| † St Andrews Proclaiming Christ in Clewer 02 April 2023 Palm Sunday |
 Sunday 2nd April. Join us as we walk through Clewer Village and hear again the story of the Passion. Starting and finishing at St Andrews 10.30am. WELCOME – Palm Sunday Last Sunday we reflected on how the raising of Lazarus kicked off a series of events that led to the death of Jesus. Today we mark a significant part of these events- Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Everyone had heard about the miracle of Lazarus, they believed and therefore followed and celebrated the messiah as he entered the city. A messiah who would change everything! But not in the way they thought they wanted or needed. Jesus enters through the city gates, through the walls into the city. There were those who lived inside the walls, did they receive him like those outside? After all, Jerusalem has a history of killing prophets, so how will the might of Rome react to the provincial prophet coming through the gates on a donkey with all the noise from outside the walls? Those who lived outside the walls of Jerusalem, those that life had stripped of everything, strip out of their own cloaks and lay them on the ground as a sign of honour. Inside the walls, a city under occupation, a troubled place, a place of conflict and confusion, a place where power means everything and the poor and needy are forgotten because they feel powerless. As followers of the donkey-riding king, we are called to care for the weak, the lost, the vulnerable, and to stand up for injustices. But we can only do this if we examine ourselves in the process, knowing we do these things because God calls us to, not because of self-gratification. We now enter Holy Week, during which we address the parts of our lives that we need to work on the most, by hearing again the stories of the events leading up to the death of Jesus. We come together to listen, to pray, to offer ourselves to God broken and in need of forgiveness. We take ourselves to the cross. Holy Week is not to be taken lightly, but sincerely and honestly. Are we crying ‘Hosanna’ one minute and ‘crucify’ him the next? Jesus told his disciples, ‘if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.’ (Matthew 16) I pray you have a blessed Holy Week. Revd Rosie COLLECT Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All Amen READINGS Psalm 118.19-24 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Isaiah 50.4-9a The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Philippians 2.5-11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE PASSION READING The full text of the Passion Reading can be found here: https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=547191549 Or, you can listen to David Suchet reading it here: Chapter 26 https://www.youtube.com/embed/4r1sVXVL0kI Chapter 27 https://www.youtube.com/embed/A1X3TtkimbM THE PASSION READING (alternative, shorter) Hear the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord. Matthew 27.11-54 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’ Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’ So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’ Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God’s Son.”’ The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way. From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘This man is calling for Elijah.’ At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.’ Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’ This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. INTERCESSIONS Times and Seasons We stand with Christ in his suffering. For forgiveness for the many times we have denied Jesus, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For grace to seek out those habits of sin which mean spiritual death, and by prayer and self-discipline to overcome them, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For Christian people, that through the suffering of disunity there may grow a rich union in Christ, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For those who make laws, interpret them, and administer them, that our common life may be ordered in justice and mercy, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For those who still make Jerusalem a battleground, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For those who have the courage and honesty to work openly for justice and peace, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For those in the darkness and agony of isolation, that they may find support and encouragement, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For those who, weighed down with hardship, failure, or sorrow, feel that God is far from them, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. For those who are tempted to give up the way of the cross, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. That we, with those who have died in faith, may find mercy in the day of Christ, let us pray to the Lord. All Lord, have mercy. All Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant, and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation: give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King, to the glory of God the Father. Amen Listen to Revd Rosie’s Sermon last Sunday Listen NOTICES SERVICES FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS Tuesdays and Thursdays, Evening Prayer at 5.00pm via Zoom No Zoom EP during Holy Week. Church Open every day 