Advent Sunday

 

Advent Sunday

Come Lord be known in your church, for without you we have no message.

Come fill us with your presence, that we may proclaim your peace.

Lord, make us aware, alert to your coming, that we may reveal your glory in the world.

Amen

 

We pray for those that walk in darkness, that they may see your light.

We remember those whose lives are clouded with troubles and pray that they may behold your glory.

Lord, stir up your strength and come among us.

 

Come Lord and give peace to your world.

Disperse the clouds of war and violence.

Let your power and your glory be revealed to the nations.

We pray for all who watch and wait while we sleep: for the police, hospital workers and paramedics, for fire fighters, cleaners and transport workers who work in the hours of the night.

Lord, stir up your strength and come among us.

 

Come Lord and be known in our homes, that our homes may reflect your love.

May we always rejoice in the company of others that we may be fully aware of others and sensitive to their needs.

Lord, stir up your strength and come among us.

 

Come Lord to those who cannot cope at this time; to all who are weighed down with troubles.

We pray for the ill and those who care for them.

We remember those whose lives are clouded with despair.

We remember friends and loved ones in their troubles………

Lord, stir up your strength and come among us.

 

Come Lord of our salvation and save us and we shall be saved.

We pray for friends and loved ones departed……………….

May they now rejoice in the fullness of your presence and your glory.

Lord, stir up your strength and come among us.

 

Our Bible readings for this week: 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

 

Mark 13: 24-37

“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.“ But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Collect

Almighty God as your kingdom dawns,

turn us away from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness,

that we may be ready to meet you in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen

 

Come Lord, come down, come in, come among us.

Enter into our darkness with your light.

Come fill our emptiness with your presence.

 Dispel the clouds and reveal your glory.

Come refresh, renew, restore us.

Come Lord, come down, come in, come among us.

Amen

 

Blessing

May the Lord find us alert to his coming, open to his presence, aware of his love.

 And may the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us and our loved ones, now and for ever.

Amen

 

When the Lord comes he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

Maranatha, come Lord Jesus

Sunday Letter November 29

 

Benefice of St Mary’s Chard, St Nicholas Combe, St Mary’s Wambrook and St Andrew’s Whitestaunton

 

Well here we are the first Sunday of Advent; we often say “where did that year go?” For some of us the Church year has gone past so quickly that the phrase bears more relevance that normal for us.

We are moving into that space of waiting which for myself definitely feels different this year, waiting and reflecting on the coming of the Christ child wating to see what will happen.

To try and bring some rhythm for those of you who feel unable to return to Church we are going to give you the Advent Candle prayer for each week, you may want to light your tea light as you say it and spend time in your devotions.

Hope: Sunday, November 29, 2020

Today we light the candle of hope. As the flame begins to burn on this first candle of Advent, we are reminded how far we’ve come. From our ancestors of the faith who walked in the wilderness for 40 years, to the year that we have all experienced together. Hope does not come from instant gratification. Instead, it comes from a longing inside of us that knows things can be different. And yet, this year we have learned how to wait and hope at the same time.

As we light the candle of hope, we acknowledge a longing inside of all of us. We acknowledge the tension between waiting and hoping. We acknowledge the stubborn hope that holds us in one with each other as we begin our journey through Advent.

Prayer: Holy God, we thank you for the gift of hope that we find in Christ Jesus. Remind us of your presence as we live another week of hoping and longing. Amen.

Also, with this letter you will have received a booklet which is for Advent, it has readings for everyday from Nov 27^th, until Dec24th, we will include it in your envelope each week, please use this if it helps o focus towards the coming celebration of the Emmanuel. This week it has all the “stuff” on the front that allows us the privilege of printing it off for you, next weeks will start from the date you need. I hope and pray that the words contained will speak into your hearts by the Holy Spirit.

I and several others have had chats with Colin Adcock on the phone and he wanted us to send you all his love from Wales he has settled in well and has found a Church too.

Can I remind you as preparations begin to hot up for many that if anyone phones you and asks you for details of your accounts, pin numbers, or for that matter any personal details please don’t not give them over the phone. Some scammers are pretending they are the police and can sound very realistic in the information they are giving and asking for. Always put the phone down, wait five minutes then pick up the phone and put it down again to check the line has been fully cleared, and contact the agency or bank, or police station to check if the phone call was real. No one wants to have their life savings taken from them.

