ASCENSIONTIDE
Jesus left this earth and returned to his Father, ascending into heaven to take his throne over all dominions and powers.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: Link to Church of England advice page
Link
here for Prayers and Debbie's message for this week
CHURCH GIVING -
find out how to make a donation
Need help? CLICK HERE for an important update from our Churchwardens
The Act of Worship on Sunday 24th (Easter-7)
In her message this week The Revd. Debbie Hore talks of receiving a lot of “Thank you's” from folk who have enjoyed taking part in our streamed Acts of Worship. Your support and encouragement are very much appreciated. So I was delighted to receive an email from a lady who was born and bred in Sawbridgeworth. For the full message and for details of Thy Kingdom Come 2021 click here.
She introduces the service by explaining that in
our Gospel this week, before ascending to heaven, Jesus prays for his
Disciples: “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. (John 17.3). All our life we
struggle to know God, through words and parables, and through the world
which he has entrusted to us. At no stage can we say that we understand
God. Saint Augustine wrote: “God is not what you imagine or think you
understand. If you understand him, you have failed. My human mission is
to seek him through every means, and to remain a God-seeker until the
day when he reveals himself to me face to face.”
To know God is not just head knowledge. It means intimacy with God, the
kind of intimacy that couples enjoy with one another. To be enveloped by
this intimacy is to experience something of what eternal life will be
like. Eternal life is not just for heaven; it is a gift partly given now
in our faith. We pray that as we grow in knowledge of God, we may begin
to taste the eternal life Jesus promises.
The Order of Service and the Readings for Easter 7 can be downloaded now for viewing and/or printing.
(https://youtu.be/dJ-hoP0jMJ8)
An Act of Worship for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
Welcome and Introduction
Gathering Before God
You are invited to light a candle, reminding us that we are in God’s
presence.
We are in the presence of the Living God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Call to Worship: based
on Psalm 68: 1-10, 32-35
Holy God, called to worship you, we come, but we
come deeply grounded in the “real” world
around us.
God of the “real” world, we come to
worship you.
Hope-giving God, called to praise you, we come, but we
also bring the pain of people’s
hopelessness to God.
Hope of the hopeless, we come to praise
you.
Faithful God, called to honour you, we come, but we
also carry the grief of the world’s
orphans, the widows and the strangers in our midst, all of whom need
your justice, your mercy, your grace and your blessings.
Father of the fatherless, we come to honour you.
Amen.
Hymn:
Shine, Jesus Shine
Collect Prayer
Risen,
ascended Lord, as we rejoice at your triumph,
fill your
Church on earth with power and compassion,
that all who
are estranged by sin may find forgiveness and know your peace, to the
glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Bible Readings:
Acts 1.6-14
&
John 17.1-11
Reflection
Hymn:
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus
Intercessions
An act of spiritual Communion
We give thanks for the saving death and
resurrection of Jesus
and ask him to be with us now.
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly, day by day.
Amen.
after the Prayer of St Richard of Chichester
Anthem -
St Richard’s Prayer (Forbes L’Estrange),
sung by the
Choral Scholars of St Martin's
The Lord’s Prayer
Final Prayer
Keep watch, dear Lord,
With those who wake, or watch, or weep this day.
Tend the sick, Give
rest to the weary,
Sustain the dying, Calm the suffering
Pity the distressed, All for your love’s sake,
O Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
The Dismissal
Yours Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour, and the majesty:
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours Lord is the kingdom: you are exalted as
head over all.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
Scroll down here to our Ascension Day Service
Find out all about THY KINGDOM COME 2020
SOME SAD NEWS...
Last Sunday Debbie told us that our dear friend and brother, Nick Bright, has passed from this world to the next.
(https://youtu.be/rPQd5jS522w)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thursday 21st was Ascension Day and the Launch of Thy Kingdom Come 2020 Click here for what Debbie says about this.
An Act of Worship from Ascension Day with a very special guest preacher...
The Order of Service and the Readings for Ascension Day can be downloaded for viewing and/or printing.
(https://youtu.be/GmYqUEWTQJU)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Click HERE or on the poster above for full details of what help we are offering
Other news...
The Reverend Simon Vivian, currently Assistant Curate in the Berkhamsted Team Ministry, has been appointed as Vicar of the Benefice of Sawbridgeworth. Please remember Simon, Charlotte, Alice and Samuel in your prayers as they prepare for their move.
The Licensing of Father Simon was scheduled to take place on the 20th May 2020 at 7.30pm in Great St Mary's but, because of the current emergency, we now have some further news:
Announcement from Churchwardens Anthony and Shona....
Arrival of Father Simon Vivien and Family
Dear Friends,
Along with Debbie, we received a call from Bishop Michael putting to us the logistical issues associated with Simon’s move at this time, (removal firms shut) and the importance of leaving (farewells) and arriving (welcoming) in the right way.
As a consequence, he would like to reschedule Simon and family’s move to Sawbridgeworth. Bishop Michael assured us this will take place as soon as possible once things return to (new) normal.
Do please share this news as widely as you can as we aren’t all yet connected to the ‘corporate’ email system.
With our prayers and best wishes to you all.
Anthony and Shona.
Simon and Charlotte both trained as musicians and, for a good number of years, both worked for the BBC's Religion department in Manchester. Simon began training for the priesthood back in 2014 at Ripon College Cuddesdon a few miles out of Oxford and now, having completed his curacy at St Peter's Church in Berkhamsted, is looking forward - along with the rest of the family - to moving to Sawbridgeworth, to getting to know all of us, and to getting to know the town and its community. We're hoping that his licensing will be sometime in May. In the meantime, he and the family send their very best wishes.
Find our Mission Action Plan (MAP) here.
Please read our Data Privacy Notice
Link to Statement on Safeguarding
Hazel Mead
Sawbridgeworth
Parish
Safeguarding
Officer
07709 068 882
Jez Hirst
Diocesan
Safeguarding Adviser
01727 818107 | 07867 350886
safeguarding@stalbans.anglican.org
Link to CofE Policy on Safeguarding