We welcome you to St George s church this Sunday 22 nd July 2018, as we celebrate the feast of St Mary Magdalene.

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Miles Ellis
5 years ago
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A COLLECT FOR THE FEAST OF MARY MAGDALENE Almighty God, whose son restored Mary Magdalene to health of mind and body and called her to be a

that we may serve you in the power of his risen life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

1 We welcome you to St George s church this Sunday 22 nd July 2018, as we celebrate the feast of St Mary Magdalene. We welcome our President today, Rev Canon Charles Stewart with Rev Jonathan Evans. A COLLECT FOR THE FEAST OF MARY MAGDALENE Almighty God, whose son restored Mary Magdalene to health of mind and body and called her to be a witness to his resurrection: forgive our sins and heal us by your grace. that we may serve you in the power of his risen life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN. TODAY S READINGS: Old Testament: Song of Solomon 3; 1-4 New Testament: 2 Corinthians 5: Gospel: John 20; 1-2, TODAY S HYMNS: 337 Morning has broken 324 Love s redeeming work is done 321 Love divine, all loved excelling Enclosed CHOIR PIECE The Lord s my shepherd (Townend) 39 As the deer pants for the water

2 We bid a special welcome today to Rev Jonathan Evans, our new Parish Curate. Jonathan has been with us for a Thursday service, but this is his first Sung Eucharist with us. He was ordained at Winchester Cathedral on Sunday 1 st July this year by Bishop Tim. Prior to his call to the ministry, Jonathan (QC) practiced law for 22 years working from Wilberforce Chambers in Lincoln s Inn, London. (Bob is very familiar with the area, having been born in Holborn and spent many happy hours as a child playing in Lincoln s Inn Fields). Jonathan also holds an MA degree from Oriole College Oxford; He is married to Alice and they have three children. MARY MAGDALENE All four gospels give Mary Magdalene a unique place among Jesus followers. Probably from Magdala by the Sea of Galilee, she is described as having been healed by Jesus before accompanying him during his ministry. Along with other faithful women, she stayed beside the cross during the crucifixion and was the first disciple to discover the empty tomb on Easter morning. She was privileged with the first appearance of the risen Lord, who sent her to take the good news of the resurrection to the other disciples. This commission earned her the title Apostle to the Apostles in the early Church. THANKS (AS USUAL) TO EXCITING HOLINESS FOR THIS ARTICLE. PSALMS are set for every Sunday and for Festival days, but we rarely (if ever) use them during the Sunday service, but for the feast of Mary Magdalene, Psalm 42 is set and I think it is (in the end) one of the most encouraging Psalms, especially for someone who has lost their faith or whose faith is at a low ebb. It is headed A PRAYER OF SOMEONE IN EXILE : As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God.I thirst for you, the living God. When can I go and worship in your presence? Day and night, I cry, and tears are my only food; all the time my enemies ask me, Where is your God? My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God and led them as they walked along, a happy crowd,

3 singing and shouting praise to God. Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my Saviour and my God. Here in exile my heart is breaking, and so I turn my thoughts to him. He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul; chaos roars at me like a flood, like waterfalls thundering down to the Jordan from Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar. May the Lord show his constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night, a prayer to the God of my life. To God, my defender, I say, Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies? I am crushed by their insults, as they keep on asking me, Where is your God? Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my Saviour and my God. Today s final hymn is a paraphrase of parts of this psalm. A MESSAGE FROM ANITA: 'Some time ago Bob made the suggestion that we park a bit more efficiently for services, but it isn't happening. If the first one into the car park goes as close as possible to the hedge near the hall and the next one in parks close to the first (backing in works best!),and so on, it will leave more room for cars and later-comers won't need to do complicated 3-point turns to tuck in somewhere (I've had to do it!) or have to park in the road. Parking tidily isn't rocket science after all!' In hope! Anita A MESSAGE FROM MAROULLA I would just like to thank all at St George s for their loving kindness and prayers after my fall. It s always good to walk into St George s, but I really felt very special on Sunday as I was greeted with welcome back: hugs. Once again, Thank You! Maroulla

A SUNDAY SMILE: Ralph, I appreciate your commitment, but what I said in my sermon was, I hope you ll all become TITHERS I m still looking for articles for St George s News.

