The Friday Email
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THE FRIDAY EMAIL Friday 15th January 2021 The Friday Thought from our Associate Priest, Revd Debbie Our lives are full of endless chatter, be that from the TV, radio, our phones, social media, you name it. As a result of the current crisis, I expect that you, like me, are watching more news items and government briefings than ever before. It seems we’re either being bombarded with noise or actively seeking it out; some would say like an addiction, which drowns out our own thoughts and opportunities for meaningful reflection. I do wonder at times, how much of the babble I really hear? The reading from Samuel underscores the importance of listening. While Samuel is sleeping, he believes he hears someone calling his name. So Samuel wakes up and runs to Eli thinking Eli has called. "Here I am, Lord," he says, running to old Eli who stumbles out of bed and grumbles, "Go back to sleep, you're hearing things." After responding to hearing his name called several times, Eli instructs Samuel to "Go to sleep, and if you are called reply: 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel follows Eli's orders, and when called upon again, he responds accordingly. And so Samuel grows up with the Lord accompanying him, giving him insight, wisdom, and strength as one of his prophets. This was a time in Israel’s history when Israel was out of communication with God. Eli was getting too old to lead (his loss of vision is what happens to the elderly but is also symbolic of the people’s inability to see the things of God), and his sons were wicked. “The word was rare in those days". Because the Lord was quiet? Or because no one was really listening? 1 We can probably all tell stories, drawn from everyday life, that illustrate the importance of listening in the process of human communication. Comic strips and comedians regularly portray married couples failing to really hear each other. We’re reminded that we need to not only listen, but then to be open to what we hear, especially from God. As we open ourselves to the word of God, be comforted by Him accompanying us through good times and bad. Remember though, it all begins with listening. As the American priest and author Barbara Brown Taylor explains so eloquently in ‘When God is Silent’, prayer should be less “Lord, hear our prayer” and more “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”. I'm afraid we’re in times like Samuel's. Revelations and visitations from God seem uncommon now. In fact, today if people say that God speaks out loud to them, they’re viewed as crazy by some. People seem to think that God is far away, or at least doesn’t directly and physically interact with people. Someone like Samuel, hearing his name called out loud, might himself suspect insanity instead of a visitation from God. Personally, I believe that God does call to us and does reveal himself and visit. Rarely, perhaps, with an audible voice, but in more subtle ways in our everyday lives. All the time, all around us, there are opportunities to help others physically and spiritually. So, as we go through our day, upcoming weeks and year, let’s take some time to turn off the chatter – there’s a lot of bad news out there, both nationally and internationally. Tune out the noise and tune in to taking the opportunity for prayer and reflection. Truly listen and allow God's words to guide us towards making a positive difference in the lives of those around us, even the world, in this New Year. May God bless you and keep you, Rev Debbie Sunday’s readings The first book of Samuel, chapter 3, verses 1 to 10 and 19-20: Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of 2 the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. St John’s Gospel, chapter 1, verses 43-51: The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’ The Collect – the special prayer - for the Second Sunday after Epiphany Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; 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. Details of Sunday’s 9.30am service, streamed on our website and Facebook page President & Preacher: Fr Simon (Vicar) Reader: Charlotte Vivian Intercessor: Di Kitson Mass setting: Mass of St Thomas (music: David Thorne) 3 Organ voluntary: Andante from Organ Concerto Op. 4 No.1 (G.F. Handel) Processional hymn: Hail to the Lord’s anointed (tune: Crüger) Gradual hymn: Will you come and follow me (tune: Kelvingrove) Offertory hymn: Thou didst leave thy throne (tune: Margaret) Communion motet: O for a closer walk with God (Stanford) Recessional hymn: Great is thy faithfulness (tune: Runyan) Organ voluntary: Pièce d'Orgue in G major - BWV 572 (J.S. Bach) Intercessions for this week For the world-wide Church Bishop Alan, Bishop of St Albans Bishop Michael, Suffragan Bishop of Hertford The Venerable Janet Mackenzie, Archdeacon of Hertford Archbishop Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer: for the Anglican Church of Australia In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: for the parish of Haynes (Ampthill and Shefford) In the Deanery Cycle of Prayer: for Ash and Quin Valleys Group Ministry For the congregation and community of Great St Mary’s 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 holding before God this period of presidential transition in the United States of America For those worried about their livelihood For those who are being persecuted for their faith For those who are abused in body, mind or spirit For those struggling with addiction For those who are homeless For the community of Sawbridgeworth For carers and NHS workers – particularly the staff at the Princess Alexandra in Harlow and those at our Central Surgery 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 4 For the people of Sunday: Parkway & Cedar Close Monday: Chalks Avenue & Coney Green Tuesday: Hazel Gardens & Moorlands Reach Wednesday: Cherry Gardens & Marlands Thursday: Church Walk, Church Crescent & Forebury Crescent Friday: Church Street, Blakes Court & Duckling Lane Saturday: West Road, Tudor Court & Fair Green For the sick and bereaved including Linda Bowler, Una Bard, Pam Brown, Frieda Elfick, Pete Emery, Kathleen Hammond, Elsie Harman, Lenore Hinds, Rosemary Jones, Peter White, June Willis For the recently departed Iris Chuchla Kenneth Hinds Notices The Revd Kenneth Hinds It was with sadness that we heard last weekend that the Revd Kenneth Hinds has died.