Thought for the Week Easter Sunday

Exsultet

Rejoice,
O heavenly powers,
Exult, all creation!
Sound the trumpet
of salvation.
Rejoice,
O splendorous Earth,
Exult in glory.
Let this place resound with joy
Jesus Christ our King is risen!
Easter Vigil Exsultet.



 Luke     (24. 1-12)

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had accompanied Jesus came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body.

While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered Jesus’ words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

New Cross for St Mary's

St Mary's has a new cross. The cross will be used for the first time during Holy week 2013. Earlier this year we removed parts of four pews to make space in the centre of the nave for disabled seating.

The wood from these pews was put to good us by Simon Lambert to make us this new cross which will be used in our veneration of the cross on Good Friday.

The wood from the oak pews was recycled and turned into this wonderful new cross and stand.

Thought for the week Palm Sunday

Partisan God, taking sides with life against death; conqueror on the back of a donkey, you carry with you the expectations of the centuries. You are shoot of Jesse, descendent of David, offspring of Moabite Ruth gleaning in alien corn. You are master carpenter, compassionate healer. You are the one we are waiting for. Christ of vinegar and gall, Help us to learn to die in free from fear. Show us the lengths to which God's love will go. Save us from our godless self-contempt. Reawaken in us the song of protest. Remind us that our sisters and brothers starve. Enable us to comfort the empty and feed the hungry. Call us to release the captives waiting in hope, and through your costly love bring us to a deeper understanding of the meaning of suffering. Holy Spirit of struggle, As we grapple with your struggle and ours, 'as blind we sit in the tomb you raised us from' grant us your blessing.
Kate McIlhagga
quote Gerard Manley Hopkins

Thought for the Week Passion Sunday

The Quiet Insistence of your Word

What I notice most about this place is the wind, veering and backing into my corner, eddying, gusting, niggling, tangling hair, finding the contours of my face with icy fingers. Yesterday I had a place on the sun. It’s easy to pray with silences, warm light, and sea birds calling. Today is hard. I pull my collar up, and draw my fingers, monk like, into my sleeves. The wind buffets my ears, so I no longer hear your voice in the song of the lark, the flutter of small birds. Lord, do not let this northeast wind, or any other, deafen me to the still, small voice, the quiet insistence of your Word.
Alma Hamilton

Easter Services at St Mary's and St Paul's

Services for Easter
Easter Day with the clocks going forward, seems if we might have to get up a tad early.

Easter Workshop - Coming EASTER Saturday

Easter Workshop Fun and Games 

Saturday 30th March 2013

St Marys Church Hall

Hemel Hempstead

Free Admission

Thought for the week Mothering Sunday

A Song of Christ's Goodness
Gather your little ones to you, O God as a hen gathers her brood to protect them. Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you; you are gentle with us as a mother with her children. Often you weep over our sins and our pride, tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgement. You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our our wounds, in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us. Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life, by your anguish and labour we come forth in joy. Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear. Your warmth gives life to the dead, your touch makes sinners righteous. Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us; in your love and tenderness, remake us. In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness, for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.
Anselm of Canterbury

Thought for the week Lent 3

A LISTENING
by Ann Weems
Going through Lent
is a listening.
When we listen
to the word,
we hear
where we are so
blatantly
unliving.
If we listen to the word
and hallow it
into our lives,
we hear
how we can so
abundantly
live again.

Luke 13.1–9

There were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  He asked them ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.  Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them – do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.  So he said to the gardener, “See here!  For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none.  Cut it down!  Why should it be wasting the soil?”  He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.  If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down