North Wingfield Team Blog:
The Coronavirus, Church & You Survey
You are invited to take part in this national
survey…details below
The Covid-19 pandemic has obviously had a profound effect
on churches. The lockdown has severely restricted
ministry in areas such as pastoral care, fellowship
groups, and serving the community. On the other hand,
for those with online access, worship has taken on new
and creative forms over the last few weeks. Many clergy
and ministry teams have risen to the challenge of
operating in the virtual environment.
As we pass the most severe period of lockdown, it seems a
good time to assess how churchgoers have responded to
the experience, and what they think the future might
hold. How well have people coped with the pandemic? Has
it strengthened or weakened their faith? How has it been
for clergy and ministry teams trying to work in this new
environment? How have those receiving ministry found
this novel experience? Will virtual ministry become part
of the post-pandemic landscape, and will this be a good
move for your church?
We have developed a survey over the last few weeks in
discussion with bishops, clergy and lay people which we
hope will enable you to record your experience of the
pandemic, the ministry you have given or received, and
what you think will happen to churches in a
post-pandemic world.
In an article to launch the survey in the Church Times,
the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, wrote: “This
survey is an attempt to go beyond anecdote… It will
capture evidence of both excitement and fears for the
future, of where stress levels have changed, and whether
personal faith has weakened or grown.”
This is an online survey, which we estimate it will take
you about 20-30 minutes to complete. Most of the
questions simply require you to tick boxes, though there
are options to specify your particular circumstances,
and an opportunity at the end for you to tell us your
views in your own words. Alongside questions about the
pandemic and ministry there are sections which ask about
you: these are important because they will allow us to
see how the lockdown is affecting different sorts of
people in different contexts.
The survey can be completed on mobile phones, though it is
more quickly completed on devices with larger screens
such as tablets or computers.
Please forward this link to any
churches or churchgoers you feel might want to take part
in the survey and support this research. We should have
some initial results within a few weeks and will make
these available as widely as we can.
God gives His gifts where He
finds the vessel empty enough to receive them. - ib C S
Lewis, writer
Whit Sunday - Day of Pentecost: Whit Sunday
Pentecost took place on the
well-established Jewish festival of Firstfruits, which
was observed at the beginning of the wheat harvest. It
was seven weeks after Easter, or 50 days including
Easter.
A feast day to celebrate the country’s wheat harvest
does not sound exactly world-changing, but that year, it
became one of the most important days in world history.
For Pentecost was the day that Jesus sent the Holy
Spirit - the day the Church was born.
Jesus had told His disciples that something big was
going to happen, and that they were to wait for it in
Jerusalem, instead of returning to Galilee. Jesus had
plans for His disciples, but He knew they could not do
the work themselves. They would need His help.
And so, they waited in Jerusalem, praying together with
His other followers, for many days. And then on that
fateful morning there was suddenly the sound as of a
mighty rushing wind. Tongues of flame flickered on their
heads, and they began to praise God in many tongues, to
the astonishment of those who heard them. The curse of
Babel (Genesis 11: 1- 9) was dramatically reversed that
morning.
That morning the Holy Spirit came to indwell the
disciples and followers of Jesus. The Church was born.
The Christians were suddenly full of life and power,
utterly different from their former fearful selves. The
change in them was permanent.
Peter gave the first ever sermon of the Christian Church
that morning, proclaiming Jesus was the Messiah. His
boldness in the face of possible death was in marked
contrast to the man who had denied Jesus 50 days before.
And 3,000 people
responded, were converted, and were baptised. How’s that
for fast church growth!
Of course, Pentecost was not the first time the Holy
Spirit had acted in this world. All through the Old
Testament there are accounts of how God’s Spirit guided
people and strengthened them. But now, because of
Christ’s death and resurrection, He could INDWELL them.
From now on, every Christian could have the confidence
that Jesus was with them constantly, through the
indwelling of His Holy Spirit.
Joan of Arc: saving France from the English
How far would you go to respond to God’s call on your
life? When, as the daughter of a peasant family in
Champagne in 1426, 14-year-old Joan heard heavenly
voices calling her to ‘save France’ from the English,
she decided to obey the call, no matter what the
consequences.
Teenage girls who want to rescue their country from
foreign troops were considered every bit as crazy back
then as they would be now. But Joan eventually came to
the notice of the Dauphin (Later Charles Vll) who
decided to make use of her obvious ability to inspire
people – in this case, the French, to fight. And so
Joan, dressed in white armour, rode at the front of the
French army when they relieved Orleans in April 1429.
Her presence and belief in her divine calling to
get rid of the English, did wonders for the morale of
the troops, who loved her even more when she sustained a
wound in the breast, and made little of it.
A campaign in the Loire followed, and
then in July the Dauphin was crowned at Rheims with Joan
at his side, carrying her standard. More battles
followed that winter, until Joan was captured and sold
to the English. They attributed her success to
witchcraft and spells, and imprisoned her at Rouen. She
was brought before judges, where her spirited
But the judges declared her false and diabolical, and
she was condemned to die as a heretic. She was burnt at
the stake in the marketplace at Rouen on 30 May 1431.
Joan died as she had lived; with total faith in God and
certainty that she was obeying His will for her life.
She died with fortitude, looking at a cross and calling
on the name of Jesus. Her ashes were thrown into the
Seine.
Joan’s integrity and courage are what shine down the
centuries. Here is a patron saint for you if you feel
that God is calling you to do something extraordinary:
something that is way, way beyond your comfort zone; but
something that could right wrongs and make a difference
in the world. Are you up for it?
Mothers’ Union offers range of resources
The Mothers’ Union has made a very practical response to
the coronavirus.
As their website explains, “We know that our work and
experience in re-building communities and supporting
family life is going to be more important than ever once
the threat of COVID-19 subsides. Our members will be
some of the first in line to support those around them.”
In the meantime, MU has drawn together a range of
resources to “help nurture our members and their friends
and neighbours through this challenging time.”
The resources will “help combat feelings of
loneliness, to nourish faith and to help you continue to
feel connected to your friends and community.”
These include: rainbows, prayer cards, prayer resources, puzzles resources, and Bible study resources.
Mend
and make do
According to handicraft expert
Kirstie Allsopp, a missing button was the number one
reason why 350,000 tonnes of wearable clothing may end
up in UK landfill this year.
But that was before lockdown. Now you have time to make do – and mend! Rescue and reuse your clothes. After all, it saves money and the planet.
