26^th January

03^rd Sunday of Epiphany

Collect

Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; 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.

Readings

Old Testament                        Nehemiah 8. ^{1-3, 5-6, 8-10.}

New Testament                      1 Corinthians 12. ^12-31a.

Gospel                                      Luke 4. ^14-21.

SUCH GOINGS ON

I approach this article with two things on my mind.  The first is the truce between Gaza and Israel.  Following the breath-taking folly of events on 7th October 2023 carried out by Palestinian militants and mounted from Gaza there was a furious reaction from Israel which some say was disproportionately extreme and some say was not enough.  A truce has now been hammered out and put in place.  There is a ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners and hostages. This is not an outbreak of peace but it is at least a tentative step in that direction.    The way forward is not easy:  there is suspicion and distrust between the interested parties.  We, the rest of the world, are holding our breath, hoping that the terms of the ceasefire will hold and enough peace emerge for relief lorries to deliver their goods and for the bloodshed to stop.  It is often said that every journey begins with the first step.  In this case the second and subsequent steps could prove as rocky a road as the first.  But a start has been made; let’s hope it continues and builds into something substantial and lasting enough for a future to emerge upon which something lasting can be constructed.   The rest of us, desperate for an outbreak of real peace, can only pray, so this is what we must do.  Both sides claim to be acting on God’s behalf:  perhaps it is time for them to re-examine what God’s will might be regarding a shared future for the suspicious parties to grasp.

The other issue to have cropped up is the Inauguration of a new leadership in the USA.  Its hard not to be apprehensive about where this might lead; the early rumblings are not encouraging, and we can only hope that wisdom and peace will be allowed to make their contribution to the flow of events.

In both cases it falls to the rest of us to pray.  Pray for a lasting peace.  Pray for a tolerant USA.  Pray that the God claimed by all parties be allowed to lead and to guide all concerned in both arenas.

So with all those concerns, and our own personal ones into the bargain, I wish all our readers, tentatively, a Happy and blessed New Year!

ROBIN NOBLE

Services next Sunday – 02^nd February – Candlemass

Forthcoming Services & Events

WESTON: Bingo!! Friday 21^st March @ Weston Under Penyard Village Hall, doors open at 6.45 pm for eyes down at 7.30 pm. Tea and cake available at half time. Raffle. All proceeds in aid of Weston Church.

WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2^nd & 4^th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181

UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”

Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs

directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.                                                 

Please pray for all who are sick, Margaret Minnet (AI)

Please pray for all who have died, Joyce Anderson (Lin)

Rev David Howell 01989 568736    email:   revdavidhowell@btinternet.com

If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@outlook.com