The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Matthew 22 : 2 - 3Readings this week Psalm 23; Isaiah 25 : 1 - 9; Philippians 4 : 1 - 9; Matthew 22 : 1 - 14Thought for this weekI wonder how you feel when you receive an invitation? It is something that can make us feel uplifted, honoured, encouraged to be included perhaps? Maybe we start making preparations. Maybe there are arrangements to be made, gifts to bring, the right clothes to wear.The Parable Jesus tells in the Gospel reading begins with an invitation. The host is a King. The invitation is a Royal Invitation. Yet the invitation is turned down. Moreover of those who do attend, one of the guests disrespects the host, does not dress appropriately. The King is angry, and Jesus highlights the honour and grace of being invited by Him, and how much depends on how we respond to Him.Jesus makes it clear throughout the Gospels He is inviting us into forgiveness, salvation and newness of life. He invites us to believe in Him, receive from Him, and know the greatness of the invitation He offers. It is an invitation that cost Jesus everything. And it is for each of us personally. We respond by receiving forgiveness from Jesus and believing in Him. Let us never forget the greatness of all that Jesus invites us into.Rev PaulPrayer for this weekO God, forasmuch as without you we are not able to please you; mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; 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. AmenFaithful Lord, whose steadfast love never ceases and whose mercies never come to an end: grant us the grace to trust you and to receive the gifts of your love, new every morning, in Jesus Christ our Lord. AmenWe give thanks for…..Our Harvest celebrationsJesus’ wonderful invitation into salvation and new lifeOur fellowship with the other churches in our area
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 11th October 8:00 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s) Sunday 11th October 9:30 am Mustard Tree Church– informal service for families and children (at St Ed’s) Sunday 11th October 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Peter’s) followed by refreshments Sunday 11th October 11:15 am Service of the Word (at St Ed’s and livestream) Monday 12th October 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s) Tuesday 13th October 10:00 am til 12 noon Community Café (at St Ed’s) includes activities for children Tuesday 6th October 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s) Wednesday 14th October 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s ) Thursday 15th October 9.00am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s ) Thursday 15th October 7.00pm Compline (at St Ed’s) Friday 16th October 2.00pm Langley Pre-prep Harvest Service (at St Ed’s) Also Sunday 18th October 2026. At St Ed’s 9:30 am Mustard Tree, 11:15 am Holy Communion on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'. Everyone welcome. Additionally Ringland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: October 11th 10:30 am Holy Communion for Safeguarding Sunday October 25th 3pm The Gathering @ Ringland (at St Peter’s) November 8th 10:30 am Remembrance Service Shoeboxes – Shoebox Sunday will be 1st November. We have shoeboxes already covered in church. They just need to be filled! There is a very short video on the Blythswood Care website : https://blythswood.org/shoeboxappeal/ We will be having a time in church on Wednesday 28th October to make shoeboxes together, from 2.00pm until 5.00pm, and we will be having a speaker to share stories of the shoebeoxes being delivered. Everyone is welcome! Bright Party TEC (Taverham Evangelical church) are organising a Bright Party for Saturday 31st October for children in our community. Details in the porch at St Ed’s. Rev Canon Stella Green’s Induction at Great Ellingham is on Tuesday 10th November at 7.00pm. Please let Rev Paul know if you would like to come.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6 : 33 – 34Readings this week Psalm 65; Deuteronomy 26 : 1 - 11; Matthew 6 : 25 - 33Thought for this weekAt Harvest last year we needed a new Treasurer, a Safeguarding Officer, and people to join the Thursday cleaning team. The Lord provided all these, and so much more (new members of PCC, new help with Prayer Spaces, more people praying on Thursday evenings, someone to organise the shoeboxes etc) We are so grateful for everyone who has come forward over this year.At Harvest a year ago we were also giving thanks that the Lord had miraculously provided all we needed for the completion of our three projects – the Chancel thatch, the East Window and the organ. Three projects I thought would take 5 years completed in a year!Harvest reminds us of Jesus’ words that we are not to live amidst the anxieties, preoccupations and agenda’s of this world. Jesus says to us as believers, ‘Do not worry’. We are to be freed from all that oppresses or burdens us, but to live lives of faith, simply, with thanks and to share the Lord’s love with others. Jesus’ Kingdom is measured by lives changed and prayers answered. We praise Jesus for the gift of His love each day, and all He is doing. He calls us to ‘not worry’, and to trust in the Lord for everything. To believe and pray, and leave the rest to Him! Rev PaulPrayer for this weekEternal God, you crown the year with your goodness and you give us the fruits of the earth in their season: grant that we may use them to your glory, for the relief of those in need and for our own well-being; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, AmenCreator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons; as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.We give thanks for…..The Lord’s provision to us for all we need each dayFor the work of Aid Agencies in all parts of the worldFor the work of the Norwich Foodbank
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 4th October 9:30 am Harvest Mustard Tree Church– informal service for families and children (at St Ed’s) Sunday 4th October 11:15 am Harvest Service (at St Ed’s) Monday 5th October 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s) Tuesday 6th October 10:00 am til 12 noon Community Café (at St Ed’s) includes activities for children Tuesday 6th October 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s) Wednesday 7th October 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s ) Thursday 8th October 9.00am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s ) Thursday 8th October 7.00pm Compline (at St Ed’s) Also Sunday 11th October 2026. At St Ed’s 8:00 am Holy Communion, 9:30 am Mustard Tree, 11:15 am Service of the word. On-line 11:15 livestream service, At St Peter’s 10:30 Holy Communion followed by refreshments on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'. Everyone welcome. Additionally Ringland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: October 11th 10:30 am Holy Communion for Safeguarding Sunday October 25th 3pm The Gathering @ Ringland (at St Peter’s) November 8th 10:30 am Remembrance Service Harvest at St Ed’s is today (Sunday 4th October). Thank you so much to everyone who decorated the church. It looks amazing. We are supporting the Norwich Foodbank. There is a Special Harvest Lunch from 12.30pm Please come along and invite your family and friends. Everyone is welcome! Administration of Holy Communion at St Ed's we return to the common chalice at 11.15am today – where everyone receives the wafer and then drinks from the chalice at Holy Communion, but there will be an additional chalice at the altar rail for anyone who prefers to have a wafer dipped by the priest. Shoeboxes – Shoebox Sunday will be 1st November at St Ed's. We have shoeboxes already covered in St Ed's. They just need to be filled! There is a very short video on the Blythswood Care website : https://blythswood.org/shoeboxappeal/ Bright Party TEC (Taverham Evangelical church) are organising a Bright Party for Saturday 31st October for children in our community. Details in the porch at St Ed’s.