What
kind of stress do you have?
These are stressful days.
The towering
storm clouds of coronavirus and financial trouble are
casting a long shadow over all of us.
Many
of us deal with our stress by expressing it. Loudly! We
lose our temper, swear, shout and even throw things at
our loved ones. We over-react to various personal
setbacks because we can’t retaliate against the virus or
the stock market.
But
some of us do the opposite: we under-react. We display
‘quiet stress’.
“We
quietly hold our stress within: we don’t speak up about
how we feel. And
crucially, we become inert. We don’t act on situations
that require action.” So warns Jillian Lavender of the
London Meditation Centre.
“We
stay in unhappy relationships and unfulfilling jobs. We
feel overwhelmed, yet we ignore important admin tasks.
We procrastinate.
Quiet stress creates an emotional paralysis that
keeps us ‘stuck’ in unhappy situations.
Inaction is just as much of an inappropriate
response to stress as over-reaction is”
A further danger of ‘quiet
stress’ is that instead of taking positive action,
people can withdraw into themselves, and turn to comfort
eating or drinking too much. This further lowers their
immune system.
The
Valley of Dry Bones has a future hopeThe
Valley of Dry Bones has a future hope
At
this time of global pandemic, we live with stark reality
of death and life. Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry
bones (37:1-14) was given when God’s people were in
exile in Babylon. They felt dead, being separated from
home and God! The vision answers God’s question:
‘can these bones
live?’.
We can also feel cut off from
God, facing the loss of job, business, home or health,
with churches unable to meet on Sundays. This vision
assures us that God has power over death and can breathe
new life into what is hopeless.
When Ezekiel is told to
‘prophesy to the
bones,’ God brings them back to life: the bones come
together and are covered with muscles and skin. He then
prophesies to the wind, from the four corners of the
earth, to bring the bodies alive. The physical bodies
are then filled with God’s breath to bring new life. The
miracle of this story is that God not only makes these
bones live, but also brings the life of His Spirit.
The Covid-19 virus robs people
of their life by suffocation, so that they can’t
breathe. Our hope beyond the pandemic is that the gift
of God’s Spirit will bring new life to our lives,
churches and world. Life will certainly look very
different in the future, but we can be assured that God
is with us and that we are safe in His hands.
‘I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I
will settle you in your own land. Then you will know
that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it,
declares the Lord.’(vs14)
Christians and the bubonic plague of London
The Reverend Richard Peirson was one of the exceptions.
Most of the other clergy in the City of London had fled
the Great Plague in 1665, but Peirson stayed behind to
look after the parishioners of St Bride’s Church, Fleet
Street, where he was Rector. The parish was densely
populated and the pandemic was catastrophic. The
church’s register records 636 burials that year in the
month of September alone, with 43 interred in one day.
Houses of infected people were
marked with a red cross on the door, with occupants kept
inside for 40 days. Handcarts were pulled along the city
streets to cart away the bodies; the drivers’ cries of
“Bring out your dead”, became etched in the memories of
subsequent generations.
Relatives were banned from attending funerals.
The official count numbered 68,596 deaths in London
alone, but other estimates suggested two or three times that
number. Bubonic plague – for that is what it was – was
incurable. Poor people were fatalistic about it but
complained that even their ‘spiritual physicians’ had
abandoned them. Clergy of the Church of England were
often supplanted by non-conformist preachers.
It wasn’t just the St Bride’s Rector who put his life in
jeopardy by staying at his post. While most wealthy
people, along with King Charles II and his court,
escaped the plague-ridden city, Churchwarden Henry
Clarke also chose to remain at the church. When he
succumbed to the illness, his brother William took over.
William survived for a fortnight.
Plague cases continued to occur sporadically at a modest
rate until mid-1666. That year the Great Fire of London
destroyed St Bride’s Church and much of the City of
London. It was rebuilt to a design by Christopher Wren,
but almost obliterated once more in 1940 during World
War II before being restored yet again.
Today’s Rector, Canon Alison Joyce, says that compared
with her predecessor Richard Peirson, she has it easy.
Like everyone else, she is confined by the lockdown
rules to her Rectory next to the church. But her
pastoral work continues, and she collates sermons and
archive music to create a Sunday webcast service. Alison
writes, “these days it is a ministry of telephone calls,
emails and Facetime. I offer such practical help and
support to the vulnerable as I can . . . I keep a candle
burning before our main altar and continue a ministry of
prayer.”
Alison says she is surprised when people regard the
faith as a kind of celestial insurance policy against
bad things happening to them. The first followers of
Jesus knew that in dedicating their lives to following
the crucified and risen Christ, their discipleship would
take them into the very heart of darkness, not away from
it.
She adds, “Hope is no hope at
all unless it can engage with utter despair and
meaninglessness.”
John & Charles Wesley, evangelists & hymn-writers
John and Charles Wesley
were the founders of Methodism. Two of 19 children born
to Samuel and Susannah Wesley of Epworth Rectory in
Lincolnshire in 1703 and 1707, their father was the
local rector, while their mother was a spiritual
inspiration to her many children.
Both John and Charles went
to Christ Church, Oxford (1720 and 1726). John was
ordained, and Charles and some friends formed a ‘Holy
Club’ while still at college. It consisted of men who
dedicated themselves to Bible study, prayer, fasting and
good works. Such regular disciplines soon earned Charles
the nickname ‘Methodist’. The name stuck.
Both Charles and John felt
called to the mission field, and so in 1735 they sailed
to Georgia. Their time among Indians in America was not
a success – they struggled for any real spiritual
authority in their ministries. Feeling failures, they
returned to England in some depression. John summed it
up: “I went to America to convert the Indians; but, oh,
who shall convert me?”
Then the Wesleys made
friends with some Moravians. They stressed that
salvation cannot be earned, but must be received by
grace through faith in Christ.
Charles was the first to experience this ‘true’
conversion, when on Pentecost Sunday, 21st
May 1738, he wrote that the Spirit of God ‘chased away
the darkness of my unbelief.’
Only
three days later, on 24th
May, 1738, it was John’s turn. As he wrote in
his journal: “In the evening I went very unwillingly to
a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading
Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a
quarter before nine, while he was describing the change
which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I
felt my heart strangely warmed.”
John and Charles Wesley then devoted the rest of their
lives to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. In doing
so, they turned England upside-down. When the
established Church threw John out, he took to the
fields, preaching to coal miners and commoners. His
itinerant evangelism took him 250,000 miles on horseback
and to preach over 40,000 sermons.
