Dear Brothers and Sisters
Ten years ago I was arriving in Afghanistan for what would be a challenging six months. None of us knew what was really ahead of us. We had trained for all sorts of situations, we were as ready as we could be for what lay ahead. And straightaway one of my friends was bitten on his foot by a spider and spent a couple of weeks out of action. Later on another friend had his little finger bitten by a mouse and ended up having rabies injections. We expected to be under fire, to have to deal with bombs, to have friends injured or killed; and we experienced all of these things. We never thought that two of us would be incapacitated by a spider or a mouse.
The next six months are going to be challenging. And it will be the little things that will trip us all up. I was planning on calling on my brother in law over the weekend for a chat. Now I find that I can’t as Otley is under new restrictions. I can talk on the phone or use facetime, but we all know it isn’t the same. In the big scheme of things this is such a little inconvenience but it still irks. Every one of us will have similar things catching us up. So how do we deal with it all? Paul’s letter to the Philippians, there is an excerpt below, helps us. Paul is in prison, waiting to be executed, the future is bleak for him. But his letter is full of love. Full of encouragement to pull together to work for the common good. We know that so many mistakes have been made over the handling of this pandemic. Everyone has been learning as they go trying to do their best. I am sure that there will be more mistakes made in the months ahead. We are dealing with something that no-one has experienced before. We really are making things up as we go along. But everyone is working for the common good, we may disagree with what the Government are doing and we should hold them to account. But if we accept that we are all working for the common good. If we face the coming months with love in our hearts then we will get through this darkest of times.
Bishop Helen-Ann is leading the National Service this Sunday. You can access it from the Church of England website or on Social Media from 9am.
Sunday’s Readings
A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 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. Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (2:1-13)
The Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.’ (21:23-32)
Services next Sunday 4th October
- Farnley 9.30am
- Denton 11am
- Blubberhouses 2.30pm
Services for Sunday 11th October
- Leathley 9.30am
- Fewston 11am
- Weston 2.30pm
Annual Parochial Church Meetings: 27th September Fewston, 18th October Denton and 25th October Leathley. Electoral Roll lists will be revised prior to these meetings. Please make sure you are on the appropriate roll.
Please remember in your prayers: Those starting University this week. Our public health workers and all battling Covid19. Those facing further restrictions on their lives especially couples due to be married in the coming months. Our Government and all who have hard decisions to make this week. The sick and the dying and those who care for and love them.
God bless you all.
Stephen