THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Michael Sargent – 27th March 2026I write this thought during Passiontide but more particularly I am writing it on March 25th and some will have thought that it nine months to Christmas. It is, but ...... As far as the Church Lectionary is concerned we mark this day as “The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary.” The alternative name that is used both in a religious sense and a commercial sense is “Lady Day.” Commercially it is (or maybe was) the first Quarter Day when taxes and rent was due but like most things, the religious significance was changed to the end of every three months.Be that as it may the ‘Lady’ that we are most concerned with is the one who was chosen by God to be the mother of his son, what a responsibility! There were times that the role of women was undervalued and though there is a greater respect for them nowadays there are some who are not as respectful as they could be.Our Jewish and Muslim neighbours hold their wives in high regard: a Jew can only become a Jew if he/she is born of a Jewish mother and likewise a Muslim wife is wholly responsible for the household!It is significant that this very day that I am writing there is another woman within the Christian community who will publicly take up the role as leader of the worldwide community of Christians. I refer, of course, to ...The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally ...who assumes the role of Archbishop of Canterbury, and what a task she has.Almost certainly during the Enthronement of +Sarah there will be one person who voices his objection to women being ordained. It is his right but his argument, if it the same, has little or no substance to it.Those who are against the ordination of women must realise that for more than 30 years it has been legal and the church would be on its knees if women had not been given the right to ordination.But to +Sarah herself, she will have prayerfully weighed up the options of accept/reject her calling and she will realise the great responsibility that now rests on her shoulders. Jesus once said, “my yoke is easy (i.e. well fitting) and my burden is light” but in the world as it is Sarah will need the prayers and support of the worldwide communion of Anglicans to make her burden bearable.As we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week, we are reminded of what suffering Christ went through for our sakes and it is only right that we should be prepared to shoulder some of that burden by taking part in the Services that are available to us.It will be comparatively easy to join with the crowds on Palm Sunday and cheer and wave palms, but will we put ourselves out when it comes to the Friday after his arrest and join with those who are baying for his life or will we dare to join those fighting for justice who are trying to out-shout those whose aim is to kill him!Hopefully you will be seen on all three days at which ever church you are involved so that we will know, as well as God, that we have walked the Via Dolorosa and come through rejoicing at the end of his Passion and share with him in his acknowledgement ‘it is accomplished’.Michael Sargent.Pray forA reflective Holy WeekVicar Geoff as he prepares to officially be licensed at the AAA churchesOpportunities to share our faith with othersGive thanks forAmy, our children, youth and families worker and her work in our villagesVicar Geoff, as he takes on 3 more churchesThe school holidaysWe pray for all who live and work in the following streets in our communities:In Copmanthorpe - Flaxman Croft, Gardeners Close, Faber CloseIn Bolton Percy & Colton - Vine Cottages, Vine CourtIn Askham Bryan - Askham Bryan Lane and Nurseries Caravan ParkIn Acaster Malbis - Darling Lane, Acaster Lane, Pleasant Avenue - Mount PleasantIn Appleton Roebuck - Main Street (from Hill Crest to Ashlea)In the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Daniel – 20th March 2026Springtime Grace: Signs of New BeginningsI don’t know about you, but I am always so glad when I see the daffodils starting to appear. After the long stillness of winter, spring starts to arrive quietly but unmistakably. The days grow longer, the air softens, and across our gardens and open spaces in Copmanthorpe the bright yellow heads of daffodils begin to bloom and dance in the breeze. These small but vibrant flowers are often the first visible sign that the earth is waking again. After months of bare branches and grey skies, they stand as cheerful reminders that life is returning.For Christians, the changing of the seasons offers more than a shift in weather; it reflects a deeper spiritual truth. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that God is the author of renewal. Just as the earth emerges from the dormancy of winter, so too does God invite us into seasons of new beginnings.The Bible speaks of this rhythm of life in Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Winter has its purpose - times of rest, reflection, and waiting - but spring reveals that waiting is never the final chapter. God is always at work beneath the surface.The appearance of daffodils captures this hope beautifully. For much of the year their bulbs lie hidden underground, unseen and seemingly inactive. Yet within that hiddenness something is happening. In time, they push through the soil and bloom, bright and confident. In a similar way, God often works quietly in our lives during the colder or more difficult seasons, preparing us for growth that will one day become visible.This message of renewal is central to the Christian faith. In the Second Letter to the Corinthians we read: “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Through Christ, we are continually invited into transformation. Our past does not define our future, because God’s grace makes renewal possible.Spring also draws our hearts toward the promise of resurrection that stands at the centre of the Gospel. As we move toward Easter, the natural world itself seems to echo the story we proclaim of life emerging from what once appeared lifeless. The empty tomb is the ultimate declaration that God brings life where we might expect only endings.In this way, the daffodils in our gardens, open spaces, and churchyards become gentle teachers of faith. They remind us that hope often begins quietly, that life can grow in hidden places, and that God’s timing is faithful even when we cannot yet see the outcome.Perhaps this spring we might pause when we notice those bright yellow flowers swaying in the breeze. They are more than a pleasant sight; they are small signs of the greater promise God has given us, a promise of renewal, restoration, and new life.As the prophet Isaiah writes: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19).May this season of spring help us notice the new things God is doing in our lives, our church, and our community. Just like the daffodils, may we rise with hope and bear witness to the new life that God continues to bring into the world.Daniel Khan, Licenced Lay MinisterPray forOur 7 churches as we move towards a wider Mission and Ministry unitLearning to live out our faith as we explore discipleship – “Following Jesus Together”Opportunities to share our faith with othersGive thanks forAmy, our children, youth and families worker and her work in our villagesVicar Geoff, as he takes on 3 more churchesOur many blessings materially and spirituallyWe pray for all who live and work in the following streets in our communities:In Copmanthorpe - Sutor Close, Millers Croft, Merchant Way, Saddlers Close.In Bolton Percy & Colton - Pump Alley: Priesthill Cottage, The Spinney, The LodgeIn Askham Bryan - Askham Bryan Lane and Nurseries Caravan ParkIn Acaster Malbis - Cundall Drive - Mount Pleasant, Cobblers TrodIn Appleton Roebuck - Briar Court, Briar DriveIn the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Rachel Reid – 13th March 2026Why are we here and what is God’s purpose for our lives?Following on from Vicar Geoff’s Thought for last week on Whole Life Discipleship, you might be asking yourself what this might mean for you?We find ourselves in turbulent times. A new war has broken out in the Middle East, and our TV screens and social media feeds are alight with missile strikes and devastating scenes of destruction. The world struggles with the effects of climate change. People suffer injustice, persecution and prejudice. We might sometimes feel, like Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings, that we wish we had been born in more peaceful, simpler times. But as Gandalf says, that’s not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.In Minneapolis, where terrible things have happened to people under the anti-immigration ICE agents, Christians are resisting by singing.The red sun rises on a world on fireBut it also rises on a holy choirSinging through the dark timesThrough the ash and smokeWeaving grief into the songSinging our way back to hopeWe may not have ICE agents in our streets, nor missiles hitting our cities. We may not be directly affected by the sufferings of our fellow humans far away. We may feel safe and as though we can just carry on as we always have done. We might not feel any need for change. We may, in fact, be sleeping.What should we be doing? What will bring us joy, abundant life and purpose? What will help us to ride out the storms of life and hang on to hope? What could Whole Life Discipleship look like for us? We need each other’s help and encouragement, working together and sharing our lives together. I’m sure we will explore this further in our community of seven village churches, but here’s a few ideas, taken from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (licc) website:Be intentionally kind to our neighbours, going out of our way to do soShop sustainably and consume in a way that promotes justiceBe ready to share the gospel with a friend at the right moment, in a meaningful way that speaks to their questions and longingsOn the last bullet point, come to the Oasis service at St Nicholas’, Askham Bryan, this Mothering Sunday at 10:30, to hear more!Rachel
