Newsletter. Large print service books are available. Please ask at the door. There is an induction loop for those using a hearing aid.

Transcription

1 The United Benefice of Old Shoreham and Kingston Buci The Churches of, and St Giles Newsletter For Sunday 4th March 2018 Lent 3 Welcome to our worship where we celebrate the third Sunday of Lent Children: Sunday School in the Parish of Kingston Buci meets on the 2 nd and 3rd Sunday of the month in the church hall at the beginning of the service and returns for communion. Toy bags are available in all churches as you come in at the door. Please feel free to make use of these facilities for your children. Need a lift to Church? Please let us know Large print service books are available. Please ask at the door. There is an induction loop for those using a hearing aid.

2 From the Vicar Walking through Lent is sometimes like walking through the desert. Not that I know the first thing about deserts 500 miles is about the closest I ve ever been to one! But the worry that one will be overcome by thirst and no water to be found in this arid environment is my image of being in the desert. Lent can be like that. It is difficult to maintain Lenten discipline. I remember the years before ordination when I had enough time to fully immerse myself in my own Lenten practice. I remember the deep satisfaction and purposefulness that it brings. But in busy times Lent can be quite an arid place. It doesn t feel like it has really started. The other pressures on life make one s efforts feel halfhearted. By the time I realise this we re already nearly half-way through Lent. One of the most challenging bits of the Lent Course this year is facing up to the fact that any discipline can be hard to maintain. Lucy Winkett mentions the difficulties of simply turning up to Morning Prayer, which has been quite a challenge lately for myself. How to find meaningful time in prayer when you re constantly also in charge of two children? But turning up might just be enough. Keeping the rhythm going that connects us with God. What has this to do with our readings today? Well the promise given to those who follow the law is like being by the water brooks that quench our thirst as the Psalmist of Psalm 1 says. If we keep God s commandments then we have access to the water that gives life in all its fullness the water that will stop us from being thirsty. What we experience though is that it is impossible. Impossible by our own strength to keep up. Just like the human built temple in Jerusalem is a seemingly never-ending construction site so is our attempts at being faithful in prayer. I feel this aridity as I am writing. It is a struggle to come up with something to say but it is so immensely worthwhile. Sharing the Word, trying to speak of God in language that never seems to adequately describe what I m trying to say. Nevertheless, we are invited! We are loved! We might not experience it every moment, but we can trust! The disciples remembered Jesus words. They understood what Jesus had meant by the temple. They saw that in the restoration of the temple that is Jesus body we are invited to trust God and God s faithfulness to us. God bless, Fr James 2

3 Today s Worship Collect Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Readings First Reading: Exodus Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it. Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour s house; you shall not covet your neighbour s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour. 3

4 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God s weakness is stronger than human strength. Gospel Reading: John The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father s house a market-place! His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for your house will consume me. The Jews then said to him, What sign can you show us for doing this? Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews then said, This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days? But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Post Communion Prayer Merciful Lord, grant your people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Readings Next Sunday First Reading: Exodus Second Reading: 2 Corinthians Gospel: John

5 For your Prayers In the Anglican Communion we pray for Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo: The Most Revd Zacharie Masimango Katanda Archbishop of the Congo & Bishop of Kindu. In our Diocese we pray for the Diocesan Board of Finance: John Booth, Chr; Philip Bowden, V Chr and all the members of the DBF Within our local community we pray for Early Explorers Nursery and for the residents of Greenways Crescent, Garden Close and New Barn Road. Those in need of our prayers specifically at this time: Ella Hutt, John Baldwin, Pauline Packham, Joyce Thompson, Felicity Batten. Those who have died recently: Ena Evans Notices Fairtrade Fortnight. We are now in the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight and will be having a special Traidcraft Stall after the 10am service at St Giles on 4 th March. As well as the usual food we will also have some non-food items. In addition I will have some of the recent brochures from which you may like to order. We are hoping to send our profits to Fairtrade Exchange by the end of March as the Government has promised to double whatever Traidcraft Exchange receives by then. Traidcraft Exchange is the arm of Traidcraft which is involved in developmental work, working directly with the farmers ensuring they get a fair price for their produce as well as providing them with a premium which they put towards building schools, hospitals etc. as well as helping to improve their farming e.g. digging wells. So please do support this worthwhile cause. Deacon Barbara. Lent Appeal: we will be supporting WaterAid Jars of Change again this year, during Lent. Sleeves for jars will be available in churches. Our Lent Course will be running for 5 weeks this year. We will be meeting on Thursdays at 7.45pm for 8pm start at St Giles Hall, using material produced for our diocese around the theme of arts and prayer. Everyone is most welcome to join us, and although we would love to see you, it isn t a problem if you can t come to all of the sessions. The next meeting is on 8th March. 5