His small ‘societies’ attracted some 120,000
followers by the time of his death.
Charles became the most
prolific and skilled hymn-writer in English history,
writing hymns that are sung widely today, such as ‘Love
Divine, All Loves Excelling.’ In all, he wrote more than
6,000 hymns.
The legacy of the two
brothers lives on. As well as Methodism, their teaching
has widely impacted the holiness movement, the
Pentecostal movement, and the charismatic movement.
St Alban, helping a stranger in need
Alban should
be the patron saint of anyone who impulsively offers to
help a stranger in need… and finds their own life turned
upside down as a result.
The story goes that Alban was a Roman citizen quietly
living in England in the third century.
Then, miles away in Rome, the emperor, Diocletian
ordered a persecution of the Christians. Nothing to do
with Alban… except that suddenly he found a desperate
priest on his doorstep, being hunted down by local
soldiers. Alban decided to give the priest shelter, and
within days was converted to Christianity himself, and
then baptised.
As if this
was not brave enough, when the soldiers arrived, Alban
decided to take the priest’s place. He dressed up in the
priest’s clothes to enable the priest to escape. Not
surprisingly, the soldiers then arrested Alban himself.
Now a Christian, Alban refused to offer sacrifice to the
Roman gods, and so was condemned to death.
But the story doesn’t end there, for Alban went to his
execution with such holiness and serenity that one of
the executioners was converted, and the other
executioner’s eyes fell out (or so the story goes).
Alban was buried nearby, and the shrine built to his
memory was soon known for its healing powers. Alban’s
cult extended all over England, and nine ancient English
churches were dedicated to him.
One-line quiz questions
21st May - Ascension
Day: 40 Days with the Risen Christ
40 days after Easter comes Ascension
Day. These are the 40 days during which the Risen Christ
appeared again and again to His disciples, following His
death and resurrection. (Matthew
28; Mark 16; Luke 24; and John 20.)
The Gospels give us little of Christ’s
teachings and deeds during those 40 days. Jesus was seen
by numerous of His disciples: on the road to Emmaus, by
the Sea of Galilee, in houses, etc. He strengthened and
encouraged His disciples, and at last opened their eyes
to all that the Scriptures had promised about the
Messiah. Jesus also told them that as the Father had
sent Him, He was now going to send them - to all corners
of the earth, as His witnesses.
Surely the most tender, moving
‘farewell’ in history took place on Ascension Day. Luke
records the story with great poignancy: ‘When Jesus had
led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up
His hands - and blessed them.’
As Christmas began the story of Jesus’
life on earth, so Ascension Day completes it, with His
return to His Father in heaven. Jesus’ last act on earth
was to bless His disciples. He and they had a bond as
close as could be: they had just lived through three
tumultuous years of public ministry and miracles –
persecution and death – and resurrection!
Just as we part from our nearest and dearest by
still looking at them with love and memories in our
eyes, so exactly did Jesus: ‘While He was blessing them,
He left them and was taken up into heaven.’ (Luke
24:50-1) He was not forsaking them, but merely going on
ahead to a kingdom which would also be theirs one day:
‘I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my
God and your God...’
(John 20:17)
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The disciples were surely the most
favoured folk in history. Imagine being one of the last
few people on earth to be face to face with Jesus, and
have Him look on you with love. No wonder then that Luke
goes on: ‘they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem
with great joy. And they stayed continually at the
temple, praising God.’
(Luke 24:52,53)
No wonder they praised God! They knew
they would see Jesus again one day!
‘I am going to prepare a place for you... I will
come back and take you to be with me that you also may
be where I am.’ (John 14:2,3) In the meantime, Jesus had
work for them to do: to take the Gospel to every nation
on earth.
Nature out and about
The lockdown this Spring at
least gave Nature a brief respite. Wild goats, herds of
deer, sparrowhawks, stoats, snakes, badgers, spawning
toads and songbirds all seemed to have enjoyed the peace
and quiet.
We, in turn, have enjoyed
watching them from our windows. As Mark Thompson, a
presenter on Stargazing Life, said, “This
lockdown is giving people a chance not just to connect
with our families, but also to connect with Nature
around us. It has
given us the change to recalibrate.”
St Sofa’s
We worship at St
Sofa’s now
Since Covid came to stay
We don’t dress up or do our
hair
But still we come to pray!
Our Vicar is a clever chap
A Zoom with his IT
And so we sit down ev’ry week
And meet up virtually!
Our Parish Church stands empty
With praise she does not ring;
But still her people gather
round
To pray, and praise, and sing!
The virus is a nasty thing
Yet it has helped us see
The church is NOT a building
But folk like you and me!
Over 6,000 calls in first 48 hours to Daily Hope
A free phone line offering hymns, prayers, and
reflections 24 hours a day while church buildings are
closed because of the coronavirus received more than
6,000 calls in the first 48 hours.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recently launched ‘Daily
Hope’ as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer
into people’s homes, during the lockdown period.
The
line – which is available 24 hours a day – has been set
up particularly with those unable to join online church
services in mind.
The service is supported by the Church of England
nationally as well as through the Connections group
based at Holy Trinity Claygate in Surrey and the
Christian charity Faith in Later Life.
Within 48 hours the line had received more than 6,000 calls from
across the country, with many being referred by friends,
family or members. Calls have so far spanned more than
50,000 minutes, with some of those accessing the service
listening to the music, prayers and reflections for up
to 50 minutes at a time.
The Revd Canon Dave Male, the Church of
England’s Director of Evangelism and Discipleship, said:
“The volume of calls shows that Daily Hope is meeting a
need.
“We have a duty in these strange and difficult times to find new ways
of bringing prayer and worship to people wherever they
are, and this is one more way of helping people to
connect with God from their own homes.
“This is such a simple idea – planned and
launched all within a few short weeks by a small
dedicated team – but I pray it will bring real comfort,
hope and inspiration to people at this time.”
Callers to the line hear a short greeting from the
Archbishop before being able to choose from a range of
options, including hymns, prayers, reflections and
advice on COVID-19.
Join the celebration of nurses and healthcare workers in an online service on 10 May by clicking above. Bishop of London and former Chief Nursing Officer Sarah Mullally lead the service, with contributions from the current Chief Nursing Officer and many more, in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.
