Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the First Sunday after Trinity. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "New Every Morning is the Love"
Today's Gospel
Luke 8:26-39Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac
Jesus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
Reflection
For many of us, the first thing we think of when we read this passage is about Jesus’ power and authority over evil and devil.
There are many more examples of Jesus and the disciples casting out demons.
But let’s think about the poor man who has been possessed by demons for so long. He has been cast out by the society that he lives in – condemned to make a home in the tombs of the dead. I wonder how that made him feel?
This story takes place in at the country of the Gerasenes. Jesus is now in gentile territory and no longer amongst the Jews, The people here don’t know who he is, and it is clear from the their reaction that they are not particualrly keen to have him stay around. They were afraid of his power and of the unknown.
Just like the possessed man they wanted Jesus out of the way.
I recently spent some time at a mental hospital alongside a chaplain. We were working with people who had all sorts of mental challenges – there were patients there who were bi-polar, or psychotic, or suffering from acute dementia. Others had messed up their minds though a lifetime of taking street drugs, and many were suffering from acute depression.
For some, they were there under a ‘hospital order’ because they had committed serious or heinous crimes and were in hospital as an alternative to gong to prison.
In the six weeks at the hospital I was humbled by the way that the chaplain, psychiatrists and all the clinicians responded and cared for these people. They listened to their sometimes bizzarre claims or rantings and they responded with compassion and respect and human kindness no matter what their background or circumstances were.
Some of the people who had committed serious crimes asked to be prayed with and some even cried. Maybe they were just delusional or maybe they really felt the need to reach out looking for Jesus and forgiveness. Looking for that healing power that Jesus shows in today’s passage.
Through God’s grace and mercy for us, we are by the power of Jesus all capable of being transformed and healed, no matter what we have done or why we have done it. – “for He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good”. [Matt. 5:45].
We are reminded of the restorative and healing power of Jesus’ love for us and his absolute compassion for those who are suffering and tortured. He feels for us all when we are in need.
As a society, sadly it is sometimes necessary to keep people out of harm’s way, but we should never turn our backs on them. As doctors continue to unlock the mysteries of the mind we see many new disgnoses of mental disorder at various levels of severity. Thankfully most do not result in hospitalisation.
There are many who are suffering or tormented but able to hide it at work and in the community. Folk who have enormous burdens dealing with stresses like financial hardship, caring for loved ones who are sick, or facing enormous pressures at work. They might seem like they are coping, until they have a breakdown. It is then that we are called to follow Jesus’ example and surround them with love.
Jesus even showed mercy on the demons – he didn’t expel the evil spirits to the dark abyss for eternal sufferring – rather he ‘gave then his permission’ to go into the pigs and die.
Jesus gives us his permission to and even commands us to look after one another and never turn our backs on the stranger. Paul
Our Prayers
Loving Father,
We thank you for your grace and mercy.
We bring before you all who are inflicted in any way by mental illness.
And we pray for all those who feel they are sinking
under the pressures of daily life.
Loving Lord, we pray for all those working in mental health services;
for Psychiatrists, clinicians, nurses and carers.
We also raise to you dedication of chaplains of all kinds,
Who provide spiritual support and guidance to those in despair.
Lord heal us and save us.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind"
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on Trinity Sunday. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you can find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Father, I Adore You"
Today's Bible Reading
Romans 5:1-5 Peace and Hope and the Holy
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Reflection
Today is Trinity Sunday – A day that strikes fear into the hearts of many vicars and curates that scratch their head trying to think of a new way to explain the nature of the Triune God. The one in three and three in one.
Last week I mentioned how we declare our belief in the Holy Trinity every time we say the Nicene Creed, however we do need to think about the meaning of what we recite in this statement of faith.
I have written previously about how difficult it is for us as humans to visualise the concept of the unity of the Trinity and at the same the distinct nature as separate entities.
Indeed Jesus himself doesn’t make it any easier – sometimes He speaks of the Father as if God is someone distinct from himself whilst, as we saw last week He tells Philip that, that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.
