Services this Sunday for The Alde Sandlings Benefice
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Aldeburgh Aldringham Friston Knodishall |
10.30am 11.00am 9.00am 9.00am |
Holy Communion Morning Prayer Holy Communion Morning Prayer |
Message from Revd James Marston
A big thank you to all involved with the Civic Service last Sunday.
Our church welcomed representatives from across the county, and, as always, we all played our part with professionalism and élan. Many complimented and expressed admiration for the “way we do things” at the reception afterwards. I have included my sermon in this week’s newsletter.
I’d like to draw your attention to next week’s Ascension Day service at Aldeburgh church on Thursday May 26, which will be a service of Holy Communion following the Book of Common Prayer at 10am in the Trinity/Lady Chapel. We’ll be keeping it simple this year and I shan’t be going up the tower – I’m not too keen on heights or those narrow stairs. There is also, for those interested, a deanery service at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Westleton.
And for those who have been making discreet enquiries, my little blue car should be with us again soon, about which I will be much relieved.
Blessings to you all,
James
Collect
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
First Reading
Acts 16.9-15
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.
Second Reading
Revelation 21.10, 22-22.5
And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practises abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.
Gospel Reading
John 14.23-29
Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
Dates for your Diaries
Ascension Day 26th May Deanery Service for Ascension Day at St Peter’s, Westleton at 7.30pm
Aldeburgh 8am and 10.30am Holy Communion Services Aldringham 11am Holy Communion Service Friston 9am Morning Prayer Knodishall 9am Holy Communion Service Festival Service at Aldeburgh June 12th Our New Priest in Charge Revd Sarah Du Boulay |
Sermon preached by The Revd James Marston at
Aldeburgh 15th May 2022
May I speak in the name of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
George Crabbe, a son of Aldeburgh, and erstwhile predecessor of mine, is famed for his narrative and realistic form of poetry as well as his somewhat unsentimental description of our borough, once wrote the following:
“What is a church? Our honest sexton tells
Tis a tall building with a tower and bells,
Where priest and clerk with joint exertion strive
To keep the ardour of their flock alive.”
Crabbe was writing in latter half of the 18th century, and today 250 years later the tall building with tower and bells remains an indisputable observation, and even the ardour of our flock has been known, on occasion, to make its presence felt.
The church is also a place where we administer the sacraments, teach and keep the faith, bury the dead, baptise the young and marry those keen to make their vows before the Almighty and eternal God before having a “do” down at the Wentworth.
Our church, every church, is a public building, a public and prayerful space, open to all and belonging to everyone.
Today, in many ways, we celebrate and mark the reformation of our community after a couple of difficult years through which our town has pulled together and been reminded of the power and purpose of community.
The last two years have shown us quite clearly that the sense of community is strong in this town, and not just because we are at the end of the road or because, dare I say it, everyone likes to know the ins and outs of everyone else’s business.
Ours is a town in which we care for one another and pull together when the tough times come.
And today we come together to firstly congratulate Peter as he takes on the mantle, and, if I may say so, rather smart robes of the mayorship. And I know we all wish him and Catherine well as they serve their year of office as they represent our town, in this exciting Jubilee year, at all sorts of events, civic functions and meet and greets. They may even, I suspect, get to go to the odd cocktail party. This is Aldeburgh, after all.
We also meet here today, after an interval of some time, to celebrate and remember the relationship between our worshipping community and our civic leaders, an ancient and symbiotic relationship developed over hundreds of years through the countless generations of our town.
As well as hymns that I hope people know and, I promise you, a fairly short sermon, I have chosen to celebrate this relationship with Holy Communion, the appropriate and sacramental expression of God’s grace, which brings people together, in relationship with Him.
Indeed, our gospel reading today Jesus commands his disciples to love one another, a reminder too perhaps, of the two great commandments, and really the essence of the Christian faith, to love thy God and to love thy neighbour.
The Christian faith is all about relationship, our personal and communal relationship with God and our relationship with those around us.
These relationships, alongside our town’s history and heritage, its communities, and its future, we celebrate and offer thanks for at this civic service.
We are delighted to welcome you, our civic leaders, and our communities, here to your church.
We wish you well as you serve our town in the year ahead, and I wish you God’s blessing on all your discussions, on all your endeavours and on all that you do.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Post Communion
God our Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ gives the water of eternal life:
may we thirst for you,
the spring of life and source of goodness,
through him who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
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Aldeburgh Parish Church Collections |
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Youth Club has Returned |
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A message from Jenny Digby – Aldeburgh My darling son Lee Spencer Jones died from bowel cancer in January this year aged only 47 years. I’m ‘Walking Together’ for Bowel Cancer UK, with my lovely daughter in law Michelle I would welcome any donation, no matter how small, it all adds up. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast, and totally secure. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to Bowel Cancer UK, so it’s the most efficient way to give – saving time and cutting costs for the charity. Thank you to everyone who supports this worthy cause, it is much appreciated. Jenny Digby |
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Church of England and Diocese Online Worship There are many online services you can view from the Church of England website https://www.churchofengland.org/ Church of England Facebook page Church of England YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/ St Edmundsbury Cathedral Facebook Page |
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Weekly Benefice Newsletter If you would like something added to the weekly newsletter that is relevant to the Benefice, please do let Claire know and we will do our best to include it the following week. All requests by 4pm on Thursday please |
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Food Banks at the East of England Co-op Foodbanks provide a valuable service to those in need in our communities. The Aldeburgh Co-op and Solar in Leiston are doing a grand job in collecting food donations, which are collected regularly and distributed. So please look out for the various collection baskets. |
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A Call for Helpers and Keys (Aldeburgh) |
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Pilgrims Together on Wednesdays The Pilgrims worship together every Wednesday. Friday 3rd June Outdoor Worship Gathering 5.30pm @ Aldringham Court, to round off their Jubilee Fun Day which is open to the local community |
Next Week
Sunday 29th May
Seventh Sunday of Easter
