19 March 2023
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
The fourth Sunday in Lent has many names! Known as refreshment Sunday, a break from the fast Lent, traditionally servants were allowed to return home to the church of their baptism (mother church) and they picked flowers along the way to give to their mothers. So It is known as Mothering Sunday. Father Chris pointed out that 'Mothering' is a verb, the act of caring and loving, and isn't confined to those who give birth! So the children distributed posies of flowers to everyone in the congregation as we can all take part in mothering!
At the end of the service Amelia, our longest standing junior chorister, was awarded her light blue ribbon. There was coffee after the service.
Exodus 2:1-10
A reading from the book of Exodus.
Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.
The woman conceived and bore a son;
and when she saw that he was a fine baby,
she hid him for three months.
When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him,
and plastered it with bitumen and pitch;
she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river.
His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river,
while her attendants walked beside the river.
She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it.
When she opened it, she saw the child.
He was crying, and she took pity on him.
‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said.
Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter,
‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women
to nurse the child for you?’
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’
So the girl went and called the child’s mother.
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me,
and I will give you your wages.’
So the woman took the child and nursed it.
When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter,
and she took him as her son.
She named him Moses,
‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’
Colossians 3:12-17
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians.
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Bear with one another and,
if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other;
just as the Lord has forgiven you,
so you also must forgive.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in the one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;
teach and admonish one another in all wisdom;
and with gratitude in your hearts
sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
And whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
John 19:25-27
Hear the gospl of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother,
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her,
he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’
Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’
And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
