| WELCOME No Christian is solitary. Through baptism we become members one of another in Christ, members of a company of saints whose mutual belonging transcends death: One family, we dwell in him, one Church, above, beneath; though now divided by the stream, the narrow stream of death. (Charles Wesley) All Saints’ Day celebrates men and women in whose lives the Church as a whole has seen the grace of God powerfully at work. It is an opportunity to give thanks for that grace, and for the wonderful ends to which it shapes a human life; it is a time to be encouraged by the example of the saints and to recall that sanctity may grow in the ordinary circumstances, as well as the extraordinary crises, of human living. The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed/ All Souls Day (2nd Nov) celebrates the saints in a more local and intimate key. It allows us to remember with thanksgiving before God those whom we have known more directly: those who gave us life, or who nurtured us in faith. This year we will be doing this by lighting candles in the churchyard on Sunday between 4 and 5pm. If you unable to join us why not light a candle at home and place it in your window, a sign of memory and love. Blessings Revd Rosie |
| Welcome in the name of Christ. God’s grace, mercy and peace be with you. and also with you. Faithful one, whose word is life. Come with saving power to free our praise, inspire our prayer and shape our lives for the kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
| COLLECT God of holiness, your glory is proclaimed in every age: as we rejoice in the faith of your saints, inspire us to follow their example with boldness and joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
| READINGS Revelation 7.9-end 9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ 11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, 12 singing, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’ 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ 14 I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 1 John 3.1-3 1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Gospel Reading Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord. Matthew 5.1-12 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. |
| REFLECTION – BY CANON BRIAN Selection of Readings for today:- Revelation 7:9-end A vision of heavenly worship, where all the tribulations and sufferings of the world are over. Everything and everyone is in its rightful place, gathered around the throne of God. 1 John 3:1-3 These words affirm the truth that we celebrate in this season of All Saints – that simply because of God’s love we too are children of God. Matthew 5:1-12 This is the first time that Jesus teaches in Matthew’s Gospel. We call it the Sermon on the Mount. It contains blessings and warnings, and shows us a way to live. Today we celebrate the family of God, past, present and future. We celebrate saints who are famous and saints no one has ever heard of. We celebrate that, through the grace and love of God, we too are part of this family. All Saints Tide is when we remember the vast family we are part of. If we could imagine a photo album with pictures of all the saints down the ages, the famous ones and those who were never even noticed, we would find our own photo somewhere on the pages. That is the joy of today – we know we are included in God’s family. So Four things for you to remember or forget. 1. All Saints Tide reminds us that we are included in God’s family. 2. The Sermon on the Mount speaks into the realities of our lives, the mix of joy and pain. 3. It applies just as much to us as much as it did to Jesus’ first disciples. 4. One family, we dwell in him, one Church, above, beneath: though now divided by the stream, the narrow stream of death. (The hymn, Let saints on earth in concert sing. Charles Wesley) |
| PRAYERS – Times and Seasons CofE United in the company of all the faithful and looking for the coming of the kingdom, let us offer our prayers to God, the source of all life and holiness. Merciful Lord, strengthen all Christian people by your Holy Spirit, that we may live as a royal priesthood and a holy nation to the praise of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Bless Olivia our bishop and all ministers of your Church, that by faithful proclamation of your word we may be built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets into a holy temple in the Lord. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Empower us by the gift of your holy and life-giving Spirit, that we may be transformed into the likeness of Christ from glory to glory. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Give to the world and its peoples the peace that comes from above, that they may find Christ’s way of freedom and life. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Hold in your embrace all who witness to your love in the service of the poor and needy; all who minister to the sick and dying; and all who bring light to those in darkness. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Touch and heal all those whose lives are scarred by sin or disfigured by pain, that, raised from death to life in Christ, their sorrow may be turned to eternal joy. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Remember in your mercy all those gone before us who have been well-pleasing to you from eternity; preserve in your faith your servants on earth, guide us to your kingdom and grant us your peace at all times. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Hasten the day when many will come from east and west, from north and south, and sit at table in your kingdom. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. We give you thanks for the whole company of your saints in glory, with whom in fellowship we join our prayers and praises; by your grace may we, like them, be made perfect in your love. Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power, be to our God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION God, the source of all holiness and giver of all good things: may we who have shared at this table as strangers and pilgrims here on earth be welcomed with all your saints to the heavenly feast on the day of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen |
