Dear friends,Just a short update this week including a copy of last Sunday’s sermon. I’ve been busier than usual this week, including dealing with two bereavements. Please could you hold in prayer the family and friends of the late Mick Fletcher, of Egton Bridge, and the late Joyce Rhea, of Glaisdale. May they both rest in peace as we commit them to God’s eternal care.Please reply to this email if there’s any help you might need from me.With love and all good wishes,Reverend AnthonySermon for the Third Sunday of Easter Please follow this link for the Readings that go with the sermon Reverend Anthony preached this morning:May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts together be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock, and redeemer. Amen.I don’t know about you, but I feel quite uncomfortable with talk of spirits and ghosts and other strange things that ‘go bump in the night.’ That’s not to say that I don’t believe in ghosts. Do you? But I’ve never liked horror films or anything at the cinema or on TV to do with ghosts. I can remember watching a few things as a child and being absolutely terrified!As we read today in our gospel reading from Luke, the disciples weren’t made any different to us. They were just ordinary folk. And when they saw Jesus appear among them, standing before them, very much alive - and they had seen him die only days before - they were absolutely terrified!Just prior to the reading today in Luke’s gospel, the disciples had heard all about the two from Emmaus who had walked and talked with the risen Jesus on the road. They’d failed to recognise Jesus in the fading light; but they’d known him instantly in the breaking of the bread. Despite that, all the disciples, when Jesus came and stood amongst them, were terrified. They thought Jesus was a ghost.The Greeks in Jesus’ day, saw reality in terms of concepts, of universal truths, but to the Jews, the disciples, reality was particular and concrete. And so the resurrection had to be particular and concrete to the disciples, not just a concept. They needed something they could see with their own eyes. Jesus demonstrated this; he really did come and stand with his disciples; he really did rise from the dead. And we have numerous eye witness accounts in the Bible to testify to that.Last week we were thinking about Thomas and reading the closing verses of John’s gospel. Famously, Thomas had the need to touch so that he could believe, and Jesus understood that need. Caravaggio, the seventeenth-century Italian artist, captures very clearly the moment when Thomas makes his declaration of faith in the risen Christ: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas.In the dim light of the spluttering candle, Jesus grips Thomas by the wrist.Thomas extends his finger, which Jesus guides into the loose flesh of the gaping wound in his side.Thomas' brow is deeply furrowed with doubt and incomprehension.His eyes follow the direction of his extended finger.This is the moment of his decision.Can he believe what he sees?He can, and he does by exclaiming: "My Lord and my God!"It is a life-changing moment for Thomas. And it remains a crucial moment for the many, the children of God, who come after him throughout history: those "who have not seen and yet have come to believe." That includes us. We are children of God.We read this week, in the closing verses of Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ response to the unbelief of all the disciples, not just Thomas. "A ghost", Jesus says, "does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And, for a final and unmistakable confirmation of his physical reality, Jesus asks for some food: “They gave him a piece of fish and watched him eat it,” Luke writes.I think there’s a playfulness and humour in Jesus' words and actions here, as he asks:"Why are you frightened? Have you never seen a dead man eating?" The way Jesus teases them is part of what helps them to accept that this is really him, really alive. This sense of reality, this absolute certainty that Jesus had risen from the dead and was with them again, came before a strengthening and deepening understanding. That strength and understanding was enabled by the gift of the Holy Spirit, that we look forward to celebrating in a few weeks at Pentecost. Unless they were sure, how could they preach with conviction? The disciple’s faith was deepened beyond measure because it was based on absolute certainty, on eye witness accounts.In our reading from Acts, Luke Volume 2, Luke jumps ahead from his Gospel story past Pentecost and we see Peter, bold in the new-found courage of the Holy Spirit, and certain of his faith through those concrete resurrection appearances, where he saw the Risen Jesus. Peter reminds the authorities that they had disowned Jesus, the same Jesus who Peter had also disowned. But Peter has moved on - we hear the confident affirmation of his faith, a faith that has transformed his life in every conceivable way.Our Bible passages about Jesus’ appearances to Thomas and the rest of the disciples, and Peter’s bold and courageous speech, are there, I think, to