Dear friends,
I write this week with comparatively good news - something that has been all to lacking in recent months.
Following the successful partial reopening of one of this benefices churches, St Wenna, for private prayer on a Saturday and the subsequent publication of the Church of England guidance for reopening our buildings for public worship I am pleased to announce that from this coming Sunday (12th July) public worship will resume at 11am at St Wenna.
However, before we all get too carried away, there are a number of important caveats associated with this long awaited return.
1. Because of the guidance we have received on social distancing we can only accommodate a maximum of 30 people. The layout of St Wenna means that there are 15 spaces at 2m (6’ 6”) apart, at which individuals or couples can sit (couples being people from the same household or ‘bubble), so if 15 individuals from different households were to arrive, we would be at capacity.
2. Due to the requirement to either deep clean the building after each use or allow 72 hours to pass before reopening, we cannot increase capacity by holding more services on the same day.
3. Due the vastly increased risk of infection through droplets of saliva breathed out while singing, we will not be able to sing any hymns, although we will have music as part of the worship service.
4. It is the intention to hold a communion service this coming Sunday, but with the elements brought down to the place where worshippers are seated to minimise movement and contact throughout the building. The communion will be offered in both kinds, through the use of wafers and individual disposable cups, and as I will be consecrating and distributing alone, I will wear disinfected disposable gloves during the whole communion and the elements will only be uncovered at the time of distribution, again to minimise any risk of cross contamination. That said, if individuals did not wish to receive, they can of course do so by indicating during the distribution. Communicants are asked to keep their disposable cup and either dispose of it in the bin at the exit as we leave or take it home and recycle it.
5. Two service books will be already in each place on the pews as we arrive and we would ask that they are left there at the end of the service so that they are not handled by anyone else until the following week.
6. We will be entering through the main door, but leaving by the Buller Aisle side door, where there will be a retiring collections plate, so that there is again a minimum chance of contact and 2m distancing can be observed.
7. The wearing of a face covering is not currently deemed essential and it is therefore a matter for the individual to decide as to whether to use one or not (I will, however, be wearing one during distribution).
8. Importantly, so that the NHS Track and Trace guidance can be adhered to, we are required to collect the names and contact details of everyone who attends public worship. One of the two churchwardens will do this as we enter the building. The information required is either 1. Name, postcode and telephone number, or if no telephone number is available, 2. Name and full postal address. This information will be held for 21 days and will only be passed on to the NHS in the eventually that a member of the congregation is subsequently diagnosed as COVID-19 positive or has come into contact with someone who is. All other relevant GDPR guidance still applies to the personal information supplied. This wi
10. The difficulty surrounding the ongoing cleaning and upkeep of the composting toilet during COVID-19 regretfully means we are unable to provide access to it until further notice.
11. Likewise, because the coffee corner is not a designated cafe and does not have its own water supply and separate hand washing facilities means that we cannot serve drinks or refreshments following the service.
12. Hand sanitiser will be available at the entrance and exit, however you might like to bring your own too!
A long list, I am sure that you’ll agree, but not an exhaustive one by any means. The bottom line is that we all need to use common sense and be respectful of other. I am also fully aware that there will be many in our worshiping community who are continuing to shield either themselves or a loved one and will therefore not have an opportunity to attend public worship for many more weeks. My heartfelt thought and prayers are with all of you especially as we edge our way out of lockdown, one tentative step at a time.
For many of us these last few months have given us an insight, however brief and sanitised it may have been, of what many of our brothers and sisters across the globe have to endure their whole worshipping lives. May God’s peace and blessings rest upon the persecuted church.
Shalom.
Yours in Christ
Philip
11TH OCTOBER 2020
Dear friends,
I begin this weeks letter by thanking everyone who came, sent apologies and held in prayer both Vestry Meetings and APCMs held on Sunday at Morval and Looe. I spoke at both meetings giving thanks to those who had served in various roles on PCCs or as Churchwardens and made particular mention of those who had stepped down from those roles, whilst not forgetting those who continue in their particular ministries and I make no apologies for reiterating the same message here. I am sure that everyone will continue to hold in prayer our continuing PCC members together with those newly appointed on Sunday and to thank those who have stepped down. Both Looe and Morval only have one churchwarden, so please do pray specifically for Mike Willmott for Morval and Joan Williams for Looe, as they prayerfully carry out this vital role.
