In our Old Testament readings for Morning prayer we are following the story of Moses, I recently wrote about that amazing calling from the burning bush and reflected on Holy Ground.

Todays reading was somewhat longer Exodus 4:27-6:1 and it began with something vital to Moses relationship to both God and the Hebrew people held captive in Egypt:

Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

The situation in Egypt was bad and as we read on into chapter we heard how those in forced labour were being treated worse and worse by Pharaoh. The key to all of this was that God was in charge, he loved his people and he made sure that Moses knew, and Aaron knew and the Israelite leaders knew. The current circumstances were not good but they were what they were for a time.

We too are living in very strange times and yet we must hold close to our hearts as Moses had to that God is God and that has not changed, that he loves us and that has not changed, that hew will bring us through this as he always has. Like Moses we need to keep our eyes fixed on God in these difficult days, let him be our voice of calm and our vision for the future.

Some more familiar words to leave you with from one of our greatest hymns:

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father; thine own may I be,
Thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.

Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Your friend and Vicar

David

Today the church observes the feast of the Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary, The readings all feel a bit Christmas for Lent yet of course it is 9 months before Christmas, it is but a pregnancy away!

In our lunchtime service we remembered Mary, how she might have been feeling when the Angel Gabriel gave her that startling news, when she learned her life would never be the same again. This evening at evening prayer we said the Magnificat as we would normally but tonight it struck me afresh, I have used the Book of Common Prayer version below:

My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :
As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.

This is the song of a frightened young woman who has the weight of the world upon her shoulders, an unknown future and the possibility of being publicly shamed and yet her response to God is a beautiful hymn of praise to the God who chose her, and the God who will scatter the proud, exalt the humble and fill the hungry.

Tonight I turn to hymns of praise, the sun warmed me today and as I opened the windo the birdsong surrounded me. We have much to pray for, much to be fearful for – just like Mary and yet also like Mary we have much  more to praise God for we to must let our souls magnify the Lord.

I leave you with another favourite hymn of mine, I think you might know it:

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee ….

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on a Cross, my burdens gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee ….

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee ….

Your friend and Vicar

David

Last nights anouncement from the Prime Minister has changed things once again, it is time to stay in, Christenings and Weddings are cancelled for the forseeable future and Funerals held under very strict rules. These things were already in hand but now confirmed by HM Government and have been very difficult for many. Today it was not without emotion that I fixed closure notices to our Parish Church doors, St Matthew’s and every other Church of England building closed from today as we seek to slow the spread of COVID19, save lives and keep the burden on our exceptional NHS staff as bearable as possible.

Life may take a very long time to get back to normal, I am making adjustments to our virtual and online presence too. Prayers will now be from the Vicarage, live services will be from the Vicarage ‘from our home to yours’. Services will not be Holy Communion as after much prayer and reflection I have decided not to break bread again until I can be with you all and we can share the meal Jesus gave us.

However, some things do not change as I was reminded by our Old Testament reading this morning from Exodus Chapter 3. The wonderful account of Moses and his calling, the amazing appearance to him through a bush on fire but not consumed – there are two key things that struck me again today:

First is that when Moses was in Gods presence he was told to take off his shoes for he was on holy ground. Today I closed the Parish Church even to myself and yet what a wonderful reminder that we do not need a concecrated building to be with God, wherever God is, it is Holy Ground. As you pray and as you join in with us online (please do we meet tomorrow live at 12Noon) remember we are in the presence of God. Have real joy in the knowledge that we are on holy ground together, even if we cannot be together physically for the next few weeks or months.

Second is that spine chilling moment where God tells Moses his name  “I am who I am …. I am has sent me to you …. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.” This name I AM or in Hebrew YHWH/Yahweh (or Jehovah) the unutterable name of God throughout the generations – the same yesterday today and tomorrow. Much may have changed my friends but God has not “The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” and of us all.

