Today we remember the Holy Innocents. There is no Tuesday service of Holy Communion at St Thomas' Church this week, so our good friend Revd Paul Monk has kindly shared the service transcript from St Barnabas and Holy Trinity. You'll find it by clicking on this link - Medlock Head 2021-12-28
If you haven't been able to get to any of our services over Christmas you might like to listen to some carols and a message from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the YouTube video below - Carols and Chat -
There is also a video of Morning Prayer for St Stephen's Day here -
This Sunday we're hoping that our services will be back to their normal times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas'.
Our Christmas services are shown below. All are welcome to join us, but we do ask that you wear a face covering and follow the precautions we have in place to ensure your safety.
Friday December 24th at 5 pm
Family Nativity and Crib Service with our Sunday School at St Thomas’ Church.
Friday December 24th at 11.30 pm
The First Communion of Christmas at St Thomas’ Church
Saturday December 25th at 9.15 am
Christmas Morning Eucharist at St Agnes’ Church
If you are not able to be with us in person, we'll be sharing Christmas Services from around the Diocese and the country on our facebook page - Leesfield Parish
Our good friend Revd Dr Paul Monk from St Barnabas Clarksfield and Holy Trinity Waterhead has also kindly shared his service transcript for Christmas with us. There is a great sermon, with prayers and some wonderful music, and you'll find it by clicking on this link - Medlock Head 2021-12-25
Sadly, our Parish Eucharist on Boxing Day has had to be cancelled due to an unexpected shortage of clergy. We will have some worship resources here on this page instead.
Finally, as Christmas draws ever closer, I'd like to share with you my favourite Advent hymn - "How Far is it to Bethlehem"
All are welcome to join us in our Sunday morning Eucharist services on the fourth Sunday of Advent, 9.15 m at St Agnes' Church and 11 am at St Thomas'. The wearing of face coverings is mandatory, and other precautions are in place to keep everyone safe.
This evening at 6.30 pm we have our traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Thomas' Church.
If you're not able to be with us in person, the Gospel, a reflection and prayers are shown below, with some hymns, and we will share a Church of England Carol Service this evening.
Our first hymn today is a beautiful version of the Magnificat, by Bernadette Farrell
Today's Gospel
Luke 1:39-45(46-55) Mary visits Elizabeth
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."
[And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.]
Reflection
A few years ago, well December 2018 to be exact – Edith gave me the following short article to include in the parish magazine. I guess today many of our younger parishioners would call it a meme in todays parlance.
I recall wondering what sort of response it would provoke but to the best of my knowledge no one said anything.
The poignancy was obvious as at the time there were many people commenting in the media about the refugees ‘invading’ Europe from Syria, Africa and other countries. In addition, our streets had record numbers of homeless people, many of whom felt the need to resort to drugs and alcohol as an escape mechanism from the stark reality of their lives.
Yet here in today’s Gospel reading we have the wonderful story of Mary. By many accounts it is estimated that she was only around 15 years old when she became pregnant and to make matters worse, she was also unmarried. This would have brought immense shame and disgrace on Mary and her whole family. They would have been shunned, subject to constant gossip and condemnation.
No wonder that Mary flees from the small village and heads to the hills to her relative Elizabeth. The fact that a young girl would travel alone any great distance was also a cause for concern and would have been deemed most improper. But despite all the events that have turned her world upside down, Mary has utmost trust and confidence in God. She is truly blessed, for she knows because she is a virgin the words of the angel are true and that she is carrying the saviour of the world. This is re-iterated when Elizabeth too is filled with the Holy Spirit and says “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”. And Elizabeth’s unborn child, John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit and ‘leapt for joy’ – a sign that he recognised Jesus and would be the one to prepare the way for his coming in later years.
Mary reflects on all of this, and despite the hardship and contempt she has endured, her heart is clearly full of joy at the blessing that has been bestowed on her by God. Her confidence and trust in Him to make all things well and turn the world around is absolute as she sings what we now refer to as the Magnificat. I ask you to read it again and look once more at the meme.
Many of the issues that were concerning folk back in 2018 are still prevalent and arguably exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. Whilst we may not consider ourselves rich, most of us have a roof over our heads and food on our tables. Maybe we too need to count our blessings and think if there is any more we can do? How might we help our Lord turn things around?
