February 2010
Services
| Sunday Services | Friday Services |
|---|---|
| 8.00 am Holy Communion (Prayer book) | 10.30 am Holy Communion (Prayer book) |
| 11.00 am Sunday at Eleven | 5.30 pm Meditation |
| 5.00 pm Meditative Eucharist |
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Sunday at Eleven
February 7th: Odyssey: Christianity and the environment Preacher Revd Pete Owen-Jones Pete Owen-Jones combines being a TV presenter and a Vicar in Sussex. He has presented several successful TV series, including The Battle for Britain’s Soul, The Power and the Glory, The Lost Gospels, Extreme Pilgrim, and Around the World in 80 Faiths. Pete is both colourful and deeply thoughtful. He sees responding to the environmental challenge as the 'Great Work' of our time, and will focus on that in his Odyssey talk.
February 14th: Eucharist: Eros and Christ Preachers Revd Dr Malcolm Guite St Valentine has come to have largely secular significance, but there is actually a lot of similarity between romantic love and our love for God. So, at this Eucharist on St Valentine's day we will reflect on the spiritual significance of romantic love.
February 21st: Jesus' three temptations Preacher Canon Fraser Watts On this first Sunday in Lent, the gospel story that comes to our attention is that of Jesus going into the wildernesss for 40 days to be tempted by the devil. The three different temptations He experienced are of enduring relevance to all of us, and help us to raise consciousness about pitfalls and short-comings.
February 28th: Rules of life Preacher Revd Malcolm Guite Since the beginning of monasticism some Christians have committed themselves to a rule of life. Now they are being adopted by an increasing number of people in secular life, and are becoming increasingly tailored to individual needs. Lent is a good time to reflect on the potential benefits of adopting a rule of life. |
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Meditative Eucharist - Sunday at Five
February 7th and 14th: Into the new era (iii and iv) Preacher Canon Fraser Watts Fraser is preaching series of sermons about the challenges we face in our times, the opportunities they present, and the new way of living they can usher in. The title of the series comes from a phrase that recurs in St John's gospel, into the ‘aeon’.
February 21st: Jesus in the wilderness Preacher Phil Greig (Ridley Hall) The focus at the start of Lent will be on Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, and the relevance for ourselves of the temptations He faced there.
February 28th: Jesus, friend of sinners Preacher Canon Alan Cole An aspect of Jesus' way of living that astonished His contemporaries was His friendliness towards sinners, a reassuring message, as that includes all of us. There will be laying on of hands for healing at this service. |
Ash Wednesday (Wednesday 17th February): There will be penitential Eucharist at 7.30 pm at which Fraser Watts will preside and preach. There will be silence, and imposition of ashes.
Student Group: Meeting in the Lloyd Room, Christ’s College. Alternate Mondays at 7.30. Feb 1st: God and the Brain (Alasdair Cole); Feb 15th: The Psychology of Atheism (Nicholas Gibson)
Holistic Spirituality Group: This group, led by Malcolm, will meet on Feb 14th and 28th, at 3.30pm. The focus this term is on Rites and rituals: weaving the sacred back into daily life.
Gothic Eucharists: Alternate Tuesdays at 8.30pm. Feb 9th: Silence (preacher: Sara Ball); Feb 23rd: Soft and Hard Sins (preacher: Fraser Watts).
Housegroup: Fortnightly meetings at 30 Rustat Road, at 7.30pm. New members welcome. Contact Stephen Davies or Christina Johnson.
Healing: There will be laying on of hands for healing at the 5.00pm service on Sunday Feb 28th.
Library: St Edward's has a library with a good selection of varied and interesting books. It is at the front of the church on the right-hand side. If you would like to borrow books just sign them out and return them when you have finished.
Electoral roll: It is time to revise the electoral roll prior to the annual meeting. Members of the congregation who have been attending for 6 months are generally eligible to enrol, and we encourage them to do so. There are forms at the back of the church. Return them to Fraser or Judith Tonry. If in doubt consult Fraser.
Sunday 8.00am Communion: Feb 7th: Sexagesima; Feb 14th: Quinquagesima; Feb 21st: Lent 1; Feb 28th: Lent 2
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Lent course: towards Easter with George Herbert
Wednesdays at 5.30pm with Malcolm Guite
Over five sessions we will explore some of George Herbert's poetry as a way of walking with him, and with one another, in the steps of Christ, as Christ walks with us, to Gethsemane, Golgotha, and the Easter Garden.
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Chaplain's Letter: Haitian Revelations (Malcolm Guite)
Every disaster is a revelation. Sudden extremity, deprivation, or fear uncovers for us what is in our own hearts and in the hearts of others. So it is with this latest appalling blow in the long tragedy of Haiti; the hidden layers of who we are have been stripped bare for all to see, and what is revealed is worthy of both praise and lamentation. We are often told that we are a greedy selfish broken society, but within hours of the earthquake being reported, ordinary people in the UK had given millions. So it seems that for many people the fearful self-concern was only a surface, skin deep; underneath still beat the heart of hidden generosity, the compassion and overflowing love which is the image of God in us all.
But if generous hearts were unveiled then so were predatory instincts, deep in individuals and organisations. In Haiti itself crowds of victims scrabbling in the ruins to help their fellow victims were falling prey to gangs of looters and robbers ready to exploit the vulnerable wounded. Likewise hundreds of well motivated individuals who work or volunteer for NGOs; doctors, nurses, firemen, were being flown to the scene of devastation only to find that their efforts were stalled by unseemly squabbles between the very organisations they served; quarrels about who would have precedence, who would be allowed to get there first, control the airport, be in charge. It was a revelation that for some people in a crisis, their own prestige or that of their organisation is more important than any individual suffering.
What has this disaster has unveiled for you? Doubts and agonies about the place of an all-knowing God? Despair about the world? A sudden spring of generosity and a conviction that human love and solidarity are all that matters? Or a bewildering mixture of all these? Whatever has been uncovered, you can bring it all to God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and ask that He will cleanse whatever darkness is exposed and bring to maturity and good fruit those hidden seeds of goodness in you that are surely there.
Clergy: Revd Dr Fraser Watts (19, Grantchester Road, CB3 9ED; 359223); Revd Dr Malcolm Guite (694249); Canon Alan Cole (892286). Lay Chaplain: Mrs Christina Johnson (572669) Churchwardens: Mr Steven Mastin (361041); Mrs Judith Tonry (892160). Treasurer: Mr Geoffrey Barnes. Chapter Clerk: Mr Stephen Davies (242636). Student Pastor: Matt Owen (07791 647927). Church phone: 362004