Welcome to This Epiphany 3 - the Wedding in Cana

Welcome to this Epiphany 3 - The Wedding in Cana

Sunday Communion Service

The online services are a combination the service sheet with links to Revd Steven, the hymns, music,

Instructions: Ctrl-Click on the link in blue to activate the whole recorded service with all the hymns etc. https://youtu.be/ry_4UH8NoGo

For the Zoom service, see notices at the end of this service sheet

Hymn 1: Father, Lord of All Creation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5fqJaLg3ug

Welcome by Revd Steven Welcome our 45th week of online services….

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you All and also with you

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen.

Gloria Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen

The Collect Read by Bronwen Cook

Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; 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

Reading 1 Genesis 14.17-20 by John Barnes

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

17 When Abram came back from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the other kings, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in Shaveh Valley (also called King's Valley). 18 And Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and also a priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram, 19 blessed him, and said, “May the Most High God, who made heaven and earth, bless Abram! 20 May the Most High God, who gave you victory over your enemies, be praised!” And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the loot he had recovered.

This is the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God.

Reading 2 Revelation 19.6-10 by Bronwen Cook Paul in Ephesus

6 Then I heard what sounded like a crowd, like the sound of a roaring waterfall, like loud peals of thunder. I heard them say, “Praise God! For the Lord, our Almighty God, is King! 7 Let us rejoice and be glad; let us praise his greatness! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself for it. 8 She has been given clean shining linen to wear.” (The linen is the good deeds of God's people.)

9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Happy are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And the angel added, “These are the true words of God.”

10 I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don't do it! I am a servant together with you and with other believers, all those who hold to the truth that Jesus revealed. Worship God!”

For the truth that Jesus revealed is what inspires the prophets.

This is the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God.

Hymn 2 Lord of all my life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp-HghvjtGA

Gospel Reading John 2.1-11 by Linda Barnes

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. All Glory to you, O Lord.

The Wedding in Cana

2 Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine had given out, Jesus' mother said to him, “They are out of wine.”

4 “You must not tell me what to do,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

5 Jesus' mother then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 The Jews have rules about ritual washing, and for this purpose six stone water jars were there, each one large enough to hold between twenty and thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill these jars with water.” They filled them to the brim, 8 and then he told them, “Now draw some water out and take it to the man in charge of the feast.” They took him the water, 9 which now had turned into wine, and he tasted it. He did not know where this wine had come from (but, of course, the servants who had drawn out the water knew); so he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have drunk a lot, he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best wine until now!”

11 Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

This is the Gospel of the Lord. All Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon from The Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Bradwell

Proclaiming the Abundance of God John 2.1-11

Today’s Gospel reading is in the familiar setting of a wedding. Most of us can connect to the problem of running short of refreshments for a wedding or other ways that a wedding celebration can be ruined and the party cut short. These images of social disaster evoke within us strong human emotions of anxiety, shame, and compassion. This grand inauguration of Jesus’ ministry at the wedding in Cana is symbolic of a messianic feast at the end of the world. Here our Lord attends a wedding feast and says yes to gladness and joy. In him we find a God who puts joy into life, who thinks it is worth a miracle to keep the party going as we celebrate people. Throughout his life, Jesus of Nazareth celebrated people – people getting married, people being healed of diseases, people enjoying meals together. He carried a spirit of celebration with him wherever he went as he proclaimed a God of mercy and peace and joy. And he wants us to have life, a life in abundance. In this event, Jesus acts decisively in a family crisis. He saves the family from shame and dishonour in the community. Moreover, he is there with them in their moment of joy and celebration. The wedding at Cana is a marvellous picture of the loving relationship we have with Jesus who is present in the various activities of our lives. He is aware that our best efforts require the touch of God and he is always there to reach out to us when we experience difficulties. He brings healing where there is hurt, forgiveness where there is misunderstanding and encouragement where there is a lack of support.