As we all prepare for the coming of the Lord, what might make our hearts leap for joy? I wish you all a very happy and joyful Christmas.
Paul
Our Prayers
Most Holy and Blessed Lord,
We thank you for giving us Mary as our Holy Mother.
Thank you for her kindness, selflessness, wisdom and power.
Let us show the same confidence to trust you as she did,
And let our hearts too leap for joy and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
May the light of Mary’s enduring love shine upon every one of us
And may she guide us to You our Saviour and Divine Master.
Amen
Our final hymn this morning is "The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came"
Welcome to Leesfield Parish, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone is most welcome to join us, but please note that the wearing of face coverings is now mandatory in all places of worship. Here are some details of what's happening in our churches over the coming week -
Our Advent season of Worship for all Generations continues at St Agnes' Church, Knolls Lane this evening at 6.30 pm.
Tomorrow evening, Thursday the 16th December, we will be Carol Singing around the houses in Leesfield. As well as taking the real message of Christmas out into the community, we will be collecting money for the Booth Centre for homeless people in Manchester. We'll be adapting the way we usually stand and sing to make sure that we keep everyone safe, and all are welcome to come along.
Our Sunday morning services are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas' (with Sunday School), and then at 6.30 pm at St Thomas' we have a traditional service of 9 lessons & carols. After the Carol Service we will gather for mince pies and mulled wine, and the draw for the Christmas Hamper raffle will take place.
The Tuesday morning service of Holy Communion will be at the usual time of 10 am on Tuesday the 21st December, and then we are invited to share carols & mince pies with the Ladies of Leesfield at 2 pm in the community room at St Thomas'.
All of our Christmas Services will be shown here next week, and there will be links to services which you can access on line if you're unable to be with us in person.
This Sunday’s services will be at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas', and this week they will be our annual Toy Services. Donations of toys in good condition will be gratefully received, and will be passed on to the local Women's Refuge along with the donations from this week's Worship for all Generations.
Our annual family Christingle service is at St Thomas’ Church, 3 pm on Sunday. It will be lovely to have the service in church once again - although the children were able to enjoy a Zoom Christingle in their own homes last year. All you need to bring is an orange, everything else will be provided, and the collection from the service will go to the Children's Society.
The latest guidance from the Government, the Church of England and Manchester Diocese is that wearing face coverings in places of worship is now mandatory for all over 12s unless they are exempt. All of the other precautions remain in place to ensure the safety of everyone who attends our churches, and we will regularly monitor the situation and update our risk assessments accordingly.
If you're not able to be with us in person, you can find the Gospel for today, a reflection, prayers and some hymns below.
This morning's first hymn is "Gaudete"
Today's Gospel
Luke 3:7-18 What then should we do?
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptised by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptised, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
Our second hymn today is "Wait For The Lord"
Reflection
What then should we do? - I’ll come to that in a moment but first let’s pick up where we left off last week.
As David pointed out in his sermon last week, John had undoubtedly spent a considerable amount of time “hanging about” in the wilderness and in spiritual preparation for his role as a messianic prophet. He might have been seen as eccentric with his humble clothing of camel’s hair and diet of honey and locusts. He is God’s messenger - a voice crying out in the wilderness proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, paving the way for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As this passage begins it is clear that John already has a significant following with some even questioning whether John himself is the Messiah. So, imagine what the crowd must have thought when he starts preaching and refers to them as a “brood of vipers”. His demeanour and preaching style seem stark and aggressive, especially as he then goes on to challenge them about their heritage. The claim that being descendants of Abraham, Isaac and other important ancestors is meaningless would have been a massive and almost blasphemous statement to make.
But John was not rejecting the lineage of the crowd, rather he is telling them that no one, no matter what their background or heritage has an automatic entitlement to be forgiven and enjoy the benefits of the promised kingdom. Or to put it another way, just turning up to get baptised and saying sorry for their sinful ways was not going to escape the wrath of God.
Which brings us back to the question the crowds asked John - “What then should we do?”