Please do also continue to hold in prayer our Church leaders too, particularly Archbishop Justin, who has this week faced the fall out from the publication of the report in to sexual abuse in the Church of England, that they may be strengthened in their resolve to stand up for the victims of such abuse and to prevent similar ever happening again. The revelation of such shocking and shameful behaviour by some church leaders in covering up such activity is inexcusable and has to be called out. I am thankful that, during my tenure as an ordained minister, the Church of England has worked hard to put new safeguards in to place, many under the leadership of AB Justin, but as the report states, there is still much more that can (and must) be done. At the same time we have to address the awful truth, also highlighted by the report, that church leaders have been seen to spend more energy caring for the perpetrators than for the victims adding to their hurt and pain.
In the same interview I heard (Today program Radio 4 Wednesday) the interviewer questioned AB Justin on the wisdom of attending or even continuing with church worship during an increasing incidence of COVID-19 infections. His reply I completely agree with and also believe speaks into the previous point as well. Paraphrasing slightly, AB Justin responded by saying ‘that churches are maintaining a safe environment for those attending by the measures brought in, particularly the wearing of face coverings, which far from being an infringement of our civil liberties (as is claimed by some), are rather a demonstration of our care and concern for one another’. The Law is, Jesus tells us, summed up in the statement ‘to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbour as ourselves’ and by looking after the wellbeing of others by taking precautions ourselves we are striving to live this out, whether these precautions be the use of hand sanitiser and face coverings or ensuring that abusers have no opportunity to abuse.
This letter will be the last one for a couple of weeks as I am taking some time out, but worship will continue at St Wenna at 11am on a Sunday in my absence, so please continue to support our Local Worship Leaders as they pick up the baton and lead us in worship.
Shalom.
Take care and stay safe,
Yours in Christ,
Philip
Year A - Proper 23
Isaiah 25.1-9
O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners’ palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
5 like heat in a dry place.
You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Philippians 4.1-9
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have laboured side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 22.1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.
Additional Collect
God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reflection on this week’s lectionary readings by Dr. Jane Williams
This is an enigmatic little parable in Matthew. If you look at Luke’s version of the story (Luke 14:15–24), you will see a much more straightforward narrative about the failure of those originally invited to realize the value of the invitation. The most striking difference between Matthew and Luke is the tone. Matthew’s version of the story is full of urgency and bitter anger. It is only in Matthew that the banquet is completely ready and about to go to waste, and it is only in Matthew that the messengers are mistreated and vengeance exacted. And who is the mysterious guest without a wedding garment? He doesn’t appear in Luke, but he adds an element of fear, so that there is no assurance of a happy ending, even for those who have made it to the banquet.
Part of the anger in the story is generated by the scene-setting opening verses. The King is throwing this party for his Son. The wedding banquet of the King’s Son is a glorious and spectacular occasion for rejoicing, and most people would beg, borrow and steal to get themselves invited. But these strange people either don’t care about the invitation at all, or else they treat it as a positive nuisance, to the point where they beat up the postman who brings the card. What should have been an occasion for national rejoicing is turned abruptly into a war zone.
There is bewilderment here—surely the people knew that the King’s Son was about to get married? But there is also grief for the Son. Clearly, these people, his future subjects, don’t care enough about him to want to share in his rejoicing. What’s he got to do with us, they say? He won’t make our businesses run. He won’t generate an income for us. Their rejection of the Son is both personal and corporate. They reject not just him, but also their share in the future of the nation that he represents.
But the other source of anger in the story comes out of the sense of urgency. Twice (verses 4 and 8) the King says that everything is ‘ready’. It cannot wait, it will not keep, it’s now or never. Why don’t the invited guests realize? They will never again get the chance to go to a royal wedding.
