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
“If it’s not Good News for everyone, then it’s
not good enough yet.”
Preparation: Almighty
God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets
are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy
Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen
Our Lord
Jesus Christ said: the first commandment is this:
“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind and with all Your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There
is no other commandment greater than these. Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Gloria: Glory to God in the
highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty
God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your
glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you
take away
the sin of the world; have mercy on us; you are seated at
the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are
the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus
Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen
Collect: Almighty
God, you have broken the tyranny of sin and sent into our hearts the Spirit of
your Son. Give us grace to dedicate our
freedom to your service, that all people may know the glorious liberty of the
children of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Reading: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Thus says the Lord:
‘Maintain justice and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come
and my deliverance be revealed. And
the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the
name of the Lord and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath and do not
profane it and hold fast to my covenant – all these I will bring to my holy
mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and
their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a
house of prayer for all peoples.’ Thus
says the Lord who gathers the outcasts of Israel: ‘I will gather others to them besides those
already gathered.’
Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre
and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and
started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is
tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples
came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after
us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He
answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the
dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall
from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your
faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed
instantly.
Reflection: In a Bible study at Cornton Vale women’s prison, we
discussed , ‘Was Jesus ever naughty?’ It’s a good question, because it makes us
think about what it means to say that Jesus was fully human, as well as fully
God. Humans experience the growth of
their bodies, minds and spirits, and their understanding of the world – if all goes well – becomes deeper and
closer to all that is true and good.
When Jesus met a pagan woman in the notoriously ‘wicked’
district of Tyre and Sidon, he can’t have expected a lesson in understanding. He responded at first to her request for healing
for her daughter with a brisk ‘I’ve come for the Jews, not for the likes of
you’. But she pointed out that there
were plenty of leftovers (12 baskets?) for the rest of the world. Perhaps this triggered a memory of the
prophecy of Isaiah in Jesus’ mind: the Lord will ‘gather the outcasts of
Israel’.
The woman widened Jesus’ vision of the Good News that he came to
proclaim – that God is not just for one group, one type, one age or gender or
ethnicity, but for all people who turn to him.
As Debie Thomas wrote: If it’s not Good News for everyone, then it’s
not good enough yet.Jesus may have heard the passage from Isaiah
many times, but until it was made real in the person of the Canaanite woman, he
had not fully let it sink in and become a part of him.
When we
meet someone who is different and ‘other’, and find that our set views, our
sense of entitlement and our bias towards those who are similar to us are
challenged, will we be as ready as Jesus was to open our eyes and change our
minds?
Prayers:
God of compassion, you have shown us such great mercy. Through
the witness of your Church may all the world experience the goodness of your
mercy. Hear us, we humbly pray
Lord of all,
you have created us to live together. Help us to see that our common life
depends on each other’s work and goodwill. May nations learn to live in peace and cooperation.
Hear us, we
humbly pray
Abundant
God, you make the earth bring forth good food. As you provided for the
children of Israel, we pray you will also provide for all those suffering from
famine and hunger in our world.
Hear us, we
humbly pray
Loving God,
how good and pleasant it is when your children live together in unity. Open
our eyes to those who are outcast, forgotten and undervalued in our
communities. Hear us, we humbly pray;
Lord Christ,
may those who call out to you in great faith find your heart open to their
cries. We ask for healing for the sick and suffering, the desperate and
disturbed. We pray especially for … Hear us, we humbly pray
God of blessing,
bless your people with life for evermore. May the dying find comfort; may
the departed rest in your peace.
Hear us, we
humbly pray
We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ and in the power of the Spirit. Amen
The Great Thanksgiving
Let us lift up our hearts and give thanks to the Lord our God,
for it is right to give him thanks and praise.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest!
Worship and praise belong to you, Father, in every
place and at all times. All power is
yours. You created the heavens and established
the earth; you sustain in being all that is.
In Christ your Son our life and yours are brought together in a wonderful
exchange. He made his home among us that we might
for ever dwell in you. Through your Holy Spirit you call us to new birth
in a creation restored by love.
As children of your redeeming purpose we offer you our praise,
with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven,
singing the hymn of your unending glory:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of
power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Glory and thanksgiving be to you, most loving Father,
for the gift of your Son born in human flesh. He is the Word existing beyond
time, both source and final purpose, bringing to wholeness all that is made.
Obedient to your will he died upon the Cross. By your power you raised him from
the dead. He broke the bonds of evil and set your people free to be his Body in
the world.
On the night when he
was given up to death, knowing that his hour had come, having loved his own, he
loved them to the end. At supper with his disciples he took bread and offered
you thanks. He broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying: “Take, eat.
This is my Body: it is broken for you.” After supper, he took the cup, he
offered you thanks, and gave it to them saying: “Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant; it is poured out for you, and for all,
that sins
may be forgiven. Do this in remembrance of me.”
We now obey your
Son’s command. We recall his blessed passion
and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension; and we look for the coming
of his Kingdom. Made one with him, we offer you ourselves, a single, holy,
living sacrifice.
Hear us, most
merciful Father, and send your Holy Spirit upon us that, overshadowed by his
life-giving power, we may be kindled with the fire of your love and renewed for
the service of your Kingdom.
Help us, who are
baptised into the fellowship of Christ’s Body to live and work to your praise
and glory; may we grow together in unity and love until at last, in your new
creation, we enter into our heritage in the company of the Virgin Mary, the
apostles and prophets, and of all our brothers and sisters living and departed.
Through Jesus Christ
our Lord, with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour
and glory be to you, Lord of all ages,
world without end. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be
done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and
ever. Amen.
The Communion: draw close to Christ in spirit and
thanksgiving,
and be nourished by his presence with you and within you.
