Bolingbroke Deanery Team Parishes Faithful, Confident, Joyful 25th October 2020 (Green) Last Sunday After Trinity “Bible Sunday”

9.00am Sunday Service at Home Watch the service A celebration of Bible Sunday Join us and the Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson for this online service.

From Holy Trinity Kendal, the Bishop of Penrith is joined by people from across Cumbria, including two newly ordained clergy, in this celebration of Bible Sunday. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online

Last Sunday after Trinity Health Service Chaplains Services in the Cluster 9.30am Spilsby Holy Communion Banns 3rd: Phillip Morgan (s) & Chloe Louise Faulkner (s) both of St Peter Morley Leeds (Wed.- 23/01/20) (JC) ALL SOULS 11.15am (PC) REMEMBERED Services in the Marden Hill Cluster 9.30am Holy Communion (+DR) Please let the Services in the Stickney Cluster clergy know any 11.15am Morning Worship (FJ) names of the Services in the Cluster departed you would 3.00pm Evening Prayer (PC) like prayed for next Services in the Cluster week. 9.30am Holy Communion (PC) Also Zoom Service

10.00am Prayer in our own homes Have a word about See below Booking for Remembrance Bolingbroke Churches on line: Sunday at Spilsby

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Vine We will continue to publish a short video on YouTube and linked it to our website. Our Web Site http://lincoln.ourchurchweb.org.uk/spilsby/index.php I have created a YouTube Account Bolingbroke Team Churches https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqTDWzvL2jxeB6ESF-aP9Nw?view_as=subscriber Monday Alfred/Cedd Raithby 7.00pm Raithby APCM at Red Gables Tuesday /Lusby 2.00pm : Prayer & Bible Study 10.00am APCM via ‘phone 7.00am Lusby APCM via Zoom Wednesday St Simon & St Jude Hagworthingham 10.30am Spilsby 2.00pm Spilsby Good Neighbours Scheme AGM via Zoom 2.30pm B/C John Scott’s Funeral 3.30pm Clergy Team Meeting 7.00pm Hagworthingham APCM Thursday Hareby Friday 11.00am Thorpe St Peter: Margaret Everard’s Funeral 1.00pm Raithby: Rita Hallam’s BofA 7.00pm Mavis Enderby APCM via Zoom

Saturday Martin Luther Reformation

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY Thanksgiving for the Community of Saints Services in the Spilsby Cluster 9.30am Morning Worship (JC) 10.00am Spilsby For All the Saints (PC) 3.00pm Eucharist (PC) Services in the Marden Hill Cluster 9.30am East Keal Holy Communion (+DR) Services in the Stickney Cluster 11.15am Stickney Morning Worship (FJ)

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5.00pm Stickney All Souls Service (FJ) Services in the Partney Cluster 9.30am Holy Communion (TMcL) 11.15am Partney Holy Communion (TMcL) Services in the South Ormsby Cluster 9.30am Tetford Morning Prayer (PMcL)

Private Prayer in the Following Churches: St James Spilsby Daily 08.00 to 12.00 St Helen East Keal Daily 10.00 to 15.00 St Helen’s Saturdays 10.00 to 14.00 St Nicholas Partney Thursdays 11.30 to 12.30 St Mary Tetford Thursdays 14.00 to 15.00 St Luke Stickney Thursdays 09.45 to 11.00 St Helen Stickford Thursdays 10.00 to 11.30 St Mary Hundleby Daily 10.00 to 14.00

Daily 8am Morning Prayer at Noon God of love, turn our hearts to Your ways and give us peace. Amen

Please note that although Track & Trace Data is not compulsory for Public Worship, it may be when we are open for other things. We feel it is good to have the records and particularly that we display the NHS QR Code. We will be making sure our Churches have them to display.