The wine in the story is the life of God brought to people through Jesus. He can transform us, taking the ordinary in us and making it extra-ordinary, turning anguish into wonder and want into wealth. He enriches the very ordinary, makes it precious and gives an eternal flavour to the commonplace. The wedding at Cana is a proclamation that God’s party is on. He has invited us in. But God’s party is not just for us! As we enjoy the party, we must be concerned of those who cannot join this party – those who live in perpetual poverty; those who are oppressed and exploited and hence have no dreams of their own; those who are given into addictions and have lost control of their own dreams; those who are looked down by others because of their colour, caste, creed or culture. God invites us to his party. Would we be generous to bring others also in? That is our mission as believers and as churches, and this is what USPG is trying to enable and support in various parts of our world. God is at work and we have a role to play. The story tells us that God needs some space to work. Jesus did not do this miracle out of nothing. He did not make wine appear from nowhere. There were six jars, there was water and there were servants who obeyed Jesus. There was Mary who trusted Jesus and asked the servants to “do whatever he tells you.” God needs us and our earthly jars and ordinary water to make his glory known. There is a sense of urgency in this story. This is the time for decisive action. This revelation of God’s abundance should challenge us to act as we encounter our world’s shortages and needs, whether of food, medical supplies, shelter or peace. As God is generous we are challenged to be generous in our giving and our celebration. The steward in the story tried to find out what happened using the normal rational means. But the disciples recognised the revelation of God in the prodigious flow of wine. The steward tried to re-shape the miracle to fit his understanding, while the disciples allowed their understanding to be re-shaped by this miracle. God is calling us to discern what he is doing in our midst and our understanding to be re-shaped by what we see. As Rowan Williams said, “Mission is discerning where the Spirit is and joining in.” Let us join in God’s mission of bringing life and joy to a needy world. The Gospel writer also says that this was the first of the miracles where Jesus revealed his glory. God’s glory is revealed in the transformation of ordinary water into wine. God’s glory is manifested in an ordinary human celebration, at a wedding, in a normal home, in the service and obedience of some servants. Where do we seek God’s glory? We do not need to go too far searching for God’s glory. God reveals himself in ordinary circumstances, in our normal needs and struggles, in our little joys and dreams. We can see these signs even in the midst of a pandemic like the one we face now. This is a miracle of abundance, of extravagance, of transformation and new possibilities. The world will keep talking about scarcity and the forces of evil will suggest that there is no hope for the world because of scarcity. But our message, the message of God, is one of abundance. There is enough for everyone but in our sinful and unjust world, everyone does not experience this abundance. It is our job to tell

6 the world, in words and deeds, what God has given. May God bless and enable us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

The Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Bradwell, Chelmsford Diocese Profession 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

Hymn 3: Blessed Assurance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuyf1YQvcwY

Prayers of Intercession Intercessions: by Michael Pudney INTERCESSIONS –

COVID INTERCESSIONS 24TH JANUARY 2021

Let us pray-

We pray for a world seemingly in turmoil, a world riven by Covid, a world riven by fear, sadness and distress. Yet we know that you O Lord are with us always, bringing us hope and love and strength and that with you by our side we will overcome all these perils.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer

We pray for those who help all who suffer -In our Hospitals, In our Care Homes,

Testing Centres, Vaccination Sites and in our communities bringing support and comfort. Our Doctors, Nurses, Care workers, Ambulance teams, the Paramedics, the scientists working on vaccines and new treatments and all who support them – be with them as they go beyond that extra mile for those who depend on their commitment and care. We pray for all those throughout your world.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer

We pray for Elizabeth our Queen and her commitment to service throughout her life – for all those in authority in all countries as they struggle with difficult decisions – let them too have that commitment to all their peoples. Give them the wisdom to know the right path of compassion and care for all their peoples.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer We pray for our local communities, that we may show our love through our respect for each other at this difficult time separated from our loved ones. We pray for all those who are lonely, those who are frightened, those who worry about the future - Let them know your love, O Lord . Give grace to us, our families and friends, and to all our neighbours; that we may serve our risen Christ in one another, and love as he loves us. May we too recognise the needs of others in our daily lives especially now. Teach us to recognise the holiness of other people and to live as Jesus taught his disciples caring for those around us more than ourselves. We pray for all those running and supporting our Food Banks Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer

We pray for the Church throughout the world, that it may be a voice of hope for those who feel forgotten. We pray for all those who help guide us in our worship, Arch Bishop Justin, our Bishops Peter, John, and Guli, Archdeacon Elizabeth, Steven and for all our local clergy. We remember all who work in your name, thinking of those who work with our Parish Churches, with the Centre, and all our activities in normal times.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer Let us pray for those who are suffer in any way - May your love comfort and heal all those who are unwell; the elderly and infirm, let that love be with all who are on their own and feel lonely and unable to cope at this difficult time.

We pray for:

Beryl Habgood Luke Habgood Jeff Grimshaw Ernest Norman Molly Garwood Mike Batt Beryl Dixon Jean Winn Cally Thorpe Josh Pitman Georgia Andy Smith Sue Wilson Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer

We pray for all those we know and all those in in our parishes and who have COVID 19, that they may recover and be aware of your healing powers. We pray that all those we know keep safe in these worrying times.

