Pew Sheet, Sunday, 19th January 2025, Epiphany 2/Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Saturday was the first day in this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and for the rest of this week, we are all encouraged to pray for the unity of Christ’s body, the Church, throughout the world. Please pray that leaders of the world’s different denominations and churches will know the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and receive the wisdom they need to overcome the many national, political, ethnic and doctrinal differences which keep us from truly experiencing the blessing which Christ wants each of us to enjoy as children of the living God, and be one, just as he and the Father are one (John 17:21).
I am eternally grateful for the insights and experiences which growing up in faith in several different denominations (and non-denominational churches too) has given me; and am conscious that the most rewarding and blessed times in my life have been when working with others across denominational boundaries to build the Kingdom of God with brothers and sisters from other churches. Psalm 133 puts it very succinctly when it says, ‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head… running down on Aaron’s beard… as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore’.
Unity here, is symbolised by the oil of blessing which not only runs down the beard (with apologies to the ladies!) of those who dwell together in unity, but down onto their robes too, so that they are quite literally drenched with God’s blessing as they honour God’s will to live and work together for a common purpose and the good of all humanity. It is a beautiful picture, and reminds us that God wants us to love each of our neighbours as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31), the so called ‘Golden Rule’, guiding us best how we might achieve this level of commitment not only to God, but to one another as well.
It is wonderful to share our church building with our brothers and sisters in the St Alban’s congregation, but it is a cause of great sadness that our two denominations are still not ‘in full communion’ with each other, which means that we cannot officially share services or concelebrate the Eucharist together.
These decisions have little to do with the reality of relationships on the ground, but are made by those who are often far removed from parish ministry at local level, in much the same way that much vaunted differences of opinion within the Anglican Church and the Anglican Communion are likewise perpetuated by some with pointy hats, or are otherwise anxious to maintain positions of power and privilege within their own churches, institutions, or provinces. This is not ‘Kingdom ministry’ as I understand it however; and the extent to which people strive to erect boundaries or put others beyond the pale of their own narrow doctrinal stances is generally a good indicator whether they are ‘Kingdom’ builders or ‘empire’ builders, and the two are most definitely not the same!
One of Christ’s last concerns here on earth was that we should be one, just as he and the Father are one. There can be no greater call to inclusivity and unity than this; so as we pray during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, let us join our prayers with his, and pray that we may learn to love and serve each other even more in spite of those things we disagree about, so that we might fully reflect the light of Christ in our lives, and to all those we live amongst, for his glory and not our own!
Collect
Almighty God, In Christ you make all thing new.
Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace,
and in the renewal of our lives, make known your heavenly glory;
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 forever.
Isaiah 62:1-5
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
The nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
John 2:1-11 (CEV)
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee, and Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus and his followers were also invited. At the wedding there was not enough wine, so Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why are you telling me this? It is not yet time for me to begin my work,” but his mother said to the servants, “Do what he tells you.”
There were six large stone waterpots there that were used by the Jews in their washing ceremonies. Each one held about 20 or 30 gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So, they filled them to the top. Then he said to them, “Now dip out some water and take it to the man in charge of the feast.”
So, they did what he said. Then the man in charge tasted it, but the water had become wine. He did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants who brought the water knew. He called the bridegroom and said to him, “People always serve the best wine first. Later, when the guests are drunk, they serve the cheaper wine. But you have saved the best wine until now.”
This was the first of the miraculous signs Jesus did. He did it in the town of Cana in Galilee. By this he showed his divine greatness, and his followers believed in him.
Post Communion Prayer
God of glory,
you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life:
fill us with your Holy Spirit,
that through us the light of your glory may shine in all the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
This Week’s Events
Monday (Richard Rolle, Spiritual Writer, 1349)
Bell Ringing, 7.30pm in St Laurence. Contact Jan on 07835 461361.
Tuesday (Agnes, Child Martyr at Rome, 304)
Zoom In Morning Prayer, 9am. Meeting ID: 748 9970 4493 password: Trinity or contact Didier on [email protected]
Evening House Group, contact Jo on 07803 942 687 for more information.
Wednesday (Vincent of Saragossa, Deacon, First Martyr of Spain, 304)
Morning Coffee, 10.00-11.45am in the St Laurence Room.
Midday Communion, 12.00 noon in St Laurence Church.
Thursday
Daytime House Group, contact Jo on 07803 942 687 for more details.
Friday (Francis de Salles, Bishop of Geneva, Teacher of the Faith, 1622)
Junior Choir at 6.30 pm followed by full Choir Practice at 7.30pm. Contact Derry on [email protected] if you would like to join in this term.
Pastoral Care
Please call: 07305 271 148 or email: [email protected]