Message from The Rector

May is here! The church calendar has a number of ‘red-letter days’ in May and we intend to celebrate them as best we can. The first one for the diary is Ascension Day on Thursday 13^th and we will be marking it in the traditional way with an early- morning service in Aldeburgh. At 7am a small number of brave souls will climb to the top of the church tower and we will attempt the co-ordinated outdoor singing of some Ascension Day hymns before retiring into church for a service of Holy Communion. All are welcome to join in the singing from the car-park and then the service, which will begin at about 7.20. For those for whom that might be a little early in the day (!) there will also be a Zoom service from Friston at 6pm – more details next week. Later in the month we have the feast of Pentecost on the 23^rd an Trinity Sunday on the 30^th. More news of those very soon.

Sadly there will not be an Aldeburgh Festival this year, although live music begins once again at Snape Maltings on the weekend of May 21^st-23^rd. More details are available on the Snape Maltings website: https://snapemaltings.co.uk/season/aldeburgh-festival/

We will, however, have some chamber-music concerts in Aldeburgh church in early June. The Fitzwilliam String Quartet will be performing two concerts at 7pm on the evenings of June 7^th (Haydn and Beethoven) and 8^th (Hugo Wolf, Haydn and Schumann). The concerts will last an hour or so, be informally introduced ‘from the stage’ and tickets will be available on the door for £10 (cash only).

Finally, a reminder that the 2021 Annual Parochial Church Meetings will soon be upon us. Dates and times are:

Friston	Sunday May 9th at 10.45am
Aldeburgh	Sunday May 16th at 11.45am
Aldringham	Sunday May 23rd at 12 noon
Knodishall	Sunday May 30th at 10.30am

Each follows immediately after the morning’s service.

With love – and continued Easter Greetings

Mark

 

Collect
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our
minds good desires, so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

 

First Reading
Genesis 22.1-18
God tested Abraham, saying to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’  He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’

Second Reading
Acts 8.26-end 
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.  In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.’ 
The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’ He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. 

Gospel Reading
John 15.1-8
‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

 

Post Communion
Eternal God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the way,
the truth, and the life:
grant us to walk in his way,
to rejoice in his truth,
and to share his risen life;
who is alive and reigns,
now and for ever.

 

Sermon for 2^nd May – Fifth Sunday of Easter,
by, The Revd James Marston

Abide in me as I abide in you.

May I speak in the name of the living God, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

This week a friend of mine paid me a visit. I hadn’t seen him for some time – what with all the restrictions – but as we got talking I asked him what was going on in his life. Rather like talking to Vicky Pollard of Little Britain fame – yeah but no but yeah but – he delivered a litany of information about people I didn’t really know. Including his neighbours who had recently split up. An event which took my friend by surprise as apparently they had just installed a new kitchen with an island.

This little detail, I must admit, amused me somewhat though I suppose with my clerical hat on I ought to have felt sympathy for the couple of which I know little beyond the quality of their worktops.

In a way of course this episode could be described as gossip – and however hard I try I must confess to rather enjoying finding out about people and what they do and what they don’t do.

Malicious gossip is something we try to avoid as Christians because it isn’t coherent with the command to love one another, but as humans we can’t help tell each other stories and share information.

Indeed, in the church we just ever so occasionally call gossip by rather misleading euphemisms – reflection in a safe space is a common one, or dare I say it gossip can occasionally creep into a PCC meeting or even a bible study or prayer group. This is because it is natural for us to tell stories – in fact telling stories about ourselves and other people is how we communicate as human beings. In church that is what we do all the time – we tell and re-tell the story of Jesus and God and salvation.

In today’s gospel reading we hear part of longer sermon and theological exposition from Jesus encouraging his disciples in their faith. Including the exhortation to prayer “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you”

Elsewhere in the New Testament Jesus teaches us how to pray – the Lord’s Prayer. Often this is something so familiar to us we repeat it simply by rote. Yet in fact the Lord’s Prayer – which is found in almost every single church service we attend – teaches us not only what to say but also something of the character of God, what our faith means.

Our father – the opening words – describe the sort of relationship we are to have with God, one of a child and his parent.

Hallowed be thy name – reminds us of the holiness and sacred nature of God, and also, I think, alludes to the power of the name of Jesus, at which every knee shall bow.

Thy kingdom come – is a call not only to mission and building up the kingdom of God here on earth but also an eschatological statement – a reminder the kingdom of God is now as well as something that is yet to come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven – encourages us put self aside and submit to God’s will in our lives, and to submit to his authority.

Give us today our daily bread – is an exhortation to rely on God to provide for our needs, both spiritual and physical, and in some ways another reminder to put the power of God first rather than our own individual agency. Perhaps too it instils in us, who live in a land of plenty, a sense of gratitude and charity towards others.

Forgive us our trespasses – this statement is a reminder to us to say sorry for our failings and those moments we forget to honour God.

As we forgive those that trespass against us – calls us to love one another selflessly and without pride and ego – a very difficult task for which we need God’s grace.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil is a bidding prayer that can also be translated as deliver us from this time of trial. I think the interpretation of this is to remind us that God is with us when the tough times come, or when we are in trouble or when life seems uncertain. We are loved by God even when we feel abandoned and lost.

The final phrase – for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, though primarily points us towards the great mystery of the eternal and almighty God also points us in the direction that God is supreme in not only the world around us but also in our lives and in our hearts.

So with that in mind, my challenge to you this week is to try to say this prayer – one I know you all know well – to yourselves slowly and deliberately just once or twice a day. Bring this prayer into your daily lives, tell yourself this story, communicate with God in this way, and you will nourish your relationship with God and with each other.

As Jesus said: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you”

Amen

 

 

BANK HOLIDAY & STAFF TRAINING CLOSURE DATES

The surgery will be closed for staff training on Thursday 17.06.21 from 13.00. When the surgery is closed, please call NHS 111

NHS research is essential to help shape and improve future NHS healthcare. The Peninsula Practice has been involved in cutting edge national research including a new device to replace endoscopy in some cases.

