Night Prayer - Compline for the old and the new

Recorded on New Year’s Eve - but you can use it to finish any day when you look to new beginnings.

The Turning of the Year - Eucharist

The Revd. Martin Jackson presides at the Eucharist from St. Cuthbert's Church, recorded on 31st December 2020.

We look back over a hard year, but also forward in hope with a faith founded on Christ.

A Christmas Service of Reading, reflection and prayer

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads an online Service of the Word for Christmas.

May you know the peace and joy which the Birth of Our Lord brings!

Christmas at St. Cuthbert's & St. John's

Christmas hasn't been cancelled... But it will be much quieter - with social distancing rules, no congregational singing, a much restricted capacity and face coverings. Christ is born, nevertheless!

Here are our services. There are restrictions on our capacity due to social distancing - but we hope to accommodate all who wish to join us within the 55 - 60 permitted at St. Cuthbert's. For St. John's we can accommodate far fewer - nearly full already on Christmas Eve, so bookings via Jean Carter are essential.

In a difficult time, we wish you the blessings of peace and joy which are the reality of God's purpose.

Service of the Word - 4th Sunday of Advent, 20 December 2020

The Eucharist is celebrated in both our churches at 9am in St. John’s, Castleside and at 10.30am in St. Cuthbert’s, Shotley Bridge.

Here is our online service using the same readings and prayers - recorded in St. John’s Church by the Vicar.

Christmas Journey - with words, pictures and carols!

Made with children and young people in mind - but all ages can take part. A smart phone is useful but not essential. And there’s an invitation to show what Christmas means to you by placing a painted stone in our Christmas garden.

Christmas-ready church of St. John the Evangelist, Castleside

A quick look inside St. John’s where the crib and Christmas decorations are in place.

Here’s a short video - please switch the sound on!

Look out for our online Sunday service, also recorded in the church.

Service of the Word - 13 December

Readings, reflection and prayer for the Third Sunday of Advent - with the Revd. Martin Jackson.

And the Eucharist is celebrated in both our churches on 13 December: at 10.30am in St. Cuthbert's, Shotley Bridge; and at 4pm in St. John's Church, Castleside.

2nd Sunday of Advent, 6 December - Service of the Word

We can meet again in church this weekend - but here is our online offering from the Vicar, using readings and prayers for the day.

For those who can join us in church, the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated at 9am in St. John's Church, Castleside and at 10.30am in St. Cuthbert's Church, Shotley Bridge. And our preacher is to be our Cranmer Hall Placement Student, Lindsay Harrod.

Advent Calendar - what it can mean for you

Produced with our schools, children and young people in mind - but hopefully this has something to say to people of all ages!

Eucharist - Advent Sunday 29 November

A new year in the Church’s Calendar begins as the Revd Martin Jackson presides at the Eucharist in St. John’s Church, Castleside - on behalf of the parishes of Benfieldside and Castleside, and for all who join us in an online community of faith.

Advent Calendar - from Messy Church

It is so long since we all met up at St. Cuthbert’s Messy Church and we are missing you!

So, the Messy Church Team has made an Advent Calendar, with an activity for you to do each day of Advent.

Starting on December 1^st there will be craft activities, puzzles, challenges and experiments for you carry out.

We have tried to limit the materials you will need, to things you will probably have around the home, but here is a list to help you get ready. You don’t need them all straight away!

Things from the recycling bin – cardboard tubes; boxes – different sizes for stable, manger, houses etc – yogurt pots

string                                         coloured craft paper                     

coloured and white card            glue stick                               

2 wooden clothes pegs              scissors

paper plate                            crayons – eg sharpies                  

lard                                        dried fruit                               

bird seed – nuts                    pine cone ( not essential)

wool (not essential)               pipe cleaner OR candy cane         

oranges                                 straw                                       

flat stones                             elastic band

cotton wool                           paper straws                                  

red ribbon                             dolly mixtures or similar      

small white candle

It looks a lot, but we are sure you will be able to use your imagination and improvise for some of the tasks!

However, there is one activity in particular which we would be overjoyed to share with everyone, and that is painting a stone.

