Sunday Worship 1st August

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to our Worship on the ninth Sunday after Trinity Sunday. Our Parish Eucharist is at 10 am at St Thomas' Church, and today we're really pleased to have Revd David Halford to lead our worship. If you can't be with us in person, you'll find everything you need to worship from home here on this page.

Our first hymn today is "Bread of Heaven, on Thee we Feed"

Today's Gospel

John 6:  V 24 – 35 “Jesus the bread of life”  

The next day, when the people who remained after the feeding of the five thousand saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Reflection

“I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”  John Chapter 6; v. 35

Peter was helping Imogen to hang some curtains.  “Can you pass me another ring?” she asked, whilst listening to the radio.  He did so, but instead of a metal curtain ring he passed her a golden engagement ring. She did not initially realise what had happened. “Thanks,” she said absentmindedly taking the ring and trying to thread it through the loop in the top of the curtain.  When it would not go in, she looked down and suddenly understood the significance of the ring in her hand.  In the next moment she was laughing and hugging her new fiancé.

“Phew!” said Peter,” I honestly thought for a moment you were going to turn me down!

This is close to what Jesus is describing at the beginning of today’s Gospel reading. An engagement ring is so much more precious than a curtain ring! – not just in terms of material value – the metal it is made from or the jewels it contains – but because of the love it represents.  It is as though someone were to use a love letter to light a fire. Jesus challenges people to understand the significance of what He is really offering - so much more than food and drink for today.  What He offers in fact is everything that is needed to provide and sustain eternal life.

John’s Gospel was written to introduce readers to Jesus, and to invite them to make a response of faith. This passage captures the very heart of the Gospel; Jesus offers everything necessary for both earthly and eternal (heavenly) life. 

Jesus has been pursued by those who received in the miraculous feeding of the crowd on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. When they find Him, he challenges them to think less of their stomachs than their souls; to focus less on the sign; more on the significance. The people want to know how they can do what God wants (the WORK of God, in order to receive what Jesus tells them that God wants to give them (“eternal life”).

Jesus says clearly, as so often in John’s Gospel, that it is all about how we respond to Him. In essence He is saying “If you believe in me, which means following me, as a disciple, you will be doing what God wants.” This is a simple, yet hard message to believe, and again (as often happens in this Gospel) the hearers deflect its challenge with a different question; this time about Moses.  Jesus explains that the manna was provided by God, not Moses – and so they should be concerned to serve God today, rather than thinking about their ancestors. Accepting this explanation, the people ask Jesus to give them the “true bread”, and Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.”

We – you and I – are challenged to build our whole lives on Jesus – but what does that look like in practice?  It can be easy to enjoy our lives as members of the Church for what it gives us today.  Yet, Church is more than enjoying the Music; the opportunity to meet friends, the intellectual stimulation of an enjoyable sermon(!), something that breaks up the weekend. It is the gateway to our relationship with Jesus, who feeds and forms us through word and sacrament into his disciples; those who are living out eternal life today.  We are like Imogen, missing the significance of the ring which she was passed.

How do we do this?  It is often useful to pause, perhaps especially in these summer weeks, to think about how much our life is shaped by our faith in Jesus. We know we will be forgiven when we fall short of the ideal, and helped by the Spirit to conform all that we are and all that we do to the one whom we proclaim as Lord.  If we are being truly nourished by the bread of eternal life, we should see evidence of it in what we think, say and do; and that will stay with us beyond this life and on into eternity.

David H.

Our Prayers

Gracious and almighty Father,

Creator of all things in heaven and on earth,

As we see things on our planet abused and wasted

We know we can rely on your heavenly kingdom to last for eternity.

Our food, drink and resources will perish and rot over time, 

But your love and promises for us will never fail.

Forgive us when we continue to put our earthly desires before our devotion to you.

We pray that you will open our hearts and minds;

We ask you to feed our souls with the knowledge of your kingdom

And quench our thirst with your unceasing love.

We thank you for sending us Your Son to be our Bread of Life.

