25 February 2024
11:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
This week 10am we had a Parish Eucharist as our main service. The Children are with us for the first Hymn then go into the rooms for their own session. A candle is lit and placed on the alter to remind us of their activities.
During Lent we do not have music before and after the service, but we sing hymns and the Choir sang an Anthem Lord for thy tender mercies say by Farrant. This seventeenth century music creates a sutible mood for Lent.
There was coffee after the service.
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Genesis 17:1-7, 15, 16
A reading from the book of Genesis.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old,
the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him,
‘I am God Almighty;
walk before me,
and be blameless.
And I will make my covenant between me and you,
and will make you exceedingly numerous.’
Then Abram fell on his face;
and God said to him,
‘As for me, this is my covenant with you:
You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations.
No longer shall your name be Abram,
but your name shall be Abraham;
for I have made you the ancestor
of a multitude of nations.
I will make you exceedingly fruitful;
and I will make nations of you,
and kings shall come from you.
I will establish my covenant between me and you,
and your offspring after you throughout their generations,
for an everlasting covenant,
to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
God said to Abraham,
‘As for Sarai your wife,
you shall not call her Sarai,
but Sarah shall be her name.
I will bless her,
and moreover I will give you a son by her.
I will bless her,
and she shall give rise to nations;
kings of peoples shall come from her.’
Romans 4:13-25
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
The promise that he would inherit the world
did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law
but through the righteousness of faith.
If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs,
faith is null and the promise is void.
For the law brings wrath;
but where there is no law,
neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith,
in order that the promise may rest on grace
and be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not only to the adherents of the law
but also to those who share the faith of Abraham
(for he is the father of all of us,
as it is written,
‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—
Abraham believed in the presence of the God,
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Hoping against hope,
he believed that he would become
‘the father of many nations’,
according to what was said,
‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body,
which was already as good as dead
(for he was about a hundred years old),
or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.
No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God,
but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
being fully convinced that God was able to do
what he had promised.
Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’
Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’,
were written not for his sake alone,
but for ours also.
It will be reckoned to us who believe in him
who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
who was handed over to death for our trespasses
and was raised for our justification.
Mark 8:31-38
Hear thgospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Jesus began to teach his disciples,
that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering,
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again.
He said all this quite openly.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But turning and looking at his disciples,
he rebuked Peter and said,
‘Get behind me, Satan!
For you are setting your mind not on divine things
but on human things.’
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them,
‘If any want to become my followers,
let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For those who want to save their life will lose it,
and those who lose their life for my sake,
and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.
For what will it profit them
to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
Those who are ashamed of me and of my words
in this adulterous and sinful generation,
of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed
when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
18 February 2024
The third Sunday in February and we once again had a choice of services. In the Church Hall Father Chris held a Crafty Communion with the young people and their parents, while in Church Father Roger took Matins.
A rainy and cool day did not put us off and by the end of the service there was a little bit of sunshine.
During Matins we sand the Benedicite and the Jubilate Deo, settings by Lloyd and Stanford in B flat. The Anthem was by Samuel Wesley.
The first lesson was from Genesis and described the end of the story of NOoh when God put the rainbow in the shy to mark his new promise not to destroy mankind by a flood again.
This was timely as we had held an activity day in the Church Hall last Tuesday when the children had spent the day learning songs, making costumes, and painting scenary for a production of Noah and the Animals at 4 pm It was a greatly enjoyable day, and as it was Shrove Tuesday we had pancakes for lunch!
Some pictures from the Activity Day.
Genesis 9:8-17
A reading from the book of Genesis.
God said to Noah and to his sons with him,
‘As for me,
I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,
and with every living creature that is with you,
the birds, the domestic animals,
and every animal of the earth with you,
as many as came out of the ark.
I establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood,
and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’
God said,
‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you
and every living creature that is with you,
for all future generations:
I have set my bow in the clouds,
and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,
I will remember my covenant
that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh;
and the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all flesh.
When the bow is in the clouds,
I will see it
and remember the everlasting covenant between God
and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’
God said to Noah,
‘This is the sign of the covenant
that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’
1 Peter 3:18-22
A reading from the first letter of Peter.
Christ also suffered for sins once for all,
the righteous for the unrighteous,
in order to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the flesh,
but made alive in the spirit,
in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison,
who in former times did not obey,
when God waited patiently in the days of Noah,
during the building of the ark,
in which a few, that is, eight persons,
were saved through water.
And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—
not as a removal of dirt from the body,
but as an appeal to God for a good conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
Mark 1:9-15
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
And just as he was coming up out of the water,
he saw the heavens torn apart
and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
And a voice came from heaven,
‘You are my Son, the Beloved;
with you I am well pleased.’
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
He was in the wilderness for forty days,
tempted by Satan;
and he was with the wild beasts;
and the angels waited on him.
Now after John was arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God has come near;
repent,
and believe in the good news.’
14 February 2024
To mark the beginning of Lent there were 2 services one in the morning and one at 7pm in the evening. We move into the period of reflection before Easter
We sang Psalm 51, and there was imposition of ashes for those who wished.