Closing prayer:
The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts
and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord; and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with us
always. Amen.
Hymn:This
hymn was written by Fr. Frederick Faber, an Anglican priest who became a Roman
Catholic in 1845. He was an admirer of
hymns by the Methodist leader Charles Wesley.
You can find it sung at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJwfT3SY_PU
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
like the wideness of the sea;
there’s a kindness in his justice
which is more than liberty.
There is no place where earth’s sorrows
are more keenly felt than heaven:
there is no place where earth’s failings
have such gracious judgement given.
There is plentiful redemption
through the blood that Christ has shed;
there is joy for all the members
in the sorrows of the head.
For the love of God is broader
than the measure of our mind;
and the heart of the eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more simple,
we should take him at his word;
and our lives would be illumined,
by the glory of the Lord.
Notice
We have consent to Open St Mary’s again for Services- We will let you know as soon as we can what is planned and when our first suday Service can take place. There is some work to do in preparing the Churvch for Covid-19 and then of course we shall have to find a pesronb willing to take a service for us.
It
was feared that current regulations governing funerals might prevent
David’s from being as he deserved. However, as the day proceeded, these
anxieties became dispelled.
Mercifully,
Katie, David’s daughter was able to be present, having driven from
Southern Ireland. There, travel restrictions are strictly enforced and
there was every possibility that she might have
been turned back.
What
better place to start David’s final journey than from the garden at
Blairuskin? This was the beautiful setting for the first part of the
service, before the cortege moved off via Kinlochard,
Aberfoyle, Gartmore, Ballat and Drymen en route to Cardross
crematorium.
Many well-wishers lined this part of the route, some playing
instruments and others displaying placards and banners. It was all most
moving, and a gesture of respect and support appreciated by the family.
Upon
either side of the prayers of committal at Cardross, two hymns were
played. The first was ‘Praise my Soul’ and the other, ‘The Day of
Resurrection’. Both were sung at Saffrey’s memorial service
held just a year and two days ago. This was a poignant reminder that
the two are now reunited in death as in life. May they rest in peace.
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.
The Collect
Almighty God,
who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
grant that, as by your grace going before us
you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Gospel
John 14:1-6
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a];
believe also in me.
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and
take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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
Should
the words of today’s gospel seem familiar, you will not be mistaken.
This passage from St John is traditionally read at a funeral. Aside from
the opening
verses of the first chapter of John’s gospel which are always heard at
the Christmas Carol Service, today’s gospel is possibly the best known
of the New Testament.
The
gospel dovetails with the theme of last Sunday, Christ the Good
Shepherd. It doubtless reflects our own present thoughts and fears.
There
was a sense of relief when the Prime Minister recently returned to his
desk at Downing Street following convalescence. In times of trouble, the
need
of a leader is never greater. The difficulty is that human leadership,
with respect, is fallible.
Christ promises his followers ‘I am the Good Shepherd’.
Today’s
gospel is set on the eve of Christ’s crucifixion. As the disciples took
supper, Jesus spoke first of the traitor in their midst and then his
imminent
departure. The disciples world would have caved in around them.
After three or so years in His company, travelling, watching, and listening to him, they learn He was to suffer and die.
In
response, Christ assured them ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled’ He
told them that His departure was to His Father’s house, with a view to
preparing
a place for them. Later he would come again to those who know the
direction of his journey.
But
the disciples remained perturbed. Peter asked, “Where are you going?”
Thomas said, “We do not know why you are going, so how can we know the
way?”
In
response, Jesus described himself, gently rebuking those present for
forgetting His nature. ” Do not let our hearts be troubled. Trust in God
still and
trust in me”
Then he assured them ‘I am going now to prepare a place for you so that where I am you may be too’.
In
these words, Jesus did not promise that believers would never again
experience trouble, disappointment or trials. In fact, He later said
just the opposite.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the
world” Indeed, all but one of those present at supper would later meet
death through martyrdom.
A.W.
Pink, a British theologian commented on Christ’s words. “Believe in
God,’ O Christian. Let not your heart be troubled, for thy Father is
possessed of
infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. He knows what is best for thee,
and He makes all things work together for thy good. He is on the Throne,
ruling amid the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth,
so that none can stay His refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. . . “If God be for us who can be
against us?” Believe in God. Believe in His absolute sovereignty, His
infinite wisdom, His unchanging faithfulness, His wondrous love.
“Believe also in Me.” I am the One who died for thy sins
and rose again for thy justification: I am the One who ever lives to
make intercession for thee. I am the same, yesterday, and today, and
forever. I am the One who shall come again to receive you to Myself, and
you shall be forever with Me. Yes, “Believe also
in me!”
Another
theologian, Alexander Maclaren, wrote. “Jesus Christ does not merely
set Himself up by the side of God, nor are we worshipers of two Gods
when we
bow before Jesus and bow before the Father; but faith in Christ is
faith in God, and faith in God which is not faith in Christ is
imperfect, incomplete, and will not long last. To trust in Him is to
trust in the Father; to trust in the Father is to trust in
Him.”
The
concerns of the disciples that night was no different from the turmoil
experienced today. Jesus tells the disciples and all believers to
surrender the
troubles flooding their hearts and take comfort. He takes us by the
hand and says, “Come, I’ll take you with me there.” He does not tell us
about the way; He is the Way.
Amen
Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a
shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This
day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet
all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of
each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and
meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
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.
It
is hard to believe that within the course of a few days, St Mary’s has
been deprived of two of its most loved and cherished members, David
Miller and Kate Joynson. Our sadness is shared with the
community at large.