But don’t worry, because instead making a befuddling theological argument, I have chosen the passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans. I hope by doing so we can, through Paul’s letter, explore the relationship and nature of how God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together.
In the short passage we can see how faith, peace and hope are interwoven.
Paul starts by telling us that when we have faith in God the father, we are at peace with Him. It is easy just to read this as a statement and move on, but when we pause for thought there is also the inference that it is possible to not be at peace with God. For us to be in a state where we are at odds with God.
In the old Testament there are examples of where God was angry with the people of Israel – for example in Exodus 32 where they turned their backs on both God and Moses and ordered Aaron to make an idol of a golden calf to worship. In response God sent a plague on those who had broken His commandment. Similarly in Genesis 19 where God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah. We too need to acknowledge that we also fall short of God’s expectations when we sin.
Paul goes on to reassure that it is only because of Jesus working with God that we can be saved. It is through Jesus who died on the cross as payment for all our sins, that we can be assured of the ongoing grace of God and share in His continued glory. But we also have to commit to Jesus, to declare our belief in the risen Christ and continually repent of our sins.
Jesus, son of God who is in the Father and the Father is in Him makes this possible. It is through Jesus’ obedient sacrifice that mankind can be liberated from the strain of our sinful ways.
When Paul refers to the Spirit, he expresses how God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. The Spirit that, because of God’s unbounded love, has been shared with us – it is only by the power of the Spirit that we can even begin to know God.
A Spirit that enables us deep down to listen to God when He speaks to us – ‘the still small voice’ [Kings 19:12], that whispers gently in our heart. A Spirit that is there to guide us and keep us on the road to the eternal life that Jesus promises and who is there to intervene and help us when we find it hard to pray.
I do not expect that this reflection has massively opened up your understanding of the Holy Trinity, it is after all a divine mystery . But maybe through the words of Paul we might appreciate a little better how God the father, Son and Holy Spirit interact as one for the benefit of humankind.
Peace with God comes about through Jesus Christ. God’s love is poured out into human hearts through the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is given for us by God.
Paul
Our Prayers
Lord God, Heavenly Father,
We thank you that with your Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit,
you share your love and grace with us and give us hope.
We give you thanks and praise for the knowledge
that you are three persons, each distinct and wonderful,
yet so joined in love and harmonious action that you are one
leading us to the promise of eternal life in you.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Holy, Holy, Holy"
Notices
There is still time to participate in the “Churches Count on Nature Week”, as we will be extending this into the coming week. There are forms at the back of church for you to record what you have seen, together with leaflets and a book to help with identification of species.
The Ladies of Leesfield Monthly meeting is on Tuesday 17th June at 2 pm in St Thomas’ Community Room. Everyone is warmly invited to share in light refreshments and companionship, and please feel free to bring a friend.
The funeral of Brian Hayes is at 1.30 pm at St Thomas’ on Thursday 19th June. Please do come and join us as we bid farewell to our Captain of Bellringers, who has served our parish faithfully for many decades.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on Pentecost Sunday. This morning we have a Parish Eucharist at 9.15 am at St Thomas' Church, followed by our Proceesion of Witness around Lees at 11 am, and a Churches Together in Lees and District joint service at 12 noon at St Thomas'.
We do hope that you can join us, but if that's not possible you can find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Our Blest Redeemer, Ere He Breathed"
Today's Gospel
John 14:8-17 (25-27)
Philip said to Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you."
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Reflection
We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Do you recognise these words? They are of course extracts from the Nicene Creed. The statement at the heart of our Christian faith. This year we celebrate the 1700th anniversary since it was agreed by very many learned theologians. In fact it took several hundred years for various Christian Councils to finally agree on the wording. Since then there have been many scholarly debates about the nature of Christ – fully human and also fully divine – but the Creed has stood the test of time.
John’s gospel this week goes to heart of the question about who is Jesus? The subject is referred to as Christology.
Philip blatantly says to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied”. We might be surprised that he asks this, given he has been around Jesus so long and has been listening to his preaching and ministry.
But let’s not judge Philip too harshly. Philip’s plea is innocent and honest. It expresses the same longing that we would hope all people have deep in their soul: to see God, to know God, to understand the mystery and presence of the divine with clarity.