The three parables, from 21:28 to this one, are all about the way in which Jesus’s audience are passing up their chance to share in the kingdom. The stories get more and more pointed, making it clearer and clearer that all of this focuses on Jesus. Jesus and the kingdom of God go together—to reject one is to reject the other. It is clear from the way that they react to all three of the stories that the Pharisees understand what is being said, and that it is directed towards them: it’s just that they don’t believe it. They do not believe that this ordinary human being, standing before them, taking liberties with the tradition that they alone understand and are authorized to interpret, has their lives in his hand. They do not believe that their reaction to him will decide their fates. Would you have done? Or are you, by any chance, the man without a wedding robe?
It is terribly hard to feel that this man is being treated fairly. After all, he didn’t know he was going to be invited, and if the rest of the guests were picked up off the streets, how well dressed were any of them? You imagine this poor guest sitting there, eating as much as he can, filling up his cup steadily, not sure what he’s doing there, but determined to make the most of it. Then all of a sudden, there’s the King. The man is completely thrown. Perhaps he hadn’t even realized where he was. He had just gone along with the crowd, eager for a free feed. He didn’t know he was celebrating the Son’s banquet. The King’s initial question is quite friendly in tone. All kinds of possible responses might have allowed the man to stay at the banquet. He could have said, ‘I could see how urgent it was, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it.’ Or, ‘I don’t own a wedding gown, but I’d love to borrow one.’ Instead, he is silent, and he loses his chance.
Like the people who rejected the initial invitation, this guest is not interested in his relationship with the King. He never expected or wanted to meet him or speak to him, and he doesn’t care what the banquet is for. This is Matthew’s sombre warning—unless we have come to rejoice with the Son, there is nothing for us here.
Dear friends,
I begin this weeks letter by thanking everyone who came, sent apologies and held in prayer both Vestry Meetings and APCMs held on Sunday at Morval and Looe. I spoke at both meetings giving thanks to those who had served in various roles on PCCs or as Churchwardens and made particular mention of those who had stepped down from those roles, whilst not forgetting those who continue in their particular ministries and I make no apologies for reiterating the same message here. I am sure that everyone will continue to hold in prayer our continuing PCC members together with those newly appointed on Sunday and to thank those who have stepped down. Both Looe and Morval only have one churchwarden, so please do pray specifically for Mike Willmott for Morval and Joan Williams for Looe, as they prayerfully carry out this vital role.
Please do also continue to hold in prayer our Church leaders too, particularly Archbishop Justin, who has this week faced the fall out from the publication of the report in to sexual abuse in the Church of England, that they may be strengthened in their resolve to stand up for the victims of such abuse and to prevent similar ever happening again. The revelation of such shocking and shameful behaviour by some church leaders in covering up such activity is inexcusable and has to be called out. I am thankful that, during my tenure as an ordained minister, the Church of England has worked hard to put new safeguards in to place, many under the leadership of AB Justin, but as the report states, there is still much more that can (and must) be done. At the same time we have to address the awful truth, also highlighted by the report, that church leaders have been seen to spend more energy caring for the perpetrators than for the victims adding to their hurt and pain.
In the same interview I heard (Today program Radio 4 Wednesday) the interviewer questioned AB Justin on the wisdom of attending or even continuing with church worship during an increasing incidence of COVID-19 infections. His reply I completely agree with and also believe speaks into the previous point as well. Paraphrasing slightly, AB Justin responded by saying ‘that churches are maintaining a safe environment for those attending by the measures brought in, particularly the wearing of face coverings, which far from being an infringement of our civil liberties (as is claimed by some), are rather a demonstration of our care and concern for one another’. The Law is, Jesus tells us, summed up in the statement ‘to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbour as ourselves’ and by looking after the wellbeing of others by taking precautions ourselves we are striving to live this out, whether these precautions be the use of hand sanitiser and face coverings or ensuring that abusers have no opportunity to abuse.