First,
their respective funeral arrangements. Under normal circumstances,
memorial services in church would have been held for both. The numbers
attending might well be imagined. However, such services
are, for the time being at least, impossible. David will be cremated on
Thursday 7th May. Timings and details are to be confirmed,
but it is planned that the cortege will drive a circuitous route through
the parish to allow as many who wish to pay
their last respects from the side of the road.
Kate’s burial has been provisionally arranged for Wednesday 13th May.
It
is hoped that a full appreciation of David can be published in due
course. For Kate, I take the liberty of writing a few words now. I
apologise in advance for any factual error.
Just
as David’s name was always accompanied by Saffrey’s so Kate was to
Peter. We remember Peter presently in lockdown at his care home in
Stirling. Theresa tells me that the lockdown in Bermuda is
a great deal more stringent than we experience. It will be impossible
of her to leave the island for the foreseeable future. Michael is
struggling with homeworking in London. Our thoughts and prayers with
both. For these wishing to be in touch with Theresa
by email, her address is theresa.joynson@googlemail.com
Older
members of the community have told me that Kate’s mother was a
powerhouse of initiative and energy. Kate was very much her mother’s
daughter and did much for the good of others. Her involvement
with the Abbeyfield in Aberfoyle will forever be appreciated.
Kate
was born at Douglas Mains outside Bearsden, now alas under a housing
estate. She and Peter married in Edinburgh in the early fifties. With
Theresa and Michael, they lived variously at Braendam
Thornhill and outside Cambusbarron before eventually settling at
Laraich.
Who
of us at one point or another have not enjoyed Kate and Peter’s
hospitality? Kate always belittled her culinary skills, but evidence
proves otherwise.
Kate took a wonderfully positive outlook on life, even when Peter’s mobility began to tax her strength.
She possessed delightful eccentricities. She drove in a ‘press
on’ fashion, sometimes with and sometimes without spectacles as the mood
took her. Her previous vehicle was registered with the letters CAV.
David Miller, observing her car one day commented
that the Latin word caveat means warning, be on your guard.
Kate
always reserved for herself the seventh lesson about sheep and
shepherds at the annual Carol Service. She always read wonderfully
clearly. But then, anything moving on four legs, especially a
dog, was dear to Kate’s heart. With Peter elsewhere, life latterly
centred around the welfare of Dan, her golden Labrador.
Kate always valued independence and, thanks largely to the devotion of Alison and Angus, that was made possible to the last.
Dear Kate, rest in God’s peace.
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.
Today’s Service
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
The Collect
Merciful Father,
you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd,
and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again:
keep us always under his protection,
and give us grace to follow in his steps;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Gospels
Gospel 1
John 9
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus,
“but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.
7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”
9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He
replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes.
He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed,
and then I could see.”
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.
14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.
15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had
received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I
washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents.
19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind.
21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.”
22 His parents said this because they were afraid of
the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged
that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.
23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 A
second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to
God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He
answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you
want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.
31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.
33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said,
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said,
“You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said,[a]
“For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said,
“If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Gospel 2
John 10:1-10
10 “Very
truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by
the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again,
“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will
come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
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
‘Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John bless the bed that I lie on’. So runs the ancient
rhyme about the gospel writers. Mark is largely acknowledged to have
written his account of the Good News before Matthew
and Luke. John wrote some years after all of them.
Imagine
for a moment the four as artists rather than writers, tasked to depict
their respective gospels on a blank canvas. Mark would draw Christ’s
life in pencil carefully, but with barest detail.
Matthew and Luke would add subtle colour and shading to Mark’s account
by way of the nativity narratives.
John’s depiction though would be strikingly different,
akin to a post-impressionist painter using rich oil colours and vibrant
swirling brush strokes to fill the canvas.
As a
Gospel writer, John achieves this depth of meaning by placing one
narrative next to another, so that the first might illuminate the
meaning of the second.
Today we examine an example of John’s juxtaposition. This will explain why two, rather than a single gospel reading are printed.
Traditionally,
the fourth Sunday after Easter Day is observed as Good Shepherd Sunday.
In the second gospel, Jesus describes himself as the gate for the
sheep, offering the only way in and out of
the sheepfold. However, only by reading the first gospel can the
imagery of the second be fully explained.
The
first gospel narrates how Jesus gave sight to a young man blind from
birth by mixing a paste with his saliva and spreading it over the man’s
eyes. Later, when the man as instructed by Jesus washed
his eyes in the Pool of Siloam, he could see. Although a
miracle, the act was nothing unusual; all four gospel writers bear
testimony to Christ’s extraordinary powers of healing.
Having
described the incident, John then records the reaction of the watching
Pharisees. The young man’s parents were too frightened of them to
acknowledge Christ’s powers. Not so their grateful son:
he openly confessed to Jesus as an expression of gratitude ‘I believe’
Seeing was indeed believing. (9:38) Jesus then proclaimed to the
Pharisees. ‘I have come into the world that the blind might see’ (9:39).
The Pharisees, forever on the defensive sprung
upon these words. ‘What, are we blind too?’ (9:40)
At
this point, the second gospel begins. Jesus’ words about sheep and
shepherds were directed against his critics. Jesus spoke of sheep and
shepherds, thieves and strangers to explain how giving sight
to a man, who had never seen anything, showed the huge difference
between true believers, and false prophets who had sight but
nevertheless failed to see. To make his point, Jesus drew on one of the
most common images in scripture: sheep following their shepherd.
Sheep
are mentioned more than 200 times in the Bible. This is hardly
surprising because they were important sources of wool, milk and barter.
Throughout the Bible, sheep served as a symbol of God’s
people. God is portrayed as the shepherd of his chosen flock most
famously in the 23rd Psalm.
