30 April 2023
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- Thursday 4th May
- 'Warm space' at Parish Rooms 2.00 — 4.00pm
- Coronation-themed afternoon tea
- Saturday 6th May
- Said Eucharist for the King and Queen at Church 9.00am
followed by 'Ring for the King' bell tolling - Sunday 7th May
- Regal—themed All-age Eucharist at Church 10.00am
- Monday 8th May
- Family picnic at Memorial Recreation Ground, from 12.00pm
‘Coronation Cavalcade’ concert Memorial Hall, 4.30pm
This morning at 10am our service was a parish Eucharist celebrated by Father Chris. In the Gospel this week, from St John, (see below) Jesus talks about the Shepard and his sheep. This would have been a familiar example to his audience the Pharisees as sheep were kept in built enclosures with thick spiky branches on the top at night time. The entrance was narrow and the shepherd slept across the entrance. It was dangerous and wolves and mountain lions prowled around. This analogy is found through out the Bible not just the Gospels.
We had a new congregation member today to mark this, and Father Chris told us in his sermon that sheep are sociable creatures who, like humans like to be together, Wobbles, an new lamb, who had been hand reared, came to church and helped the Sunday School as they studied and returned with them at the end of the service, she was very popular!
The Choir sang the Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei from the setting by Darke in F. For the Anthem they sang Brother James Air.
We had our annual APCM after the service in the rooms, and unanimously voted in a new PCC, the 2 Church Warden, the Treasurers, and the Deanery Synod reps. Father Chris thanked Father Roger and Father John for their help in the interregnum and invited them to join us any time. He spoke briefly of the need to look forward and plan our growth as a church, in all aspects of our life together.
A reading from the acts of the Apostles.
Many were baptised and were added to the community.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their possessions and goods
and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,
they broke bread at home
and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.
And day by day the Lord added to their number
those who were being saved.
1 Peter 2:19-25
A reading from the first letter of Peter.
Brothers and sisters:
It is a credit to you, if, being aware of God,
you endure pain while suffering unjustly.
If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, where is the credit in that?
But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it,
you have God’s approval.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example,
so that you should follow in his steps.
‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’
When he was abused, he did not return abuse;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,
so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed.
For you were going astray like sheep,
but now you have returned
to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
John 10:1-10
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
‘Very truly, I tell you,
anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate
but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him,
and the sheep hear his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has brought out all his own,
he goes ahead of them,
and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
They will not follow a stranger,
but they will run from him
because they do not know the voice of strangers.’
Jesus used this figure of speech with them,
but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them,
‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and bandits;
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters by me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
25 April 2023
On Friday evening we were joined by Bishop Will, the Bishop of Lewis who came to celebrate a service of confirmation for 10 members of our congregation, both Adults and children. The candidates had been prepared for this next step on their Christian journey by Father Chris, and were ready to make the commitment.
Our service also incorporated the first Communion of our new Christians. The Choir sang 'Tantum Ergo' by Louis Vierne as the anthem.
Afterwards there were refreshments in the rooms including a splendid confirmation cake baked and iced by Carolyn, it was magnificent and delicious!
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23 April 2023
After days of glorious sunshine, today was rainy and damp, but it did not dampen our spirits and worship.
The Easter lilies are now in full bloom and despite the greyness outside, the church was looking glorious. Today is the third Sunday after Easter, doesn't time fly!
Our gospel reading is the Road to Emmaus, where two travellers are discussing the events that happened only a few days earlier in Jerusalem. Jesus appears and walks along with them and asks what they are talking about. Fr Chris used this as the text for his sermon, starting with an amusing anecdote. When he left college, he set up a business with his brother. They were going to make instore video adverts, the whole deal. To try and encourage business they went to a business exhibition in Earls Court. Things did not go well. This was before Dragons' Den on the BBC. A chap went to their stand to ask about their product. It was Peter Lewis of John Lewis. Fr Chris asked what sort of business he was in. Like the travellers on the road to Emmaus, he did not recognise to whom he was talking.
We join the story in the gospel when Cleophas and his companion are discussing the events in Jerusalem. Cleophas can't believe that Jesus (unrecognised) could possibly be unaware of what went on and Jesus "winds them up" by asking "what events?" He then teaches them anbout the fulfilment of the prophesies in the Old Testament by Jesus. Christ was to redeem God's chosen people.
"The new is in the old concealed,
The old is in the new revealed.!
