St Peter's Ardingly Parish Magazine July 2020

Welcome to Worship@Home on this, the Third Sunday after Trinity.   Let’s begin with praise, with this hymn celebrating Jesus’ extraordinary love for each one of us:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoV4koFy-Is   I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.   Refrain: How marvellous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvellous! How wonderful is my Saviour's love for me! He took my sins and my sorrows, he made them his very own; he bore the burden to Calvar...

Good morning and welcome to this Sunday’s ‘Worship at Home’.  Let’s be still for a moment as we draw near to worship God and let’s take just a few seconds to remind ourselves why we’re gathered today.  And listen too, because God speaks even through the background noise of the world around us...   After a few moments of silence say this prayer quietly.   Lord Jesus, in a universe that seems so immense it is easy to feel insignificant as we gather here today. Yet we know that we are precious in your sight – unique individuals loved and blessed in...

We are pleased to say that we have been able to partially re-open our church for private prayer and worship. The building will be open on Sunday and Thursday each week between 10am and 6pm. You are very welcome to visit the church during this time, but please observe all social distancing requirements.  We are not yet able to hold any services in church, so are continuing to posting a ‘Worship @ Home’ service each Sunday on our website. We have also introduced Sunday worship via Zoom. These are being held most Sundays at 10.30am. If you would like to join us, please e...

Dear Friends, An email ‘pinged’ into my inbox this morning reminding me that this week is Loneliness Awareness Week [15th – 20th June 2020].  As the authors of the email reminded me, amidst the continuing coronavirus lockdown this is more topical than ever.  But even before the lockdown, loneliness was a profoundly serious issue. When we think of the lonely our thoughts perhaps instinctively turn towards that older person, now living on their own.  But in truth, anyone can feel lonely and at any age; even when surrounded by people, and even when they have many friends or acqu...

Good morning and welcome to this Sunday’s ‘Worship at Home’.  Let’s begin with a moment of stillness and quiet as we prepare to meet with the Lord Jesus in our worship this morning.  Either be still and quiet and allow your mind to empty of any distractions or if you looking at this on-line take a moment to listen to this music from ‘SaltOfTheSound.   Turn your eyes upon Jesus:  https://youtu.be/-dFfLt2Bd3o   And now pray these words of praise and honour and thanksgiving to Jesus.  Let us pray.   Lord Jesus, we come to give you honour and...

Good morning and welcome to this Sunday’s ‘Worship at Home’.  As you begin just take a moment to set to one side any thoughts of those other things you might have to do today, any thoughts of what you might have to do in the week that is ahead, be still for a moment and bring all of your thoughts, your full attention to our compassionate, loving God.  In the stillness, be aware of his presence, his power and his might and be aware too that he looks with eyes of compassion at out helplessness and at our need.  From deep inside he looks at us with love.   And so, let’...

Though the current restrictions may prevent us from holding any services in our beautiful church, we are still worshipping each week. If you would like to join us for one of our live services over Zoom, simply email us at HomeWorship@ardinglychurch.net for login details. before 9.00am on the Sunday morning. You can also follow our Worship @ Home series at any time by following the articles on our home page. We hope you can join us at one or more of our services and look forward to seeing you. All at St Peter's.

  Good morning and welcome!   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.   Today as a church we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Let’s begin by reading from Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah’s words give us a glimpse into the glory of God and remind us that He sees into the heart of every situation in a way that we never can and in ways that we are not equipped to appreciate.  Yes, He is unfathomable, Yes, He is mysterious.  And so, the more we learn to exalt the greatness of our God, the more we wi...

Worship at Home: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2: 28 – 29) Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.   Good morning and welcome to everyone on this Day of Pentecost.   Jesus Christ, whom we worship, is our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord and we have walked with him ...

St Peter's Ardingly Parish Magazine June 2020

Dear Friends, This may sound strange, but when I listened to the prime minister’s recent address to the nation, I found myself thinking about Moses.  It’s not that I see Mr Johnson as some sort of prophet – although for some reason my abiding image of an Old testament prophet always seems to include an exuberant hairstyle!  Furthermore, I’m quite certain that Mr Johnson and Moses would have a hugely different understanding of what ‘the promised land’ might be like.  No, it was just that Boris was speaking of the gradual easing of the lockdown provisions and he cautioned that:...

