06 September 2020
10:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
This morning we met at 10 am for our Family Eucharist, and to celebrate our Patronal Festival. St Mary our Lady has many days devoted to her, be we have taken the celebration of her birth as our Patronal festival. It was a great joy to see some of our families and children in church for this service. Sunday School has not yet resumed, and Mrs Field told us that the Sunday School team have decided to let everyone get used to the return to regular school, and we hope to start again after half term.
Mrs Field gave us a presentation about St Mary, and her brave attitude to the scary prospect of becoming the mother of Our Lord, and absolute faith in God over this event and all the amazing events she was part of during Jesus ministry, Crucifixion and Resurrection.
The music played by Joanna today also reflected St Mary. Before the service we heard a suit from the Lebanese born composer Naji Hakim, 'Mariales' 5 pieces based on the Gregorian chant of an office hymn for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
During the service we had an offertoire from Leon Boellmann and the Arabesque from Louis Vierne's 'pieces en style libre' At the end Karg-Elert's setting of Nun Danket alle Gott' provided a suitably frstive note.
We had our first Churchyard working party on Saturday and the church yard is looking very good, thanks to all who have kept it tidy during the lockdown and have come back to our regular once a month working parties.
Don't forget to order your Christmas cakes and puddings proceeds to St Marys. order from Dr Platts before October!!
We had our first wedding since the lockdown on Saturday afternoon and were treated to the lovely flowers still in church this morning. Many congratulations to the happy couple!
COLLECT FOR THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Almighty God,
you called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
COLLECT FOR THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (PATRONAL FESTIVAL)
Almighty God,
who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and chose her to be the mother of your only Son:
grant that we who are redeemed by his blood
may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom;
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 for ever. Amen.
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Galatians.
When the fullness of time had come,
God sent his Son, born of a woman,
born under the law,
in order to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as children.
And because you are children,
God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying,
"Abba! Father!"
So you are no longer a slave but a child,
and if a child then also an heir, through God.
Luke 2:22-40
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
When the time came for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joesph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord
(as it is written in the law of the Lord,
"Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"),
and they offered a sacrifice
according to what is stated in the law of the Lord,
"a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; th
is man was righteous and devout,
looking forward to the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death
before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for him what was customary under the law,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
And the child's father and mother
were amazed at what was being said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,
"This child is destined
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be opposed
so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—
and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
There was also a prophet, Anna
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was of a great age,
having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.
She never left the temple
but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
At that moment she came, and began to praise God
and to speak about the child
to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything
required by the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