The Church looks stary now producing the appropriate atmosphere for lent.
Joel 2:1-2,12-17
A reading from the book of the prophet Joel.
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them in ages to come.
Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering
for the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged;
gather the children, even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her canopy.
Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.
Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord,
and do not make your heritage a mockery,
a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
“Where is their God?” ’
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6.10
A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
We entreat you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As we work together with him,
we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.
For the Lord says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time;
see, now is the day of salvation!
We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way,
so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way:
through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger;
by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit,
genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God;
with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute.
We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
as unknown, and yet are well known;
as dying, and see—we are alive;
as punished, and yet not killed;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
as poor, yet making many rich;
as having nothing,
and yet possessing everything.
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Jesus said to the disciples,
‘Beware of practising your piety before others
in order to be seen by them;
for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
‘So whenever you give alms,
do not sound a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
so that they may be praised by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
so that your alms may be done in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites;
for they love to stand and pray
in the synagogues and at the street corners,
so that they may be seen by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But whenever you pray,
go into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you fast,
do not look dismal, like the hypocrites,
for they disfigure their faces
so as to show others that they are fasting.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
put oil on your head and wash your face,
so that your fasting may be seen not by others
but by your Father who is in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust consume
and where thieves break in and steal;
but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust consumes
and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
11 February 2024
Although it is early February the churchyard is begining to look like spring. We came together at 10 am for our Parish Eucharist.
Last night we wer treated to a lovely 'February Feast' of three courses with coffee in the Rooms. many thanks to Hilary for the wonderful food!.
Next week we have Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
2 Kings 2:1-12
A reading from the second book of Kings.
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind,
Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here;
for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’
But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you.’
So they went down to Bethel.
The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha,
and said to him, ‘Do you know
that today the Lord will take your master away from you?’
And he said, ‘Yes, I know; keep silent.’
Elijah said to him, ‘Elisha, stay here;
for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.’
But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you.’
So they came to Jericho.
The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha,
and said to him, ‘Do you know
that today the Lord will take your master away from you?’
And he answered, ‘Yes, I know; be silent.’
Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here;
for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.’
But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you.’
So the two of them went on.
Fifty men of the company of prophets also went,
and stood at some distance from them,
as they both were standing by the Jordan.
Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water;
the water was parted to the one side and to the other,
until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha,
‘Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’
Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’
He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing;
yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you,
it will be granted you;
if not, it will not.’
As they continued walking and talking,
a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them,
and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.
Elisha kept watching and crying out,
‘Father, father!
The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’
But when he could no longer see him,
he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Even if our gospel is veiled,
it is veiled to those who are perishing.
In their case the god of this world
has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we do not proclaim ourselves;
we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord
and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.
For it is the God who said,
‘Let light shine out of darkness’,
who has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.
Mark 9:2-9
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John,
and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no one on earth could bleach them.
And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses,
who were talking with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus,
‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here;
let us make three dwellings,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’
He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.
Then a cloud overshadowed them,
and from the cloud there came a voice,
‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’
Suddenly when they looked around,
they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain,
he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen,
until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
04 February 2024
This morning we celebrated Candlemas, the presentation of Christ in the Temple. As the first sinday in the month our service was an all age eucharist. We started off by presenting Freddie a member of the Junior \Choir with his light blue medal. Then during the service we made Christingles, and sang the Christingle hymn. We lit the Christingles as the end of the service and carried them out of the church to take the light of Christ to the world!
Malachi 3:1-5
A reading from the book of the prophet Malachi.
Thus says the Lord God:
See, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me,
and the Lord whom you seek
will suddenly come to his temple.
The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—
indeed, he is coming,
says the Lord of hosts.
But who can endure the day of his coming,
and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap;
he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,
and he will purify the descendants of Levi
and refine them like gold and silver,
until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
will be pleasing to the Lord
as in the days of old and as in former years.
Then I will draw near to you for judgement;
I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers,
against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely,
against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages,
the widow, and the orphan,
against those who thrust aside the alien,
and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
Hebrews 2:14-18
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
Since the children share flesh and blood,
he himself likewise shared the same things,
so that through death
he might destroy the one who has the power of death,
that is, the devil,
and free those who all their lives were held in slavery
by the fear of death.
For it is clear that he did not come to help angels,
but the descendants of Abraham.
Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every respect,
so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest
in the service of God,
to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested by what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Luke 2:22-40
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
When the time came for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord
(as it is written in the law of the Lord,
‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’),
and they offered a sacrifice
according to what is stated in the law of the Lord,
‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;
this man was righteous and devout,
looking forward to the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for him what was customary under the law,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’
And the child’s father and mother
were amazed at what was being said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,
‘This child is destined
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be opposed
so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—
and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
There was also a prophet, Anna
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was of a great age,
having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage,
then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.
She never left the temple
but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
At that moment she came, and began to praise God
and to speak about the child
to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything
required by the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favour of God was upon him.
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