Welcome to Worship at Home on the Sunday after Ascension. We are in the between times, when the disciples had returned to Jerusalem, in obedience to Jesus’ command to wait in the city until they were clothed with power from on high. We are in the between times, as we wait, gradually returning to what we used to call ‘normal’. As we wait, let us use this time especially to pray, and to praise:   Let’s begin with praise, and a great hymn celebrating Jesus, risen and glorified: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV9wUIZJFAA Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour, first-bego...

‘One who loves Jesus lives by the word of Jesus’ The glory of the Lord has risen upon us.  Let us rejoice and sing God’s praise for ever! Good morning and welcome to everyone on this sixth Sunday of Easter.  In our passage from John’s Gospel this morning we will hear again Jesus’ promise to the disciples to ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.  “He lives with you and will be in you...I will not leave you...I will come to you” says Jesus.  As we go through these difficult times, we need to remember that it is the work of the Holy Spi...

Now is the time to strengthen and renew faith in Jesus Christ This is the day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.   Good morning and welcome to everyone on this fifth Sunday of Easter.  Hallelujah!  Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, hallelujah!   And as we begin, let’s take a moment to be still, a moment to put to one side any ‘busyness’ that’s ahead of us in the day, any thoughts of those other things that we may want to be doing.  Let’s be still and maybe just listen to the sounds around us, the birdsong, the breeze, wh...

The Fourth Sunday of Easter Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all.   Welcome again to ‘Worship at Home’, already the seventh in our Sunday series!  In a spirit of thanksgiving, and even in our current situation or amid anxiety, pain or grief, take a moment to think of all the blessings God has given you, all his spiritual and material gifts… So we cannot help but begin with praise and adoration, using George Herbert’s wonderful hymn.  If you want to sing it, here’s a link:   https://www.youtube.com/wat...

St Peter's Church Ardingly Parish Magazine for May 2020

‘Walking with Jesus’  -  Luke 24:13-35   Welcome to worship at home!  As we begin, read through the first two verses of this well known hymn, celebrating Jesus’ triumph in rising from the dead.   Crown Him with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne; Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns All music but its own! Awake, my soul, and sing Of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity.   Crown Him the Lord of Love: Behold His hands and side; Rich wounds yet visible above In beauty glorified: No angel in...

Dear Friends,   Locked doors.  People inside.  People hiding inside, maybe.  Certainly, sheltering.  Sheltering alongside only those other people with whom they have regularly shared their lives, those other people with whom they are closest, those that are family or like family.  Those they can trust.  And filled with a shared anxiety.  Filled with apprehension and concern.  What on earth has happened?  What on earth is going on?  So, gripped by fear too.  Fear of what an enemy might do to them, if it were to seize its chance t...

PRAISE TO GOD FOR A LIVING HOPE   Good morning!  As we begin, read slowly through this passage from 1 Peter 1: 3 – 9   3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, t...

You can also see John delivering this message by clicking on the following link  https://youtu.be/j84GxOig4L8   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1: 3) Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Good morning on this Easter Sunday morning – and a very happy Easter to you all!  This is the day when our Lord Jesus Christ passed from death to life.  Throughout the ...

    To begin this short reflection for Good Friday find an online image of Christ on his Cross and keep it there on your screen, or instead or if you prefer, find a picture in a book or one that is maybe hanging on the wall, or even just look at a bare cross.  Have it there in front of you, and just think about what it says to you...   And then when you are ready, read these words from the first verse of Isaac Watt’s great hymn.  Read them through very slowly.  Stop at the end of each line and look at whatever image you may have set up in front of you. &nbs...

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Welcome again to ‘Worship at Home’. Take a moment to think of those with whom you would normally be worshipping in church on a Sunday. We may be worshipping individually, but we do so with all the church family and -in different ways- God’s people everywhere. Let’s begin with praise and adoration of Jesus our King. Read through (or sing!) these familiar words. You can find the rest of the hymn and read or listen to it via a web browser. Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon the throne; Hark! ...

God’s Mighty Hand Protects and Cares for You “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).   The thought that God’s mighty hand protects and cares for us is very comforting at any time but perhaps especially so now and in the midst of the pandemic.  These words of the Apostle Peter actually draw upon psalm 55: 22 where the psalmist, King David, writes: Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.  It wo...

St Peter's Ardingly Parish Magazine March 2020

St Peter's Ardingly Parish Magazine March 2020