We are holding our “Light up a Life” Service on Saturday 5^th at 2.30 and Sunday 6^th at 2.30, if you would like to come or give us the name of loved ones you would like included in the remembering list, please phone the office.

Our scripture reading from Mark talks about “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” And “Be ready Watching and Praying, if you can take some comfort in these words for this extraordinary moment in history, remembering that no matter how we are feeling about what is to come in our lives, will we be able to join with members of our family, or our friends, or do we actually want to, that God is with us and that the words of scripture are living and breathing words, they can speak the right thing for us in the right moment through God’s Holy Spirit in all emotions and turmoil’s. Our prayers may be intimate and of deep depth or they may be a quick “help me God” in a moment because that is all we can manage, all constitute watching and praying and being held in the love of a God who is like no other, so like no other that he came to dwell amongst us.

Be Blessed Rev Georgina.

Lastly, I had this little prose and thought on my Facebook Page which I had shared because it seemed to me to sum up some of the mixed feelings going on right now.

I don’t know who needs this, but if you woke up freaking out a little because it’s almost Christmas (like...what? How is that even possible? It was just August two days ago), remember that the first Christmas was pretty simple.

It’s okay if yours is too.                                                          

No tree. Five trees.
No elf. Elf every single night.
No lights. A yard full of ‘em.
No decorations. So many decorations it looks like HomeGoods threw up in your living room.
No parties. A calendar filled.

None of that stuff matters, and none of it is worth stressing or obsessing over.

Jesus.

Jesus matters.

Everything else is extra, and I can almost guarantee nobody will notice and nobody will care if it doesn’t get done.

Christ is perfect. Your Christmas doesn’t have to be.

Now deep breaths.

It’s gonna be a great season as long as He is in it, and as long as you relax just a little. 

Sometimes it is the simplest things that mean the most.

Sunday Letter 22 November 2020

 

Benefice of St Mary’s Chard, Combe St Nicholas, Wambrook and Whitestaunton

 

22^nd November 2020   Christ the King

Dear Friends

And so we come to the final Sunday of the Church year, when we proclaim Christ to be the universal sovereign and Lord of heaven and earth.

It has been a difficult and challenging year for all of us. I know that many of you have been isolating or have loved ones that are isolating and that is incredibly hard.  Being separated from family and loved ones has been the hardest part of this year, and we may have to bear such things for a while longer.  Mick and I became grandparents for the first time two weeks ago.  However, our new grandson and his mother are both in Spain and we do not know when we will get to see them ‘in the flesh’.  But we are filled with thankfulness that baby Austin Michael has arrived safely and that he and our daughter are well.

So there has also been great joy this year.  I have had some amazing encounters with people this year, and I have seen so many of you, and others in our community, stepping up and offering help and support to the more vulnerable and isolated.

In fact, when I read our gospel for this week I was proud to say that many of you have participated in feeding the hungry and visiting the sick as Jesus told us to do, as well as delivering prescriptions and service sheets, shopping for and staying in touch with those who are on their own by phone and email.  And, most importantly, you have been praying for one another, for our community and the world. You have done so much this year and it is a sign of your commitment to one another and to your faith in Christ. 

I have found myself wondering what kind of world our new grandson will inherit and it would be easy to be filled with foreboding.  However, as we celebrate the feast of Christ the King today, the beautiful thing is that this Christ who is sovereign over all of creation also cares for every single one of us, and that he feels our pain and our joy, and knows the secrets of our hearts.  At this time, when it would be easy to fall into cynicism and despair he comes to give us hope, and wants us to be bringers of hope to others.  He calls us to care for the hungry, the sick and the prisoner.

So let us remember that the same God who knows the name of every star also came to us in the form of Jesus Christ and longs for the sick to be healed, the broken to be mended and the outcast to be welcomed.  He wants us all to know him and be filled with the hope and joy that only he can bring, whilst also dwelling with us in our sadness, anxiety, and brokenness.

So, let us declare that Christ is King and Lord of all creation and also King of our hearts.

Whatever the next few months bring, we can be sure that just as he holds the stars in his hands, so he also holds us.  And he will not let us go.

 

Blessings

 

Ann

Whitestaunton Church Open for Private Prayer

 Dear all,

Just to let you all know that the Church will continue to be open during lockdown for private prayer and meditation whilst all services will continue on line.