remind us of our identity: we are children of God, children in God’s family. And hence, we are meant to be here together across the benefice, because we belong together in and through Jesus. Hence, we are called to work together as one family.We move along our faith journeys together, belonging together. Belonging is where we start. Then, in that belonging, we can support, nurture and encourage each other to enrich our lives and share our thoughts and dreams together, so can work out what we’ve come to know, what we’ve come to believe.Belonging… Enriching, Sharing, Knowing… Believing.We didn’t see what the disciples saw, but despite not seeing we can “come to believe” as the disciples did. Believers are not just friends, but children, children in God’s family. We’re meant to be here in this place at this present moment; we belong here, together. But many of us have followed the pattern of disbelief and uncertainty that Thomas, Peter and the rest of the disciples experienced. I might even hesitate to assert that we’ve all been in that place? I certainly have. And perhaps that’s a place we return to periodically? We’ve experienced the same struggle as the disciples to believe, to come to terms with the Christian faith, to make a commitment to the Risen Lord.There is ample evidence in the Bible of many people who heard God's call and felt it could not be so. And, like the disciples, we’ve all had to weigh the evidence, reach our own conclusion, make our own decision. Only then can we make a personal declaration of faith. Through the evidence in the Bible I think we can see clearly and unambiguously that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead, stand amongst the disciples and eat bread and fish with them. I wonder, would you agree with that? Do you accept the eye witness testimony in the Bible?Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have access to that very same boldness and courageousness that Peter received. So, let’s be encouraged, sisters and brothers, by the faith we can share in our Risen Lord, Jesus! Anything is possible through that faith – even sorting out our four parishes across Middle ESK Moor!In the words of the popular hymn, and from the evidence in the Bible, this is what we know,…he was born of Mary when Bethlehem’s manger was his only home……he heals the broken-hearted … calms our lurking fear and lifts the burden from the heavy laden……all flesh shall see his glory, and he shall reap the harvest he has sown … his sun will shine in splendour…… the skies will thrill with rapture, and myriad myriad human voices sing, and earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer: “at last the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is King!”As children of God, let’s be encouraged by the Bible readings we’ve read today and last week, in this glorious Easter season!Amen---The Reverend Anthony BennettInterim Minister – the Benefice of Middle ESK Moor
Dear friends,This is a reminder that we have our annual meetings coming up over the next month, starting tomorrow with the one at St Thomas’ for the Parish of Glaisdale and Lealholm.Please do come along to one (or more) of our annual meetings if you can. At each meeting there will be an opportunity to become elected (or re-elected) to one of our PCCs, or to offer (or continue to offer) your valuable help and support to one or more of our PCCs, as we work together across our four parishes to develop our mission across our Benefice of Middle ESK Moor.The meetings will take place straight after our Sunday morning 10:45 services (but allowing time for refreshments of course), and they are confirmed as follows:-- Midday tomorrow Sunday 14th April, St Thomas, Glaisdale and Lealholm.-- Midday Sunday 21st April, St Hilda, Egton.-- Midday Sunday 28th April, St Matthew, Grosmont.-- Midday Sunday 5th May, St Mary, Goathland.Please click on this link for further information.Thanks to everyone currently involved in the many aspects of running our church community. Your work is very much appreciated.Before the meeting tomorrow there will be two opportunities to join me for worship:-- 9:00 Holy Communion in Lealholm at St James' Lealholm-- 10:45 Holy Communion in Glaisdale at St Thomas GlaisdaleLooking forward to seeing you and catching up soon.With all good wishes,Anthony.---The Reverend Anthony BennettInterim Minister – the Benefice of Middle ESK Moor
