| On Wednesday 6th February Bishop Pete made a visit to our Deanery. He met with clergy, wardens, Lay Readers and Deanery Synod representatives. Bishop Pete came with a challenge - we are facing a crisis, not just in Sheffield but throughout the Church of England. It is a crisis of people and finances. To most of us who met with our Bishop this was not news. There have been warnings for most of the past twenty years; but now we have reached the point where we cannot ignore the crisis. If we do not act quickly, we will see the Church of England continue to decline and simply fade away. The next ten years will see great challenges as we re-think what it is to be God’s Church, the Body of Christ, the community of Jesus’ Disciples. I firmly believe that God is calling us to a healthier and more sustainable way of being Christ’ s Church, a more Biblical way of organisation and ministry. However, we are the generation of Christians who are called to live through the period of transition, and that will not be easy. It will need humility, grace and forgiveness. We will make mistakes and we will at times lose sight of our calling in Christ. Before the changes truly begin we must commit ourselves to pray for our Diocese, our Bishop and our Church. We need to open our hearts and our minds to God’s Holy Spirit, and ask God to guide His Church through this difficult time. I am convinced that we will look back on these years of change as a time of pruning when God was preparing us not only for new mission but also for new growth. I believe that we will emerge a more spiritually healthy Church and a larger and more varied Church. I am not optimistic about the future of the Church, but I am hopeful. Optimism is about expecting things to work out; but hope is about trusting God with our futures. I am convinced that there is nothing in the whole of creation, no crisis, no problem, no opposition, that is greater than God’s love in Christ. And I know that all things - ALL things (even crises) - work together for good for those who love Christ (see Romans chapter 8). We do not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future, and when we know that we do not need to know any more. We can go forward as a church and as a diocese in faith and in hope and in trust, in love for one another and for our Lord. Amen. God bless, Tim. |
| Following Jesus; Celebrating Life; Welcoming All We are here to help people love and worship God. We aim to be, and encourage others to become, committed and active disciples of Jesus, who love God and worship him, who know the power of the Holy Spirit and who show God’s love in every part of their lives. |
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| Prayer for the month |
| Thought for the month |
| Below you will find extracts from this month's Parish Magazine First Words..., A Prayer for the Month & A Thought for the Month |
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| I wrote this prayer because I felt that God was calling us as His church to grow. Of course, God calls every Church to grow, but I felt that this should be a particular focus for 2019. This prayer is attributed to the sixth century saint Benedict, the founder of the Western Monastic tradition. I love this prayer because it is clear when I pray it that faith is not something mindless or thoughtless; rather it engages the whole of our mind and intellect. Too often we hear from Christianity’s detractors, that faith is opposed to reason, and that it is not possible to be a person of intelligence and a believing Christian. Of course this is nonsense. In our age as in every age the faith of Christ has attracted people of all levels of education and intelligence. More than that we are to love God not only with all of our heart, but also with all of our mind (Mark 12:30). Benedict knew that God is the creative mind behind the laws of creation and that all of our gifts and talents, including our minds, are given by God to be used in the service of God’s kingdom. Benedict’s great achievement was his ‘Rule’ for monastic communities. Although it builds on previous regulations and rules for Christian communities, Benedict’s rule is marked by a spirit of balance, moderation and reasonableness, qualities which we need in today’s world. As we pray this prayer, we commit ourselves to loving God and our neighbour with all that we are - including our minds! Tim |
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| In March the marriage season well and truly begins with weddings taking place on most Saturdays in the month. They are always joyful occasions and it is a great privilege for us to be able to welcome people into our Church. Please pray for all of the couples getting married at St Mary’s this year, and pray for all of the hundreds of people who will come into our Church to celebrate the marriages of their friends and families. The other keynote of this March is Lent. Ash Wednesday falls on the 6th March. We will mark it at 7.30pm with our usual service of Eucharist with the opportunity of having the Cross marked on our forehead in ashes made from old Palm Crosses. The Lent Course this year, held on Wednesdays at 7.30pm in Church, is called Life on the Frontline and it encourages us to ask how we can serve God and neighbours in the place where we live. On Monday 4th March it is our PCC meeting. If you have anything that you wish to have raised at the PCC please speak to Tim or one of the wardens. Finally, a reminder of some regular events at St Mary’s: • Saturday 9th March 9am is our monthly Prayer Breakfast; • Friday 15th March - Lent Lunch 11.30am- 12.30pm - Homemade Soup and bread £3.00 - Cakes and coffee also available - proceeds to Christian Aid • Sunday 24th March at 5pm we welcome our Youth Fellowship as we continue to explore life’s big questions with Alpha Youth; • and on the evening of Sunday 24th March at 6.30pm it is our monthly Prayer and Praise. God bless, Tim |
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| The Knave and South Aisle roof works are now complete and we are once again water tight Our Thanks to all those involved in the works and particularly to the Heritage Lottery Fund and its supporters for their generous contribution. Thanks also to Ecclesfield Feoffees for their contribution to the work done on the North Aisle roof |
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Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you,
intelligence to understand you,
diligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you,
vision to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
a life to proclaim you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and forever. Amen.
(St Benedict)
A prayer for St Mary's for 2019
Heavenly Father,
Your son Jesus Christ has called us into His Church here at St Mary's.
Pour out upon us your Holy Spirit:
that we may worship you with all our hearts and minds;
that we may love one another as Christ has loved us;
and that we may be fruitful in your service.
Help us to grow as a Church in faith, in hope and in love;
and add to our number those whom you are calling,
that as a bigger Church we may do bigger work for your glory.
Amen
Heavenly Father,
Your son Jesus Christ has called us into His Church here at St Mary's.
Pour out upon us your Holy Spirit:
that we may worship you with all our hearts and minds;
that we may love one another as Christ has loved us;
and that we may be fruitful in your service.
Help us to grow as a Church in faith, in hope and in love;
and add to our number those whom you are calling,
that as a bigger Church we may do bigger work for your glory.
Amen