Morning Prayer - Friday, 19 April 2019

Passiontide
Good Friday

Psalm 69
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up, even to my neck. I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me. I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw; my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God.

Those who hate me without any cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are mighty; my enemies accuse me falsely: must I now give back what I never stole? O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me,
O God of Israel.

For your sake have I suffered reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children. Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.

I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach. I put on sackcloth also and became a byword among them. Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me.

But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord; at an acceptable time, O God. Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy and with your sure salvation. Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.

Let not the water flood drown me, neither the deep swallow me up; let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me. Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good; turn to me in the multitude of your mercies. Hide not your face from your servant; be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble.

Draw near to my soul and redeem me; deliver me because of my enemies. You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour; my adversaries are all in your sight. Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one, neither found I any to comfort me. They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

Let the table before them be a trap and their sacred feasts a snare. Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see, and give them continual trembling in their loins. Pour out your indignation upon them, and let the heat of your anger overtake them. Let their camp be desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

For they persecute the one whom you have stricken, and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced. Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, and let them not receive your vindication. Let them be wiped out of the book of the living and not be written among the righteous.

As for me, I am poor and in misery; your saving help, O God, will lift me up. I will praise the name of God with a song; I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, more than bulls with horns and hooves. The humble shall see and be glad; you who seek God, your heart shall live.

For the Lord listens to the needy, and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise. Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and all that moves in them; for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; they shall live there and have it in possession. The children of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Genesis 22.1-18

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’

Hebrews 10.1-10
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God” (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’

When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Collect
Eternal God, in the cross of Jesus we see the cost of our sin and the depth of your love: in humble hope and fear may we place at his feet  all that we have and all that we are, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Morning Prayer - Friday 30 March 2018

Passiontide 
Good Friday

Psalm 69
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up, even to my neck. I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me. I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw; my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God.

Those who hate me without any cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are mighty; my enemies accuse me falsely must I now give back what I never stole?

O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel.

For your sake have I suffered reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children. Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.

I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach.
I put on sackcloth also and became a byword among them.

Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord; at an acceptable time, O God. Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy and with your sure salvation. Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.

Let not the water flood drown me, neither the deep swallow me up; let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me. Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good; turn to me in the multitude of your mercies. Hide not your face from your servant; be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble. Draw near to my soul and redeem me; deliver me because of my enemies.

You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour; my adversaries are all in your sight. Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one, neither found I any to comfort me.

They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.
Let the table before them be a trap and their sacred feasts a snare.
Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see, and give them continual trembling in their loins.

Pour out your indignation upon them, and let the heat of your anger overtake them. Let their camp be desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in their tents. For they persecute the one whom you have stricken, and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced.

Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, and let them not receive your vindication. Let them be wiped out of the book of the living and not be written among the righteous.

As for me, I am poor and in misery; your saving help, O God, will lift me up. I will praise the name of God with a song; I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, more than bulls with horns and hooves. The humble shall see and be glad; you who seek God, your heart shall live.

For the Lord listens to the needy, and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise. Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and all that moves in them; For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; they shall live there and have it in possession. The children of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Genesis 22.1-18
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’

Hebrews 10.1-10
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God” (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’

When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Collect
Almighty Father, look with mercy on this your family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given up into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross; who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer - Friday 14 April 2017

Passiontide

Good Friday

Psalm 69
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up, even to my neck. I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me. I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw; my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God.

Those who hate me without any cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are mighty; my enemies accuse me falsely: must I now give back what I never stole?

O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel. For your sake have I suffered reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.

Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me. R I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach. I put on sackcloth also and became a byword among them.

Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord; at an acceptable time, O God. Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy and with your sure salvation. Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters. Let not the water flood drown me, neither the deep swallow me up; let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me.

Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good; turn to me in the multitude of your mercies. Hide not your face from your servant; be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble. Draw near to my soul and redeem me; deliver me because of my enemies. You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour; my adversaries are all in your sight.

Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one, neither found I any to comfort me. They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

Let the table before them be a trap and their sacred feasts a snare. Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see, and give them continual trembling in their loins. Pour out your indignation upon them, and let the heat of your anger overtake them. Let their camp be desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

For they persecute the one whom you have stricken, and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced.Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, and let them not receive your vindication. Let them be wiped out of the book of the living and not be written among the righteous.

As for me, I am poor and in misery; your saving help, O God, will lift me up. I will praise the name of God with a song; I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, more than bulls with horns and hooves. The humble shall see and be glad; you who seek God, your heart shall live. For the Lord listens to the needy, and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise.

Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and all that moves in them; For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; they shall live there and have it in possession. The children of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Genesis 22.1-18
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’

Hebrews 10.1-10
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God” (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’

When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Collect
Almighty Father, look with mercy on this your family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given up into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross; who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Journal: Do you Love me?

What a rocking day it's been. I knew it was going to be a bit busy so I got it rolling early to fit it all in. But it worked and I managed to stick a few visits, a Bishops Certificate, lunch with a friend, and preparation for three of the nine services next week will see happen - and get newspaper item finished along with Easter Services page and do a music practice too. Mega!

Fun bit was a colleague from another denomination, after hearing how many services Holy Week attracted, commenting, "That's why I'm not an Anglican!" Each to their own I guess - reckon I'll be high church in another few years as I'd love to not only keep the feasts and festivals but do Communion every day too; and yet I'm still a charismatic (how odd)!

So looking forward to Good Friday, I love the witness and the watch and this year I'm privileged to be with St Editha's choir for a choral reflection too. Holy Week brings many great services as we do stations of the cross the first couple of nights followed by the splendid tenebrae service on the Wednesday. Thursday brings the Seder meal into our experience and we relive that last supper and light the blue touchpaper for arrest, trial and eventual execution that is Good Friday.

Is it any surprise that 'holy Saturday' sees us lying in the floor mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually done in?

Of course this Sunday (Palm Sunday) complete with waving bits of palm tress (£10.50 for fifty of them. They certainly don't grow on trees at that price!!) starts the thing off, but it's the liturgy of the passion - a real marathon reading that breaks the heart for the first time on our journey to the cross.

But of today - one of my friends is struggling and I have to admit, taking him Communion was sad today as he's not doing as well as he has been. Another (who I need to include in my visits) is in pain. Another is needy and another couple even more up against it. This is a battle and we need to know we are not alone - sadly don't think I always help there as other stuff creeps in and distracts.

Lord, either give me more hours in a day or help me to stick all the unnecessary tosh in the bin!

I've analysed the first quarter and will be sharing them with a few people. I'll stick a pretty pie chat on  some time soon, interesting to see where the time goes.

Bishops Certificate was brilliant - as seem the case, the material offered with thin and tenuous in extremes, but with the aid of a few interlinears and the Greek, we really had fun. Tow men down at the moment, so prayers for them and four us as we deal with some of the total tosh we use as a firefighter as we fan the flames of learning into something great. No charcoal was harmed in the making of this session! The person leading it did a great job with it all - got to play naughty schoolboy (no change there).

So a day of being broken and educated, blessed and grateful for my Christian family, challenged and tested by my own calling and passions as a believer.

Lord for those I find it easy to love, I thank You.
For those I sometimes struggle to love, I praise you, for life without those broccoli and cabbage moments -feasting only on the sweets - would be unbalanced and unhealthy.
For the people I visited today - and for those I didn't manage to visit - bring healing and a real sense of your presence.
Help me to turn my life into one of people, the word and prayer - thank you for the people in church who worry about money, strategies and structures - give me Christ and a true faith with sound liturgy and living stones. I'll leave the skeletons and dryness to others if You don't mind: Make me a man of the Word and of the People I pray.

And so, another day has crept into mine, so I guess I'll thank You for what's gone and praise You what what's now already here.

Yes Lord, I agape You!

Fridays that matter: Black or Good?

Living is a world where people are possessed by their possessions and being a consumer is, by the words some I meet, more important than being a Christian, today is a very black day indeed!