This letter will be the last one for a couple of weeks as I am taking some time out, but worship will continue at St Wenna at 11am on a Sunday in my absence, so please continue to support our Local Worship Leaders as they pick up the baton and lead us in worship.
Shalom.
Take care and stay safe,
Yours in Christ,
Philip
Year A - Proper 23
Isaiah 25.1-9
O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners’ palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
5 like heat in a dry place.
You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Philippians 4.1-9
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have laboured side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 22.1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.
Additional Collect
God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reflection on this week’s lectionary readings by Dr. Jane Williams
This is an enigmatic little parable in Matthew. If you look at Luke’s version of the story (Luke 14:15–24), you will see a much more straightforward narrative about the failure of those originally invited to realize the value of the invitation. The most striking difference between Matthew and Luke is the tone. Matthew’s version of the story is full of urgency and bitter anger. It is only in Matthew that the banquet is completely ready and about to go to waste, and it is only in Matthew that the messengers are mistreated and vengeance exacted. And who is the mysterious guest without a wedding garment? He doesn’t appear in Luke, but he adds an element of fear, so that there is no assurance of a happy ending, even for those who have made it to the banquet.
Part of the anger in the story is generated by the scene-setting opening verses. The King is throwing this party for his Son. The wedding banquet of the King’s Son is a glorious and spectacular occasion for rejoicing, and most people would beg, borrow and steal to get themselves invited. But these strange people either don’t care about the invitation at all, or else they treat it as a positive nuisance, to the point where they beat up the postman who brings the card. What should have been an occasion for national rejoicing is turned abruptly into a war zone.
There is bewilderment here—surely the people knew that the King’s Son was about to get married? But there is also grief for the Son. Clearly, these people, his future subjects, don’t care enough about him to want to share in his rejoicing. What’s he got to do with us, they say? He won’t make our businesses run. He won’t generate an income for us. Their rejection of the Son is both personal and corporate. They reject not just him, but also their share in the future of the nation that he represents.
But the other source of anger in the story comes out of the sense of urgency. Twice (verses 4 and 8) the King says that everything is ‘ready’. It cannot wait, it will not keep, it’s now or never. Why don’t the invited guests realize? They will never again get the chance to go to a royal wedding.
The three parables, from 21:28 to this one, are all about the way in which Jesus’s audience are passing up their chance to share in the kingdom. The stories get more and more pointed, making it clearer and clearer that all of this focuses on Jesus. Jesus and the kingdom of God go together—to reject one is to reject the other. It is clear from the way that they react to all three of the stories that the Pharisees understand what is being said, and that it is directed towards them: it’s just that they don’t believe it. They do not believe that this ordinary human being, standing before them, taking liberties with the tradition that they alone understand and are authorized to interpret, has their lives in his hand. They do not believe that their reaction to him will decide their fates. Would you have done? Or are you, by any chance, the man without a wedding robe?
It is terribly hard to feel that this man is being treated fairly. After all, he didn’t know he was going to be invited, and if the rest of the guests were picked up off the streets, how well dressed were any of them? You imagine this poor guest sitting there, eating as much as he can, filling up his cup steadily, not sure what he’s doing there, but determined to make the most of it. Then all of a sudden, there’s the King. The man is completely thrown. Perhaps he hadn’t even realized where he was. He had just gone along with the crowd, eager for a free feed. He didn’t know he was celebrating the Son’s banquet. The King’s initial question is quite friendly in tone. All kinds of possible responses might have allowed the man to stay at the banquet. He could have said, ‘I could see how urgent it was, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it.’ Or, ‘I don’t own a wedding gown, but I’d love to borrow one.’ Instead, he is silent, and he loses his chance.
Like the people who rejected the initial invitation, this guest is not interested in his relationship with the King. He never expected or wanted to meet him or speak to him, and he doesn’t care what the banquet is for. This is Matthew’s sombre warning—unless we have come to rejoice with the Son, there is nothing for us here.