We especially pray for those in hospital:

Pascal: Haley’s father who is starting to come out of the Covid coma and is opening his eyes and squeezing the nurse’s hand. We pray that he continues to improve and we pray for his family at this difficult time.

We also pray for all the people from our parishes who have this virus.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer We pray for Freda Howard and all in Down Hall who are unwell, and continue to pray for the staff, residents, and their family members of those in Down Hall and The Swan Care Homes. We also pray for those who are suffering and are known only to you.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer At this time, hear us as we remember those who died in the faith of Christ; we pray for all those loved by us yet seen no more. May they rejoice with us in the fullness of life eternal. We pray for Dave White from Down Hall, we think of his family at this time. For Ewa Huszak who is sadly missed by Roman and family, Ewa’s funerial is in

Wolverhampton on Monday. We think of Tony King, praying for Lynn and his family at this sad time. Tony’s funerial is on Thursday 11th February. For Tony Gibson remembering his wife Marion, and for Louisa Elizabeth Parker from St Lawrence, we remember Carol her daughter and family as they prepare for the funeral at Chelmsford Crematorium on 4th February. According to your promises, grant to the faithful departed a share in the inheritance of the saints...As we offer our humble prayers for them, may their heavenly prayers avail for us as we continue on our earthly pilgrimage. Celebrating in the resurrection of your Son, our Saviour bring us at last to the same blessedness. Rejoicing in the fellowship of all your saints, we commend ourselves and all Christian people to your unfailing love.

All accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hymn 4 We come as guests invited https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fZXch9NHk0

Collection: During this hymn a collection would normally be taken: Please arrange for your donations to go to your local Church: For Bradwell St Thomas’ Congregation please go to: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/6203/ and click Please donate to the running of the Church

The Peace God has made us one in Christ. He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Alleluia. The peace of the Lord be always with you All and also with you.

Open the heavens, Lord our God, and send your transforming Spirit on us and on these gifts.

May we who are baptized into Christ be ready to share his cup of suffering and strengthened to serve him for ever. All Amen.

The Eucharistic Prayer The Lord is here. His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give thanks and praise. It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation; in your love you made us for yourself. When we turned away you did not reject us, but came to meet us in your Son. You embraced us as your children and welcomed us to sit and eat with you.

In Christ you shared our life that we might live in him and he in us. He opened his arms of love upon the cross and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin.

On the night he was betrayed, at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to them, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his body is the bread of life. At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave you thanks, and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me. Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his blood is shed for all.

As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory, send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this wine may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son. As we eat and drink these holy gifts make us one in Christ, our risen Lord. With your whole Church throughout the world we offer you this sacrifice of praise and lift our voice to join the eternal song of heaven: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Amen. The Lord’s Prayer Believing the promises of God, let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Breaking of the Bread The president breaks the consecrated bread. We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. All Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.

Giving of Communion The president and people receive communion.

Prayer after communion All Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing Almighty Father, whose Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world: may your people, illumined by your word and sacraments, shine with the radiance of his glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever. All Amen.

Dismissal We have come to Christ, the living water. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. All In the name of Christ. Amen.

Sunday 24th January 2021

Epiphany 3

Genesis 14.17-20 - Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

Revelation 19.6-10 - The Rejoicing in Heaven

John 2.1-11 - The Wedding at Cana

Notices

Spiritual Communion

Steven Poss is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Spiritual Communion

Time: Jan 24, 2021 10:00 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/79934048518?pwd=T2ZQUUJwT2xPVGthUVVZQmlsYm 5vQT09

Meeting ID: 799 3404 8518

Passcode: 16D6nN

Bible Study

Steven Poss is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Bible Study - Ezekiel Chapters 37 and 38

Time: Jan 25, 2021 07:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86113419401?pwd=bEV0QzJmUXlQNTZWY21Pazd3aD VFUT09

Meeting ID: 861 1341 9401

Passcode: 684595

St Lawrence Virtual Coffee Meeting

Steven Poss is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: St Lawrence Virtual Coffee Meeting

Time: Jan 27, 2021 02:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81923220885?pwd=RERJcEV6SEtoei8vUllMdWE2RTc5d z09

Meeting ID: 819 2322 0885

Passcode: 759794

Chelmsford Diocese first three Generous God, Generous Disciples Webinars are now open to book.

10 things I wish I’d known when I became a parish treasurer, Saturday 23 January, 10am – 11.30am In this practical webinar we’ll be joined by Terry Gray from Colchester, who will be known to many across the diocese and has provided advice to many of our treasurers. Register here

Spirituality and Giving, Wednesday, 27 January, 7.30pm – 8.30pm We’ll be joined by the Dean of Chelmsford, Nicholas Henshall who will lead us in a reflection on spirituality and giving.

