The fourth Sunday in Lent is sometimes referred to as Refreshment Sunday – a day when the strictures of Lent are relaxed a bit. (It is also Mothering Sunday for those who keep that festival).
At St Mary’s tomorrow, our refreshment is coming in the form of some of the most lovely choral must that we sing here. Fr Vice Provost will be preaching on the Prodigal Child. And we’re adding one or two guest choristers into the mix.
Expect something special.
Re: Church Times Adverts
Isn’t that what most of us are working for? A home with a view, whether it be in this life or the next. If I can get that, I’ll consider myself fortunate indeed! 🙂
Re: Church Times Adverts
No Annie, I don’t agree! I think that what Kelvin is getting at is tht these positions are exploiting elderly clergy who have little income and who have had no chance to buy a property because of church rules.
A good view is no recompense in retirement if you havnt got a proper income and have to resort to this kind of job to make ends meet and keep a roof over your head.
These “house for duty” positions are a way of getting ministry on the cheap. Clergy poverty in old age is likely to get even worse in coming years.
Re: Church Times Adverts
I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t offend anyone. I know what Kelvin was getting at and it is wrong for the church to exploit anyone. I believe that there are lots of people who are doing God’s work who are not all employed by the church, but are none the less in jobs that are “ministering” to others and that these jobs are often ones which give little monetary compensation. However simplistic it might sound, I happen to believe that God does provide for his children, even down to food, clothing, and shelter. Too often we don’t believe that what He provides is good enough when in reality it is always the best – meaning it is always the best for us, just what we need to become closer to Him. I don’t say any of this lightly. It’s something I’ve learned from experience and something I’m continuing to learn. I’m not sure I’m expressing my thoughts very coherently. George MacDonald says it much better in his book “What’s Mine’s Mine”. I didn’t mean to offend, criticize, chatise or preach. I only wanted to encourage. Kelvin appears to have a God given passion for activism and fighting for others. I admire that! I only wanted to encourage him with a reminder that God doesn’t forget us or our needs and wants. He uses them to draw us nearer to him. Also, when people and their institutions, religious and political, let us down – He never will.
Re: Church Times Adverts
Peace be with you!
Simon – stop shouting at people.
Still reeling a bit from Holy Week and Easter, which were fantastic. Holy Week makes muscles hurt which never hurt in the same way at any other time of the year. There is nothing finer in the world than singing the Easter Exsultet and the gospel alleluias within a congregation that has journied to the…
People to see. Hymns to be sung. Feet to wash.
It has been extraordinary watching the story about the Scottish Episcopal Church roll around the world today. One story in the Herald on Tuesday which in itself was not saying that much and suddenly it gets picked up and hurled around the globe, even though the bishops’ statement was in the public domain days ago.…
No sermon this morning as it is Palm Sunday. We read one of the Passion Narratives instead of a sermon. This year, it was the Passion according to Matthew. And for the first time, I asked the congregation, as the Body of Christ to read the words of Jesus whilst I read the rest. Worth…
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