Your Vestry met last evening, principally to discuss other matters.
But, the decision was made to cease holding weekly Sunday Services at St Mary’s whilst the Stirling area is in Tier 4 for Covid-19 reasons.. So there will be NO service this Sunday 22nd November
This is really sad news, especially for those who have been attending over the past few months. Bill Rootes, who has been taking the services for us each week, has been quite marvelous in ministering to us and he is quite prepared to travel, even though he would have to cross from a Tier 3 to a Tier 4 area. But given the need for safety, the Vestry feel that it is a sensible decision to discontinue weekly services for what we hope will be a short period of 3 weeks or so.
We hope that the Government will ease the restrictions when the current rules are reviewed on 11th December.
Christmas
Subject to any change in the rules, there will be a service at St Mary’s on Christmas morning at 11.15 am. Bishop Ian has very generously agreed to take this service for us and we are very grateful to him and his family.
There will no Carol Service this year and no Midnight Service on Christmas Eve.
There will be no service on Sunday 27th December, the Sunday following Christmas Day
If the present rules still apply, we shall be restricted to no more than 20 persons attending on Christmas morning. Hopefully the Government will relax this rule and if so, we should be able to return to a maximum of 50 attendees, that is if we can seat as many as that.
We shall have to plan very carefully as to whether we can seat as many as 50. The present maximum if all come as singles, is 40 (as for Richard’s final service in October). But if family ‘bubbles’ exist, then we might be able to increase from 40 to 50, by seating ‘family bubbles’ in the same pew.
It is perhaps a bit early to make any plans, especially since these might well change over the coming weeks.
But if you already know who might want to come to St Mary’s on Christmas morning and how many are or will be in your own ‘bubble’ then it would be very useful to know now
I will set up a booking system nearer the time.
AGMSunday 6th December
The AGM will be held on Sunday 6th December by way of a telephone conference call at 11.15am in place of a service at the Church that morning
The Scottish Episcopal Church will this Sunday at 11.00 broadcasting video coverage of its Eucharistic service via its website,
social media channels and YouTube channel. The web page for the broadcast is located at www.scotland.anglican.org/broadcast-sunday-worship The
website will also contain a downloadable video and audio format of the service.
SERVICE
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
Collect
Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Gospel
John 6:51-58
51 I am the living bread(A)
that came down from heaven.(B)
Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”(C)
52 Then the Jews(D)
began to argue sharply among themselves,(E)
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53 Jesus said to them,
“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh(F)
of the Son of Man(G)
and drink his blood,(H)
you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.(I)55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.(J)57 Just as the living Father sent me(K)
and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your
ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live
forever.”(L)
The Nicene Creed.
I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; Begotten of
His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of
very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; By
whom all things were made: Who for us men
and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the
Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man: And was crucified also
for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered was buried: And the third day
He rose again according to the Scriptures:
And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father:
And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the
dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, and Giver of Life, Who
proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son
together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the Prophets: And I
believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge
one Baptism for the remission of sins: And I look for the Resurrection
of the dead: And the Life of the world to come. Amen.
The Sermon
The second phase of the Church year begins today.
As previously explained, the Sunday Gospels between Advent
and Trinity have been akin to jigsaw pieces which, when assembled,
depict a picture of Christ on earth. During this time, church colours
both on the altar and
celebrant change frequently: mauve for Lent, red on Palm Sunday and
Pentecost, and white during the seasons of Christmas and Easter.
Now in this second phase, the colour will remain
predominantly green, a period known as Ordinary Time. Like animals in a
field, believers are at leisure to graze the scriptures meditatively and
reflect upon other aspects
of faith. One, for example, is the significance of Corpus Christi, observed by the church upon the Thursday following Trinity.
One
of the last letters received from David Miller before his death was
concern about the weekly Eucharist. As the sacrament was being
celebrated so frequently, he feared that receiving the body and
blood of Christ was becoming as routine and perfunctory as brushing
teeth after a meal. David was quite justified in his questioning and
bears testimony to his thoughtful and deep faith.
