Return to Worship
Return to Worship
Following the suspension of all services due to corona virus there will be a limited return to worship during August when there will be a said service of Celtic Holy Communion at 10.30am at Shadingfield Church each Sunday.
Our churches will remain locked for the time being, however, some will be open for private prayer on the days shown below:-
Sotterley - Fridays (11.00am - 12.30pm)
Weston - Tuesdays (11.00am - 12.30pm)
Shadingfield - Wednesdays (11.15am 12.30pm)
Morning prayer will be held via ZOOM at 9.30am on Sunday 2nd August- please contact the Rector for joining details.
The Benefice YouTube Channel continues and you will find worship, songs and readings there together with other items of general interest. Please go to:-
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZRnb801h63ezGW0vXu8VXQ
The weekly Pew Sheet is being distributed by email, if you would like a copy please contact the Rector - revphilm@btinternet.com
Rector's Rambles
Sunday 9th August2020
This week we continue on the road to the ’new normal’ by meeting for worship, 10:30am at St John Baptist, Shadingfield. It was lovely last week to worship together with people from five of our Parishes.
There will be Zoom Worship at 9:30am where we will use the ‘Daily Prayer’ liturgy.
The hope is to be using all our buildings starting in September, subject to guidance and advice at that time.
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As we emerge from this strange period we need to focus ourselves on Mission, on growing the worshipping community of faith here in Hundred River & Wainford. So over the next few weeks we will explore mission.
Mission is nothing less than God’s invitation to all peoples to join in the Divine Dance. So if mission is God’s invitation, what’s our part?
In Matthew’s gospel we read:
When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."
He called His twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out …
Matthew 9: 36 - 10: 1,5
Our first part in mission is to recognise that there is a need; a need for people to know the love of God for themselves. Jesus saw the crowds and had compassion on them.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that during this recent period many people have turned to prayer, praying to an ‘Otherness’, a ‘Universal Spirit’. We have the privilege of knowing this ‘Otherness’, this ‘Universal Spirit’ as God who loves us because He loves us because He loves us.
Next, we are to pray. The Message version of the Bible has Jesus saying, ‘On your knees and pray for harvest hands!’ This suggests two possible meanings to ‘hands’. It could mean ‘hands’ as in hired hands, hired workers, or it could mean being prepared to get our hands dirty and participate in the harvest.
We pray that God would send people out to share His love. But notice that having told the disciples to pray, Jesus sends them out. We have to be ready to be the answer to our prayers! When we pray, God often says, ‘Yes, I hear you. What are you going to do?’ As Jesus said at the feeding of the five thousand, ‘You give them something to eat.’
As we pray, God sends us out.
‘… go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them …, and teaching them…’
Matthew 28:19-20
We are sent out to be witnesses (Acts 1:7), ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), with beautiful feet (Isaiah 52:7).
Teresa of Avila wrote:
Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which Christ looks out His compassion to the world.
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.
Rev Phil
Benefice Notice Board
Roving Coffee Morning
Roving Coffee Morning
Roving Coffee Morning
We are having virtual coffee mornings via "ZOOM" whilst covid 19 restrictions are on place.
Please contact Reverend Miller for joining details :-
Safeguarding
Roving Coffee Morning
Roving Coffee Morning
The Parishes within the Benefice have adopted the House of Bishops' "Promoting a Safer Church" document, and have signed onto a Safeguarding Policy Statement.
Should you have any concerns regarding Safeguarding issues, please refer to:-
The Reverend Philip Miller on 01502 714786, or either of the Safeguarding Trainers:-
Mrs Ann Hastings-Payne on 01502 711621 or Mr George Fisher on
01502 714534
You may also refer to the Diocesan web link shown below:-
www.cofesuffolk.org/concerns-and-contacts
Waveney and Blyth Deanery Synod
Waveney and Blyth Deanery Synod
Waveney and Blyth Deanery Synod
Date of next meeting will be announced when government restrictions allow public gatherings once more.
Benefice Council
Waveney and Blyth Deanery Synod
Waveney and Blyth Deanery Synod
Meeting dates will be announced when covid restrictions allow