A Prayer for Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
We pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen.
Archbishop Justin Welby, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
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Red Cross – Ukraine Crisis Appeal Here is their pledge on the Red Cross website:
Further escalation could worsen an already appalling humanitarian situation and wreak havoc on more lives. If you would like to contribute to the collection, please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk and we will advise how you can donate. |
Services this Sunday for The Alde Sandlings Benefice
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Aldeburgh |
8.00am |
Holy Communion |
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10.30am |
Service of the Word |
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Aldringham |
11.00am |
Holy Communion |
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Knodishall |
9.00am |
Holy Communion |
Collect
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save;
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
Deuteronomy 26.1-11
When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’ When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labour on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.
Second Reading
Romans 10.8b-13
But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Gospel Reading
Luke 4.1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Post Communion
Lord God, you have renewed us with the living bread from heaven;
by it you nourish our faith, increase our hope,
and strengthen our love: teach us always to hunger for him who is the true and living bread, and enable us to live by every word that proceeds from out of your mouth; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sermon preached by The Revd James Marston at
Aldeburgh 27th February 2022
Luke 9.28-36
May I speak in the name of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
“And his clothes became dazzling white”
Not only have we got a dazzling white Jesus, but we’ve got an account of an event taking place high up on a mountain, involving Moses and Elijah – both characters from ancient history, a bright cloud and then, to cap it all, a mysterious voice telling people to listen. No wonder the disciples kept quiet.
Yesterday afternoon I saw five wedding couples – as you might imagine we have something of a glut of matrimonials this year.
And after asking questions about each special day which all include flowers and bells and hymns, I must admit that like St Peter and his companions I did feel somewhat weighed down with sleep.
However, meeting these couples was quite good fun. Indulging my inquisitive streak I got to hear and ask about all the various receptions planned, I was appraised of a review of the quality of the food at a number of venues across east Suffolk, and I got to know in advance what cars the brides might be arriving in, as well as asking the strange questions demanded by the church of England – “what is your father’s rank or profession” and “what is your condition?” – a question which usually raises an eyebrow as it sounds like I’m asking if the bride is pregnant.
I suspect some of this energetic activity on my part was to avoid writing a sermon. Because our reading today begs the obvious and challenging question – what on earth is going on in this bizarre story? It is a question that can’t really be answered that easily.
This event, we’ve just heard about, is known as the Transfiguration, is not just in the gospel according to Luke either. It appears in Mark’s and Matthew’s accounts and the second letter of Peter, so try as we might, we can’t ignore it by avoidance tactics.
Nonetheless this theophany – a theological word which means a visible manifestation to humankind of God – has quite a bit for us to think about.
Obviously, the transfiguration is a supernatural event that Luke is recording is something that defies explanation. It is a mystery, a concept that we, as Christians, are not unused to as part and parcel of faith. It is ok not to have all the answers.
But what we can say is that the transfiguration is a turning point. A moment in which Jesus’ ministry of teaching, healing, and preaching, looks forward to Jerusalem, the shame of the cross and the glory of the resurrection – indeed as a foretaste of Jesus’ shining light as the son of God, the transfiguration is a cautionary tale – that the message and glory of Jesus can only be understood in relation to the death and resurrection of Christ. Liturgically it is of course a harbinger of what is to come in Holy Week – as we come together to think and pray about the last supper, crucifixion and resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The traditional interpretation of the appearance of Moses and Elijah points towards the claim that Christ is the fulfilment of the law – Moses – and the fulfilment of the prophets – Elijah. That Jesus is a fulfilment of all that God has promised and that Jesus life on earth accomplishes this promise.
The transfiguration not only looks forward to the final act of Jesus’ salvific action but also to his past – expressly his baptism, for at Jesus’ baptism the same voice says a very similar thing “This is my son, the beloved, with him I am well pleased: listen to Him.”
The transfiguration also refers to water – through this reference to baptism – and to light – Jesus is dazzling, and the cloud is bright and His face shining like the sun – and water and light, as we heard just a week or two ago are the two primal elements, we find in the creation stories. Indeed, the water and the light motifs are like a constant signpost to the divine through the Holy Scriptures.
This event, this transfiguration, is also a moment of revelation. A reminder to us in this troublous world, that Jesus is here, Jesus is divine and that we have no need to fear.
Our worshipping community is in something of a state of limbo, we are waiting for a new incumbent – a period in which we are asked to pause and reflect and not to do too much yet also to keep going, to keep the faith, it is a challenge we are facing together.