Whilst this is not what we would all have wanted we can all work together to remember and keep each other safe.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes George

Reverend Georgina Vye

Associate Vicar of St Mary's Chard,

St Nicholas Combe, St Mary's Wambrook and St Andrews Whitestaunton.

The Vicarage,

57, Caraway Close,

Chard,

Somerset

TA20 1HP

0146066159

07950989916

 

Sunday Letter 8 November

 Benefice of St Mary’s Chard, Combe St Nicholas, Wambrook and Whitestaunton 

8 th November 2020

 Dear Friends I did not think I would be writing to you again in another lockdown, but here we are. 

It has been a great inspiration to me that when I have talked to some of you since the announcement on Saturday that you have shown fortitude and forbearance in the face of these very difficult times. 

At the moment, we are not allowed to hold public worship in the church, so all services have been temporarily cancelled. However, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York are among those faith leaders who have written to the Prime Minister asking that public worship be allowed to continue. So we will see….. 

We are in the season of remembrance, and this Sunday is Remembrance Sunday. It is a real sadness that we will not be able to be together for worship, although a small ceremony will take place at the war memorial. I am sure that you will all make your own acts of remembrance at home and take part in the two-minute silence at 11.00. 

Remembering is a good thing to do if it helps us also to move forward. We mostly honour those who have fallen in war if we work hard to ensure that we live in peace now. Our job is to remember, give thanks and make sure that we use the freedom we have to build God’s kingdom of peace, mercy and justice here on earth. 

The introduction to the Peace that we often use in church is this: ‘We are the body of Christ, in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body. Let us, therefore, pursue all that makes for peace.’ Let us all say that on Sunday as our commitment to one another and to Christ. 

Whatever the next few weeks bring, I do hope that you will all stay well and safe. One thing we can continue to do is pray and I know that you will all be doing that. You will also be staying in touch by phone and online and I hope to see some of you ‘virtually’ or speak with as many of you as possible. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury has sent out a letter to all clergy and I want to share this last paragraph with you. I cannot think of anything more appropriate to say: “In one of the climactic passages of the New Testament, Paul says to those who follow Christ that their “love must be genuine, that they hate what is evil and hold fast to what is good.” He asks them to “serve the lord”, exhorting them to “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (See Romans 12.9-12.) None of this is easy. Especially not at the moment. But it is our calling.” 

Blessings 

Ann

what is evil and hold fast to what is good.” He asks them to “serve the lord”, exhorting them to “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (See Romans 12.9-12.) None of this is easy. Especially not at the moment. But it is our calling.” Blessings Ann

Sunday Letter

 All Saints Sunday, from this moment on until the beginning of Advent we are entering the period of celebrating and reflecting on the reign of Christ here on earth and in heaven. The reading from the Gospel will be the beatitudes, beginning: blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We reflect on the blessed of those who have tried in the race of life to follow Christ against all the adversities that have come upon them, the struggles and the delights, this year has certainly been a trial for many. 

The one thing I will really miss this Sunday is being able to sing out lustily the wonderful hymn “For all the saints” It is one of those rousing hymns which you either love or inwardly groan at how long it goes on for, all 11 verses if you have the full version, because it was written as a processional hymn with plenty of time to sing it all as the procession moved through the Cathedral. 

1.For all the saints, who from their labours rest, 

Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, 

Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.

 Alleluia, Alleluia! 

2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;

 Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight; 

Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

3. For the Apostles’ glorious company, 

Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,

 Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee: 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

4. O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, 

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, 

And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

5. For the Evangelists, by whose blest word, 

Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord, 

Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored. 

Alleluia, Alleluia!

 6. For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye, 

Saw the bright crown descending from the sky, 

And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

7. O blest communion, fellowship divine! 

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; 

Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. 

Alleluia, Alleluia!