Sheep
share human characteristics. Sheep are followers, copying other sheep,
even to slaughter, or into danger. Lambs are conditioned to follow older
sheep. Following is an instinct. Sheep are more
inclined to follow other sheep than a shepherd.
Sheep
find safety in numbers. Since predators attack the outliers, sheep
stick closely together. When grazing, sheep will keep at least 4-5 other
sheep in view. They are very social animals, and the
instinct to flock is strong.
Sheep
rarely walk in a straight line. By tracking one side to another, they
see what is behind. They can spot danger from up to 1500 yards away, but
they have trouble finding a half-open gate without
help.
What
then of human nature? We are inclined to follow each other more
instinctively than to see the Good Shepherd. Before Covid 19 at least,
we tend to associate with those we know best and huddle
together when danger is sensed. We spend more time looking behind, than
walking ahead. Consequently, we are blind to the shepherd and the open
gate of the sheepfold.
By
placing the texts side by side, John underlines the importance of
believers seeing and recognizing the shepherd. The young man had sight
given to him and, as a result, believed. The Pharisees had
sight and yet were blinded and consequently failed to recognize the
Messiah.
Jesus says he is the Gate, the way to safety and green pasture. Do we see the gate?
The prayer
O
Lord, may we find you amid our trials. We pray that You would teach
us what it means to see beyond our troubles, knowing that You are with
us. Even so, Lord God, we see the challenges those around us are
facing. We ask You to intervene, to be with those who are in need, to
prompt us to participate with You as You care for
your people, and, most of all, to restore creation and to make all
things new. We pray that we would not be anxious, but that You would
give us Your peace. Let us live differently during this trial so that
the world might see You in us. 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.
The Lord’s Prayer:
The Hymn:
For today, there can only be one possible choice. This was written by Sir Henry Williams Baker, Bart., eldest son of Admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker. He was born in London in May 1821, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. Taking Holy Orders in 1844, he became, in 1851, Vicar of Monkland, Herefordshire. This benefice he held to his death in February 1877. He succeeded to the Baronetcy in 1851. This hymn is his best known and the last audible words upon his dying lips were those of the third verse. Listen on YOutube
1 The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
and he is mine for ever.
2 Where streams of living water flow
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow
with food celestial feedeth.
3 Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home rejoicing brought me.
4
In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff
my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
5 Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
6 And so through all the length of days
thy goodness faileth never:
good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house for ever.
Conclusion
The
God of peace, who brought from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great
shepherd of the sheep, make us perfect to in every good work to do his
will; and the blessing of God Almighty the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore
Thank you to those who have been
in contact by phone, WhatsApp and email during the week. Please continue to do
so, even if just for a chat. I remain of course anxious to help anyone during
these difficult days. My thought and prayer for you all.
The
Scottish Episcopal Church will this Sunday be 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.
For
those who prefer devotion in another form, the following is a complete service
for Easter Day
The
Easter Service
In
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
The Confession
Let us confess our sins to our Heavenly Father:
Jesus Christ, risen Master and triumphant Lord,
we come to you in sorrow for our sins,
and confess our weakness and unbelief,
Lord hear us and help us
We have lived in our own strength,
and not by the power of your resurrection.
In your mercy, forgive us.
Lord hear us and help us
We have lived by the light of our own eyes,
as faithless and not believing,
In your mercy forgive us,
Lord hear us and help us
We have lived for this world alone,
and doubted our home in heaven,
In your mercy, forgive us.
Lord hear us and help us
O God enthroned on high
Filling the earth with your glory:
Holy is your name
Lord God Almighty
In our sinfulness we cry to you
To take our guilt away,
And to cleanse our lips to speak of your word
Through Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen
Absolution
The Almighty and merciful Lord,
grant me pardon and absolution of all my sins. Amen.
The Ministry
of the Word
Collect
God of glory
By the raising of your Son
you have broken the chains of death and hell:
fill your Church with faith and hope;
for a new day has dawned
and the way to life stands open
in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen
First Reading Acts 10:34-43
Second Reading Col 3:1-4
The Gospel John 20:1-18
20 Early on the first day of
the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that
the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she
came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and
said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they
have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other
disciple started for the tomb.
4 Both were running, but the other disciple
outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He
bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and
went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around
Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached
the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They
still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
10 Then the disciples went back to where they
were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the
tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw
two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the
other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman,
why are you crying?”
“They have taken
my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At
this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize
that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?
Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was
the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have
put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward
him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for
I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with
the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these
things to her.
The Creed
You Christ are the King of Glory
the eternal Son of the Father
You overcame the sting of death:
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all
believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory:
we believe that you will come to be our judge
Come then Lord and help your people:
bought with the price of your own blood.
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting
The Address
‘This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow.
My Love, the Crucified, hath sprung to life this morrow’.
These are the opening words of an Easter Carol written towards the end of
the 19th century.
Are you well? This is a perennial question asked by everyone at present.
The answer expected of course is ‘yes, very well, thank you’. It’s what needs
to be said and heard presently to preserve often fragile morale. Our poor Prime
Minister was reported last Sunday evening to be in ‘good spirits’ He would say
that of course. Unbeknown to most, he was hospitalized and very ill, whilst
carrying to his bed the immense burden of office.
Are you joyful this Eastertide? In truth, I find it difficult to summon the
happiness associated with the season. Others tell me, and rightly so, that the church
is more than just a building. The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently assured
us that ‘Jesus is quite up to date with technology’ But celebrating Easter
through a screen is simply not the same. Easter Day is associated with
beautiful church decorations, glorious music and a sense of fellowship with
other worshippers. For the first time in a thousand years, none of this has
been possible. We do our best then to be in ‘good spirits’, but it is very
hard.