In language similar to that of the one who would come after him, John responded with examples that showed that we should change ourselves and look at how we treat our neighbours. John gave real examples based on the people in the crowd. The tax collectors of the time were renowned for adding extra tax and ‘skimming a little extra off the top’ for themselves - John made it clear that this was wrong. The soldiers were in a position of power because they were part of the Roman occupying force, but John again made it clear that was not an excuse to act without integrity or abuse their power. Moreover, as a general point he told the masses that if you have more than you need you should share it with those who have little whether that is food, clothing or even money.
What then should We do? When we look around the world and its troubles, it perhaps feels like a daunting or even impossible task to make a difference. What can we do to sort global poverty, fix corrupt economic powers, feed the starving, house the homeless and so on? But no one is asking us to fix the whole world - even Jesus didn’t do that! Instead, he gave himself to the world - one person at a time and one moment at a time and he changed lives. He demonstrated how we can change the world step by step by relating to each other as human beings. By loving our neighbours – even if they are not known to us. How we can make a difference by each and every act of kindness – be that giving food, clothes or just love.
If we want to bear the good fruits of repentance, we need to examine our own behaviour towards others and as well as saying sorry - looking at what we can do not only as individuals but as a community. If we can’t individually solve world poverty, what could we do? Maybe buy Fairtrade goods where we know producers are paid a fairer return for their efforts. If we can’t afford to solve the homeless crisis on our doorstep, what could we do? Maybe put some money in the beggar’s cup instead of averting our eyes or walking at a distance. Better still say a kind word at the same time to let them know they are loved. If we can’t afford to feed every hungry mouth, what could we do? Maybe donate to the foodbank or even volunteer to help at the many care centres like St. Barnabas. Or maybe make that donation to Christian or The Salvation Army this Christmas.
The good news is, that whilst each small act of kindness and humanity may not put the whole world right, each act will continue to hold the door open for the coming of “the one who is more powerful.” The good news is that our Lord has shown us a better way of relating to our neighbour he has offered us alternative priorities and shown us how we can all be a dwelling place for God.
So perhaps the question may not be ‘What then should we do?”, but moreover, “What then will you do?” Let us ponder and respond to this with Hope and anticipation as we wait patiently for the coming of our Lord in this advent period.
Paul
Our prayers
Almighty and everlasting Father,
Forgive us when we forget how well-off we really are,
Forgive us when we feel hard done to,
yet have relative comfort in our lives,
Forgive us when we get our priorities wrong.
We pray for the wisdom and courage
to examine our lives and actions more closely
And the confidence to change our ways
so that we too can make a difference
and bear the fruits of our repentance.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
This morning's final hymn is "Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending"
This Sunday’s services will be at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas', and this week they will be our annual Toy Services. Donations of toys in good condition will be gratefully received, and will be passed on to the local Women's Refuge along with the donations from this week's Worship for all Generations.
Our annual family Christingle service is at St Thomas’ Church, 3 pm on Sunday. It will be lovely to have the service in church once again - although the children were able to enjoy a Zoom Christingle in their own homes last year. All you need to bring is an orange, everything else will be provided, and the collection from the service will go to the Children's Society.
The latest guidance from the Government, the Church of England and Manchester Diocese is that wearing face coverings in places of worship is now mandatory for all over 12s unless they are exempt. All of the other precautions remain in place to ensure the safety of everyone who attends our churches, and we will regularly monitor the situation and update our risk assessments accordingly.
The Advent season of Worship for all Generations will continue at St Agnes' each Wednesday at 6.30 pm right through to Wednesday the 22nd December, and is recorded for our facebook page on Thursdays.
This Thursday, the 16th December, we'll be out Carol singing around Lees. This is a great way to take the message of Christmas out into the local community, and we also collect money for the Booth Centre for homeless people in Manchester. Meet at St Thomas’ Church at 6 pm - the weather forecast isn't looking too bad at the moment!
Please see the poster below for details of all our services and events for Christmas week, and you can find more news and photos on our facebook page - Leesfield Parish
All are welcome to join us at St Thomas' Church at 10 am for a Parish Eucharist on the Second Sunday of Advent. For the safety of all, we ask that you continue to wear a face covering if you are able to.
For those who are unable to be with us in person, the Gospel, reflection and prayers are shown below.
