| † St Andrews Proclaiming Christ in Clewer 16 July 2023 The Sixth Sunday after Trinity |
 Picture by kind permission of Greenside Primary School WELCOMEMatthew 13.1-9,18-23 When we arrived at the Rectory, nearly 10 years ago now, we discovered that three quarters of the garden had be left and taken over by nature! In the process of clearing, it meant digging down very deeply, which in turn brought the clay soil to the surface. This type of soil has been hard to work with and manage over the years and we have had to adapt our planting in that area. At my sister’s school in Shepherds Bush, they love their garden, and they are learning to love the soil. They look at how they can improve the quality and condition of the soil in their growing garden in order to grow the most flavoursome and nutritionally rich produce they can whilst respecting the environment. Over the year their aim is to: boost the nitrogen/carbon content of the soil using specific cover crops, leave no patch of soil bare, grow a more diverse range of plants and minimise their digging. By doing this, they hope to improve the soil and increase the biodiversity in our garden. And it is working! In today’s gospel we have the well-known parable of the sower. In fact we know it so well that we could just give it a glance over! But is it really clear? The soil in this parable is referring to us, the second half of the reading tells us that. But have you ever wondered how soil changes over time? Certainly, this is something they have learnt at Greenside. The same crop planted in the same soil year by year will eventually become diseased and the yield will drop. The goodness of the soil will be used up if it’s not refreshed. And we know that if you leave in the rocks and stones, the roots will be prevented from growing deep down. My challenge for you this week is to re read this parable and reflect on the question: how are we like the soil that Jesus talks about? Blessings for your week Revd Rosie COLLECT Merciful God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as pass our understanding: pour into our hearts such love toward you that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; 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 Isaiah 55.10-13 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lordfor a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Romans 8.1-11 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law – indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE GOSPEL READING Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord. Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’ ‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. INTERCESSIONSEverlasting God, we join together in praying to you for the needs of the church, the world, our communities and ourselves, trusting in your love which reaches out from before the foundation of the world. Lord, in your Mercy: hear our Prayer Holy God, whenever we start to get offended by your generosity or open-mindedness, give us the grace to repent and join your rejoicing. Guard the Church against self-righteousness and all rules and limits which you would not own, but keep always before us the rule of love. Lord, in your Mercy: hear our Prayer Creator God, we pray for your world. Forgive us when we are ungrateful when spiritual blindness prevents us from appreciating the wonder of your creation and the endless cycle of nature. Forgive us for taking without giving; reaping without sowing. We pray for the farmers of the world, many of whom still use those methods described by Jesus and we especially pray that they may be treated with fairness for their labours. Lord, in your Mercy: hear our Prayer Father God, we thank you for the love we share with our families and our friends. We recognise that they may have faults and they love us in spite of ours. Help us to be flexible and adaptable in all of our relationships and also capable of accepting constructive criticism. Lord, in your Mercy: hear our Prayer Loving God and Lord of life, we pray for the gift of courage to face up to and cope with illness. We pray for it for ourselves, and for those who we now name before you: Blake, Sam, Don, Karl, Sarah, Joanna, Holly, Hugo, Frank and Barbara, Bill, Suzanne, Christopher, Jackie, Diane, Sylvia, Mary, Gracie, Carmel, and Christine. Refugees, Prisoners, the Homeless and those who mourn. Lord, in your Mercy: hear our Prayer Gracious God, give us ears to hear and minds to understand the message of immortality for the children of your kingdom so that we may look forward with patience and confidence to that time when we will join you in the peace of eternity. We especially pray for any we know who have recently died