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Message from The Rector
As the New Year begins, I would love to be able to write to you without feeling that I have to mention Covid-19. But, such is the state of the world, I fear that is not possible. With the encouragement of Aldringham churchwarden Chris Burrell-Saward I have now signed up to the Covid-19 reporting app run by King’s College, London – and, if you have a smartphone, I would encourage you to do the same. By answering three quick questions each day you help to increase the understanding of Covid, how it is spreading in the local area and, as time goes on, to monitor the effectiveness of the vaccines as they are rolled out. (Search your phone’s app store for ‘COVID symptom study’ and look for something with a blue and purple capital ‘C’ that says, ‘Help urgent medical research’.) And you receive information too – and that’s the bit that is currently, locally, rather worrying. A graph of the cases of Covid in the Suffolk Coastal area shows (as I type on Thursday) that there are 828 local cases, up 405 from last week – the cases have doubled in a week. We must be very, very careful. Please remember that this doesn’t just affect ourselves. We can pass the virus on to others before we even know that we have it, if we ever do – almost half of the people who have Covid don’t know that they have.
So, what about coming to church? The decision is, of course, yours and, for the foreseeable future (which isn’t very long!) at least some of the churches in our benefice will remain open. But, being in possession of some local knowledge, the PCC in Friston has, wisely, decided to keep the church closed for the time being. There will be services in Aldeburgh, Aldringham and Knodishall on Sunday 3rd. I would, however, reiterate what I wrote last week. The first thing that everyone must do is to look after themselves and those close to them. If that means that you don’t feel able to come to church at the moment, everyone understands. There will continue to be services online. We will monitor the situation and make adjustments to our plans should they become necessary but please don’t risk your own health or that of others.
Having said all of that, the future does look better. Two vaccines are being rolled out as fast as is humanly possible. There will come a point when we can relax. 2021 will, I hope and pray, end much better than it begins. The story of the Magi reminds us that the good news of Christ’s birth is for the whole world and for all time. ‘The star shines out with a steadfast ray’. And, confident that light will always overcome darkness, may I wish you the very happiest possible 2021.
With love, as ever
Mark
Collect
O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; 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.
First Reading
Isaiah 60.1-6
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Second Reading
Ephesians 3.1-12
This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
Gospel Reading
Matthew 2.1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Reflection for 3rd January – The Epiphany
by The Revd Nichola Winter
Over the door of the retreat house at Belsey Bridge is inscribed the legend, ‘Look to him and be radiant.’ It is a version of the words from the passage from Isaiah: Lift up your eyes and look around… then you shall see and be radiant. Your heart shall thrill and rejoice…
After what may have been one of the strangest Christmases we have experienced we will be hoping and praying that 2021 will be a better year for all. This is, perhaps, where the season of Epiphany comes into its own. Our hearts thrill and rejoice as we celebrate the gift of the Christ-child. We mark the gift of a new year. We count our blessings. The days are still short and dark; politically and economically, as a nation and as individuals we may have a difficult journey ahead. We feel ongoing stresses from the implications of Covid-19; local threats from SPR to our community and environment remain – and many are working incredibly hard in an attempt to encourage a more sensible solution. But we are a Christmas people. We follow the star and we have a hope that no-one can take away. Our hearts thrill and rejoice…
Stars play an important role at this time of the year. When I first moved to Friston I was struck by the beauty and clarity of the night sky. Just before Christmas the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn was clearly visible in the evening sky – such a close encounter occurs rarely and there is speculation that when it happened at the time of Christ’s birth it created the biblical light that led the Magi to the stable. In the bible stars are images of mystery. At a literal level they demonstrate God’s awe-inspiring creativity. Symbolically they appear in apocalyptic visions of impending cosmic events that we can barely imagine. Hardly surprising, then, that it is a star that leads the wise to kneel and worship at the crib of the new born king.
We are Christmas people; we need to focus on the positive. Rowan Williams summarised it neatly some years ago when he wrote in the Christmas edition of the Radio Times. He summarised the Christmas story like this:
‘A long journey through a land under military occupation; a difficult birth in improvised accommodation; and alongside these harsh realities, the skies torn open and blazing angelic voices summoning a random assortment of farm labourers to go and worship in the outhouse; or a mysterious constellation in the heavens, triggering a pilgrimage by exotic oriental gurus to come and kneel where the farm labourers have knelt.’
It is a story of culture and cross-culture. But it is a story where boundaries are crossed; the unthinkable becomes reality before it even becomes the thinkable. God’s wonder knows no bounds; it is only our human minds that impose limitations.
Let us rejoice in this Epiphany; this manifestation; this starlit moment. We can raise our eyes from the darkness and see; we can focus on the positive in our lives, bring it as an offering to God and allow him to take what we offer, accept it and make it great for his sake. In the words of that beautiful Epiphany carol, ‘Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness; high on his heart he will bear it for thee; comfort thy sorrows and answer thy prayerfulness, guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.’
Then we shall see, and be radiant; our hearts will thrill and rejoice…
Post Communion
Lord God, the bright splendour whom the nations seek:
may we who with the wise men have been drawn by your light
discern the glory of your presence in your Son,
the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Week Ahead
Next Sunday 10th January
The First Sunday of Epiphany/Baptism of Christ
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9.45am |
No Service |
Friston Church |
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10.30am |
Service of the Word |
Aldeburgh Church |
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11.00am |
Holy Communion |
Aldringham Church |
NOTICES
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Food Banks at the East of England Co-op |
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Weekly Benefice Newsletter |
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