20th June 2021 Trinity 3
All Saints Church, Childwall
READ: Mark ch4 v35-41 Jesus Calms the Storm
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
REFLECT:
On this occasion we have Jesus moving away from the crowd not towards them. It was the evening and Jesus had been teaching all day, and was no doubt very tired. He asks the disciples to take him to the other side of the lake by boat so that he could leave the crowd behind. This was a deliberate decision so that Jesus could get some rest. In fact, once he is on the boat going across the lake Jesus falls asleep in the stern of the boat with his head on a cushion. He is sound asleep when the weather changes and a storm hits.
The disciples are seasoned fisherman and will have been out on the lake on numerous occasions in terrible weather. On this occasion though they fear for their lives as the boat is nearly swamped by the waves. Jesus is either exhausted, a heavy sleeper or both because the storm doesn’t wake him up. In fact it is the disciples that wake him up because they are so scared. Imagine the scene, the boat is out in the middle of the lake being tossed about by the waves. Jesus having been woken stands up and commands the wind and waves to be still! Immediately the storm dies down and the lake becomes completely calm.
I love this story because it blows everything Peter knows about God, the universe and Jesus right out of the water. He knows, from a lifetime of fishing, that people do not control the weather. In this moment of calm Peter and all the disciples experience something that they have never seen. They say to each other “Who is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” The disciples weather-induced terror is replaced with Jesus-induced awe.
Jesus doesn’t give the disciples reassurance that they are now safe but instead challenges them by asking them the question; “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The point that I believe he is making is that they don’t need to be fearful because he is with them in the midst of the storm!
RESPOND:
We know that Jesus promises us that he will never leave us or give up on us. Often though we can let the storms of life overwhelm us and forget that Jesus is with us in the middle of the ‘storm’ that we are facing.
What ‘storms’ or ‘struggles’ are you facing at the moment? Remember that Jesus is with you, close to you in all that you are going through. It is natural to cry out in fear, the disciples did to Jesus. Be reassured that Jesus knows your fears and says to you, “I am with you, have faith!”
PRAY: Lord Jesus, In the storms and struggles of my life help me to never forget that you are with me.
Help me to trust you and put my faith in you. Amen.
Rev Andrew Colmer (Vicar of All Saints, Childwall)
Church Services
Sunday 20th June – 9.15am Service of the Word 11am – Service with Holy Communion
Thursday 24th June – 10.45am BCP Holy Communion
Social distancing measures will be in place and masks will still have to be worn.
Children’s work – Rock Club
If you would like to receive specific information about our Children’s and Youth work please email Gypsey, our Youth and children’s worker directly, who will add your email to her master list for youth and children. gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com Unfortunately, we are still currently not able to re-open our Crèche.
Online Church Services – We are continuing to record our Sunday morning service in church. 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
Morning Prayer– Monday and Friday at 8:00am – 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
Pastoral visiting – If you would value a visit or know anyone who would please let Helen or me know, our phone numbers and emails are below.
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
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8802380315?pwd=cGxQTnQ0QVRjU1gyUnBrYnJMMzZldz09
Please note new joining ID. Meeting ID: 880 238 0315 Passcode: yt76bq
Former Curate Becca helping people in low-income countries to access the Covid-19 vaccine.
Becca Rogers was a former Curate at All Saints who many of you will know. She has set up a crowd funding site to try and raise 2K to assist with helping poorer countries pay for Covid vaccines. She has already raised nearly 28K to date, which is quite an achievement!
Becca says “The inequality in our world is desperate, but there are things we can do”
If you would like to know more and read what Becca has said please use the link below.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/donatethecostofyourvaccine
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), David Miller, Shirley Powell, Patricia Horne and Hazel Watson.
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
NEW… All Saints’ book and documentary study group. Be inspired by testimonies of lives transformed. Please contact Gary Vyse, gary_vyse@hotmail.com, to register your interest.
Liverpool Youth for Christ summer fundraiser taking place on 17thJuly
We believe in young people and believe in those who work with them. We work across schools, churches and events to reach young people with good news, hope and the message of a God who loves them. We’re about seeing young people’s lives changed by Jesus. Will you join us?
We can only do what we do with the generous giving of individuals and churches. We’d love you to consider partnering with us in this way. We are truly grateful for your churches support and encouragement over the years. Thank you! Kate Yates Centre DirectorThe team are taking on a HALF MARATHON!! Kate will be running and Lydia will be walking (plus an extra mile or so!) The route will be for the main part along the Leeds-Liverpool canal in to town. The runners will be heading off from Emmanuel church, Fazakerley and the walkers from Maricourt High School, Maghull ending in town.
10% of the total raised will be given to the amazing Safe Families – a charity in the North West doing wonderful things.
Friends of Liverpool Youth for Christ are joining in and there’s still plenty of time to get involved. You can join us along the route to cheer us on, come along for a stretch of the distance either running or walking or take on the whole half marathon challenge!
If you’d like to get involved running or walking or cheering us on along the route then contact team@liverpool.yfc.co.uk<mailto:team@liverpool.yfc.co.uk> If you’d like to sponsor the team then head to liverpool.yfc.co.uk/miles<http://liverpool.yfc.co.uk/miles>
