Services Sunday 22nd August 8am Holy Communion at St George's, Benenden led by Revd David Commander 10am Holy Communion at St Nicholas, Sandhurst led by Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen & Revd David Commander
Reflection: Sunday 15th August and for the week ahead:From the Collect for Trinity 11 O God, you declare your almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity: mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace, that we, running the way of your commandments, may receive your gracious promises, and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure God is no finger-wagging tyrant, out to condemn, but a loving Father who, like any good human parent, wants only what is good for his children’s happiness and wellbeing. The Commandments have been described as a road map for life’s journey, a guide for living. They do not force us Into unnatural ways, but go with the grain of what is best in human life, bringing genuine peace, contentment and fulfilment. ‘What does the Lord require of you?’ asks the prophet Micah, ‘but to act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God’. Your commandments are more to be desired than gold... And in the keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalm19) Revd Rosemary
Services Sunday 15th August 8am Holy Communion at St Nicholas, Sandhurst led by Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen10am Holy Communion at St George's, Benenden led by Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
Reflection: Sunday 8th August and for the week ahead:Scripture:Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4.30-32)Reflection:In the past I only associated the word troll with Scandinavian folklore: dwarves living in caves. But it has come to have a sinister and threatening meaning, referring to people who make deliberately offensive or provocative online posts with the express aim of upsetting someone. Slander, bitterness, malice, wrath... St Paul, sees them all around him in his own society, and his answer is not just to refrain from spreading malice and slander, but instead to go out of our way to encourage each other and build each other up. We may not be able to silence the trolls, but being ‘kind and tender hearted’ is something we can all, aspire to. In this we are called to imitate God, who sees our imperfections and shortcomings, but still loves and accepts us. Revd Rosemary
