1st August 2021 Trinity 9 All Saints Church, Childwall
READ: John 6. 24-35 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
REFLECT: Following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus moves out of the immediate scene, prompting some of the crowd to search for him. They find Jesus on the other side of the lake and are clearly keen for another encounter with the man who provided a miraculous picnic. They were not perhaps prepared for the way Jesus responds to them. Suggesting that they had only looked for him because he gave them food, he opens an intriguing discussion about bread, comparing this everyday necessity to himself as the source of all life and that their work is to believe in him who sustains all things. In today’s reading, Jesus uses bread as a metaphor for everything we need. Jesus wants us to survive, but he also wants us to thrive. He wants us to experience ‘fullness’. Why make do with fast food that leaves you empty, when you have access to your own personal nutritionist? An expert, who knows everything you really need to satisfy all your cravings. Jesus can feed our bodies and our souls.
In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray for ‘our daily bread’, which I understand to mean neither too much nor too little, but just the right amount of exactly what we need to both survive and thrive. When the Israelites pleaded for God’s help in the wilderness (Exodus 16 1-36), God gave them just enough food for each day and said, in effect, ‘Trust me for tomorrow!” and the Psalmist says (Psalm 78), ‘they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they desired.’ There comes a point where we must take a leap of faith, abandon our independence, and believe. What Jesus is saying here is: simply trust in me, this is the most important thing you can do. If you trust me and obey me, I will satisfy you and provide you with more than you could ever ask for. I wonder what my life would be like if I was able to fully embrace the Jesus diet, stop trying to control everything, ‘let go and let God’. If I was less focused on tomorrow, would I be better able to live life in its fullness today?
RESPOND: How far do our lives reflect a desire to focus on what God gives and wants from us today? How can we relate this to a world that is always planning for tomorrow? Do we trust that God will provide enough tomorrow, so we can share what we have today with others?
PRAY: Jesus, bread of life, help us to trust in your provision for us, to feed on you and draw our strength from you, and help us to be truly blessed by the nourishment you give us. Amen.
Helen Deegan (Curate all Saints’ Childwall)
Church Services
Sunday 8th August – 9.15am – Service of the Word 11am – Service with with Holy Communion
Thursday 29th July – 10.45am BCP Holy Communion
Sunday 15th August – 9.15am – Service with Holy Communion 11am – Service of the Word
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
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
Zoom Sunday Coffee – Every Sunday at 10.45am – Meeting ID:842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaintshttps://us04web.zoom.us/j/8427671496?pwd=K2dMMnlvTHpwTkxDNEV6bDYwQXBDQT09
HERITAGE WEEKEND
All Saints will be open for Heritage Weekend this year on 18th and 19th September. We are looking for stewards to be in Church for two hour sessions on both the Saturday and the Sunday.
Times are as follows:
Saturday: 10.00am – 12.00pm, 12.00pm – 2.00pm, 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Sunday: 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
You don’t need a lot of knowledge of the history of the Church. There will be information available. The job of the stewards is to welcome people into the building and point them in the right direction! It’s a great way to show our community that we are a Church which is more than just a beautiful, historic building – we are a people who are welcoming and friendly.
If you would like to offer your help please contact:
Helen Ford. 07950718759 or h.h.ford@btinternet.com
Please leave your name and indicate if you have a preferred time slot.
Children and Youth over the summer holidays – Save the dates!
9th – 11th August – Youth Serve – Year 6 (from Sept ’21) – Year 13. Join us for a few days of fun, serving, team work and worship. Starting with breakfast at 9am and finishing before lunch with 2 evening socials. Please speak to Gypsey to book on.
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.
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
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, Patricia Horneand Margaret Whitehead and Alan Kirk.
We also pray for the bereaved family and friends of Joyce Gray, Hazel Watson and Shirley Powell.
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
