FEBRUARY 2007
SERVICES
| 4th Candlemas /Septuagesima | 18th Quinqugesima |
|---|---|
| 8.00 am Holy Communion | 8.00 am Holy Communion |
| 11.00 am Mattins & Sermon | 11.00 am Holy Communion |
| Preacher: Revd Dr Malcolm Guite | Preacher Mr Robert Winsford-Harris |
| 5.00 pm Meditative Eucharist | 5.00 pm Meditative Eucharist |
| Preacher Revd Dr Fraser Watts | Preacher Revd Dr Fraser Watts |
| 11th Sexagesima | 25th Lent 1 |
| 8.00 am Holy Communion | 8.00 am Holy Communion |
| 11.00 am Odyssey | 11.00 am Mattins & Sermon |
| Preacher: Canon Beaumont Stevenson | Preacher: Revd Dr Fraser Watts |
| 5.00 pm Meditative Eucharist | 5.00 pm Meditative Eucharist |
| Preacher: Revd Dr Fraser Watts | Preacher: Mr Steven Mastin |
| Fridays: 10.30 am Holy Communion 5.30 pm Meditation | |
11.00 am READINGS
Theme Old Testament/Epistle New Testament/Gospel
4 Septuagesima M Lee 1 Kings 3. 4-15 C Walker Matthew 20. 1-16
18 Quinquagesima D Hirst 1 Corinth. 13 Chaplain Luke 18. 31-43
25 Temptations G Barnes Genesis 4. 1-16 C Martin Luke 4. 1-13
Readers for March
4 D Turner & R Lynden- Bell
11 E Edwards & J Dent
18 A Finn & J Billett
25 D Hirst & Chaplain
Lent Course by Malcolm Guite on the General Thanksgiving
Wednesdays at 5.30pm
The General Thanksgiving, is one of the Prayer Book's greatest treasures, a prayer which many people love and know by heart. In just 150 words it sums up every essential element of our faith and gives us a voice in which to return our thanks to God. During this Lent course we will examine this prayer in detail and see how, phrase by phrase, it takes us deep into the heart of our faith.
- Feb 28th `Almighty God, Father of all mercies...'
- Mar 7th `humble and hearty thanks'
- Mar 14th `creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life'
- Mar 21st `the redemption of all the world by out Lord Jesus Christ'
- Mar 28th `the means of grace and the hope of glory.'
Odyssey: The preacher at Odyssey this month (Feb 11th, 11.00 am) will be Canon Beaumont Stevenson from Oxford, on How the Supernatural Transforms the Natural: A New Approach to the Homosexuality Debate.
Goth Eucharists: There will be a series of sermons on contraries at the Goth Eucharist, Tuesdays at 8.45 pm. Jan 30th: Andy Swindells on Love and Hate; Feb 13th: Paul Watkins on Integrity and Conformity; Feb 27th: Fraser Watts on Servants and Masters (continued in March).
Holistic Spirituality Group: This will meet at 3.30 pm on Sundays Feb 4th and 25th. Malcolm will lead a discussion on how people follow the spiritual path in different faith traditions.
Candlemas, when we remember Jesus being presented at the Temple, is the end of the 40 days of Christmas, and we will keep it at the 5.00 pm service on February 4t. After that our thoughts turn to Lent and Easter.
Ash Wednesday: Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 21st February. There will be a Communion service at 7.30 pm, with sermon and penitential prayers. Fraser will preside and preach. After the service, for those who wish, there will be a discussion on the practice of confession, how people do it, how it affects them etc. Some Christians confess to God privately, some to a priest, some not at all (except in the context of public services). Some find it liberating; others find it oppressive. We will try to understand what is going on when people make confession, to help each person to find what works best for their own spiritual journey. Lent is a time for reflecting on priorities, and trying to make sure we actually do the things we intend to do. If Lent works well, it helps us to become the kind of whole people in whom thoughts, feelings and actions hang together better.
Sunday Evening Sermons on Who Was Jesus? Jan 21st: Miracle-worker; Jan 28th: Sage Feb 4th: Jew; Feb 11th: Social Reformer; Feb 18th: Spirit-filled Jesus
House-Groups on The Heart of Christianity: Malcolm is running a fortnightly house group, beginning at 8.00 pm on 23rd January in Newnham Vicarage, and focusing on core aspects of Christianity such as Jesus' Love command. All are welcome. Please let Malcolm know if you interested in coming.
CUSU-sponsored Group on Sexuality: St Edward's hosts a group, sponsored by the Students' Union, on religion and sexuality. Fraser will give a talk on that subject at 3.30 pm on January 28th as part of CUSU's `Awareness Week'. There will be further discussion meeting at 3.30 pm on Feb 18th on `Homosexuality: Natural or Unnatural?', and another on March 4th, led by Steve Mastin, on St Paul and homosexuality.
Electoral Roll: Every 6 years we have to produce a completely new electoral roll, and this year is the time to do that. That means that everyone who wants to go on the roll has to fill in a new form. We hope that all those on the roll who still attend the church will fill in a form, and also new church members who have not so far been on the roll. Basically, to be on the roll you have to be a baptized Christian and have been attending St Edward's for 6 months. If in doubt, ask one of the clergy. The roll is a helpful way of recording our core members, and carries the right to vote for the Chapter and on other key issues.
Chapter: The Chapter will meet at 6.00 pm on Thursday February 22nd in the Faculty of Divinity.
From Malcolm Guite
What are we to make of St Valentines Day? However we might feel about naff cards and commercialisation, I think it's no bad thing that the whole arena of romantic love is somehow associated with a saint of the church. It is my conviction that everything we are and do and feel is of concern to the loving God who journeys with us from the cradle to the cross and beyond. He knows us intimately and there is no part of our own intimacies that we need hide from him. For many people the complex realm of their personal loving is sometimes shadowed and difficult, as well as magical and renewing. But this is all the more reason to share it with our maker and redeemer, who in His humanity understands from the inside the interwoven sorrows and joys that make up human loving, and in His divinity is able to redeem and ultimately fulfil every human yearning that is offered to him. Augustine, a saint who knew more than most about human passion, had the faith to know that, although God may not always grant us the desire of our hearts, he will ultimately give us the heart of our desires. I am glad that St. Edward's is a place where we feel safe to explore all the affective side of our nature, and I hope that in the course of home groups and groups exploring both sexuality and spirituality, as well as through the intimacy of communion itself, we will all feel able, on Valentines day and beyond, to bring our deepest desires into the light of God's Love.
Clergy: Revd. Dr. Fraser Watts (19, Grantchester Road, CB3 9ED; 359223,
fnw1001@cam.ac.uk); Church phone: 362004
Revd Dr Malcolm Guite (694249, mg320@cam.ac.uk);
Canon Alan Cole (892286,
alan73@waitrose.com)
Churchwardens: Dr. Elizabeth Edwards (313570, elizedwards@waitrose.com);
Mr Jesse Billett (572168, jdb43@cam.ac.uk); Treasurer: Mr Geoffrey Barnes;
(717757, Geoff.Barnes@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, Reader: Mr. Peter Marshall
(564471)