St Matthias, the replacement apostle
If you’re saying to yourself, ‘Who?’
you’ll be in good company. May 15th is the feast day of
St Matthias the Apostle, and in describing him thus we
have said just about all there is to know about him. He
gets just one mention in the Bible, in the first chapter
of Acts, immediately prior to the day of Pentecost,
where it tells us that he was elected to take the place
in the ranks of the twelve apostles recently vacated by
the betrayer Judas Iscariot.
Eusebius, in the fourth century, says
in his history of the apostolic era that Matthias was
one of the 70 disciples sent out by Jesus (Luke 10:1),
and that seems reasonable. When it was necessary to fill
the vacancy among the apostles it would be natural to
turn to someone who had followed Jesus from earlier
years, as well as being a witness of the resurrection.
Two names were suggested and prayed over. Then the
apostles cast lots, following the Old Testament practice
of the high priest’s Urim and Thummim, one assumes. When
they did, ‘the lot fell on Matthias’.
Casting lots to fill vacancies on
committees or councils, or even to appoint bishops,
might seem to us to be rather risky. The Victorian
preacher Campbell Morgan even suggested, that the 11
acted in haste and pre-empted God’s choice of Saul
(later known as Paul), who at that time was busy
persecuting the Church, arresting Christians and having
them thrown into prison. He hadn’t yet travelled the
Damascus Road.
Be that as it may, Matthias was
elected, and for us he can stand for all those
excellent, consistent, reliable and faithful servants of
Christ who never make a headline, not even in a blog or
parish magazine. Yet still he was chosen because he
could be a ‘witness’, and so are we.
Doubtless he
fulfilled that responsibility admirably, without, as we
say, ‘setting the Thames on fire’. Let’s salute him on
his day - the ‘Unknown Apostle’.
#FaithAtHome aims to make prayer a
household habit
The Church of England has recently
launched #FaithAtHome, a new programme which it is hoped
will “make prayer a household habit once again.”
#FaithAtHome will feature
weekly video content to help families to talk about
faith and pray together. The videos will be led by
children, young people, staff and school leaders from
across the country.
The #FaithAtHome programme will run
for an initial 11 weeks, until the end of July, and can
be accessed at
churchofengland.org/faithathome.
It
will explore
themes including courage, patience, generosity,
resilience, love and hope.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin
Welby, said: “The aim of these resources is to offer
simple ways for families and households to approach
complex and difficult topics, such as illness, fear and
bereavement.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced people to confront
difficult and painful questions that none of us can
explore on our own.
“My hope and prayer is that
#FaithAtHome will not only equip children and young
people to engage with difficult questions, but also
inspire them.”
The Church of England’s Chief
Education Officer, Nigel Genders said: "Home is the new
normal, and faith at home is a habit we need to
rediscover. #FaithAtHome will offer people of all ages
and faith backgrounds a chance to pause, think and
reflect, and to rebuild lost habits of prayer and
faithful reflection in the home.”
Psalm 34
Amid the current coronavirus pandemic, we all live with
fear and uncertainty. How do we deal with fear?
‘I
sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me
from all my fears.’
(Ps 34:4). In this psalm,
David expresses real fears. He was on the run from Saul,
who was trying to murder him! Yet David points to three
simple habits that help overcome fear.
Praising God always:
‘I
will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always
be on my lips.
(1). It was David’s pattern of life to praise God daily,
whatever his circumstances. He was acknowledging God’s
lordship over his life. Praise affirms that my
circumstances are in His hands and He is with me in all
that I am going through.
Seeking God continually:
‘This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved
him out of all his troubles.’
(6). David looked to God, who released him from all
his fears. It’s easy for our fears to overwhelm us and
rob us of the assurance that God loves us and wants the
best for us. When we seek God, He hears us and responds,
as He is not powerless to act.
Finding refuge in God:
‘Taste
and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who
takes refuge in Him.’
(8). David’s personal invitation is to taste and see
that God is good. Our fears often tell us that the
opposite is true for us. Fear tells us that God cannot
be trusted and that He will abandon us. We can make God
our secure refuge and not be afraid.
This psalm helps us to see fear from a totally different
perspective: ‘Fear
the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him
lack nothing.’ (9).
Creative things you can do with your Bible
Bible Society is urging people to make good use of their
enforced time at home by using their creativity to read
the Bible with better appreciation. To help with this,
Bible Society is
offering a range of creative Bible-based resources to help
people learn new skills, such as journaling, colouring
or doing crafts that are Bible-based.
These include:
Bless Our Nest (£5.95) - a colouring
book filled with Bible verse designs, featuring colour
charts and tools for Bible journaling.
Faithful Papercrafting (£12.99) -
now you can create note cards, gift tags and scrapbook
paper, mini cards, bookmarks and envelope templates full
of inspiring Scripture.
Complete Guide to Bible Journaling (£14.99) -
offering new creative techniques for Bible journaling.
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Sometimes we need occasionaly to have a laugh so here are some items put in church notice sheets.
This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs Brown, our
children’s minister, to come forward and lay an egg on
the altar.
Send your photos to: colin_rosemary@outlook.com and we will put them on this website.
Terry Waite - on coping with lockdown
Terry Waite spent four years in solitary confinement in
Beirut. He says: “In isolation, it is easy to become
introspective and depressed. All of us, when we are
honest and examine ourselves critically, will discover
things about ourselves of which we are not especially
proud. I had to learn how to grow a greater acceptance
of myself and work towards a deeper inner harmony.
“….
Today in lockdown, it’s important to keep yourself well.
Don’t slob around all day in pyjamas and a dressing
gown. Dress properly and develop a routine. It’s
important to have a structure – get up at a certain
time, eat regular meals and so on.
“If you have faith, then that
will give you resources to draw on”, especially if you
know some hymns, psalms and prayers by heart. “When I
was captured, they were there to call on.”
How
do you feel about your health?
Having a religious faith may well
make you feel better about your health, according to
recent government figures.
The
Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published data
linking religious belief and health in an effort to
“understand the circumstances of people of different
religious identities.”
It
found that 66 per cent of Muslims, 68 per cent of
Christians, 69 per cent of Sikhs, 71 per cent of
Buddhists, 72 per cent of Hindus and 77 per cent of Jews
were satisfied with their health between 2016 and 2018.
In
contrast, only 64 per cent of non-religious people
reported being satisfied with their health during that
time.