A couple of years back, looking to buy a replacement for a piece of broken kit, I went into a shop to make my purchase only to be advised by the sales assistant to leave it a week if I could as the price would be drastically (around 20%) less thanks to 'Black Friday'; so I went home and waited for a week and saved almost £200!

When I was a child, one of the New Year rituals in my family was the annual trip to Knightsbridge for the sales. My Mum would have a list of things we needed and we'd head for the stores to buy new bed linen and other stuff we needed at much reduced prices. We didn't have much money and the buying of things in this way made the most of what we did have and although not a Christian home I have to say that this was good stewardship indeed!

Today we have two 'Black' and one 'Good' Friday on the calendar - today's 'Black Friday' is a day (now stretched to five by some companies) where spending on stuff, to excess, is billed as the thing to do - the other 'Black Friday' is the Friday before Christmas when people tend to eat and drink to excess and this too is billed by our society as something that 'has' to be done too!

The other Friday on my calendar - the 'Good' one -  is about getting too, but with this one it's not about cheap - it's about free! But there's no such thing as 'free' - someone, somewhere always foots the bill - and with this one, the person paying is Jesus!

Today I'm being encouraged to 'have it all today' and pay for it with a card. Who cares if you can't afford it, you can put off paying for another day. How odd then that so many live their lives as the choose, never looking to the day of reckoning of a different kind!

So here are some thoughts as Black Friday gets going:

Do you really need to buy what others are encouraging you to get today?

Will having something really make you happier, better of more successful?

Why have Christian companies and charities jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon - aren't we supposed to encourage good stewardship in others and work hard to stop our weaker brothers and sisters from stumbling?

Aren't we supposed to be living in a counter-cultural way? So why are we buying in to the 'have this and look cool' mentality - shouldn't we have an image of Jesus and His teachings and look like that?

Me? There's nothing I need today and so will not be spending anything except time on my knees thanking Him who gave me everything.

And a thought

Look at the image above - that's people fighting in a British store a few years back, fighting for flat screen TVs.

A friend of mine who works in refugee camps asked me this:

"If they fight like that for TVs, what will they be like when they have to fight for food from the back of a lorry to feed their kids like those in the camps around the world?"

OUCH!

40 Acts - WRITE OFF

He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13b-14 (NIV) Good Friday. It's a funny name for the day on which Jesus got crucified. Good? Pierced hands and feet. Good? A crown of thorns. Good? A spear in his side. Good? But it is good news. As a Christian I believe that we are indebted to God. We owe a debt for failing to give God the recognition he deserves and for instead putting ourselves in the driving seat of our lives. Our selfishness has caused wars, famines and suffering. Good Friday is good because it is the day that we remember that Jesus dealt with our selfishness, our pride, our autonomy from him. The debt we owe for all our wrongdoing was eradicated by the death of a Jesus, so that we could be back in a relationship with God. All we need to do is accept it! As Paul writes, ‘He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross’ (Colossians 2:13b-14). The Christian life is about knowing that we are forgiven of all our selfishness, freed from our wrongdoing, loved despite our failings, and welcomed into God's family. The debt is cancelled. We get to start afresh. And so Good Friday is the ultimate expression of generosity. God's love meant that he generously allowed his innocent son Jesus to pay my debt and to pay yours. No matter what we have done or failed to do, we can know God’s generosity today. Make some space today to reflect on God’s generosity symbolised by the cross. Reflect upon the size of the debt that God has cancelled. Now consider any debts that others may owe to you in whatever form they take – unfulfilled promises, unpaid loans or unreturned favours. Ask for God’s grace to let them go, and release his generosity in symbolically wiping the slate clean. Andy Frost For today's web page - Click HERE

Tamworth - Good Friday Witness

10:00 meet in the. Castle grounds

10:20 Process into the square

10:30 Service begins

11:00 service ends

All are welcome to attend

Morning Prayer - 3 April 15

Good Friday

Psalm 69
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up, even to my neck. I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me. I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw; my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God. Those who hate me without any cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are mighty; my enemies accuse me falsely: must I now give back what I never stole?

O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel. For your sake have I suffered reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children. Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.

