THE FRIDAY EMAIL

Friday 12th February 2021

The Friday Thought from our Lay Reader, Di Kitson A few days ago, I walked down to my greenhouse with the sun shining, marvelling how mild it was and thinking that perhaps spring is just around the corner. Then came the torrential rain and a real drop in the temperature, reminding me that our weather is always very changeable. Now I’m looking out on snow covering the back garden. What a change in a very short time!

It reminds me of some words from the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

That’s certainly true right now. The restrictions caused by the Covid-19 virus continue to be a real challenge to us all. The advent of mass vaccinations across the country may at last bring a sign of light at the end of the tunnel. But we won’t be out of that tunnel any time soon - this week’s debates about booking summer holidays has made that clear.

Of course, it’s been a very difficult time for many people. The psychological effects of lockdown, social distancing and the cancellation of celebrations and public activities - even though necessary and hopefully limited in duration - have been very hard to live with. Isolation, loneliness, and depression have taken a toll.

Our readings this Sunday (see below) are based on the terrible disease of leprosy - a condition which also continues, in certain parts of our world, to result in isolation, loneliness, and depression - not for just a few months though but often for a lifetime, with sheer poverty an additional result.

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Over the centuries, many have laboured to bring compassion and emotional support to sufferers, just as Jesus does in this Sunday’s gospel passage, as he stretches out his hand and touches the leper.

As I read the passage, it struck me - possibly because we’re living in a time of social- distancing and the prevention of touch - just how long it must have been since someone had touched that leper. Our gentle touch is one of the ways we show another person that we care about them - that we’re concerned about them - that they’re important to us. I wonder how many people living alone during this pandemic are also longing to feel the kind, compassionate touch of a friend or relative.

The pain and isolation of those with leprosy must be overwhelming. The pain and isolation of so many individuals in lockdown must be overwhelming too. Be it a welcomed hug or a gentle hand on the shoulder, we can only hope and pray that we can share God’s tactile love again sooner rather that later.

Keep warm, safe and well, Di

Sunday’s readings

The book of Leviticus, chapter 13, verses 1-2 and 45-46: The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprous disease on the skin of his body, he shall be brought to Aaron the or to one of his sons the . The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be dishevelled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

St Mark’s Gospel, chapter 1, verses 40-45: A leper came to [Jesus] begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

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The Collect for the Sunday before Lent

Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Details of Sunday’s 9.30am service, streamed on our website and Facebook  President & Preacher: Fr Simon (Vicar)  Reader: Charlotte Vivian  Intercessor: Huw Lewis  Mass setting: Mass of St Thomas (music: David Thorne)  Organ voluntary: Allegretto from Sonata No.4 (music: Felix Mendelssohn)  Processional hymn: Love divine, all loves excelling (music: John Stainer)  Gradual hymn: Beauty for brokenness (music: Graham Kendrick)  Offertory hymn: How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (tune: St Peter)  Communion motet: Love one another with a pure heart fervently (music: S.S. Wesley)  Recessional hymn: To God be the glory (music: William Doane)  Organ voluntary: Sinfonia from Cantata No.29 ‘Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir’ (‘We thank you, God, we thank you’) - BWV 615 (music: JS Bach)

Intercessions for this week

For the world-wide Church  Bishop Alan, Bishop of St Albans  Bishop Michael, of Hertford  The Venerable Janet Mackenzie, Archdeacon of Hertford  Dean Jeffrey John as he moves to Paris  Archbishop Justin,  In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer: for the Anglican Church of Canada  In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: for the parish of Christ Church, Little Heath in the Deanery of Barnet  In the Deanery Cycle of Prayer: for the parish of All Saints’, Hockerill in Bishops’ Stortford

For the congregation and community of Great St Mary’s

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For the world  For those who have died or are suffering in body, mind or spirit  For those who are working to relieve suffering. For key-workers, scientists and leaders, and particularly for the NHS, and all medical and care workers  For just and peaceful governance throughout the world, particularly at this time in Russia and Myanmar  For those worried about their livelihood  For those who are being persecuted for their faith  For those who have been abused in body, mind or spirit  For those struggling with addiction  For those who are homeless

For the community of Sawbridgeworth  For those at our Central Surgery, for the staff and patients of the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and the Rivers Hospital, and for our local care homes  For local businesses and commerce in these uncertain times  For the teachers and staff of our local schools including Spellbrook, as they work remotely with their pupils online  For parents and carers called upon to balance work and home lives as their children work remotely from home  For those feeling isolated and lonely; particularly those living alone

