,

because life means: move. Because life means to walk on.

Since God's rainbow shone in the heavens,

people have moved on into the promised land.

Trust in the new paths and walk on in time.

God wants you to be a blessing for his earth.

The one who breathed life into us in early times,

he will guide us to where he wants and needs us.

Trust in the new ways where God is sending us.

He himself comes to meet us. The future is his hand.

 …. Using text from K.P. Hertzsch

Janet Butcher-Weisner

May we conclude with the prayer Jesus taught us;

Traditional   

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. 

Contemporary 

 Our Father in heaven,
 hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
 your will be done,
 on earth as in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
 Forgive us our sins
 as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation
 but deliver us from evil.
 For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours glory now and for ever.
 Amen.

Father God, we are beginning to at last understand, that the things that are wrong with your world are the sum total of all the things that are wrong with us as individuals.

Yet, by making us in the Spirit of your own image, our hearts and minds can find no rest until they rest in you. 

We are perhaps, too Christian to enjoy sinning and too fond of sinning to fully enjoy Christianity.

Most of us know perfectly well what we ought to do; our trouble is, that deep down not all of our ’Self' wants to do it. 

Your guidance and strength is our only hope. So our honest prayer must be;

Knowing nothing is impossible for You, “Lead us heavenly Father lead us, and give us the determination and strength to continually seek Your Leading”. 

Amen