The media rightly describe Mr. Johnson as
a ‘big animal’, a charismatic and influential figure. When news of his admission to hospital
broke last week, a wave of anxiety swept the nation. Who was now to lead us
through these dark days? It gives some idea of the consternation that must have
seized Simon Peter and the other disciples when Jesus was taken from them. Many
of them were too
terrified by events to be at their master’s crucifixion. Consequently, they neglected to ensure that
he even received a dignified burial.
Nevertheless, Simon Peter and another disciple
came to the tomb three days later. Expecting to find at least Christ’s body,
they found nothing. That was probably the last straw: failing to understand,
they returned to their homes.
They were not the only visitors to the tomb that
morning. There was also Mary Magdalene. Mary was a common name in the
scriptures so hence her additional identification. Little is known of her, save
that Christ healed her from a life-sapping illness. Thereafter, renewed in body and spirit, Mary
served and followed Christ with utmost devotion.
Unlike the disciples, Mary Magdalene watched all
day at the cross, witnessing Christ’s suffering and death. Mary, visiting the tomb after the disciples, was also distressed to find
it empty. Her trust though in Christ remained unshaken and her deep reservoir
of faith told her to wait. Later, through the half light
of the early morning, she heard Christ’s voice. In great joy she responded Rabboni,
master. When seeing Christ’s form, she naturally hastened to embrace it. Instead,
she was commanded to tell the disciples what she had witnessed.
To return to the present. What will happen to our
nation this week, and the next? How will future generations cope with the
difficulties that undoubtedly will result? We search the darkness of the future
just as the disciples and Mary peered into the tomb.
We ask then for the deep, hopeful and patient
love in the risen Christ that was found in Mary Magdalene; she who was truly in
good spirits.
This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow.
My Love, the Crucified, hath sprung to life this morrow.
The Prayers
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.
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.
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.
For hospital staff and medical
researchers
Gracious God,
give skill, sympathy and resilience
to 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.
At Easter Day
We give thanks O God our Father for the
glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ from the dead;
for his victory over sin and the grave;
for his risen presence in our daily lives;
for his promise of life immortal with him.
Accept our praise and teach us day by day to
live rejoicingly in the faith of him who died for us, and rose again, and is
alive for evermore
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.
An act of commitment
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.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour Christ has commanded and taught us, so we pray:
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy
name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in
heaven.
Give us this day
our daily bread;
and forgive us our
trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass
against us.
And lead us not
into temptation,
but deliver us from
evil.
For thine is the
kingdom,
the power and the
glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
A recording of this hymn can be accessed via YouTube
1 Jesus lives! thy terrors now
can, O death, no more appal us;
Jesus lives!
by this we know
thou, O grave, canst not enthral
us. Alleluia.
2 Jesus
lives! henceforth is death
but
the gate of life immortal:
this shall calm our trembling
breath,
when we pass its gloomy portal. Alleluia.
3 Jesus
lives! for us he died;
then, alone to Jesus living,
pure in heart may we abide,
glory to our Saviour giving. Alleluia.
4 Jesus
lives! our hearts know well
naught from us his love shall sever;
life nor death nor powers of
hell
tear us from his keeping ever. Alleluia.
5 Jesus
lives! to him the throne
over all the world is given:
may we go where he is gone,
rest and reign with him in heaven. Alleluia.
The Grace
May the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with me
always. Amen.
Thank
you to those who have continued to be in contact by phone and email
during the week. Please continue to do so, even if just for a chat. I am
not
self-isolated and remain of course anxious to help anyone during these
difficult days. My thought and prayer for you all.
The
Scottish Episcopal Church will continue this Sunday to broadcast 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.
It
seems unthinkable that Holy Week this year will need to be observed in
solitude. Even in the darkest days of the last Great War churches
remained open. We will though do our best to make the coming
week as meaningful as possible with a Linkage Service being available
via the Bulletin both for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Through
participation in the whole sequence of services, the Christian shares
in Christ’s own journey, from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem today
to the empty tomb on Easter morning.
The
week starts today with the procession with palms. In normal
circumstances, Palm Crosses would be distributed in church services
today. They will be as soon as circumstances allow.
For the purposes of today’s service, would you please imagine a palm cross in your hand?
Better still, you may have retained a cross from a previous occasion.
The Palm Sunday Service
Introduction and Collect
Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
During
Lent we have been preparing by works of love
and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and
resurrection. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in
union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city
to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to
die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that,
united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.
God our Saviour,
whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer
and to die;
let these palms be for us signs of his victory
and grant that we who bear them in his name
may ever hail him as our King,
and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
The Gospel
Matthew 21.1-11
When
Jesus and his disciples had come near Jerusalem and had reached
Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to
them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately
you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring
them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord
needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ This took place to
fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet,
saying,
‘Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
The
disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the
donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A
very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and
others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The
crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking,
‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from
Nazareth in Galilee.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
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
I
was honoured last year to be asked to conduct a baptism, in, of all
places, the Chapel of the House of Commons in London. A parking space
was arranged, and the day went well. That is, until I started
out upon my homeward journey. In Parliament Square a Gay Pride
demonstration was in full swing. For an hour the traffic was gridlocked.
Nothing moved, save for thousands waving flags and banners. I have
never seen so many excited people gathered together in
one place. Perhaps the day was like the gathering in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday.
How did so many in London know where and when to meet? The answer is obvious: social media.
So
how did so many know where and when Christ would enter Jerusalem? The
answer is of course different, but obvious: it could only have been by
word of mouth. St John’s Gospel records that Christ had
already turned water to wine, fed five thousand hungry people and
healed the incurable. More miraculously still, he had raised Lazarus
from death at Bethany. Although Jesus wouldn’t have wished it, he had
achieved celebrity status; everyone wanted to glimpse
him. Others had still higher hopes of him as a political leader.