I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach. I put on sackcloth also and became a byword among them. Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord; at an acceptable time, O God.

Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy and with your sure salvation. Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters. Let not the water flood drown me, neither the deep swallow me up; let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me. Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good; turn to me in the multitude of your mercies. Hide not your face from your servant; be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble. Draw near to my soul and redeem me; deliver me because of my enemies?

You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour; my adversaries are all in your sight. Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one, neither found I any to comfort me. They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.
Let the table before them be a trap and their sacred feasts a snare.
Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see, and give them continual trembling in their loins. Pour out your indignation upon them, and let the heat of your anger overtake them.
Let their camp be desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in their tents. For they persecute the one whom you have stricken, and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced. Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, and let them not receive your vindication.
Let them be wiped out of the book of the living and not be written among the righteous.

As for me, I am poor and in misery; your saving help, O God, will lift me up. I will praise the name of God with a song; I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, more than bulls with horns and hooves. The humble shall see and be glad; you who seek God, your heart shall live. For the Lord listens to the needy, and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and all that moves in them; For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; they shall live there and have it in possession. The children of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Genesis 22.1-18
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’

Hebrews 10.1-10
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God' (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’

When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Collect
Almighty Father, look with mercy on this your family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given up into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross; who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

How cool it is when Church works

And that was exactly wheat it did yesterday when the Christians of Tamworth came together in the town centre to witness the passion of Jesus, the Christ, and make a statement of their love of Jesus, the Son of the Living God as, once again, Good Friday came around:

The band was great. The unity found in the differing ages and accents of the speakers of the passion narrative was captivating and the feeling of culpability as the crowd cried out, as they did at the original event, against Jesus unmissable.

This was Church at its very best and a wonderful marker for a most solemn and thought-provoking day indeed.

Daily Office - Mar 29

Passiontide - Good Friday

Psalm 69
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up, even to my neck.

I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me.
I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw;
my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God.

Those who hate me without any cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are mighty; my enemies accuse me falsely:
must I now give back what I never stole?

O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you.
Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel.

For your sake have I suffered reproach; shame has covered my face.
I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.
Zeal for your house has eaten me up;
the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.
I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach.
I put on sackcloth also and became a byword among them.
Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me.
But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord;
at an acceptable time, O God.
Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy and with your sure salvation.
Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not;
let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.
Let not the water flood drown me, neither the deep swallow me up;
let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me.

Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good;
turn to me in the multitude of your mercies.
Hide not your face from your servant;
be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble.
Draw near to my soul and redeem me;
deliver me because of my enemies.

You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour;
my adversaries are all in your sight.
Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness.
I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one,
neither found I any to comfort me.

They gave me gall to eat,
and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.
Let the table before them be a trap and their sacred feasts a snare.
Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see,
and give them continual trembling in their loins.
Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let the heat of your anger overtake them.
Let their camp be desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
For they persecute the one whom you have stricken,
and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced.
Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt,
and let them not receive your vindication.
Let them be wiped out of the book of the living
and not be written among the righteous

As for me, I am poor and in misery;
your saving help, O God, will lift me up.
I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving.
This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen,
more than bulls with horns and hooves.

The humble shall see and be glad;
you who seek God, your heart shall live.
For the Lord listens to the needy, and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and all that moves in them;
For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah;
they shall live there and have it in possession.
The children of his servants shall inherit it
and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Genesis 22.1-18
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said,
‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men,
‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’

Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said,
‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’

Abraham said,
‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’
So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’
He said,
‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’

And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said,
‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’

Hebrews 10.1-10
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
   but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings
   you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”
   (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’

When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added,
‘See, I have come to do your will.’

