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The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
A vibrant inclusive worshipping community
Sunday 29th August 2021
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Welcome to Rev’d Dr Gary Bowness who is presiding and preaching this morning.
Collect
Almighty God,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Readings
Deuteronomy 4.1-2,6-9
So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you. You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!’ For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?
But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 15
Refrain: Through the greatness of your mercy,
I will come into your house.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle?
Who may rest upon your holy hill?
2 Whoever leads an uncorrupt life
and does the thing that is right;
3 Who speaks the truth from the heart
and bears no deceit on the tongue;
4 Who does no evil to a friend
and pours no scorn on a neighbour;
5 In whose sight the wicked are not esteemed,
but who honours those who fear the Lord.
6 Whoever has sworn to a neighbour
and never goes back on that word;
7 Who does not lend money in hope of gain,
nor takes a bribe against the innocent;
8 Whoever does these things
shall never fall.
Through the greatness of your mercy,
I will come into your house.
James 1.17-27
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Alleluia, alleluia. I do not call you servants but friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark (7.1-8, 14, 15, 21-23) Glory to you, O Lord.
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’ He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
“This people honours me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.”
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.’
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.’ For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ
Post Communion:
God our creator,
you feed your children with the true manna,
the living bread from heaven:
let this holy food sustain us through our earthly pilgrimage
until we come to that place
where hunger and thirst are no more;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Prayers
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are sick: Olive Niccolls, Youngblood McCray, Ernie Wilson, Pat Brooks, Ivy Buckley, Stephen Gardner, Ann Gilbride, Thea Harris-Ellis, Thomas Platt, Janet Ball, Dorothy Eidsforth, Ann Boss, Ella Patterson, Barry Pickering
RIP: Michael Goulding, Stephen Taylor, Mary Kerr, Irene Watson
Parish Cycle of Prayer:
Those who live and work in Kershaw Drive and Campbell Drive; those preparing to begin or return to school this week.
Prayer and Worship this week:
Sunday 29th August Thirteenth Sunday of Trinity
8:30am Holy Communion in the Lady Chapel
10.30am Parish Eucharist (in church, then uploaded to YouTube*)
6 pm Evening Prayer in the Lady Chapel
Wednesday
11 am Moorside Hall service
5:30 pm Meditation, followed by
6 pm Evening Prayer (Storey Chapel)
Friday 9:30 am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
Saturday 9pm: Compline (YouTube*)
Sunday 5th September Thirteenth Sunday of Trinity
8:30am Holy Communion in the Lady Chapel
10.30am Parish Eucharist – Climate Sunday (in church, then uploaded to YouTube*)
6 pm Taizé Eucharist in the Lady Chapel
*The Christ Church YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPoAvGj4K9085RV8zo0ZS9Q
Zoom Prayer
Tuesday 31st August is the next meeting of Prayer4 – 30 minutes of prayer, at 4pm every fortnight. There’ll be a short Bible reading, some music, some stillness, and space to pray for the people and places on your heart – all from the comfort of your own sofa. Zoom details: https://zoom.us/j/8069459310?pwd=TlV6QUQ5UVdiK0p1M0Q0cE0vRXIvUT09 Meeting ID: 806 945 9310 Password: ChristChch. Dial in: 0208 080 6591 Meeting ID: 806 945 9310 Password: 310771 (Any queries see Rev Carol)
Next Sunday 5th September (1) Climate Sunday
There will be a special 10:30 Eucharist for Climate Sunday, with guest preacher, Rev’d Dr John Rodwell, Diocesan Eco-Adviser, and a newly composed piece by Marlene Phillips, with words written by Joyce Lynch, and performed by the Choir.
Next Sunday (2) Living in Love and Faith – a process of discernment
We are continuing to join in the national time of discernment, Living in Love and Faith. This encourages us to listen to a rich breadth of stories and experiences of relationships and faith, and to reflect on what Scripture and the Holy Spirit are saying to us about what that means for the future. Across the Church of England groups are sharing in these five sessions, as part of a national discernment of how the church will teach about relationships in future, and what prayer and blessing for couples will look like in years to come. All are welcome to join in the in-person sessions in the hall starting from 5th September after the 10:30 Eucharists – we want your voice to feed into this exercise on these issues, which we pray will affect how the Church moves forward together in love and faith. Let us know if there are other times that would suit those for whom after the 10:30 isn’t convenient. There will also be cross-Deanery courses starting in the autumn.