I write this week with comparatively good news - something that has been all to lacking in recent months.
Following the successful partial reopening of one of this benefices churches, St Wenna, for private prayer on a Saturday and the subsequent publication of the Church of England guidance for reopening our buildings for public worship I am pleased to announce that from this coming Sunday (12th July) public worship will resume at 11am at St Wenna.
However, before we all get too carried away, there are a number of important caveats associated with this long awaited return.
1. Because of the guidance we have received on social distancing we can only accommodate a maximum of 30 people. The layout of St Wenna means that there are 15 spaces at 2m (6’ 6”) apart, at which individuals or couples can sit (couples being people from the same household or ‘bubble), so if 15 individuals from different households were to arrive, we would be at capacity.
2. Due to the requirement to either deep clean the building after each use or allow 72 hours to pass before reopening, we cannot increase capacity by holding more services on the same day.
3. Due the vastly increased risk of infection through droplets of saliva breathed out while singing, we will not be able to sing any hymns, although we will have music as part of the worship service.
4. It is the intention to hold a communion service this coming Sunday, but with the elements brought down to the place where worshippers are seated to minimise movement and contact throughout the building. The communion will be offered in both kinds, through the use of wafers and individual disposable cups, and as I will be consecrating and distributing alone, I will wear disinfected disposable gloves during the whole communion and the elements will only be uncovered at the time of distribution, again to minimise any risk of cross contamination. That said, if individuals did not wish to receive, they can of course do so by indicating during the distribution. Communicants are asked to keep their disposable cup and either dispose of it in the bin at the exit as we leave or take it home and recycle it.
5. Two service books will be already in each place on the pews as we arrive and we would ask that they are left there at the end of the service so that they are not handled by anyone else until the following week.
6. We will be entering through the main door, but leaving by the Buller Aisle side door, where there will be a retiring collections plate, so that there is again a minimum chance of contact and 2m distancing can be observed.
7. The wearing of a face covering is not currently deemed essential and it is therefore a matter for the individual to decide as to whether to use one or not (I will, however, be wearing one during distribution).
8. Importantly, so that the NHS Track and Trace guidance can be adhered to, we are required to collect the names and contact details of everyone who attends public worship. One of the two churchwardens will do this as we enter the building. The information required is either 1. Name, postcode and telephone number, or if no telephone number is available, 2. Name and full postal address. This information will be held for 21 days and will only be passed on to the NHS in the eventually that a member of the congregation is subsequently diagnosed as COVID-19 positive or has come into contact with someone who is. All other relevant GDPR guidance still applies to the personal information supplied. This wi
10. The difficulty surrounding the ongoing cleaning and upkeep of the composting toilet during COVID-19 regretfully means we are unable to provide access to it until further notice.
11. Likewise, because the coffee corner is not a designated cafe and does not have its own water supply and separate hand washing facilities means that we cannot serve drinks or refreshments following the service.
12. Hand sanitiser will be available at the entrance and exit, however you might like to bring your own too!
A long list, I am sure that you’ll agree, but not an exhaustive one by any means. The bottom line is that we all need to use common sense and be respectful of other. I am also fully aware that there will be many in our worshiping community who are continuing to shield either themselves or a loved one and will therefore not have an opportunity to attend public worship for many more weeks. My heartfelt thought and prayers are with all of you especially as we edge our way out of lockdown, one tentative step at a time.
For many of us these last few months have given us an insight, however brief and sanitised it may have been, of what many of our brothers and sisters across the globe have to endure their whole worshipping lives. May God’s peace and blessings rest upon the persecuted church.
Shalom.
Yours in Christ
Philip
11TH OCTOBER 2020
Dear friends,
I begin this weeks letter by thanking everyone who came, sent apologies and held in prayer both Vestry Meetings and APCMs held on Sunday at Morval and Looe. I spoke at both meetings giving thanks to those who had served in various roles on PCCs or as Churchwardens and made particular mention of those who had stepped down from those roles, whilst not forgetting those who continue in their particular ministries and I make no apologies for reiterating the same message here. I am sure that everyone will continue to hold in prayer our continuing PCC members together with those newly appointed on Sunday and to thank those who have stepped down. Both Looe and Morval only have one churchwarden, so please do pray specifically for Mike Willmott for Morval and Joan Williams for Looe, as they prayerfully carry out this vital role.
