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St Barnabas, Joydens Wood
St James, North Cray
St John the Evangelist, Bexley
St Mary the Virgin, Bexley
9th May 2021 Issue 60 The Sixth Sunday of Easter
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The church buildings will have been thoroughly cleaned. As usual, face-masks MUST be worn (unless medically exempt) hand sanitiser will be used and social distancing of 2 Metres MUST be observed at all times. Do not attend if you or a member of your household is shielding or vulnerable. The church doors will open for ventilation, so dress accordingly.
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3.00 pm Messy Church in church grounds
Wednesday 10.00 am Holy Communion
St James 9.30 am All –age worship/Service of the Word
St Barnabas 10.45 am Holy Communion
St John’s 8.00 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Holy Communion
Friday 10am: Livestreamed Holy Communion: www.facebook.com/stjohnsbexley
Team Zoom Services and Worship material
Saturday 8th May at 5.30 pm Saturday Nightwatch Zoom Service
Sunday 9th May at 10.00 am Sunday Zoom Service
A Service of bible readings and prayer. See the final sheet of the BTNews for the songs. Invitations to the above Zoom services are being emailed. If you haven’t received the link, or are having problems, please contact any member of the Team Clergy. Dial in option is available.
Sunday 9th May Bexley Team Children’s Church
Children’s Church is available every week on our YouTube Children's Church Playlist.
The Diocese of Rochester are producing material for children during lockdown.
All of the Ministry@Home sheets can be found on the main Diocese website under
(under 18s) or click here. Diocese of Rochester | Family Worship in the Home (anglican.org)
Bible Readings Acts 10 v 44-48 1 John 5 v1 -8 John 15 v9-17
The Collect: God our redeemer; you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal 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 forever.
The Additional Collect: Risen Christ, by the lakeside you renewed your call to your disciples: help your church to obey your command and draw the nations to the fire of your love, to the glory of God the Father.
Rev’d Edward writes-
“As they were watching, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.”
For those of us who pray the Rosary, the Ascension (which the Church celebrates this coming Thursday) is meditated on through the second decade of the Glorious Mysteries. One way of praying the Rosary focuses certain spiritual ‘fruit’, which we aspire to cultivate through our devotions – and the fruit attributed to the Ascension is Hope.
As we’ve learnt in this past year of uncertainty, hope is not the same as expectation: We do not know for certain that the object of our hope is where we want it to be (we cannot yet see it) – but we trust that it may be and our hopeful trust is strong enough that we may take a chance and live, act and love in the light of that hope, allowing the thing we hope for to shape and define our entire world.
Many traditional images of the Ascension don’t show much of Christ: A pair of feet, bearing the stigmata, protruding from a cloud: There’s a particularly striking (dare I say ‘comical’) depiction at the Anglican Shrine in Walsingham, where a rather gaudy pair of bare feet stick out of the ceiling above an otherwise quite plain (by the standards of the Shrine!) altar.
The event of the Ascension opens the book of Acts, and we will see the Apostles carry out their activities in the hope of the unseen Christ who has now been taken out of their sight- their story continues beyond the end of the book and still endures today as we and all members of the Church continue to live and love in their succession, and in the same hope that the first Christians held after Our Lord had ascended.
Recently I was waiting for a train when a member of station staff, walking along the platform casually checked in the bottom of a vending machine to see if any abandoned chocolate had been left behind there. As it happened, but in that moment I felt I had been given an insight into how hope works: We can’t see the chocolate; we can’t guarantee it will be there, but the possibility is enough for us to make the effort to stick your hand in the machine to check.
I have confidence that one day that member of station staff will have his hope fulfilled...
Ascension Day- Thursday 13th May: The four churches of the Team will be holding an open air Ascension Day Eucharist at 7.00 pm in the grounds of St Barnabas Joydens Wood: Please note that as the service will be outdoors, congregational hymn singing will be permitted! Rev’d Ren Harding presiding; Rev’d Edward Barlow preaching.
Pilgrimage: Clive will be leading a holiday to Austria and Oberammergau including the Passion Play 22-29 June 2022. If you would like a hard or e-copy of the holiday/pilgrimage brochure please let Clive know.
FINANCIAL GIVING TO THE TEAM CHURCHES
For St Barnabas Any contributions can be dropped off at the Treasurer’s house or at the Vicarage. Or you can give by BACS transfer. In all cases, if you are a taxpayer please “Gift Aid” your giving. If you have any questions regarding this please contact, David Peters on 01322 529796 or by email davidpeters45@hotmail.co.uk
For St James, North Cray Contributions can be dropped off at 91 The Grove, or made by BACS transfer, contact Suzy Higgs on 07799072548
For St John's You can give to the continuing upkeep and ministry of St John's via our Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/stjohntheevangelist-bexley
For St Mary’s If you ordinarily make your financial contributions in church but, in the present circumstances, wish to contribute by cheque then please make your cheque payable to St Mary’s Bexley PCC and send it c/o C. Lee 11 Holmesdale Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4TJ. Your continued support is very much appreciated.
Each week the musicians at St James North Cray offer links to a selection of songs and music for us to enjoy. These can be found on our website www.stjamesnorthcray.org.uk/welcome/music/
St John’s Sermons are posted each Sunday at fatheredwardbarlow.wordpress.com Social Media - engage with us via Facebook (/stjohnsbexley), Twitter (@stjohnsbexley) and Instagram (@stjohnsbexley)
THE BEXLEY TEAM CLERGY
Team Rector: Rev’d Ren Harding renharding@hotmail.co.uk 01322 528923 07836644782
Associate Priest: Rev’d Sue Twynam susantwynam@btconnect.com 01322 559501 07952 468127
Team Vicar: Rev’d Edward Barlow fr.edwardbarlow@gmail.com 01322 521786
Team Vicar: Rev’d Clive Wood revclivewood@gmail.com 01322 270942 07982 392809
Team Curate: Rev’d Matt Hodder matthodder10@gmail.com 07889873125
Songs for Zoom Worship – Sunday at 10.00 am.
As the deer pants for the water,
So my soul longs after you.
You alone are my heart's desire,
And I long to worship you.
You alone are my strength, my shield,
To you alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart's desire,
And I long to worship you.
I want you more than gold or silver,
Only you can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy giver,
And the apple of my eye.
You're my friend and you are my brother,
Even though you are a King.
I want you more than any other,
So much more than anything.
What a friend we have in Jesus
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to him in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Jesus only is our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.