I leave you with the words of an 18th Century Hymn by Thomas Oliver who sums up my thoughts:

The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of Everlasting Days, and God of Love;
Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and heaven confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred name forever blest.

The great I AM has sworn; I on this oath depend.
I shall, on eagle wings upborne, to heaven ascend.
I shall behold God’s face; I shall God’s power adore,
and sing the wonders of God’s grace forevermore.

The heavenly land I see, with peace and plenty blest;
a land of sacred liberty, and endless rest.
There milk and honey flow, and oil and wine abound,
and trees of life forever grow with mercy crowned.

The God who reigns on high the great archangels sing,
and “Holy, holy, holy!” cry “Almighty King!
Who was, and is, the same, and evermore shall be:
Jehovah, Lord, the great I AM, we worship thee!”

Yours in Christ

Your friend and Vicar, David

Today I am reflecting on where we have come in one week, last Tuesday an anouncement was made to close our church builings for public worship in order that we take seriously HM Government’s advice on social distancing. In the wider sphere of our lives we have seen people working from home, schools closed and pubs and restaurants told to close their doors. We have also seen panic buying on a significant scale.

A week has passed and the fever in the supermarket seems to subsiding, there are toilet rolls, bread and even baked beans for sale again, deliveries are coming in daily and people are thinking of one another after the panic has subsided. While our pubs and reastaurants are closed and McDonalds are cooking up their last Big Macs as we speak I have seen something quite incredible happening on social media and in the streets of our communities. One member of our community put up a self isolating note on the door  and the response was a younger neighbour leaving a tin of soup and a loaf of bread for them – there are so many more stories like this. I have had countless offers of support for vulnerable communtiy members and we are linking up people in wonderful acts of community kindness.

And then there is our church community, morning and evening prayer has been done virtually, with some joining me that have never attended traditional church. Then the dawn of Mothering Sunday came and yet we had many of our congregation members either live online with us or watching our streamed services later in the day. A whole group of them then had “virtual” tea and coffee after the service messaging one another as a group – and there were no complaints about the biscuits! Today has seen our parishes first ever ‘virtual’ tea party.

I am so proud of the response of our church and so priveleged to be a part of it. It has been my experience that we have seen a surge in community here, a real love and care for the other as well as building up of the church. A week ago I did not know what to expect but within only 7 days we are already experiencing a new radical form of church that follows Jesus, that worships together, cares for one another and serves the community in Christ’s name.

We are reminded in Matthew Chapter 18 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Jesus is with us in our dispersed prayers for we are together in him, Jesus is with us in SMS groups and Messenger conversations, he is with us on WhatsApp.  Praise the Lord!

So as always I leave you with a hymn, one that truly speaks of what Christian community is, means and does at is very best – even in the online virtual world.

Brother, sister, let me serve you; let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey, and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christlight for you in the nighttime of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

I wil! weep when you are weeping; when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow, till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.

Brother, sister, let me serve you; let me be as Christ to you;
pray that l may have the grace to let you be my servant too. *

Yours in the service of Christ

David, your Vicar and your friend.

*Gillard, Richard (1953-) © Integrity Music, Inc.

I have had some strange days in ministry, today has been one for the strangest – and yet it has had a beauty about it. Community have gathered virtually in so many ways for our church services and of course for Mothers Day.

I was not sure how to approach Mothers Day this morning, I guess I have always have found the combination of  Mothering Sunday and  lent quite difficult – how dow we join Lent to a celebration of motherhood, yet Mothers Day itself is bittersweet.  This year was even harder Mothers Day in church without any  daffodils,  children and of course mothers. I was reasured as I walked through the churchyard, surrounded by the daffodils that grow every year and then was priveledged to be joined by so many  for our virtual service.

Our  readings today from both Exodus 2:1-10 and John 19:25-27 are also is bittersweet. In our first Moses mother has the joy of bringing up her son despite the law that he should be taken away, taking pity on her Pharaoh’s wife takes her as a maid, in our second we see  Mary mother of Jesus standing at the foot of the cross as a sword was  piercing her heart.