Dr Crockett is the principal investigator for all research at the practice, whereby she checks eligibility for patients to take part in relevant studies. You may therefore receive an invitation, which will be directly from The Peninsula Practice to participate in a study – we never share your personal details. You are free to choose whether to take part or not with no obligation. Taking part in clinical research may benefit you, or others like you, in the future.

For more information about the research projects we are involved in please visit our website: www.thepeninsulapractice.co.uk/research

NOTICES

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. Whether it be a story to tell, or tips or recipes or a notice to be added to spread the word. Deadline – Thursday 4pm Please

Food Banks at the East of England Co-op Foodbanks provide a valuable service to those in need in our communities and have an even more vital role to play as we navigate our way through these unprecedented times. 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 few months 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/ By clicking on the food bank’s name, you can also find out where to drop off your donations. You should also check the food banks website or social media pages for any changes to opening hours or operations as a result of the Coronavirus before dropping off donations – If you would prefer to make a financial donation, then please visit the food bank’s website (under ‘Give help’) or you can donate to the Trussell Trust centrally by contacting our Supporter Care team on 01722 580 178 or emailing supportercare@trusselltrust.org

Tuesday Coffee Morning with Mark & Friends Our regular Zoom coffee morning will be from 10.30am – 11.30am every Tuesday. All are very welcome. Grab your favourite morning beverage and let’s have a good ole chat – just like we used to. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for more info.

✞ Friston Sunday Services on Zoom ✞ Friston will be holding a live Zoom service for all those who wish to join on Sunday starting at 9.45am.  It will be a Common Worship Morning Prayer.  All are welcome! The meetings start from 9.40am every Sunday morning. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for more info.

✞ Pilgrims Together on Wednesdays ✞ The Pilgrims worship together every Wednesday. You are all more than welcome to join them via Zoom.   The worship starts at 6.30pm (Zoom call opens from 6.10pm) and the call is then left open after the worship time for people to catch up.  The worship is about 30 minutes long.  We have a different worship sheet each week which goes out on a Monday ahead of the Wednesday.   People are more than welcome to email pilgrimstogether473@gmail.com  to receive a copy or be added to our mailing list. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for more info. Next Zoom Pilgrim Ceilidh:  Saturday 8th May from 7pm The first half will focus on sharing stories, memories and experiences since March 2020: What has given us hope?  What have we been released from / let go of?  What are we looking forward to experiencing again?   What new experiences have we had that we shall carry forward? The second half will continue our sharing of local stories. Please email admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for more info.

 

Next Week
Sunday 9^th May
The Sixth Sunday of Easter

We are delighted to welcome The Fitzwilliam Quartet for two nights of music. They will be first come first seated evenings as we are still limited on seating due to Covid regulations.

Message from The Rector

It’s always a bit difficult to talk about money but there are times when it becomes necessary – and this is one of them. Some good news to begin with. At the recent Diocesan Synod we were told that, by dint of a lot of hard work at both local and diocesan levels, the diocese recorded a ‘break even’ budget at the end of last year. Given the dreadful state of the finances only a year or two ago this is quite an achievement and Bishop Martin was fulsome in his praise for the hard work of parish treasurers and those in the finance department of the diocesan office. But, as Bishop Martin also said (in a note we received on Thursday), ‘we’re not out of the woods yet’. For obvious reasons income has taken a knock recently and we need to think of any imaginative way we can to begin to turn that particular corner. Aldeburgh’s Adrian Brown has put his thinking cap on and writes (obviously from an Aldeburgh perspective) as follows:

Firstly, a thank you to everyone who is donating via our contactless terminals before the start of services.  The terminals are set to £5 and £10 as these are the most popular amounts for donations but they can each accept donations of between £1 and £45 by using the arrow keys on the screen.  You can use both terminals so if you wanted to donate £15 you could donate £5 via one and £10 through the other.  If you require help setting the terminal to a different amount, please ask a member of the Welcome Team who will always be standing by the terminals to assist.

Using these terminals saves a tremendous amount of work as there is no need to pay the money in to a bank so we do encourage you to do what most people are now doing and use these terminals instead of donating in cash.  And we are able to claim Gift Aid on many of the donations.

If you donate regularly to the church and have not done so already, please consider setting up a monthly donation via the ‘Parish Giving Scheme.’  This is really helpful as the church receives Gift Aid on donations automatically, if a donor is subject to tax, and within a few days of the donation appearing in the church’s bank account. You can join online by going to www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/aldeburgh-st-peter-st-paul-ipswich  (you can click on this link).  Once the screen has loaded click ‘Give now’ towards the bottom of the screen and complete the requested information. Or you can join the scheme by phoning 0333 002 1271 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm).  You will just need your bank details and the Aldeburgh parish code which is: 330  633 461

I would endorse all that Adrian says (thanks for expressing it so clearly Adrian) and add that Friston is also registered with the Parish Giving Scheme and Simon will, I’m sure, be happy to pass on the relevant details. Friston also now has a contactless terminal to use before services. Though Knodishall and Aldringham have chosen not to use that particular route the general call very much applies there too. Many thanks to those in both of those parishes who already donate by Direct Debit and if you don’t yet, now would be a good time to consider it. And as the rules about gathering together continue to relax we will, I’m sure, be coming up with fundraising ideas for all of our parishes.

And if you think we have problems …. I met up this week with The Revd Dr William Campbell-Taylor. William and his family have a little cottage on Aldeburgh High Street which, a year or two ago now, he was kind enough to ask me to bless. William is the vicar of St Thomas’s church on Clapton Common, north-east London.

https://saintthomasclapton.org/

The world there looks very different to the Suffolk coast and there are all sorts of problems associated with a relatively poor part of the inner city. The church is trying to do its bit and these videos will tell you more – the second one including an opportunity for you to help with a specific project, should you wish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQqNBlskkw8

https://www.spacehive.com/the-common-rooms-for-clapton

Talking to William made me wonder if it might be an idea to have some kind of ‘twinning’ with his parish. It could be a two-way street with the opportunity for some mutual sharing and learning. I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone might have and if you’d like to be put in touch with William, I’d be happy to do that too.

