19th September 2021 Trinity 16 All Saints Church, Childwall
READ: Mark 9:30/37 – “They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
REFLECT: What constitutes greatness in your view? Political or academic or economic or sporting prowess and status? Being recognised and admired, even followed, by others perhaps? Well, it’s clear from today’s reading that Jesus conceived greatness as something quite different!
The backdrop to this passage is that Jesus has recently returned from time spent on a mountain top with Peter, James and John. Whilst with Jesus they had witnessed an amazing change in his appearance and his encounter with Moses and Elijah. Today’s passage continues with Jesus teaching his disciples about his forthcoming death and resurrection. They didn’t understand and were afraid to ask what Jesus meant and so began to talk amongst themselves, ending up arguing about which of them was the greatest. This may well have been fuelled by jealousy because Jesus had only invited Peter, James and John to go with him up the mountain! Were Peter, James and John boasting and trying to ‘lord it’ over the others?
When Jesus asks what they were arguing about, they are silent, but Jesus already knows and so he begins to teach them about what it means to be ‘great’ in the Kingdom of God. To help them understand, Jesus uses a visual aid, a young child, whom he picks up as he tells his disciples, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me ………” Why does Jesus use a child as a visual aid to emphasise His point about greatness? It wasn’t because children are nice and cuddly. In Jesus time a child was a non-entity without status. A child was powerless. A child was weak and totally dependent.
Jesus is telling the disciples that real greatness consists not in ‘mountain top’ experiences, but in the service, not just of each other, but of the weak, despised, lowly, and powerless. When Jesus says ‘“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” was he suggesting that the disciples should actually desire greatness and status and pursue it through service? I don’t think so. Surely Jesus was nottelling His disciples to actively seek greatness, but that true greatness [of spirit/heart/character] is revealed by/through the service of the weak/powerless. Jesus is saying that the desire/willingness to serve others, is the sign of true greatness and is the natural result, the fruit of God at work in our lives [e.g. Mother Theresa]. According to Jesus, Service is not the stepping stone to greatness, it is greatness.
RESPOND: In what ways do you or have you served others? What is/was your motive for doing so?
Have you ever been jealous of someone else’s role/ministry/apparently privileged position?
Consider in what way[s] you might serve others within/beyond your circle of family, friends, neighbours.
Are there opportunities to serve through one of All Saints various ministries?
PRAY: Almighty God, you have taught us that love is the fulfilling of the law: grant that we may love you with our whole heart and our neighbours as ourselves; demonstrating that love in joyful service. Amen
Rev Bill Forster (Associate Minster at All Saints, Childwall)
Church Services
Sunday 19th September– 9.15am – Service of the Word 11am – Service with Holy Communion
4pm – Short service of Celebration to mark the end of the Heritage weekend.
Thursday 23rd September – 10.45am BCP Holy Communion
Sunday 26th September – 9.15am – Service with Holy Communion 11am – Service of the Word with Baptism 6pm – Evening Service (in the Church Hall)
Zoom Sunday Coffee – Every Sunday at 10.45am – Meeting ID:842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaintshttps://us04web.zoom.us/j/8427671496?pwd=K2dMMnlvTHpwTkxDNEV6bDYwQXBDQT09
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 Service – This week only our evening service is in the church at 4pm to mark the end of the Heritage weekend. From next week Sunday 26th September we will be holding our evening service in our Church Hall at 6pm.
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
VESTRY HOUR is back – every Tuesday in Church
If you would like to book a Baptism or a Wedding or speak to us about anything else, please come to Vestry Hour which is held in the church on Tuesday evenings between 7pm and 8pm, no appointment is necessary. Please use the small door to the left of the building for access – there is a path from the white gates nearest the Abbey pub. You do not need to knock; just come in, take a seat and you will be seen privately in turn.
School Forms
If you need a school form completing we will be doing this by appointments like we did last year.
Further details about days and times for appointments will be advertised soon.
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 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 Horne, Margaret Whitehead, Alan Kirk and Louise Kenny.
We also pray for the bereaved family and friends of Gladys Lucass and Alma Canavan.
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