Please do also continue to hold in prayer our Church leaders too, particularly Archbishop Justin, who has this week faced the fall out from the publication of the report in to sexual abuse in the Church of England, that they may be strengthened in their resolve to stand up for the victims of such abuse and to prevent similar ever happening again. The revelation of such shocking and shameful behaviour by some church leaders in covering up such activity is inexcusable and has to be called out. I am thankful that, during my tenure as an ordained minister, the Church of England has worked hard to put new safeguards in to place, many under the leadership of AB Justin, but as the report states, there is still much more that can (and must) be done. At the same time we have to address the awful truth, also highlighted by the report, that church leaders have been seen to spend more energy caring for the perpetrators than for the victims adding to their hurt and pain.
In the same interview I heard (Today program Radio 4 Wednesday) the interviewer questioned AB Justin on the wisdom of attending or even continuing with church worship during an increasing incidence of COVID-19 infections. His reply I completely agree with and also believe speaks into the previous point as well. Paraphrasing slightly, AB Justin responded by saying ‘that churches are maintaining a safe environment for those attending by the measures brought in, particularly the wearing of face coverings, which far from being an infringement of our civil liberties (as is claimed by some), are rather a demonstration of our care and concern for one another’. The Law is, Jesus tells us, summed up in the statement ‘to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbour as ourselves’ and by looking after the wellbeing of others by taking precautions ourselves we are striving to live this out, whether these precautions be the use of hand sanitiser and face coverings or ensuring that abusers have no opportunity to abuse.
This letter will be the last one for a couple of weeks as I am taking some time out, but worship will continue at St Wenna at 11am on a Sunday in my absence, so please continue to support our Local Worship Leaders as they pick up the baton and lead us in worship.
Shalom.
Take care and stay safe,
Yours in Christ,
Philip
Year A - Proper 23
Isaiah 25.1-9
O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners’ palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
5 like heat in a dry place.
You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Philippians 4.1-9
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have laboured side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 22.1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.
Additional Collect
God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reflection on this week’s lectionary readings by Dr. Jane Williams
This is an enigmatic little parable in Matthew. If you look at Luke’s version of the story (Luke 14:15–24), you will see a much more straightforward narrative about the failure of those originally invited to realize the value of the invitation. The most striking difference between Matthew and Luke is the tone. Matthew’s version of the story is full of urgency and bitter anger. It is only in Matthew that the banquet is completely ready and about to go to waste, and it is only in Matthew that the messengers are mistreated and vengeance exacted. And who is the mysterious guest without a wedding garment? He doesn’t appear in Luke, but he adds an element of fear, so that there is no assurance of a happy ending, even for those who have made it to the banquet.
Part of the anger in the story is generated by the scene-setting opening verses. The King is throwing this party for his Son. The wedding banquet of the King’s Son is a glorious and spectacular occasion for rejoicing, and most people would beg, borrow and steal to get themselves invited. But these strange people either don’t care about the invitation at all, or else they treat it as a positive nuisance, to the point where they beat up the postman who brings the card. What should have been an occasion for national rejoicing is turned abruptly into a war zone.
There is bewilderment here—surely the people knew that the King’s Son was about to get married? But there is also grief for the Son. Clearly, these people, his future subjects, don’t care enough about him to want to share in his rejoicing. What’s he got to do with us, they say? He won’t make our businesses run. He won’t generate an income for us. Their rejection of the Son is both personal and corporate. They reject not just him, but also their share in the future of the nation that he represents.
But the other source of anger in the story comes out of the sense of urgency. Twice (verses 4 and 8) the King says that everything is ‘ready’. It cannot wait, it will not keep, it’s now or never. Why don’t the invited guests realize? They will never again get the chance to go to a royal wedding.
