Please note that there will be no 8am Eucharist on the following Sundays:<br>18th May, 25th May, 1st June and 22nd June.We apologise for any inconvenience.
The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Romans 1: 17 The Christian life is like a school. Paul describes going from grade to grade as going from "Faith to Faith". In the school of faith, the Holy Spirit is the teacher and the Bible the textbook. If we study God's word well and apply ourselves to prayer and witness. By the Saviours grace we can move up through the grades or steps of faith by the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes doors can be closed to us and we remain in the same grade as we need to learn patience and seek God's as he tests and tries us. May we not be workers who are ashamed of the gospel of Christ. We will find him in the pages of his word, in nature and our everyday life. We also need to stay full of his holy spirit. But we all with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror The Glory of the Lord and being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. Just as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinthians 3: 18 I find it awesome and wonderful that we are made in God's own image. What an honour and a privilege that he should make us a little lower than the angels and make us stewards of his earth. What an amazing and wonderful God we have. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thanks be to God for his Love and his salvation through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may we rejoice in him and in our salvation. By June Davis
Lectio Divina is a way of becoming immersed in the Scriptures so they surround you and draw you into the meaning of God’s word. It translates as divine reading. History Origen in the third century believed that the Logos, The Word, was incarnate in Scripture so could live within those who read it and heard it, teaching them in the process. The Christian form of Lectio Divina was first introduced by St Gregory of Nyssa in the fourth century. The Desert Fathers and Mothers began to seek God in the deserts of Palestine and Egypt and began a tradition of constant prayer in monastic settings. Lectio Divina was encouraged by St Benedict of Nursia, the founder of the Benedictine order, in the sixth century, as a way of developing a closer relationship with God by reflecting prayerfully on his words. He inaugurated this particular variant of private scriptural prayer for his monks. The monks would rise in the early hours of the morning and their days were long. The practice worked its way through the monasteries of Western Europe gaining popularity. Guigo the second wrote The Ladder of Monks which describes a process of methodical prayer – reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation are the steps of his ladder. In later centuries Lectio Divina lost its appeal somewhat as people moved towards a historical critical approach to the Bible. It was not until the 20th century it had a comeback with books about it being written and sold to the public, not just those living in religious communities. Pope Benedict the sixteenth spoke about its importance, perhaps unsurprisingly, and Lectio Divina was back. What is Lectio Divina? Scripture helps us to become closer to God and to have a living relationship with Him. But it also helps our fellowship with our Christian family. Just as Jesus shared the scriptures with His disciples, we can share with each other. So this method of prayer works really well with a group as well as individually. Lectio Divina encompasses the Holy Trinity and our Christian family. Lectio Divina consists of four elements: Reading (lectio) Reflection (meditatio) Response (oratio) Rest (contemplatio) It is a way of praying through the scriptures with the hope and trust that God will open His words to us and enables us to let go of our personal preconceptions and listen for God. Practice Make sure the space that you are using is quiet and comfortable and that the prayer time will not be disturbed. A candle may be lit or a cross might be held. Have a Bible ready. If you are praying as part of a group use the same translation. Consider the time needed for this to be beneficial. At first, being in silence feels rather strange as we are so used to the noise and quick pace of the world around us, but this strangeness soon becomes comfortable and reassuring. Try it yourself Reading Read it. Slowly, aloud, savour each word. Read it again! Read it with your eyes, read it with your mind, read it with your heart. Open yourself up to God. Reflection Close your eyes. Take some deep breaths. Take time to digest, to savour, to cogitate. Contemplate. What is God saying to you through this passage? Is there a word or a phrase that has grabbed your attention? Is there a word or phrase that you haven’t noticed before? Has it moved you? Take note of the emotions that you are feeling. Are you overwhelmed by anything? Are you questioning anything? Response Pray this passage. Ask God for His guidance. Ask for the Holy Spirit for the gift of insight and understanding. Ask Jesus to walk with you as you journey through these words. Pray for understanding of the significance of the word or phrase that really stood out. Does it have some personal significance in life at the moment? Pray for clarity. Is God allowing for a deeper understanding of His word? If so, why? Prayer can help to discover what part God wants us to play in His work. Rest Take some time to rest. Some time just to be still. This is a time to let go of all thoughts and words. The absence of all thought is not an emptiness, rather it is a fullness obtained when completely in God’s presence. It is a stillness within the heart and soul, a moment of complete calm and acceptance of all that the prayer might have brought. The benefits of Lectio Divina Lectio Divina encourages conscious engagement with silence and personal reflection on the scriptures read. It opens up the space, and heart and soul, to the richness of God’s spirit and voice, allowing for a confident reading. Inviting God to be in the space as the Scripture is read helps to really centre your mind on what was read and to connect with it on a much deeper level. Unlike studying the Bible on an intellectual level, Lectio Divina is a great way to allow ourselves to let go of our own agendas and to be completely open to God’s voice and guidance. It is a profoundly peaceful practice and deeply personal. Having practiced it as a group, it is interesting to note that we had each taken something different away, having heard God’s voice in our own individual way, speaking to our individual circumstances and prayer. I would encourage every Christian to try Lectio Divina and connect with God on a personal, deep level feeling the Holy Spirit working through you. By Elaine Shanks
On 8th March a small group of us went on the annual spring outing. The weather was glorious and definitely T shirt weather after a week of rain and fog. We stopped off first at St Mary’s lighthouse. I was extremely excited to find that there were seals basking in the sunshine on the rocks below the lighthouse. I would have happily stayed there to watch the seals all day. The others wanted to explore the lighthouse though and I optimistically bought a ticket to climb to the top and see the view. I should have remembered I have a severe fear of heights. The vicar and Joan bravely tackled the spiral staircase to the top and were rewarded with spectacular views. Sadly, the vicar didn’t use the bucket and spade he brought along. There were plenty of children already playing on the beach. We went for lunch in the old Spanish City which was rather expensive and had a mishap losing our order. It gave us a good chance to chat though. After lunch we split up and we went to a wonderful second-hand bookshop where I bought more books than I probably should have. We met up with Joan for delicious homemade cake in a local patisserie and then it was sadly time to go home. We had a wonderful break by the seaside - what’s not to like at the beginning of the sunny spring weather? Next time I will definitely take my bucket and spade.
