13 August 2023
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
This morning we met at 10 am for a Eucharist, celebrated by Father Chris. The Gospel story told us of Peter walking on water towards Jesus. Peter becomes frightened and begins to sink but Jesus reaches out and lifts him into the boat. In his sermon Fr Chris expanded on this story. All of the Gospels, however familiar to us can help us if we pray and read them together. In this story we see that keeping Jesus in our sights and walking forward in faith will help us in the buffeting that life gives us.
The Choir is on holiday, although quite a few members were in the congregation! We were accompanied on the piano by our friend Sylvia, to whom we give many thanks.
There was coffee after the service.
With an eye to the future the 9th September is the Ride and Stride Saturday in which we will be taking part. It will be followed by a family bar b que at St Marys to which all are welcome! The 10th of September is our Patronal Festival when we will be celebrating St Mary our Lady.
A reading from the first book of Kings.
When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God,
he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
He answered,
‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;
for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars,
and killed your prophets with the sword.
I alone am left,
and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’
He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord,
for the Lord is about to pass by.’
Now there was a great wind,
so strong that it was splitting mountains
and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord,
but the Lord was not in the wind;
and after the wind an earthquake,
but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
and after the earthquake a fire,
but the Lord was not in the fire;
and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
When Elijah heard it,
he wrapped his face in his mantle
and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Then there came a voice to him that said,
‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
He answered,
‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;
for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars,
and killed your prophets with the sword.
I alone am left,
and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’
A
Then the Lord said to him,
‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus;
when you arrive,
you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel;
and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael,
Jehu shall kill;
and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu,
Elisha shall kill.
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel,
all the knees that have not bowed to Baal,
and every mouth that has not kissed him.’
Romans 10:5-15
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law,
that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’
But the righteousness that comes from faith says,
‘Do not say in your heart,
“Who will ascend into heaven?” ’
(that is, to bring Christ down)
‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’
(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The scripture says,
‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all
and is generous to all who call on him.
For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?
And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?
And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?
As it is written,
‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’
Matthew 14:22-33
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Immediately after feding the crowd
with the five loaves and two fish
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat
and go on ahead to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
And after he had dismissed the crowds,
he went up the mountain by himself to pray.
When evening came, he was there alone,
but by this time the boat, battered by the waves,
was far from the land,
for the wind was against them.
And early in the morning
he came walking towards them on the lake.
But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake,
they were terrified, saying,
‘It is a ghost!’
And they cried out in fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said,
‘Take heart, it is I;
do not be afraid.’
Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you,
command me to come to you on the water.’
He said, ‘Come.’
So Peter got out of the boat,
started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus.
But when he noticed the strong wind,
he became frightened, and beginning to sink,
he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him,
saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
And those in the boat worshipped him, saying,
‘Truly you are the Son of God.’