Finally – Annual Meeting time approaches. The dates and times for our Annual Parochial Church Meeting are:

Friston: Sunday May 9^th at 10.45am

Aldeburgh: Sunday May 16^th at 11.45am

Aldringham: Sunday May 23^rd at 12 noon

Knodishall: Sunday May 30^th at 10.30am

Each follows immediately after the morning’s service.

With love – and, yet again, renewed Easter Greetings (it’s very much still Easter!)

Mark

Collect
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life:
raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above,
where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

First Reading
Acts 4.5-12
The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is “the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.”  There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’

Second Reading
1 John 3.16-end
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

Gospel Reading
John 10.11-18
‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

Post Communion
Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd,
and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again:
keep us always under his protection,
and give us grace to follow in his steps;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sermon for 25^th April – Fourth Sunday of Easter,
by, The Revd Sheila Hart

May I speak to you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In our Gospel reading from John, we have heard Jesus telling the disciples that He is the GOOD shepherd and contrasting the behaviour of the Good shepherd with that of false shepherds and hirelings. We must remember that this account takes place before Jesus death and resurrection so, in the minds of the disciples, there will be little connection or, indeed, understanding of His references to the good shepherd laying down his life for the sheep, being of any greater significance than what would have been part of a routine day’s work in the life of a shepherd at that time.

We, however, have the benefit of hindsight and know that, in addition to a true account of the fact that any good shepherd in those days would have been willing to protect the flock from wild animals – even to the point of death, it is a prophetic account of what was going to happen to Jesus Himself, not too many weeks from then.

This is also the first time that Jesus makes any reference to the fact that there may be others whom He has come to serve in addition to the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel’. Up until now Jesus has been, for those who have chosen to believe it, the Promised Messiah which the Israelites have been looking for throughout their recent history. At this time, He indicates that there will be others for whom He will lay down His life – ‘I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.’ This, of course alludes to the bringing of the Good News to the Gentiles.

In our reading from Acts we move forward not only to after the death and resurrection of Jesus, but also to after Pentecost and the sending of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles. It was at His Ascension that Jesus had promised the Apostles that they ‘would receive power after the Holy Spirit had come upon them and that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth’ and in the account of Pentecost and the days following, we see Peter and John exhibiting some of that promised power.

Here, in the courtroom in front of the Jewish hierarchy, we see Peter, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit,’ testifying to the fact that the man who was healed at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, was healed through the power of the Name of Jesus – the one whom they had crucified and whom God had raised from the dead. He then goes on to say that ‘there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’ In saying this, Peter could have been recalling that other famous ‘I am’ saying of Jesus before His death – ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, No one comes to the Father except through Me.’

We are the result of the spread of the Good News to the ends of the earth and we are now witnesses to others of the power of that good news and the name of Jesus for there is still ‘no other name under heaven by which people can be saved.’

Jesus is still the Good Shepherd and we are still His sheep so we need to continue to follow Him and hear His voice as He leads and guides us into all truth, but above all we need to continue to share the Good news in word and deed with those in our communities who do not yet know His voice.

Next Week
Sunday 2^nd May
The Fifth Sunday of Easter

The Patient Participation group of The Peninsula Practice carried out a survey to discover the experiences of those who had been vaccinated in the early phase. The survey sought the views on the booking system, the venue service, the effectiveness of communication and asked for recommendations for delivery improvement Over 35% (1,300) responded.

The key findings:

Generally, people were happy with the service and over 90% were very satisfied about the quality of care received by staff and volunteers.

Booking: Of the GP Federation and NHS booking services, the NHS service seemed to be the most effective with less concerns. Over 20% experienced difficulties including crashing websites and lengthy telephone queues, difficulty in securing a second appointment or hearing nothing when an appointment had been cancelled.

Venue: 30% thought the choice of venue was fair to poor and this was due predominately to the distance from homes.

Communication: Several commented on a lack of information as to how people were selected by the GP Federation. The input by Dr Lindsey Crocket in providing weekly updates and appearing on the TV was welcomed.

Recommendations: 94% of participants made comments as to what improvements could be made. The main priorities for improvement were the introduction of localised delivery (over 90% of comments received), more effective use of databases to enable double appointments for partners and carers, an awareness of those who are deemed vulnerable who may require additional needs and weekly updates on all media outlets to ensure that people are aware of what progress e.g. what group is currently receiving their vaccination.

If you would like a copy of the survey report (a four page document), please email peninsulapracticeppg@gmail.com

For regular updates from the Peninsula Practice, please do check their website https://www.thepeninsulapractice.co.uk

NOTICES

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. Whether it be a story to tell, or tips or recipes or a notice to be added to spread the word. Deadline – Thursday 4pm Please

Food Banks at the East of England Co-op Foodbanks provide a valuable service to those in need in our communities and have an even more vital role to play as we navigate our way through these unprecedented times. 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 few months 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/ By clicking on the food bank’s name, you can also find out where to drop off your donations. You should also check the food banks website or social media pages for any changes to opening hours or operations as a result of the Coronavirus before dropping off donations – If you would prefer to make a financial donation, then please visit the food bank’s website (under ‘Give help’) or you can donate to the Trussell Trust centrally by contacting our Supporter Care team on 01722 580 178 or emailing supportercare@trusselltrust.org

Tuesday Coffee Morning with Mark & Friends Our regular Zoom coffee morning will be from 10.30am – 11.30am every Tuesday. All are very welcome. Grab your favourite morning beverage and let’s have a good ole chat – just like we used to. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links and info.

✞ Friston Sunday Services on Zoom ✞ Friston will be holding a live Zoom service for all those who wish to join on Sunday starting at 9.45am. It will be a Common Worship Morning Prayer.  All are welcome! The meetings start from 9.40am every Sunday morning Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links and info.