Sunday 25th Castle Bytham w Creeton – in Vacancy 20th Sunday after Pray for those who have the care of the community at this time. Trinity Pray for the Church in Wales The Most Revd John Davies - Archbishop of Wales & Bishop of Swansea & Brecon Monday 26th The Colsterworth Group – Revd Neil Griffiths Alfred the Great, King Pray we can plan Covid Secure Christmas services that connect of the West Saxons, people with the truth of the nativity story and for our continuing work Scholar, 899 with children. Cedd, Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop Risk Management Committee of the East Saxons, 664 Remo (Nigeria) The Most Revd Dr Michael Fape 3

Cyprus and the Gulf (Jerusalem & Middle East) The Rt Revd Michael Augustine Owen Lewis (Primate) Kumasi (West Africa) The Most Revd Dr Daniel Sarfo Tuesday 27th Corby Glen – Revd Stephen Buckman Pray that we can focus on the love and generosity of God

Renk (South Sudan) The Rt Revd Joseph Garang Atem Daejeon (Korea) The Most Revd Moses Nagjun Yoo (Primate) Kumi (Uganda) The Rt Revd Edison Irigei Wednesday 28th Edenham w Witham on the Hill and Swinstead – Revd Ed Martin Simon and Jude, Pray for opportunities to open Edenham Regional House alongside Apostles the opportunities within the individual churches to reach out to the local community

Rhode Island (The Episcopal Church) The Rt Revd Nicholas Knisely Dallas (The Episcopal Church) The Rt Revd George R Sumner Jr Thursday 29th The North Beltisloe Group – Revd Anna Sorenson James Hannington, Please pray for vision and confidence as we try to rekindle a thirst Bishop of Eastern for God, an understanding of his love, and a response to the Gospel, Equatorial Africa, in our communities. Martyr in Uganda, 1885 Rift Valley (Tanzania) The Rt Revd John Daudi Lupaa Damaturu (Nigeria) The Rt Revd Yohannah A Audu Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) The Rt Revd Jackson Sosthenes

Friday 30th The Ringstone in Aveland Group – Revd Neil Bullen Please pray for us as we seek ways to pay for the maintenance of our beautiful buildings and as we aim to reach out into our communities and to make God’s love ‘real’ to those around us.

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) The Rt Revd Eduardo Coelho Grillo Davao (Philippines) The Rt Revd Jonathan Labasan Casimina Saturday 31st For all Churchwardens, particularly those admitted for the first Martin Luther, time this month. Reformer, 1546 Rio Grande (The Episcopal Church) The Rt Revd Michael Vono Delaware (The Episcopal Church) The Rt Revd Kevin S Brown Kurunegala (Ceylon) The Rt Revd Keerthisiri Fernando

The sick at home or in hospital, Leo Seebacher-Hobson, Nigel Worth, Kathleen, Ann, Molly, Veronica, Dorothy, Maggie J. Betty Brawn, Tristan, Michael P, Joan T. Mark, Jossie Lee, June, Hilary, Michael, Harriet, Rose L., Abby, Sheila Janes, Fleur, Mary, Jeff Mason, Rosie, Jean C. Bob, (Baby) Chloe Lear, Lawrence, Margaret White (Spilsby), Ann Howman, John and Audrey Prince, Sylvia Bonsey, Anthea B, Alec Cark.

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The Departed: Neville Padley, Raymond (Eggy) Goodwin, Sid Mabbott, Tony Richmond, Elsie Hezel, George Whiting, Sid Scarborough, Margaret Everard, Sandra Roberts, Jean Tonry, Joan Abbey.

Anniversary: David Price, Lou Nagal, Barbara Carey, George Bryant, Bill Sutton, Annabella Grant, Barbara Kemp, Mark Ashton, Nancy Spring, Sylvia Hill, Wilfred Elley, Mary Moores, Noel Tyler, Gordon Rawson, Derek Gill, Wendy Ledger, Josie Watkins, Frank Simpson, Barbara Fincham, Constance Greenhalgh, Irene Elkington, Joan Noakes, Rex Cooke- Barnes, Eileen Collin, Kyle Thompson, Craig Rawlingson, Kathleen Johnson, Diana Pruen, Peggy Stainton, Hilda Toynton, Carl Rhodes, John Atkinson, Robert Hodgson, Victor Herring, Toni Cockayne, Bronwyn Woods, Edward Shaw John Carpenter, Rosemary Adkins, Peter Woods, Janice Warner, Miriam Joan Price, Betty Cook, Brian Edge, Ivy George, Michael Wright, Maurice Kemp, Rose Rose, Marjory Lettice, Harold “Pixie” Morris, Tony Evans, George Smith, Joseph Gough, Mary McCoy, Harry Roberts, John Simons, Robin Worsdall (P) former Stickney incumbent. Sidney Ashley, Pauline Thornton, Patricia Carpenter, Rolly Panton, Harry Middleton, Howard Lansom, Phyllis Blackbourn.