If you could find a fairly smooth stone and either write a simple Christmas message on it with crayon (sharpies are probably best for this), or maybe even paint/draw a Christmas picture or symbol  and come along to the churchyard and place them in the bit of garden at the end of the path near the main door into St. Cuthbert’s Church. We are hoping to make a Christmas Garden and would love to have your contribution!

This is the link to take you to the Calendar

Eucharist for the Feast of Christ the King

Parish Eucharist offered for our communities and the wider world, celebrating the last Sunday of the Church’s year, the Feast of Christ the King.

Eucharist for Remembrance Sunday 2020

Parish Eucharist for Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 2020 - the Third Sunday before Advent. Including an Act of Remembrance

Remembrance and Friendship - Two church windows and why they are there

We can’t have public Acts of Remembrance this year, churches can’t meet for services - and I’m missing being able to go into school for assemblies (and to have visits from our schools to our churches). So I recorded this video in St. Cuthbert’s Church, Shotley Bridge with our children in mind, but hope it might help people of any age.

We’ve also made another video of an Act of Remembrance, recorded in St. John’s Church, Castleside just before Lockdown.

Act of Remembrance - Castleside 2020

A short Act of Remembrance recorded in St. John’s Church, Castleside just before Lockdown. You may wish to come back and view this video on Remembrance Sunday 8th November or Armistice Day 11th November.

Celebrating the Saints - remembering our loved ones

Readings, reflection and prayer for Sunday 1st November - All Saints’ Day, together with a Commemoration of All Souls.

This is a time when normally we'd gather specially to remember departed loved ones. Because of limited capacity we can't have a special service in church, but we commend the departed to God at the altar in our Eucharists and in this online service.

Getting used to the “New Normal”…

I heard someone on the radio today, arguing that we need a break from the Coronavirus restrictions, so why can’t they all be relaxed for Christmas? After all, she said, during the First World War British and German soldiers agreed the so-called Christmas Truce and managed to sing carols together and play football… Of course the answer was swiftly given - it was people who could take the decision not to shoot at each other or to fire shells and drop bombs; we can’t ask the virus to stop making us sick or killing us.

From which I think we can learn two things. First, we can’t expect any quick way out of the pandemic. This is a virus which is highly infectious; most of those infected may only suffer mild symptoms but the seriousness for a minority combined with exponential growth in infection rates could easily overwhelm the NHS, filling intensive care beds and taking hundreds of thousands of lives. There may be hopes for a vaccine - but it will take time even if it’s possible. And how long will it take to produce and administer it? We have a flu vaccine already and the Government wants to vaccinate everyone over the age of 50 - but when I rang my health centre to ask when I as a 64 year old would get it, the answer was that the supplies just weren’t there; hopefully November or December! So what hope for any Covid-19 vaccine? That’s why we have to keep people as safe as possible from the virus. We can’t keep All Saints and All Souls-tide as we normally would. We can’t have public Acts of Remembrance at village war memorials. It’s highly unlikely that we will have Christmas as we would wish - if there’s no congregational singing allowed in church now and a continuing need for social distancing, how might we expect to get over 300 people into church for a Christingle with carol-singing?

Of course we will still celebrate Christmas. Christ’s coming among us is a reality. It can’t be denied - Jesus is born, God’s love come among us in human flesh. It’s how we will celebrate that may be different - but still so essential. And this leads to the second thing to recognise… Viruses are not open to human reason, but we can make peace with our neighbours - we just need the will. When will we learn?                

Martin Jackson

From the November issue of our Parish Magazine - find it via this link

Online Service for Sunday 25 October 2020

An offering of readings, reflection and prayer for the Last Sunday after Trinity, also observed as Bible Sunday.

Facebook Memories & Prayer

Facing each day. How do we get started? What can sustain us? Where is God in all this - and our response?

Celebrating St. Luke - Sunday 18 October

Our online offering of readings, reflection and prayer for Sunday 18 October as we celebrate the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist.

Look in the church + look forward to Sunday

A “trailer” for Sunday’s celebration of St. Luke the Evangelist. 

