Mears Ashby and Hardwick

and Sywell with Overstone

Prayers and Reflections

for use at home

Sunday 28 June 2020

St. Peter & St. Paul

Welcome to this week’s Prayers and Reflections. We’re celebrating the

faithful lives and adventurous ministries of two of our patron saints,

Peter and Paul. When Jesus gave his apostle Simon a new name, he

chose Peter, which means ‘rock’. Peter became one of the living stones

on which Jesus built his church. We too are living stones on which Jesus

is building his church. Saul was also chosen by Jesus to be another of his

church’s foundation stones and became known by his Greek name, Paul,

which means humble or little one. I’ll leave you to decide whether this is

an apt name for him!

Take a moment, this week, to think about your own name. Who chose

this name for you, and why? How does it reflect who you are? And,

what does it mean? Behind each of the names we’ve been given there is

a story filled with love and - perhaps - an invisible thread to grandparents

we never had a chance to see. Give thanks to God for the living stones,

past and present, who played a key role in your naming.

And remember, God knows you by name and loves you. As it says in

Isaiah 49:16, ‘See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.’

Picture your name on his palm. He will never forget you.

God bless,

Revd Katrina

Vicar

Phone No. 01604 812907

Mobile No. 07710 464675

E-mail: katrinahutchins94@yahoo.co.uk

Some of the material is © The Archbishops’ Council 2005, 2006

Prayers and Reflections

for use at home

Welcome

PREPARING OURSELVES

Take a moment to be still in God’s presence, and feel his love.

If you are indoors, you may wish to light a candle as a sign of God’s love,

here, in your room. You may also wish to have a cross in your palm,

or on the table, and a bowl of water ready for the time of confession.

Lord, as I sit and wait in silence,

I place my hopes and dreams,

my fears and concerns,

into your safe and loving hands.

Pour your love upon me,

make my heart beat in time with yours;

in Jesus’ name,

I pray. Amen.

LETTING GO

If you come to this time of prayer and reflection with any regrets,

with things that you wish you had not said, done or been, or promises

you’re struggling to keep, offer them to God in the silence of your heart.

And then, reflect on the opening words of this well-known hymn.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,

forgive our foolish ways!

Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,

in purer lives thy service find,

in deeper reverence praise,

in deeper reverence praise.

If you wish, dip your finger into a bowl of water

and make the sign of the cross on your palm.

Feel God’s forgiveness. You are his beloved child,

nothing can separate you from his love. May this thought inspire you in

the coming week to greet everyone by name, and love as he loves.

PRAYING TODAY’S PRAYER

(The Collect)

Across our villages and the worldwide Church,

this prayer is being said today. Add your voice to this earthly circle

of prayer to our loving Father.

Almighty God,

whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul

glorified you in their death as in their life:

grant that your Church,

inspired by their teaching and example,

and made one by your Spirit,

may ever stand firm upon the one foundation,

Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.

Amen.

Our theme today is being made welcome. The prayer is inviting us to

think about the inspirational people who have guided us on our journey of

life and faith. Looking back over the course of your life, who’s helped you

become who you are today - a living stone in God’s Church and an

inspiration to others.

I can think of a number of key people who have been my role models,

whose guidance, teaching and example have led me to where I am today,

in my faith and my vocation, and to this place.

Pause and give thanks to God for the people who have

played a key role in your life and helped you grow in

faith and love. If they are still alive, wouldn’t it be lovely

if you gave them a call or sent a card to say a personal

‘thank you’ to them.

LISTENING TO GOD’S WORD

Peter explains that all are welcome in God’s Church

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the

Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in

Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticised him. ‘You entered the home of

Gentiles and even ate with them!’ they said.

Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. ‘I was in the town of

Joppa,’ he said, ‘and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a

vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from

the sky. And it came right down to me. When I looked inside the sheet, I

saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds. And I heard a

voice say, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

‘“No, Lord,” I replied, “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws

have declared impure or unclean.”

‘But the voice from heaven spoke again. “Do not call something unclean if

God has made it clean.” This happened three times before the sheet and

all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.

‘Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the

house where we were staying. The Holy Spirit told me to go with them

and not worry that they were Gentiles.’