Until
the 1960’s, the Communion service was an exception rather than the
rule. Matins and evensong were the staple Sunday services, with perhaps
Holy Communion just once a month. After that point,
its frequency grew to become the focal point of Sunday worship.
As David mused, regularity and routine risk indifference.
For that very reason The Church of Scotland celebrates the Sacrament perhaps just four or five times a year.
David’s
thoughts and fears accord with those of Juliana of Liège, a
13th-century Norbertine canoness. Orphaned at the age of five, she was
entrusted to the care of Augustinian nuns at a convent, where
Juliana, in adult life, developed a special veneration for the act of
Holy Communion. She feared too that through familiarity, its deepest
meaning would become flawed. In 1208, she saw a vision of Christ in
which she was instructed to plead for the institution
of the feast of Corpus Christi, a time when believers might be reminded
anew of the greatest gift of Christ. Eventually she confided the vision
to her confessor, who in turn relayed it to the Bishop of Liège.
In 1246 Bishop Robert ordered a celebration of Corpus Christi.
In time Corpus Christi became included in the calendar of the Anglican Church.
The
act of Communion began at the Last Supper when Jesus gave the disciples
bread and wine as his body and blood in anticipation of his death the
next day. Thus, the Eucharist takes place under the
shadow of the cross and so commemorating Jesus’ death and the
sacrificial love which Jesus showed both during his life and in his
death. Members of Christ’s body commit to a life of self-sacrificing
love and the receiving of Communion should nourish that resolve.
Food
from our tables strengthens and sustains. The Eucharist though is not
consumption of physical food. Christ chose the form and the imagery of a
meal, and
the symbolism of eating and drinking, as the way of continuing his
active, transforming presence among his followers. It is a reminder that
Christ is the source of our life and health, similar to the way that
ordinary food gives physical life and health. We
can though only appreciate this symbolism if we treat the Eucharist as
partaking in the extraordinary, rather than the ordinary.
The closing of churches has of course given new emphasis to Corpus Christi.
Easter and Pentecost in particular have passed without a
service of Holy Communion. Am I the only one anguished to view the cup
and wafer standing unshared in the course of the Provincial Zoom
service?
As I write, there is still no indication when churches
might fully open again. What safeguards might be required before
Communion can again be celebrated? We can only hope and pray. One of the
rare benefits of lockdown
might be to cherish anew the sacrament of sharing one with another the
body and blood of Christ our Saviour.
Reflection
by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Pope Benedict XVI 2005-13
What does Corpus Christi mean to me? It does not only bring the liturgy to mind:
for me, it is a day on which heaven and earth work together. In my mind’s eye it
is the time when spring is turning into summer; the sun is high in the sky, and
crops are ripening in field and meadow. The Church’s feasts make present the
mystery of Christ, but Jesus Christ was immersed in the faith of the people of
Israel and so, arising from this background in Israel’s life, the Christian feasts are
also involved with the rhythm of the year, the rhythm of seedtime and harvest.
How could it be otherwise in a liturgy which has at its centre the sign of bread,
fruit of earth and heaven? Here this fruit of the earth, bread, is privileged to be
the bearer of him in whom heaven and earth, God and man have become one.
The Prayer
Let us pray for the willingness to make present in our world the love of Christ shown to us in the Eucharist,
Lord Jesus Christ,
we worship you living among us
in the sacrament of your body and blood.
May we offer to our Father in heaven
a solemn pledge of undivided love.
May we offer to our brothers and sisters
a life poured out in loving service of that kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit
one God for ever and ever.
Amen
Confession
Almighty
God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all
men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold
sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have
committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against Thy Divine Majesty,
Provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation against us. We do
earnestly repent and are heartily sorry for these our
misdoings: The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of
them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most
merciful Father; For Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us
all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter
Serve and please Thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of
Thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Absolution
The Almighty and merciful Lord, grant me pardon and absolution of all my sins. Amen.
The Comfortable Words, Preface. and Sanctus.
Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn to Him.
Come unto Me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. St. Matt. xi. 28.
So God loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, to the end
that all that believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. St. John iii. 16.
Hear also what Saint Paul saith.
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, That Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15.
Hear also what Saint John saith.
