Parish of Swaledale with Arkengarthdale

Weekly Newsletter

 

 

 

Sunday 18 October 2020

St. Luke the Evangelist

You are invited to light a candle and join in with this short Service of the Word at 10am each Sunday, and in so doing, to share in a short time of worship together with others.

 

Opening Prayers

We meet in the presence of God

who knows our needs,

hears our cries,

feels our pain,

and heals our wounds.

 

Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray.

Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Faithful one, whose word is life:

come with saving power

to free our praise,

inspire our prayer

and shape our lives

for the kingdom of your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Confession

Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the cross

so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness;

by his wounds we have been healed.

Let us confess our sins.

 

Most merciful God,

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

we confess that we have sinned

in thought, word and deed.

We have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.

In your mercy

forgive what we have been,

help us to amend what we are,

and direct what we shall be;

that we may do justly,

love mercy,

and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen.

 

May the Father of all mercies

cleanse us from our sins,

and restore us in his image

to the praise and glory of his name,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

 

Collect

Almighty God,

you called Luke the physician,

whose praise is in the gospel,

to be an evangelist and physician of the soul:

by the grace of the Spirit

and through the wholesome medicine of the gospel,

give your Church the same love and power to heal;

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. Amen

 

Bible Readings

 

Isaiah 35:3-10

Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

‘Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God.

He will come with vengeance,

with terrible recompense.

He will come and save you.’

 

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

then the lame shall leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

the burning sand shall become a pool,
   and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
   the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

 

Psalm 147:1-7

Praise the Lord!

How good it is to sing praises to our God;

for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

He heals the broken-hearted,

and binds up their wounds.

He determines the number of the stars;

he gives to all of them their names.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;

his understanding is beyond measure.

The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;

he casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

make melody to our God on the lyre.

 

2 Timothy 4: 5-17

 

As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

 

Do your best to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message.

At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

 

 

Luke 10:1-9

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”

 

 

 

Reflection

written by Rev Ian Colson

I spent an hour this week talking with someone whose closest relative has a terminal disease and is near to the end. Even by the standards of these things, the dynamics of the family make it particularly desperate. Despite being a priest for over thirty years I always feel entirely inadequate in these sorts of situation. My urge is to be a rescuer, to make it right and sort it out. In this situation, however, as in so many others, there is no hope, only the precious little things of the moment. The doctors have carefully listened and equally carefully explained that there is no miracle cure or experimental treatment; there is no other doctor or overseas clinic that can offer a cure. Suddenly for this family, the world has changed shape and there is nothing that can be done about it.

I always hope I can find the right words. When walking alongside a Christian family in these things it is easier, we can talk about hope and prayer and Jesus; we have a common language of prayer and worship. For many people, though, this is the first time that they may have thought about faith and it is clearly not the best time to start. I suspect there are complex things going on not least a realisation of a void which the lovers of God know can only be filled by him. The trouble is that for some the words aren’t even there yet to begin to form the question let alone to hear the answer. ‘What do you think, Padre?’ they ask. ‘That God loves you’ is all I can reply, knowing that for them this is probably an empty response, devoid of any real meaning.

Nonetheless, they invite us in. So, what do we say?

A long time ago at theological college I was taught ‘pastoral studies’ by a large Northern Irishman with a particularly booming voice. His strap line was to say that ‘95% of success is just in turning up’. I think I’d want to shy away from notions of success in these sorts of situation, but I am sure that he was right – it is by our being there that the love of God is shown. This is not just a clergy thing – it is for all of us. When we put ourselves in situations of any sort, by our baptism we put Christ there too. Some may say nothing at all, but to have a voice when it is the right time to speak we have to be there in the first place.

We celebrate today the faith and witness of St Luke the Evangelist. The tradition of the Church is that this is the same Luke who was a physician and the companion of St Paul. He pops up across Paul’s letters, such as this morning at the end of our reading from 2 Timothy. The word ‘evangelist’ of course comes from the same linguistic root as ‘gospel’ and so an evangelist is simply a carrier of the Good News. It is very appropriate that the notion of a healer and the gospel intertwine, after all it is in the Good News that the method of God’s healing for the world is announced in the person of Jesus, God’s son who would truly understand our suffering.

