| † St Andrews Proclaiming Christ in Clewer 16 August 2026 |
 A Cup of Water and a Rose (c. 1630) by Francisco de Zurbarán WELCOME This week I had a trip to the National Gallery to visit the Zurbarán exhibition. The light, the colour, and how he painted material in such depth, you had a sense that the paintings were real and not on a flat canvas. Zurbarán’s Crucifixion has a completely black background, so all your attention is drawn to the body of Jesus. 15th August is the Festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Zurbarán painted various pictures of Mary, the visitation of the Magi etc but I was surprised to see two different paintings. One was Mary as a child with her parents, Joachim and Anne, they are encouraging Mary to eat because they knew she needed her strength for God’s work. The other is Mary sat with the young boy, Jesus, who seems to be playing with a crown of thorns and has pricked his finger. Mary’s expression is forlorn as she foresees the future. It was wonderful to have that moment, exploring art in a spiritual way. We can sometimes take Mary for granted, she was obedient to God’s call, but she also had parents and a childhood, she was a parent with an older husband, and all the worries parents face and more! This week’s picture is one of Zurbarán’s still life, and another glimpse into Mary. I have included the description from the National Gallery’s website:Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664) is one of the great artists of 17th-century Spain. He worked in Seville, then one of Spain’s richest cities, and made artworks for some of the country’s most important people and places. In this small and intimate painting, everyday objects appear monumental and take on a mystical intensity. On a tabletop or ledge, a ceramic cup of water with delicately curved handles sits in the centre of a silver plate. A thornless rose in full bloom balances on the plate’s edge. That these objects have religious significance would have been immediately obvious to devout Spanish viewers in the seventeenth century. The cup of water and the rose were seen as symbols of the Virgin Mary’s purity; the fact that the flower is thornless may refer to the Immaculate Conception (the belief that Mary was conceived without sin). According to the third-century saint, Ambrose, the roses in the Garden of Eden only grew thorns after Adam and Eve had sinned. The rose – and lily, another flower associated with the Virgin – also appears as a symbol in Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket, a work by Juan de Zurbarán, a gifted still-life painter and Francisco’s son. There, we also see a reference to the Virgin’s purity in the delicate porcelain cup containing water. Zurbarán’s painting encourages meditation and quiet contemplation; an approach not dissimilar to that which he adopted in his religious paintings. The stark simplicity of the surrounding space provides no distractions, and we are invited to appreciate the beauty of light reflecting on water and bouncing off polished surfaces.Perhaps you have a picture of Mary at home? Why not sit quietly with it this week with a cup of water and a rose and reflect on the person that is Mary, the mother of Christ? Almighty God, who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chose her to be the mother of your only Son; grant that we who are redeemed by his blood may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom; 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 Blessings for your week Revd Rosie SUNDAY SERVICES 16TH AUGUST 11TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 10:30am Parish Eucharist 3:00pm Wild Worship COLLECT O God, you declare your almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity: mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace, that we, running the way of your commandments, may receive your gracious promises, and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure; 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 Isaiah 56.1, 6-8 Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 8 Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered. Romans 11.1-2a, 29-32 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 29for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, 31so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. 32For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all. Matthew 15.21-28 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ 23But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ 24He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ 26He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ 27She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ 28Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. Sermon Recording from Sunday 9th August 2026 (Rev Rosie) NOTICES PLEASE PRAY FOR The Suffering: Dorothy, Chloe, Bill, Jennifer, 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: 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 Shirley Avenue, Kingsbury Mews, Rutherford Close, West Crescent, East Cresecent, Hatch Lane and Firs Avenue. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: please pray for The Church in Wales. Please pray also for the Churches in these Dioceses: Badagry (Nigeria), Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands (West Indies), Ballarat (Australia), Bangor (Wales), Banks and Torres (Melanesia) and Barbados (West Indies).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 No Wednesday Morning Prayer in August No Tue/Thur/Sun Evening Prayer in August The church is open for private prayer 10.00am – 5.00pm daily Sun 23 August 10:30am Parish Eucharist Sun 30 August 10:30am Parish Eucharist 3.00pm Worship Explorers (Childrens Church) Sun 06 September 10:30am All Age Eucharist – BACK TO SCHOOL 5.00pm Eucharist UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES Whilst there are no Prayers & Bears sessions in August every Friday from 10am-12pm there will be craft activities happening at St Andrews Churchyard Tidy Dates – Save the Date – 10-12am Saturday 15th Aug Sat 5th Sept Churchyard Tea Saturday 15th August 3-5pm (updated date!) cream teas and socialising in the churchyard REQUEST – if you would like to read or do intercessions at Sunday morning services please email the office to be added to the list or sign up at the back of church.     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 |