Next Sunday (3) – Taizé Eucharist at 6 pm
The monthly Taizé Eucharist resumes on Sunday 5th September at 6pm. All welcome for a reflective service of prayers, song and stillness. If you’d like to join the music group for this, there will be a rehearsal from 4.30pm that afternoon – please contact Julian Davies or Rev’d Carol for more info.
Next Sunday (4) – Recycling Sunday
Don’t forget to bring along your clean, empty plastic bottle tops, crisp packets, blister packs, toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes/toothbrush heads so that they can be taken for recycling on Sunday 5th September.
Children’s Church
Children’s Church is taking its summer break and will restart on Sunday 5th September 2021 – looking forward to seeing you then!
Giggle (or Groan) of the week – suggestions welcome!
Q. Why can’t you ever tell a joke around glass?
A. It could crack up.
PCC
If there are things which you’d like PCC to discuss on September 22nd – if there are things which concern you, or you’d like to see the church do, please speak to Rev’d Carol, Julie Buckley, or one of the PCC members.
Meeting up
I’m able to meet more people in the parish again, and to get to know folks. If you’d like to go for a walk, or arrange a garden visit – it would be lovely to meet and chat, please let me know when’s convenient! Rev’d Carol.
Save the Date!
Steven Moore, percussionist, will be giving a concert of Preludes and Encores at Christ Church on Wednesday 8th September at 7.30pm. The concert will be on a ‘pay what you can’ basis – with funds raised being split with the church. Music will include pieces by Bach, Piazzolla, Sejourne and others.
Save the Date (2)!
Sunday 12th September at 3pm – Songs of Praise Service – all the hymns and worship songs you’ve wanted to sing for the last 16 months! There’s a request sheet at the back of church.
Save the date (3)!
As part of preparations for COP26, Christians are walking a Climate Camino – a pilgrimage for Climate Justice from London to Glasgow. On Saturday 25th September from 11am, there will be a 7.5 mile Christ Church Camino – praying around our parish for issues of climate change and justice – all welcome for all or part of the walk.
Pray and fast for the climate
Please join in praying for climate justice and climate action ahead of CoP26 in Glasgow in November. A global movement of Christians is praying and fasting on the first Sunday of each month for climate justice. As well as theChrist Church Camino, we hope to hold a vigil here sometime in October, ahead of the Glasgow summit. You can find out more at https://prayandfastfortheclimate.org.uk
Christians Aware …
Is a magazine covering topics such as international development, ecology and climate care, and social justice. Clive Shaw has left several copies at the back of church – do borrow them! Or better yet, join the national charity, Christians Aware, and get your own copy free www.christiansaware.co.uk. ‘We work for a world of justice and peace, where all people can work together as community across cultures and faiths.’
Garden Party – a huge thank you
… to everyone who helped with last weekend’s Garden Party, whether you made, played, served, sold, bought, ran games, put up and dismantled gazebos, or came along and joined in. Not only did we have a wonderful community event, despite the weather, we also raised over £1,000 for church funds!
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PLEAS OF THE WEEK
Heritage Open Weekend – Help Needed
Can you spare an hour (or more) on the 11th, 12th, 18th or 19th September, between 10am and 4pm to be in church to welcome visitors? We’re taking part in the national Heritage Open Weekend, as it’s a lovely opportunity to welcome guests who may never have seen the church before, and show off the beautiful building and stained glass. More details from Rev’d Carol.
The Olive Branch Foodbank – extra donations, please
During the school holidays, the Olive Branch is in need of extra donations to help them support families facing holiday hunger. They’re in particular need of tinned fruit and puddings, tinned meat and fish, rice, cereal, spaghetti, jam, kit kats and penguins (the biscuit ones!)
Or you can give money for them to buy what is needed: https://www.the-olivebranch.org.uk/donate/
Co-op soft plastics recycling
Co-op stores now recycle soft plastics (in particular, bread bags, crisp packets, pasta bags, fruit & veg wrappers, pizza wrappers).
Supporting Christ Church
If you would like to support Christ Church’s work and worship regularly, or you already do – please consider giving by Direct Debit. Christ Church is now taking part in the Parish Giving Scheme, which allows us to offer direct debit as an option. This national Scheme takes a lot of hassle out of claiming gift aid, and ensures that any donation is covered by guarantees. It also allows you to easily review how much you give depending on circumstances. There are no costs or overheads to the parish. For more information, the QR code takes you to our page on the scheme:
Online at www.parishgiving.org.uk
By telephone 0333 002 1271 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm
Postal forms available on request.
For any of these methods our PGS code 030603240 ensures that your gift goes to our church.
