17 September 2023
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
A grey autumnal morning greeted us. No priest as Father Chris is on his well earned break and we had no priest available to stand in (although there was at the 8am said Eucharist).
Our church warden Chris led Matins and Joanna led the choir and congregation as cantor as well as organist.
There will be an Alpha course running from October through to November, sign up in church. Although you can "dip in and out" (not everyone can commit to every evening it is run) but obviously, you derive more benefit from attending all of the sessions. Each starts with a light supper at 7pm and the aim is to be finished by 9pm. All will be held in the Parish rooms.
Althought the families who "Strided and Rided" (I know the grammar is appalling), did not appeal for sponsorship, you can dig into your pockets, purses and wallets and do so retrospectively. Talk to Chris our church warden.
Don't forget Harvest will soon be upon us. Saturday evening you can join us in the church for canapes and wine and listen to a young local lady who is a singer/songwriter and admire the church after it has been decorated. Sunday we have the morning Eucharist and also a Choral Evensong at 3.30 to be followed by tea and cake. All are welcome.
There will be no said Eucharist this Thursday as Fr Chris is still on holiday, but tea, cake and chat (not necessarily in that order) will be happening from 2pm to 4pm in the Parish rooms Thursday afternoon.
A reading from the book of Exodus.
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army
moved and went behind them;
and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them
and took its place behind them.
It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel.
And so the cloud was there with the darkness,
and it lit up the night;
one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.
The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night,
and turned the sea into dry land;
and the waters were divided.
The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground,
the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them,
all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers.
At the morning watch
the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud
looked down upon the Egyptian army,
and threw the Egyptian army into panic.
He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty.
The Egyptians said,
‘Let us flee from the Israelites,
for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.’
Then the Lord said to Moses,
‘Stretch out your hand over the sea,
so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth.
As the Egyptians fled before it,
the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea.
The waters returned
and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers,
the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea;
not one of them remained.
But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea,
the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians;
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians.
So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord
and in his servant Moses.
Romans 14:1-12
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Welcome those who are weak in faith,
but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions.
Some believe in eating anything,
while the weak eat only vegetables.
Those who eat must not despise those who abstain,
and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat;
for God has welcomed them.
Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another?
It is before their own lord that they stand or fall.
And they will be upheld,
for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day to be better than another,
while others judge all days to be alike.
Let all be fully convinced in their own minds.
Those who observe the day,
observe it in honour of the Lord.
Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord,
since they give thanks to God;
while those who abstain,
abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God.
We do not live to ourselves,
and we do not die to ourselves.
If we live, we live to the Lord,
and if we die, we die to the Lord;
so then, whether we live or whether we die,
we are the Lord’s.
For to this end Christ died and lived again,
so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?
For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.
For it is written,
‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.’
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
Matthew 18:21-35
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Then Peter came and said to Jesus,
‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me,
how often should I forgive?
As many as seven times?’
Jesus said to him,
‘Not seven times,
but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king
who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
When he began the reckoning,
one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;
and, as he could not pay,
his lord ordered him to be sold,
together with his wife and children and all his possessions,
and payment to be made.
So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying,
“Have patience with me,
and I will pay you everything.”
And out of pity for him,
the lord of that slave released him
and forgave him the debt.
But that same slave, as he went out,
came upon one of his fellow-slaves
who owed him a hundred denarii;
and seizing him by the throat, he said,
“Pay what you owe.”
Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him,
“Have patience with me, and I will pay you.”
But he refused;
then he went and threw him into prison
until he should pay the debt.
When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened,
they were greatly distressed,
and they went and reported to their lord
all that had taken place.
Then his lord summoned him and said to him,
“You wicked slave!
I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave,
as I had mercy on you?”
And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured
until he should pay his entire debt.
So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you,
if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’
