Pew Sheet, Sunday, July the 14th 2024. Seventh Sunday after Trinity / Proper 10
It is a great privilege to have Archdeacon Guy Elsmore preaching and presiding at our 09.30 service in Winslow today. Let us continue to pray for he, Bishop Steven, and everyone involved in discerning who our new area bishop will be in the months to come. We are grateful to him for joining us at this busy time and sharing in our worship today.
This Sunday’s readings present an eclectic array of themes which seem to have little in common, but two of them consider the nature of prophecy and the ministry of those called to proclaim God’s word throughout the ages. The first sees Amos declaring God’s judgement on the northern Kingdom of Israel whose rulers had become proud and disdainful of the poor and the oppressed in their midst. This is an enduring theme of Amos’ ministry, together with his call to abandon the worship of the false gods which the Kings of Israel had encouraged their people to worship in Samaria and Bethel rather than the one true God at Jerusalem, capital of the rival kingdom of Judah to the south. We see how God relents when Amos realises the extent of the suffering it will cause the ordinary people (the descendants of Jacob), and entreats God to show mercy, though God’s punishment on the royal house, the false prophets, and the sycophantic priests exemplified by Amaziah (who has already told the king about Amos’ supposed ‘treachery’) would eventually come. This is why Amos, when told to leave Israel by Amaziah, says that he is ‘no prophet’ nor ‘the son of a prophet’ in the sense that Amaziah might recognise one, since he speaks the genuine words of God, and not simply those which the king and his advisors want to hear from the false prophets in Bethel and Samaria who owe their position to an accident of birth rather than God’s calling or will.
In our Gospel passage, we hear some of the conjecture about who Jesus really was following the death of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod Antipas in the mountaintop fortress of Machaerus. Herod is convinced that Jesus is the resurrected prophet whose death his rash promise to Salome has caused, whilst others believe him to be Elijah, come back to usher in the rule of the long-awaited Messiah. John’s condemnation of the incestuous relationship between Herod and Herodias, and his call to repentance endeared him no more to this king than Amos’ words had endeared him to the equally debased Kings of Israel seven centuries before, and he had paid the ultimate price for it, as did so many throughout Israel’s history.
The details of John’s death on the orders of King Herod prefigure the death Jesus would eventually suffer at those same hands when, at the urging of yet another corrupt religious elite, Herod would send Jesus to Pilate accused of that same crime (treason) which Amos had been accused of by Amaziah, an act which caused Pilate and Herod, who had long hated and distrusted one another to become firm friends. The parallel is made even stronger by the final detail in the account of John’s death which says that his disciples came to reclaim his body and bury it in a tomb, just as Jesus’ disciples would do after his crucifixion.
The ultimate ‘word of truth’ though, is not a prophetic utterance, but a person, as the apostle Paul tells the Ephesians in the opening of his epistle to them. It is Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life, and it is he who fulfils in his very person the prophetic utterances of all those who had gone before. This passage, a single sentence in the original Greek, reminds the Ephesians just how remarkable God’s redemption is. One of the many blessings which both they, and we, enjoy in and through Christ is, ‘wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his (the Father’s) will’, so that we might see and understand God’s great plan of redemption for the whole of creation which was determined long before time began. In doing so, Paul reminds us that every single word of prophecy ever uttered, including those of Amos and John the Baptist are fulfilled in Christ, whose Holy Spirit confirms to us the truth of those words, even as we await their complete fulfilment when we finally see Jesus and all his prophets face to face in the world to come.
Collect
Generous God,
you give us gifts and make them grow,
though our faith is small as a mustard seed,
make it grow to your glory and the flourishing of your kingdom,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amos 7:7-15
This is what the Lord God showed me: he was forming locusts at the time the latter growth began to sprout (it was the latter growth after the king's mowings). When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said: ‘O Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!’
The Lord relented concerning this; ‘It shall not be,’ said the Lord.
This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord God was calling for a shower
of fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. Then I
said, ‘O Lord God, cease, I beg you! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!
The Lord relented concerning this; ‘This also shall not be,’ said the Lord God.
This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a
plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the LORD said to me:
‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumbline.’ Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel. I will never again
pass them by; the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’
Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the very centre of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said, “Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.”
And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn
your bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel,
for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.’
Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making knownto us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his
will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Mark 6:14-29
King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Somesaid, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it
to you.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And the king was deeply grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Please pray this week for:
The students and staff of our local schools as the academic year draws to a close, and for those anxiously awaiting the results of their GCSE’s, A-levels and T-levels which will determine the decisions they make about the future.
Summer Reading
All our Gospel readings in August feature Jesus’ “I am the bread of life” statements, so we will reflect on what the sacrament of Holy Communion means to us, and what it means to be a “Eucharistic community” with the Eucharist at the heart of our life together when we break bread and drink wine each Sunday as Jesus asked us to do. You might like to consider including one of the following in your summer reading too, though there is no obligation to do so!