Healing in the New Testament is not just carried out for the benefit of those healed, regardless of how virtuous this is, it is there also to show God’s power and to demonstrate the fulness and nature of His Kingdom. As the Gospel reading from this morning says: cure the sick who are there and say to them, ‘the Kingdom of God has come near you’. This shows us that the pain and illness of the world is not as God would it. Creation is fallen but God wills to redeem and restore it. As Psalm 147 said, God is a binder of wounds, he builds up rather than breaks down.

So, what do we say? Certainly, we must be there to say it in the first place but after that maybe we shouldn’t worry. We know that we are imperfect, that we are too loud or too quiet or too open or too closed – whatever it may be. We are regardless the people that God made us as. If we believe that we carry Christ with us, that it is only through grace that our weak hands are strengthened and our feeble knees made firm (Isaiah 35), then it is almost a denial of faith to worry – the words shall be given you (Matthew 10:19). It is only by being there, wherever that may be, that we can say the words that help heal or ignite faith or bring justice and peace.

…....and say to them “the Kingdom of God has come near to you”.

 

 

Prayers

written by Rev Ian Colson

Let us pray for the Church and the World and let us thank God for His goodness.

 

For the Church,

• for our bishops, Helen-Ann and Nick
• that we may be fearless in our proclamation of God’s love
• that we may seek justice
• that healing may flow from us

For the world,

• for the healing of the growing rifts between nations
• for those areas divided by conflict
• that nationalist ambitions may be laid down in causes of justice and peace

For our country

• for our communities in this country where division is brought about by unequal sharing of our common resources.
• for our leaders that they may have wisdom
• for our armed forces especially those who will be in danger today (and, of your charity, for the chaplains who serve them)

For us

• for our own healing
• for the gift of having the right words to say
• that we may be open to God’s calling us
• with thanksgiving for the love others show us

 

For those in need

• for those who are ill, especially those close to death
• for those who sit waiting at a bedside
• for those who will die alone today.

For those things which lie on our hearts today

 

And so, rejoicing in the fellowship of St Luke, the apostles, the evangelists and all your saints, we commend ourselves and all people to your unfailing good.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

 

Affirmation of Faith

 

We believe in God the Father,

from whom every family

in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son,

who lives in our hearts through faith,

and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit,

who strengthens us

with power from on high.

We believe in one God;

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

 

Giving

• If you give to the church by standing order, please continue to do so during the current crisis, as you are able to. Our church buildings still need to be kept running and the bills and Parish Share to be paid.

 

• If you usually give money by envelope or in the plate, please consider setting up a standing order, or sending in a monthly cheque.

 

• If you would like to give directly online to PCC funds, the bank details are:

 

Barclays, Darlington and the Dales

Swaledale with Arkengarthdale Parish

Sort code 20-25-29 Account no. 80623717

Please use your surname as the ‘label’

 

The church treasurers will be glad to hear from you to discuss your giving during this time. Thank you to all who give faithfully to allow our work as the church in this place to keep going.

 

Church Treasurers:

Arkengarthdale – Enid Lundberg - enid.lundberg@gmail.com

Grinton – Chris Steward – chris_steward@hotmail.co.uk

Low Row (& PCC) – Ray Ford - ray.ford39@icloud.com

Muker – Dora Watts - dora.watts@btinternet.com

 

 

 

News and Notices

 

Tuesday 3 November, 7.30pm - Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in St. Andrew’s, Grinton.

This is for PCC members, everyone on the Parish Electoral Roll, and all regular worshippers. This will be a business meeting, with no speaker or refreshments, due to the Covid situation. Please wear a face covering.

The meeting will end with a formal swearing in of the new Churchwardens for the year and short prayers of dedication.

