Advent Challenge Luke Chapter 1

Despite numerous attempts to record Jesus’ story, Luke is commissioned to record as complete a message as he can. His sponsor, Theophilus, has apparently heard the message, but Luke wishes to confirm to him everything he has heard.

In this first chapter we have the announcements of two babies - first Gabriel tells Zachariah that his wife Sarah will become pregnant, despite the circumstances and the fact that they are both elderly, or at least past the normal age for having children. All this echoes the announcement to Abraham that his wife would become pregnant despite being 99 years old. While Abraham would become the father of the nation, Sarah’s son was destined to become a great prophet, preparing the way for the Messiah.

The announcement to Mary that she would become pregnant with God’s son is traditionally the start of the “Nativity Story”, yet the two women and their sons cannot be told as separate miracles - their connection is clearly felt when Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, and her unborn son leaps for joy at the presence of Mary’s child. When John is born, both parents are pressured into naming him after his father - but they both argue that his name MUST be John, following God’s command.

Mary’s song of praise and Zechariah’s prophecy in this chapter reflect their faith and desire to serve God - no matter what pressures are put upon them from society! Oh that we had that same faith in our lives today!

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AccessNI Check process

Hi folks Please see the following pages for the process of getting our AccessNI accreditation for our Sunday School and GFS leaders and helpers. You will need to print out the pages and keep a special note of the long number provided to you by email and let me know as soon as possible. We require an Enhanced check for everyone - and use the PIN number 918066 as detailed on the first page. The second page details the forms of identification you will need to provide - one from the first group, and two from the second group. The quicker we can all get the checks completed, the sooner we can get everything back to normal and put this whole process behind us for another three years! If you can photograph yourself (by smartphone or tablet) and email (revdjohnny@gmail.com) or WhatsApp (07488371680) them to me, that'd be great. I will also be available at the Parish Hall on Monday evening from 7pm to 8pm to help you with anything you would like assistance with! If you need any help at all

Pray for Peace

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9 The Holy Land, the place sanctified by the presence of prophets, poets, and priests, crying out for justice, urging on towards hope, and seeking after peace, has been, and continues to be a place sacred to millions of people around the world. We have watched with horror the appalling violence that has been unleashed over the last few days around this sacred place. We have seen families devastated, communities shattered, and countless lives lost. We, as followers of Jesus are called in this time to pray. Pray for the end of hostilities, pray for the protection of the most vulnerable on both sides in Israel and Gaza, and pray for a recommitment to a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We also pray that God might grant comfort to the afflicted, healing to the broken, strength to the weak, and courage to those in authority to lay down the instruments of violence and destruction and stud

Back to the BCP!!

Hi folks It’s been a long time since the pandemic started and the lockdowns - and Covid hasn’t really gone away! I had the dubious honour of getting Covid for the second time just before Holy Week, giving me the chance to think about ministry direction, both my own and in the parish. One of the original responses to the pandemic was to limit our use of the hymn books and our Prayer Books. At the beginning I produced a service sheet with all the relevant liturgy - which we used in the car park and when we returned to the church. Our “temporary measure” lasted almost three years - and it’s time to move on! Our Book of Common Prayer contains our unique identity - in fact the word “Common” doesn’t mean ordinary but that it shows our unity - the liturgy we hold in “common”. We will be returning to our BCPs from this weekend, the Second Sunday of Easter. We will be using Morning Prayer Two - and we will guide us through the service. We look forward to seeing you in church or online via Fb

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