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St Barnabas, Joydens Wood
St James, North Cray
St John the Evangelist, Bexley
St Mary the Virgin, Bexley
20th June 2021 Issue66 Third Sunday after Trinity
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The church buildings will have been thoroughly cleaned. As usual, face-masks MUST be worn (unless medically exempt) hand sanitiser will be used and social distancing of 2 Metres MUST be observed at all times. Do not attend if you or a member of your household is shielding or vulnerable. The church doors will be open for ventilation, so dress accordingly.
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St Mary’s 8.30 am BCP Holy Communion
10.00 am Holy Communion
Wednesday 10.00 am Holy Communion
St James 9.30 am Holy Communion
3.00 pm Forest Church
St Barnabas 10.45am Holy Communion
St John’s 8.00 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Holy Communion
Friday 10.00 am Livestreamed Holy Communion: www.facebook.com/stjohnsbexley
** Please note, the Midweek Communion at 10am on Wednesday 30 June will be held at St James North Cray.
Do join us if you can
Team Zoom Services and Worship material
Saturday 19th June at 5.30 pm Saturday Nightwatch Zoom Service
A reflective service at the end of the week
Sunday 20thJune at 10.00 am Sunday Zoom Service
A Service of bible readings and prayer. Invitations to the above Zoom services are being emailed. If you haven’t received the link, or are having problems, please contact any member of the Team Clergy. Dial in option is available.
Bexley Team Children’s Church
The next Bexley Team Children’s Church will be sent out for Sunday 4th July. For other great resources and ideas please visit Diocese of Rochester | Family Worship in the Home (anglican.org)
Bible Readings Job 38 v1-11 2 Corinthians 6 v1 – 13 Mark4 v35-41
The Collect: Almighty God, you have broken the tyranny of sin and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts whereby we call you Father: give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service, that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God; 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.
The Additional Collect: God our Saviour, look on this wounded world in pity andin power; and help us to hold fast to your promises of peace won for us by your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Rev’d Mattwrites-
Mark 4:37 - “A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.”
Each summer throughout my childhood I would spend a few weeks in a small fishing village on the west coast of Ireland. If you were to ask me what heaven might look like it’s often there that I picture. Stunning sandy beaches, dark green pine forests, imposing limestone mountains. It was and still is very much my happy place. Summers in Ireland were always good fun. Even for the 1990’s we were forced to go on somewhat of a technological detox. There were no TV’s or games consoles, so most days were spent kicking a football around, reading and exploring the miles of golden beaches; looking for intricately designed shells and trying to avoid the hundreds of Atlantic jellyfish that would wash up on the shores each year.
One particular beach trip I remember vividly, although not necessarily for the right reasons. It’s commonly said of summers in Ireland that it’s very possible to experience all four seasons in one day. Glorious sunshine is replaced by hail and gales without much warning. And so it was on this exceptional day. We were about 2 miles out along the beach; a surprisingly warm August sun was shining down and, as our bodies turned towards home and minds turned towards what we were going to have for lunch, the most enormous and formidable black clouds hung above our heads. There was no way we were getting back without getting weather beaten. But perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad….
Indeed, the rain wasn’t too bad. It was the wind that was the worst. As the storm approached the gusts of wind whipped the tiny grains of sand across our legs, arms and faces, sticking into us like miniature needles all over our bodies. We were prepared for bad weather and it certainly wasn’t the first time we’d been caught out by an ‘Irish Summer’, but this was something altogether more challenging.
At the risk of making every reflection about our current circumstances, I think it’s fair to say that the past 15 months have taught us that life can take an unexpected turn without much warning. One minute you’re strolling along a sandy beach looking for the most beautiful shells, and the next you’re being whipped in the face by an unexpected storm. One minute you’re on a boat with Jesus, sailing across the sea like you’ve done a thousand times before, and the next you come up against a storm which would make even the most experienced sailors cry out for help.
Without Jesus’s ability to be able to control the weather (which would be really handy for dodging the showers on the school run by the way!) I guess the best we can do is face the storms with as much courage as we can muster. We can (and should) take precautions, like raincoats and wellies, strong boats and vaccinations, but inevitably the storms will pass. The sun will shine once more and we’ll look around to see that Jesus was with us the entire time.
The next day we headed back out onto the beach and we found a huge collection of stones and shells. And it didn’t rain this time (well, not much anyway.) Enjoy today, whatever the weather, and don’t let the storm stop you from looking for those beautiful shells, for they are what makes life just that little bit more beautiful.
Zoom Services within the Bexley Team
Nightwatch- this service will continue to be at 5.30pm weekly. The service on Saturday 3rd July will not take place- Rochester Cathedral will be live streaming a farewell service for Bishop James at 3pm that afternoon, and we warmly encourage you to engage with that
Sunday Zoom service- no service on the 27thJune (due to lack of availability of leaders.) From Sunday 4thJuly the Sunday Zoom service will be at 9.00 am. This will allow a regular pattern of Zoom worship for those that want it, whilst also allowing the clergy team to lead in person services on a Sunday morning.
The live streamed Holy Communion services from St John's will continue to be available each week on Friday mornings (and still available on a Sunday too).
