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Part 3 of a six-part series by Rev Paul Hardingham

..............TTOO FFOORRGGIIVVEE

‘Jesus said to the man, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’ (Matthew 9:2).

A Sunday school teacher asked her class, ‘Can anyone tell me

what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?’ One small boy spoke up, ‘Sin’!

If sin is our greatest problem, then forgiveness is our greatest need. This story of the healing of the paralyzed man reminds us that God is able to forgive our sins.

Jesus’ first words to the paralytic focus on forgiveness, even though his friends lowered him through the roof to be healed by Jesus. Matthew is making the point that forgiveness precedes healing, as Jesus came first to restore our relationship with God as Father. Like the man, we too can be paralysed by past actions, hurtful words and unforgiveness that leave us guilty and ashamed. Jesus offers us forgiveness and acceptance to enable a fresh start in our lives.

Jesus was aware of the criticism of the teachers of the law, who believed that only God could forgive sins. As Jesus says, ‘Which is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk’’.’ Jesus secured forgiveness on the cross, which secures transformation from the inside. It gives us power to forgive others and ourselves from past hurts and actions.

Finally, Jesus says to the paralysed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ The man’s trusting obedience enables him to be completely healed and go home. Where do we need to know forgiveness in our lives and relationships? Are we ready to receive what God promises in our lives? ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1 Verse 9).

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TTHHEE WWAAYY II SSEEEE IITT: MMOOTTHHEERRSS AANNDD MMOOTTHHEERRIINNGG

David Winter considers the difference between Mother’s Day and Mothering Sunday.

The American invention, “Mother’s Day”, will be celebrated on Sunday 11th March, though the cards, boxes of chocolates and reservations for deliveries of flowers will be in the shops long before. It’s a very nice idea, as most of us love our mothers dearly and welcome a chance to celebrate their importance in our lives.

I say “American invention”, because long before Mother’s Day there was a Christian event, marked nowadays in the Church Calendar, with the title ‘Mothering Sunday’. It’s still widely observed in churches on the fourth Sunday of Lent, and yes, that’s 11th March, too.

The difference between them is subtle but profound. ‘Mother’s Day’ is about who she is, particularly in our lives. ‘Mothering Sunday’, as its rather awkward name implies, is about a quality which we recognise in mothers but can be present elsewhere – to ‘mother’ someone.

We have all needed mothering, from time to time, and not simply when we were tiny and helpless, literally dependent on

our mothers for our sustenance and survival. During the years of the last War I was ‘mothered’ by my grandmother. Sometimes a friend acts in this role for us, when we feel lonely or helpless. ‘Mothering’ means caring deeply, sustaining, supporting, whatever the cost.

That is why God, whom we usually call ‘Father’, is sometimes spoken of in the Bible as ‘mothering’ us, gathering us in His arms of love, even feeding us like a mother. On ‘Mothering Sunday’ we celebrate so much more than our own beloved mums. We celebrate the whole glorious notion of care, compassion and nurture. And of that care, very often our own mothers are the very best examples.

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LLEENNTT –– CCOONNTTIINNUUIINNGG OOUURR

RROOAADD TTOO CCAALLVVAARRYY::

PPRREEPPAARRIINNGG FFOORR EEAASSTTEERR IINN

MMOOTTTTIINNGGHHAAMM

LLeenntt SSeerriieess 22001188: based on Justin Welby's book 'Dethroning Mammon' on Tuesdays March 6

th, 13

th and 20

th at 8.00pm at St

Andrew's Church, Court Road. Everybody is very welcome.

Walk of witness: Good Friday 30th

March 11.00 am - Meet at St Albans William Barefoot Drive at 10.50 and/or 11.30 am – Act of Worship at the Methodist Church. The Mottingham Village Concert Band will be playing.