 

It is now time for the annual opening of our Children’s Society boxes. We will do this at the Vicarage, Langhorne Drive, Reeth on Wednesday 21^st October from 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm when the money will be counted. If it’s not possible for you to come that afternoon you may leave your box at the Vicarage in advance or contact Pauline Oldershaw on 01748 886790 for other arrangements to be made.

We appreciate that many of you have not been using cash over the last six months so may not have any money in your box. If you would like to make a donation, you could put it in an envelope with your name on it and leave it at the Vicarage or contact Pauline Oldershaw on 01748 886790 for other arrangements to be made. Thank you so much for your support.

 

The Two Dales Action for Refugees – Winter Appeal 2020

All the events that had been planned for this year, like most other things, have had to be cancelled. Despite this we had still hoped to organise a Winter Appeal but the practicalities of this have meant that this too has had to be cancelled.

Despite this setback we have been in touch with MAP (Methodist Asylum Project) who are based in Middlesbrough. Ailsa Adamson, the project manager, has outlined the pressing need for the following:

          men’s and women’s underwear          men’s and women’s socks

the resources to purchase mobile phone top ups to enable service users to be contacted and to stay in touch

basic toiletries e.g. toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel, sanitary products

basic store cupboard items e.g. rice, pasta, oil etc

 

If anyone feels they would like to support the work of MAP at this time and over the winter donations of money can be sent directly their bank account. The details are:

Barclay’s Bank 

Account name: Methodist Asylum Project Middlesbrough

Account number: 73360539

Sort code: 20 45 45

 

Hopefully, our activities will resume as soon as the Covid19 restrictions allow. In the meantime thank you for your continuing support.

Joan Graveson 

Chris Watts 

John Richards

 

Lay Training from the Diocese - Online Book Group

https://learning.leeds.anglican.org/course/winter-book-group-2020/

Contact: Julia Robertson Lay Training Officer, Ripon Episcopal Area

Mob: 07480305329 julia.robertson@leeds.anglican.org

 

Practical Help locally during the Covid 19 Virus Situation

 

The list of local help services is on the Parish website, on the Parish News page. Please point others to it if they need this information. The volunteer shopping and prescription service from Hudson House will now run through to March.

 

Church Buildings – Opening Times

 

We are doing the following for now – this will change as we see how things work and as the Covid situation changes:

 

St. Mary’s, Muker remains closed for the time being.

 

St. Mary’s Arkengarthdale - the building is open for private prayer on Sundays, 10am-4pm.

 

Holy Trinity, Low Row – the church will be open by appointment.  Available times are Sundays between 2.30 and 4.30pm and Thursday between 9 and 11am.  Please book your half hour slot by contacting Andrew or Elizabeth Bedford (Churchwardens) on 01748 886974, or andrew@bedfords.me.uk or elizabeth@bedfords.me.uk

 

St. Andrew’s Grinton is open 2-4pm on Sunday afternoons. Bell ringing practice is starting again on Monday and Thursday evenings. If you would like to visit the building at other times, please contact the churchwardens –

 Susan Allison susan.allison@btinternet.com , tel.01748 884366

Paul Roger paul.roger@btinternet.com, tel.01748 884620

 

 

Church Services – October & Remembrance Sunday

 

Parish Communion Service – at 10.30am

Sunday 25 October at St. Andrew’s, Grinton

 

 

Remembrance Sunday, 8 November –

There will be a service around the War Memorial in Arkengarthdale starting at 10.50am, and a service on Reeth Green at 3pm.

 

There will be no parade or service at St. Andrew’s, Grinton, and no services in church buildings.

 

The Church of England guidance is updated regularly and can be found at this website https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches

 

This newsletter replaces the pew sheet and the printed newsletter

until further notice. Please do share this with others and ask them to contact the vicar if they would like to be included on the circulation list. The newsletters can also be found on the parish website.

 

If you would like to send anything to be included in this weekly newsletter please email it to the vicar carolinejhewlett19@gmail.com by Thursday evening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgements:

Liturgy from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England. Material which is included in this service is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council AD 2000