Weekly News (Sunday 27th June)

Dear Friends,

A Little Word (from Huw)

“Who touched me?” (Mark 5:31b)

Prayer can seem bonkers. I mean, why tell God stuff if God already knows it.

Yet here we have Jesus asking daring words – to ask such a thing can imply so many feelings of being met, having your space invaded, a strange feeling. 

In this instance, you probably know the story (Mark 5:21-end, Sunday’s Gospel). Jesus and a crowd are hurrying to save a dying kid and a woman inches in believing that if she just touch his garment, anonymously, she will be healed. She does, and she is, but he stops. He knows someone has touched him, that his healing has gone out there.

She fesses, he praises her…oh, and the kid is healed too.

In that moment we get a beautiful image of a very real person: he knows something has happened but he honestly has no clue who it was touched him.

This for us is an image of God amongst us. 

Don’t try logic on this, it’s a gift of our faith – a God who needs to hear it from us. Notions of God being all-seeing and all-knowing simply aren’t Biblical.

So try this out: in prayer it is sometimes helpful to assume ignorance on God’s part and to tell God about whatever it is you pray about from square one.

Tell Love about what it is  that has drawn your love. 

Things to Pray For

So the prayer bit for this week isn’t bullet points. Instead, make a cuppa, sit somewhere quiet and tell God all about it, whatever it may be. But no no no to the “You already know this” stuff. 

We have a God who wants to hear it from us – a God asking “Who’s that?”

Services

In-Church worship Sunday at 9am. Service of Morning Worship.

Numbers are limited, social distancing and face coverings apply. Sorry still no singing!

10.30am Morning Worship on Zoom

We are continuing our on-line services. This link will be the same every week.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89030249289?pwd=dTdneVo3L0RreVdSYm15MGF2OHlwQT09

Meeting ID: 890 3024 9289  Passcode: 238289

Alternatively, for audio only, you can phone in to this number: 0203 901 7895, and follow the instructions.

This week’s reading is: Mark 4.26-34

Mid Week Communion

We have restarted on Thursdays at 10am. It will be lovely to welcome you back.

APCM Follow Up

On both the Church facebook page and the ‘& friends’ facebook group is a 5 min video from the diocese with some questions. If you could watch it and respond that would be really good. Email Pip or write it on a postcard.

CoGs Leadership

Jane and Yvonne are both stepping back from leading CoGs. We want to record a huge thank-you for all that they have done over many years.

We will need a new team in place to lead our children’s work, ready to start in September. If you are interested in finding out more, please speak to Sara or Pip.

Earlier Week’s News

Previous editions of this news update are on the website if you can’t find it in your in-box.