We’ll be in church and online - meanwhile a quick look at how we depict the man in question.

Online Harvest Service for Sunday 11 October

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads a service of readings, reflection and prayer for Harvest Thanksgiving.

There'll be Eucharists in both churches - 10.30am at St. Cuthbert's and 4pm at St. John's.  Harvest gifts offered at the services will be passed on to the People's Kitchen in Newcastle for its work with homeless people.

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…’

“Do not worry…” We may feel we do in fact have all too much to worry about – and for someone just to say “Don’t worry!” is not necessarily what we want to hear. Of course Jesus is saying rather more – but what’s important is to realise that he’s speaking to real people like ourselves in real situations of need. His is a message for the hungry, the poor, the sick, the prisoner and the person who despairs. And that message comes from one who shares in all that it is to be human.

Baptism, the Rule of 6 and Local Lockdown

The diaries of most clergy this year tell a story of postponed or cancelled Baptisms and Marriages. Many simply could not be performed during the period of the strictest Lockdown. And even now no more than 15 are allowed in a wedding party and Baptisms taking place outside regular congregational worship are limited to six - with a further restriction to one household in this area. More can attend a Baptism when it's planned to take place in a bigger service - but numbers are still going to be much limited as we have to fit in the regular congregation with social distancing and reduced capacity. 

So it's great when we manage to make the arrangements! Most recently we celebrated the Baptism of Arthur Reid at St. Cuthbert's Church. Just Arthur, his parent and his big brother present - but family friends and godparents (by proxy) able to look in via the video filmed by his Dad.

A reminder of what is at the heart of our Baptismal faith: the desire to follow in the way of Christ; to be open to God's love; to be ready to affirm that faith. This was a real celebration. We look forward to welcoming Arthur into our wider congregation in due course. But here and now God's love is real, however small the service in which we celebrate it.

Service of the Word for Sunday 4 October 2020

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads a liturgy of readings, reflection and prayer for the 17th Sunday after Trinity.

The parable of the tenants of the vineyard - how does it speak to us?

What really matters…

 

As I write, we find ourselves having to live with ever more restrictions as to what we can do, and who we can (and can’t) meet - and where… I hope people understand why it’s necessary for the moment to curtail some of our freedoms. But there’s no denying the pain and frustration this causes along the way. People who mourn a loved one but can have only 30 people at the most at the funeral - rather fewer if the church (like St. John’s) is smaller, and still fewer again at the Crematorium. Weddings which can accommodate only 15 - including the bride and groom. And now Baptisms may only be attended by six people (including the one to be baptised) - and in this area those attending must all be members of the same household or support bubble.

I’m making or have made arrangements for parishioners in all three categories. These are not the circumstances we would wish for. Where we celebrate (and we will celebrate) a small wedding, I hope that couples will come back when numbers can be greater, and they can bring in more family and friends to share the blessing. Where only a few can gather at the font - even without godparents - I hope they will come back later for the one who is baptised to be welcomed into the wider congregation with all the guests they want. And it may be that funerals with limited numbers will be followed in due course with services of thanksgiving.

But what I have found moving is the recognition again of what truly remains at the heart of our meeting in sadness and in joy - even with so many missing: to commend a departed loved one to the love and mercy of God; to say, this is truly what I want for my child who is recognised in baptism as a loved child of God; to know that marriage to this person is my calling - and that is true whatever life may throw at us!

“That’s the shortest ordination I’ve ever been to,” I said to the Bishop after Phil’s ordination as Deacon. It was sad that so few could attend (though the video is online for all to see). But the service spoke all the more clearly of the calling of those who were ordained. And made me still more thankful for the grace I have found in my calling.                          

Martin Jackson

More pictures from the Ordination of our new Deacon, the Revd. Phil Carter...

Service of the Word - Sunday 27 September 2020

Readings, reflection and prayer for the 16th Sunday after Trinity.

Jesus tells the story of two sons called to work in their father’s vineyard.

I ask the question , “What is a right answer?”

Pray for Phil...

