Just a thought……….We don’t often hear the Old Testament readings in church, but the two for 4th and 11th October are particularly worth looking at. In chapter 19 of Exodus, the people of Israel have gone out of the land of Egypt and are camping in the wilderness of Sinai. Moses has gone to the mountain and God has called to him. In brief, God wants the people of Israel to be a holy people, but, fast-forwarding to chapter 20 where God has asked Moses to come up the mountain, bringing Aaron with him, but not allowing the priests and the people to follow. God spoke to Moses, giving him what we know as the Ten Commandments – ten bullet points summing up the guidelines for living the kind of life God required them (and us) to live.There were “thunderings and lightenings and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking”, causing the people to be afraid. The people asked Moses to speak to them, but not God because they feared they might die. So the people stood far off and Moses “drew near to the thick darkness where God was”.Then follows 11 chapters of detailed instructions to Moses. By the beginning of chapter 32, the people were restless and beginning to think Moses had abandoned them. The Lord told Moses to “Go down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves; they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them;”. God is angry and tells Moses to leave him alone, so that his “ wrath might burn hot against them and I may consume them;”. But Moses pleads with the Lord and he “repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people”. Moses then went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. The tablets were the work of God and were written on both sides.The reading set for 11th October doesn’t take us quite as far as this, so we don’t hear what Moses had to say to the people when he saw what they were doing! Maybe another time.
SERVICES IN THE PARISHPlease be aware that our pattern of services has altered to reflect changes within the Ministry Team, particularly due to Noel’s circumstances. We would ask you to check regularly in case last minute alterations take place and be patient and understanding as we try to do the very best we can for everyoneParish of Curdworth, Middleton and WishawSt Chad’s, The Gravel, Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9QBSt Nicholas, Glebe Fields, Curdworth, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9ESSt John the Baptist, Church Lane, Middleton, Warwickshire, B78 2ANSt George’s, Water Orton Lane, Minworth, B76 9BUSt Cuthbert’s, St Cuthbert's Place, Castle Vale, Birmingham B35 7PL-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday Services -Sunday 4th October – Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity• HARVEST All Age Worship at 9.30am at St Chad’s, Wishaw – Rev James Parry• Holy communion at 11.15am at St Nicholas’, Curdworth – Rev James Parry• Service of the Word at 11.15am at St John’s, Middleton – Mr Andrew Farrow Sunday 11th October – Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity• Holy Communion at 9.30am at St Chad’s, Wishaw – The Rector• Family Communion at 11.15am at St Nicholas’, Curdworth – The Rector Sunday 18th October – Twentieth Sunday after Trinity• Family Communion at 9.30am at St Chad’s, Wishaw – Rev James Parry• Service of the Word at 11.15am at St Nicholas’, Curdworth – Mrs Lisa Wilcox• Holy Communion at 11.15am at St John’s, Middleton – Rev Canon Frank Longbottom Sunday 25th October – Last Sunday after Trinity / Bible Sunday• Holy Communion at 9.30am at St Chad’s, Wishaw – Rev James Parry• Holy Communion at 11.15am at St Nicholas’, Curdworth – Rev James Parry-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Midweek Services -Services are held across the parish, commencing at 9:00am as detailed below -Tuesdays - St Nicholas, CurdworthWednesdays - St Chads, WishawThursdays - St Johns, MiddletonSee the Newsletter for further details.