Michael Wakelin, chair of the Religious Media Centre,
said: “I guess this has something to do with an attitude
of gratitude.
If you are of the opinion that God loves you and
He created you, you are more likely to be grateful for
what you have.
“Also, if you have a faith you
are more likely to be hopeful for a better future, so
that even if things are a bit tough now, they will
improve in God’s time.”
We
can claim the gift of sleep
Many of us have had our sleep
patterns disturbed in recent weeks.
After all, a pandemic, lockdown and growing
financial crisis are hardly conducive to relaxation.
But
the fact is that, whatever is happening out there, we
desperately need our sleep. It is vital for the proper
functioning of our brain and heart. Anyone who has ever
been deprived of sleep for a period will remember their
ever-diminishing ability to perform complicated tasks.
Sleep can also help us solve
problems. We go to bed struggling with a decision to
make or a relationship to resolve, and we wake up to
find a solution presenting itself.
The old advice to ‘sleep on it’ is true: we see things
more clearly after sleep.
The
Bible considers our sleep as a blessing from God.
As Christians, we can calmly commit ourselves to
His loving care, secure that He who watches over us
“will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps 121:4). Knowing
that God is with us, we can let ourselves go.
If you are having trouble
sleeping, why not memorise one of the verses below, and
repeat it to yourself as you lie in bed tonight?
‘I
lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains
me.’
(Ps 3:5)
‘In
peace I will lie down and sleep, for you
alone, Lord, make
me dwell in safety.’
(Ps
4:8)
As the writer George MacDonald
so aptly put it: “Sleep is God’s contrivance for giving
man the help He cannot get into him when he is awake.”
Lockdown,
you and IT
How are you getting on
with technology? The
coronavirus pandemic has driven hundreds of millions of
us to use it more than ever, as we sit at home in
frustrated isolation.
If you are used to digital
meetings and Zoom, it is not a problem, but for millions
of grandparents wanting to see their families, or
non-techie people wanting to see their friends, it has
been quite a learning curve.
So, is there a patron saint of computers and
electronics and all the difficult stuff?
Some people say the
patron saint of the internet should be Saint Isidore of
Seville, a Bishop and scholar in the Seventh Century who
wrote a book called
Etymologies
or The Origins,
in which he tried to record everything that was known.
That seems to be a good basis for sainthood, or at least
for the internet.
Another candidate is Saint
Eligius who lived about the same time. He is quite busy already
as the patron
saint of goldsmiths,
metalworkers, vets, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical
Engineers (REME), horses and those who work with them.
His main qualification seems to have been his ability to
make things.
Another suggestion is Zebedee. No, not the character from The Magic
Roundabout but the father of James and John.
After all, consider this: “James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John…were
in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets,
and He called them. (Matt. 4:21)
Ok, it is not the internet, but Zebedee knew
about mending a net which would have had both good and
bad stuff all over it.
Certainly, whenever one gets in an IT muddle
during this lockdown, we would welcome any patron saint
that was willing to help us!
Coping in the Storm
‘Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was
completely calm.’
(Mark 4:39).
What
started out for the disciples as a routine trip across
the Sea of Galilee, ended up with a storm threatening to
overwhelm their boat! Jesus was asleep in the boat, so
little wonder they feared for their lives:
‘Teacher, don’t
you care if we drown?’ (38).
Who
would have thought two months ago that the world would
be overwhelmed by the Coronavirus pandemic and our lives
turned upside down! Self-isolating and self-distancing
are now part of our daily vocabulary, as we live in an
uncertain world. What does this story say to us in our
circumstances?
Firstly, we read that Jesus calmed the storm:
‘He got up,
rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be
still!’’ (39). He is the Lord of the storm and holds
our circumstances in His hands. We are called to trust,
not fear, being assured that He is with us to protect
us. ‘Why are you
so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ (40).
Nothing is outside of His control.
Secondly, despite the calm,
the disciples were still terrified:
‘They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind
and the waves obey Him!’’ (41). Like us, the
disciples were asking why Jesus, who loved them, had
allowed the storm to happen! Our circumstances provide
us with an opportunity to understand more deeply who
Jesus is. We can’t control Him and we don’t always
understand His bigger plans for us and His world. We are
called to overcome fear and insecurity, by living lives
of peace, faith and hope. How contagious can we be for
Jesus in a stormy world?
At
this time of global pandemic, we live with stark reality
of death and life. Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry
bones (37:1-14) was given when God’s people were in
exile in Babylon. They felt dead, being separated from
home and God! The vision answers God’s question:
‘can these bones
live?’ We can also feel cut off from God, facing the
loss of job, business, home or health, with churches
unable to meet on Sundays. This vision assures us that
God has power over death and can breathe new life into
what is hopeless.
When
Ezekiel is told to
‘prophesy to the bones’ (4), God brings them back to
life: the bones come together and are covered with
muscles and skin, and then filled with God’s breath to
bring new life, by the life of His Spirit.
The
Covid-19 virus robs people of their life by suffocation,
so that they can’t breathe. Our hope beyond the pandemic
is that the gift of God’s Spirit will bring new life to
our lives, churches and world. Life will certainly look
very different in the future, but we can be assured that
God is with us and that we are safe in his hands.
‘I
will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will
settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I
the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the
Lord.’
(14).
The above is available on line - click above.
Take
exercise for even half an hour a day – and lower
depression!
Here
is some good news for us all: if you are feeling low,
get moving. A recent study at Harvard has found that
even just half an hour of exercise a day can lower the
risk of depression by 17 per cent.
So –
even though we are told to stay home at present, do a
work-out in your living room, run around the garden a
dozen times, or run up and down your staircase 20 times
-anything to get your heart pounding and your body
moving!
Tearfund – still working around the world
“As
you would expect,
Tearfund's work will continue through our amazing network of courageous
Christian partners and churches around the world.”
So says Nigel Harris, CEO of Tearfund.
“We are doing all we can to follow Jesus where the need is greatest,
bringing practical help and powerful hope to the most
vulnerable people, just as we have been doing for over
50 years.
“We
are asking for God’s protection and His wisdom to deal
with this unprecedented global situation. We would
greatly value your prayers in the months ahead.
“At a recent Tearfund Prayer Day, we received a prophetic word about the
ship that leaves a safe harbour to go out into rough
waters, with the promise that our Lord will be with us.
This feels very real as I write to you today. And it is
a huge encouragement to me personally to have the
reassurance that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
We have a God who loves and cares for us. He has
told us, ‘Do not fear, for I am with you’ (Isaiah
41:10).