✞ Pilgrims Together on Wednesdays ✞ The Pilgrims worship together every Wednesday. You are all more than welcome to join them via Zoom. The worship starts at 6.30pm (Zoom call opens from 6.10pm) and the call is then left open after the worship time for people to catch up.  The worship is about 30 minutes long.  We have a different worship sheet each week which goes out on a Monday ahead of the Wednesday. People are more than welcome to email pilgrimstogether473@gmail.com to receive a copy or be added to our mailing list. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links and info Pilgrim Zoom Quiz Saturday 24th April at 7pm A message from Sue and Richard who have kindly organised the quiz night: The Quiz Night is very much a fun, puzzler evening. We’ll all mark our own answers and 8 different rounds have been created by and will be presented by different people. The emphasis is on FUN, FELLOWSHIP and enjoying each other’s company – not to be taken TOO seriously! We will break half way through the evening to have a time to share a drink / food together too – “whatever takes your fancy!” Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links and info Next Zoom Pilgrim Ceilidh: Saturday 8th May from 7pm The first half will focus on sharing stories, memories and experiences since March 2020: What has given us hope?  What have we been released from / let go of?  What are we looking forward to experiencing again?   What new experiences have we had that we shall carry forward? The second half will continue our sharing of local stories. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links and info

NEWS FLASH!! Thorpeness and Aldringham Community Chat FB Page The Pilgrims would like to share a link to the new Thorpeness & Aldringham Facebook Community Chat page which Chris from the Parrot has very kindly set up.  Many thanks Chris! It is a public site so you shouldn’t need to be on Facebook to see what is going on.  If you would like to add something you will need a Facebook account to be able to share information on the site. https://www.facebook.com/groups/219049436646420

HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

10^th June 1921 – 9^th April 2021

 

 

18^th April, The Third Sunday of Easter

Message from The Rector

I would like to begin by thanking everyone who made sure that we marked the death of Prince Philip last Sunday with due decorum. Services were amended, bells rung, suitable photographs found and framed, all to pay tribute to a long life dedicated to the service of Queen and country. Bells will ring again in the hour before the start of Prince Philip’s funeral service on Saturday afternoon and the official period of mourning then ends at 8.00 on Sunday morning. We continue to hold the Queen and the Royal Family in our prayers.

Last Sunday the Archbishop of Canterbury preached a very thoughtful sermon in Canterbury Cathedral. This is part of what he said:

.. it is God who creates, God who calls and God who sends. For His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh there was a willingness, a remarkable willingness, to take the hand he was dealt in life and straightforwardly to follow its call, to search its meaning, to go out and on as sent, to enquire and think, to trust and to pray. …

We should not exaggerate. The Duke would have been the first to harrumph strongly at over-spiritualisation of the world he found, let alone of himself. …. The reality of our life in this world is of old and new together – of strengths and weaknesses. We should not become hyper-spiritual or idealistic. But when death comes we bear each other up, as did those first Christians. We trust the risen Christ as did the disciples, because all has changed with the new creation. When death comes there is another sort of change: there is deep loss and profound sorrow, but there is neither eternal separation nor darkness forever. … Our lives are not completed before death, but their eternity is prepared.

So we can indeed pray that The Duke of Edinburgh may rest in peace and rise in glory. We may pray for comfort. We may pray and offer love for all those who find that a great life leaves a very great gap – for the Royal family and the millions who have themselves suffered loss. We can know that the presence of Christ will bring peace, and the light of Christ will shine strongly, and it is in that light that we can strengthen one another with eternal hope. 

A good message, I think, not just for the Royal Family but for all who have lost loved ones.

A much more mundane note to finish with. This weekend I have a Sunday off and so won’t be recording one of our services and putting it online. There are services in all of our churches at the usual times and Friston’s 9.45 service of Morning Prayer will be live-streamed from the church. Details of how to join that service (and all are most welcome) are elsewhere on the pew-sheet. And don’t forget that services from our cathedral are also live-streamed, including, on Sunday, Sung Eucharist at 11.00am and Choral Evensong at 3.30pm. All of the details – and links to the relevant Orders of Service – are here:

https://stedscathedral.org/worship/

With love – and, once again, renewed Easter Greetings

Mark

 

Collect
Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples
with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us,
that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life
and serve you continually in righteousness and truth;
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
Acts 3.12-19 
When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. ‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out. 

Second Reading
1 John 3.1-7
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Gospel Reading
Luke 24.36b-48
Jesus himself stood among the disciples and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Post Communion
Living God, your Son made himself known to his disciples
in the breaking of bread: open the eyes of our faith,
that we may see him in all his redeeming work;
who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

 

Reflection for 18^th April – Third Sunday of Easter,
by, The Revd Johanna Mabey

Luke 24:36b-48

“May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord our rock and our redeemer.” 

The twenty-fourth chapter of Luke’s Gospel just can’t seem to get enough of the resurrection… in the space of forty-nine verses, three Easter stories are told.

First there’s the account of the resurrection itself, next is the encounter on the road to Emmaus, and the third is described in today’s reading.

As the disciples discussed what had happened at Emmaus, Jesus came and stood among them. During their conversation about the resurrection, he appeared. He hadn’t knocked at the door, nobody had let him in, and yet, there he was, surprisingly, unexpectedly real in their midst.

What did this mean? What does it mean for us today?

Perhaps it means at the very least that there’s no way to keep the risen Christ out of any situation. There’s no hopeless heart, no bruised or hurting place that’s off limits for the resurrected Christ.

I once saw an inscription that read, “Bidden or unbidden, God is present.”

That’s what these post-resurrection stories want to tell us so desperately. Bidden or unbidden, the spirit of the living Christ is loose in the world and will come to us wherever we are. That’s a good thought to hold on to when sometimes God seems far away…

Even though Jesus was right next to them, the disciples couldn’t believe that he was there. They were “startled and terrified.” They thought they had seen a ghost.

Jesus asked them, “Why are you afraid and why do you have doubts in your heart?” They said nothing. Even if they’d tried – they had no words to explain it.

But why are we afraid sometimes? If we trust and believe in God?