Bolingbroke Team Ministry

Morning Worship

Living God, we praise you for the promise of hope running through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. As we approach you in worship, grant us a glimpse of a new heaven and new earth, where you will be amongst your people. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end a hope that will not disappoint us. Amen.

Hymn Angel voices ever singing round thy throne of light, angel harps, forever ringing, rest not day nor night; thousands only live to bless thee and confess thee Lord of might.

Thou who art beyond the farthest mortal eye can scan, can it be that thou regardest songs of sinful man? 5

Can we know that thou art near us and wilt hear us? Yea, we can.

Yea, we know that thou rejoices o'er each work of thine; thou didst ears and hands and voices for thy praise design; craftsman's art and music's measure for thy pleasure all combine.

In thy house, great God, today we offer of thine own to thee; and for thine acceptance proffer, all unworthily, hearts and minds and hands and voices in our choicest melody.

Honour, glory, might, and merit thine shall ever be, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, blessed Trinity: of the best that thou hast given earth and heaven render thee. (Words: Francis Potts 1832 – 1909) The collect. Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever. Amen

The word of God is living and active. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. All is open and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we give account. We confess our sins in penitence and faith. (cf Hebrews 4.12)

Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (cf Psalm 51)

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May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever. Amen.

Blessed is the Lord, for he has heard the voice of our prayer;

Therefore shall our hearts dance for joy and in our song will we praise our God.

Reading Colossians 3: 12-17 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Hymn Lo! He comes with clouds descending, once for favoured sinners slain; thousand, thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ appears in power to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him, robed in dreadful majesty; those who set at naught and sold him, pierced, and nailed him to the tree, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, shall the true Messiah see.

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Now redemption, long expected, see in solemn pomp appear! All his saints, by man rejected, now shall meet him in the air. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! See the day of God appear!

Yea, amen! let all adore thee, high on thine eternal throne; Saviour, take the power and glory, claim the kingdom for thine own. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! O come quickly, come, Lord, come. (Words: Charles Wesley 1707 – 1788) Reading Matthew 24:30 - 35 Jesus said: Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Reflection [Because this is Bible Sunday the writer has produced a homily that is in the form of a Meditation by the Gospel’s author, Matthew. We suggest you read it slightly more slowly than you might normally do with a Homily, with a certain amount of dramatic emphasis]

People have asked me, why did you do it Matthew? Well the answer is simple. I was compelled. Not by any human force, but by a yearning desire to make Jesus known to the world. Through the work of Paul of Tarsus and those who worked with him the Church of Jesus Christ was growing all over the world and there was a great hunger among followers to learn more about him. There were lots of people travelling around 8

relating the great deeds and sayings of Jesus and a Gospel by Mark was being widely shared, but I didn’t think it went far enough in relating who Jesus was.

So I set about collecting these accounts and weaving them together. One thing I set out to do was to help people make the link between him and Messianic prophesies and to establish his place of birth in Bethlehem. An ordinary, human birth yet at the same time royal and of God. Not only that but the fulfilment of those prophecies. The one we had been waiting for. I established his blood line and talked of visitors from the east, of the world outside his homeland. I set about collecting those accounts and putting them together built on the foundation of the birth narrative. It was painstaking work but worth the effort. I did refer to Mark’s account but as I said earlier there was room for additions to the text just to fill out the story and the character of Jesus.

