Sunday Worship 26th January

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Third Sunday after Epiphany. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.

This afternoon we also have a Churches Together in Lees and District Service for Christian Unity at 2.30 pm at Zion Methodist Church, where everyone is warmly invited to join us.

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 "Thy Hand, O God, has Guided"

Today's Gospel

Luke 4:14-21 Jesus Teaches at Nazareth

Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Reflection

Wow, Jesus really is flavour of the month. Just listen to all the positives in this passage … in the power of the Spirit … a report went out … he taught in their synagogues … glorified by all …  eyes of all fixed on him …

Then the bombshell. “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Boom!

This was a high-point in Jesus’ ministry. It was one of the few times when no-one was complaining or arguing or trying to chuck him off a cliff. Everybody loved him, everybody listened to him, everybody ‘liked’ him on Facebook.

We’ve all had times like this – when everything goes well and we feel the world is on our side. Other times, it all goes dreadfully wrong and we can’t wait to go to bed just to get the day over with. Jesus had days like that too. There were plenty of times when people heard Jesus’ words and saw the miracles and even ate the bread and the fish, yet still walked away with their hearts stubbornly closed. People misinterpreted him, lied about him and accused him of being in league with the devil. They humiliated him, beat him up and eventually killed him.

Pretty bad days. Where was ‘the Spirit of the Lord’ then? Where was the anointing? Where was the Lord’s favour?

Still there. Still exactly where it had always been. None of the bad stuff meant that the reading today was any less true that it had been in the glory days.

What Jesus had was not just the temporary ‘up’ of having a good day – passing the test, finding that thing you’d lost and winning the office quiz, plus having really good hair. It was a much bigger, deeper kind of ‘up’. It was the kind of ‘up’ that stays up even when the scaffolding underneath is taken away.

Ignatius of Loyola called this state ‘consolation’. It is much more than just feeling good because things are going well. It is an abiding joy that goes way beyond happy. It is the state of knowing that you are walking in step with God and it is not dependent on the circumstances.

It was this ‘consolation’ or abiding joy that enabled Paul and Silas to sing hymns of praise in the Philippian jail. Later, Paul did not mind whether he was in prison or not, even if he lived or not, because he was sure that he was doing what he should be doing. He was walking in step with God and so he could stride forward confidently. If it led to huge crowds and Caesar, that was fine. If it led to unseen drudgery and apparently fruitless ministry, that was fine. If it led to prison and martyrdom, that was fine too.

Jesus knew that he was walking in step with God, both here in our reading, in the glory days, and later, when the wind of opinion became a gale against him. That firm conviction stayed with him even in the most dire of circumstances. If it was going well and people loved him, that was fine. If it was not going well and people were baying for his blood, that was fine too.

What about today, in our lives? I know that I do not live in that permanent certainly of walking in step with God. I am more in step at some times and awkwardly hobbling behind at others. The first is definitely better. When we are walking in step with God, joining in the work that he is doing, allowing our hearts to beat with his, then we can all know the deep sense of peace – that passes all understanding. (Phil 4:7)

It is the ‘all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well’ spoken of by Julian of Norwich – no matter what the external circumstances. This is the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness depends on good things happening, and when those change, so does our mood. Happiness requires support from circumstances. Joy, or consolation, requires no external support, it is reliant solely on God.

It does not mean we have to pretend that life is a happy place when it is not. Sometimes life can be rotten. It means living beyond the rotten. It means knowing that if you are walking in step with God, then even when that walk takes you through muddy places, steep hills or shadowy valleys, it really is OK.              Faye Rowlands

Our Prayers

Loving Father,

Thank you for all the good times in our lives.

Help us to be resilient in the times when things don’t go well.

Give us confidence and joy in our heart,

As we walk with you, through both the difficult and the good times.

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Jubilate, Everybody"

 

Sunday Worship 19th January

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Second Sunday after Epiphany. 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 "From Heaven You Came (Servant King)"

Today's Gospel

John 2:1-11      Jesus Changes Water into Wine

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." 

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." 

So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Reflection

Let’s begin by thinking of a wedding that you’ve been to, maybe even your own. It’s a big day and generally a long day. There’s all the last minute things to do in the morning; flowers, dressing up, your hair do and make up. Lots of rushing around and maybe a bit of panic. 

Then there’s the wedding itself, full of joy, love, emotions and anticipation. The serious part when the happy couple make their commitments and vows to one another in the presence of God and everyone else gathered there.  

This is usually followed by a party, an opportunity to celebrate together, congratulate the newly-weds and of course share food and drink, and generally have a good time.

But back in Jesus’s day, weddings would have been quite different. To start with the wedding would have been on a totally different scale. It would have involved most of the village and there would be people from surrounding towns and villages invited too. 

Furthermore, it wouldn’t last all day, instead it would have lasted for many days, even a week or more. Weddings were big occasions and people would be coming and going all the time.

 

So the when the wine started running out it would be a major issue.