“I am daring to dream that this could be the opportunity in our generation for the Church to be
known globally for its brave and compassionate response,
putting the needs of others before our own, just as
Jesus did. We know this is possible. We see acts of
heroic love every day in the countries where we work.
“In the coming months, we may need to ask you again to dig deep to enable
us to continue meeting the needs of the world’s poorest
communities. Myself and my whole team at Tearfund will
be digging deep into our own reserves of time, energy
and resources to enable our vital work to continue.”
More at:
If a prayer can move a mountain
If a prayer can stop a war,
If a prayer foster love and peace
……….Where hatred ruled before,
If a prayer can conquer hunger
If a prayer has power to heal,
If a prayer can mend division
……….Why are we so slow to kneel?
Offering prayers up to our maker,
Throughout each brand new day
To change things for the better,
……….In every kind of way.
Two books which we have not read but you may be
interested in them:
Hope beyond Coronovirus By
Roger Carswell, 10Publishing.
This is a very helpful evangelistic tract you can
bulk-order to share around, or you can download it free
in an A4 pdf at:
Where is God in a Coronavirus World?
We are living through a unique, era-defining period.
Many of our old certainties have gone, whatever our view
of the world and whatever our beliefs. The coronavirus
pandemic and its effects are perplexing and unsettling
for all of us. How do we begin to think it through and
cope with it?
John Lennox is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics
at the University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow in
Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green
Templeton College. He is also an Associate Fellow of the
Said Business School and an Adjunct Lecturer for The
Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He has been
part of numerous public debates defending the Christian
faith against well-known atheists including Richard
Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer.
ITV News journalist and presenter Julie Etchingham, a
practising Christian, has defended the role played by
journalists during the Coronavirus pandemic
She told the Christians in Media website, “Reporters are
coming in for a lot of flack for the questions they are
asking government. But what else are we for? We
all get that this is a crisis like no other; that few in
government have ever had to navigate such a challenge.br>“But, if we’re still attempting to function as a
democracy in the face of this, then scrutiny is clearly
crucial. Many in our frontline services and the
wider public are demanding answers. We are there on
their behalf. We don’t always get it right. This isn’t a
moment to trip people up, but urgently to get to the
truth.”
Now is the time for truth and accuracy to be at
the centre of all our communications.
So, yes, we need to be praying for and supporting the
front-line health service staff, the public health
experts, the scientists researching vaccines to combat
the virus, and the key workers keeping our societies
running.
But we also need to be praying for and supporting the
men and women working in and with the media to publish,
upload, broadcast and distribute the most accurate
information, without spin or distortion.
So here is a prayer for the media in these challenging
days.
Loving God,
We pray for
everyone working in and with media in these challenging
times.
Encourage all who
seek to explain and interpret the fast-changing world
around us.
Embolden the
truth-tellers, truth-seekers and fact-checkers.
Promote coverage that builds our shared humanity and
where everyone has a voice.
Bring clarity where there is confusion
Bring knowledge where there is speculation
Bring wisdom and insight when the way ahead seems
unclear.
And bring us
all to a knowledge of truth that sets us free, and helps
keep us safe.
In the
Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
We are your people:
For the Christian community
We are not people of fear:
we are people of courage.
We are not
people who protect our own safety:
we are people who
protect our neighbours’ safety.
We are not people of
greed:
we are people of generosity.
We are your
people God,
giving and loving,
wherever we are,
whatever it costs
For as long as it takes
wherever
you call us.
Loneliness
From one who is ill or isolated
O God,
help me to trust you,
help me to know
that you are with me,
help me to believe that nothing
can separate me
from your love
revealed in Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Caring for the sick
For hospital staff and medical researchers
all who are caring for the sick,
and your wisdom
to those searching for a cure.
Strengthen them with
your Spirit,
that through their work many will be
restored to health;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Heal them
For those who are ill
Merciful God,
we entrust to your tender care
those who are ill or in pain,
knowing that whenever
danger threatens
your everlasting arms are there to
hold them safe.
Comfort and heal them,
and restore
them to health and strength;
through Jesus Christ our
Lord.
Amen.
Be our hope
God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill,
afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their
consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in
their darkness, be their light;
through Him who
suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in
glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Give us strength
Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught us to love our
neighbour,
and to care for those in need
as if we
were caring for you.
In this time of anxiety, give us
strength
to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick,
and to assure the isolated
of our love, and your
love,
for your name’s sake.
Amen.
Time of distress
Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your
mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift
up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in
your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us
from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
Leave your dandelions alone
When mowing your lawn, avoid
cutting your dandelions.
That is the advice of the president of the
British Ecological Society, Prof Jane Memmott. It will
help to save the bees.
She explains: “Dandelions are
a fantastic source of pollen and nectar for the early
pollinators in particular. If they were rare, people
would be fighting over them, but because they’re common,
people pull them out and spray them with all sorts of
horrible things when they should just let them flower.
If you leave the lawn to three or four inches, then
dandelions, clover and daisies can flower and then you
end with something like a tapestry, and it’s much nicer
to sit there and watch the insects buzzing about.”
Prof Memmott encourages
everyone to get a bee hotel for their garden. “There’s
nothing nicer than being sat in a chair with a glass of
wine and watching the bees going in and out of your own
personal little beehive. Even just a potted plant on a
doorstep will provide lunch for a bee or a fly or a
butterfly.”
Church Mission Society launches a ‘lament space’ for those
in pain
Church Mission Society has opened a space on
its website for anyone to use.
It explains: “Our world, and our lives, have
changed radically. Are you sad? Angry? Scared?
Psalm 34
Amid the current coronavirus pandemic, we all live with
fear and uncertainty. How do we deal with fear?
‘I
sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me
from all my fears.’
(Ps 34:4). In this psalm,
David expresses real fears. He was on the run from Saul,
who was trying to murder him! Yet David points to three
simple habits that help overcome fear.
Praising God always:
‘I
will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always
be on my lips.
(1). It was David’s pattern of life to praise God daily,
whatever his circumstances. He was acknowledging God’s
lordship over his life. Praise affirms that my
circumstances are in His hands and He is with me in all
that I am going through.
Seeking God continually:
‘This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved
him out of all his troubles.’
(6). David looked to God,
who released him from all his fears. It’s easy for our
fears to overwhelm us and rob us of the assurance that
God loves us and wants the best for us. When we seek
God, He hears us and responds, as He is not powerless to
act.