Jerusalem had been subdued under the rule of the Roman Empire for at
least a century. Could it be that Christ, who had referred to himself as
King of the Jews, was now coming to Jerusalem to
overthrow the empire and lead the nation to renewed glory? Certainly,
that was the hope of many belonging to a nationalist group called the
Zealots.
Once
upon a time, the people of an ancient Spanish village learned that
their king was to pay the village a state visit for
the first time within living memory. At a village meeting it was agreed
that the occasion should be marked, but how? Then someone suggested
this idea. Since many of the villagers made their own wines, the plan
was for everyone to contribute a cup of their
choice wine. Each contribution was to be poured into a large vat
through a funnel at its top and placed in the market square. “When the
king arrives and draws wine from the vat, it will be the very best he’s
ever tasted!” promised the mayor.
The
day before the king’s arrival, hundreds of people lined up to pour in
their offering to the honored guest until the vat
was full. The next day the King arrived. He was escorted to the square,
given a silver cup and invited to take a drink from the vat.
The king placed his cup under the vat’s tap and drank. He was surprised to taste nothing more than water.
You see, every villager had reasoned after the meeting,
“I’ll withhold my best wine and give water instead. With so many cups of
wine in the vat, the king will never know the difference” The problem
was that everyone thought
likewise. Nobody gave wine, but only water. The king was thus greatly
dishonored.
On
the first Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem to great acclaim.
Bystanders waved Palm leaves in his honour. They quickly
realised though that a man riding a donkey rather than a charger was
not a king. A man followed by a rabble of disciples rather than menacing
men of war was never going to be of use to them. They therefore
deserted Christ the Son of God at the roadside leaving
him alone to face death. A few days later at the trial they saw a
beaten and disfigured Jesus. They too dishonored their king. He was like
the King whose subjects promised wine, but only gave water
Will in the days to come, our king the Son of God draw water or the best wine from our lives. Will he be honored or dishonored?
The Prayers
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.
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.
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.
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.
For hospital staff and medical researchers
Gracious God,
give skill, sympathy and resilience
to 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.
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.
A personal Communion
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 I may
always be united to Thee. And since I cannot 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.
Thank
you to those who have been in contact by phone and email during the
week. Please continue to do so, even if just for a chat. I remain of
course anxious
to help anyone during these difficult days. My thought and prayer for
you all.
The
extended virus regulations issued earlier this week now prohibit anyone
save the incumbent entering his or her place of worship.
The
Scottish Episcopal Church will this Sunday 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.
For those who prefer devotion in another form, the following is a complete service for Passion Sunday
SERVICE FOR TODAY
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
The Collect for the day
Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Gospel.
John 11.1-45
11 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When
Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the
glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus
answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the
day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11 These
things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus
sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
28 And
when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister
secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 The
Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when
they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her,
saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
32 Then
when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his
feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not
died.
33 When
Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came
with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 And
some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the
blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus
said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead,
saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead
four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then
they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast
heard me.
42 And
I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which
stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And
he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and
his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose
him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
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
Today,
Passion Sunday marks the beginning in the Christian calendar of a
two-week period in the Christian calendar during which the sequence of
events leading to the crucifixion of Christ on Good
Friday are recalled.
Passion
is a richly suggestive word. In its human context, it describes a state
of deep emotional feeling and attachment. In the context of the divine,
it conveys the most powerful longing by Almighty
God to redeem humanity by allowing his only son to suffer death for the
sake of the world.
Exhibiting
passion requires self-giving, that in turn may necessitate personal
suffering. Christ’s sufferings in the cause of passionate love for the
world are well documented in the Gospels. During
his anguished visit to the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ confessed to
his disciples that his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow. As he prayed,
sweat like drops of blood fell to the ground. The next day, Good Friday,
his accusers spat on him and mocked him. They
struck his head repeatedly before attaching him to a cross with nails.
Later, Christ called from the cross in words of deepest distress.,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?”
That Christ willing suffered this and much besides
explains the divine context of passion, a holy outpouring of love
demonstrated by the crucified Christ.
However, before showing this love for the world, Christ was to outpour his love for one particular family.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus who lived at Bethany were amongst Jesus’
closest friends. Lazarus became ill to the point of death and, in
desperation, Mary and Martha sent for Christ, pleading with him to come
immediately and heal their brother.
But
Christ didn’t respond as the sisters had wished. Rather he postponed
the journey for nearly three days. By that time, Lazarus had died. The
explanation for the delay will in time became apparent.
Martha and Mary though were unaware of the cause and consequently made
no effort to hide their disappointment. “Lord, if you would have been
here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
At
Christ’s bidding, the sisters took him to Lazarus’s tomb and Jesus shook
with emotion from the depth of his soul in his concern for the grieving
sisters. Christ then was able to show more than
mere sympathy for Martha and Mary’ plight.
St
John carefully notes in his gospel account no less than seven occasions
when Christ exhibited the miraculous. He turned water into wine and
cured the hunger of five thousand people with five loaves
and two fish. He healed a paralytic at Bethsaida, a royal official’s
son at Capernaum, and gave sight to a blind man. He walked over the Sea
of Galilee to rescue the disciples from a storm. These account for six
miraculous acts. Now Jesus would perform his
last and greatest miracle in the presence of Martha and Mary at their
brother’s tomb.