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Guide Me, O Though Great Redeemer"

Mid-week news 28th July

 Mid-week News

Last Sunday we were really pleased to welcome Revd Lyn Woodall as the incumbent of Leesfield Parish at a special service, along with Revd Christine Steel and Revd Mother Amy-Elizabeth Sheridan, who were licensed to our parish in the same service. If you weren’t able to be with us, here’s a lovely photo from after the service. Left to right are – Revd Ruth Farrar, Revd John Faraday, Revd Mother Amy-Elizabeth Sheridan, Archdeacon David Sharples, Bishop Mark Davies, Area Dean Daniel Ramble, Revd Christine Steel, Revd Lyn Woodall, and Revd David Halford. 

Under the leadership of Revd Lyn, the PCC will be meeting within the next two weeks to consider how we may safely proceed now that the Covid restrictions are lifted. The views of all our congregation members are being sought by way of a survey, and in the meantime we will continue with all the current precautions in place at our services.  

Sunday Worship 25th July

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to our Worship on the eighth Sunday after Trinity Sunday. Our Parish Eucharist is at 10 am at St Thomas' Church, and today we're really pleased to have Revd Lyn Woodall to lead our worship. If you can't be with us in person, you'll find everything you need to worship from home here on this page.

Our first hymn this morning is "Here is Bread, Here is Wine"

Today's Gospel

John 6:1-21 N.I.V.  

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Prayer:

Lord God, Heavenly Father, please make this Scripture alive to the very fibre of our beings. Enable us to find out more about You.

We seek Your loveliness and Your great power.

Be alive to us, today, we pray.

In Jesus’ mighty Name.

Amen

Reflection 

Upon immediate glance; this is such a familiar story that most of us have grown up with.  So it is easy to think, ah, yes, I know this story....

Then stop taking it in.

However, Stories and Parables about Jesus always warrant a second, third and even fiftieth glance!

This Story, unusually in my opinion, is very clear and straightforward.

A doing/action kind of story!

Here’s a lad.

He’s got some bread and some fish.

Jesus – afraid for His life with the crush of folk coming towards Him, has to find a solution....

Stop the crowd.

Feed the crowd.

Give them what they came for...some Teaching.

Throw in a sign and wonder and then withdraw.

Simple then!

The crowd have been following Jesus from place to place, from miracle to miracle.

As His Crucifixion looms; so His divinity heightens and grows. His humanity being overshadowed by His Messianic and Kingly status. His signs and wonders grow clearer and more intense. From water to wine and culminating in the raising of His friend, Lazarus, from the dead, days before His death.

He has to teach them – for this is what He came to do.

But He needs time to withdraw, recharge and simply to talk to His Father, as He approaches the most horrendous day in the history of the world.

And so, He instructs His Disciples...

Get the loaves and fishes off the lad.

Sit the crowd down.

Give thanks.

Distribute the bread.

Distribute the fish.

Feed them.

Collect up the remains.

There is to be NO waste.

There is more left over than what they started with and the crowd see this and they roar and crush forward; to declare Him their King and Messiah (Saviour).

Once again, Jesus has to make a swift exit before the crowd bear down upon Him. He is crying out with all that is within Him, to be near His Father, to call out in prayer and supplication.

He withdraws to the mountain top, by Himself.

Every simile and metaphor and double entendre, here is indicative of His status of His position, of His divinity, of His sacrificial status.

There is nothing wasted.

He is on TOP of that mountain.

He is alone. And the darkness surrounds Him.

His Disciples go down to Lake Capernaum and take a boat.

They begin to row and row and they row three or four miles and a fierce wind begins to blow.

Of course, this is not something to fear because that wind is the Holy Spirit of the living God!

But they are scared!

And at the peak of the Disciples’ fear, of course, Yeshua, approaches, walking on the water!

And they are afeard even more!

And He spoke to them and said, “don’t be scared! It is I!”

And He gets in their boat and immediately the boat reaches the shore!

People of God, we should not be afraid because all that our Saviour came to do has been accomplished and we are already at the shoreline.

We are already where we should be.

In His presence!

Lydia S.

Prayer:

Thank You, Father, for giving us Your only Son. To be our Saviour, our Rescuer and our Lord and King.

We need You every hour, Father God. And we ask that You reveal more of the Teachings of Jesus to each one of us. That we might grow in grace and stature, in Your sight.

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Angel Voices Ever Singing"