Jesus often taught in Parables like for example one about a sower who sowed his seed, you probably know it. Mark tells the story faithfully and fully but he leaves his readers hanging with the conclusion “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” but I thought that left it hanging in the air so I decided to include the explanation for the disciples and, in consequence, for future readers. I’ve always thought that it is really important that we gain as much understanding of the things Jesus did and said as we can and that is what lay behind the account of Jesus’ life and times that I presented to the church. I can’t see the point in writing something that can’t be easily understood. The whole idea that Jesus is both human and divine is hard enough without making the things he said and did difficult to grasp,

But I did want to show that Jesus did have the power to heal and save like when he made a man’s withered arm whole and a blind person regain his sight. I also showed how he had control over demons, cleansing many who felt themselves possessed by unholy spirits, thus assuring readers that he had authority of both worldly and unworldly things. There are plenty of examples in my account that will help the church through the ages to understand this as best they can and perhaps to grapple with this understanding as time goes on.

And I took pains to include this story we’ve just heard, which I saw as a very important moment. As Jesus and his disciples continued their journey to Jerusalem he tells them about end times and the signs to look out for. He had already told them what was going to happen in Jerusalem. Now he seeks to prepare them for what is next. He talks to them about huge disturbance in the heavenly realms 9

affecting the sun and the moon and how this will signal the coming of one like the ‘Son of Man’ on the clouds of heaven. Angels will be sent out with loud trumpets to call the elect from all over the world. He talks of times and seasons and how they must learn lessons from them. The time is coming. Be alert.

This link between the natural and supernatural in the life and ministry of Jesus is a really important one. There are many times when he relates to the spiritual and connects with the physical and this is no exception. He has shown himself to be both fully human whilst also holding strong links to the other worldly. I have tried to show this throughout my account but this proclamation of his to his closest followers is to me a clear indication that he fully understands this, almost as if he has already experienced it.

The story of Jesus is both heart-warming and disturbing, this man who collected a close group of followers to aid him in fulfilling his mission to the world challenged the very bedrock of established religion, came up against authority which, eventually put him to death though not before he uttered a scathing critique of their actions, and had thought they had seen the last of him. But that was not to be. Reports of his resurrection spread widely through works like mine and the other chroniclers who travelled around relating his glorious deeds and thoughts.

Jesus’ death and subsequent resurrection happened some time ago but the Church which holds him so dear continues to grow across the world. My account of the life and works of Jesus is an honest one which I hope will stand the test of time and that people will still be reading many years from now.

Questions for Reflection 1. How have you found this way of encountering the text? 2. Might it sometimes be a useful exercise to try to get into the mind of the author in order to gain a different kind of insight? 3. Is there anything else from the passage not already considered that speaks to you? What is it? 4. What will you do this week in your Monday-to-Saturday ministry in response to what you have heard today? #everydayfaith

Affirmation of Faith Do you believe and trust in God the Father? I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 10

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit? I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Song Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, Lord Bind us together in love

There is only one God, There is only one king There is only one body, That is why we sing.

Fit for the glory of God, Purchased by his precious blood Born with the right to be free Jesus the victory has won.

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We are the family of God We are his promise divine We are his chosen desire We are the glorious new wine. (Words: Bob Gillman) Prayers of Intercession God of the silence, God in the stillness and the calm, who met Elijah not in the rushing wind but in quietness, who brought peace to a group of fishermen in a raging storm: Be with us, here, and now. Help us to leave behind the busyness of our lives, and listen for your word. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

God of relationships, God of compassion and love, who gave Ruth to Naomi when she had no family, who gave Abraham and Sarah a baby when they had given up hope, who brought together the disciples and other followers of Jesus: We think of our relationships, our families, our friends and colleagues and our church family across Bolingbroke Deanery. We lift them to you now. We bring our thanks, our concerns, our need for forgiveness. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

God of wisdom, God of the proverbs and the 10 commandments, who inspired your prophets like Amos, Micah, Isaiah and Jeremiah, to speak your words: we bring before you our country and its political leaders, we pray for wisdom and justice. And we think of situations, people, places around the world that need change. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

God of creativity, God of beauty and delight, who gave David the gift of song-writing, who spoke to Joseph in vivid dreams, who inspired the Songs of Solomon: 12

Open our eyes to see you all around us. Help us to find you in nature, in poetry, in song, in conversation, in touch. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