Take this bread - Sara Miles
The story of an unlikely conversion. Take This Bread tells how Sara Miles, a chef and food writer raised as an atheist inexplicably made her way into a church one morning; and having taken a piece of bread and a sip of wine found herself radically transformed by the faith she had long scorned. She soon started a food pantry to help feed the poor from that same church, and the book tells of her struggle to overcome opposition from some inside the church in achieving that vision, and God’s amazing provision for the work; as well as many powerful insights into the impact which faith made to her life, her loves, and her relationships.
Searching for Sunday - Rachel Held Evans
Searching for Sunday tells how Rachel Held Evans lost faith in the conservative faith of her youth, and describes her search for a more authentic Christian community as she draws on the traditional sacraments of baptism, confession, holy communion, confirmation, the anointing of the sick, and marriage to learn that faith isn't just meant to be believed, but is meant to be lived out in community with others to embrace the centrality of the sacraments and Christ in their midst.
Holy Communion: The Blessing That Heals - Deborah Denson McCray
This book, Holy Communion: The Blessing That Heals, argues that Holy Communion is not just a ritual, but a glorious gift of grace which is intended for our well-being. It shows how we can better discern the presence of the risen Christ in our midst when we come to the Communion table, having a truer sense of ourselves, and realising all that God offers in those simple gifts of bread and wine. The book encourages us to approach the Lord’s table more prayerfully in order to have a closer relationship with God.
The Meal Jesus Gave us - N. T. Wright
In The Meal Jesus Gave Us, Tom Wright explains the background of the Last Supper, the ways in which Christians have interpreted Holy Communion in the past, and what it might mean for us today. It is very short and easy to read. Biblically based, and designed to appeal to all ages, it offers a complete guide for beginners or anyone wanting to revisit the basics of Christian faith, and the communal meal which sits at the centre of our corporate worship together.
Women of the Last Supper - Millie Nelson Samuelson
Women of the Last Supper. This provocative book asks why the women who followed Jesus so closely are missing from the Biblical accounts of the Last Supper given that it took place within the context of the traditional Passover ‘seder meal’ or supper at which women and children would usually be present. The book contains meditations and prayers for each chapter, and reminds us about the essential role which Jesus’ female disciples played in the events leading up to his passion, death, and resurrection.
Prayer List Requests
We will be updating our parish prayer list from the beginning of September. We currently read the names of people requesting prayer, or whom we might reasonably expect to ask for prayer at our 09.30 service each week; but are conscious that some names have been on the list for a very long time and it may be appropriate to review this list over the summer to make sure that we are only including those with current or long-term prayer needs.
Please email Jo Anderson with the name of anyone you would like included on the list by email on: [email protected]
Parish stall for the Winslow Show on 26th August 2024
Please don’t forget to bring your bottles or soft toys to church in the coming weeks for our parish stall. Thank you!
This Week’s Events
Monday (St Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c.862)
Bell ringing at 7.30pm in St Laurence. Contact Jan on 07835 461361.
Tuesday (Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, 1099)
Zoom Morning Prayer at 9am ID: 748 9970 4493 Password: Trinity or contact Didier on [email protected]
Daytime Bible Group (2nd and 4th Tuesdays) contact Paula: 07722 808 988.
Evening Home Groups, contact Jo on 07803 942 687.
Wednesday
Morning Coffee from 10.00-11.45 in the St Laurence Rooms.
Midweek Holy Communion at 12 noon, St Laurence Church.
Thursday (Elizabeth Ferard, first Deaconess of the Church of England, 1883)
Friday (Gregory Bishop of Nyssa and Macrina his sister, Deaconess c.394 &
379)
Junior Choir at 6.30 pm followed by full Choir Practice at 7.30pm. Contact Derry on [email protected] if you would like to know more.
Saturday (Margaret of Antioch, Martyr 4th century)
Repair Café, 10-12 am St Laurence Room. If you have skills you would like to share, please contact Jo on 07803 942 687.
Pastoral Care
Please call the usual number: 07305 271148 and the churchwardens will pass any urgent calls on as needed.
St Laurence Charity Shop
The St Laurence Charity Shop is a vital fundraiser for the parish finances and brings us into contact with many people who might not normally come into church. Paul Cresswell is currently seeking volunteers to help keep the shop open during the week, and would very much appreciate your help, even if it is only for a couple of hours a month. Full training will be given, and it is It is a great place to meet new people and make new friends. The shop is usually open on:
Tuesdays from 12.00 midday to 4pm
Wednesdays from 11am to 3pm
Saturdays from 12.00 midday to 4pm and,
On the first Sunday each month (Farmer’s Market) from 10am to 2pm.
If you can help for all or part of these times do speak to him about it.