For the people of Sunday: Cutforth Road & Barnard Road Monday: The Meadows, Waterside Place & Priors Court Tuesday: Vantorts Road & Alders Walk Wednesday: Greenstead & Vantorts Close Thursday: Hoestock Road & Wimbourne Close Friday: Riverfield Lane, Millfields & April Place Saturday: Atherton End & Stoneleigh

For the sick and bereaved including Selina Allen, Linda Bowler, Una Bard, Pam Brown, Frieda Elfick, Pete Emery, Rosemary Jones, Kathy Taylor, Peter White, June Willis, and for those from our parish community mourning the loss of a dear relative or friend

For the recently departed  Robin Chalcraft  Kathleen Hammond  Nancy Kemp  Peter Mason  Daphne Puncher

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Notices

 Suspension of public worship and private prayer at GSM For the time being, we continue to be closed for public worship and private prayer at Great St Mary’s but continue to review that decision.

In the meantime, Revd Debbie and Fr Simon will continue to preside at a 9.30am Sunday mass each week which may be watched either live from about 9.20am via the church Facebook page or website (www.sawbridgeworthchurch.org.uk) or later, on those two platforms and on our YouTube channel, at a time of your choosing.

 Zoom Coffee and Chat - Sundays at 10.45am With a drink or more in your hand, do feel free to join the online gathering after our Sunday morning service.

The simplest way is to go to the website (www.sawbridgeworthchurch.org.uk) and click on the Zoom Coffee and Chat picture.

Alternatively, you could put the recurring link into your computer’s address bar any time from 10.45am: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73298626887?pwd=czNnaVhyejBkQlMvM1lHS0RsOTR5dz09.

Lastly, you can go to the Zoom website (https://zoom.us/join) and use meeting ID 732 9862 6887 with passcode NF9T4R.

Whichever way you arrive at the digital door, you’ll be let in as soon as possible, where you’ll find a bit of fun, fellowship and banter. See you there!

 Online Eucharist for Ash Wednesday - 17th February - 8pm - website and Facebook This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. It marks the first day of the 40 days of Lent - a six-week period - excluding Sundays - which Christians dedicate to prayer, fasting, and reflection in preparation for the great festival of Easter. The late Dutch priest and popular theologian Henri Nouwen described Lent as a time to re-focus and to re-enter a place of truth. In doing so, it’s in Lent that we can find our true identity.

Ash Wednesday is the best way to begin a season which calls us into self-examination as well as self-denial; into deeper contemplation about the mystery and grace of God’s mercy, and towards more radical giving to those most in need of comfort, practical help and, particularly during this pandemic, hope.

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Sadly, we won’t be able to come together in person this year for an Ash Wednesday service. However, to mark the day, Fr Simon will be live-streaming a Eucharist from Great St Mary’s at 8pm on Ash Wednesday evening. You will be able to join the service from home in the way you would normally watch the Sunday morning Eucharist - via the church Facebook page or website (www.sawbridgeworthchurch.org.uk) or later, at a time of your choosing, on those two platforms or on our YouTube channel.

Whilst this year we’re denied the opportunity to receive the sign of the cross in ash on our foreheads, the streamed service will at least give us an opportunity to reflect on our mortality, to remember what we are made of, to remember where we are going, and to commit ourselves to a Lenten discipline of prayer and devotion.

 Pathways to Prayer - online Lent resources for 2021 Whilst we hope and pray that Great St Mary’s will be open again for public worship and private prayer sooner rather than later, we’re certainly not going to be able to explore Lent together as we might want. Instead, so as to provide a variety of Lent resources which can be accessed by us in a number of ways, we’re going to be highlighting the BBC’s Lent course - ‘Pathways to Prayer’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3gGFW2dW4dqbsFxRMjqzdmD/pathways-to- prayer-lent-retreat-2021.

During Lent, BBC Radio 4’s Daily Service and Sunday Worship are going to be teaming up with the religious order The Society of Jesus, otherwise known as The Jesuits. They will be broadcasting services to accompany separate written material with links to art and music. It’s going to be inspired by Ignatian spirituality, which is a Catholic spirituality named after 16th-century St Ignatius of Loyola who founded the Jesuit order. It’s going to be a contemplative, mindful pathway of prayer and reflection rooted in the Christian tradition which assumes God is at work within and throughout all that exists. By encouraging us simply to pay attention to the here and now, in both our inner experience and in the world around us, it allows us to get to know Christ, and to serve him through our lives.

