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22 March 2020
‘THOUGHT
FOR THE WEEK’ FROM THE REVEREND STEPHEN GUISE, PRIEST IN CHARGE –
SUNDAY, 22 MARCH
Only
very recently we have been told to hold no more church services
(although weddings and funerals continue to be exempt from this, with
certain provisos), until it is felt that there is no further danger
of infection from the coronavirus. We understand the danger, but the
directive is a severe blow to committed Christians who will have to
do without the regular celebration of the Eucharist. I and many
others have been racking our brains to discover a safe way to
worship, to pray, hear the word of God, and to receive the sacrament.
However, we must accept the current restrictions, and that these may
be in place at least until September, unless the situation changes
dramatically.
We
are anxious, nevertheless, that churchgoers and others still feel
part of a worshipping community, and so we are happy to confirm,
firstly, that the church will remain open during daylight hours, as
is currently the case, for private and quiet prayer (the epistle and
Gospel readings for each Sunday will be placed on the lectern, for
reference). Secondly, we shall be using the church website, to make
available the Collect and references for the Sunday readings,
together with a synopsis of what I would have been expecting to
preach about at the normal 10.00am service – and a copy of this,
too, will be placed on the lectern.
So,
for this Sunday, 22 March, the main service would have been a Family
Communion for Mothering Sunday and, as this will be only a few days
prior to 25 March, the theme would have been the Annunciation, for
which the Collect is as follows:-
Collect
for the Annunciation
‘Pour
forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts that as we
have known the incarnation of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the
message of an angel, so by his cross and passion may we be brought
unto the glory of thy Resurrection, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.’
Meditation
on the Annunciation
In
the famous passage (Luke 1:26-38) near the beginning of his Gospel,
the evangelist recounts the unique episode in history in which Mary
receives the message from the angel Gabriel that she has been chosen
by God to bear His Son – Mary’s humble ‘yes’ to God, despite
her own understandable perplexity in the fact of this astounding and
unexpected news, marks not only a turning-point in her own life, but
in that of the salvation of the whole world. It is a scene that has
inspired many artists, including Fra Angelico, whose famous fresco of
1450 (as above) may be seen in San Marco, Florence – a beautiful,
and restrained, depiction, containing all the essential elements,
including the angel, the Virgin Mary herself, and the Holy Spirit
represented as a dove. Subsequent versions included a fenced-off
garden (with allusions to the reference in the Song of Solomon to a
‘garden sealed’, reflecting the idea of God’s protection of
Mary’s chastity), a lily (another symbol of purity) and a closed
book in Mary’s hand.
How
can we relate this narrative to modern-day motherhood? Although
Mary’s vocation was unique, we may feel that her reaction to the
news from Gabriel would resonate with that of many mothers-to-be. It
is quite common for many, as they receive confirmation that they are
‘expecting’, to feel a mixture of both excitement and
trepidation, since life will never be quite the same again. And,
when the new-born child has arrived, most can’t help wondering how
things will pan out. If we are honest, most of us who are parents
(or grandparents!) nurse all sorts of hopes and expectations for the
latest addition to the family, and many of these are confounded as
the child grows and develops his or her own character – and often
subsequently follows a career path, or makes life choices, we could
not possibly have envisaged! But, of course, we continue to love and
pray for them, trusting in God’s grace, and that they will be happy
and fulfilled in the way that is right for them.
And
we can also, on Mothering Sunday, give thanks for our own mothers,
for the pain they endured in giving birth to us, and for all the
nurturing and security they provide - as well as looking to the
Church as our spiritual mother, in which our faith, from baptism
onwards, is nurtured, and to Mary herself, the ‘mother of
Christians’ whose example of love and fidelity is set before us in
narratives within all four Gospels.
In
these particularly uncertain times, too, we can reflect on the mature
Christ, who is ‘the same yesterday, today and for ever’, and we
can respond, as Mary did to the angel’s message, to God’s love
and changelessness in faith and trust.
Fr
Stephen
Readings
1 Samuel 1:20 -end
Hannah conceived and bore a son.
She named him Samuel, for she said,
"I have asked him of the LORD."
The man Elkanah and all his household
went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice,
and to pay his vow.
But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband,
"As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him,
that he may appear in the presence of the LORD,
and remain there for ever;
I will offer him as a nazirite for all time."
Her husband Elkanah said to her,
"Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him;
only - may the LORD establish his word."
So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her,
along with a three year old bull, an ephat of flour,
and a skin of wine.
She brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh;
and the child was young.
They slaughtered the bull,
and they brought the child to Eli.
And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live my lord,
I am the woman who was standing here in your presence,
praying to the LORD.
For this child I prayed;
and the LORD has granted me the petition that I made to him.
Therefore I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD."
She left him there for the LORD.
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent b God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David.
The virgin's name was Mary.
And he came to her and said,
"Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you."
But she was much perplexed by his words
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favour with God.
And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you will call him Jesus.
He will be great,
and will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.
He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end."
Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
The angel said to her,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be holy;
and he will be called Son of God.
And now,
your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son;
and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.
For nothing will be impossible with God."
Then Mary said,
"Here I am, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
1 Samuel 1:20 -end
Hannah conceived and bore a son.
She named him Samuel, for she said,
"I have asked him of the LORD."
The man Elkanah and all his household
went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice,
and to pay his vow.
But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband,
"As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him,
that he may appear in the presence of the LORD,
and remain there for ever;
I will offer him as a nazirite for all time."
Her husband Elkanah said to her,
"Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him;
only - may the LORD establish his word."
So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her,
along with a three year old bull, an ephat of flour,
and a skin of wine.
She brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh;
and the child was young.
They slaughtered the bull,
and they brought the child to Eli.
And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live my lord,
I am the woman who was standing here in your presence,
praying to the LORD.
For this child I prayed;
and the LORD has granted me the petition that I made to him.
Therefore I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD."
She left him there for the LORD.
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent b God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David.
The virgin's name was Mary.
And he came to her and said,
"Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you."
But she was much perplexed by his words
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favour with God.
And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you will call him Jesus.
He will be great,
and will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.
He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end."
Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
The angel said to her,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be holy;
and he will be called Son of God.
And now,
your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son;
and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.
For nothing will be impossible with God."
Then Mary said,
"Here I am, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Service Times
First Sunday in the Month:
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Family Service
Second Sunday in the Month
Third Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Family Service
Second Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist
10:00am Parish Eucharist
Third Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Sung Matins in the Church or Crafty Communion in Church Hall
Fourth Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist
Variations can be found in the Parish Magazine or the Calendar at the bottom of this page.
Useful links
Here are some links to resources you may find helpful:
- Chichester Cathedral will be live streaming services. For the Eucharist and order of service Click here before 10:00am Sunday and follow the instructions.
- The BBC Daily Service is available here.
- Prayer for today.
- The C of E youtube channel.
- Hearing You is a new phone help line launched by the Diocese of Chichester in partnership with Together in Sussex in response to the impact that Covid 19 has had on Just about the whole community. It aims to provide pastoral support and a listening ear to the recently bereaved and people directly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
- COVID-19 advice from the Diocese of Chichester here.
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