| † St Andrews Proclaiming Christ in Clewer 14 May 2023 The Sixth Sunday of Easter |
 Malawi Cyclone Update The impact of the recent Cyclone Freddy in Malawi has been devastating. Floods have washed away crops, over 500,000 people have been displaced and hundreds have lost their lives. Christian Aid Week is at its most powerful when a disaster happens. Through you, we will be there long after the flood waters recede, helping families build back. Your gifts this May will continue to support the pigeon pea project and other vital work around the world. (Christian Aid) The readings we have this week help us to reflect on being rescued, being Easter people, having the promise of sure and certain hope and; how our suffering is shared. Jesus promises that although he is leaving- Ascension Day this Thursday- he will not leave the disciples orphaned. Built into us is a desire to seek God, longing for a relationship with God is natural. What Jesus says on the night before he dies is that it is not we who need to travel to God, but God who will come to us. We all know how brittle life can feel. We live our personal tragedies, alongside those of our communities, our nation and our world. How are we an Easter people with alleluia as our song with all this going on? During Wild Worship at school this week we were looking at the story of Ruth and the value of Service. Ruth promising to stay with Naomi so that she would never be on her own, Ruth taking care of Naomi and finding food to keep them alive. We unpacked the meaning of gleaning and gleaned every bit of rubbish we could find around the school field. We also gleaned weeds from some of the neglected raised beds. One girl said ‘this is like the Easter story…the weeds need to die so that the seeds we plant can grow and bring new life. Then the bees and insects can feed, the air cleaner and we can enjoy all the colours’. There’s an Easter person right there, aged 7! Blessings for your week Revd Rosie 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. All Amen READINGS Acts 17.22-31 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 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. 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, 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. From 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, so 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. For “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.” Since 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.0While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because 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.’ This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 1 Peter 3.13-end Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but 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; yet 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. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For 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, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who 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. And 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, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE GOSPEL READING Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you, O Lord. John 14.15-21 ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This 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. ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They 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.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. INTERCESSIONS Gracious God, you are anything but unknown to us for you made us, our world and everything in it and so we pray with one voice, proclaiming your presence to all the earth. Lord, in your mercy; hear our prayer. Holy God we pray for your church throughout the world, for sceptics and believers, for clergy high and low. For all those who seek God at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews, for all who search for life. We pray for the stillness to listen to the voice of the Spirit and to recognise what our personal relationship with you has done for us. Lord, in your mercy; hear our prayer. Creator God, we pray for prime ministers and presidents, for bosses and wardens; for leaders and trendsetters. For those who set the targets at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews. For all who wield power, that they may be guided by the Spirit of Truth. We especially pray for the newly crowned King Charles III, for Queen Camilla and the Royal Family following the wonderful Coronation last weekend. Lord, in your mercy; hear our prayer. Father God, we pray for family and colleagues, friends and lovers, for neighbours and strangers, For those with whom we break bread at home, at work, in the community, and in our church, For all who grow, harvest and prepare the food we eat and for those who cook it and serve it. Lord, in your mercy; hear our prayer. Loving God, we pray for the sick and troubled, for the fearful and alone, for those in pain at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews. We pray that all who suffer, may feel the Spirits healing presence. Lord, in your mercy; hear our prayer. Merciful God, we pray for those kept fresh in our memory and for those long forgotten, For all who ever took the breath of life at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews. We pray for mercy and forgiveness for the dead and those who mourn them, may they find rest in the Spirit’s embrace and we commend them to your keeping for ever. Lord, in your mercy; hear our prayer. God of heaven and earth, companion in life, Spirit of truth, to you alone we turn our eyes and lift our hearts. Help us as we go out into the world to keep your commandments and to love one another as you love us. Merciful Father, accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION God our Father, whose Son Jesus Christ gives the water of eternal life: may we thirst for you, the spring of life and source of goodness, through him who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen NOTICES SERVICES FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS Every Tue & Thu, and Fri 19-Sat 27 May Evening Prayer at 5.00pm – Zoom Church Open every day 10.00am – 6.00pm Sun 14 May10.30am Sixth Sunday of Easter – Parish Eucharist 5.00pmEvening Prayer in Church Thu 18 May 12.00 Ascension Day – Service of the Word 5.00pm Evening Prayer on Zoom Fri 19-Sat 20 May 5.00pm Evening Prayer on Zoom Sun 21 May10.30am Seventh Sunday of Easter – Parish Eucharist 3.00pm Wild Worship – in the Churchyard 5.30pm Choral Evensong at All Saints Frances Road Wed 24 May 12.00 TKC Midday Prayers + Lunch + More Mon 22-Sat 27 May 5.00pm Evening Prayer on Zoom Sun 28 May10.30am Pentecost – Parish Eucharist 5.00pmCTW Taize at Windsor Methodist Church 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, Carmel, Martin & Ishbel, and Austin I. 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 recently baptised: Those recently married: 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 Parsonage Lane, Errington Drive, Chantry Close, Rectory Close, Haslemere Road, Oak Lane, Orchard Avenue, and Dedworth Road. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: please pray for the churches in West Africa. Please pray also for the churches in these dioceses: Swansea & Brecon (Wales), Swaziland (Southern Africa), Sydney (Australia), Tabora (Tanzania), Te Pihopatanga o Tai Tokerau and Te Pihopatanga o Tairawhiti (Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia).Please continue to pray for and support your neighbours and families in any way you can whilst keeping yourself safe. 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. The notice announcing this officially has been up for the last two Sundays, and the reports are in Church.    https://www.thykingdomcome.globalThy Kingdom Come (TKC) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus.For more information please see the Thy Kingdom Come website TKC begins with Ascension day, 18 May, we will have a Service of the Word at 12 midday. There will be Evening Prayer on Zoom every day for the period between Ascension and Pentecost. Churches Together in Windsor have published what’s happening where for our town in the TKC season, on their web site: https://churchestogetherinwindsor.org.uk/2023/05/ctw-spring-2023-newsletter/ or you can download it here: https://www.standrewsclewer.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CTW-Spring-Newsletter_2023_27-April-2023_jp75.docx And a date for your diary: our town Pentecost service will be at Windsor Methodist Church at 5pm on 28 May. We have TKC prayer booklets which will be available in Church nearer the time.   CHRISTIAN AID PLANT SALE AND COFFEE MORNING There will be a Christian Aid Plant sale and coffee morning at the Rectory, on 20 May from 10.30am – 12.00. Please start potting on your seedlings to sell, and plan your baking for this annual event. This year the Berkshire Birds of Prey will be joining us to help boost our fundraising. So spread the word please, get potting and baking! 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 CHURCHYARD TIDY – MARK THE DATE – 03 JUNE The next churchyard tidy will be on the morning of Saturday 3rd June 10.00am-12.00. Please see Bob Lester if you are able to help. 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 Cooking Sauce 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 Emergency 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 |