Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4 : 1 - 3Readings this week Genesis 2 : 15 – 17, 3 : 1 - 7; Romans 5 : 12 - 19; Matthew 4 : 1 - 11Thoughts for this weekThere are many kinds of wilderness in our world today. Wilderness caused by climate change, or warfare. By injustice and oppression. In our own lives wilderness can come through loneliness, financial issues. Grief or regret. Jesus went into the wilderness. The place of greatest challenge and trial. A place where all human support is lacking. Where we are all called to find our inner hope, and to know who we can truly turn to for strength.Not only was Jesus tempted just as we are, and overcame. His victory came through the Word given to us by our heavenly Father. The gift of the Scriptures for our challenges each day. If Jesus relied on the Bible for strength, how much more do we need to!Jesus entered the wilderness and overcame. He turned despair into hope, and temptation into triumph. It was the beginning of His long journey to the Cross, the way of sacrifice, of finding strength in the love of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.Jesus is our Lord who has transformed despair into hope. I pray we may know that hope, whatever our wilderness may be. Rev Paul Prayer for this weekAlmighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save; 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. AmenHeavenly Father, your Son battled with the powers of darkness, and grew closer to you in the desert: help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer that we may witness to your saving love. AmenWe praise the Lord and give thanks …For our growing ministry to the Care HomesFor those being baptised, and those being Confirmed at this time
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 22nd February 8:00am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd February 9:30am Mustard Tree– informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd February 11:15 am Service of the Word (at St Ed’s) followed by lent lunchSunday 25th January 11:15 am Online Sunday service (livestream) Sunday 22nd February 2:00 pm Confirmation preparation (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd February 3:30 pm Confirmation preparation (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd February 3:00 pm The Gathering@Ringland (Informal Garden Church) (at St Peter’s)Monday 23rd February 8.30 am Langley Prayers (at St Ed’s)Monday 23rd February 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 24th February 10:00 am til 12 noon Tiny Tunes (music for all young people) Community Café (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 24th February 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 25th February 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s )Wednesday 25th February 3:30 pm school visits meeting (at St Ed’s )Thursday 26th February 9.00am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s )Thursday 26th February 5:30 pm Confirmation preparation (at St Ed’s)Thursday 26th February 7.00pm Compline (at St Ed’s) Friday 27th February 9:30 am to12.00 noon Arts and Craft Group , - bring anything – art or craft - you fancy doing and coffee and tea are provided. (at Trinity church)Also Sunday 1st March 2026, At St Ed’s, 9:30 am Mustard Tree Holy Communion, 11:15 am Holy Communion, followed by lent lunch. 2pm and 3:30pm Confirmation preparation.on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyRingland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: February 22nd 3pm The Gathering at St Peter’sMarch 8th 10:30 am Holy Communion Service at St Peter’sSt Ed's Pancake party Thank you to everyone who worked so hard. It was a great event. Together with the card donations, we raised £134.74 for Christian Aid, which will be allocated to the Sudan appeal. It was great to see so many people there.Lent lunches at St Ed's, we will be sharing bread and soup on Sundays in Lent from 12.30pm. There will be the opportunity to make donations towards the Bishop’s Lent Appeal for Papua New Guinea.Bible reflections during Lent are available online from Embrace https://embraceme.org/lent-reflectionsPrayers for Ordinary Moments produced by Our Daily bread Ministries for Lent. Short, inspiring prayers for everyday tasks. Copies are available at the back of St Eds. World Day of Prayer there will be a service on Friday 6th March at 2.00pm at Trinity Church, Thorpe Marriott. The service has been compiled by Christians in Nigeria and is open to everyoneConfirmation Bishop Graham is coming to St Ed’s on Sunday 22nd March to conduct a Confirmation service at 11.15am. There will also be a Shared Lunch after the service. So far we have ten candidates of all ages. If you would like to be Confirmed, or if you know someone who may be interested, please speak to one of the clergy.The Bishop’s Lent Appeal is raising money to help clergy children in Papua New Guinea to complete their education at the Martyrs Memorial School, just outside Popondetta. To raise enough money to send 1 clergy child to Martyrs Memorial School for 1 year. Tuition in schools in PNG is free, but as this school is a boarding school, there are fees to pay each year. Around £400 per pupil per year. Clergy families in PNG receive no stipend and are reliant on their congregations to support them with gifts of food and money. This money will help to provide and complete the education for 1 child. Children who are educated at the school go on into medicine, governance and teaching for example.