The travellers still did not know who their companion was, but during the meal and the breaking and blessing of bread, Jesus is revealed to them.
Our Eucharist is in two parts, the liturgy of the word and the sacrement. They cannot be seperated, but are equally importaant.
The action of Jesus at the table is also seen in the feeding of the 5000 and the last supper, enacted by the priest at every Eucharist. When we receive the bread, our eyes are open so we may recognise Jesus.
The anthem sung by the choir was "This Joyful Eastertide".
Acts 2:14a,36-41
A reading from the acts of the Apostles.
On the day of Pentecost,
Peter, standing with the eleven,
raised his voice and addressed the crowd.
Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty
that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,
this Jesus whom you crucified.’
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart
and said to Peter and to the other apostles,
‘Brothers, what should we do?’
Peter said to them,
‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ
so that your sins may be forgiven;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you, for your children,
and for all who are far away,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’
And he testified with many other arguments
and exhorted them, saying,
‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’
So those who welcomed his message were baptized,
and that day about three thousand persons
were added to their number.
1 Peter 1:17-23
A reading from the first letter of Peter.
If you invoke as Father
the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds,
live in reverent fear during the time of your exile.
You know that you were ransomed
from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors,
not with perishable things like silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ,
like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
He was destined before the foundation of the world,
but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake.
Through him you have come to trust in God,
who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
so that your faith and hope are set on God.
Now that you have purified your souls
by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love,
love one another deeply from the heart.
You have been born anew,
not of perishable but of imperishable seed,
through the living and enduring word of God.
Luke 24:13-35
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
On that same day
two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem,
and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
While they were talking and discussing,
Jesus himself came near and went with them,
but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
And he said to them,
‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’
They stood still, looking sad.
Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him,
‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem
who does not know the things
that have taken place there in these days?’
He asked them, ‘What things?’
They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over
to be condemned to death and crucified him.
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.
Yes, and besides all this,
it is now the third day since these things took place.
Moreover, some women of our group astounded us.
They were at the tomb early this morning,
and when they did not find his body there,
they came back
and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who said that he was alive.
Some of those who were with us went to the tomb
and found it just as the women had said;
but they did not see Jesus.’
Then he said to them,
‘Oh, how foolish you are,
and how slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets have declared!
Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things
and then enter into his glory?’
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them
the things about himself in all the scriptures.
As they came near the village to which they were going,
he walked ahead as if he were going on.
But they urged him strongly, saying,
‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening
and the day is now nearly over.’
So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them,
he took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized \jesus;
and he vanished from their sight.
They said to each other,
‘Were not our hearts burning within us
while he was talking to us on the road,
while he was opening the scriptures to us?’
That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem;
and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.
They were saying,
‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’
Then they told what had happened on the road,
and how he had been made known to them
in the breaking of the bread.
16 April 2023
The first Sunday of Eastertide, also known as Low Sunday and also the third Sunday of April so our service at 10 am was Matins. Joanna was having a well deserved day off today so we had a said service, but our friend Sylvia came and played the piano for the hymns.
The story of Thomas, and his meeting with the resurrected Jesus was our second reading, and Father Chris talked about this story in his sermon. Thomas is easy for us to identify with, I'll believe it when I see it, but as Jesus said how much more blessed are those who believe but have not seen!
There was coffee after the service.
On Friday the 21st of April Bishop Will is coming to St Marys for a Confirmation. We have 10 candidates, please pray for them this week, and the service will be at 7:30 and all are welcome to come.
10am Matins
Acts 2:14a,2232
A reading from the acts of the Apostles.
On the day of Pentecost,
Peter, standing with the eleven,
raised his voice and addressed the crowd,
‘You that are Israelites,
listen to what I have to say:
Jesus of Nazareth,
a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs
that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know—
this man, handed over to you
according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,
you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law.
But God raised him up, having freed him from death,
because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
For David says concerning him,
“I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One experience corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.”
‘Fellow Israelites,
I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David
that he both died and was buried,
and his tomb is with us to this day.
Since he was a prophet,
he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him
that he would put one of his descendants on his throne.
Foreseeing this,
David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,
“He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.”
This Jesus God raised up,
and of that all of us are witnesses.
1 Peter 1:3-9
A reading from the first letter of Peter.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you,
who are being protected by the power of God through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice,
even if now for a little while
you have had to suffer various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith—
being more precious than gold that,
though perishable, is tested by fire—
may be found to result in praise and glory and honour
when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Although you have not seen him, you love him;
and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him
and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
for you are receiving the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
John 20:19-31
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week,
and the doors of the house where the disciples had met
were locked for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood among them and said,
‘Peace be with you.’
