Greetings one and all, This Sunday we celebrate the festival of Christ the King – or to give it the more traditional name ‘The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.’ Quite a title! “So you are a king, then?” asked Pilate of Jesus. What a dangerous question for Jesus to answer – both gospels for this Sunday make reference to the potential for Jesus to be either whisked away by a crowd intent on making him the earthly king they expected the Messiah to become, or to get arrested by the Jewish leaders. But as Jesus points out, his kingdom is not of this world. His is a kingdom of truth, grace, freedom and peace. His is a divine kingship of heavenly glory, not of earthly power – a heavenly glory promised to us as citizens of His Kingdom. So we have much to celebrate! Our services for this Festival Sunday 21st November are: · 10.00am - Creative Church at St Mary’s, led by Revd Lizzie · 10.30am - Holy Communion at All Saints led by Revd Janey with Sharon Gleed preaching · 6.30pm - Choral Evensong at St. Mary’s, led by Revd Janey with Revd Lizzie preaching The week’s Roots At Home and Activity Sheet are here:.
Notice sheets are at the moment of this blog. In the week ahead, we have two services: · Wednesday 24th - 9.00am Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints and · Thursday 25th - 10.00am Holy Communion at St Mary’s
As well as lots of other activities - please do check the weekly sheets to find out more about what’s coming up over the next week or two, especially as we edge towards advent and Christmas.
A quick plug for our Christmas Fayres (at All Saints on 27th Nov and at St Mary’s on 4th Dec) – offers of donations and help are most welcome – as well as just come and enjoy!
Christ the King is the last Sunday in the church’s liturgical year before Advent begins. Malcolm Guite notes that we are reminded of eternity on Christ the King before we begin our ‘journey through time’ once more on Advent Sunday. Looking ahead to Advent Sunday – 28th November - we have: · 8.00am Holy Communion at All Saints with Revd Janey · 10.00am Holy Communion at St. Marys with Revd Janey · 10.30am Morning Worship at All Saints with Revd Lizzie & Mark More details about these services will follow in next week’s email. I’ll finish with a couple of verses from that wonderful seasonal hymn, ‘Crown Him with Many Crowns.’ Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above, Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love. Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall; Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all. Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign, Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain, Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing Their songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King. May you be richly blessed this week by knowing Jesus more fully as your God, your Redeemer and your Heavenly King whose wonderous name is Love. Rev. Janey