Finding refuge in God:
‘Taste
and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who
takes refuge in Him.’
(8). David’s personal invitation is to taste and see
that God is good. Our fears often tell us that the
opposite is true for us. Fear tells us that God cannot
be trusted and that He will abandon us. We can make God
our secure refuge and not be afraid.
This psalm helps us to see fear from a totally different
perspective: ‘Fear
the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him
lack nothing.’ (9).
Jesus’ appearances after His
Resurrection
Other women at the tomb
Matthew 28:8-10
Peter in Jerusalem
Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5
The two travellers on the road Mark 16:12,13
10 disciples behind closed doors Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25
11 disciples WITH Thomas
John 20:26-31; 1 Corinthians 15:5
7 disciples while fishing
John 21:1-14
11 disciples on the mountain Matthew
28:16-20
A crowd of 500
1 Corinthians 15:6
Jesus’ brother – James
1 Corinthians 15:7
Those who saw the Ascension Luke 24:44-49; Acts
1:3-8
From church notice-sheets:
This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs Brown, our children’s minister, to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
Baptisms: after Easter, the North and South ends of the church will be utilised. Children will be baptised at both ends.
Coming up: Theological Open House. We discuss thought-provoking topics. Your opinions are hardly welcome.
Next Sunday Mrs Brown will sing a solo at the morning service before the vicar preaches on the subject of ‘Terrible experiences and how to survive them’.
Players picked for St Andrew’s darts team will be pinned to the board on Thursday.
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EASTER
Sunday: the most joyful day of the year.
Easter is the most joyful day of the year for Christians. Christ has died for our sins. We are forgiven. Christ has risen! We are redeemed! We can look forward to an eternity in His joy! Hallelujah!
The Good News of Jesus Christ is a message so simple that you can explain it to someone in a few minutes. It is so profound that for the rest of their lives they will still be ‘growing’ in their Christian walk with God.
Why does the date move around so much? Because the date of Passover moves around, and according to the biblical account, Easter is tied to the Passover. Passover celebrates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and it lasts for seven days, from the middle of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which equates to late March or early April.
Sir Isaac Newton was one of the first to use the Hebrew lunar calendar to come up with firm dates for Good Friday: Friday 7 April 30 AD or Friday 3 April, 33 AD, with Easter Day falling two days later. Modern scholars continue to think these the most likely.
Most people will tell you that Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which is broadly true. But the precise calculations are complicated and involve something called an ‘ecclesiastical full moon’, which is not the same as the moon in the sky. The earliest possible date for Easter in the West is 22 March, which last fell in 1818. The latest is 25 April, which last happened in 1943.
Why the name, ‘Easter’? In almost every European language, the festival’s name comes from ‘Pesach’, the Hebrew word for Passover. The Germanic word ‘Easter’, however, seems to come from Eostre, a Saxon fertility goddess mentioned by the Venerable Bede. He thought that the Saxons worshipped her in ‘Eostur month’, but may have confused her with the classical dawn goddesses like Eos and Aurora, whose names mean ‘shining in the east’. So, Easter might have meant simply ‘beginning month’ – a good time for starting up again after a long winter.
Finally, why Easter eggs? On one hand, they are an ancient symbol of birth in most European cultures. On the other hand, hens start laying regularly again each Spring. Since eggs were forbidden during Lent, it’s easy to see how decorating and eating them became a practical way to celebrate Easter.
Easter Saturday, on the Christian calendar, is the Saturday following the festival of Easter, the Saturday of Easter or Bright Week. In the liturgy of Western Christianity it is the last day of Easter Week, sometimes referred to as the Saturday of Easter Week or Saturday in Easter Week. In the liturgy of Eastern Christianity it is the last day of Bright Week, and called Bright Saturday,
The Bright and Holy Septave Saturday of Easter Eve, or The Bright and Holy Septave Paschal Artos and Octoechoes Saturday of Iscariot's Byzantine Easter Eve. Easter Saturday is the day preceding the Octave Day of Easter (also known as St. Thomas Sunday or Divine Mercy Sunday).
The thud of nails on open palms,
‘Father forgive’ was all He said,
‘Finished’ was His final cry,
As
death approached God bowed His head.
Born
of a woman He entered our world,
Fully man yet fully divine,
Such
is the mystery beyond comprehension
That
One such as this should step into time.
He
came to die and rise again
The
firstfruits of the Father’s love,
That
man should follow in His train
On
wings of light to realms above.
How do we say
goodbye to someone who we have known for many years and
enjoyed their company? We arrange a farewell party!
Although Jesus was the host
and should have been honoured, He changed His role and
became a servant. He got up from the meal table, removed
His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His
waist. Jesus humbled Himself and washed the feet of His
disciples, much to their dismay and Peter’s objection.
The
hot cross bun marks the end of Lent and different parts
of the bun have a certain meaning, including the cross,
representing the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him at his burial.
Palm waving
It was Palm Sunday, but five-year-old Jamie stayed at
home with mum because of a bad cold. When his father and
sisters returned, they were carrying several palm
fronds. His sister explained: “People held them over
Jesus' head as He walked by.”
“That’s not fair!” Jamie protested. “The one Sunday I
don't go, and He shows up!”
Visit the C of E online page
There is now a range of
digital resources for to you connect with God at this
difficult time.
These include:
Time to Pray app:
which is free and has an accompanying daily audio
offering on SoundCloud and iTunes.
Mental health reflections:
Tips to tackle isolation:
Finally, there are the Church’s smart
speaker apps, which provide a range of Christian
resources:
GO TO
In March alone, the number of people using the Alexa app
rose by more than 70 per cent.
I work in Radiology in a hospital in the East of England – a region that is yet to experience the covid-19 virus with quite the same ferocity as colleagues in London and Birmingham, and certainly the situation is nowhere near as bad as that in China, Iran, Spain and, of course Italy. But patients are coming into the hospital in increasing numbers experiencing the respiratory distress of a covid-19 infection. So, I’m finding out what it’s like to be on the front line during an epidemic.
As I write the country is in so-called ‘lockdown’, and the virus is impacting upon every aspect of all our lives. The News outlets report the best in people and the worst in people - examples of selfish behavior, especially in and around supermarkets, but also examples of people going well out of their way to help people who become very vulnerable during this period. I’m privileged to work alongside the very best.