God of surprises, God of hopes and plans, who called Samuel in the night, who met Paul in blinding light; Help us to hear your call for our lives, however big or small. Open our eyes to your promptings and guidance, so that we can see the people, places, opportunities that you want us to. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

God of revelation, who came to us as one of us, who calls us to be the light of the world, to love our enemies, and to treat our neighbours as we would be treated, who urges us not to worry, who encourages us to seek and to find, who told us that we are so loved that if we were 1 of 100 sheep he would leave the other 99 to look for us if we were lost: help us to take your Gospel words seriously, let them shape our lives and give us courage to take new paths and explore new patterns. Help us to hear their call afresh and let them release us from old routines to try new steps and dance with you in abandoned joy through all our days. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

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Hymn O worship the king, all glorious above! O gratefully sing his power and his love! Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendour and girded with praise.

O tell of his might! O sing of his grace! Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space. His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.

The earth, with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, thy power hath founded of old, hath ‘stablished it fast by a changeless decree, and round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

O measureless might, ineffable love, while angels delight to hymn thee above, thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays, with true adoration shall sing to thy praise. (Words: Robert Grant 1779 – 1838) Final prayer Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of your holy word. May it be a lantern to our feet, a light to our paths, and a strength to our lives. Take us and use us to love and serve in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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An act of Spiritual Communion You may wish to find a space for prayer in Pray for the needs of the world, for your front of a cross, a candle, or a special place. local community, and for those close to you. You might choose to make your Spiritual End with the Lord’s Prayer. Communion at a particular time of day, or Our Father... after viewing a live streamed service. Give thanks for the saving death and Reflect on the day and on your relationships. resurrection of Jesus and ask him to be with - What good things have come from you now. God today? Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for - Where have I fallen short? all the benefits you have given me, - What might I do tomorrow? for all the pains and insults you have You may wish to say or pray borne for me. Since I cannot now receive Lord, have mercy. you sacramentally, I ask you to come Christ, have mercy. spiritually into my heart. Lord, have mercy. O most merciful redeemer, friend and Read the following words from Scripture. If brother, may I know you more clearly, you have access to today’s readings for Holy love you more dearly, and follow you Communion, you may wish to read and more nearly, day by day. Amen. reflect on them. after the Prayer of St Richard of Chichester Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. Conclude with the following: Whoever comes to me will never be The Lord bless us, and preserve us from hungry, and whoever believes in me will all evil, and keep us in eternal life. never be thirsty.’ Amen. John 6.35

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A prayer for all those affected by coronavirus

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Clergy Team The Rev’d. Canon Peter Coates The Vicarage, Church Street, Spilsby, The Rev’d Mrs Jean Coates PE23 5EF Contact via Spilsby Vicarage – As above email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Tel: 01790 752526 Rev’d. Mrs Teresa McLaughlin & The Rev’d. Ms. Fran Jeffries Mr Paul McLaughlin – Community The Rectory, Horbling Lane, Stickney Chaplain PE22 8DQ email: [email protected] The Rectory, Scremby Road Partney PE23 4PG The Rev’d. Mrs Joan Thornett [email protected] email: [email protected] 01790 752344 Tel: 01790 754151

Alfred the Great 26 October King of the West Saxons, Scholar, 899 Alfred was born in Wantage in 849, son of Ethelwulf, King of Wessex. Alfred became king at the age of 22 in 871, a most difficult and dangerous time for Wessex, engaged as it was in a struggle against the Danes who occupied most of north and east . However he bought time and peace by paying 'Danegeld'. But from 875 the Danes went on the offensive again and much of Wessex was overrun. Alfred went into hiding at Athelney in the Somerset marshes, quietly gathered about him as many loyal Saxons as he could find in preparation for a counter-attack and, when he engaged the Danes at Edington in 878, won a famous victory. The Danes were obliged to withdraw to north and west England (the 'Danelaw') and their leaders

