Update on Sunday Worship

Sunday 4th October

The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

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Saturday
6:00 pm  Harvest Communion at St Mary's, Easton Neston

Sunday
  9:15 am  Family Worship at St Lawrence, Towcester
10:15 am  Benefice Sunday Worship via Zoom
11:15 am  Harvest Communion at St Bartholomew's, Greens Norton 


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Our weekly news contains details of services for this and next weekend, as well as daily bible readings, prayer requests and notices for forthcoming events. 

Looking ahead to events and services that are happening please do look at the monthly calendar for October

Copies are available in churches for collecting especially for those who do not have emails. 



Dear all,

The pope has concluded a visit to France. Huge crowds turned out to see him including 80 000 young people at the Stade de France. Pope Leo called on them to commit themselves to France, Europe, and the world. France has experienced a big increase in people coming to the churches, finding out about faith, and asking for baptism. The situation is one of deep searching. Young people seem to be looking for something greater. In a baptism service people are asked,  ‘Do you turn to Christ’. The pope is often seen carrying a papal ferula – showing Jesus hanging on the cross. The cross reminds us of what following Jesus can mean. It seems that the young are looking for a demanding faith – not a superficial faith – but a high and demanding one – that involves living lives of love and compassion.

In Luke’s gospel we hear about several would be followers of Jesus. (Luke 9:57-end ) Several have excuses for not following just yet – they say they have family responsibilities – and today there are people who make similar excuses for not coming to church even when they are open to the idea.

⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”  To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”  Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

When Jesus spoke these words, he was going to just one destination; to Jerusalem, and to the cross. The same is true for us; wherever our life leads, we're going to Jerusalem and to the cross in some form or another.

It may be the pains of old age, it may be sickness, family disunity, poverty, or heartbreak. One can say that the cross is part of every human life - this does seem a very dark view of life - but only if we forget the assurance that after Good Friday there is resurrection and the empty tomb of Easter Day. Resurrection is something that we can experience in this life through belief in and following Jesus.
Taking a scientific perspective; this pattern of suffering, death and rebirth is within the fabric of nature, it's within the whole world – with its cycles of birth and death and new life. We see it in nature and within the life cycle of the stars. A psychological perspective – after really bad experiences there can be post traumatic growth – a sign of new life of resurrection.

We don’t really need to go searching for a cross – it’s built into life. We’re called to live life fully, to love our neighbour, to carry out our responsibilities faithfully, and be true to the promise we make. Perhaps ‘Cross’ sounds too dramatic as a description of the pains  and difficulties experienced in life as we try to live a life of faithfulness and good works.  And our cross may be characterised not so much by significant drama but by a continuing irritation or annoyance.

Carl Jung saw the cross as a suitable image of what happens in some form or another to all of us. Our plans, our desires, and are hopes all come up against reality. Maybe you have seen the latest episode 70 Up which started with 7 Up. It’s a remarkable series of programmes that follow the lives of 14 participants.

Some, broadly speaking, followed the expectations they expressed as 7 year olds. Tony, a lad from the East end of London, with lots of energy and confidence wanted to become a jockey – which he did but did not achieve the level of success that he had imagined. Later he became a London taxi driver. Bruce, as a child, wanted to help people by becoming a missionary. He became a teacher and was involved in church life and music. His future was different but the underlying aspiration did not change.

Then there was a Neil. At 7 he appeared extraordinarily bright, lively and imaginative. But as his life progressed he experienced mental health difficulties , isolation and periods of homelessness. But this was not the end for him. Later viewers found that he had become a Lib Dem councillor and subsequently a Lay Reader. His story is one of, in a sense, rebirth.  

Life means we may experience our hopes and plans being thwarted, cancelled, or at least made more difficult ( crossed – we could say) by various circumstances, difficult people, disasters or just the environment in which we live.

Being Christian means following Jesus and that does involve the Cross and thankfully there is Resurrection following it. Faith does not ensure that life will not be free of pain but in Jesus we can find meaning and his presence with us.

With every Blessing,

Greg

And just to note that we are about to enter the season of Harvest Festivals in our churches and schools. We usually collect for the foodbank. So if you are wishing bring and make a donation, the Foodbank here in Towcester have let us know that they really need the following items:

They seem to have plenty of baked beans and pasta!

And a note from Mary Blanchard. Mary's has let us know that "I am going to David Bell's funeral on 6th October at the crematorium and I have 3 places available in my car if some are needing a lift  - please do speak with me if you would like to attend and have a lift "

And Finally; our second Alternative Worship will be on Sunday 18th October. 4:00 pm refreshments with worship starting at about 4.20 pm. Themes will come from some words of St Luke whose saints day it is. 

Message from Towcester Foodbank 

As we approach Harvest Festival, we thought it might be helpful to give you a list of items we particularly need, just in case your church might be thinking of doing a collection.  
We rely on these Harvest Collections to boost our stock for the Christmas rush, so any donations will be much appreciated.

Forthcoming Events


 

Worship for this coming week