MMAARRCCHH CCAALLEENNDDAARR OOFF EEVVEENNTTSS

MMeessssyy CChhuurrcchh Sunday 5

th March at 10.30am:

Theme – Miracles This is preceded by breakfast

PPrraayyeerr mmeeeettiinngg Wednesday 7

th March at 7.30pm: At the house of Eddie and Dallas

Green

GGoooodd CCoommppaanniioonnss Tuesday 13

th March at 10.30am: Visitor - Jason Gould, Chiropractor

AAllll SSoorrttss CCrraafftt GGrroouupp Tuesday 27

th March at 10.30am for one hour.

CCoommmmuunniittyy LLuunncchh Every Wednesday at 12.30am

SSaattuurrddaayy YYoouutthh CClluubb Every Saturday from 7-10pm for 9-14 year olds

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DDIIAARRYY OOFF CCHHUURRCCHH SSEERRVVIICCEE PPRREEAACCHHEERRSS

MMAARRCCHH 22001188

Sunday 4th March 10.30am – Messy Church: Topic Miracles Breakfast is served at 9.30am Sunday 11th March 10.30am – Sue Cope Sunday 18th March 10.30am – David Ball Palm Sunday 25th March 10.30am – Ralph Brandhorst

MMOONNTTHHLLYY AACCTTIIVVIITTIIEESS IINN TTHHEE CCHHUURRCCHH

1ST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 10.30am:

Messy Church -- This is preceded by breakfast

1ST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 7.30pm

Prayer Meeting at Eddie and Dallas’s home

2ND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 10.30am

Good Companions

LAST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 10.30 - 11.30am

All Sorts Craft Group

EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 12.30pm

Community Lunch

EVERY SATURDAY FROM 7 - 10pm

Saturday Youth Club - for 9 - 14 year olds

Please note the date of the Church AGM and Council meeting! Time: 7.30pm Venue: the Church building

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This is based on a meditation by Norma Murrain of Silverfish Jewellery.

TTHHEE LLEEGGAACCYY OOFF MMOOTTHHEERRSS IINN TTHHEE BBIIBBLLEE ‘Who can find a virtuous woman? Her worth is

far above rubies.’ Prov.3 verse 10

With Mothering Sunday fast approaching, we are reminded of

the joy and responsibility of being mothers. The legacy that

mothers leave is written on the hearts of their children, and so

passed down the generations. There are many mothers mentioned

in the Bible; here are just four.

EEVVEE Genesis tells us that Eve was created by God (Yahweh) by

taking a rib from Adam. Eve was the Mother of all creation, the

very first wife and mother mentioned in the Bible. She was

inquisitive, with a hunger for knowledge, but tragically succumbed

to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit, and to even

share it with Adam. As the mother of Cain, who killed his brother

Abel, Eve was the first woman to ever experience the loss of a

child. The lesson from Eve is that ‘the wages of sin’ really is death’

and that disobeying God’s laws only leads to sorrow and loss.

HHAANNNNAAHH Hannah was the mother of the great prophet Samuel

(see 1st Samuel). Hannah had been infertile, so at the temple she

prayed in desperation, that if God gave her a son, she would give

him up to become a priest. Hannah was blessed with Samuel, and

when he was weaned (around three years old), Hannah gave him to

Eli, to be raised as a priest. Hannah went on to have five more

children. Hannah reminds us of the importance of persistence in

prayer, and of how richly God can answer our prayers.

RRUUTTHH The book of Ruth tells of how Ruth, a Moabite

woman, chose to turn to the God of the Israelites. Ruth told

Naomi, her Israelite mother-in-law: "Where you go I will go, and

where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your

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God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. ..”

She went on to marry Boaz and her son Obed became the father of

Jesse, who was the father of David… an ancestor of Jesus. Ruth

reminds us that our backgrounds need not affect our own choices in

life, and that fidelity and faithfulness will be blessed.