| Blessing May the Father from whom every family in earth and heaven receives its name strengthen you with his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you always. Amen |
| SUNDAY EUCHARIST AT 10.30am This Sunday’s service in Church is a Eucharist. The order of service may be downloaded from here. The service will be recorded, and should be uploaded to YouTube later. The readings are the same as the readings above. Please note that there will be incense this Sunday. SUNDAY COFFEE ZOOM AT 11.45am After you have attended Church, or watched or listened to this Sunday’s online service of your choice, we invite you to join us for a chat over coffee via Zoom at 11.45 for about half an hour. We have moved it to slightly later due to finishing up at church, getting home and putting the kettle on! We will resend the meeting details later. SUNDAY EVENING PRAYER There will be no evening prayer this Sunday, please see below in the notices for details EVENING PRAYER DURING THE WEEK We are continuing to hold Evening Prayer meetings every Tuesday and Thursday at 1700 (5.00pm). The liturgy is Common Worship in contemporary language. The best way to follow along is using the Church of England’s Daily Prayer App. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. We will resend the meeting details later. WEDNESDAY HOLY COMMUNION AT 10.00am The Church is still open on Wednesdays from 10am-12 for private prayer. Revd Rosie will conduct a short Eucharist service at 10am for those who wish to take communion. This gives us an additional or alternative opportunity to receive the Sacrament and also to help with limited amount of seating. |
| OXFORD DIOCESE CHURCH AT HOME 01 November 2020 10am We worship God together from across the communities of the Diocese of Oxford during Church at Home on this All Saints’ Day. The Rt Revd Olivia Graham, Bishop of Reading, presides and the address is given by the Revd Keith Dunnett, Vicar at Christ Church, Abingdon. No Christian is solitary. Through baptism we become members one of another in Christ, members of a company of saints whose mutual belonging transcends death. All Saints’ Day and the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed on All Souls’ Day both celebrate this mutual belonging. As we celebrate All Saints and remember the baptismal belonging of all Christians in Christ, we pray with and for the people of France, following Thursday’s terrorist attack at a church in Nice, in which three people were killed. As ever all links to view, listen or dial in to the service will be published here during the weekend. Set a reminder to watch the service on YouTube at 10am Live-streamed and ‘as live’ worship is available for everyone across the Diocese of Oxford, these services complement the prayers, meditations and worship offered bylocal churches. Our principal Diocesan services take place at 10 am each Sunday. https://www.oxford.anglican.org/coronavirus-covid-19/livestream Reflections for a Church in Lockdown Episodes are available to listen to now, or download it wherever you get your podcasts (search ‘My extraordinary family’) https://blogs.oxford.anglican.org/podcast |
| PLEASE PRAY FOR The suffering: Blake, Sam, Reuben, Margaret, David, Don, Karl, Hugh, Sarah, Elsie, Lesley, Joanna, Pam, Andy, Jean, Victoria, Refugees, Prisoners, the Homeless and those who mourn. The departed: those recently departed this life, Andrew Wood, June Radnor, Christine Hearne and those whose anniversaries fall at this time. Community prayers: Clewer Green School, the head teacher Martin Tinsley and all the pupils, staff and governors. For all our Care Homes, for the safety of residents and staff. Parish Cycle of Prayer: Please pray for all who live or work in Little Buntings, Tyrell Gardens, Duncroft, Perrycroft, Ryecroft, Rydings, Ellison Close, and Addington Close. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Pray for the Church of the Province of West Africa. Please pray also for the Churches in Rochester (England), Rochester (The Episcopal Church), Kushtia (Bangladesh), Rockhampton (Australia), Delhi (North India), Kutigi (Nigeria), Rokon (South Sudan), Derby (England), Rorya (Tanzania), Derry & Raphoe (Ireland), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Ruaha (Tanzania), Europe (England), Europe (The Episcopal Church), Rumbek (South Sudan), The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands (West Indies), and Kwara (Nigeria). Please continue to pray for and support your neighbours and families in any way you can whilst keeping yourself safe. |
| NOTICES WhatsApp group – Revd Rosie is starting a WhatsApp group for St Andrews. The idea is to post a daily prayer, thought for the day, picture or music. Its not about everyday chitchat and discussion, its aimed at our prayer life and living as disciples in the world in the current climate, a climate where we all need encouragement and a sense of hope. We all need to be closer to God and this is one way we can help to deepen our faith together. It may be that you have read something from the bible that has given you encouragement and you’d like to share it. Or verse from the psalms? A photo of the changing of the seasons that makes you reflect on God creation. You can reply to it if you want to or send a symbol/emoji. Revd Rosie has most of your mobile phone numbers, if you’d like to be involved then send her a text or accept the invitation, or not, when it arrives on your phone. It will come as an invitation to join St Andrews Pray As You Go There will be no evening service on the 1st November as we will be using that time to ‘Light up the churchyard’. All who have lost loved