Greetings one and all,
Hope you have all been shown kindness this week in many ways
This Sunday’s reading from 1 Kings always amazes me that such a hero of the faith, Elijah, could feel so spent and afraid that he totally gave up! After falling asleep under a bush, he was kindly and gently woken by angels and had his body and soul restored back to a sense of purpose. Alongside that, earlier this week, we had Luke’s dramatic account of the transfiguration of Jesus’– shining with all the light of God’s glory. Quite a contrast!
One of the suggested lectionary-themed hymns this week begins with the line: “Awake my soul, stretch every nerve”. And it made me think of what it’s like to wake up after a long sleep. Some of us may bounce out of bed and burst into ‘full shine.’ Others of us, like Elijah, need a gentler awakening - and a really good stretch - before we get going with the rest of the day.
The last couple weeks emerging out of lockdown restrictions feel a bit like we are ‘waking up’ again back into the fullness of our life together. Whatever way we are journeying through these days and weeks – whether we are ‘bouncy shiners’ or ‘gentle stretchers’ or something in between – my prayer is that each of us can be awakened to what the hymn goes on to call, “God’s all-animating voice” drawing us ever onwards towards a vision of Christ in his glory.
This Sunday 8th August we have the following services:
8.00am Holy Communion at All Saints - with Revd Janey and Mark Simms
10.00 am Holy Communion at St. Mary’s - with Revd Janey & Revd Diane
Here are this week’s Roots at Home and Activity sheets.
NEXT Sunday 15th August, we have:
10.30am Benefice Café Church at All Saints - with Mark Simms and Chris Whitehead. We will be continuing our study of the book ‘How to Pray’ by Peter Grieg. It is a great book, and there is no need to have read the book to join in. More info in next week’s sheet.
6.30pm Holy Communion at St Mary’s – with Revd Janey
I’ll finish with the words from that Hymn in full:
Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with vigour on;
A heav’nly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown,
’Tis God’s all-animating voice
That calls thee from on high;
’ Tis His own hand presents the prize
To thine aspiring eye,
A cloud of witnesses around
Hold thee in full survey;
Forget the steps already trod,
And onward urge thy way,
Blest Saviour, introduced by Thee,
Have I my race begun;
And, crowned with vict’ry, at Thy feet
I’ll lay my honours down,
Every blessing,
Janey
Rev. Janey HillerCurate and Pioneer Minister All Saints & St Mary's, Fishponds www.theriveruk.wordpress.com www.justcallmejaney.wordpress.com @Mthr_Kerfuffle
Comments