rev john's letter for st michael's 28th february
TRANSCRIPT
1
Sunday,28thFebruary2021DearFriends,WeareclearlybeginningtoseeSpringemerge.Thechurchyardiscomingtolife.Snowdropsareeverywhere.Childrenarelookingforwardtogettingbacktoschool.OurgranddaughterannouncedshewantedtocuddleNanna,shedidn’twanttocuddletheiPadanymore!Holdingahandwillbesuchagift.WeheardtributestoCaptainSirTomMooreashisfuneraltookplace.Whatawonderful,humble,gentleman,aninspiration.OnMondaythePrimeMinisterannouncedhisroadmapoutoflockdown.Yesterdaythedeputychiefmedicalofficerremindedusthatweneedtocontinuetostickdiligentlytotherules,whetherornotwehavebeenvaccinated.Thisprovidesagoodopportunityforus,asChristians,toreflectonhowweshouldbehaveandhowweshouldlive,especiallygivenitsLent.TheCommandmentsandJesus’summaryofthelawprovideagoodstartingpoint.
LUKE10.27‘YoushalllovetheLordyourGodwithallyourheart,
andwithallyoursoul,andwithallyourstrength,andwithallyourmind;andyourneighbourasyourself.’
The10Commandments(seeExodus20.1-17)wereinscribedontwotabletsofstone.ThefirsttabletdescribesourobligationstoGod.Theseconddealswithourobligationsandrelationshipstootherpeople.AsfollowersofJesus,wecannotfocusonloveforGodandneglectthewaywebehavetowardsourneighbours.NorshouldwefocusonthewaywebehavetowardsourneighboursandforgetourloveforGod.
2
PRAYER
AlmightyGod,youseethatwehavenopowerofourselvestohelpourselves:
keepusbothoutwardlyinourbodies,andinwardlyinoursouls;
thatwemaybedefendedfromalladversitieswhichmayhappentothebody,andfromallevilthoughtswhichmayassaultandhurtthesoul;
throughJesusChristourLord.Amen
Theidealisforourlivestobeshapedinarhythmofworshipandservice,ofloveforGodandloveforothers.Theyareinterdependentandintimatelyrelated.WeneedGodtohelpus.It’simportanttorememberthatwecannotearnGod’sfavour.Ourroleistorecognizethewrongchoiceswemake,infaithaccepthisforgiveness,whichJesusextendedtousthroughhisdeathonthecross,andreceiveGod’sgiftoftheHolySpirit.Weneedthenewheartthespiritgivesusasweaimtolivehiscommandments.
FAVOURITEHYMNPurifymyheart,
Letmebeasgoldandprecioussilver.Purifymyheart,
Letmebeasgold,puregold.
3
Purifymyheart,CleansemefromwithinAndmakemeholy.Purifymyheart,
Cleansemefrommysin,deepwithin.
LastWednesdayeveningweranthefirstsessionofthisyear‘sLentcourse,whichisabouttheCommandments.17ofusjoinedonzoomat7pmandspentamostenjoyablehourorsoreflectingonGod’scommandmentsanddiscussingtheminsmallerbreak-outgroups.PleasedoletmeorJudyknowifyouwouldliketoreceiveazoominvitationforthiscomingalongWednesday.It’sawonderfulopportunitytomeettogethertoreflectonhowweshouldbehaveandhowweshouldlive.Asalways,Sundayworshiptomorrowonzoomstartsat11am.Ifyouarefree,dojoinus.Icanpromiseyou’llfeelathomeandbemadetofeelwelcome.JustletJudyknoworcallon01282859956andyou’llbesentaninvitation.Eachweekaround50joinustopray,sing,thinkaboutandlearnmoreaboutGodtogetherIfyouhaven’tdonesoalreadypleasedotryoutthediocesanLentdevotional,whichIamattachingafurthercopywiththisletter.Followingtheterriblenewsof100,000deathsfromthevirus,theArchbishopshavepeopletoprayereveryeveningat6pm.Youcanfindoutmoreinformationandarangeofresourcesathttps://www.churchofengland.org/resources/prayer-nation
WehadastunningsunriselastTuesday.
4
TheDiocesanServicethisSundaycomesfromStCuthbert’s,FulwoodandcanbefoundontheDiocesanYouTubePage.
Pleasetakecareandlookafteryourselves.Youarealwaysinmythoughtsandprayers.Ifthereisanythingyouneedpleasecall.Ilovetotalkandcatchup.Ifthereareeveranyspecialprayerrequestspleaseletmeknow.Ilovetoprayeachdayandifyouarehappyforustodoso,weprayforfolkeachweekatcompline.Withloveandmanyblessings,RevJohnMobile:[email protected]
5
TRADITIONALLENTPRAYERAlmightyGod,
youshowtothosewhoareinerrorthelightofyourtruth,thattheymayreturntothewayofrighteousness:
granttoallthosewhoareadmittedintothefellowshipofChrist’sreligion,thattheymayrejectthosethingsthatarecontrarytotheirprofession,
andfollowallsuchthingsasareagreeabletothesame;throughourLordJesusChrist,
whoisaliveandreignswithyou,intheunityoftheHolySpirit,oneGod,nowandforever.
AMEN
FAVOURITEHYMNDearLordandFatherofmankind,
forgiveourfoolishways!Re-clotheusinourrightfulmind,inpurerlivesthyservicefind,indeeperreverence,praise;indeeperreverence,praise.
Insimpletrustliketheirswhoheard,
besidetheSyriansea,thegraciouscallingoftheLord,letus,likethem,withoutaword,
riseupandfollowthee;riseupandfollowthee.
Dropthystilldewsofquietness,
tillallourstrivingscease;takefromoursoulsthestrainandstress,
andletourorderedlivesconfessthebeautyofthypeace;thebeautyofthypeace.
Breathethroughtheheatsofourdesire
thycoolnessandthybalm;letsensebedumb,letfleshretire;
speakthroughtheearthquake,wind,andfire,Ostill,smallvoiceofcalm;Ostill,smallvoiceofcalm.