We don’t know how Mary was aware that the wine had run out. Maybe she overheard nervous whispers between the stewards in charge or saw worried looks on their faces, but somehow she knew. She also instinctively knew that Jesus would be able to solve the problem and save the wedding family from massive embarrassment.

It’s worth just pausing here for a moment to think about how Mary knew Jesus could help. I hardly think she was expecting Him to jump into the car and drive to Aldi! At this time Jesus had not yet begun His teaching or ministry and not performed any miracles. Jesus was just a regular young man at the party with four of His friends, who would become His first disciples. He hadn’t been invited to the party for any special reason, He wasn’t famous in any way and no one there knew He was the Messiah.

As He told Mary, “My hour has not yet come”.  This statement was not an impolite dismissive response along the lines of – ‘Leave us alone we’re busy having a good time’, - It tells us that Jesus, ‘fully human’ Jesus, did not yet feel ready to step into His divine role. 

But somehow, Mary had total confidence in Jesus and knew that ‘His time’ had now come.  

In  the next few moments everything changes – Jesus jumps into action to save the day. However, there was no huge fanfare – no ripping off of robes to reveal a superhero costume underneath; He chose that His first miracle would be very discreet with as few people as possible having any idea what had happened. 

He chose not to fill the empty wine jugs but to use the jugs reserved for spiritual cleansing. If you’ve ever been to Cyprus or Greece you may have seen them outside hotels or in the market places. They are huge and hold 150 gallons or more. Jesus had six of these filled to the brim – that’s about 1000 gallons.

It shows us Jesus didn’t do things by halves. When He performed miracles He did them full on and didn’t leave any room for doubt. It also reminds us of the nature of God, who lavishes His blessings on us in abundance. [Ephesians 1:6-8].

We are told that the wine was of the highest quality and tasted better than any other wine. Jesus is the best and always gives us His best. He invites us all to drink of His goodness and to experience and enjoy His unlimited goodness overflowing into us.

Through Jesus and His sacrifice to save us all from our sins, we are truly blessed with God’s endless grace and love, and never need to worry about the ‘good stuff’ running out.  Paul 

Our Prayers

Almighty Father,

We thank you for the abundance of your grace and love.

Jesus showed us how to do good things,

on a grand scale, behind the scenes.

Help us to be humble servants,

doing the best we can for God and each other,

without seeking for glory for ourselves.

Amen

Today's final hymn is "To God be the Glory"

Notices

Today sees the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Everyone is invited to join our fellow Christians from around Lees and district for a joint service next Sunday afternoon – please see the poster for details.

The PCC meets at 7 pm on Monday the 20th January at St Thomas’. 

On Tuesday the 21st January at 2 pm, the Ladies of Leesfield are holding their monthly meeting in the Community Room. All are most welcome to come along and join them for refreshments and companionship. 

Sunday Worship 12th January

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the First Sunday after Epiphany, when we celebrate the Baptism of Christ. This morning's Church Services 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 resourses below to worship at home.

Our first hymn this morning is "Come Down O Love Divine"

Today's Gospel

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Baptism of Christ

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 baptise 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."

Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Reflection

A couple of weeks ago we looked at Luke 3:7-18 which includes the first part of today's gospel passage. 

This is followed by Luke’s account of the Baptism of Christ. There is a logic in this because it puts the purpose of Jesus’ baptism into context.  John had already made it unequivocally clear that he was not the Messiah and that he was only the herald for one who was more powerful.  

John also stressed that his was a baptism of repentance, telling people they needed to change their ways and ask for mercy and forgiveness.

With that in mind, why, you may wonder, did Jesus need to be baptised? He was human and like us in every way, except that he was totally free from sin.

In Matthew’s account, [Matt. 1:13-17], Jesus tells John, “‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.”. 

Jesus’ baptism was an act of dedication for His future ministry and recognition of both His human nature, and also His divinity as the Father’s son. It was confirmation from God of who Jesus was. 

Luke specifically notes that Jesus prayed before the heavens opened. We have no way of knowing how aware Jesus was of His true nature before these events happened and what the extent of His ministry and mission would be. Up to this point, He appeared to be ordinary in every way. He hasn’t performed any miracles or preached – to all intents and purposes He was the same as everyone else.

Then the Holy Spirit came upon Him like a dove. Many people believe that this signifies the nature of His messiahship would be peaceful and He would not be the military leader that many had hoped for. Jesus was endowed with a ministry of purity, love, and compassion.  

The climax of the event is the voice of God, confirming Jesus’ identity as God’s son, the Messiah, the one whom John had been pointing to all this time and the one prophesied by Isaiah [Isa:42:1]. 

In baptism Jesus was initiated into the family of God and claimed by God as His beloved child. In baptism Jesus accepted His ministry and future role. 

Most importantly, for Jesus, baptism was a way to identify Himself with sinners, so that they might identify with Him in His life. 

In our baptism too, we are initiated into the family of God as His children. 

God is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him through Christ. 