And why do we sometimes doubt?

How is it that on Easter Day we can sing “Thine be the glory” with all our hearts and yet at other times, the promise of life after death, and the assurance that love is the strongest force in the universe seem so far away?

Why do we doubt and why do we fear? … we just do.

The disciples had no better answer. Jesus said to them, “Let me show you. Look at my hands and at my feet.” A ghost doesn’t have hands and feet, flesh and bones. “See that I am here.”

Then Jesus asks, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

As a former restaurateur, this must be one of the best questions in the whole Bible.

They give him a piece of broiled fish. We don’t know if it came with any side orders… but he eats it in their presence. What a striking scene. It’s not only here that Jesus eats food in the company of his disciples. In John’s Gospel, Jesus has a huge breakfast barbecue on the beach on the Sea of Galilee and he breaks bread and shares it with the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.

Barbara Brown Taylor, an American theologian and priest, has speculated that maybe it’s because eating is so necessary for life, and so is He. Or perhaps it’s because sharing food is what makes us human. Most other species forage and eat alone, but human beings seem to love eating together – for me it’s been one of the hardest things during the pandemic – not to be with others for special meals. Even when we must eat alone, most of us will open a magazine or turn on the tv just for company. It is, at any rate, one of the clues to His presence. There’s always the chance, when we are eating together, that we will discover the risen Lord in our midst.

Our next-door neighbours in North London when I was growing up were kind and hospitable. They would always set an extra place at their dinner table for every meal, but nobody ever sat in it. I spent quite a lot of time next door – they had seven daughters; an inexhaustible range of friends to hang out with.

One day I asked about the extra place and was told it was for Jesus. It made no sense to me then, but now it does!

Just as in the Emmaus story, our eyes need to be opened to the possibility of Jesus in our midst.

But let’s not forget that before those disciples realised they were talking to Jesus, they were in real pain – confused, afraid and sad following Jesus’ death. Jesus didn’t rush them towards the good news – instead he walked with them though that pain.  In his time, he revealed his presence in a way they could understand. 

Perhaps we and many others have been walking with H.M The Queen and the royal family during this past week…walking with them in the pain and sadness of their loss.

As the Queen herself once observed, the pain of grief is just as much part of life as the joy of love; it is perhaps the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment.

May we all know the risen Lord Jesus Christ in our midst, and may we find consolation in his word. No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.

Amen

The Week Ahead
Next Sunday 25^th April
The Fourth Sunday of Easter

Fed up with the “to do” lists? Take some time to reflect on the “to be” list Help me to reflect your love today. Help me to display your joy. Help me to manifest Your peace. Help me to practice Your patience. Help me to express Your kindness. Help me to make known Your goodness. Help me to reveal Your faithfulness. Help me to show Your gentleness. Help me to exhibit Your self-control.

NOTICES

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. Whether it be a story to tell, or tips or recipes or a notice to be added to spread the word. Deadline – Thursday 4pm Please

Food Banks at the East of England Co-op Foodbanks provide a valuable service to those in need in our communities and have an even more vital role to play as we navigate our way through these unprecedented times. 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 few months 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/ By clicking on the food bank’s name, you can also find out where to drop off your donations. You should also check the food banks website or social media pages for any changes to opening hours or operations as a result of the Coronavirus before dropping off donations – If you would prefer to make a financial donation, then please visit the food bank’s website (under ‘Give help’) or you can donate to the Trussell Trust centrally by contacting our Supporter Care team on 01722 580 178 or emailing supportercare@trusselltrust.org

Tuesday Coffee Morning with Mark & Friends Our regular Zoom coffee morning will be from 10.30am – 11.30am every Tuesday. All are very welcome. Grab your favourite morning beverage and let’s have a good ole chat – just like we used to. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links.

✞ Friston Sunday Services on Zoom ✞ Friston will be holding a live Zoom service for all those who wish to join on Sunday starting at 9.45am.  It will be a Common Worship Morning Prayer.  All are welcome! The meetings start from 9.40am every Sunday morning Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links.

✞ Pilgrims Together on Wednesdays ✞ The Pilgrims worship together every Wednesday. You are all more than welcome to join them via Zoom.   The worship starts at 6.30pm (Zoom call opens from 6.10pm) and the call is then left open after the worship time for people to catch up.  The worship is about 30 minutes long.  We have a different worship sheet each week which goes out on a Monday ahead of the Wednesday.   People are more than welcome to email pilgrimstogether473@gmail.com  to receive a copy or be added to our mailing list. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for the links. Pilgrim Event Dates for your Diary Next Zoom Pilgrim Quiz Saturday: Saturday 24th April from 7pm, Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for info. Next Zoom Pilgrim Ceilidh:  Saturday 8th May from 7pm The first half will focus on sharing stories, memories and experiences since March 2020: What has given us hope?  What have we been released from / let go of?  What are we looking forward to experiencing again?   What new experiences have we had that we shall carry forward? The second half will continue our sharing of local stories. Please contact admin@aldeburghparishchurch.org.uk for info.

Here are a few photos of the beautifully decorated churches of The Alde Sandlings Benefice during Easter 2021. Thank you so much to all that made this happen.

Click on any image to enlarge.

Aldringham – St Andrew’s Parish Church

Here are a few photos of the beautifully decorated churches of The Alde Sandlings Benefice during Easter 2021. Thank you so much to all that made this happen.

Click on any image to enlarge

Friston – St Mary’s Parish Church

Here are a few photos of the beautifully decorated churches of The Alde Sandlings Benefice during Easter 2021. Thank you so much to all that made this happen.

Please click on any image to enlarge.