MMAARRYY Mary was a virgin who conceived her Son by the Holy

Spirit. The miraculous birth took place when she was betrothed to

Joseph, and had accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was

born. Mary’s life stands for purity, faithfulness and wisdom. She

reminds us of the importance of obedience and willing surrender to

God’s will, however inconvenient it may sometimes be for us. Mary

had her priorities right: ‘I am the Lord’s servant’ (Luke 1:38) and

‘let it be to me according to your Word’ (Luke 1:34).

This month, let’s give thanks for all the good mothers

everywhere, whose faith, love, kindness and prayers for their

children are leaving behind a legacy of goodness and grace.

SSAATTUURRDDAAYY 1177TTHH MMAARRCCHH AATT 77..4455 PPMM

SSPPRRIINNGG CCOONNCCEERRTT:: ‘‘BBEESSTT OOFF BBRRIITTAAIINN’’

PPRROOGGRRAAMMMMEE:: The concert is made up of a selection of music by well known composers from Purcell to Ritter.

VVEENNUUEE: St Augustine’s Church, Southborough Lane, Bromley BR2 8BQ

AARRTTIISSTTSS:: The Soloist is Harriet Webb, the organist is Stephen Davies, the conductor is Anne Greenidge and the accompanist, Kathryn Bartlett.

PPRROOGGRRAAMMMMEE VVOOUUCCHHEERRSS:: £9 obtainable from 020 8697 0759.

TTHHEE CCHHAARRIITTYY TTOO BBEENNEEFFIITT: Changing Tunes - a charity that uses music and mentoring to help people lead meaningful lives, free from crime. They work in 14 prisons and 2 community hubs across the UK. They help over 500 prisoners and over 50 ex-prisoners each year.

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OONNCCEE AA MMOONNTTHH CCOONNGGRREEGGAATTIIOONN

CCAALLLLEEDD MMEESSSSYY CCHHUURRCCHH

On the 4th February all the talk was of ‘our pets’. We saw

photos of people’s cats, and a picture of a pet fish;

we saw two tiny Horsefield tortoises called Jelly and

Symphony. We saw a toy

snake and a toy

mongoose. We made animal

greeting cards. We painted

rounded pebbles to look like

cats and mice and ladybirds, and made

shapes of animals out of dough. We made lions and lambs.

Then we remembered that God made all the

animals and that looking after them meant making

sure that they are fed and given water, that they

have safe places to live in and that if they are ill they need to be

taken to the vet. We thanked God for all our pets.

MMEESSSSYY CCHHUURRCCHH WWIILLLL

CCEELLEEBBRRAATTEE EEAASSTTEERR OONN TTHHEE

11SSTT AAPPRRIILL

Dawn overseeing animal card making

Caitlin describing care of her tortoise

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IINN AANNDD AARROOUUNNDD MMOOTTTTIINNGGHHAAMM MMOOTTTTIINNGGHHAAMM LLIIBBRRAARRYY IINN MMAARRCCHH

BBRROOMMLLEEYY AANNDD GGRREEEENNWWIICCHH CCOOUUNNCCIILLLLOORRSS’’ SSUURRGGEERRIIEESS

Friday 3rd March from 6.45-8.00pm.

CCOOFFFFEEEE MMOORRNNIINNGG

Wednesday 14th March

10.30-12 noon

Come and hear Alan Boyd talking about his time working in

the Police Force 1968-1998

AARRMMCCHHAAIIRR WWAALLKK

Friday 16th March

6.15-7.30

Come and discover more mysteries of Marylebone-

Spaniards, Saxophones & the Swinging Sixties

NNEEWW CCRREEDDIITT UUNNIIOONN CCOOLLLLEECCTTIIOONN

PPOOIINNTT IINN MMOOTTTTIINNGGHHAAMM A Collection Point of the Lewisham and

Bromley Credit Union was launched on

Thursday 22nd February at St Edwards’

Hall, St Keverne Road, Mottingham,

London, SE9 4AX.