Today is bittersweet it will still be full of the love of mam, the one  who fills our homes and hearts and the churchyard will still fill with floral tributes. Today is a day of joy for those who have been able to celebrate together however smaller the scale of celebration but a day of pain for those who have been unable to be a mother or who have lost children.

Today has brought both joy and difficulty, and as I try to take in today I can appreciate the wisdom of Mary  “Be it unto me according to thy word” from that heart breaking scene at the foot of the Cross, to our 2020 COVID19 Mothering Sunday there is an unbroken line of loving obedience to God.

Mary sets the bar for us all in Lent, Mothering Sunday and this world of Covid19. From the love of Mary and the mother of Moses, to the love of mothers and their children everywhere, to the love of the one who created us, and redeems us. Let me leave you with the words of Charles Wesley:

As the last few days have passed I have taken much solace in the words of the Psalms, this ancient hymn book of deep joy and deep frustration has been a real source of comfort to me as I have prayed for our community, our nation and our world.

I prayed at lunctime today and the Psalm chosen was Psalm 61 with all of its assurances that we can take refuge in our God at times of calamity and chaos.

I am a very practical person and have taken along with many others very practical steps both in church life and personal life to adapt, to follow governement advice, to keep others and myself safe.

When I returned from prayers today the breifing from Downing Street was on,  it was all about food, today it was all about supermarkets and stockpiling. NHS workers returning from 48 hour shifts to empty shelves is wrong,  our supermarkests can cope with demand, but not over-demand. I was amazed to read that there is an estimated 3 billion pound increase in the amount of food stored in homes in the last fortnight.

Today as I reflect what it means to live under the shadow of God’s wings, to dwell in his tent and to be put in a safe place by him – it is to trust in him.  It is to take those practical steps which mean that I keep others and myself safe from harm. It is not to over purchase or to hoard, our Supermarkets are good, and God is even better.

Living under the shadow of God’s wings needs an eye for ones neighbour before ones self. Our psalm finishes with these words “Then I will ever sing in praise of your name and fulfill my vows day after day.” What does that mean, perhaps “To love the Lord our God with all your heart and to love your neighbour as yourself”.

A 1907 hymn by Barney Warren takes this theme:

In the shadow of His wings, Doth my heart rejoice,
There in happiness it sings, Jesus is my choice;
I am sheltered from the storm, I am safe from every harm,
While I’m in the shadow of His wings.

The hymn also reminds us that we have our part to play

In the shadow of His wings How secure I feel;
He doth many hidden things To my soul reveal;
Since He cares for me, I know All my life to Him I owe,
I am in the shadow of His wings.

What does that mean, perhaps “To love the Lord our God with all your heart and to love your neighbour as yourself”. 

Let us practice living under the shadow of Gods wings, loving God and our neighbour as ourselves, taking those practical steps to protect others and ourselves, at work, at home and in the community.

Yours in Christ

David, Vicar

This mornings psalm was Psalm 22 , familiar to many becuase the imagery used takes us to the foot of the cross, indeed Jesus quotes this Psalm from the cross itself “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In the days of COVID19, Self Isolation and Social Distancing it may seem like that for many.

Actually I love Psalm 22 beucase of its deep contrast between Lament and Praise, verses 1-21 are a lament, God seems so far away and the Psalmist is so broken, so isolated and so alone. We move to verses 22-31 a hymn of praise and thanks to God as the Psalmist brings his brokenness before the perfection of God who he knows will redeem him.  It seems to me that in our worship as a church the lament is largely forgotten, yet in the Psalms the two go hand in hand. The hymnbooks in most of our churches have lost the lament they used to contain without hymns such as Be Still My Soul, God Moves in a Mysterious Way,  and On Christ the Solid Rock these are uknown to most worshipers today. Does this somehow suggest that it is not OK  to complain or be concerned before God?