The three parables, from 21:28 to this one, are all about the way in which Jesus’s audience are passing up their chance to share in the kingdom. The stories get more and more pointed, making it clearer and clearer that all of this focuses on Jesus. Jesus and the kingdom of God go together—to reject one is to reject the other. It is clear from the way that they react to all three of the stories that the Pharisees understand what is being said, and that it is directed towards them: it’s just that they don’t believe it. They do not believe that this ordinary human being, standing before them, taking liberties with the tradition that they alone understand and are authorized to interpret, has their lives in his hand. They do not believe that their reaction to him will decide their fates. Would you have done? Or are you, by any chance, the man without a wedding robe?
It is terribly hard to feel that this man is being treated fairly. After all, he didn’t know he was going to be invited, and if the rest of the guests were picked up off the streets, how well dressed were any of them? You imagine this poor guest sitting there, eating as much as he can, filling up his cup steadily, not sure what he’s doing there, but determined to make the most of it. Then all of a sudden, there’s the King. The man is completely thrown. Perhaps he hadn’t even realized where he was. He had just gone along with the crowd, eager for a free feed. He didn’t know he was celebrating the Son’s banquet. The King’s initial question is quite friendly in tone. All kinds of possible responses might have allowed the man to stay at the banquet. He could have said, ‘I could see how urgent it was, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it.’ Or, ‘I don’t own a wedding gown, but I’d love to borrow one.’ Instead, he is silent, and he loses his chance.
Like the people who rejected the initial invitation, this guest is not interested in his relationship with the King. He never expected or wanted to meet him or speak to him, and he doesn’t care what the banquet is for. This is Matthew’s sombre warning—unless we have come to rejoice with the Son, there is nothing for us here.
Dear friends,
I begin this weeks letter by thanking everyone who came, sent apologies and held in prayer both Vestry Meetings and APCMs held on Sunday at Morval and Looe. I spoke at both meetings giving thanks to those who had served in various roles on PCCs or as Churchwardens and made particular mention of those who had stepped down from those roles, whilst not forgetting those who continue in their particular ministries and I make no apologies for reiterating the same message here. I am sure that everyone will continue to hold in prayer our continuing PCC members together with those newly appointed on Sunday and to thank those who have stepped down. Both Looe and Morval only have one churchwarden, so please do pray specifically for Mike Willmott for Morval and Joan Williams for Looe, as they prayerfully carry out this vital role.
Please do also continue to hold in prayer our Church leaders too, particularly Archbishop Justin, who has this week faced the fall out from the publication of the report in to sexual abuse in the Church of England, that they may be strengthened in their resolve to stand up for the victims of such abuse and to prevent similar ever happening again. The revelation of such shocking and shameful behaviour by some church leaders in covering up such activity is inexcusable and has to be called out. I am thankful that, during my tenure as an ordained minister, the Church of England has worked hard to put new safeguards in to place, many under the leadership of AB Justin, but as the report states, there is still much more that can (and must) be done. At the same time we have to address the awful truth, also highlighted by the report, that church leaders have been seen to spend more energy caring for the perpetrators than for the victims adding to their hurt and pain.
In the same interview I heard (Today program Radio 4 Wednesday) the interviewer questioned AB Justin on the wisdom of attending or even continuing with church worship during an increasing incidence of COVID-19 infections. His reply I completely agree with and also believe speaks into the previous point as well. Paraphrasing slightly, AB Justin responded by saying ‘that churches are maintaining a safe environment for those attending by the measures brought in, particularly the wearing of face coverings, which far from being an infringement of our civil liberties (as is claimed by some), are rather a demonstration of our care and concern for one another’. The Law is, Jesus tells us, summed up in the statement ‘to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbour as ourselves’ and by looking after the wellbeing of others by taking precautions ourselves we are striving to live this out, whether these precautions be the use of hand sanitiser and face coverings or ensuring that abusers have no opportunity to abuse.