After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again,
‘Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples told him,
‘We have seen the Lord.’
But he said to them,
‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands,
and put my finger in the mark of the nails
and my hand in his side,
I will not believe.’
A week later his disciples were again in the house,
and Thomas was with them.
Although the doors were shut,
Jesus came and stood among them and said,
‘Peace be with you.’
Then he said to Thomas,
‘Put your finger here and see my hands.
Reach out your hand and put it in my side.
Do not doubt but believe.’
Thomas answered him,
‘My Lord and my God!’
Jesus said to him,
‘Have you believed because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have come to believe.’
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not written in this book.
But these are written so that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
and that through believing you may have life in his name.
10 am Matins
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them,
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
John 20:19-31
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
09 April 2023
The Triduum of Easter, which includes the services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil on Holy Saturday evening were all marked at St Marys, finishing with the glorious Eucharist on Easter Sunday morning.
On Thursday evening at the Eucharist for the Last Supper, Father Chris told us that these three days can be considered to be all one service leading us through the events of the Last Supper and Good Friday through to the Resurrection on Easter Morning. Our service started out with the formal end of Lent being marked by the singing of the Gloria, with the ringing of Bells. After the Eucharist had been distributed the mood became more solomn as the altar and Church was stripped of hangings and the candles were lit in the side chapel for the Gethsemane watch.
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On Good Friday we met for a contemplative service at 2:30 in the Afternoon. This service included readings and prayers and a contemplation of the events of Jesus death on the Cross. The Choir sang 'Is it nothing to you....' Setting by John Goss, and 'God so Loved the World' setting by Somerville. At the end there was an opportunity to receive the Host reserved from yesterday's Eucharist.
On Easter Saturday evening we held our Vigil starting with the lighting of the new Pascal Candle outside the church and we then entered the dark building each carrying our own candles and responding to the acclamation 'The Light of Christ' with the response 'Thanks be to God' Father Chris then sang the Exultat, followed by readings from the Old and New Testament and a renewal of baptismal vows. The first Eucharist of Easter was then celebrated !
On Easter Sunday morning we met for our Eucharist of the Resurrection at 10 am. This service include a Baptism of three young children from the same family! A joyful occasion made even more so by the welcoming of three new Christians! The church was beautifully decorated with flowers and the Gospel according to John was read describing the events of the first encounter of Mary with Jesus. The Choir sang and anthem 'This is the Day' setting by Morley. As we left church we were offered an Easter egg by the children!
Christ is Risen!
He is risen indeed Alleluia!
Acts 10:34-43
A reading from the Acts of the apostles.
Peter began to speak to those assembled in the house of Cornelius:
‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right
is acceptable to him.
You know the message he sent to the people of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
That message spread throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power;
how he went about doing good
and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses to all that he did
both in Judea and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;
but God raised him on the third day
and allowed him to appear,
not to all the people
but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses,
and who ate and drank with him after
he rose from the dead.
He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one ordained by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
All the prophets testify about him
that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
Colossians 3:1-4
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians.
If you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things that are above,
not on things that are on earth,
for you have died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is your life is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
John 20:1-18
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Early on the first day of the week,
while it was still dark,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb
and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple,
the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,
and we do not know where they have laid him.’
Then Peter and the other disciple set out
and went towards the tomb.
The two were running together,
but the other disciple outran Peter
and reached the tomb first.
He bent down to look in
and saw the linen wrappings lying there,
but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb.
He saw the linen wrappings lying there,
and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head,
not lying with the linen wrappings
but rolled up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in,
and he saw and believed;
for as yet they did not understand the scripture,
that he must rise from the dead.
Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.
As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb;
and she saw two angels in white,
sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying,
one at the head and the other at the feet.
They said to her,
‘Woman, why are you weeping?’
She said to them,
‘They have taken away my Lord,
and I do not know where they have laid him.’
When she had said this,
she turned round and saw Jesus standing there,
but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her,
‘Woman, why are you weeping?
For whom are you looking?’
Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him,
‘Sir, if you have carried him away,
tell me where you have laid him,
and I will take him away.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher).
Jesus said to her,
‘Do not hold on to me,
because I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and say to them,
“I am ascending to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.” ’
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
‘I have seen the Lord’;
and she told them that he had said these things to her.
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