He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Collect
Almighty Father,
look with mercy on this your family
for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed
and given up into the hands of sinners
and to suffer death upon the cross;
who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Palm Sunday - Praise and Rejection

palm crosses blessed
and waved
sang 'Hosanna'
Said a prayer (or did I mumble?)

had fingers crossed as confessed our sins
my sins
looking to God for forgiveness
and a short memory
for sins past
and life events (failed)
'What greater love than this?'
no need to ask as the nail-pierced hand held mine
safely
assuredly

and then
without warning
there were were
on a journey

donkey with a King on its back
King with stripes on His back for a donkey (that's me)
before the religious leaders (who crucify Him still)
before the Political stooge
the Pilate who ley justice fly in the face of truth and love
before the ersatz king
the horrid who was Herod
And back again

And we cried out
Silently
above the noise of love

our lives
our hearts
our sinful
selfish
cruel ambitions
cried out: 'crucify Him, crucify Him!'

And they did
They bloody well did
gave us exactly what we demanded

and Him
scourged
bleeding
broken
went off to Golgotha

Nailed
Pierced
Broken
mocked

even by the bloke next to Him
(but not the bloke on the other side)

and then
'it is finished'
job's a good 'un

tetelestai
the debt
of sin
cancelled
paid
by THE act of love

Centurion
battle-scarred
seen men die
made men die
standing and watched
impressed?
touched?
guilty?
proclaims the dead
'a righteous man'
'a good bloke?'
'a dead good bloke' perhaps?

and taken down
wrapped up
like a Christmas present?
like an Easter present?
a 'good egg' perhaps?
He's placed in a tomb

game over?
not the Messiah?
without hindsight what would we be thinking
how would we be acting
what would this mean to us

and so
Palm Sunday done
everything on hold
we await
eagerly?
disbelieving?
hoping
for a greater comeback
than winning 5-7 from 4-1 down at half-time

Holy Week
wholly weak
we struggle to
a Good Friday
in the knowledge of
a better Sunday

Tamworth - Good Friday Witness 2013

For those of you in or around the Tamworth (Staffs - not AUS) area, 

here's details of the Good friday act of witness in our town:

Hope to see some of you there!

There's no pleasing Christians - is there?

Good Friday saw a good crowd turn out for the act of witness in Tamworth's St Editha's Square.

We had a good number met at the local castle grounds and, after prayer, they entered the town centre in a silent procession of witness to the day that it was and the sacrifice of Jesus, the Christ.

After an opening prayer and a couple of songs and a Bible reading we were treated to an excellent bit of street theatre as the trial before Pilate, the scourging and the crucifixion were acted out and then, after a challenging summing up we sang 'When I survey' and were dismissed - job done.

There was a prayer café who stayed for a couple of hours after the main event and they chatted, prayed and continued the witnessing and reaching out to good effect.

being my last time at organising the event I was happy that we'd done something of value that would have brought the Good Friday story into the experience (and hopefully understanding) of many who otherwise would not have been touched by the Gospel accounts that weekend (and probably never). All those who had committed to play a part had discharged their duties well.

Then the comments come in which talk of unhappiness about the 'wrong' tune for when I survey and how they couldn't see at the back and 'couldn't the player be miked' and 'why didn't they do it (the drama) at the top of the bank' and wasn't it 'too graphic' and "I never got a hot cross bun' and 'we didn't like . . . .'

Of course the street theatre company played to the crowd, on the ground, in front of them and even though they tried to engage the crowd (thanks go to the one person mad enough to cry for Barabbas to be freed and for Jesus to be crucified) it seems that they wanted (as one person put it) 'more theatre!!

Odd how we Christians can see the Good Friday witness as being for us rather than for the people in a town which boasts oh so few Christians. How we can dictate as to what we expect from the morning's witness and how, even though trying to get people to be involved is like pulling teeth, everyone knows how the morning should have been done - so many choose to be consumers rather than contributors (I understand we are not alone in this though - after all, we go to church to be blessed don't?).

Thanks to the sound men, musicians, prayer café, actors and all who played their part - and for those who complained, I'm passing your names over to the person organising next year to ensure that, as you know what is needed, everything will be perfect next year :-)

He is risen. Hallelujah

Tamworth - Good friday Witness

Good Friday - A Public 'Thank You'

A heartfelt and sincere 'Thank You' to all those who helped us bear witness to, and share the wonder of, God's grace as shown to us by Christ's death on a cross.

