Author: Worth Parish

Prayer Matters

Season of Prayer

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.                  Matthew 28 19

Prayer matters – it mattered to Jesus and it mattered to the early Church and so it should matter to us.  If we are really honest, no one can boast a perfect prayer life.   Life is busy and sometimes our prayers can be missed or we are so busy with our own demands that we don’t allow God in.  Prayer is how we have communion with God our creator, who made us in His image to have an intimate relationship with him. A relationship so intimate that Jesus asks us to call God ‘Abba’ – Father – Daddy; ‘Our Father who art in heaven’.  So prayer is important, intimate and finally, it makes a difference.  We may not see the answer to prayer and at time God may seem silent, but as Rowan Williams explained at a lecture at my Theological College in Cambridge, prayer is like sunbathing – as you pray, you feel different, warm, but not aware of change going on in you, but at the end you have changed – in the case of sunbathing you have tanned, in the case of prayer, you have melted your heart a little in communion with God.

So with the importance, intimacy and power of prayer in mind, our Archbishops Justin and Setamu have called on all in the Church of England to begin today nine days of prayer for the spreading of the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ across this country.

As our Parish’s response – we (the clergy) will be posting each day on our website and Facebook and via email,  a specific area of the Parish to pray for, a suggestion of what to pray for and a short reflection.

The Church used to be the heart of the community, but with vastness of Parishes, in many ways, schools have replaced churches as centres. Therefore, on each of the nine days, we will focus closely on an area of our Parish and the school that serves it. If we are to continue to fulfil the great commission of going to baptize and make disciples, the work of our Parish and the Lighthouse project in schools is a vital part of our ministry and deserving of our prayers.

Worth_School_and_AbbeyToday’s area for prayer is the part of the Parish which is across the M23.  At the heart of this area is Worth School and Worth Abbey.  Founded in 1933, the Abbey and Independent School has its Catholic Faith at its heart.  Recently, a group of young people in their thirties called the Forerunners have joined the school to assist in the making of Christian disciples in the school, with the backing of the new Headmaster Stuart McPherson and head Chaplain Fr. Peter.  As over a third of the pupils are not Catholic, our Rector, Anthony, plays a crucial role as the Anglican Chaplain for the school.  Please pray for Worth school, its staff, pupils and all those involved in the proclaiming the Gospel in that place.  Also pray for the area of our Parish, often forgotten by us, on the other side of the M23.

Thank You.

 

Novena Prayer

Almighty God

Who in your Son Jesus Christ,

Declared the coming of your Kingdom,

Strengthen us in the ways of righteousness

And peace, that our brothers and sisters may

Know the healing power of the gospel,

And that you will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

From the Curate…

Pewsheets

As we approach the Parish Vision Day and in the wake of the Annual Parish Church Meeting, I paused to reflect in my study at St Barnabas’ about the importance of prayer and the prayer life of the Parish.

In a few weeks, we have been challenged by our Archbishops, Justin and Sentamu, to enter with all other churches into a season of prayer between Ascension Day (5th May) and Pentecost Sunday (15th May).  We (the clergy) are going to pray at Morning Prayer each day for a specific geographical area of our Parish and send an email/post on Facebook a daily reflection that we hope will enable those amongst our congregations to engage also in this season of prayer.

As is always the case with God, this initiative has coincided with a parallel – renewed interest in the prayer life of the Parish that has emerged from the Home Groups looking into the spiritual gifting amongst us.  From this, a small prayer group has committed to meet in the Upper Room at St Barnabas’ at 9.30am each Sunday to pray together for such things as the parish, the Parish Vision Day and the service that follows.  If you would like to join them then please do ask me and I will point you in the right direction.  Prayer matters and makes a difference.