If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
Righteous; and He is the Propitiation for our sins. 1 St. John ii. 1, 2.
Therefore
with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud
and magnify Thy glorious Name; evermore praising
Thee, and saying,
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, Lord God of hosts, Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory: Glory be to Thee, O Lord Most High. Amen.
In
union, O Lord with the faithful, I desire to offer Thee praise and
thanksgiving. I present to Thee my soul and body with
the earnest wish that may always be united to Thee. And since I can not
now receive Thee sacramentally, I beseech Thee to come spiritually into
my heart. I unite myself to Thee and embrace Thee with all the
affections of my soul. Let nothing ever separate
Thee from me. May I live and die in Thy love. Amen.
1 Jesu, thou joy of loving hearts,
thou fount of life, thou light of men;
from the best bliss that earth imparts
we turn unfilled to thee again.
2 Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
thou savest those that on thee call;
to them that seek thee thou art good,
to them that find thee, all in all.
3 We taste thee, O thou living bread,
and long to feast upon thee still;
we drink of thee, the fountain-head,
and thirst our souls from thee to fill.
4 Our restless spirits yearn for thee,
where’er our changeful lot is cast,
glad when thy gracious smile we see,
blest when our faith can hold thee fast.
5 O Jesu, ever with us stay;
make all our moments calm and bright;
chase the dark night of sin away;
shed o’er the world thy holy light.
Ray Palmer (1808–1887)
based on Jesu, dulcedo cordium, (Latin, 12th century)
The
nineteenth century witnessed a renewed interest amongst
hymn compilers for those dating from the medieval period. This hymn was
written by Bernard of Clairvaux, a twelfth century nobleman and
translated by Ray Palmer, an American pastor in 1858.
Blessing
Christ, who has nourished us with himself the living bread,
Pentecost is the feast of the ’new normal,’ life in the Spirit poured out on
the apostles and on all creation. As we celebrated Pentecost this year people
were talking about a different ‘new normal’ – our life after the Pandemic.
When we rebuild our lives, will we have a better sense of what is important? Or
will we just rush back to the same old life? What will ‘new normal’ mean
for the Church? What will our priorities be? How will we welcome those who have
been joining us online? How will we support those who are sad about people
and things that have been lost? What will we need to do if we are to open our
churches but keep people safe?
A week
ago over 40 clergy and lay readers shared in an online CMD Conference about
exactly these questions, organised for us by Michael Paterson.
Our discussions began from his reflections on the Four Hallmarks of
Ministry in Luke 24 (Jesus and the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus) in the
context of the pandemic. I’d like to thank all of you who attended (and
those who tried to but couldn’t due to broadband problems), to thank Michael
for organising it and for guiding our reflection, and to Carrie Applegath
and Elaine Garman for managing the event. The text and a video of
Michael’s presentation is available on the Diocesan website. https://standrews.anglican.org/clergy-development-resources/
The Scottish Government’s ‘Route Back’ outlines 4 Phases for opening up public
life. As we know, it is measured and cautious, and the timing of each Phase
will be announced when the Government decides the time is right. Phase 2
does envisage the possibility of churches being opened for individual prayer
and for funerals, but the requirements of physical distancing, provision
of handwashing and masks, deep cleaning, and support and training of
volunteers, will make this challenging and demanding for churches who
decide to offer this. And many of our active members, and some of our active
clergy and lay readers are ‘vulnerable’, and may be ‘shielding’ by
staying at home for longer than others. Very shortly the Advisory Group set up
by the College of Bishops will send out detailed practical Guidance
on what Episcopal churches would be able to do (and not do) once Phase 2
is announced by the Government. I (assisted by the Dean) will be ready to talk
to clergy and vestries who decide they want to take any of these steps
when the time comes. We all want to see the opening of our churches, but we
also know that opening them safely will require care and patience.
Globally, the pandemic is still in its early days, as we know from the present
situation in Brazil and India from our link bishops in Amazonia and
Calcutta (letters sent to you last week, and in the current
Diocesan E-News.