Holy Hush – We are a small group who meet together on the first Tuesday of the month in one of our homes for a short informal meeting based on (but not) a Julian Group meeting. The ‘leader’ opens with a reading/ poem/ thought; then we have half an hour of silence; and end with a short prayer followed by a cup of tea and chat. It is a pleasant/restful/inspiring break among friends and we would love you to join us. Next meeting Tuesday 6thJuly at 2.00 pm, venue to be announced. Details from Liz Montague (07740099461) or lizmontague@hotmail.co.uk (Liz is a member of the St. Barnabas congregation)
The Bells of St Mary’s. It has been great to hear the bells being rung recently. The Crayford ringers are kindly sharing their band with St. Mary’s for the time being so four of them will ring for the main morning service at St. Paulinus and the other four will come and ring here. We are grateful to Rupert Cheeseman (who tolls for funerals) for making the arrangements. The peal board which was left outside St Mary’s recently referred to some important ringing at St Mary’s, Woolwich and is being returned to the ringers in that part of the Lewisham District of the Kent County Association of Change Ringers. Clive received the following comment from a passer-by immediately after last Sunday’s service- ‘Lovely to hear the bells being rung- thank you’.
Archdeaconry Representative on the council of Friends of Rochester Cathedral. The Cathedral is looking for someone to take on this voluntary role – for a term of three years (about five meetings a year).Speak to Ren if you would like to find out more.
thirtyone:eight are seeking a Disclosure Service Advisor. More at https://thirtyoneeight.org/about-us/jobs/
Bexley Interfaith Forum: The next meeting of the Bexley Interfaith Forum will be held on Zoom on Tuesday 27th July at 7.30pm. The Speaker will be the Anglican Bishop of Tonbridge, the Rt Rev’d Simon Burton-Jones on the subject of Challenges facing Religious Communities following the lockdown and the Covid pandemic.ZoomLogin: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83092088701?pwd=VitFNEkwaGowM3oyYW9qbkZ4MklyUT09
Meeting ID: 830 9208 8701 Passcode: 407069. A further meeting is being planned for 7.30pm on Wednesday October 20th on the topic of Mental Health.
Pilgrimage: Clive will be leading a holiday to Austria and Oberammergau including the Passion Play 22-29 June 2022. If you would like to consider joining the group printed and e-copies of the holiday/pilgrimage brochure are available- please let Clive know.
FINANCIAL GIVING TO THE TEAM CHURCHES
For St Barnabas Any contributions can be dropped off at the Treasurer’s house or at the Vicarage. Or you can give by BACS transfer. In all cases, if you are a taxpayer please “Gift Aid” your giving. If you have any questions regarding this please contact, David Peters on 01322 529796 or by email davidpeters45@hotmail.co.uk
For St James, North Cray Contributions can be dropped off at 91 The Grove, or made by BACS transfer, contact Suzy Higgs on 07799072548.Please make cheques payable to St James, North Cray PCC.
For St John's You can give to the continuing upkeep and ministry of St John's via our Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/stjohntheevangelist-bexley
For St Mary’s If you ordinarily make your financial contributions in church but, in the present circumstances, wish to contribute by cheque then please make your cheque payable to St Mary’s Bexley PCC and send it c/o C. Lee 11 Holmesdale Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4TJ. Your continued support is very much appreciated.
Each week the musicians at St James North Cray offer links to a selection of songs and music for us to enjoy. These can be found on our website www.stjamesnorthcray.org.uk/welcome/music/
St John’s Sermons are posted each Sunday at fatheredwardbarlow.wordpress.comSocial Media - engage with us via Facebook (/stjohnsbexley), Twitter (@stjohnsbexley) and Instagram (@stjohnsbexley)
THE BEXLEY TEAM CLERGY
Team Rector: Rev’d Ren Harding renharding@hotmail.co.uk 01322 528923 07836644782
Associate Priest: Rev’d Sue Twynam susantwynam@btconnect.com 01322 559501 07952 468127
Team Vicar: Rev’d Edward Barlow fr.edwardbarlow@gmail.com 01322 521786
Team Vicar: Rev’d Clive Wood revclivewood@gmail.com 01322 270942 07982 392809
Team Curate: Rev’d Matt Hodder matthodder10@gmail.com 07889873125
There are no printed hymns for our Sunday 10.00 am Zoom Service this week
Here are the words for this week’s Saturday Zoom Nightwatch hymns
As we are gathered Jesus is here,
one with each other, Jesus is here,
Joined by the spirit, washed in His blood,
part of the Body, the Church of God.
As we are Gathered Jesus is here,
one with each other, Jesus is here.
Safe in the shadow of the Lord
Beneath His hand and power,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
My fortress and my tower.
My hope is set on God alone,
Though Satan spreads his snare,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
To keep me in his care.
From fears and phantoms of the night,
From foes about my way
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
By darkness as by day.
His holy angels keep my feet,
Secure from every stone,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
And unafraid go on.
Strong in Everlasting Name,
And in my Father’s care,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
Who hears and answers prayer.
Safe in the shadow of the Lord,
Possessed by love divine,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
And I meet His love with mine.