Aldeburgh

HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

10^th June 1921 – 9^th April 2021

Message from The Rector

I’d already written something for this pew-sheet when the news came through of the death of Prince Philip. As I write it is still early days, but the national church has already supplied some excellent and appropriate material for use in services over the next few days – and Sunday morning will reflect this. I have written in my sermon something about the man who just always seems to have been there, loyally (and as he used to say) ‘doing his bit’ – and sometimes being a little outrageous in the process. But if ever there was a man of whom it could be said that he lived a long and generous life then Prince Philip was he. The country owes him a huge amount and that will doubtless be reflected in the tributes already pouring in. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

The Church of England has opened an online Book of Condolence which all are invited to sign.

https://www.churchofengland.org/remembering-his-royal-highness-prince-philip

We have a mixture of services this Sunday week – in church in Aldeburgh (10.30am) Aldringham (11.00am) and online in Friston (9.45am). The Aldringham service will be recorded and be available online later in the day. Then on Wednesday, as well as our usual online Compline from Friston (6pm) and Pilgrim’s Together Service (6.30pm), we will return to Aldeburgh church for our 10.00am service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer. All are welcome – and the service will also be recorded and appear on our YouTube channel by lunchtime.

Finally, a quick look back to last Sunday and a huge thank-you from me to everyone who made things work so beautifully. Those who prepared printed material, those who cleaned and decorated our churches, those who were sidesman and stewards, those who contributed music, those who prepared for, and came to, our Dawn Service in Aldeburgh churchyard (more than 50 people did – and the fire burned brightly, thanks Ken!) – and to my clergy colleagues who, like me, were doubtless aware of the fact that it had been a long time since they celebrated Holy Communion with a live congregation and were overjoyed to enjoy the privilege once again. Thank you all! Alleluia!

With love – and renewed Easter Greetings

Mark

Collect
Merciful Father and Lord of all life, we praise you that we are made in your image and reflect your truth and light. We thank you for the life of His Royal Highness Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for the love he received from you and showed among us. Above all, we rejoice at your gracious promise to all your servants, living and departed, that we shall rise again at the coming of Christ. And we ask that in due time we may share with your servant Philip that clearer vision promised to us in the same Christ our Lord; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Reading
Revelation 21.1-7
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’
And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’  Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

 

Sermon for 11^th April – Second Sunday of Easter,
by our Rector, The Revd Mark Lowther

PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH RIP

God be in our mouths and in our speaking, God be in our ears and in our hearing, God be in our heads and in our understanding. Amen.

He was the longest-lived male member of the British Royal Family. He joined it 73 years ago when he married Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and he became Prince Consort in 1952 when she became Queen – 69 years ago – the longest-serving consort of a reigning British monarch. He was, if you like, service personified. And that service to the British crown went back even further – he joined the Royal Navy in 1939 at the age of 18 and served with distinction in both the Mediterranean and Pacific fleets. If anyone really knew and lived loyalty it was Prince Philip. And if that implies that he surrendered his personality to his role – well, we know better, don’t we? One national newspaper tribute to him ends with some words from a former Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, to a royal biographer:

“If one of the standard English aristocrats had married the Queen it would have bored everyone out of their minds.”

And the paper’s final, and thoroughly apt words are:

‘The Duke of Edinburgh was many things, but one thing he was not was boring.’

Another thing about him, which no doubt we’ll see reflected not just in tributes but in the plans for the next few days, is that he wasn’t one for a fuss. He certainly let it be known that he didn’t want people fussing over him when he was in hospital recently and he had said that his own funeral should be a relatively simple one – at St George’s Chapel in Windsor rather than Westminster Abbey – though it will no doubt, be with full military honours, as befits a distinguished naval officer.

We will, of course, never really know the private Prince – and so we shouldn’t. Prince Philip was of an era when intrusions into royal private life were rare. But we do get something of the flavour of the man from snippets in biographies. One writer, who knew him well, says:

He was … creative, but did not advertise the fact. He planted avenues of trees, created water gardens, laid out borders and beds. He liked painting. He read poetry. He was fascinated by nature and religion. “I take an interest in comparative religion,” he admitted to me, “but I mustn’t talk about it or I’ll be labelled a religious crank.”

I’d love to learn more about that side of Prince Philip.

But to return to where I began and the idea of loyal service. Prince Philip spent the majority of his life living for others – most notably, of course, the Queen, but also countless organisations and charities for which he was happy to be a figurehead and contribute the occasional witty speech (he was proud of the fact that he knew how to make an audience laugh). He served so many who probably weren’t entirely aware of what that service meant to him and what it cost him. And the fact that the Queen has been able to serve her country in the way that she has for so long is, at least in part, because Prince Philip served her and her position so well.

In 1997, in a speech at their Golden Wedding celebrations, the Queen said this of him:

“He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments. But he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”

May Prince Philip reast in peace and rise in glory.

Amen

 

The Week Ahead
Next Sunday 18^th April
The Third Sunday of Easter

 

Your GP surgery is unable to offer a certification of Covid vaccination, a vaccination passport or a letter to prove you have been vaccinated against Covid-19. You can, however find details of all your vaccinations on the NHS App: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/nhs-app/

Proof of vaccination documents have not yet been developed and, as such, cannot be provided by your GP. As soon as we have further information, we will share it with you.

 

Our Alde Sandlings Churches beautifully decorated for Easter.
A HUGE thank you to all that made it happen

Please visit the Aldeburgh Parish Church website – Parish news, for more photos.

 

 

Message from The Rector

We have arrived at what is known as the ‘Paschal Triduum’ – the three days that, together, form the most holy time of the church year. Strictly speaking, the triduum spans the period from the evening of Maundy Thursday to the evening of Easter Day and during that time we journey with Christ through his time of trial, his crucifixion, the ‘empty day’ that we should really call Holy Saturday (it isn’t Easter quite yet) and then the greatest feast-day of all, Easter Day. We will mark the events as best we can during these (hopefully) final days of restriction. We aren’t allowed to gather for walks of witness on Good Friday and we aren’t allowed to gather on the beach on Easter Day but there is plenty that we still can do. Here’s a summary of what is planned.

Thursday April 1^st (Maundy Thursday) 7.00pm
Online service of Holy Communion will be on the benefice YouTube channel, ending with the solemn stripping of the altar.

