| † St Andrews Proclaiming Christ in Clewer 10 May 2026 |
 WELCOME 6th Sunday of Easter Our youngest grandson has reached the ripe old age of nine months old. He’s at that stage where, if Mum goes out of sight for the briefest moment, he starts looking around and starts crying. He’ll follow her, crawling out of one room to another looking for her. He’s happy to sit and play and crawl around and pull himself up, but then he’ll suddenly stop and look, as if to say, “Where’s Mummy? Where’s Daddy? Where have they gone?” and he starts crying. He doesn’t like that feeling of suddenly not having Mummy or Daddy by his side.There’s also that feeling when we have to take our children off to their first day of school, and they always go in holding hands. If you stand in the playground, as I do quite often, you’ll see the children come in holding their families’ hands and then there’s a goodbye, sometimes a kiss and a hug, and their hands let go. Sometimes they go off willingly, skipping and smiling into school, and sometimes they’re clinging on and you have to peel them off or ask the teacher to come out and help you. It leaves you with a horrible feeling, but for the child, they don’t want to let go. They want to know that you’re coming back to pick them up. They don’t want to let go of your hand.In today’s reading there is that wonderful line in John 14 verse 15 that says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” but actually, you know, those disciples were still not sure what was going on. Jesus says he’s leaving them. Well, where’s he going? Why is he leaving them? Jesus says, “Don’t worry. I’m leaving, but you won’t be on your own. I’m sending an advocate to be with you.” Jesus says, “I will not leave you orphaned. I am coming to you.”There is always that point when you say goodbye to somebody or you suddenly find that they’re not there, and when we try to explain to children what happens when somebody dies, that even though they’re not there, we carry them in our hearts, we have their memories with us. Little ones need to be reassured that we can talk about them, we can remember them, we can look at photographs and we can say, “Oh, do you remember when?” Actually, the things that they teach us are always in our hearts and we can say, “I can do that because Grandad taught me how to do it.” That gives you a sense of comfort that you’re not on your own, even though you don’t see that person anymore.Jesus is trying to explain that even though they won’t see him anymore, he has taught them so many things about keeping his commandments, about loving one another, about not being caught up in the world, instead knowing that he is with them, but in another way. The Holy Spirit has been with us since the beginning of creation, as the Spirit moved over the earth while the earth was being created. The Spirit is still with us. That Spirit that God says, “I will not leave you orphaned, I will come to you.” You always had me, you always have hope. “Those who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me. Those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”No matter what we face, there is always hope. Even though Jesus is going to heaven, there’s the hope that Pentecost comes. God will always be with us, the one who comes alongside us to guide us when we are confused, the comforter alongside us when we are hurting, the one who gives us strength when we are weak. We are never left to face life’s challenges alone. The Spirit whispers truth into our hearts, even when the world is shouting the opposite. Blessings for your week Revd Rosie SUNDAY SERVICES 10TH MAY 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER 10:30am Eucharist – followed by APCM 3:30pm Faith Explorers 5:00pm Evening Prayer COLLECT God our redeemer, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; 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. Amen READINGS Acts 17.22-31 22Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way.23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.” 29Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 30While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’ 1 Peter 3.13-end 13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. 21And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him. John 14.15-21 15 ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. 18 ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Sermon Sunday 3rd May 2026 (Rev Rosie) NOTICES PLEASE PRAY FOR The Suffering: Jennifer, John B, Matt, Stef, and Joanna. Refugees, Prisoners, the Homeless and those who mourn. The Departed: All those recently departed this life and those whose anniversaries fall at this time. Baptisms: FreddieWeddings: Those preparing for marriage Hayley and Alistair Community Prayers: Clewer Green School, Mrs Branch, Mr Seymour, and all the staff, pupils, staff and governors. Busy Buttons CORE Charity and for all the work that they do. For all our Care Homes, for the safety of residents and staff. We pray also for Windsor Christian Action. For EMERGE advocacy for their work in hosptials. Please pray for the PCC as they work through the Mission Action Plan and discern God’s mission in Clewer. Parish Cycle of Prayer: Please pray for all who live or work in Parsonage Lane, Errington Drive, Chantry Close, Rectory Close, Haslemere Road, Oak Lane, Orchard Avenue and Dedworth Road. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: please pray for TThe Church of Pakistan (United). Please pray also for the Churches in these Dioceses: Yokohama (Japan), Yola (Nigeria), York (England), New York (USA), Western New York (USA) and Ysabel (Melanesia).Please continue to pray for and support your neighbours and families. If you would like anyone added to our Prayer List please email the office office@clewerparish.org SERVICES FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS Morning Prayer on Wednesdays at 8.00am in Church Evening Prayer on Tuesday and Thursdays at 5pm on Zoom Prayers & Bears – Early Years Liturgy on Fridays at 9.30am in Church The church is open for private prayer 10.00am – 5.00pm daily Thu 14 May 12:00pm Ascention Day Service Fri 15 May 6:30pm CTW Christ the King Ecumenical Evening Prayer at St Edwards Church Sun 17 May 10:30am Eucharist 3.00pm Wild Worship 5.00pm Evening Prayer Sun 24 May 10:30am Eucharist 3.00pm CTW Pentecost Picnic and Praise in the Park – Alexandra Gardens Sun 31 May 10:30am Eucharist 3.00pm Worship Explorers UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES APCM after morning service Sunday 10th May Faith Explorers (Middle Schoolers Group)Sunday 10th May 3pm Christian Aid Coffee Morning Saturday 16th May 10-12 at the Rectory Community Friday Saturday 16th May 11am The Green Room – Elephant Family Fun Day @The Swan Sunday 17th May 12-4pm Wild Worship Sunday 17th May 3pm Churchyard Afternoon Teas start on Saturday 23rd May 3pm Churches Together Windsor Pentecost Picnic and Praise Sunday 24th May 3-5pm Alexandra Gardens         CHURCH GIVING Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute to our church financially as well as through their time and skills. As we see our congregation grow and our community events increase we invite you to prayerfully consider how you might support this ongoing growth. Every contribution helps us serve our parish here in Clewer. Finance Details Parish Giving Scheme – where one off payments or regular giving can be set up. Alternatively, financial contributions can be paid directly to our bank account, the details of which are: HSBC Bank Sort Code: 40-47-37 Account number: 11373366 Account name: PCC St Andrews Church If you haven’t already please consider downloading the Church of Englands EverydayFaith app to help with daily reflections to inspire, equip and encourage you in your everday faith. CONTACTS Rector Revd Rosie Webb 01753 852334, email: rector@clewerparish.org Parish Office email: office@clewerparish.org Parish Website: www.standrewsclewer.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/standrewsclewer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st_andrews_clewer/ Churchwarden: Vacant Contact via email: office@clewerparish.org Safeguarding Policy: www.standrewsclewer.org/safeguarding-policy Safeguarding Officer: clewerparishsafeguarding@gmail.com |