Acts 11:1-12a

And so, Peter went with the men to the home of Cornelius and told them

about Jesus, and they received the Holy Spirit. God had flung wide open

the doors of his Church and welcomed them in. No longer was his love

and forgiveness just for the Jewish people, now they are for everyone,

everywhere. ‘Nowhere is off limits.’ says God, ‘Go spread the good news.’

And it is thanks to God’s welcome, and Peter and Paul’s many adventures,

that we are Christians today. If they had not been willing to change,

if they had refused to take a fresh look at who is welcome in God’s eyes,

perhaps, the Church would not have reached our distant shores. May be,

we would not have been welcomed in.

As we give thanks to God for Peter and

Paul, let us also give thanks too for God’s

welcome. We are his living stones on

which he is building his church. And - as

this photo reminds us - we are held in

place by those who come to church too

(other living stones) and by the love

(mortar) which binds us as one (his Holy Spirit).

Picture yourself in church. Who’s sitting close to you? Who do you greet?

Give thanks to God for them. If you wish, write their names in the space

below and pray for them each day of this week.

A Prayer of Blessing for my Church Friends

May God the Father be with you today,

surrounding you on all sides with his love.

May God the Son be with you today,

accompanying you in whatever you do.

May God the Spirit be with you today,

filling you with love and joy and hope for the future.

May God the Father, Son and Spirit be with you,

until we can meet again in church. Amen.

God is also saying to us, ‘All are welcome in my church. Keep on building

a house where all want to come in, where hearts are warmed by love,

and where peace and hope replace tears and fears.’

And this is what we are doing through our daily lives and what we will do

as our churches re-open. Each of us mirrors God’s welcome and reflects

God’s love. I wonder… who looks up to you as their role model in life or

source of daily inspiration? Who is giving thanks for you today?

Remember them in your heart and in your prayers.

Come to him, a living stone chosen and precious in his sight.

(1 Peter 2:4)

And yet - beyond our villages - we see the narrowness of human welcome,

the limits placed on human love. We have seen again the hurt and pain,

anger and frustration caused by unnecessary division and intolerance.

If only people could see others through God’s eyes,

as Peter did, what a wonderful world it would be.

Imagine every division healed, everyone valued and welcome, and pray

for God’s love to seen on earth as it is in heaven.

Our Prayer for Our World

Bless our beautiful world, O Lord,

with its wonderful variety of people,

of races, cultures and languages.

May we be a world of laughter and joy,

of justice and reconciliation,

of peace and unity,

of compassion, caring and sharing.

We pray this prayer

for a true spirit of understanding,

peace and tolerance

in the powerful name of Jesus,

our Lord. Amen.

OUR PRAYERS

Here are some prayers on this Sunday’s theme of welcome. Feel free to use

one or more of these prayers, and to add your own.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for welcoming me with open arms,

for inviting me into your Church. I am one of your living stones,

surrounded by my church friends; I am held safely in place by your love.

Help me to follow the example of your Son, our Cornerstone,

and seek to do your will in my daily life.

Like Peter and Paul, may I have the courage to let you be my guide,

and welcome everyone with love and kindness.

Father, hear my prayer.

Father, I thank you for giving us a beautifully diverse world,

and for inviting us to love all of your creation. And yet -

many lands are filled with the pain of conflict and persecution.

I pray for the places that Peter and Paul visited on their travels;

may your peace reign in Syria, Israel and Palestine, Turkey and Lebanon,

and your welcome be given to all refugees in the Mediterranean countries.

I pray too for…

Father, hear my prayer.

Father, I thank you for all who are called to be doctors and nurses,

carers and healers, hospital and hospice chaplains.

Bless, protect and strengthen them, Lord, in these challenging times.

Look with compassion on all in this village whose lives are filled with

pain and sadness. I pray for… Send your Spirit to comfort and guide them.

Father, hear my prayer.

Offer your own heartfelt prayers and yearnings, praise and thanksgivings.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come; thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER OF BLESSING A closing prayer of blessing for this week.

Lord, bless and guide me,

and whatever I do, this week, may I do it with love and kindness.

Go before me, watch over me,

and keep me, and my loved ones, safe in your welcoming love. Amen.