This week we at St Peter’s Church celebrate 125 years of ‘Serving God, Serving Sheringham’! We couldn’t have a better example than the saint we were named after, St Peter. He was a real character, very human. We can relate to him.The stories about Peter in the Bible are brilliant. We heard the extraordinary story of his being freed from prison. His chains fell off. The door opened of its own accord. The guards were oblivious to his escape. What do we make of it? We might disbelieve it, and think it’s a made-up story. We may think it was a trick, an illusion, and try to work out how it was done. Or we might go for it, and say that it was a truly miraculous event. Each one of us has our own opinion. I’ve settled on the last one. If God couldn’t do something miraculous, God wouldn’t be God. Any magic tricks would bring deception into it. God’s about honesty, not deception. Peter had already been a witness of the extraordinary things that happened wherever Jesus went, and yet even he thought he must be seeing things, until he found himself free! Peter was ready and willing to listen and learn and to follow Jesus. He saw those astonishing events. He asked for explanations, and for guidance. He made observations. Jesus asked him what he thought. He was outspoken, ready to give his honest opinion. When Jesus asked “Who do you say that I am?” Peter said “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”Jesus made such an impact on him! There was a wonderful, close relationship between them that we pick up when we read the stories. His given name was Simon, but Jesus called him Peter, the rock on which his church would be built. And our church here is named after him, 2000 years later.I’ve only been a part of St Peter’s Church for the last 17 of its 125 years, but in that time I’ve seen that we do follow in Peter’s footsteps as disciples of Jesus, serving God, serving Sheringham. The astonishing results of trust in Jesus impress us too. We as a church community seek explanations and guidance, and make observations. We too think, and are ready to give our honest opinions. Who do we say Jesus is? We declare him to be the only Son of God, in the creed.We hope that the Church of Christ will continue to be built on the rock that is St Peter, here in Sheringham. Our vision is one of a thriving, inclusive, warm and welcoming church where people of all ages, shapes and sizes happily worship and serve God and the community side by side, demonstrating the love of Christ. It won’t happen by itself. We need to live this vision day by day and put it into action, alone and together with others. Some of you might remember when we encouraged you to catch this vision.We asked you to take five daily actions toward achieving it. Here is a reminder of the five actions as we live the vision day by day:1 Pray: Please pray the St Peter’s Church prayer; pray for St Peter’s Church, for Sheringham, for each other: alone or together. There are daily prayer sheets to take home, with every street in Sheringham covered in prayer each month. These are posted online daily on the Facebook page. 2 Befriend: Please join in with events, get to know each other better, and be a friend to each other. Perhaps begin with the people who sit nearest to you. St Paul, who we also remember today, said: ‘Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another,’ ‘Live in Love’ (Eph. 4:32, 5:2).3 Welcome: Please make each other feel welcome, as well as looking out for visitors and newcomers, and making them feel welcome: not only in the church, but also in the town. When someone moves in to the street we live in, we can go out of our way to welcome them. How we make people feel makes a difference to their lives. Giving them the time of day shows that we care. A smile goes a long way, it’s infectious.4 Read: Please read, or ask others to read to you if you find reading difficult. We can read everything that helps to grow our faith and which keeps us informed and engaged with St Peter’s Church life: the Bible, books in the church library, newsletters, magazines, the readings for the week, and websites - the Diocesan site, the Church of England site, Heartedge, Inclusive Church, and EcoChurch, and much more.5 Talk: Please talk about what’s going on in our church, invite people to join in, and bring them along. And words can be used to support and encourage each other. As Paul said: ‘Say only what’s useful for building up, as there is need, to give grace to those who hear’ (Eph.4:29). Let’s be ready to talk about our faith to people we meet. Please do talk to one of the church wardens if you’d like to offer your help with any of our activities. And we can talk on the internet. If you like, follow and share our Facebook and Twitter page and posts, the word about us will spread far and wide.If we all do these five things each day, our vision will become a reality, with God’s help. There will be disciples working in the example of St Peter here for another 125 years, and more, as we pass on the good news message of God’s love in Jesus Christ in word and action.Amen.Julie Rubidge, Lay Minister.
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Jesus said “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church”.Hymn: The King of Love my shepherd is...Ezekiel 3: 22-27Acts 12:1-11Jesus said to his apostles, “You are my friends if you obey my commands.”Let us now confess our disobedience to him:Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: Almighty God, who inspired your apostle Saint Peter to confess Jesus as Christ and Son of the living God: build up your Church upon this rock, that in unity and peace it may proclaim one truth and follow one Lord, your Son our Saviour Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.Matthew 16:13-19Let us join in prayer asking for blessings upon St Peter’s Church as we carefully and sensibly enter another year serving God, serving Sheringham; for blessings of peace and justice in the world as its people work out the way forward; for blessings of joy on our neighbours, families and friends; and for blessings of healing and wholeness on people who are sick or suffering. May those who mourn be comforted. Eternal God, in your Son Jesus Christ you reveal your love for the world, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit you give us the strength to share his mission in Sheringham. Help us, by the example of St Peter, to proclaim your good news through word and action and to draw others to know you, through the love and care we show to our local community and to the world in which we live. Amen.Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom in the prayer that Jesus taught Peter and us:Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.Hymn: Will you come and follow me...May the Lord bless us and keep us; may the Lord make his face shine upon us, and be gracious to us. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace. Amen.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
In a lovely service at Norwich cathedral on this beautiful day, our curate The Revd Christina Rees was priested today in Norwich Cathedral.Christina will continue to serve with us in St Peter’s Church.