Friday April 2^nd (Good Friday)
10.00am Zoom Good Friday Service from Friston 
Links are further down this pew sheet

Midday – 3pm Aldeburgh church open – quiet service for the Last Three Hours

Sunday April 4^th (Easter Day)
6.30am Dawn Service in Aldeburgh churchyard (wrap up warm – I promise that the service won’t be too long!)

9.30am Holy Communion service in Knodishall church

9.45am Holy Communion service in Friston church
Live streaming on Zoom
Links are further down this pew sheet

10.30am Holy Communion service in Aldeburgh church
Online service of Holy Communion will be on the
benefice YouTube channel from 3pm.

11.00am Holy Communion service in Aldringham church

It is tempting to dwell on what we cannot do but if we turn the other cheek and look at what is possible, we will, I hope, still be able to journey with Jesus from the darkest of times to the most joyful. And I suspect that Easter Day in our churches will feel very special indeed this year. Even if we can’t sing, we can still celebrate – and we will!

With love – and (when it comes) Easter Greetings

Mark

Collect
Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity.

First Reading
Isaiah 25.6-9
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear. 
And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death for ever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.  It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God;
we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Second Reading
Acts 10.34-43 
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

 

Gospel Reading
John 20.1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Sermon for 4^th April – Easter Day,
by The Revd James Marston

May I speak in the name of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit

In the words of the psalmist: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” ¹

Easter Sunday 2021 is, it seems to me, cause for a double celebration. Not only is it Easter – the biggest feast of the church’s year which marks the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – but also the re-convening and re-formation of our church.

Alongside the gradual reopening of our society, we are back together again once more. It has been a long and somewhat arduous journey for us all, and one which we hope we won’t have to repeat, and today marks not only the end of that journey but something of a new beginning for us all heralded, of course, by the renewed life of spring that we cannot fail to notice around us.  Today, this morning, is one we can all be grateful for and a reason for the joy in our hearts.

In the salad days of my youth, I cannot profess to being much of a sportsman. I didn’t really understand the point of team games let alone things tortuous such as athletics or the ghastly long jump. Indeed, as a schoolboy, my sports master once took me aside to suggest that “Not everyone is a front runner, James, would like you like to fire the starting pistol instead.”

Indeed, beyond the flat season at Newmarket, sport is not something about which I often express much enthusiasm. I am built for comfort not speed.

So, I can’t help noticing that in today’s Gospel reading, and in the other accounts of the resurrection, there’s quite a bit of running isn’t there?

On the discovery of the removal of the stone, Mary Magdalene hot foots it to the disciples, I suspect as a result of her distress at the thought of the stolen body of Jesus. Peter and the beloved disciple also get running to find out what’s been going on. Indeed, they run together, and John includes the detail that the beloved disciple gets there first, perhaps he was younger and lighter on his feet.

This running around depicts something of the confusion, perhaps even panic, experienced by these witnesses as the events of the resurrection unfurl. It can also be used as a metaphor for our faith – do we run anymore about anything regarding our faith, or have we slowed way down?

We hear from the Gospel accounts, that following the death of Jesus and the unimaginable horrors of the crucifixion, that Christ appears to them, though they don’t always recognise him immediately.

Indeed, in John’s account the recognition of Jesus by Mary comes aurally not visually from the moment he mentions her name. Begging the observation, of course, that our Lord may communicate with us in ways we might not expect or which we might find surprising, or which we sometimes fail to notice.

Nonetheless, the result of the resurrection, in those early days, is that the followers of Jesus were utterly compelled to come out of hiding and risk their own lives to tell others of what they had experienced and share the joy of faith.

Whatever the resurrection was, and it often strikes me as something of a mystery that is hard to pin down in human words, it was life changing and transformative for those who believed.

And it remains the case today, the resurrection is still life changing and transformative. The resurrected Christ has not gone away. And from those first confused and unsure witnesses to the rest of the disciples to St Paul onwards, over the last 2,000 years countless numbers of people have experienced and know the presence of Jesus in their lives. And that is also what we are celebrating today, and as Christians we are no less compelled to retell the story share the faith and hold on to the hope of salvation and eternal life.

As we come together again and pray the ancient thanksgiving of the Eucharist, I am reminded that not only are we together once again, but that Jesus is here among us once more. In the bread and wine of communion, in each other, in the Body of Christ that makes up this worshipping community in this place, the resurrected Christ is present.

It seems to me that Easter Sunday, perhaps this year more than ever, is the firing pistol we may sometimes need to reenergise and reinvigorate our faith.

Not least because it is a reminder not only of our own resurrection as a worshipping community but of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that extraordinary event on which our faith is based, and for which we must thank again and again almighty God.

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”²

Amen.

1 & 2 Psalm 118v24

 

Post Communion
God of Life, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son 
to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection
have delivered us from the power of our enemy:
grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore l
ive with him in the joy of his risen life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Week Ahead
Next Sunday 11^th April
The Second Sunday of Easter

WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY
HAPPY EASTER

Message from The Rector

And so we arrive at Holy Week. A reminder of the services in our benefice:

Palm Sunday (March 28^th)

Zoom Morning Prayer from Friston – 9.45am

Holy Communion service online from 10.00am. You’ll need a Palm Cross for this service and if you don’t have one there is a special Palm Cross in the attachment with this pew-sheet that you can cut out!

Palm Sunday Service in Aldringham (with donkeys!) 11.00am

Monday March 29^th – 7.00pm

Meditative service based on Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross.  Music played by a local string quartet, meditations written by Timothy Radcliffe.

