9th May 2021
All Saints Church, Childwall
Read: John 15:9-17
9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed 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 commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. 13 The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them. 14 And you are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. 17 This, then, is what I command you: love one another.
REFLECT:
The words “I love you” are incredibly powerful and speak right to our hearts. We know the heartache that can be caused for someone if they do not feel loved. Equally we know what it is like when someone says to us’ “I love you.” Here we have Jesus saying to each one of us “I love you.” Jesus himself has experienced the love of his Father and it is that love that he gives to us. A love that is powerful and strong and has motivated him to obey his Father’s commands.
In v12 Jesus gives the commandment, “love one another as I have loved you.” This is often referred to as the “11th commandment” that we love one another! This commandment gives us a real challenge. As Christians if we abide in Christ then we ought to get along with other believers. Love for other believers is the mark of a disciple. That love though should not be an insular love just for members of All Saints but a love for every believer in the Kingdom of God regardless of denomination or location. How will people know though that they are loved? It is not just about words but about actions as well.
Who are the first people in life that we will always help? It is usually those that we love our family and close friends. It is our actions that make a difference that prove that we love!
Jesus goes on to call His disciples “friends.” His own death on the cross proved his love for them. The challenge for them was that they had to prove their love for Him by loving all his children. God’s love though is not limited, it is not just a love for believers. It is a love for everyone in the world. Therefore we should love others as God first loved us. God says to each one of us GO and bear much fruit, the kind that endures. It is by our fruit that we will be known.
RESPOND:
Are we known as a loving people and a loving church? Have you experienced God’s love for yourself? God says to you today, “I love you.” Spend some time quietly on your own reflecting on these incredible words, and take time to accept and thank God that he loves you!
Are there believers that you find hard to love or maybe struggle to get on with? God calls us to put any differences to one side and to love one another as he has loved us. God calls us to love other people too.
How do you show God’s love to other people? Is your love for others obvious by the fruit that you bear?
PRAY: Loving Father, whose love was so great that you sent your son Jesus to be the Saviour of the world.
Help us to love others as you have first loved us. Help us to remain in your love and to obey your commands. Help us to share your love with all that those that we meet though our words and our actions.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Rev Andrew Colmer (Vicar of All Saints, Childwall)
Dear Friends,
Church Services
We are currently piloting some changes to our Sunday services. These changes will be reviewed monthly and we would appreciate your feedback during this time of transition.
We are changing the time of our earlier service to 9.15am to give us more time but our second service will remain at 11am. We are reintroducing communion which will take place weekly but will alternate between the 9.15am and the 11am service. We will receive only bread in the form of wafers and not the cup and it will be administered to you where you sit. This is in line with current guidance. The preacher at both services will be the same as will the rest of the service except for communion. This decision has been made so that communion can be received weekly on Sundays.
Children’s work – Rock Club
From 16th May we are restarting our children’s work and will be offering provision at both morning services. You will need to book your children on to this and more information on how to do so will come out next week. On Sunday 16th May there will be limited capacity to test how our plans work and then it will expand week on week. The Children’s work will focus on using our outdoor spaces.
Both of our Sunday morning services will continue to be shorter services as we have been doing and children and young people are welcome at either of them.
Unfortunately, we are still currently not able to re-open our Crèche.
Sunday 9th May – 9.15am Service of the Word 11am – Service with Communion
Thursday 13th May – 10.45am BCP Communion Service
Sunday 16th May – 9.15am Service with Communion 11am – Service of the Word
Social distancing measures will be in place and masks will still have to be worn.
Online Church Services – We are continuing to record our Sunday morning service in church weekly. It will be uploaded to our website to be viewed each week soon after 11am. www.allsaintschildwall.org.uk
Zoom Sunday Coffee – Every Sunday at 10.45am – Meeting ID:842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaintshttps://us04web.zoom.us/j/8427671496?pwd=K2dMMnlvTHpwTkxDNEV6bDYwQXBDQT09
Evening Prayer on the Eve of the Ascension. Garry Critchley’s small group are hosting an Evening Prayer on Wednesday 12th May at 7.30pm. This is the eve of the Ascension which is celebrated on Thursday. The Zoom code is: 789 873 7449 and the password is:Newsman1 Please join us, you will be very welcome.
Morning Prayer– Common Worship Morning prayer service with words on screen.
Optional Chat after the service. Meeting ID: 865 694 0214 Passcode: mprayer
Evening Prayer – Every Sunday evening at 6pm led by the Readers. The liturgy and the readings will be on the screen and there will be a short reflection on the New Testament passage which has been set for the day. Please join us. Meeting ID: 789 873 7449 Passcode:Newsman1
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. – Aidan Holmes
Meeting ID: 798 5378 2379 Passcode: 7VUQh6
Baptisms
Over this last year there are 19 Baptisms that have not been able to take place because of Covid restrictions. We are in the process of trying to reschedule these for the families concerned. As a result of this we are not yet in the position to take any new bookings for Baptisms. Hopefully we will be able to take new bookings from July onwards. Currently Vestry hour which normally takes place at 7pm on Tuesday evening is still suspended and will be for the foreseeable future.
Christian Aid Week 2021: 10th to 16th May 2021
The climate crisis hurts us all. But people living in poverty fight the worst of it every day. From drought to flooding, climate change robs people of control over their lives. Extreme weather means people are struggling to survive without a reliable source of water.
Your gift could help a community build an earth dam, so when the rains do come, they will have the water they need to live. A reliable source of water will help families withstand long drought or relentless rainstorms. Every gift can change lives. So how can we give this year?
You can give through the Christian Aid Week Website:
https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week
Or just use the collection boxes at church. Whatever you can afford to give, thank you for your generosity, every donation will make a difference to peoples’ lives. If you would like to get involved with any of the virtual events this Christian Aid week please follow the link:
https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week/virtual-events
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. Please pray for all those who are unwell at this time particularly praying for Nicoli Gray (Carole Turner’s daughter) and David Miller. Please pray for the bereaved family and friends of Eileen Miller.
Pastoral visiting – Any visiting will currently still have to happen from the front gate or in the garden.
If you would value a visit or know anyone who would please let Helen or me know, our phone numbers and emails are below.
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
Adeyinka Olushonde – Ordinand –adeyinka.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Please see the information below on the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ Prayer initiative that is happening from the 13th May-23rd May. This is an opportunity to join in with a Prayer movement that is inviting Christians from around the world to pray at the same time. There are lots of different and varied ways to get involved.
The resource is available in a range of offline and free online formats.DownloadDownload the free app. Available on iOS and Android devices with daily audio services. |