 8. And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, 

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song, 

And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

9. The golden evening brightens in the west;

 Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest; 

Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

10. But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day; 

The saints triumphant rise in bright array; 

The King of glory passes on His way. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

11. From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, 

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, 

Singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost: 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

There you go, sing in the kitchen, the garden, the bath, wherever you would like. As you do though remember the Author, William Walsham How who was ordained in 1847. He became Suffragan Bishop in east London in 1879 and Bishop of Wakefield in 1888. Called both the "poor man's bishop" and "the children's bishop," He was known for his work among the destitute in the London slums and among the factory workers in west Yorkshire. He wrote a number of theological works about controversies surrounding the Oxford Movement and attempted to reconcile biblical creation with the theory of evolution. He wrote many hymns for children in his time too. Then look at the words of the hymn again, he knew what it was to minister amongst the blessed of Christ’s words, those who knew poverty of material things, but the richness of faith and God’s love would have sung out in his heart, as he rejoiced in those who had come to find peace and safety in the arms of a loving God. 

Then we take a moment to give thanks for those who have been an influence in our journey of faith, those who have loved us, nurtured us and allowed us to be who we are today.

 I have added here a piece from the spirituality of conflict website that I hope will allow you to reflect on how this year has been too. 

Sequoias and Tattoos by Alex Wimberley 

One of the things our friend Glenn* left with us is the image of the sequoia seed. It was a symbol he wanted to carry with him always, and so he had it tattooed on his leg. It’s a pine cone, but not from an ordinary Christmas tree. These little seeds, packed into palm–sized cones, become in time the giants of the redwood forests in California, with trunks as wide as lorries. Glenn not only found inspiration in the sheer grandeur of these trees, whose roots run back for thousands of years, but in their witness to hope. 

Sequoia seeds open with the heat of forest fires. In the clearing that fires create, sequoias take root – taking advantage of the exposed sunlight and the enriched, ashen soil. They are a living reminder that some things endure beyond our devastating moments. One imagines that in the aftermath of the horrific and sobering forest fires of this past summer (the wake–up call nature is giving us), there are cones of ancient trees popping open, witnesses to nature’s resilience and to our short–sighted environmental priorities. And witnesses to the idea that even in the midst of disaster, there can come the start of new and magnificent life.

 As we reflect this All Saints’ Day on what endures even through disaster and crisis and beyond the reality of death, we look for new shoots of life. This year has been a disaster for so many – hitting, as is often the case – the most vulnerable the hardest. It has revealed longstanding discrepancies of injustice we can no longer ignore. The pandemic has exposed inequalities that cannot continue. And yet there are – even in and because of the fractures that have been exposed – places where the enduring strength of empathy and compassion can take root in heated soil, and create the possibility of a better and more just world. 

In taking inspiration of those who have lived faithfully, we trust that we can discover new ways of being from our better relationships with one another. On issues of race, class, climate justice, borders and nation, and so many other difficult conversations, it will be in honest, human connection that we will find a better world and hold on to what is divine. 

For what is of God will endure. And God is with us in community.

 info@spiritualityofconflict.com 

Alex Wimberly is the current Leader of the Corrymeela Community. He is interested in how the Christian motif of reconciliation manages to be divisive. *Glenn Jordan (1964-2020)

 Glenn was a community activist and public theologian, and a Springsteen fan looking for a moment when the world seems right. Glenn brought a keen interest in the process of community renewal and was the creative spark behind the innovative Skainos Square in Belfast. He was interested in the power of story to create newness and transform conflict, and brought a love of language, place, art and relationship to all his work. He was a beloved member of the Spirituality of Conflict team. He died in June 2020. 

Corrymeela is a community based in Northern Ireland which worked throughout the troubles and into today to help understand and resolve conflict. Their work now enables communities across the world to find ways of communicating, hearing each other’s stories and working from the common shared base. This website is a source for those searching for hope in conflict, whatever that maybe. 

We are going to begin having flowers again in St Mary’s Chard, as Maureen is still isolating please can you contact Kath Lee if you would like to help. 

Also this Sunday’s Service will be live streamed from St Mary’s as we endeavour to hone our skills for Remembrance, if you watch on line please would you be kind enough to offer me any feedback you think may be helpful. This should work as the link https://www.facebook.com/events/395661275144095, you don’t have to be on use Facebook to access it and it will not sign you up for Facebook either. 

 Be Blessed Rev Georgina 

Each morning and each evening 

let the peace of the Father, be ours. 

Each day and each night let the peace of the Son be ours. 

Each dawn and each dusk 

let the peace of the Spirit be ours. 

Let the blessing of the three in one be ours; 

both now and for ever. Amen. Carmina Gadelica