Dear friends,This news update comes with my love and blessings as we journey onwards through Eastertide. I do hope that all is well with you? Please email welcome@middleESKmoor.org if there’s anything I can help you with.With love and kind regards,Reverend AnthonyEaster ThanksMany thanks again to everyone that has made this Easter such a special time by decorating all our churches. This week’s header picture is of the wonderful Easter Garden in Goathland (special thanks to Michael and Mary Trimble), and our font at Egton is shown in the two attached photos. The font was decorated yesterday by a couple of young people that enjoyed our ‘Dotty the Donkey Trail’ at St Hilda’s. Our Easter crafts and activities there have proved to be quite popular with various visitors popping in over the Easter break. Our Annual Parochial Church MeetingsPlease do come along to one of our APCMs if you can. There will be opportunities to become elected to one of our PCCs or to help one or more of our PCCs to develop our work across Middle ESK Moor. The meetings will take place straight after our Sunday morning 10:45 services (but allowing time for refreshments of course) as follows:Midday (this coming) Sunday 14th April, St Thomas, Glaisdale and LealholmMidday Sunday 21st April, St Hilda, EgtonMidday Sunday 28th April, St Matthew, GrosmontMidday Sunday 5th May, St Mary, GoathlandPlease click on this link for further information.Thanks to everyone currently involved in the many aspects of running our church community – all your work is very much appreciated!The Week AheadTomorrow - 10th April9:00 - Holy Communion Service in Goathland.Thursday - 11th April10:30 - 2:30 Vi's Community Cafe in Grosmont at St Matthew's1:30 - 2:30 Play Space in Grosmont at St Matthew'sSunday - 14th April9:00 Holy Communion at St James' Lealholm10:45 Holy Communion at St Thomas Glaisdale12:00 Annual Parochial Church Meeting for Glaisdale and Lealholm at St Thomas (follows the 10:45 service)Tuesday - 16th April10:00 - 12:00 Cafe in Goathland at the Village Hall6:30 Sharing Space in EskdalesideSermon for the Second Sunday of Easter Please follow this link for the Readings that go with the sermon Reverend Anthony preached on Sunday morning:May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts together be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock, and redeemer. Amen.Have you ever thought about the abundance of energy and life in the people and in the world around us?I’ve mentioned before to you that I used to work in the environment industry, designing water treatment systems and writing about climate change and renewable energy. For years ecologists, scientists and engineers like me have tried to lobby governments to invest in renewable energy sources, conscious of the finite nature of earth's fossil fuel resources. And this is all the more important at the moment with the rising cost of energy, and the rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere resulting in the climate emergency we’re experiencing. But projects have been built harnessing the energy of the tides, using it to power generators, producing electricity for heat and light. And there’s wind farms that utilise each gust of wind to turn giant rotors, echoing the action of windmills that were widely used by previous generations for a variety of tasks.The sun creates wind by heating the ground and the air, and the sun is already the principal source of energy for our planet: scientists are constantly devising new ways of using its energy in factories, communities and in our homes. The Church of England too is seriously looking at ways of using renewable energy. As part of that here in Middle ESK Moor we’ll be starting to look at each of our church buildings becoming an ‘Eco-Church’ like St Margaret’s in Aislaby. There’ll be more info on that in the coming months.Energy is all around us, energy sustains us, energy changes us - energy is life. But energy is difficult to see isn’t it? In years gone by people would hold a mirror to the mouth of a dying person. If there was breath, it would form a mist on the mirror and would show that the person was still alive. The shortage of earth's resources has made us more conscious of what saves and sustains life. And the best example of energy indicating life is in the breath of each living person.We have a bit of a tendency to wait until Pentecost until we think too much about the Holy Spirit, don’t we? The Holy Spirit that hovered over the water at the beginning of creation. And we can overlook the fact, as written in today’s Gospel reading, that one of the first actions the risen Jesus did after leaving Mary Magdalene in the garden by the tomb in the morning, was to appear to the disciples and to breathe on them that very same day, in the evening: this was a powerful sign that Jesus was sharing his life, his energy, with them. As he breathed on them, he said: "Receive the Holy Spirit." The very energy and life of God was being confirmed on them; but no one can receive the Holy Spirit of God and remain unchanged.The disciples go on to discover that they were able to speak in foreign languages. They found a courage they had never known before in preaching the Good News. They lived in a unity that only weeks before would have seemed like a dream. With the energy of God flowing through them, they revealed new life and growth to people around them. And this new life of the Holy Spirit had come to them when they were at their lowest ebb: shut away in a room, paralysed by fear, confused and disillusioned.The breath of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of God, was indeed new life, energy and growth. But its gift didn’t simply grant new life to the disciples: it confirmed them as already an integral part of the life of Jesus Christ, just as we are today. In a new way Jesus had come close to