8th November 2020 All Saints Church, Childwall
READ John Ch 15 v9-17:
9 ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: love each other.
REFLECT:
I am sure you have watched many a film where you have seen the relationship between two characters grow. As you see their relationship getting closer and they fall for each other you can often find yourself wondering who is going to utter the ‘words’ first? What words am I talking about? Well it is only three words but they contain in themselves amazing power and influence. You have guessed what I am going on about by now hopefully, the words I am referring to are ‘I Love You’!
The power that these words contain can be utterly life changing! They are the words that I want to reflect on today. For Jesus himself says to each one of us, to you and to me – “I Love You”. Have you ever stopped to think about what those words mean for you, words spoken by Jesus, the son of God?
Jesus goes on to say that if we keep his commands, we will remain in his love. This implies clearly that our relationship with Jesus can change. If we turn our back on him, don’t talk to him in pray or read his word the Bible, or simply don’t give him time then our relationship will be affected.
We do hear of people who say I have fallen out of love. That can happen with our relationship with Jesus if we don’t respond to him and give our relationship with him time and effort.
Our passage today finishes with Jesus saying to each one of us. “This is my command: Love each other”!
It is one thing to love someone that we have fallen in love with, but to be told to love EVEYONE that is not going to be easy. Jesus knows that, and that is why he reminds us that he loves us as the Father loves him.
The call that he puts on our lives is that we should love others as Jesus first loved us.
RESPOND:
Take some time to think and reflect on the words that Jesus says to you. He says “I Love You”!
How do those words make you feel? Do you sometimes feel like you don’t deserve his love because you feel unworthy and often let him down? Take time today and this week to read the Bible regularly, to pray and take time to be quiet in God’s presence. To allow God to speak to you and remind you how much he loves you.
On a human level we are not deserving of God’s love, he knows that and that is why he sent his one and only Son Jesus to be the World’s Saviour!
PRAY:
Dear God, Thank you that your love was so great that you sent your one and only Son Jesus to be the Saviour of this world. Help me to accept your love for me and help me to love others in return. Keep me close to you every day and help me to follow your commands and share your love with all those that I meet.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Rev Andrew Colmer (Vicar of All Saints Church, Childwall)
Dear Friends,
Church Services
In line with new Government legislation our Church Building is now closed for ALL services until further notice. The only exception that is currently allowed are Funeral services in church with a maximum attendance of 30 people all socially distanced.
Prayer for the Nation
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York and senior church leaders have called a month of Prayer for the Nation during the second lockdown. The suggestion is that as many of us as possible unite to do this at 6pm each day. The prayers and themes are offered as tools to enable all to participate and are intended simply as suggestions. Please see the attached ‘Prayer for the Nation Card’ which has further details and prayers for each day of the week. Please can I encourage you to use this Prayer card daily!
Church Remembrance service online
This week on our website you will be able to join in with our Remembrance service which includes the reading of the Roll of Honour from our parish, the laying of wreaths and our 2 minute silence.
You can access our Church Services online every week on our Church website.
Rock Club Online Now!– Our new youth and children’s worker Gypsey has developed new online activities for Pebbles, Rock Club & Boulders.These can be accessed on our website: https://www.allsaintschildwall.org.uk/online-rock-club/ Thank you Gypsey for all you work on this!
If you would like to be kept informed and receive specific emails detailing our Youth & Children’s Worship please can you let us know by emailing gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Please pray for Gypsey as she plans and develops our online provision for our Children and Young People.
Light party online tonight! – Thanks to Jesus, there is always light to be found in the darkness. Join Gypsey and Helen tonight Saturday 7thNovember at 6:00pm, for a glow in the dark celebration with lots of games and fun. Contact Gypsey gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.comto get your goodie bag. More details are included in the attached flyer.
Poppies for remembrance – Thank you to all of you that made poppies and sent them in, they have been made into a complete wreath which we have used in our Act of Remembrance. Thank you to Helen for organising this and putting the wreath together.
Living in Isolation – C of E website – On the church of England website there are some excellent resources. At this time of increased restrictions affecting who we can be with and where we can go we can feel increasingly isolated. Please can I encourage you to have a look at the Church of England website and their reflection and resources called ‘Living in Isolation’.
This is an extract with the link to the page below. It is easy to say, “You are not alone; God is with you.” It is not easy to live with isolation from the warmth of human company. However, isolation is not really, or only, about how many other people are in the room or house with us. It has more to do with who is in our hearts and minds, and how we may reach beyond the confines of rooms and homes to connect with those we love. https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-action/mental-health-resources/supporting-good-mental-health/day-one-living-isolation
Weekly News – If you are aware of anyone who is not receiving all the weekly news that we are sending out please ask them to send me their email address so I can add them to our master email list.
Pastoral visiting – Current Government guidelines mean that we cannot visit people and go inside their homes or sit out in their gardens for a chat. Any face to face visiting will have to happen from the front gate, and with the colder and wetter weather will need to be brief so people don’t get cold. If you would value a chat or know anyone who would also appreciate a chat please let Helen or me know, our phone numbers and email addresses are at the bottom of this sheet, Thank You.Weekly Prayer requests – If you would like other members of our church family to pray for you or a family member, please send me their names for this sheet, please ask permission from the person.
We pray for all those who are unwell at this time particularly for Alan McClelland.
Tearfund Big Quiz Night – Saturday November 14th at 8pm.
Please will you contact Delia Owen
deliaowen@hotmail.co.uk or text 07747601269 to let her know that you intend to join the Quiz that night. The Quiz will be on Zoom and the login details & password will be sent to you.
A JustGiving page has been set up
for donations to Tearfund. A suggested entry fee of £5 per team. Many thanks Delia Owen
WEEKLY PRAYER MEETING – Weekly prayer meeting Thursday 6.30pm on Zoom. Why not join a group of us at All Saints that pray regularly. It lasts 40 minutes, you can pray, sit and listen or just contemplate.
Zoom Meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79853782379?pwd=NEloclhRVEJST3RFeUdUVEowSWJRUT09
Meeting ID: 798 5378 2379 Password: 7VUQh6 Aidan Holmes
Zoom coffee – Please note change of time to 11.15am for 40 mins – remember to bring your own coffee! Details for Zoom coffee are as follows:
Zoom Coffee – every Sunday at 11.15am Meeting ID: 842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaints
With our prayers for you all at this time
Andrew Colmer – Vicar – Tel: 07305 842257 – vicar.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Helen Deegan – Curate – Tel: 07984 933467 – curate.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Gypsey Tait – Youth & Children’s Worker – Tel: 07961 793435 –gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Bill Forster – Associate Minister – william.forster1@btinternet.com
