Epiphany

What is Epiphany for you?

Pewsheets
It is strange that sometimes we can come across the word ‘Epiphany’ in the text of a newspaper article, such as ‘It was then I had an epiphany moment’.
The Greek word Epiphany means “showing forth” or “manifestation”.
The story of the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus is intended to demonstrate or show forth that Jesus is for the whole of human kind.  So to have an “epiphany moment” is a way of saying, to use a more day to day expression, that “the penny dropped”.  It is a realisation, a sudden awareness of something important that had previously been hidden.
The story of the wise men adorns our Christmas cards and is the subject of some favourite carols.  But what about everyday life?  What about 2017?  Can we be instruments of Epiphany moments for other people in helping them to see Jesus Christ not as a figure of history but a presence in our day to day lives?
Our task is to “show forth” Christ whenever and however we can by acts of love and consideration for other people.
Epiphany Blessings to you all for the New Year!
Roger Brown

Pewsheet for 24th January 2016

Pewsheets

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From the Rector…

Clergy

As we come together in the Parish Eucharist this morning to recall the Baptism of Christ, and to welcome Andrea as a new member of the Christian family, it is an appropriate time for each one of us to reflect on what our baptismal promises mean to us and what we do to sustain ourselves on our faith journey.  This Tuesday, the first of our new Home Groups begins. I use the term ‘new’ loosely as we have had the Pilgrim Course Group meeting for nearly two years, which could well be described as a Home Group.  Many churches encourage such groups as a further opportunity for providing fellowship and support to one another as we journey through life as well as offering a safe and open opportunity for learning more about our faith. We are seeking to build on the success of our Alpha Course and the experience of the Pilgrim Course by now offering the chance for all of you to become part of a Home Groups (initially there will be 4 across the Parish).  In baptism, we come to share in the priesthood of all believers, but can often struggle to work out what that means in practice.  Often when people make a (much needed!) offer to help we have listed the different roles that need filling as an indicator of where they could be involved. We have not always looked at the particular gifts or experience of those offering their precious time. The ‘new’ Home Groups will initially look at helping each of us identifying the gifts that we have been given (we have ALL been given them!) and then how we might nurture them and use them at our work, in our homes and within our Church family as we live out our baptismal calling.  The times and locations of the Home Group meetings are available from the Parish Office, Steve or me.

Epiphanytide blessings to you all!

Pewsheet for 10th January 2016 – the Baptism of Christ

Pewsheets

Click here to see this week’s pewsheet.

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.