Scripture:Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ (Matthew 17 1-5)Reflection: Have you ever been in a situation where you felt unsure of what to do or what to say and find yourself covering up for your awkwardness with an outburst of words or activity? I imagine that this is how the disciples felt when they witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration and the appearance of Moses and Elijah. It is hardly surprising that they were utterly bewildered and, to fill the silence, they dash about wanting to build shelters. God then steps in and interrupts their busyness by proclaiming that ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased.’ Words of love and affection, and a reminder that the most important thing about Jesus’ ministry was not all the activity but the relationship with his father. It is perhaps the greatest gift yet the hardest to receive - to know that you are a beloved child of God, to feel at the core of your being that this is what gives you value, over and above all your busyness, achievements and successes. ‘Be still and know that I am God’ Lyn Hayes ALM
This Lent we are looking to grow in our understanding of the ‘Liturgy’, the pattern of our worship offered day by day and week by week ‘in His service’. Many of us are so familiar with the words of our church services that we are in danger of reciting them without really thinking much about what we are hearing and saying. Others, newcomers to church, may find parts of the service quite hard to understand. ‘Liturgy’ actually means ‘the work of the people’. Not a spectator event, but something in which we all play our part. In our Lent course we shall be looking at the service of The Eucharist (Holy Communion, The Lord’s Supper), hoping and expecting to discover in the familiar (or unfamiliar) words and actions new springs of meaning and inspiration. As we share our understanding, our thoughts and experiences, we look to grow in His service. We meet in in the Mission Church, Back Road, Sandhurst TN18 5JUat 7.30 pm on Wednesdays March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. We look forward to seeing you there. Revd Rosemary
Collect (Special Prayer) for this week:Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works, and your likeness in all your children, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord ...Reflection:One of my favourite hymns is a song of thankfulness for God’s love in Creation, seen both in nature and in human relations. ‘For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies... Father, unto thee we raise this our thankful hymn of praise.’We see all around us the beauty of the earth, but is quite a challenge to recognise God’s ‘likeness’ in all the people we meet, not only those we happen to like, but everybody.In some wonderful people the likeness of God shines through; in others God’s likeness is hard to find. But in the knowledge that we are all created by him, and are dear and precious to him, let us ask for grace and humility to recognise something of him in everyone we meet.Starting today!Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