and are on that journey to you, and those whose anniversaries fall at this time. Lord, in your Mercy: hear our Prayer Faithful God, we thank you for the opportunity of being together in prayer. As we look forward to the week to come, we pray for an awareness of your love and support in all we do. And finally, a prayer for Ukraine: God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. From the Chaplaincy of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION God of our pilgrimage, you have led us to the living water: refresh and sustain us as we go forward on our journey, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Listen to Canon Brian’s Sermon last Sunday evening LISTEN NOTICES SERVICES FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS Every Tue & Thu, 5.00pm Evening Prayer on Zoom Church Open every day 10.00am – 6.00pm Sun 16 Jul 10.30am Parish Eucharist 3.00pm Wild Worship 5.00pm Evening Prayer on Zoom Sun 23 Jul 10.30am Parish Eucharist 5.00pm Evening Prayer on Zoom Sun 30 Jul 10.30am Parish Eucharist No Evening Service (5th Sunday) Sun 06 Aug 10.30am All Age Eucharist (Transfiguration) 5.00pm Parish Eucharist SUNDAY EVENING PRAYER Sunday evening’s service is Evening Prayer, via Zoom. Readings Psalm 60 2 Samuel 7.18-end Luke 19.41-20.8 PLEASE PRAY FOR The Suffering: Blake, Sam, Don, Karl, Sarah, Joanna, Holly, Hugo, Frank and Barbara, Bill, Suzanne, Christopher, Jackie, Diane, Sylvia, Mary, Gracie, Carmel, and Christine. 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: Poppy. Weddings in July: Wills and Chloe, Katie and Peter, Scott and Annette. 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 Hermitage Lane, Longbourn, Maidenhead Road, Rays Avenue, Wells Close, Vale Road, and Buckland Crescent. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: please pray for the Church of Canada. Please pray also for the Churches in these Dioceses: Venezuela, Vermont (USA), Victoria Nyanza (Tanzania), The Virgin Islands, Virginia (USA), and Southern Virginia (USA).Please continue to pray for and support your neighbours and families in any way you can whilst keeping yourself safe.  PEARL’S SPONSORED WALK FOR CURE ALZHEIMER’S ON 8TH JULY Pearl walked for a cure with Alzheimer’s Research UK this July because a cure is within our grasp and together we will make it happen. Thank you to everyone who sponsored Pearl, the total raised so far is £205! Donation link here: https://walk.alzheimersresearchuk.org/fundraising/Rosie-Webb11  PCC MEETING ON 18TH JULY – 7.30PM The PCC will meet in person at St Andrews at 7.30pm on 18th July. CLEWER GREEN LEAVERS SERVICE – 20 JUL We will need welcomers to help with the Clewer Green Leavers Service on 20th at 6pm. Please see Revd Rosie if you can help. Please keep the Year 4s in your prayers this week as they walk their pilgrimage and say their goodbyes to their First School. CENTRICA VOLUNTEERS – 25 JUL The volunteers from Centrica will be in the churchyard on the 25th at 12.30, if anyone can come along and be with them, make refreshments and generally keep an eye out, that would be really helpful please.  On Saturday 12th August Kerith Church will be hosting a Charity Family Fun Day at Kerith Windsor (Fairacres Industrial Estate, Dedworth Rd, Windsor SL4 4LE) between 12-3pm. The main focus for raising the money will be for Windsor Foodshare. To raise the money they will be holding a jumble sale, people will have to pay a pitch fee and anyone that wants to look around the stalls will have to pay an entrance fee, all that money will go towards Foodshare. Any money the sellers make will be theirs or they can choose to donate that too. Spaces to sell at the jumble sale are limited and anyone wanting to have a pitch will have to get in touch socialmedia@kerith.church On top of raising money for Foodshare, they’re hoping that other charities/ministries might want to get involved and raise money for their causes through different means such as tombolas, tuck shops, and more.   WINDSOR BABY BANK The Windsor Baby Bank are looking for new or clean reusable school uniform. Also they still need new pants and socks all ages please. Please give your donations to Revd Rosie. WINDSOR FOODSHARE From their Facebook and Twittter Pages: https://www.facebook.com/windsorfoodshare https://twitter.com/WindsrFoodshare CAN YOU HELP? We get less food donations in the spring and summer, even though we are still feeding the same amount of people. We are extremely low on :Tinned PulsesTinned tomatoes Tinned VegetablesTinned Fruit Tinned spaghetti.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. email: office@clewerparish.org Revd Rosie 01753 852334 email rector@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 |