Upon
their arrival, Jesus asked that the entrance stone be removed. Martha
though demurred. “Lord, he has been dead four days.” The stone was
nevertheless rolled away. Jesus prayed and then called
out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”. He appeared; his body was
still wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus said, “Free him, and let him
go.” The previous six miraculous acts had given Jesus an opportunity to
demonstrate the power of God in varying ways.
Now in this the seventh at Lazarus’s tomb Jesus proved the power of God
to raise the dead to new life.
The
reason for Christ’s delay in answering the sister’s plea for help now
becomes apparent. The performance of this last and greatest miracle
could only be possible after Lazarus had died.
No
act of compassion can be made without cost. According to St John, those
who witnessed the miracle went back and told the temple leaders what
happened. John then wrote:
“The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered
and from that day forward they took counsel
that they might put him to death.”
Through
this outpouring of compassion for Martha and Mary, Christ had thereby
sealed his own fate. And of no less importance, the miracle foreshadowed
Christ’s own rising from a tomb.
Amen
The Prayers
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.
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.
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.
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.
For hospital staff and medical researchers
Gracious God,
give skill, sympathy and resilience
to 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.
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.
The Lord’s Prayer:
The Grace
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with me always. Amen.
Notices for the week beginning 16th March 2020
Coronavirus
Linkage Policy
1.
The sharing of the Peace
at St Mary’s will only be shared verbally.
Thereafter, any other salutation will be at the attendee’s discretion.
2. Communion. The administration of Communion will continue, but the precise form of receiving will be at the discretion of the communicant.
The options are:
To decline communion and remain in the pew during administration.
To receive ‘a non-contact’ priest’s blessing instead of Communion. A service book held in the hand will indicate this choice.
To receive communion in the form of the wafer only. Communion received in both kinds, being the bread and the wine has always been an important part of Anglican practice. In the present circumstances, there may be concern that receiving bread alone is somehow disrespectful or lacking in some regard. Church teaching is that as Christ is indivisible, he can still be received in all fullness by the bread alone.
All decisions taken will be respected. Please be assured that strict hygiene continues to be observed by those preparing elements both before and after the service.
Easter
Lily Fund
The Lily fund in both churches is now open
Rotas
Callander
Luna, Roger or Sandra.
Aberfoyle
Juliet Edmonstone
David Miller
Wednesday 18th March
10.00 Callander
Matt. 5. 17-19
Sunday 22nd March
Lent 4
Mothering Sunday
Collect
Merciful Lord,
absolve your people from their offences,
that through your bountiful goodness
we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins
which by our frailty we have committed;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christ’s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Services & Readings
10.00 Callander
1. Sam. 16.1-13
Eph. 5.8-14
John 9.1-41
11.15 Aberfoyle
1. Sam. 16.1-13
Eph. 5.8-14
John 9.1-41
Wednesday 25th March
10.00 Callander
Luke 1.26-38
Future Notices:
Saturday 28th March
11.00 – 13.00 St Ninians Cathedral Perth
Our Digital Church
This
course is with the Digital Missioner of Glasgow and Galloway Diocese
with the aim of improving the skills
of those who look after the online presence of their churches. A step
by step guide of best practices will be followed by a question and
answer session. Booking via the Diocesan Office (01738 443173) please.
Holy Week and Easter Services
Monday 6th April
19.30 Devotion at Callander Kirk
Tuesday 7th April
19.30 Devotion at Callander Kirk
Wednesday 8th April
19.30 Devotion at Callander Kirk
Maundy Thursday 9th April
11.00 Chrism Mass at Perth Cathedral
19.30 at St Andrews Devotion ‘In Remembrance’
Good Friday 10th April
10.30 Devotion at St Mary’s
12.00 Devotion at St Andrews
Easter Day 12th April
Holy Communion
8.00 St Anthony Balfron
10.00 St Andrew’s
11.15 St Mary’s
Saturday 13th June
St Mary’s Summer Fair 12 noon to 16.00
The annual Summer Fair takes place in the Information Office, Main Street, Aberfoyle. Please
suggest to anyone you think might be interested in taking a table. Further details from Susan Forsyth.
Our campaign to assist Start Up Stirling is ongoing to allow contributions of the following items to
be delivered to the tray in church on any Sunday. Thank you to all who contribute.
Tinned meat/fish/veg/beans, soup/fruit
Dried foods
Ready meals
Cooking sauces
Breakfast cereals
UHT milk
Tea/coffee/sugar
Snacks
Toiletries
Cleaning products
Household goods – good quality crockery, cutlery, towels, pots and pans.
No fresh fruit nor vegetables please.
EPSON scanner image
Notices for the week beginning 9th March 2020
Coronavirus
A great deal of general information is already circulating to minimise
risk of illness.
The
Scottish Episcopal Church is following guidelines issued by the
Church of England relating to Sunday and other services. The following
summarises this advice insomuch as it relates to The Linkage.
1.
The sharing of the Peace
at St Mary’s will only be shared verbally. Thereafter, any other salutation will be at the attendee’s discretion.
2. Communion. The administration of Communion will continue, but the precise form of receiving will be at the discretion of the communicant.
The options are:
To decline communion and remain in the pew during administration.
To receive ‘a non-contact’ priest’s blessing instead of Communion. A service book held in the hand will indicate this choice.
To receive communion in the form of the wafer only and then depart before being offered the cup.
To receive communion in both kinds as normal. Intinction, which is the practice of partly dipping the consecrated bread into the consecrated wine before consumption by the communicant is strongly dissuaded. The practice has been identified as a high-risk potential cause of infection.
3. General.
All
decisions taken will be respected by Richard. Please be assured that
strict hygiene continue to be observed by those preparing elements both
before and
after the service.