Also in the E-News, with Trinity Sunday and a version of Rublev’s icon in mind,
I have written about ‘Black Lives Matte’r and the reality of racism. It is in
all of our minds, in wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis
last week, as are the protests that have sprung up in the USA and in other
countries (the article is attached to this email). The fact is that Racism
is as real in Scotland as anywhere. Many people have said that the death of
George Floyd at the hands of police is a reminder of the equally unacceptable
death of Sheku Bayoh in Kirkcaldy in 2015. Mr Bayoh also died from
asphyxiation in the process of being detained. Accusations and
counter-accusations have circulated ever since, but it is only now, 5 years
later, that a public enquiry has been established. Mr Bayoh’s sister said,
“If he was a white man that is not the way his life would
have ended. … We are black people but we are not bad people. So
why do our children have to feel afraid walking in the streets?”
Like you I am horrified by Racism, and by how hard it still is for Black and
Asian people to be treated justly even here in Scotland. But as a White
male person I also know that I have a lot to learn about my own attitudes
formed by growing up in a world that privileges people like me. I chose to
write about Racism this month because even in the situation of pandemic and
lockdown, the Church has to engage with the other deep evils that continue
to oppress and destroy people’s lives, and to witness to the love of God that
calls us to overcome them. As clergy and lay readers we need to take
opportunities to think and pray together about enabling our churches to
engage. I hope that future CMD discussions and study gatherings will help us to
do this, even while we are struggling with Covid.
Racism, the abuse of women and children, homophobia, the exclusion of disabled
people, the neglect of older people – these evils are in reality the same evil,
the same sin: our refusal to respect and love every human
being, regardless of difference, as our equals in humanity, and as the
image of God. After Pentecost we have to pray that the Spirit will lead us and
all humankind into all the truth, that we may proclaim the word and works
of God.
Also attached to this are some further resources for you:
– the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for 2020-21, revised with corrections received
after the draft was sent out recently.
– 2 more resources from St Luke’s Trust on the well being of those in ministry.
– the latest edition of the SEI Newsletter.
– information about bursaries offered by Ecclesiastical Insurance for clergy
study.
As always, please accept my great admiration and thanks for the love and prayer
you are bringing to help our congregations to continue in prayer and
service. Thank you for all your faithful work which is making this
possible.
With my greetings and blessings for Trinity Sunday,
Bishop Ian
Attached to
Bishop Ian’s Letter were the following – click on each link to download
Christopher
Roads has been working incredibly hard to raise the funds for the Heating
Project which has been approved by the Vestry and the Diocesan Building Committee.
Christopher
writes this week;
“The
SEC Building Grants Fund has awarded a grant of £8,000 towards this project.
This brings the funds raised to date to £16,800 against a target of £18980.
“This
sum includes three anonymous donations totalling £3050 which with Gift Aid can
be increased to £3,660.
“Further
fund-raising has stalled until the Covid epidemic is over as most funders, e.g.
the Heritage Lottery Fund, will not entertain applications before
October.”
Church
Opening
The
Church is still closed because of Covid-19.
But we
see in the news that plans are being discussed to at least open Churches for
Private Prayer in the first instance.
We will let you know as soon as we have information on this
.
Hopefully
we shall be allowed to hold a form of service in the Church in due course
Richard
and Melanie – Covid -19
Poor
Richard and Melanie are still unable to move into their lovely new house. In the meantime, Richard is very kindly continuing
to provide the congregation with Pastoral support. As a part of this, he is preparing a weekly Sunday Service, which we
hope you like and enjoy.
We are VERY grateful to Richard for his continued work on our behalf.
Pentecost is the feast of the ’new normal,’ life in the Spirit poured
out on the apostles and on all creation. As we celebrated Pentecost this
year people were talking about a different ‘new normal’ – our life
after the Pandemic. When we rebuild our lives,
will we have a better sense of what is important? Or will we just rush
back to the same old life? What will ‘new normal’ mean for the Church?
What will our priorities be? How will we welcome those who have been
joining us online? How will we support those
who are sad about people and things that have been lost? What will we
need to do if we are to open our churches but keep people safe?
