This morning our 10 am service was a celebration of the Eucharist, and Father Stephen was with us as the Celebrant. The Church was decorated with lovely flowers which had been part of the wedding that had taken place on Saturday afternoon. The music before the service was two pieces from Frank Bridge's Six pieces for organ. During the Offertory the Choir sang John Henry Maunder's setting of the Hymn Rock of Ages with piano accompaniment. during communion Joanna played the Arabesque from the second book of Louis Vierne's 'Pieces en style libre' There was no voluntary.

We are working hard to keep to the Government and Church of England guidance on staying safe from covid 19, please when you are in church respect the guidance by using the hand sanitizer provided, wearing a face covering, and most importantly keeping the 2 meter distance, especially at the end of the service this is important to maintain, social interaction is very important, but as we are all getting harder of hearing, at this distance voices rise, so perhaps better to go out of church to chat!!!  

There is still time to order a Christmas cake or Pudding from Dr Platts, all profits to Church funds, last orders by October!

  

‘THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK’ FROM THE REVEREND STEPHEN GUISE, PRIEST IN CHARGE: SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, 27 SEPTEMBER

 

Gustave Doré (1832-1883), Woodcut, ‘Am I a Pharisee?’

 

Dear Friends

Today’s gospel has much to do with authority, and particularly the authority of Jesus vis-à-vis the authority of the scribes and Pharisees.  Jesus fearlessly goes straight into the lions’ den, so to speak – the Temple was a grandiose place, and the seat of religious authority, so a reaction was to be expected as the chief priests and the elders of the Temple ask him by what authority he teaches the crowd which has gathered around him, and also by what authority he performs acts of healing.

 Jesus cleverly uses the rabbis’ method of asking a question, rather than providing a direct response, as he enquires where, in their opinion, St John the Baptist’s baptism had come from – was it from heaven, or from some human origin?  This puts his interlocutors on the back foot, and sends them into a huddle to work out their best line of defence.  A political situation presents itself – they sense a trap whichever way they answer, and so reply that they do not know.  Jesus, in turn, replies, ‘neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’

 It is worth noting that Jesus uses the ‘I am’ phrase here and, if this narrative had been in St John’s Gospel, it could be interpreted as pointing, by implication, to his divine credentials – and thereby to the authority which is his.  However, Matthew may not be using the ‘I am’ phrase in this way.  In Jewish fashion, he tends to side-step the use of the holy name, which was considered dangerously irreverent, by referring instead to the ‘kingdom of heaven’.

 After this episode, and almost as an afterthought, Matthew adds the parable of the two sons.  It probably does not matter what their motives were.  The first son refuses to go into the vineyard, whereas the second, in rather ‘good goody’ vein, exercises one-upmanship by saying that he will go.  However, the message of the parable is that it is what the sons actually did, rather than what they said, that matters – the first son changes his mind and carries out the will of their father, whereas the second defaults on his promise.  Is Jesus saying here that we should not forfeit our place in the kingdom of heaven by capriciously changing our minds, and failing to carry out the will of God?

Fr Stephen. 

 

COLLECT FOR SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, 

any consolation from love, 

any sharing in the Spirit, 

any compassion and sympathy, 

make my joy complete: 

be of the same mind, 

having the same love, 

being in full accord and of one mind. 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,

but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 

Let each of you look not to your own interests, 

but to the interests of others. 

Let the same mind be in you 

that was in Christ Jesus, 

who, though he was in the form of God, 

did not regard equality with God 

as something to be exploited, 

but emptied himself, 

taking the form of a slave, 

being born in human likeness. 

And being found in human form, 

he humbled himself 

and became obedient to the point of death— 

even death on a cross. 

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name 

that is above every name, 

so that at the name of Jesus 

every knee should bend, 

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue should confess 

that Jesus Christ is Lord, 

to the glory of God the Father. 

Therefore, my beloved, 

just as you have always obeyed me, 

not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, 

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 

for it is God who is at work in you, 

enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

When Jesus entered the temple, 

the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, 

and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, 

and who gave you this authority?" 

Jesus said to them, 

"I will also ask you one question; 

if you tell me the answer, 

then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 

Did the baptism of John come from heaven, 

or was it of human origin?" 

And they argued with one another, 

"If we say, 

"From heaven,' 

he will say to us, 

"Why then did you not believe him?' 

But if we say, 

"Of human origin,' 

we are afraid of the crowd; 

for all regard John as a prophet." 

 So they answered Jesus, 

"We do not know." 

And he said to them, 

"Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 

"What do you think? 

A man had two sons; 

he went to the first and said, 

"Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' 

He answered, "I will not'; 

but later he changed his mind and went. 

The father went to the second and said the same; 

and he answered, "I go, sir'; 

but he did not go. 

Which of the two did the will of his father?" 

They said, "The first." 

Jesus said to them, 

"Truly I tell you, 

the tax collectors and the prostitutes 

are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 

For John came to you in the way of righteousness 

and you did not believe him, 

but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; 

and even after you saw it, 

you did not change your minds and believe him.