ones and would like to use this time to remember them are invited to come to the churchyard between 4.00 and 5pm to light a candle in memory. Tea lights and battery lights are available to place around the churchyard. A little light goes a long way –“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me, Your rod and staff they comfort me”, Psalm 23. Please join us for a time of remembering those we love but see no longer. Remembrance Sunday 8th Nov, our annual Act of Remembrance will be combined with our Eucharist service, followed by placing of crosses on the war graves. And on the 11th Nov at 11am, there will be an Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial in the Pirate Park, with wreath laying and prayers. Please remember to keep the rule of six and wear your mask. Advance notice – there will be no Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve this year. Sunday Morning Eucharist directions Please be patient as we implement the recommendations to ensure everyone’s safety. Please note that in the event that all available pews are taken, we may not allow any more people into Church, as we must not exceed our maximum capacity, for everyone’s’ safety. At all times, please keep at least two metres away from people not in your own household, this includes when entering and leaving the church, receiving communion, and when taking your pew. The advice from the Church of England and Oxford Diocese is that we must all wear face coverings in Church unless we have an exemption. However, this does not apply to worship leaders, who do not have to wear face coverings when leading worship. On entering the Church, please use the available hand sanitiser. We need to record who is attending Church for test and trace purposes, so will be keeping a log. A data protection (GDPR) statement is available. It is also now mandatory for all places of worship to display the NHS Test and Trace QR codes, and there will be one in the porch as you enter the Church, and another with the paper Test and Trace log. If you can check in with the NHS COVID-19 App on your phone, you do not need to be recorded in the paper log. Please find a pew marked with the green Available Pew sign. One person, or one household/bubble per pew. If you would like to light a candle, please do so one by one. Take an unlit candle from the top of the candle stand, light it and then put it back. After the Eucharistic Prayer and Agnus Dei, we will go up to receive communion at the high altar. Please ensure you keep well spaced out (two metres or more). Please wear your face covering. Hand sanitiser is available in the Chancel, and near the main door of the Church. Revd Rosie will drop the consecrated wafer into your outstretched hands. Please either take the wafer back to your pew to consume it, or lift your mask to eat it immediately after receiving it. Please return to your pew through the Brocas Chapel and the South aisle, not back down the centre aisle. We will not be taking a collection during the service; your envelopes may be left in the brass collection plate as you leave.We also have a credit card reader available. After the service, please leave the building promptly, keeping social distancing at all times. On leaving the Church, please use the hand sanitiser again and, try to go straight home as the rule of 6 applies outside the church. It is lovely to see you all but we need to move off quickly. Thank you |
| Parish Mailing List – If you know of anyone who would like to receive the Pews News by email, please ask them to email office@clewerparish.org to be added to the list. We currently have 91 subscribers. If you know anyone without internet access who would like to receive a printed copy of the Pews News, please send their name and address to office@clewerparish.org Welcome back to Sharon as she returns to the parish office, which will be open 3 mornings a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Its good to have her back and have some ‘normality’! Christmas Market – advance notice. This year’s market is hopefully going to continue to be held, but outside in the churchyard. We’ll keep you posted. Churchyard Roses You may have noticed the sad state of the roses in the churchyard. Our aim to replace them this month. The recommendation would be to purchase as many different colours as possible with a variety of large bloomed, repeat flowering, strong scented largish shrub roses. This will give maximum impact. Four have already been ‘sponsored’ and there are 3 left if anyone would like to see Vikki after the service. The roses cost £15.95 each. Thank you Sceptre’d Isle 4ft x 3ft light pink medium, myrrh medium Princess Alexandra of Kent 4ft x 4ft bright pink strong, tea large William & Catherine 4ft x 4ft white medium, myrrh medium Choir for this year’s Nine Lessons and Carols recorded service. If you would like to join our ‘Choir for Christmas’ to enable us to record a virtual service this year, please talk to Robert after the service or let Sharon in the Parish Office know. Thank you Church Finances – message from Andrew Thank you to everyone for all you have been able to give in this difficult time. Sunday and Wednesday services and private prayer – you can put your envelopes in the collection plate in Church on the table outside the bell tower. Note that we have a card reader in Church that accepts payments from debit and credit cards, and phones. Or you might like to consider continuing your regular giving by paying directly to our bank account, the details of which are: HSBC Bank, High Street, Windsor Sort Code: 40-47-37 Account number: 11373366 Account name: PCC St Andrews Church |
| CONTACTS The Parish Office is now open Monday Wednesday and Friday mornings. Out of hours office number: 07490 094261 Email: office@clewerparish.org Revd Rosie Webb: rector@clewerparish.org Tel: 01753 852334 Parish website: www.standrewsclewer.org Churchwarden: Stuart Cockman Pastoral helpline number: 07946 590223 |