2020 June 28 - Pew News

There are no services of worship in our church buildings presently. This applies to Sunday and midweek services, and to ‘occasional offices’ (weddings, funerals and baptisms). We continue to listen to the directions of Government and the central Church, as to how things may change. 

Since 18 June 2020, we have re-opened the Parish Church to allcomers for a limited period each week for private prayer. The opening times will be Sundays 12 noon-3pm; and Thursdays 10am-3pm; until further notice. 

The local church continues to worship together through ‘Zoom’. The Rector will be delighted to add to those names already registered with us. Just send him an email. The church is also effectively active pastorally, through the use of telephone, email, and by acts of care; together with face to face interaction where this is permitted. Please let the Rector know if you are aware of anyone who will benefit from contact from him or another church member presently. 

Worship - Sunday 28 June 2020

At 09.30 we worship together virtually in a Service of Morning Prayer.

At 18.00 we offer a service of Holy Communion in traditional language (BCP). 

The readings in our morning service are Genesis 22: 1-14 and Matthew 10: 40-42.

Our Reader, Martin Brown writes ... 

Andrew gave me a choice of readings upon which to talk this morning and I selected the reading from Genesis, Chapter 22 verses 1 to 14 with the theme being words from the last verse - 'The Lord will provide', which I actually believe are succinct enough to stand on their own. I will be reading the following prayer: 

O God, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity, but in all that we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

And I thought I would offer, here, a few words on our second reading from Matthew's Gospel. 

How can we attempt to be the kind of people that God calls us to be in this very complex world in which we live, when even our choice of retailer may impact so profoundly on the lives of others who are in abject poverty or slavery in another part of our world? We may become disillusioned because the challenges around us seem to be so great and our influence so small. 

In our reading from Matthew’s Gospel Jesus gives us more hope. 

We are told that even the act of giving a cup of water is recognised by God. What a small thing, just to give a cup of cold water to someone. 

Some often imagine discipleship to require a huge sacrifice, or to entail some great feat, and sometimes, yes, that is exactly what discipleship comes to. But Jesus says it is nothing more than giving a cup of cold water to a person in need. 

So discipleship can be a small act of kindness. It could be a hug to someone who is grieving (when a relaxation of social distancing permits); or a listening ear to someone in need of a friend – by simply making a call to someone; or by offering a lift to someone without a car – again when times permit; or by making a donation to a charity like Christian Aid. 

Discipleship does not have to be heroic in the sense of going into a hostile environment. 

A life of faith is composed of a thousand small gestures. Except that, according to Jesus, there is no such thing as a small gesture. Anything done in faith and in love has eternal significance for the ones involved and, indeed, for the world God loves so much. 

It is not our task to save the world - that is for Jesus; but we are encouraged to make a huge difference to the part of the world in which we live and with the people we meet in our daily lives. And so, yes, even a cup of cold water can make a big and unexpected difference to those to whom we give it and, according to Jesus, such acts have eternal consequences. 

Many of you are already doing this in so many ways, especially during this pandemic. You are already helping make this world God loves so much, a little better; a little more trusting; a little more joyful through gestures of love, mercy, and compassion. 

There is no small gesture – hugs; helping hands and listening ears are all ways of caring for the world God loves so much. Amen. 

Worship for the week ahead: (‘remote’ through the medium of ‘Zoom’) 

Monday 29 June 2020, 08:30 Morning Prayer 

Tuesday 30 June 2020, 08:30 Holy Communion 

Wednesday 1 July 2020, 08:30 Morning Prayer 

Thursday 2 July, 08:30 Morning Prayer 

Friday 3 July, 08:30 Morning Prayer 

Sunday 5 July, 09:30 Parish Communion, with hymns and address. 4th Sunday after Trinity

18:00 Evening Prayer (traditional language: BCP) 

The Rector is off duty on Friday. 

News and Events

July’s Westbourne Magazine has been printed, and is available for distribution. We hope to have a full distribution service for those who receive it by this means. For those used to buying and collecting their copy from the Parish Church itself, the following possibilities have been provided:
1. Sunday 28th, 12 noon to 12.30 - SOUTH porch (as entry to the church for Private Prayer will be via the North porch).
2. Sunday 28th, 2.45 to 3.15pm - SOUTH porch (as above)
3. Monday 29th, 9.30 to 10.00am - Hall car park, by the blue door. 

The Church will be open again this week for private prayer from 10am to 3pm on Thursday and from midday to 3pm on Sunday. There will be a single route in and out, and within the Church. If you come into the Church within these periods please take care to use the provided hand sanitiser at the entrance and the exit, and to observe social distancing. Books and other written materials have been removed from the parts of the Church that are accessible. Please be aware that the toilet facilities will not be in use. 

Home-based ‘retreat’ for St John the Baptist Day: thanks to the 20 or more, who gathered online on Midsummer’s Day, to travel in prayer alongside St John the Baptist. 

General Notice: We are highly dependent upon electronic means for sharing information with parishioners at present. Please ensure we have uptodate email details. Perhaps you do not have email facility, or are aware of someone who does not but would like to be included in this and other communications? In this case, please nominate someone who can be in regular communication or visit to your door, who could offer to receive messages from this desk and to deliver a hard copy. Equally, please let us know if you do not wish to be contacted.