his disciples, calling them together in communion, sending them far and wide on his mission. With God’s Holy Spirit living in them the disciples became, in a new way, his people, his messengers, his Church. Wherever they were, he would be there too. And this gift of the Holy Spirit is with his disciples in every age.So, have you ever thought about the abundance of energy and life in the people and in the world around us?Everything we encounter is infused with life, a life so wonderful and mysterious and complex that it defies scientific definition.The movement of the earth around the sun, the spinning of our planet: which brings us night and day,the breath of the wind across the face of the earth,the warmth of fire,the radiance of light,growing plants and flowing streams.All these amazing things are signs that point towards an energy which gives and sustains life. And I think that our awareness of this energy and life all around us is in fact an awareness of the Holy Spirit of God: the One who moves around freely, giving life and growth to the world and the potential for peace, forgiveness and love among all its people.By becoming aware of the Holy Spirit, we become tuned into it, sensing its presence, opening ourselves to its power: we’re enabled to live in accordance with its force for good. We start to live in that same energy which caused the heavens and earth to be made. And we, like the disciples, become energised for the work of God. Our lives tell the dynamic message of the Good News. The Christian messenger doesn’t simply bring Jesus Christ to others: it’s much deeper than that: we identify the presence of God already in existence. We demonstrate that where there is love, it is Jesus’ love; where there is healing and forgiveness, it is Jesus’ healing and forgiveness. We show people where Jesus is already active in their lives and in this way, in close collaboration with the Holy Spirit, we build up the body of Christ; the Church.What tremendous energy was released when Jesus rose from the dead and the risen Jesus breathed on the disciples 2050 years ago! And what tremendous energy is still released into the Church by the Holy Spirit today! Continuously!We, today's disciples, are enabled by the Holy Spirit to work in communion with each other, doing nothing less than renewing the face of the earth!Amen---The Reverend Anthony BennettInterim Minister – the Benefice of Middle ESK Moor---These two books, edited by Jane Williams, are continuing to be very helpful with planning my sermon writing:Williams, J (2009), Ed., ‘Lost for Words, A Sermon Resource for the Anglican Three Year Cycle,’ Redemptorist Publications, Chawton, UK.Williams, J (2011), Ed., ‘Lectionary Reflections, Years A, B and C.’ Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, UK.
Dear friends,Our church community comprises four parishes, each connected together into the Benefice of Middle ESK Moor. We have four Parochial Church Councils (PCCs), one Churchwarden, one Interim Minister (here for at least the next two years), and an overall Advisory Council that was established last year to collaboratively oversee our development. Over the next six months our Community Forum will continue to meet to work out together the best way of reconfiguring our parishes. We are seeking to make our work more enjoyable, giving everyone the opportunity to contribute their passions and skills to help build and grow a more sustainable presence in this place.Over the next month our APCMs are coming up. At those meetings Churchwardens are normally elected, and PCC members appointed to each parish. Whilst we have to hold the Churchwardens’ elections as part of the APCMs, this year we won’t be actively seeking to appoint any Churchwardens. Instead, we will be developing new ways of fairly distributing the Churchwardens’ responsibilities amongst those in our community willing to undertake aspects of the Churchwardens’ role. A similar approach will apply to the administration parts of the Interim Minister’s role, as we continue to build a more centralised and systematic approach to the day-to-day running of the parishes and their church buildings. We will be using the responses to our recent survey alongside our community forum discussions, and our involvement with John Day and the ‘Revitalise’ team from the Diocese, to begin to re-design our approach to how our parishes are managed.Thanks to everyone currently involved in the many aspects of running out church community – all your work is very much appreciated!Please do come along to one of our APCMs if you can. There will be opportunities to become elected to one of our PCCs or to help one or more of our PCCs to develop our work across the benefice. The meetings will take place straight after our Sunday morning 10:45 services, and they will be as follows:Midday Sunday 14th April, St Thomas, Glaisdale and LealholmMidday Sunday 21st April, St Hilda, EgtonMidday Sunday 28th April, St Matthew, GrosmontMidday Sunday 5th May, St Mary, GoathlandWith love and all good wishes,Anthony---The Reverend Anthony BennettInterim Minister – the Benefice of Middle ESK Moor