Fear is almost the defining feature of this crisis. Of course, the patients themselves are frightened, our hearts go out to them, and though we are separated from them by our protective equipment we can still show that we care, and that we are doing our level best to help them.
The staff are frightened, too. I have heard long-serving, experienced staff tell me how very frightened they are. The conflict between their duty to our patients and their desire to protect themselves and their families is, at times, overwhelming. I'm spending a great deal of my time trying to be reassuring and trying to keep a grip on an ever-changing situation. It's the same across the hospital. Yet, every day, these wonderful people come towards the danger when their instincts tell them to run in the opposite direction.
Am I frightened? Yes, indeed I am frightened. I'm frightened that it will get as bad here as it has been in Italy. I'm frightened that some of my staff will become seriously ill, or worse, because so many healthcare staff seem to be getting sick despite all the protective equipment that we use. And, of course, I'm frightened for the people I care about. Maybe it’s OK to be frightened, because that is better than being blasé, overconfident, and foolhardy.
However, I think our faith in our God is a way to turn fear into calm. It connects us to others across the ages who have faced far, far worse situations than this. No-one is trying to drop high explosives down my chimney. There was only basic equipment and medicine during the so-called ‘Spanish Flu’ of 1918-1920. The bubonic plagues of the Middle Ages took a much higher death toll, and the medicine of the time had absolutely no answer to it.
For our generation, who by the grace of God have only known peace, and for whom life has gone on much the same for several decades, it is a terrifying experience.
So far in most of our lives, we have not
had to rely on God to quite the same extent as former
generations but maybe, just maybe, this crisis will
bring us closer to each other and to the God who loves
us so dearly.
Five Tips for Tackling Loneliness and
Isolation
Pray. Light a candle, if safe, and
pray for hope, faith and strength to keep loving and
caring for each other during this time of struggle.
Talk about how you feel. This may be
difficult if you are self-isolating, but do use the
telephone, internet, and social media. If you need to
contact a counsellor this can be arranged by your GP, or
via local agencies, or privately. Samaritans
are there 24 hours a day, every day, and it’s
free to call them on 116 123.
Focus on the things that you can
change, not on the things you can’t.
Look after yourself - physically,
emotionally, spiritually. Plan in things that you enjoy
at regular intervals during the day – a TV programme, a
phone call, a book, a favourite dish, a game.
Look after others. Even if only in
small ways, but do what you can: a smile, a kind word,
writing a letter or an email.
Passion
Week
It began on
Palm Sunday. After all his teaching and healing, Jesus
had built a following.
On the
Sunday before he was to die, Jesus and his followers
arrived at Jerusalem. The city was crowded. Jewish
people were arriving from to celebrate Passover. This
commemorates how they had escaped from slavery in Egypt
nearly 1,500 year earlier.
Jesus rode
into the city on a young donkey. He was greeted like a
conquering hero. Cheering crowds waved palm branches in
tribute. He was hailed as the Messiah who had come to
re-establish a Jewish kingdom.
The next
day they returned to Jerusalem. Jesus went to the
temple, the epicentre of the Jewish faith, and
confronted money-changers and merchants who were ripping
off the people. He overturned their tables and accused
them of being thieves. The religious authorities were
alarmed and feared how he was stirring up the crowds.
On the
Tuesday, they challenged Jesus, questioning his
authority. He answered by challenging and condemning
their hypocrisy. Later that day Jesus spoke to his
disciples about future times. He warned them about fake
religious leaders; the coming destruction of Jerusalem;
wars, earthquakes and famines; and how his followers
would face persecution.
By midweek
the Jewish religious leaders and elders were so angry
with Jesus that they began plotting to arrest and kill
him. One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas, went to the chief
priests and agreed to betray him to them.
Jesus and
the 12 disciples gathered on the Thursday evening to
celebrate the Passover meal. This is known as the Last
Supper. During the evening, Jesus initiated a ritual
still marked by Christians – Holy Communion – which
commemorates his death. Jesus broke bread and shared it
and a cup of wine with his disciples.
Judas then
left to meet the other plotters. Jesus continued to
teach the others and then went outside into an olive
grove to pray. He even prayed for all future believers.
He agonised over what was to come but chose the way of
obedience. The Bible book, Luke, records him praying, ‘Father if you are willing, take
this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done’.
Minutes later Judas arrived with soldiers and the chief
priests and Jesus was arrested.
Pray for your neighbours – lift them to
the Lord!
Thank Him for all that they have done
for you!
Claim for your friends the promise of
His Word;
In intercession we find strength anew.
Ask of the Lord, and surely you’ll
receive
Seek now His will, and surely you will
find
Knock at His door, and truly we believe
In intercession we see God is kind.
Come to the Lord, for He is always
there!
Our worries, cares, and our concerns we
bring;
O waste no time, just come to Him in
prayer
In intercession we find God the King!
Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May
I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and
follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from?
Richard of Chichester, a bishop in the 13th
century, wrote it.
He began life as Richard de Wych
of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer.
But Richard was a studious boy, and after helping
his father on the farm for several years, refused an
advantageous offer of marriage, and instead made his way
to Oxford, and later to Paris and Bologna to study canon
law.
In 1235 he returned to Oxford,
and was soon appointed Chancellor, where he supported
Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his struggles
against King Henry III’s misuse of Church funds.
After further study to become a priest, Richard
was in due course made a bishop himself.
He was greatly loved.
He was charitable and accessible, both stern and
merciful to sinners, extraordinarily generous to those
stricken by famine, and a brilliant legislator of his
diocese. He
decreed that the sacraments were to be administered
without payment, Mass celebrated in dignified
conditions, the clergy to be chaste, to practise
residence, and to wear clerical dress.
The laity was obliged to attend Mass on Sundays
and holy days, and to know by heart the Hail Mary as
well as the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed.
Richard was also prominent in
preaching the Crusade, which he saw as a call to reopen
the Holy Land to pilgrims, not as a political
expedition.
He died at Dover on 3 April 1253.
In art, Richard of Chichester is represented with
a chalice at his feet, in memory of his having once
dropped the chalice at Mass!
One ancient English church is dedicated to him.
And, of course, he is author of
that famous prayer, now set to popular music, which runs
in full:
“Thanks be
to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ for all the benefits thou
hast given me, for all the pains and insults which thou
hast borne for me. O most merciful redeemer, friend and
brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more
dearly and follow thee more nearly, day by day.”