Phil Carter - long-serving Reader at St. John's Church, Castleside - is to be ordained Deacon this Sunday 27 September in Durham Cathedral. Please pray for him - and for all who are to be ordained Deacon and Priest in the coming days. The ordinations have been delayed by the Coronavirus lockdown, but new ministries have been begun and continued during this time. Pray too for Jean, Phil's wife, and for her continuing ministry as Authorised Pastoral Assistant as well as Churchwarden.

Phil's ordination is at 10am and will be live-streamed and uploaded on the Durham Cathedral Facebook page.

Online service for 20 September 2020 - the 15th Sunday after Trinity

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads prayer, readings and reflection on the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. Does envy hold us back? Can we recognise God’s generosity which goes beyond our notions of fairness?

Online service for the 14th Sunday after Trinity - 13th September 2020

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads prayer, readings and reflection.

Why do people judge others? How many times should we forgive?

Service of the Word for the 13th Sunday after Trinity - 6th September 2020

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads prayer, readings and reflection for the 13th Sunday after Trinity. Jesus’ call to love one another and the promise of his presence amongst us.

Service of the Word for the 12th Sunday after Trinity - 30th August 2020

The Revd. Martin Jackson leads prayer, readings and reflection for the 12th Sunday after Trinity. Jesus calls his disciples to follow him, even if it means taking up the Cross.

Service of the Word for the 10th Sunday after Trinity - 16th August 2020

Prayer, readings and reflection for the 10th Sunday after Trinity - 16 August 2020. Jesus moves beyond the boundary of people, nation and creed in an astonishing encounter with a woman who brings her need to him.

The meditation near the beginning of the service is by Richard Carter - taken from his book, "The City is my Monastery."

Service of the Word for the 9th Sunday after Trinity - 9 August 2020

Readings, reflection and prayer for the 9th Sunday after Trinity, 9th August 2020 - with the Revd. Martin Jackson. The disciples battle against the strength of a storm, but Jesus comes to them to meet them in their need.

Feast of the Transfiguration

Reading, reflection and prayer for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord - and having a Quiet Day in your own back garden

St. John Vianney

A reflection on the life of St. John Vianney, whose Feast Day it is - a real inspiration to me as a parish priest, though his culinary gifts were even fewer than mine (he lived largely on a diet of potatoes, which he'd cook just once a week to save time in the kitchen).

Here's his kitchen after refurbishment...

Liturgy of the Word for the 8th Sunday after Trinity

Readings, reflection and prayer for the 8th Sunday after Trinity, 2nd August - with the Revd. Martin Jackson

Sunday Service of the Word - 26 July 2020

Readings, reflection and prayer for the 7th Sunday after Trinity - with the Revd. Martin Jackson

Get ready for Sunday

St. Cuthbert's (10.30am) and St. John's (9am) are again able to open for the Parish Eucharist. The usual service but with necessary changes in procedure. We seek to worship God and to stay safe. This will require patience as well as social distance and hand sanitising - and as of this week the Church of England is giving strong advice in favour of face coverings; they're not legally required but much encouraged. We'll also be online. And here's the notice sheet with readings.

 

Night Prayer from St. Cuthbert’s Church, Shotley Bridge

Night Prayer - use this any day at the end of the day. Words of the service can be found in the Church of England’s Daily Prayer and Time to Pray apps. Or simply join in with your ears and hearts.

Liturgy of the Word for the 6th Sunday after Trinity - 19 July 2020

Online service for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity, 19 July. The Eucharist is celebrated in each of our churches today - at 9am in St. John's Church, Castleside and at 10.30am in St. Cuthbert's Church, Shotley Bridge. But we also offer this liturgy of the Word using the same readings - together with reflection and prayer.

Love and Judgment - holding them together

ANALYTICS

EDIT VIDEO

A reflection on the Parable of the Vineyard - with a Psalm and a prayer to finish

John Keble - Priest & Poet

As the Church commemorates John Keble, some reflections on the holy life and work of this priest and poet. Not to be confused with John Keeble of Spandau Ballet, this Keble was a best-seller in his own day while serving humbly in his priestly calling.

