02 July 2023
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
This morning at 10 am we had an all ages Eucharist as it is the first Sunday of the Month.
As it is the feast Of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Father Chris talked about Our Patron Saint St Mary our Lady in his sermon. He asked us if we had a hero, many replies from different people including Florence Nightingale, Ernest Shackleton, Galileo, Richard Feynman, all from different walks of life. Father Chris said his hero was St Mary, who showed all the characteristics of a hero, courage, determination, persistence, and more when she accepted the role God gave her to be the mother of Jesus. This feast remembers the visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth and the support she gave in such unusual circumstances. But why is our church St Mary our Lady? it is the only one in England with that designation! If it were Roman Catholic it would be 'Our Lady of Sorrows' or some similar designation. No we have this name St Mary Our Lady, and it reminds us that St Mary is very much part of our Christian Family.
The Choir sang 'The Lord Bless you and Keep you' setting by John Rutter as the Anthem.
There was coffee after the service.
The Fete is getting closer! If you can help in any way please talk to the Church Wardens or Father Chris. Please do come along and join us on Saturday 29th July from 2pm on the field for the actual event!!
Zephaniah 3:14-18 8 am only
A reading from the book of the prophet Zephaniah.
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
Romans 12:9-16
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Let love be genuine;
hate what is evil,
hold fast to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
outdo one another in showing honour.
Do not lag in zeal,
be ardent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
be patient in suffering,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the saints;
extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another;
do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;
do not claim to be wiser than you are.
Luke 1:39-56
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Mary set out and went with haste
to a Judean town in the hill country,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the child leapt in her womb.
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
and exclaimed with a loud cry,
‘Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And why has this happened to me,
that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting,
the child in my womb leapt for joy.
And blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfilment
of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
And Mary remained with her for about three months
and then returned to her home.