Philip is arguably just saying what many people might think at time. We all hunger to know God better.
Let’s look at Jesus’ reaction for a moment. The text doesn’t offer any description of how Jesus reacted. It doesn’t say was angry, or surprised or disappointed or give any other indication as to how he might have felt. Jesus could easily have performed another miracle to prove His divinity – but He doesn’t.
Instead Jesus gently prompts Philip to recall the previous miracles he has witnessed - Jesus says, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.”
He is as good as saying, what more proof do you want? You are stood in the very presence of God the Father who has been made incarnate.
But then Jesus reveals a far greater message, that is the promise of what we read about in Acts 2:1-20 – The coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises that He will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to be with us forever – The spirit of truth. That’s the marvellous story of Pentecost that we celebrate today where the Holy Spirit descends on the masses. The fulfilment of Jesus’ promise. If you don’t get the chance to attend a celebration today please look this wonderful story up in your bible or online.
So what does this mean for us? Unlike Philip and the other disciples, we have never seen the physical manifestation of Jesus incarnate or heard Him speak in person. But by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are all invited to experience the power of God in the world and in our lives, and to suspend thoughts of disbelief and uncertainty about what seems to be impossible. Because as the Angel Gabriel says, with God, nothing is impossible [Luke 1:37]
By the power of the Holy Spirit we are invited to feel the presence of God deep within us, guiding and forming us. We are invited to know God – not by seeing Him in the flesh or by witnessing awesome miracles performed before our own eyes; rather the Holy Spirit offers us the opportunity get to know God more intimately, to hear God speak to us in our own language and to understand Him as He understands each and every one of us.
Isn’t that all that Philip was asking?
Paul
Our Prayers
Loving Father God,
We thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to us;
to reveal you to us, through the power of the Gospels.
To guide and us and fill our hearts and minds
with the knowledge of your unending grace and love.
To give us the ability to set aside human reason
and see your magnificence revealed
through your work in our lives.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "This Is The Day"
Notices
From Saturday 7th to Sunday 15th June is “Churches Count on Nature Week”, and we will be taking part at St Thomas’ as part of our work to become an ‘Eco Church’. If you would like to be part of a team identifying and counting wildlife in our churchyard, please contact Liz.
Harvest Queen Amelia invites you to her ‘At Home’ on Saturday 14th June at 3 pm at St Thomas’. There will be refreshments, stalls and a raffle in the school hall afterwards, and donations of raffle/tombola prizes will be gratefully received. Please ask Karen or Vikki for more details.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "To God, be the Glory"
Today's Bible Reading
Acts 16:16-34 Paul and Silas Imprisoned
With Paul and Silas, we came to Philippi in Macedonia, a Roman colony, and, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe." The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.
Reflection
Last week we left Paul and Silas in the house of Lydia and he will soon return there after the amazing events that happen in this week’s reading from the book of Acts.
Uncharacteristically the first thing we read is that Paul lost his temper. We haven’t seen Paul behave in this way since before his conversion when he was persecuting the Christians. We’re not quite sure why he got angry and cast the demon out of the slave girl – after all she was effectively providing free publicity for his cause. Maybe he was frightened that she would get them into trouble or maybe he didn’t like being called a slave, or maybe as the text might suggest, he was just plain fed up of her interrupting what they were trying to do.
Either way he could not foresee the consequences of Paul’s action which ultimately ended up with them being beaten, stripped and flung into gaol.
There was such a groundswell of hate and hostility against them, not from the slave girl’s owner (who might have believed he had a right to be aggrieved), but also the onlookers in the market place. Whilst it doesn’t seem right or reasonable, we should maybe look at our own so-called enlightened society and how some people treat those who are perceived to be different – be that refugees, transgender, ‘gay’ people or some other difference.
Having been incarcerated, they surely did not know what would happen next. It was obvious that the locals and the magistrates did not like them as they had been summarily imprisoned without a proper trial. As far as they knew they could be locked up for a very long time or even stoned to death, as happened quite often in those times.