For me Lament & Praise is about living in the real world, we see a broken world, we look at the reality of our own lives and our failings before God, and then we praise God for his unchanging grace, the beauty of creation and his undending love for us all.  In Psalm 22 the precise nature of the distress being experienced by the author is not known, some suggest it is illness , perhaps it is just the human condition – perhaps the words will ring true to some in sefl isolation today. What we do know is it is the route to the authors praise. First he must understand the worlds and his own brokeness before being able to praise God for his glory and grace and seek his redemption.

Lament and praise are two sides of the same coin, at this time in our society and world we come to God remembering our weakness and laying it before him, asking God for his help at a time when we seem unable to help ourselves. We can only do that because our God is one to be praised. In your prayers over the next few weeks hold together that lament and praise and see where it takes you.

A hymn that is a favourite of many enshrines for me Lament & Praise , written by John Newton a former slave ship captain who had much to lament yet forgiven by a God who loved him. I leave his words with you:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be, As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine

Yours in Christ

David, Vicar

One of the Psalms set for this morning was the first 12 verses of Psalm 147 (thought to be a Psalm in its own right by some) It begins with these wonderful words  ‘Praise the Lord, How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!‘ I say my prayers every day, the last few days have felt different as I have said them behind closed doors in the Parish Church on behalf of the community. Morning and Evening prayer involves praising God as well as asking for his comfort, healing and peace. I am reminded again what a great privilege this is.

The Psalm is full also of God’s promises for those who turn to him, for those whom he loves ‘  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.‘ it reminds of his power ‘ He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.’

In these unusual and troubling days here are real words of hope, we beleive in a God who can bring forth the stars at night, we believe in a God who ‘covers the sky with clouds .. supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.’ This is our God to whom I pray and in whom I trust.

Yesterday I wrote of what it meant to be ground sure and steadfast in God’s love and today I am reminded of the person and character of God, of his mighty strength and power, today I am reminded of his promises, that he ‘delights in those who fear him and put their hope in his unfailing love.’ In the days and weeks to come this is the God in whom we must trust, a God who made us, loved us so much he sent his son to die for us and then beat death forever by raising him from the dead.

As I sit in the Parish Church alone I am reminded of the last time we were together in here and the Community Centre, the last hymn we sung together resonates with me today and still hangs in the air beginning as an epic prayer for guidance:

Guide me, O thou great redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty, Hold me with thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven Feed me till I want no more;

Open now the crystal fountain, Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar. Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer; Be thou still my strength and shield;

and then it ends with a reminder that God is in charge, death is beaten so we need not live in fear but in faith:

When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to thee;

Let us pray to our great redeemer for guidance, rest assured in his might and his power and trust together in his unfailing love.

Yours in Christ

David, Vicar

It is an uncertain time for us all, life has changed from the normal and it is changing more everry day. Many of our routines have gone and it seems that we cannot rely upon those things which we once took for granted.

It may be the empty supermarket shelves, the constant changing news, the fear of the unknown. Perhaps it is the need to self isolate, or social distance that is troubling, no longer seeing people like we used to. The COVID19 elbow bump is no subsitistue for the warmth of a handshake or the closeness of a hug.

Here in the vicarage life is oddly different, my once full diary now devoid of the meetings and services I was expecting to  lead, the phone is however in constant use as are our digital chanels as we try and reach out to those around us in a new way.

I want to share with you part of this mornings New Testament reading from the letter to the Hebrews Chapter 6 “take hold of the hope set before us …. we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast”. The words are dear to me as a former boy and officer of The Boys’ Brigade, it was our motto and the strains of “Will your Anmchor hold” still run through my head, I remember every word to this day.

Let these words be your security too, they are about the certainty of Gods promise to us through Jesus Christ. The routines may have gone, the shelves may be empty, the shoulder bump lacking warmth and the social contact limited …. yet we do “have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the bilows roll, fatsened to a rock whcih cannot move, grounded safe and sure in the saviours love”

Yours until tomorrow, sure and steadfast in Christ

Dave