The (Roman Catholic) Church of Our Lady & St Peter, Aldeburgh
Numbers in church are restricted – (free) tickets available here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/seven-last-words-of-christ-tickets-145545938821

The service will be live-streamed here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-GsEOvS0m19a_jvjwgLRDw/videos

Tuesday March 30^th – 6.00pm

Zoom meditative service for Holy Week from Friston

Wednesday March 31^st

From 10.00am Holy Communion service according to the Book of Common Prayer on the Alde Sandlings YouTube channel

6.00pm Zoom Compline for Holy Week from Friston
(The links to all of the Friston services are elsewhere in this pew-sheet)

6.30pm Zoom Pilgrims Together worship

Thursday April 1^st (Maundy Thursday) – 7.00pm

Online service of Holy Communion on the benefice YouTube channel

Friday April 2^nd – (Good Friday)

10.00am Zoom Good Friday Service from Friston

Midday – 3pm Aldeburgh church open – quiet service for the
Last Three Hours

Sunday April 4^th – (Easter Day)

6.30am Dawn Service in Aldeburgh churchyard

9.30am Holy Communion service in Knodishall church

9.45am Holy Communion service in Friston church

10.30am Holy Communion service in Aldeburgh church

11.00am Holy Communion service in Aldringham church

All are welcome at all of our services, ‘live’ and online. It may not be the Easter we all hoped for (it seems congregations will still not be able to sing indoors) but it is still Easter.

And from Easter Day onwards regular Sunday services resume in all of our churches, fortnightly in Knodishall, weekly elsewhere – and as soon as we are able to sing together, we will!

On the day before Easter Day (Saturday April 3rd) at 2pm Chris Theobald from ‘The Parrot’ will be hosting another Zoom cooking session.  First there were ‘Jammy Dodgers’, then there were pancakes and now Chris has come up with a wonderful Easter recipe – ‘Mini-Egg Brownie’.  All the details, including the ingredients list, are further down the pew-sheet.  I’ve been lucky enough to see a picture of what the brownie should look like and I can’t wait to taste it!  Huge thanks to Chris for giving us his time and ingenuity.

At Easter we celebrate life renewed and we are surrounded by signs of it. I hope and pray that, as our church buildings reopen and we begin physically to be together for worship once again, the Easter spirit of hope, of renewal and of joy might permeate our thinking and our plans for the future. The best of the old and the new, thoughtfully and prayerfully combined, has the potential to re-energise our church life and help us to draw others to God in Christ Jesus. And I don’t know about you, but I find that a very exciting prospect!

May you have a wonderfully reflective Holy Week followed by a joyous Eastertide.

With love, as ever

Mark

Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race sent your
Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
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 50.4-9a
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.
The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Second Reading
Philippians 2.5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel Reading
Mark 11.1-11
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.” ’They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Sermon for 28^th March – Palm Sunday by,
The Revd Nichola Winter

As a child I always felt that Palm Sunday was an amazingly exciting day – lots of joy and jubilation; celebration, clapping and welcoming of Jesus into the life of the church, the town and our lives. Even if we didn’t understand fully what he was about, this seemed like the beginning of a party. No solemnity, no sitting still and keeping quiet, no whispered prayers here. No social distancing. This, surely, was how life was supposed to be. And church could be part of it, too.

The journey through Holy Week, of course, soon takes a different direction. This week is a challenge to faith. It takes us on a roller coaster ride. It can be tempting to dismiss it, to brush it aside. OK, we know that Good Friday is approaching; that almost relentless focus on suffering, on death, on pain. But hey- we know that Easter Day is just around the corner. And then everything will be OK. Like the fairy tales we were told as children it all comes out right in the end and we can carry on our lives as normal…

We live in a world and society where we know that there is pain and suffering in the world, but we choose often to dwell on it as little as possible; to focus on doing whatever we can to convince ourselves that we’re having a good time. For the last year in particular we’ve been living with restrictions and limitations on our lives, our freedom of movement, our ability to meet friends and family. No-one is comfortable talking about death and pain; many of us will have seen at first hand the pain in ourselves and others caused by Covid. We’ve had our fill of the gritty, grotty bits of life. We want a break… Social media, TV and newspaper adverts would have us reset our aims and goals – recreate those dubiously-named ‘bucket lists’ that hold all our dreams and hopes. Places to go, amazing activities to experience, ways to re-invent ourselves. The solemnity of Lent and the challenges of Holy Week are just two more serious pieces of the extraordinary year we have been through. How we long to get out of lockdown, back into a world of fun – to really party again and ‘have it all.’

Was that what the crowd who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem about? Living under an oppressive regime they probably welcomed the chance of a bit of excitement – and who could blame them? Here was the latest sensation – life would be OK now.

But it goes wrong; and today, too, much as we might wish to, we cannot bypass the cross. The path this week will lead us along hard ways. We need to face the reality of life before we can truly experience the promised joy. My childish optimism about Palm Sunday soon took a reality check; we continue learning the truth about Jesus; the questions he asks of us, and all that he stands for throughout the rest of our lives. As we walk the way of Holy Week, the poet Malcolm Guite asks us these questions:

What does it mean to welcome Jesus into the city of my heart?
Who or what really occupies that city, and who is really in charge?

Here is his sonnet for Palm Sunday:

Now to the gate of my Jerusalem,
The seething holy city of my heart,
The Saviour comes. But will I welcome him?
Oh crowds of easy feelings make a start;
They raise their hands, get caught up in the singing,
And think the battle won. Too soon they’ll find
The challenge, the reversal he is bringing
Changes their tune. I know what lies behind
The surface flourish that so quickly fades;
Self-interest, and fearful guardedness,
The hardness of the heart, its barricades,
And at the core, the dreadful emptiness
Of a perverted temple. Jesus, come
Break my resistance and make me your home.

Post Communion
Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.

A PRAYER FOR HOLY WEEK St. Francis, still searching for what his life’s mission should be, is praying in the ruined church of San Damiano just outside Assisi. He has already put back up an ancient painted Crucifix which was lying in the ruins. In his prayer the Crucifix speaks to him: “FRANCIS, REBUILD MY CHURCH WHICH IS EVERYWHERE IN RUINS”. Francis’ response, no doubt through several versions, has come down to us in this “Prayer before the Cross”: All highest, glorious God, cast your light into the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, firm hope, perfect charity, and profound humility, with wisdom and perception, O Lord, so that I may do truly what is your holy will. Amen. One for us in changing times?

The Week Ahead
Next Sunday 4^th April
Easter Day