The Collection point will be open

every Thursday at St Edwards’ from 11.30am to 1.30pm. (More

information available on the web)

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Anyone who would like to stay on to St Edward’s Friday Community Lunch is welcome. Price £3.50. If you hope to stay please notify

Eddie Green before 26th February

0208 617 0076

IINNVVIITTAATTIIOONN FFRROOMM SSUURRIINNAAMMEE

The interdenominational

movement of the

Women’s World Day of

Prayer on behalf of

Suriname invites

everyone to attend one

of over 5,000 services

being held on Friday 2nd

March with the title ‘All

God’s Creation is Very

Good!’

We will join an estimated

3 million people around

the world that day in a

service which has been

written this year by the

women of SSUURRIINNAAMMEE IINN

SSOOUUTTHH AAMMEERRIICCAA..

Starting in Samoa as the

sun rises, and ending as the sun

sets off the coast of American

Samoa, the service will have

been translated into more than

95 languages and 1000 dialects as we are reminded that we

have responsibilities in caring for this wonderful world we live

in. With its vast rainforest and wealth of resources, Suriname

asks us to pray for conservation and the protection of wildlife,

through awareness of pollution, misuse and abuse, as well as for

the situation in Suriname and concerns for the future. This is

not simply a day of prayer for women, but for everyone who

cares about our world and those who live in it.

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PPRRAAYYEERR RREEQQUUEESSTTSS There is a note book at the

rear of the Church for your use if you or someone you know would like to be remembered in prayer by the Church whether anonymously or by name. If it’s easier to leave a note please do leave it in an envelope in the Church or in the Hall.

MMAARRCCHH We will leave March having followed the story of Jesus, His trial,

then His death and burial. As the sun sets on the evening of Saturday 31

st March, the story of Jesus ends with Him in the tomb in

Gethsemane.

The first day of April then bursts into the reality that Jesus could not be held in death but rose from the dead, for ever to have broken the bond of death.....

RREESSUURRRREECCTTIIOONN RREEAALLIITTYY

Jesus died and the sun stopped shining. Darkness covered the land. Hopes and expectations withered. Fear and sorrow filled the hearts of those who should have known better, who should have trusted the one who raised Lazarus and fed the multitude and calmed the storm before their very eyes.

TTHHEE OONNEE WWHHOO SSAAIIDD HHEE WWAASS GGOODD,,

IISS GGOODD!!

He turns darkness to light, despair to hope, death to life. Yes, the sun stopped shining that Friday, but only gathering power to burst into resurrection Sunday.

JJEESSUUSS IISS RRIISSEENN!!

HHEE LLIIVVEESS,, NNOOWW AANNDD FFOORREEVVEERR..

TTAAKKEE HHEEAARRTT -- AANNDD TTRRUUSSTT HHIIMM.. By Daphne Kitching

WWEE PPRRAAYY FFOORR ........ Revd Alex Terrett James Janet Maureen and Roy and the family Thos who provide and those who support our church groups: The Community Lunch, the Children’s Saturday Club, Good Companions and All Sorts Craft Group

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AADDDDRREESSSS:: 62 Mottingham Road, Mottingham, SE9 4QR

CCOONNTTAACCTT:: The Minister: Revd. Alexandra Terrett

Telephone: 020 3237 1084

Please Note: The minister’s normal day off is a Friday

TTHHEE CCHHUURRCCHH WWEEBB SSIITTEE:: Church information is available on the WEB site

Log in to: http://www.mottinghammethodistchurch.org.uk.

TTHHEE CCHHUURRCCHH AANNDD CCHHUURRCCHH HHAALLLL FFOORR HHIIRREE Contact: Sharon Michaelides for further information

Mobile: 07757 717399

We subscribe to Parish Pump and

The Association for Church

Editors, two sites which provide

material for church magazines.

Our Messy Church is registered

with the official Messy Church Site.

We are part of Churches Together in Mottingham.

MMoottttiinngghhaamm MMeetthhooddiisstt CChhuurrcchh

NNoottiiccee BBooaarrdd