The ARCH Messenger To show our love for God and You June 2021 Abbots Morton, Rous Lench, Church Lench & Harvington www.archbenefice.org.uk ARCH Benefice: parishes of Abbots Morton, Rous Lench, Church Lench and Harvington Rector: The Reverend Canon Richard Thorniley 01386 870527 [email protected] Curate: The Reverend Chris Sheehan 07977 072105 [email protected] Office hours: 9.30am to 9.30pm Monday-Thursday, Saturday; day off: Friday; Sunday afternoons: quiet space Urgent pastoral matters – any time Readings th 6 June Genesis 3:18-15; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-3 th 13 June Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:6-17; Mark 4:26-34 th 20 June Job 38:1-11; Psalm 107:23-32; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41 27th June Peter the Apostle Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 125; 1 Peter 2:19-25; Matthew 16:13-19 th 4 July Ezekiel 2:1-5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13 th 11 July Amos 7:7-15; Psalm 85:8-13; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29 th 18 July Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-34,53-56 25th July St James the Great Jeremiah 45:1-5; Psalm 126; Acts 11:27-12:2; Matthew 20:20-28 Please use the ‘Contact Us’ page on our website www.archbenefice.org.uk to submit editorial or enquire about advertising. Thought for the month Easter’s over... so what next? I write this on Ascension Day, the day Jesus went back to working from home, as a humorous observation has it. Ascension Day is 40 days after Easter – and always falls on a Thursday, as mathematicians will observe. More seriously, Christians have observed that, as a result of Jesus returning to heaven, ‘Jesus takes our human nature – yours and mine – to the heart of God and he speaks to God his father in a human voice. In heaven, the language they speak is human (not just angelic). Our words (human words) are heard at the very centre of the burning heart of reality...’ (Rowan Williams). Our humanity exists within God, at the centre of all existence. So when you are next saying your prayers, as Christians we believe there is someone listening who knows what it is like being you; someone who is aware of the challenges and delights that you experience; someone who will not give up on you. Ten days after the Ascension, God returned in Spirit form as wind and fire to open our hearts and minds to what He wishes to offer us. And ever since, we have been invited to let God in to make his home with us and work from there. Richard Thorniley Stop date for next issue: Monday 7th June 3 Rector’s Corner Midweek Holy Replaced by recorded midweek reflection Communion (BCP): Tuesday prayers: Benefice prayers: Suspended until further notice Home Communion: Daily prayers: via Zoom – contact me for details 8.30am and 6pm (e-mail [email protected]) Men’s Night Friday 18th June, 8pm (£10 for the kitty – Coach & Horses, Harvington. includes ALL drinks) Come and enjoy a pint – £10 in the kitty will even get us a savoury snack. We may sit OUTSIDE if weather permits, or if not, then...INSIDE! Get in touch and reserve a place: [email protected] Without God the world would be in a maze without a clue. Woodrow Wilson Jesus didn’t commit the gospel to an advertising agency; He commissioned disciples. Joseph Bayly Salvation is free, but discipleship costs everything we have. Billy Graham Pastoral Calls and Contacts During the pandemic, I have made phone calls to people who I thought needed a call and to those who were brought to my notice. If you know of anyone who could do with a call or help for any reason, please let me know. I am NEVER so busy that I cannot fit in a call to someone who needs it. If you want to get in touch, please do – it’s good to hear from you and I love a chat! Richard Thorniley 4 Churches are open for services and prayer The Benefice churches are now open EVERY DAY, with the exception of Rous Lench. As I write, St Peter’s still needs tidying and cleaning before we can allow visitors... but we hope to be open in time for the Flower Festival weekend. For the period 17th May to 21st June, up to 30 people can attend weddings, funerals and baptisms. I can also offer Home Communion again, restricted to 6 attendees in a private home. Numbers for services will remain limited to: Abbots Morton: 20 Church Lench: 30 Harvington: 30 and sadly there is still no singing allowed in church, but we do sing our final hymn outside which is a refreshing way to end a service and may be continued on occasions – so if you are passing, do feel free to join in. All these restrictions, we hope, will come to an end in June when our lockdown is lifted. In the meantime, I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone for their understanding and for abiding by the Covid precautions. At no time to date have we had to ‘have a word’. Plans are afoot for ‘sing-along’ opportunities in our churches in the near future, so keep an eye out for advertising. If you would like further information, please get in touch with me, Richard Thorniley, on 01386 870527 or [email protected]. AS WE UNLOCK, PLEASE REMEMBER OUR NEIGHBOURS IN NEED We are continuing to look for cleaning items, toiletries and similar, rather than food, as this is what our local food bank has requested. I have received reports that the need remains and is expected to rise. If you can, please drop your items into church and they will be delivered to Caring Hands in Evesham. Our churches are now open every day, making it easier to leave donations. Thank you for your continued support. 5 Notices th th th Heating oil delivery dates for Thursdays: 10 June, 8 July, 12 August, th th th the ARCH buying group 9 September, 8 October, 11 November Phone your order to Evesons by 5pm on the Evesons Fuels: 01905 775920 preceding Monday Muddy Kids: 7th great year! 27th –29th July 2021 ‘Unlocked fun in God’s World!’ The Muddy Kids Holiday Club is running for its 7th year with the obstacle course at Ellenden Farm, plus other activities which are being explored. I will again be looking for help, so if you could check your diaries and let me know of your availability, I would be grateful... We will be based at Harvington School hall If you want to book your children in – the order book is open Cost: £8.50 per child per day or £25 for 3 days Ages catered for: 5-10 (school age) We also need teenage helpers (ages 11-16) £5.00 per day To reserve a place or to offer help please get in touch with Richard Thorniley on 01386 870527 or [email protected] 6 Notices FLOWER FESTIVAL WALK FROM ABBOTS MORTON STEP INTO A NEW ‘NORMAL’ On Saturday 26th June starting at 10am from St Peter’s, Abbots Morton, join a walk round our churches to celebrate a step into the new ‘normal’. The churches of St Peter’s, Abbots Morton, St Peter’s, Rous Lench, and All Saints’, Church Lench, will be decorated with flowers for the festival and will be visited during the walk. The final destination will be Harvington where we can enjoy a picnic in the church or churchyard. There will be stops along the way, with comfort stations available at Rous Lench Village Hall, Church Lench and Harvington. Most of the walk will be on local paths with minimal use of roads, so appropriate footwear is required... and dress for whatever the weather may offer us on the day (suntan lotion essential!) Please bring your own refreshments and arrange transport (if required) back home from Harvington – or enjoy a lovely return walk. Marriage Document replaces registers in church weddings New wedding regulations started in May whereby the couple and their witnesses sign a Marriage Document instead of the wedding registers during the service. The document is sent to the register office, who will send a marriage certificate to the couple’s home a few days after the wedding. The calling of banns in church is still required – this is the question that is put to the community, asking if anyone knows if there is any reason in law why the couple should not get married. Some good news: the names of mothers and/or step-parents can be placed on the new marriage certificate – this is a long-overdue improvement. Richard Thorniley 7 Wake up! Remember the story of Jacob and how God met him in a dream when he was sleeping on the desert floor with a rock for his pillow? The story in Genesis 28 says, ‘When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it”’ (Genesis 28:16). I wonder what place you find yourself in today, and if you are aware of God’s presence with you there? It may be a geographical place, the place where you live or work. That may be a beautiful place to be, or it may be a very hard place to be and you would much prefer to be somewhere else.