Each morning at around 8am, we will be posting that particular day’s short reading and reflection on our Facebook page - beginning on Ash Wednesday - next Wednesday 17th February. That Facebook post will also include an image and a link to a piece of music to inspire our thoughts and prayers further. You can obviously choose to use the material how and whenever you like during the day but, to do it justice, you will probably want to set aside 10 or so minutes per day. If you would like to have a look at the resources in advance, they may be found here: https://www.onlineprayer.net/

In addition - or as an alternative - each day’s 15 minute BBC Radio 4 Daily Service is going to be inspired by the online material’s theme. The Daily Service is broadcast at 9.45am each weekday morning on BBC Radio 4 Long Wave and Digital (whilst the Book of the Week is on Radio 4 FM). Again, if that time doesn’t suit you, you can hear it whenever you like here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wzfs 6

On a Sunday, the BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship (8.10am) will explore things further. The link, to listen at another time is here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnds

We’re very aware of those in our church community who don’t have access to the internet. So, as well as the possibility of them being able to listen to the Radio 4 Daily Service and Sunday Worship, we’re going to be asking those we know without internet access whether they would appreciate hard copies of the daily reflections.

Whilst we recognise that none of this is an ideal substitute for travelling through Lent together, we hope that, along with our own Sunday morning streamed Eucharists from Great St Mary’s, we’ll all at least have the means to find our own pathway to prayer this Lent which suits our own particular needs and restrictions. And so may these resources, despite the current circumstances, still make for a very holy and prayerful Lent for all of us.

 Pastoral issues Despite the current national lockdown and closure of our church building, may we assure you that your ministry team – Fr Simon, Revd Debbie, and Di - is still very active. If you would like to talk to them at any stage – because of a particular pastoral issue or because you simply want to have a chat – do please pick up the phone to them or drop them an email. Contact details may be found at the end of this Friday Email.

 The Friends of Great St Mary’s 200 Club The Friends of Great St Mary’s are seeking members for their ‘200 Club’. The cost remains the same as last year at only £12 per number, and you may have as many numbers as you wish. If you are interested, please contact Georgina King on 01279 722603 or at [email protected]

 Donations for Harlow Foodbank Whilst the church building, where we often leave donations for Harlow Foodbank, may be closed, the needs of the foodbank, and the many people it supports, continues.

So if you have donations for the foodbank while the church is closed, you can either take them to Cathy Battson or Ann Bard, or you can give Cathy a ring (07913 427930) to arrange for donations to be collected directly from you.

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 Sawbridgeworth Community Pop Up Shop Whilst our wonderful foodbanks are continuing to do amazing things, Sawbridgeworth Evangelical Congregational Church has also set up a space to support people in the area during the lockdown. Do please consider donating to them or, if you know of somebody who is struggling at the moment, do draw their attention to it. They can fill a carrier bag for free with a whole multitude of things. Details may be found on the SECC Facebook page.

 Farewell to the You may recall the news in December that, after seventeen years at , the Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd Dr Jeffrey John, has accepted a post as Associate Chaplain at St George’s Anglican Church in Paris.

This Sunday is his last at the cathedral. He will preside and preach at his last Eucharist at 10am. Then, at 4pm on Sunday afternoon, the Dean will be joined by Bishop Alan for his last service: Evensong with the Valediction of the Dean If you would like to watch, you can do so here - either live or later - at: https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/live-streaming-at-st-albans-cathedral

News from our associated CofE school in Spellbrook As the half-term break beckons, Mr Fisher, the Headteacher, reports how pleased he is with all the work that’s gone into the home learning and key worker provision this half term, and how parents have done so much to help their children continue to learn.

But, before the holiday, there’s been chance, this week, to enjoy the snow. The staff were in early on Monday, helping out with the snow clearing and salt spreading. But later, the children in the key worker bubble still found enough to make a snowman during some well- deserved time out from their learning, whilst others sent in lovely pictures of themselves having fun in the snow at home.

Have a good half term break everyone, From all of us at Spellbrook School.

Final Thought Vaccination is a jab well done. That's the point of it.

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Content for the Newsletter If you have a notice for the Friday Email, please let us know by lunchtime on Thursday.

Thank you for your continued support of Great St Mary's.

Contact us Fr Simon Vivian (Vicar) [email protected] 01279 723713 Revd Debbie Hore (Associate Priest) [email protected] 01279 722948 Di Kitson (Lay Reader) [email protected] 01279 723212 Anthony Heard (Churchwarden) [email protected]

Website: www.sawbridgeworthchurch.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com and search for ‘Great St Mary’s, Sawbridgeworth’ YouTube: www.youtube.com and search for ‘Great St Mary’s, Sawbridgeworth’

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/sawbridgeworthpcc/

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