Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. Today we have only one service in the parish - a joint Eucharist at 10 am at St Thomas' Church. If you are unabe to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Do Not Be Afraid, For I Have Redeemed You"
Today's Gospel
John 6:56-69
Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Reflection
Do you have staying power and the will to run the race to the end?
Over the last few weeks many of us have followed the Olympics, even if only on the news. We see hundreds of people competing across many disciplines in track and field, as well as new sports like boulder climbing and skate-boarding.
They have spent years of hard training, putting in blood, sweat and tears in pursuit of glory and Olympic success.
Yet each contestant knows that, in their given sport, only one athlete will be stood on the top step of the winners podium and receiving the gold medal. Only one contestant will realise their dream and listen to the roars and applause of adulation in this quadrennium.
No matter whether they win or lose, all the athletes have one thing in common – they all have a clear vision about what they are seeking. They are all prepared to put in whatever it takes to reach their goal.
Knowing what you are really seeking is the message that Jesus is relaying to his followers in his teaching in John 6.
As we see from the passage, it is not an easy message and people are struggling to understand what he is telling them, because they naturally hunger for what they relate to in day to day life. Yet here is Jesus telling the people that hungering for man made bread alone is not enough. They need to hunger for the bread from heaven, for the Son of man, Jesus who is the bread of life.
It's the same message that has been reiterated in recent weeks, yet even in the synagogue at Capernaum, it still seems too much to comprehend and for his audience to accept.
Their perspective is of course formed by their understanding of the material world, the here and now.
They simply can’t open their minds to see that Jesus is offering a different kind of bread, a bread that sustains beyond the physical and into the marvel of God. A bread that is Jesus himself.
Jesus offers his own flesh and will sacrifice himself on the cross to achieve that. When we partake in the Eucharist, it is not just some symbolic ritual, we are invited to partake in the very nature of Jesus our Lord. At communion we are showing that we want and need to be fed by the eternal bread that will sustain us spiritually and lead us to heaven.
Like the Olympic athletes we need to have a clear objective, and like Peter we need to accept and believe in Jesus the Holy One of God, who will help us run the race to the very end and bring us into his kingdom.
Unlike the athletes, when we believe and trust in Jesus – we can all be winners!
Paul
Our Prayers
Holy Father,
We thank you for sending your Son Jesus
to guide us and teach us.
We pray that we may be spiritually nourished by your Holy bread.
Open our eyes and our minds,
To understand you more,
and to set our sight and vision
on a deeper lasting relationship with you.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "My Jesus, My Saviour (Shout to the Lord)"
Notices
Next Sunday’s services are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes’ and 11.00 at St Thomas’.
Our usual 10 am Service of Holy Communion is on Tuesday at St Thomas’, and Worship for all Generations is at 6.30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday at St Agnes’. This week is our outdoor Pet Service, and all are most welcome.
We are now updating our Hymns and Worship Songs, based on what lots of you requested last year. So that we can practice some of them, we’re having All-Age Worship Singing at 6.30 pm on Monday 9th September. Children and families are most welcome to join in – it will be brilliant if you can show us the actions to the Sunday School songs!
On Saturday 14th September from 10 am to 4 pm, St Thomas’ Church will again be part of Oldham’s Heritage Open Day. The theme for this year is ‘links’, and we will be exploring how our churches connect with the local community, our schools and other churches. There will be a display board showing the people from our churches and the parts they play in the wider community.
Everyone is warmly invited to Harvest Queen Amelia’s Crowning at 2 pm on Saturday 28th September at St Thomas’ Church. There will be refreshments and stalls in the school hall afterwards, so please join us for a fun-filled afternoon.