This letter will be the last one for a couple of weeks as I am taking some time out, but worship will continue at St Wenna at 11am on a Sunday in my absence, so please continue to support our Local Worship Leaders as they pick up the baton and lead us in worship.
Shalom.
Take care and stay safe,
Yours in Christ,
Philip
Year A - Proper 23
Isaiah 25.1-9
O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners’ palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
5 like heat in a dry place.
You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Philippians 4.1-9
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have laboured side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 22.1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.
Additional Collect
God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reflection on this week’s lectionary readings by Dr. Jane Williams
This is an enigmatic little parable in Matthew. If you look at Luke’s version of the story (Luke 14:15–24), you will see a much more straightforward narrative about the failure of those originally invited to realize the value of the invitation. The most striking difference between Matthew and Luke is the tone. Matthew’s version of the story is full of urgency and bitter anger. It is only in Matthew that the banquet is completely ready and about to go to waste, and it is only in Matthew that the messengers are mistreated and vengeance exacted. And who is the mysterious guest without a wedding garment? He doesn’t appear in Luke, but he adds an element of fear, so that there is no assurance of a happy ending, even for those who have made it to the banquet.
Part of the anger in the story is generated by the scene-setting opening verses. The King is throwing this party for his Son. The wedding banquet of the King’s Son is a glorious and spectacular occasion for rejoicing, and most people would beg, borrow and steal to get themselves invited. But these strange people either don’t care about the invitation at all, or else they treat it as a positive nuisance, to the point where they beat up the postman who brings the card. What should have been an occasion for national rejoicing is turned abruptly into a war zone.
There is bewilderment here—surely the people knew that the King’s Son was about to get married? But there is also grief for the Son. Clearly, these people, his future subjects, don’t care enough about him to want to share in his rejoicing. What’s he got to do with us, they say? He won’t make our businesses run. He won’t generate an income for us. Their rejection of the Son is both personal and corporate. They reject not just him, but also their share in the future of the nation that he represents.
But the other source of anger in the story comes out of the sense of urgency. Twice (verses 4 and 8) the King says that everything is ‘ready’. It cannot wait, it will not keep, it’s now or never. Why don’t the invited guests realize? They will never again get the chance to go to a royal wedding.
The three parables, from 21:28 to this one, are all about the way in which Jesus’s audience are passing up their chance to share in the kingdom. The stories get more and more pointed, making it clearer and clearer that all of this focuses on Jesus. Jesus and the kingdom of God go together—to reject one is to reject the other. It is clear from the way that they react to all three of the stories that the Pharisees understand what is being said, and that it is directed towards them: it’s just that they don’t believe it. They do not believe that this ordinary human being, standing before them, taking liberties with the tradition that they alone understand and are authorized to interpret, has their lives in his hand. They do not believe that their reaction to him will decide their fates. Would you have done? Or are you, by any chance, the man without a wedding robe?
It is terribly hard to feel that this man is being treated fairly. After all, he didn’t know he was going to be invited, and if the rest of the guests were picked up off the streets, how well dressed were any of them? You imagine this poor guest sitting there, eating as much as he can, filling up his cup steadily, not sure what he’s doing there, but determined to make the most of it. Then all of a sudden, there’s the King. The man is completely thrown. Perhaps he hadn’t even realized where he was. He had just gone along with the crowd, eager for a free feed. He didn’t know he was celebrating the Son’s banquet. The King’s initial question is quite friendly in tone. All kinds of possible responses might have allowed the man to stay at the banquet. He could have said, ‘I could see how urgent it was, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it.’ Or, ‘I don’t own a wedding gown, but I’d love to borrow one.’ Instead, he is silent, and he loses his chance.
Like the people who rejected the initial invitation, this guest is not interested in his relationship with the King. He never expected or wanted to meet him or speak to him, and he doesn’t care what the banquet is for. This is Matthew’s sombre warning—unless we have come to rejoice with the Son, there is nothing for us here.