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were required to submit to baptism, probably in order to lessen the possibility of persecution of Christian English by pagan Danes in the Danelaw. In the south and west, Wessex, under Alfred, was now supreme since the successive Danish invasions had crushed out of existence most of the individual Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Alfred made Wessex a rallying point for all the Saxons and by freeing the country from the invaders unwittingly unified England and prepared the way for the eventual supremacy of his successors. Although there were further invasions, incursions and battles, Alfred was able to maintain his supremacy in the south and west and the Danes gradually settled down to peaceful occupations in the north and east. Historically, great wartime leaders have not always proved so successful at peacetime government. Alfred, however, proved an able and farsighted ruler, though he suffered from an unknown chronic illness, possibly psychosomatic. A priority was defence: Alfred created the first English navy, improved the efficiency of military call- up and created a system of fortified boroughs for defence in time of war. Religious, educational and legal matters were also important to him. Though brought up illiterate he learned to read and write in his late thirties and did much to encourage Anglo- Saxon scholarship, especially the translations of key religious texts into the vernacular. It was a source of some regret to Alfred that, having acquired a thirst for knowledge comparatively late in life,Wessex lacked scholars to teach him as much as he desired. The only English monarch ever to be called 'the great', Alfred died on 26 October 899, and was buried in the Old Minster at Winchester. He was a man of rigorous and sincere personal spirituality unusual for a lay person in Anglo-Saxon England. He compiled a personal prayer book of psalms, readings and the daily office, much of which he learned by heart, and always carried it with him. Alfred also endowed a number of monasteries as key spiritual educational and social centres and he codified the English legal system, giving it a clear Christian basis. Cedd 26 October Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop of the East Saxons, 664 Cedd was a pupil of Aidan (see 31 August), who had established Christianity within Northumbria during the reign of King Oswald. Cedd spent some time at the monastery of Lindisfarne, where along with his brother Chad (see 2 March), he was taught by Aidan. There were four brothers in all: Chad, Cynebill, Caelin and Cedd. All four became priests and two became bishops. Cedd was from the region of East Anglia, but practised Celtic Christianity rather than the Roman Christianity associated with the south of England. He is known as of the Lindisfarne monks who travelled great distances to preach the gospel. In 653 Cedd and his brothers were sent by King Oswy of Northumbria to evangelize the Middle Angles in Mercia. He was also sent to Essex on a similar mission sometime later. Such was the success of his missions that he was consecrated Bishop of the 17

East Saxons in 654 by Finan of Lindisfarne. While in this post he established monasteries at West Tilbury and Ythancester (Bradwell-on-Sea). Cedd was present at the Synod of Whitby (664), which was called to establish uniformity over the celebration of Easter between the Churches of the Celtic and Roman traditions, and to clarify other ecclesiastical customs. Able to speak both Gaelic and Anglo-Saxon, Cedd acted as interpreter at the gathering. The council was called by King Oswy, a Celtic Christian who had married Eanfleda, a Roman Christian. The differences in Easter practices in the royal household were becoming contentious. Although eventually influential for the history of Christianity in Britain, the Synod of Whitby was only attended by a few representative bishops. It was many years before uniformity became apparent within the Church, and practices merged. The process of convergence between Celtic and Roman traditions was long and gradual. Bede, an English Roman Christian writing 70 years after the Synod, made this council the crux of his account of church history, and subsequent medieval histories distorted the facts for political motives. In a journey back to Northumbria in 658 Cedd established the monastery at Lastingham, after being given land by Ethelwald, Oswy's son. He died of the plague whilst living at Lastingham in 664. James Hannington 29 October Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, Martyr in Uganda, 1885 James Hannington was born at Hurstpierpoint in Sussex in 1847. After leaving school in Brighton he worked in business, then in the army. In 1868 he entered St Mary Hall at Oxford to train for the Anglican ministry. Ordained in 1874, he served curacies at Martinhoe in Devon (where he had a conversion experience) and at Darley Abbey near Derby. In 1875 he returned to Hurstpierpoint as minister of St George's Chapel. In 1882, influenced by the news of the deaths of missionaries in Buganda (part of modern-day Uganda), Hannington offered to serve with the Church Missionary Society. Though the Kabaka (king), Mutesa, welcomed Christian missions, Buganda was landlocked and a long trek from the coast was required in order to get there. This was to be Hannington's undoing on two occasions. On his first tour of duty in East Africa in 1882–3 he was overcome by fever and dysentery on the trek westwards and had to be carried back to the coast, twice being given up for dead. On his return the CMS Medical Board ruled that he should never return to the region. Yet in 1884 when a separate diocese was created for Eastern Equatorial Africa, this ruling was reversed and Hannington, fully recovered in health, was consecrated bishop by Archbishop Benson at Lambeth. He arrived in Africa early the following year and began visiting his clergy in the coastal settlements. One commented, 'he was

