Aghavea Parish Church

Hi folks As I post this, it's hard to believe that we are already in May! While I know that many people started back to work on Friday 30th April - I hope that they'll get to enjoy a long weekend with Monday off. Monday sees the centenary of the state of Northern Ireland following partition, and we will celebrate that more on Monday - in the meantime, we will celebrate Holy Communion on Sunday 2nd May at 11am in Aghavea Parish Church. You are very welcome to join us either in person or online - and we hope that you can enjoy fellowship with us. As ever, all are welcome at our Communion Table, whether physically or virtually. God bless you all. Johnny

Hi folks This weekend is marked by many of the sporting organisations boycotting all forms of social media in an attempt to highlight the abusive comments directed at the players and staff of many of the world's most supported teams. It seems that abuse and accusations have become the ""norm" on social media in the recent years. I detest the fact that people (whether anonymously or not) feel that it is appropriate to share their opinions and prejusdices online, especially when their views hurt or offend others.  Let me make my own view very clear - I DO NOT FIND ABUSE ACCEPTABLE IN ANY WAY! It is also inappropriate to use an anonymous account that hasn't been verified - and in this respect, the platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram - and so many others) should change their rules to be able to track every user on their systems. I'm not suggesting that they should track everyone, but there should be a mechanism that they could track everyone!   I...

Hi folks This Sunday sees the third Sunday in Easter.  Unlike the world, which has moved on rapidly from Easter, we continue to celebrate the Easter Resurrection until the Ascension, 40 days later.  It is very appropriate that since we spent 40 dys of Lent in preparation for Easter, the season of Easter should continue for the same period - after all, it was the greatest event in human history, ever!! We continue to remember that great event, gathering in His glorious name, and celebrating that magnificent day of Resurrection, confirming the end of eternal death, once and for all.  You'll find the service sheet attached, and I hope you consider joining us - if not physically in church, then virtually online.  Either way, you'll find a warm welcome, and hope that you feel like a family member before you leave. We are trying a slightly different approach to the stream tomorrow - and we hope that it will bring a better sense of belonging to the congregation.  Let u...

Hi folks Please find the service sheet for the Morning Prayer Service for the Second Sunday in Easter.  In our readings we continue to celebrate the Easter Story, with the Risen Lord meeting his disciples on the evening of the first Sunday. We will also remember the death of HRH The Prince Philip - who died on Friday.  We will continue ro remember him in our prayers, and will also give a short tribute to him during the service. We are also hosting a walk (or run for the more energetic) around Ashbrooke on 28th April, the last Wednesday in April - starting at 7pm - a lovely Spring Walk through the beautiful estate, and we have ordered lovely weather for the event too!!  Adults £7, Teenagers £3 - and all proceeds will be donated to the Aghavea Building Fund.  All welcome to join us! Our service will be in Church at 11am, and streamed online via Facebook.  We would love your fellowship and company either way - and you can join us afterwards on our YouTube channel....

Hi folks It is with great sadness that we mark the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.  In our prayers, we will remember Her Majesty the Queen, now widowed by her husband of over 73 years - a lifetime in anybody's books.  We will remember their family, and continue to ask that God grants them the peace and strength they need in the coming days and weeks. You didn't need to be a "royalist" to understand his contribution to the royal family.  He brought the "Firm" into the 21st Century, updating ancient procedures, and opening the workings of the Crown to the world.  It was his influence that brought the live coverage of the Coronation to television (the first live broadcast of its scale anywhere).  It was his idea to set up the "royal.uk" website in 1999 - long before we took the internet for granted, As a passionate conservationist, he loved nature, and set up many programs and plans to support wildlife and flora and fauna over the w...

Hi folks In an act of great faith, I have prepared the readings and hymns for the coming weeks - taking us through to the end of May, which will be Trinity Sunday.  All these plans assume that we continue to act sensibly both as a church and as a society - keeping the infection rates down, and not being subject to any more lockdowns or restrictions! If we do have to return to our car park drive-in church, the readings will still hold for each week. I know that I havent attributed any readers to the readings as yet - we will take it gently for another few weeks and take it from there. Please continue to keep diligent in your prayers, and safety-first in your actions.  We are in this together, and we will get through it together too. Blessings Johnny

Hi folks We have two different services of Holy Communion tomorrow, one at 7am in the car park as a drive-in service, the other at 11am in church!  The only difference between the two will be the hymns - and the sermon - so the one service sheet will do for both services. You are welcome to join us tomorrow (Sunday) for our celebration of Easter as we proclaim that Christ is risen!! The two services will both be streamed online as usual, and will be available afterwards too.  I hope you can join us either in person at the services or virtually online. As ever, and I cannot stress this enough, all are very welcome to our services of Holy Communion, and are invited to join with us as we celebrate the Eucharist.  In the words of my training rector when asked about the Holy Communion, he replied - "All may, some should, none must!" Christ is risen!! Alleluia!! Regards Johnny