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 15th February 9:30am Mustard Tree Holy Communion– informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 15th February 11:15 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s) followed by Lent LunchSunday 15th February 2:00 pm Confirmation preparation (at St Ed’s)Sunday 15th February 3:30 pm Confirmation preparation (at St Ed’s)Monday 16th February 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 17th February 10:00 am til 12 noon Tiny Tunes (music for all young people) Community Café (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 17th February 2:30 pm til 4 pm Pancake party (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 17th February 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s)Ash Wednesday 18th February 10:30 am Holy Communion with Ashes (at St Ed’s )Ash Wednesday 18th February 7:00 pm Holy Communion with Ashes (at St Ed’s )Thursday 19th February 9.00am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s )Thursday 19th February 5:30 pm Confirmation preparation (at St Ed’s)Thursday 19th February 7.00pm Compline (at St Ed’s) Friday 20th February 9:30 am to12.00 noon Arts and Craft Group , - bring anything – art or craft - you fancy doing and coffee and tea are provided. (at Trinity church)Friday 20th February 10.30 am Burial of ashes (at St Ed’s)Also Sunday 22nd February 2026, At St Ed’s, 8.00 Holy Communion, 9:30 am Mustard Tree, 11:15 am Service of the word followed by lent lunch. 2pm and 3:30pm Confirmation preparation.at St Peter’s 3:00 pm the Gathering On line Sunday service 11:15 am.on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyRingland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: February 22nd 3pm The gathering at St Peter’sMarch 8th 10:30 am Holy Communion Service at St Peter’sPancakes! we will be making delicious pancakes at St. Edmund's on Shrove Tuesday 17th February from 2.30 to 4pm to support Christian Aid. Come along and bring your friends! Offers of help gratefully received - please speak to Sue B or Linda J. Lent begins on 18th February (Ash Wednesday) with services of Holy Communion with Ashes at 10.30am and 7.00pm at St Ed’s.Lent lunches we will be sharing bread and soup on Sundays in Lent from 12.30pm at St Ed's. There will be the opportunity to make donations towards the Bishop’s Lent Appeal for Papua New Guinea.Bible reflections during Lent are available online from Embrace https://embraceme.org/lent-reflectionsWorld Day of Prayer there will be a service on Friday 6th March at 2.00pm at Trinity Church, Thorpe Marriott. The service has been compiled by Christians in Nigeria and is open to everyoneConfirmation Bishop Graham is coming to St Ed’s on Sunday 22nd March to conduct a Confirmation service at 11.15am. There will also be a Shared Lunch after the service. So far we have ten candidates of all ages. If you would like to be Confirmed, or if you know someone who may be interested, please speak to one of the clergy.The Bishop’s Lent Appeal is raising money to help clergy children in Papua New Guinea to complete their education at the Martyrs Memorial School, just outside Popondetta. To raise enough money to send 1 clergy child to Martyrs Memorial School for 1 year. Tuition in schools in PNG is free, but as this school is a boarding school, there are fees to pay each year. Around £400 per pupil per year. Clergy families in PNG receive no stipend and are reliant on their congregations to support them with gifts of food and money. This money will help to provide and complete the education for 1 child. Children who are educated at the school go on into medicine, governance and teaching for example.
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17 : 5Readings this week Exodus 24 : 12 - end; 2 Peter 1 : 16 - end; Matthew 17 : 1 - 9Thoughts for this weekMatthew’s Gospel gives us the account of Jesus’ Transfiguration on the mountain. Jesus revealed and shining with divine LightIn the face of the overwhelming brilliance of the experience Peter the Rock exclaimed, “It is wonderful for us to be here” But he collapsed with James and John in overwhelming fear of something that was beyond his comprehension. Later, Peter wrote: “When we told you about the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we had seen his majesty with our own eyes. He was honoured and glorified by God, when a voice said “This is my Son, The Beloved; he enjoys my favour.” We ourselves heard this voice from heaven, when we were with him”.Peter the Rock makes plain that the experience was real, not a dream or a parable. He speaks about a real experience. He saw his Master glorified by a force that spoke out of heaven to the very earth where the Peter was standing. This person Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Jane (written in 2023)Prayer for this weekAlmighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AmenWe praise the Lord and give thanks …For the gift of the Good News in JesusFor those coming forward for baptism and Confirmation at this timeFor the season of Lent about to beginPrayers for Ordinary Moments have been produced by Our Daily bread Ministries for Lent. Short, inspiring prayers including for when brewing coffee, watching a football game, for travelling, for reading the Bible. Copies are available at the back of st Ed's.or go to https://shop.odbm.org.uk/products/prayers-for-ordinary-moments?variant=50810479378733 to receive a copy.