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beloved by every missionary. There never was a bishop who could be so firm, and, at the same time, so kind and considerate.' Yet the time came in July 1885 when Hannington prepared to visit his flock inland in Buganda. The old Kabaka, Mutesa, had died the previous October. His son Mwanga was no friend of European missionaries and Hannington had already received word of the suffering of both missionaries and converts at Mwanga's court. So, wishing to be with them as soon as possible the courageous and impetuous Hannington ignored advice from all quarters and travelled the quickest route, which unfortunately was the invasion route traditionally taken by Buganda's enemies. German imperialists had been unsettling the Bugandans, who seemed unable to distinguish between different nationalities of white men. On entering the border region, the bishop's party was detained by the local chief who asked Mwanga for instructions as to the fate of his prisoner. When the order came, Hannington and his party were speared to death on 29 October 1885. Though by no means the first Christian martyr in Uganda (George Shergold Smith and Thomas O'Neill of the original CMS Nyanza mission party were martyred in 1877) nor, sadly, the last (see 3 June), Hannington was Uganda's most high-profile martyr until Archbishop Janani Luwum in 1977 (see 17 February). Martin Luther 31 October Reformer, 1546 Martin Luther was born at Eisleben in Saxony in 1483, the son of a copper miner. After Erfurt University, fearful of death and judgement, he entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt but did not find the peace with God he anticipated. Taking his vows as a monk in 1506, he was ordained priest in 1507. He turned to the study of theology at which he excelled and by 1512 he had received both his doctorate and the chair of theology at Wittenberg University. At some point between 1512 and 1515 Luther had his so-called 'Tower experience' which marked a fundamental shift in his theology and faith. Through studying the Scriptures – notably Romans 1.17, 'the righteous shall live by faith' – he came to believe that Christians are saved not through their own efforts but by the gift of God's grace, which they accept by faith. Once he had grasped this truth he was transformed from someone fearful of God's wrath into a fearless critic of a Church that was failing to teach this fundamental truth. Luther's increasing disillusion with the Catholic Church was brought to a head by the indulgence controversy which resulted in his Ninety-Five Theses, published on 31 October 1517.What was intended to initiate an academic debate quickly got out of hand and Luther was excommunicated in 1521. But his views struck a chord with others, and a bloc of anti-Catholic states began to emerge in Germany. By 1529 the word 'Protestant' had been coined to describe their beliefs.

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Though reform not schism was his aim, Luther stuck to his beliefs when Rome declined to reform itself, even along the conservative lines favoured by Luther. In addition to the doctrine of justification by faith he asserted the priesthood of all believers, the concept of national Churches, vernacular Scripture and liturgy, the use of hymns in worship and the freedom for clergy to marry. Luther was successful in challenging the might of the Catholic Church partly because the intellectual changes of the Renaissance made such challenges acceptable, partly because the political situation in Germany was favourable to a new religious dimension, and partly because the technology to disseminate his ideas (the printing press) had recently been invented. But, most importantly, it was his personal courage and willingness to risk his life for the truth that allowed the Reformation to be born and to develop. He died at Eisleben in1546. A very human being who spoke from the heart – often in violent and earthy imagery – Luther saw life as a constant spiritual struggle in which he was only able be victorious through Christ's grace freely bestowed on him. His hymns often reflected this sense of battle, as in these translated verses of a hymn in German from 1529:

With our own might we nothing can, Soon are we lost and fallen; But for us fights the righteous man, Whom God himself hath callen. Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is, Our sole King and Lord, As God of Hosts adored; He holds the field forever.

Though earth all full of devils were, Wide roaring to devour us; Yet fear we no such grievous fear, They shall not overpower us. This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none, He’s judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him.

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