Easter
Lily Fund
The Lily fund in both churches is now open
St Mary’s Business Forum
The next meeting of the St. Mary’s Business forum will take place at 7 o’clock on Tuesday 10
March. The topic will be “What is my website for?”. There will be a
presentation by Simon Ward of LDMA. Simon is building Aberfoyle’s
website and this will be an opportunity to ask him how it will interact
with your own website. As before there will be
refreshments provided, and a donation of £2 will be requested to cover
costs.
St Mary’s Third Sunday at Three Concert series
The next in the series will take place at 15.00 on Sunday 15th March. Coro Vincenzo
will be performing works including Faure’s Requiem
Rotas
Callander
Luna, Roger or Sandra.
Aberfoyle
Robin and John Willis
Tuesday 10th March
17.00 Fellowship Group -Croftamie
Wednesday 11th March
10.00 Callander
Matt. 20.17-28
Sunday 15th March
Lent 3
The Feast of St Joseph of Nazareth
Collect
God our Father,
who from the family of your servant David
raised up Joseph the carpenter
to be the guardian of your incarnate Son
and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
give us grace to follow him
in faithful obedience to your commands;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Services & Readings
08.00 Balfron
Matthew 1.18-end
10.00 Callander
Exodus 17.1-7
Rom. 5.1-11
Matthew 1.18-end
11.15 Aberfoyle
Exodus 17.1-7
Rom. 5.1-11
Matthew 1.18-end
Wednesday 18th March
10.00 Callander
Matt. 5.17-19
Future Notices:
Saturday 28th March
11.00 – 13.00 St Ninians Cathedral Perth
Our Digital Church
This
course is with the Digital Missioner of Glasgow and Galloway Diocese
with the aim of improving the skills of
those who look after the online presence of their churches. A step by
step guide of best practices will be followed by a question and answer
session. Booking via the Diocesan Office (01738 443173) please.
Holy Week and Easter Services
A diary of these services will be published in due course.
Saturday 13th June
St Mary’s Summer Fair 12 noon to 16.00
The annual Summer Fair takes place in the Information Office, Main Street, Aberfoyle. Please suggest to anyone you think might be interested in taking a table. Further details from Susan Forsyth.
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ADDENDUM BY SECRETARY TO ST MARY’S VESTRY
At the Diocesan Synod on Saturday last, our Rector was elected as a Canon, Emeritus.
I am sure that you will agree that this reflects both the respect and love due to Richard throughout the Diocese. Our congratulations.
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Our campaign to assist Start Up Stirling is ongoing to allow contributions of the following items to
be delivered to the tray in church on any Sunday. Thank you to all who contribute.
Tinned meat/fish/veg/beans, soup/fruit
Dried foods
Ready meals
Cooking sauces
Breakfast cereals
UHT milk
Tea/coffee/sugar
Snacks
Toiletries
Cleaning products
Household goods – good quality crockery, cutlery, towels, pots and pans.
This will take place at 14.00 on Friday 6th March at St Andrews.
Further details from Sandra Connell
Easter Lily Fund
The Lily fund in both churches is now open
St Mary’s Business Forum
The next meeting of the St. Mary’s Business forum will take place at 7 o’clock
on Tuesday 10 March. The topic will be “What is my website for?”.
There will be a presentation by Simon Ward of LDMA. Simon is building
Aberfoyle’s website and this will be an opportunity to ask him how it
will interact with your own website. As before
there will be refreshments provided, and a donation of £2 will be
requested to cover costs.
St Mary’s Third Sunday at Three Concert series
The next in the series will take place at 15.00 on Sunday 15th March. Coro
Vincenzo will be performing works including Faure’s Requiem
Rotas
Callander
Luna, Roger or Sandra.
Aberfoyle
Jamie Parker
Melanie Grosse
Wednesday 4thMarch
10.00 Callander
Luke 11.29-32
11.30 Killearn
Luke 11.29-32
Friday 6th March
14.00 St Andrews
World Day of Prayer (see above)
Saturday 7th March
10.00 at St Ninians Cathedral
Diocesan Synod
Sunday 8th March
Lent 2
Collect
Almighty God,
you show to those who are in error the light of your truth,
that they may return to the way of righteousness:
grant to all those who are admitted
into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,
that they may reject those things
that are contrary to their profession,
and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Services & Readings
10.00 Callander
Gen. 12.1-4a
Rom. 4.1-5,13-17
John 3. 1-17
11.15 Aberfoyle
Gen. 12.1-4a
Rom. 4.1-5,13-17
John 3. 1-17
Tuesday 10th March
17.00 Fellowship Group – Croftamie
Wednesday 11th March
10.00 Callander
Matt. 20.17-28
Future Notices:
Saturday 28th March
11.00 – 13.00 St Ninians Cathedral Perth
Our Digital Church
This
course is with the Digital Missioner of Glasgow and Galloway Diocese
with the aim of improving the
skills of those who look after the online presence of their churches. A
step by step guide of best practices will be followed by a question and
answer session. Booking via the Diocesan Office (01738 443173) please.
Holy Week and Easter Services
A diary of these services will be published in due course.
Saturday 13th June
St Mary’s Summer Fair 12 noon to 16.00
The annual Summer Fair takes place in the Information Office, Main Street, Aberfoyle.
Please suggest to anyone you think might be interested in taking a table. Further details from Susan Forsyth.
Our campaign to assist Start Up Stirling is ongoing to allow contributions of the following
items to be delivered to the tray in church on any Sunday. Thank you to all who contribute.
Tinned meat/fish/veg/beans, soup/fruit
Dried foods
Ready meals
Cooking sauces
Breakfast cereals
UHT milk
Tea/coffee/sugar
Snacks
Toiletries
Cleaning products
Household goods – good quality crockery, cutlery, towels, pots and pans.