Blessings, Steve

From the Rector…

Clergy, Pewsheets

Today’s gospel reading speaks of an encounter with Jesus that leaves a life transformed, enabling a sharing of faith.  As churches up and down this land come together this week to celebrate the 90th birthday of our (temporal) Sovereign it is fitting to spend a moment reflecting on the example she has given, particularly in recent years, of sharing the faith that has enabled her remarkable service, touching the lives of so many.  The response to the Everybody Welcome sessions, both the sheer numbers attending and the valuable feedback that is emerging, encourages me to think that we – as a parish family – are showing signs of that maturity.  A willingness not only to serve the community in which we are set but also to want to share something of what motivates us.  Frances Reed – born before the Queen, so our oldest regular worshipper – whose own life of service and faith has touched (transformed?) many lives moves to Sidcup in the next week and we wish her every blessing as she does.  Alongside that ‘fare well’ comes a joyful welcome to Erin, Peter and Kirsty Murgatroyd’s daughter, born on Thursday.  Congratulations! So, with the Queen, Frances and Erin reminding us that we are never too young or old to encounter Jesus or share his love, let us pray:

Heavenly Father,

as we celebrate the ninetieth birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, receive our heartfelt thanks for all that you have given her in these ninety years and for all that she has given to her people.

Continue, we pray, your loving purposes in her,

and as you gather us together in celebration, unite us also in love and service to one another;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Anthony

Pewsheet for Week Beginning 26th April 2016

Easter, Pewsheets

Click here for the pewsheet for the week beginning Sunday 26th April 2016 – sorry for the delay.

Tip: If this, or any other, PDF document opens at too large a size, here’s what you do:

  1. Open Adobe Reader, for example, by opening a *.pdf document you have on your computer.
  2. From the Edit menu, click Preferences.
  3. With Page Display selected in the left hand list of Categories, on the right hand side of the window, choose a Page Layout and Zoom level that suits you, for example Single Page and Fit Page.
  4. Now any time you open a PDF, it will open at this zoom level.

Pewsheet for Week Beginning 17th April 2016

Easter, Pewsheets

Click here for the pewsheet for the week beginning Sunday 17th April 2016.

Tip: If this, or any other, PDF document opens at too large a size, here’s what you do:

  1. Open Adobe Reader, for example, by opening a *.pdf document you have on your computer.
  2. From the Edit menu, click Preferences.
  3. With Page Display selected in the left hand list of Categories, on the right hand side of the window, choose a Page Layout and Zoom level that suits you, for example Single Page and Fit Page.
  4. Now any time you open a PDF, it will open at this zoom level.

From the Curate…

Clergy

So we have begun our Everybody Welcome Course – with 50 of us turning up either to a session on a Tuesday night at St Barnabas’ or one on a Thursday morning at St Nicholas’.

I really enjoyed leading both sessions, because the best part was listening and watching the various tables discuss and express their views on the Churches in our Parish and the way that we were visible or invisible to the community around us and how we might move forward in expressing the gospel of Jesus Christ to those we come into contact with.

In today’s reading we see Peter, who last week we read had gone back to being a fisherman, realise his need to make Jesus Christ the centre of his life and in doing so was able to perform miracles.  The Gospel, that we are saved because Jesus died for us and from that act of amazing love we should love others – is central to Peter and should be central to us – as we invite and interact with new people who are seeking or visiting.

From the sessions 3 things really struck me; your honesty in that we had lots of people we could invite to Church but lack the skills or the attractive services to invite them to, the challenges we face, such as 7000 non-church visitors to baptisms at St Nicholas’ in a year – yet they meet only 10 of the normal congregation; and finally, the great ideas you have of what to change.  May the other sessions be as productive.

Steve

Calling Ex-Choristers ! Get Back Into Singing !

Choirs and Music

Our choir, based at St Nicholas’, Worth is looking to expand.  We currently have a small (but merry!) band of singers most Sunday mornings and call upon others for our twice-yearly Evensongs.

We are particularly interested in recruiting people with previous choral experience.  Did you or someone you know sing in church when younger? Do you fancy getting back into it? Does your voice blend well ? Perhaps you miss psalm-singing?

Or perhaps you simply want to join a choir for the first time since reading the recent research that shows it improves your psychological well-being!

We work hard but it’s rewarding and fun with a professional Director of Music who inspires us.  Rehearsals are Fridays 7.30-9pm and again for 30 minutes before the 9.45 Sunday morning service.  You do not have to commit to every single Sunday.

We would be overjoyed to hear from you, so:

  • Drop us an email at musicdirector@worthparish.org.uk
  • Call the parish office on 0300 111 8150
  • Come and say hello one Sunday morning after the service