God is telling us how special we are and calling us to play our role in ministry with Him. For most of us that does not mean becoming ordained clergy, but it does require us to follow the example of our role model – Jesus Christ. 

To love and help one another and speak out against unfairness and injustice wherever we come across it.  To spread the Gospel of Jesus. 

As John declared, Baptism is a call to move away from sin; but it’s also a movement towards something -  A movement towards Jesus and holiness through prayer and spirituality.  As you pray this week, ask God to show you what He wants you to do to live a better life in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

                  Paul

Our Prayers

Loving Father,

We pray for your guidance, 

to show us how to live our lives better, 

and follow the example of your Son Jesus.

To fill us with the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit

to do your will, here on earth.

In Jesus' name, we pray. 

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Hail to the Lord's Anointed"

Sunday Worship 5th January

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Second Sunday of Christmas. Our Church services this morning are cancelled due to the weather and road conditions. Stay safe and warm inside, and you will find resources below to worship at home.

Our first hymn this morning is "See, Amid the Winter's Snow"

Today's Bible Reading

Ephesians 1:3-14                       Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Reflection

In many churches including our parish, we will be celebrating Epiphany or the coming of the three wise men. Epiphany is properly formally celebrated tomorrow, and I have, therefore chosen instead to reflect on the Epistle for the second Sunday after Christmas.  

It was written to the early church in Ephesus in the first century when the good news of Jesus and the church was growing in the regions around Jerusalem.  But it is just as relevant to us as it was to those early Christians. 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is so full of hope and gratitude, that almost every sentence should fill us with a sense of joy and thankfulness for the significance of what God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit had promised to us. 

 

When I read it, it seems very appropriate for the beginning of the new year – a time when many people look forward and make resolutions or promises about how we might live our lives a little differently. Be that cutting out bad habits or doing more good things. 

Just as we might be planning to think about the year ahead and what we might promise ourselves – Paul outlines that God has a plan for us His children, and has had it since the beginning of time. Like our plans, it’s full of promises. But God’s plan does not just look ahead to next year, it’s for all eternity. 

 

From the very beginning, “He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will”, [v5]. 

Through God’s grace, God’s stance of giving, loving – He has freely blessed all of us who are willing to believe that He has chosen us and sent His only Son Jesus to save us and show us our destiny as part of God’s great plan.

 

When we take a moment to think about God’s plan, we may begin to get a feel for how awesome and mind-boggling that is. 

Paul tells the church that all history has been a preparation for, planning and thinking for and administering for the goal of God - that the world will be brought together as one family in Christ. 

At the beginning of his letter, Paul says, “God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. Perhaps the phrase ‘heavenly places’, may conjure simplistic ideas of a place where God lives or where we go when we die. But I think it is far wider than that – God has created everything, seen and unseen – His universe and the cosmos is massive, far beyond what we can grasp.

But heavenly places can also be non-material or physical. 

Heavenly places can be in our hearts and souls. When God made us, it was always in His plan to plant a seed within us - a Jesus seed; in the hope that it will grow and transform us as we accept and acknowledge all the Spiritual blessings He has given us through Christ. 

As we think about taking down the Christmas lights and throwing away the wrappers from presents …. and as we think about our own plans for the year ahead – let’s take a while to reflect on the presents God has blessed us with in the plans and priorities He has for us. 

Let’s also praise God, because of what he has done in Christ. Because God chose to get involved, He chose to make himself known, He showed us his ways and He declared his will by becoming human.

Through His grace, God took the initiative in blessing adopting us as his children. 

We don’t have to ask God for those blessings. They are already ours, but we do have to take possession of what God has given through faith and trust in Jesus and giving God the praise he rightly deserves.           Paul

Our Prayers

Most gracious Father,

We thank you that you chose to adopt us as your children.

Help us to see your hand at work in the world,

and to understand that spiritual blessings 

are greater than health and wealth.

Thank you for the gospel and promise of salvation 

given through your Son Jesus Christ.

May we have faith and believe in Him;

and be marked with the seal of your Holy Spirit. 

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning"

Notices

Hope you are had a great break at Christmas and New Year. If you missed any of the services or events, there are lots of photos on our Parish and Sunday School Facebook pages for you to look at.

Our Sunday services next week are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes’ and 11 am at St Thomas’. The Tuesday morning service of Holy Communion is at St Thomas’ at 10 am, and Worship for all Generations is at 6.30 pm at St Agnes’ on Tuesday and Wednesday.

For all attending services at St Thomas’ Church, please wrap up warmly because the main heating system has failed. For smaller services we will worship in the Community Room as we do on Tuesday mornings, because that space is on a separate heating system.

Huge thanks to all of our wonderful Carol Singers and collectors – together we raised £134.53 for the Booth Centre for homeless people in Manchester.

On Monday the 6th January we have our “All-age Worship Singing” at 4.30 pm at St Thomas’, where we practice singing the hymns for the coming month. Everyone is welcome to join us, whatever your age or singing ability! Also, if you have any favourite hymns or worship songs that you would like to request, please let us know and we will try to include them in future services.