During my preaching and Facebook services in recent months I seem to have developed a kind of mantra. It pops into my mind, unbidden, when it chimes with what I am saying from the pulpit or broadcasting from my computer. It is that Jesus' message was very simple – Love God. Love everyone else – easy to say, but much harder to do. The mantra (if that is, in fact, what it is) is obviously based on the circumstances in which Jesus told the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37) when, having said we should love God and love our neighbour, he was asked, “And who is my neighbour?” The fact that the word “Good” is included in the title of the parable is significant because, as far as the Jews were concerned, Samaritans were all bad! The underlying message of the parable is that if a Jew should love a Samaritan, then everyone should love everyone else. Someone commented to me that my mantra does not go far enough, however, because it does not include atonement, the forgiveness of sin – and this set me thinking. God is not only our creator and redeemer, but in the person of Jesus Christ, he is also our model, our ideal, the person whom we should all try to emulate, no matter how unsuccessfully, during our lives here on earth. His death on the cross at Calvary was the greatest testament to God’s unconditional love for us all. In John 15.13 we read that “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I think, therefore, that my mantra actually does include the doctrine of atonement because, by dying for our sins, Jesus proved that he loved everyone else and if we are to try to be like him, then it is our duty to him to do likewise. Reader Derek Worship for Sunday September 24th Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Benefice Family Communion Praise St Andrew’s : 10.30am Come and worship. This is the first service Rev Keir will take in our benefice. And looking ahead : Friday September 22nd : Coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support In Glinton Village Hall 11.00am - 1.00pm Saturday September 23rd and Sunday September 24th Northborough remembers …… Elizabeth Cromwell, the “Lady Protectress of England” ….. and her link with the village Sealed Knot will take a salute at Northborough Manor on Saturday morning and march to the church where a wreath will be laid. Over the two days, 11.00am-4.00pm, military displays and other living history activities and fun events will take place on Northborough school field. Tickets : Available in advance from Sealed Knot Events (click on the calendar of events – Elizabeth Cromwell Remembered – get tickets) £8.00 per day for adults, children under 12 free or £10 at the gate, cash only please. Saturday evening at 7.00pm in St Andrew’s Church, Stuart Orme, the Curator of the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, will give a talk on the life of Elizabeth Cromwell, Thursday September 28th St Benedict’s Church invites you to a Coffee morning Glinton Village Hall 10.00 – 12.00 Rafffle, Bring and Buy, Books. Coffee and Cake £3.00 Friday September 29th Benefice@TheBoozer This month, come along to The Bluebell Glinton from 8.00pm onwards. Just drop in, you don’t have to be there at 8.00pm. Not exclusively for men! Saturday September 30 from 10.00 to 12.00 St Pega’s Harvest Harvest flower displays in the church. Stalls, tombola, games (including flying carrots, apple bobbing and racing ladybirds and snails) and bacon baps in the churchyard. Saturday September 30 from 7.00 to 9.30pm St Benedict’s Church invites you to come and celebrate the harvest with a Ploughman’s Supper and Pud in Glinton Village Hall. Bring your our drink Tickets : £10.00 bring your own drinks from Julie Fitzjohn 01733 252712 Having read Derek’s Th4Th I was reminded of a chorus : O the love that drew salvation's plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. Mercy there was great, and grace was free, Pardon there was multiplied to me, There my burdened soul found liberty– At Calvary. Look out for the October/November newsletter – to be sent out with next week’s Th4Th Blessings Jane
Many of us probably go through life doing jobs we don’t particularly enjoy, if we are lucky, we find enough satisfaction to keep us interested, and give periods or moments of fulfilment. If we are really lucky, we find a career or occupation that is exactly what we love doing and it is no longer a “job” but a pleasure and joy to fill our days. Unfortunately, that happens to a very lucky few, most look forward to being able to do something different with their lives, either before or after retirement, or on winning the lottery. What however, if you found an organisation that had a product that was so extraordinary, so unique and so wonderful that to be able to work for that organisation and promote its product in any capacity, any capacity at all, from cleaning the office of the chief executive, would be so wonderful that it never felt like work ever again? If the company had branches open in nearly every village and town, mostly within walking distance. Then you discovered that the range of goods and products on offer, that you were helping to promote were actually free to anyone! As an employee you didn’t get 10% discount or even 50% but completely free to you also. Wow wouldn’t that be an amazing job? Now, what if you were doing this job and you one day got a new branch manager? The product wouldn’t change, your commitment to the company wouldn’t change, the only thing that the new manager might bring is a new or different way of packaging and marketing the product, and if that leads to more customers and even more dedicated and devoted employees, wow, how marvellous that would be. Perhaps even the best and most joyous job can sometimes need a boost, and a regular change of management can give new ideas, new enthusiasm and new perspectives on the product and sales techniques. The owner of the company (a family run firm based on an incredible mission statement) never changes, the free offers are always available, and there is always endless opportunity for employment. So let’s seek a job, not for life, but for eternal life and support the management in whatever direction they guide the company and its outlets, and remember the product is still the same and the final customer satisfaction is beyond imagination. (Even with the biggest growth chart) Remember the installation of the Rev. Keir Dow is this Sunday at Maxey Church, one of the local branches. Reader Mark Worship for Sunday September 17th Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity The Institution of Rev Keir Dow at St Peter’s Maxey at 3.00pm (15.00) Followed by refreshments at Peakirk-cum-Glinton Primary School, Glinton Hold Rev Keir and his family in your prayers as he starts his ministry in our Benefice. All are welcome - just drop me a line - Jane 9bridgescommunications@gmail.com And looking ahead : Friday September 22nd : Coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support In Glinton Village Hall 10.00- 12.00 Saturday September 23rd and Sunday September 24th Northborough remembers …… Elizabeth Cromwell, the “Lady Protectress of England” ….. and her link with the village Sealed Knot will take a salute at Northborough Manor on Saturday morning and march to the church where a wreath will be laid. Over the two days, 11.00am-4.00pm, military displays and other living history activities and fun events will take place on Northborough school field. Tickets : Available in advance from Sealed Knot Events (click on the calendar of events – Elizabeth Cromwell Remembered – get tickets) £8.00 per day for adults, children under 12 free or £10 at the gate, cash only please. Saturday evening at 7.00pm in St Andrew’s Church, Stuart Orme, the Curator of the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, will give a talk on the life of Elizabeth Cromwell. Sunday September 24th St Andrew's : Family Communion Praise for the Benefice 10.30am Thursday September 28th St Benedict’s Church invites you to a Coffee morning Glinton Village Hall 10.00 – 12.00 Rafffle, Bring and Buy, Books. Coffee and Cake £3.00 Friday September 29th Benefice@TheBoozer This month, come along to The Bluebell Glinton from 8.00pm onwards. Just drop in, you don’t have to be there at 8.00pm. Not exclusively for men! Saturday September 30 from 10.00 to 12.00 St Pega’s Harvest Harvest flower displays in the church. Stalls, tombola, games (including flying carrots, apple bobbing and racing ladybirds and snails) and bacon baps in the churchyard. Saturday September 30 from 7.00 to 9.30pm St Benedict’s Church invites you to come and celebrate the harvest with a Ploughman’s Supper and Pud in Glinton Village Hall. Bring your our drink Tickets : £10.00 bring your own drinks from Julie Fitzjohn 01733 252712 blessings Jane