4 A SUNDAY SMILE: Ralph, I appreciate your commitment, but what I said in my sermon was, I hope you ll all become TITHERS I m still looking for articles for St George s News. Even something that fills this little space would be much appreciated, so put your thinking caps on and dredge your memories to come up with something that you think may interest or amuse the rest of us!! Any articles for inclusion in next week s St George s News must be in by Friday evening please to Bob Savage at: Breezy Corner, 1 Hampshire Close, Fairmile, Christchurch, BH23 2TH. Telephone or StGeorgesNews@christchurchpriory.org

5 FROM DORRIE; I have been asked questions about the address I gave a week or two ago when considering the Gospel reading about the healing of Jairus daughter or the woman with a haemorrhage. Bob has kindly given me space for an adapted extract from that address which I hope will answer the questions that have arisen. I am happy to talk about this with anyone who asks. Dorrie Pray and it shall be granted unto you. What happens when our prayer, however truly we believe, does not provide the answer we desire? Do we give up praying, try even harder to believe, become disillusioned - blame God? Each year, in church, we keep Good Friday then go on to celebrate Easter Sunday. We tend not to recognise Holy Saturday. We read of the disciples despair, hopelessness, fear, bewilderment, their utter helplessness after Jesus s death. We all know how hard it is to watch someone we love suffer and the disciples had had so many hopes of Jesus. We all experience Holy Saturdays in our lives - times of hurt, confusion, desolation, panic, maybe real physical pain to the point of exhaustion. There are times when something happens to us and it leaves us bereft, lonely, despairing, frightened, helpless and hopeless. It may be illness or perhaps loss of a job, a home, promotion, of mental health, of benefits. It hurts even more, perhaps, when there is no explanation or no expectation for what happens. But Jesus came so that we could live life more abundantly, even after devastation so, as for the disciples, we can experience a resurrection - a new life. Of course, if something has happened that can t be changed, we can t continue with life as it was before, but we can hope for a new, if different life that can still be wholesome. Remember the Paralympics? People who had lost limbs, whose lives were utterly changed and challenged, were building new lives. When something is lost - work, a house, a country, health, a life of someone we love, it hits hard. Debilitating illness can be an overwhelming experience (though this is, perhaps, where others of us can come in to show our love and support, gently, not to be overwhelming, but being there if needed). We all know of someone whose life is being changed by Alzheimer s Disease, dementia or an illness that steals physical understanding or the

6 ability to make decisions, or for whom no good outcome is likely, no restoration possible. And, of course, those who care are desolate and that sadness can last a long, long time. It sometimes takes that long, long time to find a new life, to find a new way of being that is positive and not destructive. Yes, sometimes wonderful things can happen and I do believe that we should continue to place our concerns before God who cares. But if at other times what we so desperately hope for doesn t happen, I believe, to put it into colloquial English, that we are asked to hang on in there. I don t believe that God sends illness, sickness, disability, although I do believe God cares about those who are affected by it. I can t believe it depends on the strength of faith or how long or how fervently we pray. Faithless people get better. We can t always understand but we can go on in that belief that God cares. I believe that God s will is for us to be whole which is why I also believe that a resurrection experience is possible even after the most devastating experience. It is something to be thankful for when healing or restoration takes place but I believe, even when it doesn t, that God wills good for creation, that we are loved. I also believe that God helps us to recover, to adapt, to find a new way of living, and that that can be whole and good if different from before. After time for absorption or acceptance of the experience then we can begin to live again, differently, even with all the why? questions unanswered but in that love, stemming from God s love, which enhances life, gives it beauty and blessing, charity and dignity. That, I believe is Grace. I also believe that we may all be part of that healing in the love we can show to each other, the caring, the concern. God can use our hands, our smiles to mediate God s love if we are open to that. Grace be with you. NOTE FROM BOB This seems to tie in quite nicely with Psalm 64 which is the psalm set for today (See St George s News).

How to Talk to Yourself Psalm One, the refrain ends each stanza in Ps 42 also ends 43, the identical refrain.

KCC Jan 2016 How to Talk to Yourself Psalm 42-43 Please turn to Psalm 42. We will look at Psalm 42 and 43 together today, because most scholars think they were originally composed as one psalm, and I think