Liturgy of the Word for the 5th Sunday after Trinity - 12 July 2020

From 12th July both of our churches are able to hold their own Eucharist in the church buildings - for which we are truly thankful! But we will continue our online presence. Here the Revd. Martin Jackson invites you to join in a Service of the Word - the readings appointed for the Eucharist along with reflection and prayer, and a particular reference to the new ministry into which Phil Carter enters as a Lay Worker in preparation for his ordination as Deacon.

Eucharist for the 4th Sunday after Trinity - 5 July 2020

Our online Sunday liturgy for the parishes of St. Cuthbert, Benfieldside and St. John the Evangelist, Castleside - 5th July 2020. The Revd. Martin Jackson presides using the traditional Book of Common Prayer. Congregational worship resumes in St. Cuthbert’s with the 10.30am Eucharist. But we will seek to make continued online provision for those who can’t join us.

Approaching the Fourth Sunday after Trinity

+ St. Cuthbert’s re-opens for the 10.30am Eucharist!

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…”

These words of Jesus from our Sunday Gospel reading are so important. I don’t really want to preach about them. Jesus says all that needs to be said. And when we hear his words they resonate. They’re about hope, but even when hope may seem some distance away in its fulfilment they speak to us a deep peace. “You will find rest for your souls.” That’s a promise – and it’s real, however we may be feeling at this time.

So I hope you’ll join me in worship one way or another on Sunday. This weekend for the first time since March, churches are allowed to open for public worship. St. Cuthbert’s will be open for the Eucharist at our usual time of 10.30am. Join us if you can! We realise that some people are reluctant to go into public places – and no one should feel pressure to do what they feel uncomfortable with. But I can say that we have been thorough in our Risk Assessment and planning to make St. Cuthbert’s as safe an environment as possible.  

We are not wanting either to rush ahead as a church, nor for anyone who might be especially vulnerable to rush back (and those who are “Clinically Extremely Vulnerable” should comply with current government guidance). Obviously if you’re not well or have any symptoms of CV-19 you shouldn’t come to church or go anywhere outside your home – the saying “coughs and sneezes…” is one to take to heart…

What will you find in St. Cuthbert’s this Sunday?

Church in a different way… No congregational singing for the moment – though the Government apparently has this under review (and a single cantor is permitted to lead worship); no physical exchange of the Peace; maintain social distancing!  Households & support bubbles may sit together. Our capacity is reduced, but because not everyone is ready to go into public places we think we will cope! Depending on whether people sit alone or in households we think we can accommodate over 50 at St. Cuthbert’s (and just over 20 when we come to re-open St. John’s) - but you may be seated in a very different place from usual! Please sit in the marked places. Alternate pews are marked with a “No Entry” sign – and we mean it!

Sanitising! It’s required that anyone entering a public building should either wash their hands for 20 seconds or use sanitising gel. We will have gel available. You might wish to being your own. If you do that will also allow you to sanitise your hands before receiving holy communion – you don’t have to but it’s a further risk reduction over and above what is required.

Take an order of service for your own personal use and bring it back each week. We’ll place the orders of service in the places where people can sit. They’re specially printed – each one is for your use alone, so please don’t leave it behind. Bring it back with you for use each time you are in church and that will save us having to print too many more. Take the weekly notice sheet away with you - it can’t be re-used by anyone else!

Receiving Holy Communion: Official guidelines will be followed. The chalice can’t be shared so Holy Communion will be “in one kind,” i.e. the consecrated bread made for us the Body of Christ. As priest administering communion, I shall be sanitising my hands before the Eucharistic prayer and before giving you communion – and as I do this I will be wearing a face covering.

Social distancing: we need to remember that the 2 metre rule remains in force. It hasn’t been reduced overnight. Only if there is “mitigation” can people come closer. That’s why for the moment I’ll put on a face mask when I administer communion. Don’t be alarmed if other people  come to church wearing face coverings. There is evidence they can reduce the risk of infection, so it’s for your benefit – and you might wish to wear one, though there is no compulsion to do so. Directions will be given on coming forward to receive the sacrament and will depend on how many pews we use. At St. Cuthbert’s there will be a one way system. Whatever the detail, please keep the 2 metre rule as you come forward.