Church Repair Fund
We recently launched our Church Repair Fund to help keep our buildings in good condition so that they can continue to be used for ministry and outreach in the years to come. There are several big projects on the Porch, East Wall, and Hall, which are in need of urgent work. If you’d like more details about what is going on, please pick up a leaflet – and if you are able to make a donation there are envelopes available. If you’re able to give of your time and talents to plan or help with some fundraising events – please keep an eye on the notices for more details!
You can also contribute online via the Give a Little website: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/1c7889a9-7ef8-4730-a84a-2d434726c909
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Eco-Group, 31st August
The Eco-Group meets on Tuesday 31st August at 7pm via Zoom – all welcome. Please contact Joyce Lynch for login details.
Christ Church Creatives monthly sessions
If you’re interested in being creative, crafting, or learning a new skill, come along to the Hall on the second Tuesday of each month for an hour, starting Tuesday 14th September at 11:30 am. Bring an item you are working on, or would like to start – sewing, knitting, crochet, felting, paper crafts etc. We will share ideas. . . Contact Marion Cowan for further details.
Prayers & our Newsletter
If you, or someone you know would like to receive this newsletter, either electronically or a paper version – do let Jacqueline/Rev Carol know and we will endeavour to keep in contact with people.
We will be praying daily for all who are suffering in the current crisis. If you would like us to pray for you, or for someone you know, for any reason, please email your request to prayer@christchurchlancaster.org.uk or text the Prayer Chain on 07980 351855. Please ask the person’s permission if you’d like them included in the weekly notices.
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Thought for the week
I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it. John Wesley
Eco-Group Prayer for the Week
Australia has experienced stark contrasts in weather conditions including horrendous bush fires, prolonged periods of drought, heavy rain, floods and thunderstorms which completely destroyed the famous Byron Bay beach. The Prime Minister faces pressure from G7 partners over the government’s unambitious targets and the country’s status as a major fossil fuel producer and exporter. Pray that this significant power recognises the impact of its considerable carbon emissions on its own population, unique wildlife, and the rest of the planet.
COVID-19 – latest update from Rev’d Carol
Now that regulations on Covid precautions have changed, much advice has been issued by the government, national church and local health authorities, with each Vicar being responsible for plans and arrangements in each church building. After discussion at PCC on Wednesday 21st July, Christ Church asks that everyone continues to:
- Wear a face covering within the building, unless medically exempt
- Keep a safe distance – with some pews remaining closed to help this
- Use the Track and Trace code, or the paper sign-in sheet for each service
- Use hand gel on arriving in the building, and before receiving communion
In addition:
- – At the 1030 service, communion will now be received from the rail; please kneel or stand to receive. Afterwards, please return to your seat via the Lady Chapel – The common cup (chalice) may be shared *if desired*. If you wish to receive, please remain at the rail after receiving the bread. The person administering will wear a face covering, and please *do not* touch the chalice with your hands, and *do not* intinct your wafer (dip it into the wine). The chalice will be wiped with an alcohol sanitiser between use.
- Congregational singing will restart at the Sunday 10:30 Eucharist, with other services remaining said.
- The 10:30 Service will continue to be recorded for those who wish to watch and worship at home.
- Face-to-face gatherings can resume, outdoors where possible and with ventilation/face coverings in situ where not.
As a church community, we are called to act for the benefit of all, and especially the most vulnerable. We wish our church community to be safe, accepting and welcoming for all, regardless of health, or vaccine-status. Although regulations have lifted, I strongly encourage everyone to continue to take precautions and continue the good habits we have got into in recent months.
All of us will feel differently about the lifting of regulations – some ecstatic, some anxious. I’m more than happy to listen and hear your own views on this, and talk through what will help you feel safe and continue to be part of the church in coming weeks. There is a range of quieter and busier services at Christ Church so you may also wish to consider something different to your usual pattern. Please be mindful that some may not be as ready to be as close-up as others, and that is absolutely fine, so please don’t be afraid to say, ‘Please may I have space?’ if you need it, knowing that no questions will be asked.
Key contacts:
Vicar: Revd Carol Backhouse 942105 revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com
1 East Road, Lancaster, LA1 3EE
Lay Reader: Dr Pat Allen 39552 reader@christchurchlancaster.org.uk.
Churchwarden: Ms Jacqueline Stamper 64083 churchwarden@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Ms Jane Lippitt 07930 979503 safeguarding@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Children, Youth & Families Coordinator: Mrs Julie Tinnion 07749 489623 children@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Nightshelter Co-ordinator: Ms Jan Norbury 07547 717 060 coordinator.nightshelter@gmail.com
Hall Bookings: hallchristchurch@btinternet.com 07890 351855
Christ Church School Ms Emma Simpson 60955