Nicholas writes: “Although we easily focus on the practicalities of financial giving and its outcomes, in the New Testament giving is always a spiritual issue. Jesus talks about giving again and again – and his focus is always on the need of the giver to give. In this webinar we will be exploring these themes, and above all how we understand our generosity as a response to the generosity of the God we know in Jesus Christ, who fed thousands from a few loaves of bread and turned hundreds of gallons of water into hundreds of gallons of wine.” Register here.

The Parish Giving Scheme, Thursday 4 February, 7.30pm – 8.30pm

In this webinar we’ll explain how the Parish Giving Scheme can help you to encourage and enable giving in your parish. We’ll be joined by Richard Jones who is the Lead Parish Giving Adviser for the Diocese of Hereford. Richard will explain how the scheme works and how you can get started. There will also be an opportunity for discussion and questions. Register here.

Praying with a ‘Piece of Nature’ - this is a prayer of noticing and of imagination

Praying with nature | Pathways to God

JESUS WALKS ON WATER

Saint Ignatius believed that God could speak to us just as clearly in our imagination as through our thoughts and our memories. This exercise tries to bring the listener into a closer encounter with Jesus. Jesus walks on water | Pathways to God

SHARED EXPERIENCES OF MENTAL HEALTH

Find out how faith has helped people in difficult times. Shared experiences of Mental Health | Pathways to God

Lent 2021 – 17 February is Ash Wednesday

Lent will soon be with us from 17 February. I am thinking of doing the following course – ‘Where is God?’, let me know what you think of it or any other suggestions you think we should study. Some other courses can be found at 5-Session Courses - York Courses

Also, below are some recommended books to read and below is a suggested USPG Lent course to register onto.

Where is God...? - York Courses

Where is God …? 1. when we seek happiness? 2. when we face suffering? 3. when we make decisions? 4. when we contemplate death? 5. when we try to make sense of life?

The course booklet, written by Canon John Young, includes questions aimed at provoking wide-ranging discussion. Each group needs a copy of the course audio, plus a course booklet for each member. In addition many groups find the transcript, which cross-references to the tracks on the recorded material, invaluable.

The participants on the course audio are Archbishop Rowan Williams, Patricia Routledge and Joel Edwards. Dr Pauline Webb provides the thoughtful Closing Reflection at the end of each session.

Diocese Lent Modules

Here is a list of the diocesan Lent Modules for 2021. Across the Diocese, leading up to Good Friday, there will be a series of courses offered under the title Lent Modules. The courses are open to anyone and with the exception of modules 2 & 5, will be carried out using Zoom. The cost has been kept to a minimum, starting at £15 for a two session course, rising to £25 for 5 session courses. For more information, please

16 contact Revd Steven. Module Lent 1 - The Upside-down Kingdom of God Module Lent 2 - Lost Christianities Module Lent 3 - Science and Faith - is there a place for scientists in the Church Module Lent 4 - “The Book of Job – Why does God let innocent people suffer?” Module Lent 5 - Pilgrimage and Saints Module Lent 6 - Living as a Christian in the scientific and technological world of today and tomorrow Module Lent 7 - Jesus and the Entrepreneurial Kingdom Enabling Innovative strategies for Kingdom mission Module Lent 8 - The history, beliefs and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses Module Lent 9 - Seeing Jesus: Art and Meditation to prepare us for Easter week Module Lent 10 - The Big Screen and the Bible Module Lent 11 - Surprised by Prayer

Thy Will be Done At a time of change, uncertainty and widespread anxiety, we need to discover again the freshness of our most familiar spiritual resources. Stephen Cherry's Lent Book Thy Will be Done does exactly this by inviting the reader to immerse themselves in the most central, important and iconic of Christian prayers - the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father.

Was £9.99 Now £7.99

Reflections for Lent 2021 Reflections for Lent is designed to enhance your spiritual journey through the forty days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday (17 February - 3 April 2021). It offers reflections on readings from the Common Worship Lectionary, written by some of today's leading spiritual and theological writers - Guli Francis-Dehqani, Graham James, Mark Oakley and Margaret Whipp.

Was £4.99 Now £4.49

Living His Story In Living His Story, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2021, Hannah Steele uncovers liberating and practical ways of sharing the gospel story afresh. With warmth and encouragement, she shows us how we can live Jesus' story in our own lives simply by being the people God made us and allowing people to be drawn to him through our natural gifts.