St. John’s is planning to open a week later

There are other issues to address due top the smaller size of the church and its access. Holy Communion will be administered as people remain in their pews because a “one-way system” is impossible. So we plan to resume services on 12^th July with the 4pm Eucharist. And this will be an occasion to welcome Phil Carter to a new ministry as Lay Worker prior to his ordination as Deacon.

Still online

It’s good to know that people have found so much value in our online worship and other uploads. We will seek to continue (and perhaps develop further) much of what we have been doing, so please join with me. Upload speeds permitting (and barring any other mishaps) I’ll seek to have Sunday’s Eucharist online by 10.30am on our Facebook pages and on our website / blog.  Please do take a look for other shared material which you might have missed during the last week – it can all be found on our Parish Facebook pages or the website. The website is in the name of St. Cuthbert’s but it’s for the people of both parishes and you can find it here:

http://saintcuthberts.blogspot.com/

This Sunday the online Eucharist will be celebrated using the Book of Common Prayer – traditional language but easy to follow – and fewer congregational responses!

Here's this week’spewsheet, which contains the readings - click to open 

News, prayers & thanksgiving:

Phil Carter …

Phil was commissioned as a Lay Worker last Wednesday 1^st July in a service via Zoom. We’re sorry not to be celebrating his Ordination as Deacon this weekend. Phil is now officially Assistant Curate for both parishes. We plan to welcome him as services resume at St. John’s Church in the 4pm Eucharist on Sunday 12^th July.

Here's the official photo of the Zoom commissioning! Phil’s in the bottom left corner.

Moves towards re-opening

I’ve had queries about Baptisms. A complicated procedure was issued just before Lockdown and has been reissued. There’s a legal limit of 30 attending a Baptism – but this is further restricted depending on the size and layout of the church (it’s unlikely to allow for more than 15 at St. John’s. For the moment we need to work out the implications of the guidance and to learn from the experience of opening for regular worship.

Marriages: Our best wishes to and prayers for Jayde Railton and Thibault Charmey who were due to marry on Saturday, 4^th July, in St. Cuthbert’s. In the circumstances they have had to postpone their wedding.

As we said last week, for the moment numbers at weddings are legally limited to 30 and will be lower in smaller churches like St. John’s. Again we need to work out the implications of the guidance. Obviously receptions are also affected, and this may have an impact on people’s plans. I’ll be hoping to catch up as soon as I can with couples who had plans for St. John’s in August and September.

Similar assessments and further conditions are in place for funerals – again the limit of 30 or fewer applies.

Sunday Eucharist for St. Peter & St. Paul

What was I letting myself in for?

Anticipating Church Re-opening

Parish Eucharist - 21 June 2020

Parish Eucharist - 14 June 2020

Eucharist for the First Sunday after Trinity - exploring our calling and what we need to fulfil it; with prayers for the people of all our communities and the needs of our wider world.

Encouragement and second chances

A reflection on the generous life of St. Barnabas the Apostle

In memoriam

Corpus Christi

From Prayer during the Day

Parish Eucharist for Trinity Sunday

A Vesper offering before Trinity Sunday

This morning in St. John's Church

Prayers for carers - and others

“Bare ruined choirs …”

That’s the title which the historian, Dom David Knowles, gave to one of his books in which he laments the decline and extinction of the monastic life in England. He himself was a Benedictine monk, but also an academic whose works I read when I studied mediaeval history as an undergraduate. He didn’t come up with the title himself - but pinched it from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73:

Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west…

The words came to mind as I pondered this month’s cover illustration for this Parish Magazine. It comes from a photo of the Abbey of Silvacane - provided by Parish Pump, which offers online material for use in magazines such as our own. I didn’t think much of it, till I realised where it was. I visited Silvacane last year while on holiday in the Luberon - a marvellous area of Provence in Southern France. The abbey is barely known and there were practically no other visitors when we arrived. Founded by the Cistercian Order, it hit hard times by the middle of the 15^th century and the monks had to abandon it to the Cathedral of Aix. It became a parish church, but nevertheless fell into disrepair by the time of the French Revolution when it was auctioned off and turned into a farm. It passed through a succession of private owners who further misused it until the French government bought it back. The monks never returned. Only in the 1990s was any serious work of restoration begun.