If it was me, I think in those circumstances I would have been very concerned indeed, as I sat half naked and bruised in a cold, dark, windowless cell.
Yet such was the strength of their faith, instead they started to sing hymns and pray to God. Picture yourself as one of the other prisoners as this was happening – can you begin to imagine what they must have thought about Paul and Silas? Maybe you would think that they had been hit so hard on the head that they had ‘lost their marbles’! Remember - Paul and Silas had now ventured into southern Europe and the stories of Jesus and the miracles that had been performed by the apostles were not well known in Philippi.
Then the earthquake happens – and every single prisoner is released and the gates opened. But this a story where God has another surprise in store – because it is a story about an escape without an escape. Not a single one of them runs away, that includes those who were nothing to do with Paul and Silus. Had they been influenced by the worship they had experienced in the cells or were they just dumbfounded? We don’t know.
From Paul’s perspective, this is not an opportunity to run away in shame and fear – he is on a mission - he sees an opportunity to be the voice and the hands of Christ there. So just as Paul and Silas shared the gospel in song with their fellow prisoners, now they save their jailer from the suicide that Roman honour expected with a failure of duty. Moreover they saved the jailer and his whole family from a life without faith in Christ.
At the ending of this text we see a familiar scene; the words of Jesus are spoken and the jailer and his family may be saved by belief in the Lord. Then we see the scene of healing, and hospitality with the sharing of a meal. This is the model that Jesus shows us many times where we can all live in peace and harmony together, no matter how different we may be. Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty and loving Father
We thank you for the example of faith shown by Paul and Silas.
We pray that we too may have the confidence
to proclaim your word even at difficult times.
That we may include people of all kinds and persuasions,
in the hope that they will turn to you and share your salvation.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "My Jesus, My Saviour"
Notices
Next week is Pentecost (Whit Sunday), so our services will be rather different to usual. Below is a poster with all of the details.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Jesus is Lord, Creation's Voice Proclaims it"
Today's Bible Reading
Acts 16:9-15 The Conversion of Lydia
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.
Reflection
We start this reflection with God giving instruction to Paul to change his plans. Paul had been spreading the Gospel with his companions and intended to carry on this work by going to the Roman province of Asia Minor. He was convinced that his next mission was to preach to the gentiles in that region.
Then he has a vision and that changes everything. God has another plan. Without question Paul changes his plans – “we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia” I don’t think this would come as a surprise to his fellow disciples as this wasn’t the first time Paul had experienced God making clear that he had plans for Paul’s destiny.
So he sets off by the best route possible to get to Macedonia in the south east of Europe. We are told that he immediately headed for Philippi, ’which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony’.
Philippi was a Roman colony, taking its name in 356 BC from Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.
Being a leading city, he expected to find Jewish gatherings and a synagogue to continue his mission, but there weren’t many Jewish men around now he had crossed into Macedonia.
Instead he found the next best thing - a group of God-fearing women who were worshipping on the Sabbath. These being people who were not Jews but had converted to believe in the God of Abraham.
Amongst them he found Lydia. If we just read the passage as a story we may miss how important she is to the new Christian movement and also miss how God uses her.
She is described as a dealer in purple cloth. Why is this significant? It tells us that she is a woman of significant means. There were no mass produced dyes in dozens of colours in this period and purple cloth was prized above all others. As someone of means she would be respected and people would be likely to listen to her.
The Lord had also ‘opened her heart to listen eagerly to what Paul had to say’. We should always bear in mind that no matter how faithful and evangelical we may want to be, it is always God through the Holy Spirit who opens our hearts to receive Him.
In Acts we hear about the many new Christians that were created as the church expanded, but it was always the Holy Spirit that enabled this, not Paul, or Peter or any of the other disciples. It was their job to spread the word for others to hear – but we can only converted to Christianity through the power of the Spirit.
When we open our hearts to receive Him, He will work though us to do His will and follow His plan.
Lydia was a Godly person – not because she was a successful business woman, but because she had faith in God. She prayed devotedly to God, she was willing and ready to listen to what Paul had to reveal to her and, despite her standing, she was servant hearted, willing to share her hospitality and her house with others. So much so that her house became a meeting place for the new Christians and became the first church in Europe. She wanted to be part of the fledgling movement of life in Christ. She was baptized and persuaded Paul and the others to go to her home. A Church was born.
