5th July 2020 All Saints Church, Childwall
Read: Matthew 11:16/19, 25/30
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”……………………………. At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
REFLECT: Matthew 11:28/30 is one of the first passages of the Bible to really speak to me when I was searching for a deeper reality of God and faith. It is a passage which has brought comfort to me and many of you too, I am sure. Having said that, when read in the wider context of Matthew’s Gospel, it has much greater significance than that of simply bringing comfort to us in times of trouble. In its wider context Jesus is accusing His opponents of spiritual blindness. It seems that He [and John the Baptist] could do nothing right in the eyes of the religious establishment. Everything Jesus did [His lifestyle, healings and miracles] or said [His teaching and preaching] was apparently wrong in the eyes of the Scribes, Pharisees and Priests. Jesus tells them that they are being childish when they really need to be demonstrating wisdom. In a world hungry for spiritual reality, the ‘ordinary’ Jewish man/woman and the many Gentiles, seeking after a deeper knowledge of and relationship with God, were confused. Were the religious Leaders right about God and the way to reach/please Him or was this man Jesus right about God? Was God a distant, strict Creator for whom correct religious rules/rituals were of paramount importance, or was He a loving, understanding Father who longed for a mutual, loving relationship with His people? It is within this wider context that Jesus claims an intimate knowledge of and relationship with God whom He calls His Father. ‘Come to me …’ says Jesus, if you are fed up with empty religion and ‘I will give you rest.’ ‘Come to me …’ says Jesus, if you are burdened with guilt and weary of endless ritual and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’
When Jesus says, ‘Take my yoke upon you…’ He offers us the image of a pair of oxen harnessed together and working in partnership. He is the lead oxen guiding our steps and sharing the load. It’s a lovely image and one which I have found helpful more than once!
RESPOND: What does your ‘picture of God’ look like? Is God distant and demanding? Someone to be feared and placated? Is God your loving Heavenly Father? Someone to love, worship, serve and willingly obey? What answer does today’s passage give to those questions? Does your ‘picture’ need to change in the light of it?
How are you feeling today? Weary? Burdened? Fed up? Sad? Lonely? Worried? Tell the Lord exactly how you are feeling and ask for His help in carrying your particular burden[s]. Thank Him that He walks alongside you and ask for the willingness to keep in step with Him.
PRAY: Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing yourself, uniquely, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to willingly yoke myself to Jesus and to seek always to keep in step with Him.
Collect for today – Gracious Father, by the obedience of Jesus you brought salvation to our wayward world: draw us into harmony with your will that we may find all things restored in Him, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Rev Bill Forster (Associate Minster at All Saints, Childwall)
Dear Friends,
Services in Church – thank you so much to those of you that have offered to be on duty when we reopen our church building. We will need a number of teams and therefore still need some more people to offer. If you would be happy to volunteer please read the information below to see what is needed.
In order for us to open the church for services we need to have a team of 6 people on duty every time to make it possible. If you are under 70 years old and have no health issues and are willing to be part of a team it would be great to have you. The following areas will need people on duty:
- Outside by handrail down from the Lychgate – to welcome and clean handrail regularly.
- Inside porch to welcome and clean both small handrails into the porch regularly.
- At back of church to welcome and ensure that every person gels their hands.
- At back of church to welcome and ensure that every person signs in and leaves contact details.
- At back of church to direct people to the front pews first of the main aisle
- By stairs to the organ loft to direct people down the far aisles
In light of the government announcement allowing churches to reopen for services the Area Dean’s are being briefed by the Bishop’s on Wednesday 8th July and all of us as Deanery clergy are attending a Zoom Chapter meeting on Thursday 9th July to be briefed and discuss reopening of church buildings further.
I am therefore holding a joint Staff, PCC and Readers Meeting on Thursday 9th July at 8pm.
In particular we will be looking at the following:
1. The risk assessment that has been completed for the possible reopening of our church building.
2. The following key questions will be discussed in relation to reopening:
– Is it safe to reopen our church building for services and do we open? If so, how and when do we reopen?
– What should our priorities be? (we currently have 10 baptisms that have not been able to take place)
Please pray for this meeting and for real wisdom at this time that we may have a clear sense of the right timing going forward for when and how we should open our church building.
When we do open we will have to use every alternate pew, have a one-way system and everyone attending will have to sign in with contact details. Unfortunately, our creche room will not be open and the pew bags will not be available. As soon as we are opening the church building again for services I will tell you through our regular weekly communications.
Weekly Prayer requests – If you would like other members of our church family to be able to pray for you or for another member of your family, please let me know and I will put names on this sheet each week. Please ask permission from the person whose name will appear.
Please pray this week for those that are unwell: We pray particularly for Marie Owens at this time.
Please pray for the bereaved family and friends of Betty Jones.
Zoom coffee – After our Online Service each Sunday please join us for Zoom coffee at 10.15am for 40 mins – remember to bring your own coffee! Details for Zoom coffee are as follows:
Zoom Coffee – every Sunday at 10.15am Meeting ID: 842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaints
Weekly Giving Envelopes – If you want to give by envelope and are restricted in leaving the house, please contact Alison Kefford on 07748 334122 and she will arrange with you to collect them safely.
Please can I encourage you to continue to pause every day at 12noon to pray for our nation and our community. As we pray let us be encouraged that we are not alone we are praying as the church, the people of God not in our church building, but in our homes and in the community.
Daily Hope – Is a free national phone-line aimed at the over 75’s who don’t have internet access. The line will be available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044. Callers will be able to choose from Prayer during the Day and Night Prayer, from Common Worship, and the Church of England’s weekly national online service.
With my prayers for you all at this time – Andrew Colmer – Vicar – Tel: 07305 842257