Now it is truly magnificent - but empty. It’s no longer used for worship. But I could sense something in its height and simplicity which spoke to me. How had it been all those centuries ago when the monks assembled to sing the Daily Offices and Mass? The church was empty except for the two of us, so I tried a note or two - and then a chant, and a hymn and more! It was the most amazing acoustic - a building built for the praises of God.

I can’t remember just what we sang. I do remember that from memory I sang the Taizé chant, Surrexit Christ - Christ is risen from the dead, alleluia! And thanks to my phone I was able to look up the words of Veni Creator Spiritus - Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire; I think I was able to find the original Latin which the monks would have used. An abandoned church - bare, though thankfully now restored from ruin. And its plain stone still responding to the prayer of those chants.

That was last August while I was on holiday. I had no idea then that we would find all our churches empty this spring due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s been a hard time during which we haven’t been able to worship together or even pray privately in our churches. And now there’s the strangeness of clergy allowed back in for prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist - but without a congregation.

Those chants I remember singing in the Abbey Church of Silvacane… The Surrexit Christus is the chant we sing in our churches after lighting the Paschal Candle on Easter morning. I sang it last in my study when we couldn’t use the church this Easter. But I can tell you that I sang it in St. Cuthbert’s as well. As I write now it’s the day after Pentecost, the Feast which celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. I’m glad I was able to celebrate the Eucharist back in church for this occasion. And on the way out I sang that other chant, Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire. Actually I recorded it - you’ll find it on our Facebook pages and website.

I didn’t sing simply for the pleasure - though the acoustic at Silvacane is near miraculous and our own is pretty good! Rather, “He who sings prays twice,” as St. Augustine wrote.

For the moment our song might be a lament. But we look to the time when we can gather again in prayer and worship. St. Augustine also said, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.” So, don’t be downcast: be faithful in prayer; sing as best you can; let your faith sing out in the lives you lead - and in your love and care for others.

Martin Jackson

From the June issue of our Parish Magazine - find it through this link

Eucharist for Pentecost - Whit Sunday 31 May

Veni Creator Spiritus

Endurance, Character & Hope

Changing gear? Patience in faith.

Parish Eucharist - 24 May

Ascension Day reflection

Parish Eucharist - 17 May

Strange times continue...

It’s almost one of the cruellest things about the last two months that we’ve had such a lovely spring! Looking out onto a bright blue sky, seeing the freshness of all that is growing around us, feeling the warmth of the sun… Of course, that is only if you can get out! For those who are able to take up the daily permitted exercise during this time of lockdown - or who have a garden in which they can sit - life is different but not as onerous as it might be. But there are also people who live cooped up in multi-storey flats, or on city streets without the easy access to parks and the countryside which most of us here enjoy. There are people who need to be shielded, dependent on others for shopping and the provision of care; families living on top of each other where stress levels rise and the children need to be home-educated; the people we don’t readily hear from in our Care Homes, so many of them bewildered by a situation which they perhaps can’t grasped - and those who care for them there, daily putting themselves and their families at risk from this unseen virus which can be so easily unleashed.

So there’s a strange dissonance between the beauty of things around us - but invisible forces pressing in on us. This isn’t only our own problem. However well or badly you think the Government has handled things, at least we have resources which can be used for provision, care and the nursing of the sick. In many poorer nations hunger, lack of clean water and a general scarcity of health provision are factors already stacked against their populations as they face the Coronavirus. It’s easy to forget this. And while we are preoccupied with our own needs and fears, we can easily miss the needs of the world’s poor.

As I write, it’s Christian Aid Week. Door-to-door collections can’t take place. Events to support Christian Aid - amongst them our own - can’t go ahead as planned. But please don’t forget its work. See page 12 of our parish magazine to learn more. Look online to see what Christian Aid is doing and wants to do. Discover there and in the newspapers and the media how you can give to support its work. 

My best wishes…

From the special May issue of our Parish Magazine - find much more by following this link