These are the qualities that we know Jesus told us that will help to build God’s kingdom on earth. No matter what our personal wealth or circumstances are, these godly qualities that Lydia demonstrates are within the reach of all of us.
The one exceptional message about Lydia is that she wanted to hear God, and actively listened for His voice even before Paul arrived in Philippi. It wasn’t a case that she happened to be in the right place at the right time, she was listening eagerly. When we make the time to listen for God, sooner or later we will hear Him – it’s not about being in the right place, because God is everywhere listening to us; and He will share His plan for us when it is His time. Paul
Our Prayers
Father God,
We pray that we will follow Lydia’s example.
Help us to listen eagerly for your voice.
Open our hearts to receive Jesus,
and share the gospel message with confidence
as we continue to build your church.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Bless the Lord, O my Soul"
Notices
It is with great sadness that we advise you of the death of Brian Hayes. Brian has served as a bellringer at St Thomas’ Church for over 65 years, and Tower Captain from 1979, in addition to faithfully winding up the church clock every week.
When we celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the clock and bells, Brian published a book, ‘Song of the Bells’, which is still available to view at St Thomas’ Church.
Brian’s other passion was walking, and he is pictured here with Kingsley and Kelvin Wood on a Leesfield Parish Boundary Walk. Brian will be greatly missed, not only here in our parish, but amongst the wider community of bellringers.
We will let you know of the funeral arrangements as soon as they are available.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Lift High the Cross"
Today's Bible Reading
Acts 11:1-18 Peter Explains His Actions
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?"
Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, `Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' But I replied, `By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But a second time the voice answered from heaven, `What God has made clean, you must not call profane.'
This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us.
These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?"
When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."
Reflection
Have you ever been called to account for something that you have done or said? Maybe at work or school or in a group of friends. It can be a very uncomfortable feeling having to justify your actions, even if you think you are in the right.
That’s the situation Peter finds himself in with the Jerusalem church. But before we look into this I will give a little historical context.
At the end of Matthew’s gospel Jesus instructs His disciple to, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” [Matt. 28:18-20]. A lot of this is what the book of Acts is about – how they spread out far and wide sharing the good news of the Gospel and building up the early church.
But who were they inviting to join this church of the new Jewish Messiah?
Peter and the others were all Jews, so it was only natural that they would want to convert their Jewish neighbours to become Christians, or to put it another way, to become Christian Jews. Jews also believed that as part of their covenant with God they must be circumcised, hence the reference in verse 1 to ‘circumcised believers’. The practice of circumcising men as a mark of being God’s chosen people goes all the way back to the time of Abraham. [Genesis 17:10-14].
All other people who were not believers in the God of Abraham were called Gentiles - no matter what or who they believed in or where they came from. Moreover, because they were not considered to be Children of God descended from Abraham, they were considered unclean.
By the time Peter visits Cornelius, a Roman centurion, (and therefore a Gentile), the disciples have been growing the church significantly for more than 7 years. But all the converts were previously Jews.
That is why, when the elders of the church in Jerusalem learn that Peter has not only been to the house of a gentile but also shared a meal with them – the are outraged. Especially so because Peter was probably the strongest preacher and evangelist in the name of Jesus who had brought thousands of people to the new church. He had also been empowered by God to work miracles in the name of Jesus curing the sick. How could he possibly associate and what’s more, eat food and socialise with unclean people?
Peter finds himself being dressed down and held accountable for his terrible behaviour. As a result Peter has to stand his ground and tell them how it is. Hey guys, this was not my idea, it was God’s. It was God who sent me repeated visions and told me to go and visit the Gentiles and eat with them.
What’s more, the Holy Spirit gave the same gift to them as was given to us all on the day of Pentecost. God has made everything He has created clean and it is not for us to challenge His way. Peter challenged the elders and said – who am I to stand in the God’s way? God has made it clear that from now on, everyone who is willing to believe in Jesus will be offered the gift of the Holy Spirit and may be baptised in the name of the Spirit.