The Sound Man, Musicians, people who provided the cross, the people who prayed (and welcomed and dismissed), the people who came and made the witness walk so very powerful and meaningful, the man who was everywhere doing stuff, the man who led and carried the cross and especially the members of the Grendon Passion Play, who brought the words of the Good friday happenings to life by their involvement.

Pax

Nearing Golgotha

The sun has risen,
The crowds gather, there's a spectacle to be seen,
Jesus, the Gallilean, in the starring role.
Wonder what sort of show He'll put on?
Wonder if He'll do anything else before He dies,
Or is this the end of a short career as would be Messiah?

It's saving the World Day . .

Not just 'Earth day'!

As much as I endorse and support managing and protecting the environment, I have to say that those denominations who have made 'Earth Day' more important than Good Friday are flawed, fallen and, to be brutally honest, bordering on (if not already there) apostate!

Today, our Lentern journeying brings us shortly to a place of torture, mocking and in the penultimate act of today's sacrifice for the 'whole world', Golgotha - the place pf the skull.

Today is about more than being 'eco friendly', if is about becoming friends again with God in a relationship cemented by the blood of Christ.

Today, One of the world's holiest days is with us, not two as the flawed words of one columnist has it:

"Two of the world’s holiest religious holidays are set to fall on April 22 this year — Good Friday for Christians and Earth Day for environmentalists — and some religious leaders are preparing their flocks to celebrate both."

Whatever, however, wherever you are and think, 'Earth Day' won't restore your relationship with God, it will not count you as innocent when all around you cry guilty, it will not condemn you, but offer you a hand and a hope.

Earth day? Is a great intention but it's not holy, is it?

Pax

Finished? It hasn't started yet!

Four O'clock in the morning and I see the words, "It is finished! all the debt is paid!"

My mind, full of being somewhere else, the turmoil of being betrayed by Judas, seized by men with mob, clubs and swords at the ready and dragged before the High Priest and Elders, has gone. The visits to Herod and Pilate are passed by and the cries of 'crucify him' are never aired.

Before it has even begun, Good Friday is done and we can rush, triumphantly, towards the victory of Easter Sunday.

Can we not watch with him these short hours?

Must we hasten past today to avoid the guilt, the pain, the sheer bloody horror of it all to embrace the triumph and the victory?

I think not.

Lord,
Snatched from the garden,
Betrayed by a friend,
Bound and accused,
Spat upon and beaten,
All for me - I love you.

Give me the courage to follow where You lead,
To stand before accusers and bless, not condemn.
To show in my life, just a little of the reality that is You.
To walk towards the Cross down a one-way street,
knowing - this is just the beginning!

Road to the cross? Use the pavement instead!

I see that Brent Council, that great bastion of all that brings the odd raised eyebrow and the resigned sigh has once again managed to makes the news. This time, council officials have banned the annual Good Friday 'walk of witness'.

No, they don't want them to do an 'Earth Day' procession (although I would be this would be more favourably treated) like the Episcopalian Church are advocating in places, but are concerned with the 'health and safety' aspects of the event and so have forbidden them to walk on the road, pushing the event onto the pavement (surely that's a health and safety risk?).

Knowing the area and the community I know of various marches and parades, none of which have been pushed onto the pavement, but then again, none of them were Christian (unless you count St Pat's Day)! Diwali is splendid in Brent's area, there are parades and the like and there's never been a question about them happening. This is where we need to be able to point to other groups public acts of witness and celebration and tell Brent where to go. we don't want special treatment, we just want to be treated the same as everyone else.

Thankfully, the MP for Brent Central, Sarah Teather, has taken up the cry to let this event take place:

"It is important that the Good Friday procession is allowed to take place on the roads. Brent is a multicultural area. The turnout at the annual St Patrick’s Day parade shows that many people appreciate the celebrations of cultures other than their own. I have written to Brent Council asking them to reconsider their decision to make the Good Friday procession take place on the pavement. This provision is not only impractical, but also does not allow the people of Brent to fully enjoy the event.”

Then again, perhaps we need to drop Good Friday and engage in Earth Day instead, wouldn't be a problem then, would there?

Happy Sunday