Dear Friends
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s chosen Lent Book this year is ‘Tarry Awhile’ by Selina Stone. It is a book on the wisdom of Black Spirituality, particularly focussing on the tradition of ‘tarrying’ (waiting) as a community to draw closer to Jesus and to each other. The Church of England has produced a Lent Booklet that people can follow through Lent, which draws on the content of the book, called Watch and Pray. If you would like to use this really good resource in your own prayer life you can either get a copy here:
or you can get content emailed to you direct each day by subscribing here:
Here is the reflection for today:
Reading
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4.1-6)
Reflection
Ancient Greek and Roman thinking was strongly influenced by the notion that nature and life needed to be separated between the world that we can sense and the perfect world that we can only imagine: between the real world, and the ideal world.
The Letter to the Ephesians rejects this kind of “dualism”, insisting on the reality of one God, one faith and one Christ. Yet dualistic thinking has caused problems for the Church from the outset. Accepting non-Jewish believers was the first hurdle of the Early Church. Later, European Christian missionaries to Africa and the Americas from the fifteenth century onwards treated indigenous cultures as idolatrous. Yet, these cultures were fertile grounds for the development of Christianity. Such “dualism” is dangerous because it creates division and conflict unnecessarily, hindering the good news of Jesus Christ.Watch
Notice any moments when you begin to see life in black-and-white terms.SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE THIS WEEK & NEXT:
Sunday 25 February (Second Sunday in Lent)
8am – Holy Communion; St John’s, Tatworth
10am – Holy Communion; St Mary’s, Thorncombe
6:30pm – BCP Evening Prayer; St Michael & All Angels, Chaffcombe
6:30pm – Service of Light; St Stephen’s, Winsham
Tuesday 27 February
9:30am – Morning Prayer; St John’s, Tatworth
LENT WALKS 2024
The first Lent walk is tomorrow, Thursday 22nd February at 11am, meeting at St John’s, Tatworth, followed by a light lunch (soup) from around 1215 / 30. All Welcome to the walk and lunch, or either part!! The weather is not looking wonderful, so be prepared! No stiles, but cannot rule out mud…
Slight change of timing for the walk on 29th February in Chaffcombe. This is now at 3pm followed by 4pm tea in the hall.
Wild Church
Wild Church had a well attended walk at Chard Reservoir on 17 February in the drizzle! 22 of us (adults and children) explored the puddles, streams and mud, finishing with hot chocolate from the boot of the vicar’s car. Good fun and fellowship and thanks to all who came! The next Wild Church gathering will be for Good Friday morning at 10am on 29th March – All Welcome!
Prayers
We hold in our prayers all those we know who are ill or struggling in any way, and we are asked to pray by name for the following. If you would like to add someone. or yourself, to this list, then please do get in touch.
Margaret Bandy, Dave Boyland, Andrew De-pury, Christopher Mitchell
In memoriam:
We remember in our prayers all those whom we love but see no longer. Particularly at this time we remember Denis Hunt, Ruth Rogers, Barbara Tolley, and Anthony Johnson.
A Prayer for this week from Watch & Pray:
Holy and mighty Trinity, teach us of your oneness.
Give us grace to see the ways in which we reject the unity you desire
in favour of division and conflict. Amen.
Every blessing
Philip
The Reverend Philip Butcher
Rector – Two Shires Benefice (Tatworth, Thorncombe, Winsham, Chaffcombe & Cricket Malherbie)
The Vicarage
3 Home Farm
Tatworth
Chard
TA20 2SH
01460 221286
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