This was indeed a totally momentous revelation. The Jews are no longer the only chosen people of God. God is at work amongst the Gentiles just as much as with the Jews. Jesus offers salvation to everyone. They were learning what the salvation of Jesus was truly about. Not surprisingly they were stunned into silence and as the message sank in they became jubilant, and glorified God who offers repentance to the whole world.
They were beginning to realise that the covenant through Jesus was much more powerful than the covenant through the ancient Jewish laws.
I leave you with one last thought. Sometimes, no matter how good we try to be and how much of God’s work we do – we will still be criticised. But that’s Ok because Peter has been in that place too.
Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty and everlasting Father,
We thank you that we are all included
in your promise of salvation through repentance.
Let us all praise you for your grace and all inclusive love for everyone.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Meekness and Majesty"
Today's Gospel
John 10:22-30Jesus the Good Shepherd
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."
Reflection
As I start this week’s reflection, the new Pope, Leo XIV has just been elected by the Roman Catholic conclave in Vatican city. So it seems appropriate for me to use a quote from his first address as the new pontiff.
“Allow me to continue that same blessing (as Pope Francis on Easter Day). God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.”
He is starting with the statement of our belief as Christians that God loves us all and we are all in His loving hands. His address focusses much on peace and belief.
In today’s short Gospel passage Jesus also draws attention to the importance of belief. "I have told you, and you do not believe.” From the very beginning of John’s version of the Gospel, in the prologue, we hear the words: “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." [John 1:11-12]
In the preceding verses of this chapter, Jesus has given the first part of His declaration of His role as the Good Shepherd – the one who will be willing to lay down His life for His flock. It is not long after He has healed a blind man on the sabbath. When He describes Himself as the Good Shepherd there are mixed feelings amongst the Jews. Some believed that He is possessed by demons where others believed He is the Messiah because no one possessed by demons would be capable of opening the eyes of a blind man.
It would be unfair therefore, to generalise that all the Jews who were present rejected Jesus – it was mainly the Jewish leaders and Pharisees who saw Jesus as a threat to their power and wealth. Those who were looking for a way to trap Him and condemn Him for blasphemy and have Jesus stoned.
As the Pope said, “God loves us and we are all in God’s hands.” And John says, “God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him." [John 3:16].
However, He does not compel us to believe in Jesus. God has given man free will to accept or reject His only Son.
When we have faith and truly believe in Jesus and are willing to follow Him and trust in Him we are His flock and He knows who we are. He will love and tend for us and give us eternal life with Him in heaven. When we believe, we have the ultimate promise that no one will be able to snatch us out of his hand.
How reassuring do you find it to know that because you believe in Jesus you are known personally by Him? We all want to be known and recognised by others, and to be acknowledged for who we are. And when we tell Him we accept Him, Jesus offers us that friendship and understanding at the most deep and intimate of levels. How wonderful is that thought?
What’s more, this an unconditional friendship and permanent relationship. The voice of the Good Shepherd is a voice that frees us rather than oppresses us.
It is not reliant on what we have achieved in life, how many good deeds we have done, how rich we are or how much we know about the bible. It is a promise that we have all been given by God to be part of Jesus’s flock and all we have to do for Him to know us is to listen to His voice and believe in Him.
The voice of the good shepherd is a voice of promise — a voice that calls us by name and claims us as God’s own.
In closing, let us pray for Pope Leo XIV in his mission of evangelism and peace, that through him and the work we do in our own parish, that we can show new people the face of the Good Shepherd and help them to hear the voice of Jesus calling. Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We thank you that you sent your only Son, Jesus Christ.
To be our good shepherd.
To Know each one of us,
And lead us to the eternal glory of heaven
In the promise of everlasting life.
May we have true faith in Him always.
Amen
Our final hymn today is "When I Needed a Neighbour"
Notices
This week is Christian Aid Week, and we will be collecting donations in our churches and around the village. If you would like to add a gift, you can donate using the following link - Paul D Christian Aid Fundraising or this QR Code -
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