6 St Michael s Family Support Work event. St Michael s in Southwick is showing the film Victoria and Abdul on Saturday 10 th March at 12 for in St Michael s Church Hall. The showing of the film will be preceded by a lunch of bacon butties. Donations and raffle in aid of Family Support Work. ' Church APCM. On the 15 th April 2018 the annual church meeting will take place at which various officers of the Church are elected. If you would like to stand for election as Churchwarden, PCC member, or Sidespeople please let Fr James or Len Batten know as soon as possible. If you usually prepare one of the supplementary reports for the one of the groups within the Church please can you let Sue Bartlett or Len Batten have them as early as possible. Thank you. Kingston Buci Electoral Roll Revision in preparation for the APCM to be held on 22 nd April, Kingston Buci will be revising the Roll between 18 th March and 1 st April. If you have been coming to church regularly or live in the Parish, you have the right to be on the Electoral Roll. Being on the Roll gives you the right to vote at the APCM. Forms for completion are available in church. Morning Prayer is a great way to get your day off to a good start by praying with others. From 6 th March the services across the Benefice are as follows: St Giles at 8am every Tuesday s at 8am on Wednesdays and Fridays. at 8am on Thursdays and 9am on Saturdays. Sunday Evening Services across the Benefice are also an excellent way to experience different types of services in the unique atmosphere of each of the churches, plus they re a great opportunity to worship together as a Benefice and grow together in fellowship. Our evening services run as follows: 1 st Sunday 6pm Choral Evensong at 2 nd Sunday 7.30pm Taize Service at St Giles 3 rd Sunday 6pm Evening Prayer at s Children's Society Collecting Boxes. If you have one of the Children's Society collecting boxes can you please return it to Felicity Batten for emptying as soon as possible. Many thanks for your continued support. Felicity Batten. 6

7 This Week Sunday 4 March Lent am 9.45am 10am 6pm St Giles Eucharist Parish Eucharist Family Eucharist Evensong PA Monday 8.30am 9.30am Prayers for Healing Little Stars Toddler Drop-In Tuesday 8am St Giles Morning Prayer Wednesday Thursday Friday 8am 9.30am 5.30pm 7.30pm 8am 10am 7.45pm 8am 11.15am 6.30pm 7.15pm The Rectory St Giles hall Morning Prayer Eucharist Clergy Surgery PCC Meeting () Morning Prayer Holy Communion Benefice Lent Course (Please see main notice for details). Morning Prayer Funeral of Ena Evans Junior Choir Senior Choir Saturday 9am Morning Prayer Sunday 11 March Mothering Sunday 8.30am 9.45am 10am 7.30pm St Giles Eucharist Family Eucharist Family Eucharist Taize Service PA 7

8 Contact Details Fr James Grant Associate Vicar or Rev d Barbara Wilson Deacon barbara.a.wilson@btinternet.com Rev d Pat Alden Hon. Assistant Priest pat@looksouth.net Mr Len Batten Churchwarden, len.batten1@gmail.com Miss Ann Burton Churchwarden, southwickann@gmail.com Mrs Penny Joseph Church Warden, St Giles penejos@gmail.com Kingston Buci Church Office office@parishofkingstonbuci.org.uk For Hall bookings: St Giles Hall: Mrs Sarah Ringshaw stgileshall@parishofkingstonbuci.org.uk s Hall: Mrs Nancy Knill Notices for the Weekly Newsletter Mrs Tina Robertson tinarobertson99@yahoo.co.uk (deadline 5pm) More information can be found on our websites: & OR visit us on Facebook and Twitter 8