10.00am – 6.00pm until Easter. Sun 02 April 10.30am Palm Sunday Procession around Clewer Village, includes reading the Passion Narrative 5.00pm Parish Eucharist for Palm Sunday Mon 03 Apr 12.00 Eucharist in Holy Week Tue 04 Apr 12.00 Eucharist in Holy Week Wed 05 Apr 12.00 Eucharist in Holy Week Thu 06 Apr 7.30pm Liturgy of the Upper Room, with foot washing Fri 07 Apr Good Friday 10.00am Family Activities, making the Easter Garden 1.00pm Hour of Silence 2.00pm The Liturgy of Good Friday 3.00pm Veneration of the Cross, Church open until 6.00pm Sun 09 Apr Easter Day 6.00am Dawn Service with Easter bonfire in the churchyard 10.30am Easter Day Family Eucharist followed by Easter Egg Hunt Sun 16 Apr 10.30am Second Sunday of Easter – Parish Eucharist 5.00pmEvening Prayer Sun 16 Apr 10.30am Third Sunday of Easter – Parish Eucharist 5.00pmEvening Prayer Sun 30 Apr 10.30am Fourth Sunday of Easter – Parish Eucharist No Evening Service (fifth Sunday of the month) PLEASE PRAY FOR The Suffering: Blake, Sam, Don, Karl, Sarah, Joanna, Holly, Hugo, Frank and Barbara, Bill, Suzanne, Christopher, Jackie, Norman and Diane, Sylvia, Mary, Gracie, and the Flisher family . Refugees, Prisoners, the Homeless and those who mourn. The Departed: all those recently departed this life, and those whose anniversaries fall at this time. Those preparing for baptism: Antoine, Freya, Zachary, Catalaya, Mila, Jacob, Albie and Mollie. Those preparing for marriage: Rhys and Stephanie. 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. We pray also for Windsor Christian Action, and the work of the Homeless Project, Street Angels, FoodShare, and The Night Shelter. Parish Cycle of Prayer: Please pray for all who live in Clewer Park, Mill Lane, White Lilies Island, Stephensons Drive, Clewer Court Road, Swan Terrace, Petworth Court, and the Boatyard Flats. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: please pray for the churches in South Sudan. Please pray also for the churches in these dioceses: Sabah (South East Asia), Sabongidda-Ora (Nigeria), Saldanha Bay (Southern Africa), Salisbury (England), El Salvador (Central America), and Sambalpur (North India).Please continue to pray for and support your neighbours and families in any way you can whilst keeping yourself safe. EASTER EGGS Donations of Easter eggs are needed for our stall at the community Easter Fair on Palm Sunday afternoon, 02 April. Thanks to all who have donated so far, and more are needed.  Clewer & Dedworth Together Easter Fair Join us for a fun-filled afternoon – we will have a children’s farm, bouncy castle, fairground rides for children, Easter tombola, craft stalls and lots of fun things happening. All money is ploughed back into the community. Free to attend. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING We are looking for volunteers to help with Family activities on Good Friday morning. Please see Revd Rosie if you can help.  CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WINDSOR GOOD FRIDAY ACT OF WITNESS This year, the Good Friday Act of Witness will take the form of a “Witness Walk” in the centre of Windsor, recalling an earlier tradition in the town. It is an important opportunity to reconnect with one of three key annual services organised by the Churches Together in Windsor (CTW) Core Group all of which experienced a hiatus brought about by the pandemic. In quiet reflection, the “Walk” allows us to contemplate the impact of Jesus’ life, ministry and final hours before his Crucifixion as a small group of individuals representing Jesus, Simon of Cyrene, The Virgin Mary, Three Marys and unnamed women initially lead the procession, with others taking turns in these roles as the understated procession continues. It will begin at Windsor Methodist Church (WMC) at 11:17am following directly on from the 10 :30am Good Friday service at WMC led by Revd Vicci Davidson, and will finish at Windsor Parish Church at 11:55am, with an opening prayer followed by singing “Were You There When They Cricified My Lord” and a short closing prayer. If you are planning to join in from the beginning of the Walk, we would ask that you please arrive at the WMC as close to 11:00 as possible. The procession will leave WMC at 11:17 to ensure the Walk is completed in time for the start of the Windsor Parish Church service. You are also very welcome to join the Walk anywhere along the route, including going directly to the Windsor Parish Church. Outline 11:00 – 11:15 Gather at Windsor Methodist Church – corner of Alma Rd / Clarence Rd, SL4 3HH Leave 11:17 Leave WMC, walk south on Alma Rd and cross over to St.Edward’s RC Church, SL4 3HJ Arrive 11:20 Enter gate at the front of the church and pause very briefly for silent prayer Leave 11:20 Proceed to Holy Trinity Garrison Church – Claremont Road, SL4 3BB Arrive 11:22 Pause very briefly near the front entrance for silent prayer Leave 11:22 Proceed to Windsor Baptist Church – Victoria Street, SL4 1EH Arrive 11:27 Pause very briefly outside for silent prayer Leave 11:27 Proceed to URC – William Street, SL4 1BA Arrive 11:30 Pause very briefly outside for silent prayer Leave 11:30 Proceed to the top of Peascod Street Arrive 11:44 Pause very briefly, looking across to St.George’s Chapel, SL4 1NJ Leave 11:44 Proceed to the Windsor Parish Church – High Street, SL4 1LT Arrive 11:47 Walk up front steps, turn left and assemble at the side of the building 11:47- 11:55 Prayers and singing (“Were