But I think the transfiguration, for all its meanings and mystery, is also, at its root a timeless and repeated invitation to follow Christ, to keep the faith and to keep going and to never lose sight of the hope and wider perspective Jesus offers.
In this event we see Jesus in his glory, in his dazzling white, revealed as the living God, in a moment of illumination. The story of redemption, of Calvary, of troubles ahead, has yet to be worked out. Yet the transfiguration assures us that the ultimate victory of the cross and resurrection, the ultimate victory of light, the ultimate victory of God, is secured.
I have no spiritual challenge, no little task, no thought to think about for you this week, but I thought it might be a good idea to remind you that I, and other clergy, are here living among you and alongside you as a presence in your community. My door is open to you and my prayers are with you. And across our benefice our church communities are all keeping going as best we can.
A final thought: As Christians in this place and in these days, we can, at least hold on to the fact that whatever happened on that high mountain on that strange day we are left with hope, a hope that can make all the difference, a hope that can keep us going in our own times of uncertainty, a hope in God, that can we can rely on and a hope that ultimately transforms and transfigures our own lives.
Amen
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Church of England Lent Reflections and You might be interested to receive the daily Lent reflections from the Church of England. Here is the link to sign up to their email reflections To keep up with weekly news from our Diocese you can sign up to receive the weekly newsletters here: |
Next Week
Sunday 13th March
Second Sunday of Lent
NOTICES
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Church of England and Diocese Online Worship There are many online services you can view from the Church of England and our cathedral. Here are some links below. Church of England website https://www.churchofengland.org/ Church of England Facebook page Church of England YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/ St Edmundsbury Cathedral Facebook Page |
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Lent Sessions |
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Food Banks at the East of England Co-op Foodbanks provide a valuable service to those in need in our communities. The Aldeburgh Co-op and Solar in Leiston are doing a grand job in collecting food donations, which are collected regularly and distributed. So please look out for the various collection baskets. The Trussel Trust Organisation Food banks in our network have seen an increase in the number of food parcels given out over the last year due to Coronavirus, so any donations are much appreciated. You can find out which items your local food bank is most in need of by entering your postcode here – https://www.trusselltrust.org/give-food/ |
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Weekly Benefice Newsletter If you would like something added to the weekly newsletter that is relevant to the Benefice, please do let Claire know and we will do our best to include it the following week. All requests by 4pm on Thursday please |
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Pilgrims Together on Wednesdays The Pilgrims worship together every Wednesday. Friday 18th March 6.30pm Aldeburgh Parish Hall F2F Pilgrims We will be gathering for f2f worship followed by a time of fellowship. We are very excited, almost 2 years to the day (it was 4th March 2020 when we last gathered together inside). Worship material will all be provided so there is nothing to print off. We will place chairs a safe distance apart and the hall will be well ventilated. Please do wear a mask if you feel more comfortable with that. Following our time of worship, we will also have a time of sharing fellowship and food: You may bring your own plate of food for yourself. We will bring the usual bread cheese / jam fare should you wish to have a bite from that selection. Teas and coffees should you wish… If you need a lift, please do say…that can be organised! |
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A message from Adrian Brown – Would you like to donate to our Church? We hugely rely on regular donations to enable us to open our doors daily for people to visit and worship in our beautiful church. Can you help, but haven’t got the cash on you? We now have a contactless terminal next to the sidespeople handing out service booklets so donations may be made before or after a service, or why not sign up to the Parish Giving Scheme and donate as often as you want. Ask a Church warden or sidesperson for more information. |
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Lunchtime Concert at Aldeburgh Parish Church Monday 4th April at 12 noon Following the huge success of Nadia’s concert with us in October, we welcome Nadia’s and friends, to raise more money for Save the Children. ROBIN SOLDAN – FLUTE NATHANIEL HARRISON – BASSOON NADIA LASSERSON – PIANO Trios by Bach, Beethoven & Donizetti Admission free- a retiring collection for Save the Children
All welcome |
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Aldeburgh Youth Club Returns As we emerge from the Covid restrictions we have had to follow during the past two years, we look forward to a time when we can meet up again and get back to hobbies, activities, and clubs. We will all be responsible for our own health and well-being from now on. It has been a very difficult time for many people, and we are thinking especially of the youngsters, as our Youth Club had to stop meeting two years ago. We are planning to start Youth Club meetings again in the school summer term, after Easter, when we will be able to have the windows open and the doors to the garden open at the Fairfield centre, weather permitting, thus limiting the chances of infection from Covid. |