Hi folks As we end Holy Week 2021, we use the service of Ante-Communion as our service tonight.  There are fairly long readings, hence the service sheet is 3 pages long. We also use the Reproaches, a conversation between us and Jesus about the Crucifixion - a poignant set of liturgy that allow us to comprehend the magnitude of Jesus' actions. The service is at 8pm, will be streamed live, and I hope to see you all soon. Regards Johnny

Hi folks Maundy Thursday represents the opportunity to share with the disciples as we join with Christians over the world to share Holy Communion. The "evening before he was betrayed" is tonight, Thursday, and we celebrate the same elements that Jesus took in his own hands to give to the disciples. Tonight we definitely feel that we are celebrating the "Lord's Supper". Our service sheet is attached, the service starts at 8pm, it's streamed online, and all are welcome to join us! Blessings Johnny

Hi folks Today brings us midway through Holy Week,  and tonight we are looking at the role of Negotiation in both the Scriptures and its role in the events of Holy Week for Jesus. Our service this evening will be based upon Evening Prayer, and you can follow the service using the sheets below.  As ever, our service starts at 8pm, and all are very welcome to join our worship - at any time!  See you all soon. Blessings Johnny    

Hi folks Tonight we turn to the topic of Anger - and look to see what part that had in Jesus' journey through that very first Holy Week. The service sheet is based upon Late Evening Office - and can be followed either here or in the Book of Common Prayer page 162. The service starts at 8pm, see you all soon! Blessings Johnny

Hi folks We are using the Kubler-Ross model which describes how people handle grief and difficult decisions.  There are nominally five stages - Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression/Sadness, Acceptance.  Tonight we start with Denial and Betrayal. The service sheet is attached, see you all at 8pm! Blessings Johnny

Hi folks This Sunday is Palm Sunday, marking the transition from "normal Lent" to Holy Week.  Our service marks both the Liturgy of the Palms and the Liturgy of the Passion - pivoting between celebration and denial - just as the crowds did for Jesus that day. I attach the service sheet, which will be required to follow the service properly - but don't panic if you don't have it - as most of the words in the service are lifted directly from the Bible! Enjoy the service, and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 11am.  Join us at the car park in Aghavea, or online as usual. Blessings Johnny

Hi folks   Throughout our Lenten Bible Studies we have looked at several important and essential aspects of our Christian life and practice.  We have considered the importance of Prayer, Bible Reading and Study, Sharing our Faith, and Serving God.  The final study in the set is about having the drive to keep going when all else is against us - our Hope for the future. It might seem that this is simply a reward - that one day we will be with Jesus - but it is much more important than that!  Paul spoke of "love" in 1 Corinthians 13, yet he finished the chapter by speaking of three things that are ultimately left when we boil everything down: Faith, Hope and Love. Our Faith involves our reason to follow Jesus, and the decision we have taken that He died for us. Our Love is the "X Factor" that is inherent in our actions everyday, as we live for Jesus. Our Hope is that we will be called by Jesus to meet with Him in the air, and to live with him forever! Here are the deta...

 Hi folks It's 17th March, the day that the Irish celebrate St Patrick - the patron saint of Ireland.  He was a Christian boy, kidnapped by raiders and brought to Ireland by force.  He served as a slave for many years before escaping back to Cumbria - his homeland.  Arriving there, he found that everything was changed, his family dead, and he was no longer part of that community. Rather than be downcast or distressed, young Patrick took it upon himself to serve God, who had answered his prayers.  He was trained as a priest, most likely in France, and was then called by God to return to Ireland - this time as God's servant, proclaiming the Gospel.  In everything he did (probably not chasing snakes) he gave God the glory, insisting that he was only doing God's work. What a beautiful example of Christian service!  This is the perfect day to talk about serving God, and that is exactly what our Bible study is all about! St Patrick was also a formidable writ...

 Hi folks So sorry that I'm terribly late in uploading the notes for my previous weeks' Lent Bible Studies.  Please find below the notes for both weeks!  I'll do my best upload this week's notes sooner than Christmas!! There are four pages in each study - if you have any problems accessing or reading them, just let me know. Blessings Johnny      

Hi folks For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.  If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in...

Third Sunday in Lent Morning Prayer Two, BCP 101       The Lord be with you          and also with you.   Welcome and Announcements   Beloved in Christ, we come together to offer to Almighty God our worship and praise and thanksgiving, to confess our sins and to receive God's forgiveness, to hear his holy word proclaimed, to bring before him our needs and the needs of the world, and to pray that in the power of his Spirit we may serve him and know the greatness of his love.   The minister says Let us confess our sins to God our Father. Kneel. Silence is kept.   Heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault; by what we have done and by what we have failed to do. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us, forgive...