This week’s Worship
Sunday 3rd October 2021 17th Sunday after Trinity (1st Sun.)
***Note the monthly 8 am BCP service at St. Peters has been cancelled just for this month***
9:15 am Harvest Communion, Croston
9:00 am Harvest Family Worship, Bretherton
11:00 am Harvest Communion, Mawdesley
Wednesday 10 am Holy Communion Croston
Friday 9am Morning Prayer at Mawdesley has now restarts
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Over the last 20 months there has been so much for us to worry about, and the news isn’t getting any better at the moment, in this week’s gospel Jesus gives some advice about worrying. It is given in the light of the dawning of God’s Kingdom and Jesus didn’t mean us to be thoughtless or careless about our future, or the future of the creation. What he does want is for us to live in a trusting and loving relationship with God and one another, and to avoid the anxiety that is such a drain on our lives and our enjoyment of the many blessings that have been provided for us.
So Jesus tells us that God gives us life, and our lives are more than just eating, drinking and dressing up, we are more than material beings. We are spiritual beings too, and it’s the life of the spirit that will make us whole and fulfilled human beings.
Jesus also reminds us that the birds of the air don’t pile up stores for unknown futures, so we need to take a lesson from them, especially in terms of stockpiling fuel or food. We are more than the things we amass. We are not measured by what we’ve got, but by who we are, we are individual and unique children of God and He loves us, and he has commanded us to love and care for one another.
Harvest is the time where we celebrate the beauty and diversity of creation and all that God has provided for us. But once again we need to be reminded that we also have a responsibility to care for creation and share Gods gifts fairly! We must avoid selfish behaviour, surely we have learnt during this pandemic that the supply chains will continue to work well if just carry on buying as normal. May we all do our bit to share fairly and may we be generous in our support of those less fortunate than ourselves. We need to seek God’s will for ourselves and for the world God created, God loves us and is with us. It’s only when we are in harmony with God that we can be in true harmony with one another and the world around us. We are judged by what we seek, what we put first in our lives, if we seek God’s Kingdom, trust Him and put Him and His values first and foremost in our lives, then material things and the practical needs of everyday life, will take their proper place. If we can learn to live as Jesus told us we should, then our lives will be greatly enriched, and we will know that, whatever may happen, God holds us in the palm of His hand.
With love & prayers. Michael (Rector)
Tel: 01772 600548, email: revmwoods@gmail.com
Sunday 10th October 2021 Harvest Sunday (2nd Sun.)
9:15 am Family Worship, Croston
11:00 am Holy Communion, Bretherton
11:00 am Holy Communion, Mawdesley
Facebook & YouTube Online Worship
An Act of Worship from Blackburn Cathedral will be available every Sunday from 9am. You can view this on the Cathedral YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4GsctW6SLc or on their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BlackburnCathedral
This week’s Church of England online worship considers God as a generous provider and is led by the Bishop of Hereford Diocese.
You can watch the service from 9am Sunday.
https://www.facebook.com/thechurchofengland
Confirmations 2021
Wednesday 1st Dec. 7:30 pm.
Confirmation is an important part of a lifetime journey of faith as a follower of Jesus Christ,
where a person confirms the promises that were made when they were baptized, often as young child.
At a confirmation service, you make these promises for yourself before a Bishop. As we prepare you will explore whether you are ready to affirm these promises for yourself and commit your life to following Jesus Christ. We will begin preparation during October.
Lists at the back of each church or email the Rector.
Covid Guidance in church – please do remember:
- Do not come to church if you are feeling unwell or have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms in the past seven days
- Be mindful of those who may be less confident, especially those choosing to wear a mask
- Don’t forget Hands, Face Space guidance
Harvest Festivals 3rd October
Please do not bring perishable harvest gifts to church as these are so difficult to distribute to people in need. Gifts to support the work of the food bank will be greatly appreciated.
Date for your diary- Saturday 20th November 6pm Croston Church
The amazing ‘One Voice Community Choir – further details to follow.
Faith reference cards for school applications
If you would like a Faith reference card please email the Rector.
Baptisms – we currently have a waiting list for baptisms and are looking now at dates in December and January, thank you for your patience.
Help for Asylum Seekers/Refugees
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our appeal to support the work of the British Red Cross. Your support will be greatly appreciated by the refugees that are resettling to our area. We will update you on future needs.
Please do continue to support the Food Bank
Despite the feeling that we are beginning to live ‘normally’, many families continue to struggle.
If you are able, please continue to support this worthy enterprise donations can be left at all our churches.
The Collect
Creator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons; as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
First Reading
Joel urges us to look all around us with the eyes of faith, and to praise God for all that he provides for us.
Joel 2.21-27
Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!
Do not fear, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing-floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
Second Reading
Contentment comes when we escape the servitude to things, when we find our wealth in our friendship with God, made possible through Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
The Gospel
Worry and fear takes all the joy out of life, Jesus urges us not to be anxious about the future which is the way to peace.
Matthew 6.25-33
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’
Prayer after Communion
Lord of the harvest, with joy we have offered thanksgiving for your love in creation and have shared in the bread and wine of the kingdom:
by your grace plant within us a reverence for all that you give us and make us generous and wise stewards of the good things we enjoy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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