I don’t know if you have delved into any of the Church of England ‘Live Lent’ series of articles? These stimulate a bit of thought and reflection in this journey through Lent and are worth exploring. This week The continuing theme has been ‘hope’, reflecting the challenges we face in the story of our lives. One of the reasons Songs of Praise on BBC TV has been one of the longest running series of its genre (over 60 years) is that it shared extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Most of us are not called to be great orators but all of us have a story to tell – our own story. And those stories of life, faith and experience draw in those who hear them. Sharing our story touches peoples’ hearts; it is what generations of followers of Christ have done over the centuries. You tell your story not just for yourself but for others; you can be the inspiration others need and welcome.The story of Holy Week reaches its climax on Good Friday and we celebrate Resurrection on Easter Day. I find that the last part of the journey, from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday is always very poignant. We have acknowledged, in the news, in the churches and in our lives the 5th Anniversary since the pandemic began and we were in lockdown. Many still feel that this was their Good Friday and the trauma has not ended.The resurrection story is not only about Jesus; it’s also a message about how God acts – about how God is present in risen life now – life that is transformed by God’s love. God creates our faith now –and we can write our own stories and tell of our own experience like Mary and those first disciples. But it is simply because of this – that God was revealed in Jesus there and then- that we can encounter God here and now. Those of us who have not been through the tragedies and hardships some are forced to endure are sometimes tempted to celebrate Easter Day without expecting there to be a Good Friday. Jesus knew it could not be so. For some, Good Friday never seems to end.The message of resurrection is that ‘Christ is not here’, inhabiting the realm of the dead, “for he has been raised” and stands alive for hope in new and transformed life. We live as Easter people, not by our achievements or our power or status, but by the exchange and gift of our broken selves in our shared lives together, and by the grace of God which still, over 2000 years since that first resurrection morning, has the power to touch and heal and bring new life. Easter Day celebrates that gift of new life and is truly experienced over and over again, not in perfect lives, untouched by doubt and never graced by loss and despair, but in broken lives, poured out in love and sacrifice.May we have hope in our hearts this Easter time, to inspire others with our stories. I hope that your journey through Lent is a productive one and wish you all a very happy Easter and the hope of better things to come…… Loving God, every person we meet has a story to share. Help us to take the time to listen, to pay attention, and to be enriched by what we hear.Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred: open the doors of our hearts,that we may seek the good of others and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,to the praise of God the Father. Church of England Alternative Collect Easter 2Rev'd Elizabeth Wall Associate Minister
Notice of Preparation of new Electoral RollEvery six years the church Electoral Roll has to be completely recompiled and 2025 is such a year!To meet with requirements, every person who is on the current electoral roll must reapply by using the official form. The Notice and the Application Forms can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.You can print it and complete at home, scan and email to Jen Matthewman at warden@alrewasallsaints.churchAlternatively, completed forms can be dropped off at church or post through Jen's door at 23 Park Road Before 31st January a notice will be put up in church and on the main noticeboard outside church detailing the requirement. There will also be a notice placed on the church website and on our Facebook page. If you can please help to spread the word to let everyone know that they need to reapply and to take a few moments to complete the forms for yourselves we would be hugely grateful!Please note that forms must be received by 31st March
Happy New Year!I hope it is going to be a good year – who knows? “For last year’s words belong to last year’s languageAnd next year’s words await another voice.And to make an end is to make a beginning.”Those are some words from T. S. Eliot – a poem called ‘Little Gidding’, and seem to me to be very appropriate for a New Year. We are so often glad to see the end of a year if it has brought its fair share of sadness and challenges and problems. We wait for this new start which the end of an old year seems to suggest, and the hope that a New Year will bring better things. Many will be very pleased to see the end of 2024 and the poem suggests all the ways in which a new year could bring about change for the better. I hope 2025 is a better year for everyone; I hope that it brings health and happiness for you all. But realistically…most years bring mixed blessings.We began our preparations for the Birth of Jesus way back in Advent , looking forward with anticipation to an event – an event which changed the course of history, lighting a candle for each Sunday in Advent and moving through significant themes of hope, peace, joy and love.As we begin the New Year we are very quickly into that Festival called ‘Epiphany’ – that celebration of the journey of the Magi, the Three Kings- Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, or wise men from the East.The Christmas story is not complete without this journey of the three sages who followed the star to find a newborn King. In their search, they took great risk by travelling at night, but they wouldn’t be put off until they had found what they were looking for. They didn’t know where their journey would take them but they did know who they were looking for. And when they found their King, they went into the stable, and offered their gifts to the child before them. Since Christmas, and now in this season of Epiphany, we will hear stories in which God in Jesus is revealed………………….and the focus will be on Jesus, in his own baptism by John in the River Jordan and how he was commissioned for his vocation and ministry. And then we move on– for here he is beginning his public ministry.Jesus begins his ministry not in his home village but in the centre of the local fishing industry where the trade draws crowds. He picks up where John left off, preaching the same message. He looks for support and for supporters and calls local fishermen to join him in the task of calling men and women – calling all people and all who would listen – to God.What was it about Jesus whom those down-to-earth fishermen saw? They would know nothing about his history that we know…………………. of Mary’s call…………….of Jesus’ birth, the star, the inn…………… of the visit of the shepherds and kings …………………….and of the cross. Now it’s our turn. We become God’s people not by great gifts of oratory and eloquence, but by choosing the right moment to speak sincerely about our own experience of faith………. about talking of those ‘epiphany’ moments, however ordinary.At the end of the month we hold a joint Benefice Service with Alrewas Methodist Church for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.We have gone through times of unity and great disunity…and great hope that there might be greater unity…but in recent times it seems that the church will never achieve harmony let alone unity!We will also see, this month, another (or returning!) America President installed. I remember just 4 years ago, the inauguration of President -Joe Biden. His words seemed very significant. He talked about a great political gift – that of “empathy”. We are still in the Christmas /Epiphany season when we celebrate a great gift – that of Jesus Christ coming to us as a tiny child – ‘God-with-us’ - God becoming human and empathising with us in every possible way. We call it the mystery of the incarnation……..but it is very simple really. The God who came to us at Christmas is in every way able to empathise with humanity – he was one with us. The shepherds, Mary, the Magi realised the gift of grace ……………and those first disciples saw fit to spread the news. We have to seek God’s presence like those Magi and to follow a star; we may not know where it will take us, and there is no promise of an easy ride!But to enter the stable where Jesus is found is to take part in an epiphany for ourselves – to find that God is often revealed in unexpected places and through unexpected people.So………….’Travel safely, and may you find your stable with a manger and a child.Listen carefully, and hear the child cry to you and take him to your heart.Watch closely, and see the guiding light that shows you the road to travel.And as you listen for the cry and watch for the light on your journey, feel the presence of hope and peace and love.’ Rev'd Elizabeth Wall
Receiving CommunionDuring any Service of Holy Communion the invitation is to all. Sharing of a Common Chalice was suspended during the Corona Virus Pandemic as our churches were closed for services. This is now over 4 years ago and at our last meeting of PCC a decision was made to resume sharing a Common Cup from Sunday 1st December.People will be able to choose whether or not they wish to receive Holy Communion in the form of wine as well as bread. If you decide to take the chalice, please help the person administering by guiding the cup to your lips.Just a reminder – we do not allow self intinction (dipping the bread into the wine); this potentially may contaminate the wine. Gluten-free bread is available. Please alert the steward on duty.As always, if you prefer to receive a blessing instead of communion please bring you Service booklet with you to the Altar Rail to indicate your preference.