Our first hymn this morning is "On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry"
Today's Gospel
Luke 3:1-6 John the Baptist Prepares the Way
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Reflection
“… the Word of God came to John, son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” Luke 3; v 2
Airport terminals are strange places. They have a mixed-up atmosphere that seems to come from the excitement of holidays, the weariness of business trips, the anticipation of returning home, the boredom of some prolonged waiting at strange hours of the day or night. They have the clinical feel of a waiting room – except that you have to buy your own magazines. Even the shops selling exciting things such as watches, souvenirs and huge bottles of whisky cannot distract you for long from the fact that there is nothing to do except shop. And then, there are endless loud speaker announcements trying to find people who have got lost somewhere between the check-in and the take-off. In an airport, you are in a kind of geographical limbo – it is as if you belong neither to the country you are leaving, nor yet to the country you are going to. For however long you have to wait, you are neither here nor there, and there is little you can do except listen eagerly for your gate to be called.
The Bible has its own geographical limbo: the wilderness. Much more than a place of dust and rocks, the wilderness has a special spiritual significance in the relationship between God and his people. It is in the wilderness that God calls Moses from the burning bush to lead his people out of Egypt: and it is in the wilderness that the Israelites wander for forty years while they learn what it means to be the people of God. After his baptism, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and filled with the power of the Spirit.
So, when we read that the word of the Lord came to John, son of Zechariah in the wilderness, we know that something of real importance is about to happen. John has spent the best part of his life in this geographical and spiritual limbo; just a chapter earlier we read that he was in the wilderness from his childhood until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. Even allowing for the fact that we do not know how old John was, we can make a good guess that that is a long time to be hanging about in a desert. It is a measure of the importance of John’s future work that he required the kind of spiritual preparation that only the wilderness can give. And when the word does come to John, it sets off something that will change the world.
John’s call is the drum roll that announces that salvation is near, that something really new and really good is about to happen. It is a turning point in time, which is perhaps why Luke takes such care to locate this event in history, by giving us the names of the rulers of the day. John hears his call and sets off into public life to call people to repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and to baptise them as a mark of their decision to lead a new life. And so, he becomes John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Lord.
We all know what it is like to be in limbo: to feel that we are neither here nor there. Generally speaking, we are creatures who love to have a purpose, and we get restless and unhappy when we lack one. It may be that this “wilderness” is a stagnant time in our lives: a dead-end job, or relationship. Some people talk of retirement as a time when they feel lost and useless after many years of work. Some parents speak of feeling strangely empty when their children leave home, and for some children the school years have a kind of aching boredom that can also be described as a kind of wilderness.
Our experiences are all different, but the thing to note is this: that just like the airport, the wilderness is a place where things are about to happen, a place of preparation. It may be a long wait; it may seem painfully boring; it may seem pointless, but the wilderness is where the seeds of change are sown and nurtured. It may not be an easy time (although for some it may be too easy, and that can be a problem with it) but it is a time to embrace. It is a time for waiting and listening carefully to the voice of God. And when it comes, who knows where God might lead us?
David
Our Prayers
Forgiving God,
We confess that we often fall short of expectations,
Your prophet, John the Baptist, cried out from the wilderness
and proclaimed a baptism for the repentance of sins.
He came to pave the way and clear the path for your coming.
Help us to listen to his words
that implore us to turn to you and away from our sinful ways.
Guide us along the path to righteousness and goodness,
That leads us to welcome you into our daily lives
As we wait patiently for Christ our hope and salvation.
Amen
This morning's final hymn is "Long Ago, Prophets Knew"
There is so much happening in Lees this weekend. On Saturday the 4th December from 1 pm we'll be dressing the Christmas Trees at St Thomas' Church in readiness for the Harvest Queen Christmas Tree Festival, and then at 4 pm the Lees Christmas Lights will be switched on.
This Sunday, the 5th December, there will be a Parish Eucharist for the second Sunday of Advent at 10 am at St Thomas' Church, and no service at St Agnes'.
The Lees Christmas Market takes place on the High Street on Sunday, so please do come along and support your local businesses.
A poster for all the Advent events and services is shown below - more details next week.