A week ago over 40
clergy and lay readers shared in an online CMD Conference about exactly
these questions, organised for us by Michael Paterson. Our discussions
began from his reflections
on the Four Hallmarks of Ministry in Luke 24 (Jesus and the Disciples
on the Road to Emmaus) in the context of the pandemic. I’d like to thank
all of you who attended (and those who tried to but couldn’t due to
broadband problems), to thank Michael for organising
it and for guiding our reflection, and to Carrie Applegath and Elaine
Garman for managing the event. The text and a video of Michael’s
presentation is available on the Diocesan website. https://standrews.anglican.org/clergy-development-resources/
The Scottish Government’s ‘Route Back’ outlines 4 Phases for opening up
public life. As we know, it is measured and cautious, and the timing of
each Phase will be announced when the Government decides the time is
right. Phase 2 does envisage the possibility
of churches being opened for individual prayer and for funerals, but
the requirements of physical distancing, provision of handwashing and
masks, deep cleaning, and support and training of volunteers, will make
this challenging and demanding for churches who
decide to offer this. And many of our active members, and some of our
active clergy and lay readers are ‘vulnerable’, and may be ‘shielding’
by staying at home for longer than others. Very shortly the Advisory
Group set up by the College of Bishops will send
out detailed practical Guidance on what Episcopal churches would be
able to do (and not do) once Phase 2 is announced by the Government. I
(assisted by the Dean) will be ready to talk to clergy and vestries who
decide they want to take any of these steps when
the time comes. We all want to see the opening of our churches, but we
also know that opening them safely will require care and patience.
Globally, the pandemic is still in its early days, as we know from the
present situation in Brazil and India from our
link bishops in Amazonia and Calcutta (letters sent to you last week,
and in the current Diocesan E-News.
Also in the E-News, with Trinity Sunday and a version of Rublev’s icon
in mind, I have written about ‘Black Lives Matte’r and the reality of
racism. It is in all of our minds, in wake of the murder of George Floyd
in Minneapolis last week, as are the protests
that have sprung up in the USA and in other countries (the article
is attached to this email). The fact is that Racism is as real in
Scotland as anywhere. Many people have said that the death of George
Floyd at the hands of police is a reminder of the equally
unacceptable death of Sheku Bayoh in Kirkcaldy in 2015. Mr Bayoh also
died from asphyxiation in the process of being detained. Accusations and
counter-accusations have circulated ever since, but it is only now, 5
years later, that a public enquiry has been
established. Mr Bayoh’s sister said, “If he was a white man that is not
the way his life would have ended. … We are black people but we are not
bad people. So why do our children have to feel afraid walking in the
streets?”
Like you I am horrified by Racism, and by how hard it still is for Black
and Asian people to be treated justly even here in Scotland. But as
a White male person I also know that I have a lot to learn about my own
attitudes formed by growing up in a world that
privileges people like me. I chose to write about Racism this month
because even in the situation of pandemic and lockdown, the Church
has to engage with the other deep evils that continue to oppress and
destroy people’s lives, and to witness to the love of
God that calls us to overcome them. As clergy and lay readers we need
to take opportunities to think and pray together about enabling our
churches to engage. I hope that future CMD discussions and study
gatherings will help us to do this, even while we are
struggling with Covid.
Racism, the abuse of women and children, homophobia, the exclusion of
disabled people, the neglect of older people – these evils are in
reality the same evil, the same sin: our refusal to
respect and love every human being, regardless of difference,
as our equals in humanity, and as the image of God. After Pentecost we
have to pray that the Spirit will lead us and all humankind into all the
truth, that we may proclaim the word and works of God.
Also attached to this are some further resources for you:
– the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for 2020-21, revised with corrections received after the draft was sent out recently.
– 2 more resources from St Luke’s Trust on the welllbeing of those in ministry.
– the latest edition of the SEI Newsletter.
– information about bursaries offered by Ecclesisatiacal Insurance for clergy study.
As always, please accept my great admiration and thanks for the love and
prayer you are bringing to help our congregations to continue in prayer
and service. Thank you for all your faithful work which is making this
possible.
With my greetings and blessings for Trinity Sunday,