You There”) as “Witness Walk” concludes 12:00 noon Windsor Parish Church Service begins We would like to sincerely thank all churches and the community of Windsor for supporting this valuable ecumenical initiative – whether in person or simply in prayer – and to wish everyone a truly blessed Holy Week and Easter Day. Revd. Rosie Webb, Chairman EASTER FLOWERS Contributions would be welcomed for Lillies as our Easter flowers. EASTER DECORATION We will be decorating the Church for Easter on Holy Saturday at 10.00am. EASTER DAY EGG HUNT We are looking for donations of small individual wrapped eggs to hide. CHRISTIAN AID PLANT SALE AND COFFEE MORNING There will be a Christian Aid Plant sale and coffee morning, with the Berkshire Birds of Prey, at the Rectory, on 20 May from 10.30am – 12.00. Joint Choral Evensong with Windsor town centre Parishes Singers welcome. If you would like to have a go at singing evensong- now is your opportunity! Sunday 21st May at 5.30pm Message from John Halsey, music director Our normal pattern is for BCP Choral Evensong at 5.30pm, preceded by Tea for choir and congregation at 4.45pm and Choir practice at 4.10pm. It might be best to bring forward Choir practice to 4.00pm on this occasion. We will also have a practice on Friday 12th May, so the list of times would be: All Saints’ Church, Frances Road, Windsor Friday 12th May – 7.35pm-8.45pm Choir Practice Sunday 21st May – 4.00pm Choir Practice – 4.45pm Tea for choir and congregation together – 5.30pm BCP Choral Evensong PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL OXFORD CHANGE OF DATE 28th April. A chance to visit our mother church, have a personal guided tour, have tea in the Great Hall, share in worship at Choral Evensong and a tour of the gardens. If you would like to go, please sign up. The cost for tea depends on which menu we decide on, we will be the only parish tour that day and it will be a wonderful experience for us to enjoy together. Our date has had to be cancelled by the cathedral, but the new date they have given us is Friday 28 April. If you would like to go please let Revd Rosie know as we will need to arrange transport. ST ANDREWS APCM This years’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting (sometimes known as the AGM) will be after the 10.30am service in Church on 14 May 2023. CORONATION WEEKEND IDEAS? The Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort takes place on 06 May. https://www.royal.uk/coronation The Big Help Out is just one of the nationwide activities planned for that bank holiday weekend. https://thebighelpout.org.uk If you can think of some things we could do as a Church around these times, please let Revd Rosie know. TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE APPEAL Please see details of the Oxford Diocese appeal on our web site: https://www.standrewsclewer.org/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal Or see the DEC appeal: https://donation.dec.org.uk/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal God of refuge, You are an ever present help in time of need. Please be this to the people of Turkey, Syria and Iraq today. Provide people with safe shelter and the essentials they need. Be a comfort to those who are grieving and who are traumatised. Be people’s strength and rock as they work together to rescue people, treat the injured, care for those in need and rebuild after this tragedy. In Jesus’ name, Amen. CHRISTIAN AID REP We are still looking for someone to be our Christian Aid representative. This does not need to be a PCC member or other church official. Please see Revd Rosie if you can help. WINDSOR FOODSHARE From their Facebook and Twittter Pages: https://www.facebook.com/windsorfoodshare https://twitter.com/WindsrFoodshare CAN YOU HELP? We are very low on Tinned VegTinned Meat Desserts (custard, rice pudding, angel delight) We have a permanent donation box at Tesco Superstore and also at Waitrose & Partners. So if you are shopping it is easy to pop a carton or 2 in. Or why not try our Wishlist on Common Good and Amazon. https://www.forcommongood.co.uk/…/giftr…/registry/215636 https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/23EUESGGRMAVZ… You can drop off to us on Wednesdays 9.30-1.30 or Thursdays 9.30-3.00 at Dedworth Green Baptist Church. We do not like to ask as we know times are tough for lots of people right now. Imagine if your whole street donated one tin each to us how this would help our stocks. CHURCH FINANCES – MESSAGE FROM ANDREW Thank you to everyone for all you have been able to give in this difficult time. Please 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 or if your bank doesn’t like this Parochial Church Council St Andrews Clewer Parish You may wish to consider transferring to the Parish Giving Scheme, which we promoted in previous years. Details are on our page on their web site: https://bit.ly/2XCLuCr [https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/clewer-st-andrew-windsor/] We also have the printed application forms available, please contact the Parish Office by email. CONTACTS The Parish Office is now closed. The Office Number is: 07490 094261 Email: office@clewerparish.org Parish Website: www.standrewsclewer.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/standrewsclewer Churchwarden: Stuart Cockman Safeguarding Policy: www.standrewsclewer.org/safeguarding-policy Safeguarding Officer: clewerparishsafeguarding@gmail.com |