The PCC have agreed a Framework of Care to ensure the wellbeing of our clergy. This allows for a complete day clear of church work each week, and another which should remain undisturbed so that administrative tasks can be brought up to date.Clergy are under many pressures, and we consider it important that we respect this time off. If the answerphone is on or emails are not responded to, please be patient. Most matters may be directed to the office on stpeterschurchsheringham@gmail.com or to another member of the ministry team who will advise and help. You may message us here or on our Facebook page.There is more information about the covenant of care, which we have tailored to suit our situation, on our diocesan website:https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/churches/clergy/clergy-wellbeing/covenant-for-clergy-care-and-wellbeing/
Jesus quotes Isaiah, “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me”. Why does he receive the Spirit, “to bring good news to the poor.” In the Jewish faith of the day, held by the Pharisees and Sadducees, in order to enter the Kingdom of God you had to keep the law and the only people who stood a chance of doing that were the rich and powerful. In a society which basically only had two classes the rich and the poor, the poor far outnumbered the rich and they knew they didn’t stand a chance of getting to heaven because they couldn’t keep all the rules that made up the law.Into their world came Jesus. At Christmas the first to visit the baby Jesus were the shepherds. Shepherds were total outsiders they couldn’t even be witnesses in a court of law, they were the dregs of society. At the Epiphany the second group of visitors who came to pay homage were the Wise Men who weren’t even Jews; they were foreigners who came from Persia, modern day Iran. John the Baptist who was of the priestly line through both his parents challenged the whole Temple concept and told his hearers that if they repented of their sins and were baptised then they could receive the Spirit of God. Last week we read about the wedding at Cana of Galilee when between 240 and 300 gallons of water were turned into wine a rather large amount for a party of people who numbered between one and two hundred. The message for us is that God is a generous God and he welcomes anyone. So how does this add up both then and now. Jesus’ message is that God loves you whoever you are, wherever you are and all you need do is respond to God’s call by turning to Christ, (to use the words of the Baptism Service). Faith, your faith, is the gift of God. You can’t buy it or earn it, it is pure gift. All you have to do is to open your heart to God so that the Spirit can enter in and live with you. God is out there in the world which he created but above all he is within you. To pray we only have to stop and gaze within. Words are often meaningless, we just need to stop and be in the presence of God who is at the centre of each one of us.That is the Good News that Jesus came to tell us nearly two thousand years ago and what was true then is still true now in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty two. But there is a catch, isn’t there always? It is in the rest of the quote from Isaiah, we are being challenged to take the Good News to the captive, the blind, to the oppressed, yes to those who are literally so but we need to see them in the wider context of those held captive by greed and hatred, blind to what is happening around them, and oppressed or as we would say today abused to name but a few ways of understanding Isaiah and so understanding Jesus and telling us what God wants us to do in his world. In summary love God and love your neighbour.Andrew Lane SSL
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. ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer..’ (Psalm 19:14)Hymn: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me...1 Corinthians 12: 12-31aThe sun of righteousness has dawned with healing in his wings. Let us come to the light of Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith: 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: God of all mercy, your Son proclaimed good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed: anoint us with your Holy Spirit and set all your people free to praise you in Christ our Lord. Amen.Luke 4:14-21Please see the message from the minister. Let us join in prayer, with our focus on Christ our Lord: We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world, that this season will be a special time of peace and joy; We pray for our world, that the Earth and all of its creatures will thrive; We pray for our friends, families and neighbours - may we all share the love of Christ; We pray for people who are sick or suffering, to know the Holy Spirit’s healing presence; We remember the departed, and pray for all who mourn.Let us join in the words of the Lord’s prayer, whoever and wherever we are: 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: God is working his purpose out...Father of all, you have given us your Son to be the Saviour of the world. Welcome us as your children into your kingdom, to enjoy your presence forever. May the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and remain with us always. Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
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. ‘Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.’ (Psalm 36:5-6)Hymn: Go, tell it on the mountain...1 Corinthians 12: 1-11The sun of righteousness has dawned with healing in his wings. Let us come to the light of Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith: 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, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.John 2: 1-11Please see the message from the minister. Let us join in prayer, with our focus on Christ our Lord: We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world, that this season will be a special time of peace and joy; We pray for our world, that the Earth and all of its creatures will thrive; We pray for our friends, families and neighbours - may we all share the love of Christ; We pray for people who are sick or suffering, to know the Holy Spirit’s healing presence; We remember the departed, especially Jacqueline Pegg, Nancy Goodman, Joyce Lock and Sue Caunter-Jackson, and pray for all who mourn. Let us join in the words of the Lord’s prayer, whoever and wherever we are: 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: We have a gospel to proclaim...Father of all, you have given us your Son to be the Saviour of the world. Welcome us as your children into your kingdom, to enjoy your presence forever. May the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and remain with us always. Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