Was £9.99 Now £7.99

A Cross in the Heart of God The Canterbury Press Lent book for 2021 focuses on the significance of the story at the very centre of Christianity: the crucifixion. Samuel Wells writes as a theologian and pastor to explore the cross in the purposes of God and how this act brings about salvation. A study guide with questions and prayers makes this ideal for Lent groups as well as individual reading.

Was £12.99 Now £10.99

Supporting good mental health resources

The effects of mental health problems are huge, and given the challenging times we are living in with coronavirus, it's more important than ever that we take steps to support good mental health. For more information, click below:-

Supporting good mental health | The Church of England

USPG Webinars

28th January, 2pm GMT/UTC: A View from here: global mission in a post-pandemic world

A View from Here: Global mission in a post-pandemic world

Covid-19 has been a multi-faceted and global crisis. We live in a more fragile world with deeper inequalities, resurgent nationalisms and the climate crisis. As nations have looked to their own Interests, how can Anglicans nurture a deeper solidarity and re-imagine global mission for our post-pandemic world?

Chaired by the Rt Revd Dr Joanna Penberthy, Bishop of St Davids, Church in Wales, and USPG trustee, the Revd Duncan Dormor, USPG General Secretary, will be in conversation with theologians Dr Cathy Ross of CMS and the Revd Dr Muthuraj Swamy of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide.

You can register for this webinar here

15th February, 7.30pm GMT/UTC: Bray Day (USPG and SPCK Founders Day) Past and Present: Pastoral Care across space and time

Over the last year churches have wrestled with the question: How is pastoral and

19 spiritual care given remotely, at a distance? It’s a question that has been asked before. Indeed, it lies at the heart of USPG and what it means to be a global mission agency.

This Bray Day we will be releasing a fascinating digital archive, a freely available online exhibition of sources and letters from the time of the Society’s foundation. This is the result of work undertaken over the last year by USPG in collaboration with scholars at the University of Leeds exploring themes of pastoral care in USPG’s archive.

This work focusses on letters exchanged between missionaries in North America and the Caribbean and the Society’s headquarters in London. It sheds an extraordinary light on the concerns and issues of pastoral caregiving in the early work of USPG. Pastoral caregiving remains a critical part of the global work of USPG particularly in the context of Covid 19. This evening will provide a rich exploration of the connections between the past and the present.

Speakers: Bishop Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Alison Searle, University of Leeds Dr Jo Sadgrove, USPG

We are grateful to our collaborators at the University of Leeds and to the AHRC for their support of the academic project which underpins this initiative - Pastoral Care, Literary Cure and Religious Dissent: Zones of Freedom in the British Atlantic (c 1630-1720).

You can register for Bray Day here

Lent 2021 Webinars: For such a time as this

The world is in crisis; Creation is groaning. People and the Earth have been crying out for many years. But for too long, many people - particularly those in the global North - have chosen not to listen, instead remaining complicit in destruction and continuing to increase inequalities. In such a time as this, what have Christians got to offer?

Our doctrine of creation suggests that it was never meant to be like this, but that human nature is tarnished or fallen. The biblical narrative of salvation provides a remedy and challenges us to play our part in the process of redemption and recreation. This is the journey that we will take together over the six sessions looking at the implications for our daily lives both as individuals and as communities of faith and hope.

We are here for such a time as this. Called to respond with words and actions. USPG partners with churches across the world in their mission of transforming lives through education, health care and justice for all. USPG’s partner churches offer us insights, hope and encouragement in the ways that they are confronting the issues of ecological justice in their own context: and in doing so, challenge us to respond: are we ready to accept the challenge?

USPG will be facilitating a group that will gather on zoom with contributors to the course and other global partners, to study this course together on the six Mondays during Lent, on:

STUDY 1 For such a time. With the Asian Theological Academy. Monday 22 February 10am GMT/UTC

STUDY 2 Creation. With the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.

Monday 1 March. 10am GMT/UTC

STUDY 3 The Fall. With the Diocese of Belize, Province of the West Indies. Monday 8 March. 2.30pm GMT/UTC

STUDY 4. Salvation . With the Diocese of Lebombo, Mozambique. Monday 15 March. 2.30pm GMT/UTC

STUDY 5. Restoration. With the Green Schools, Church of South India. Monday 22 March. 10am GMT/UTC

STUDY 6. ReCreation. With the Asian Rural Institute, Japan. Monday 29 March. 10am BST

To be a part of this online group please email Gwen Mtambirwa at [email protected] who will send booking details.