Tuesday Offering from Fr Marcus 18th August 2020
Send us out in the power of your Spirit
My Dear Friends,
We seem to be settling into our new shorted form of worship across the chaplaincy.
For those of us who can make it to church, things are still different from how they used to be, but there is much joy, and the glory of God is evident.
When we first introduced our shorter service I felt a little deprived. Only two hymns, and those sung quietly. Having only two readings all felt a bit quick. No sharing of the peace – I missed your lovely smiles. No shaking hands as people left, but still the option of ‘Lovely service vicar!’
But I am now finding some new touches of beauty.
We come in to our first hymn, and because we are singing quietly it feels more personal. It is like I am offering this song from my heart to God, and although we are singing together there is a closeness to Jesus that comes from not booming it out, but reflecting on his presence. On Sunday we started with ‘All for Jesus! All for Jesus! This our song shall ever be.’ But this time it felt more intimate, and as I walked to the front I was thinking that ‘All for Jesus’ is my personal song, coming from my heart, at the moment, and always, along with everyone else.
We then move straight in to the time of confession, and I always love this. Not because I wallow in guilt, or even focus on sin, but I give God the glory because he constantly forgives me when I fall short.
We go straight to the Gloria, that great hymn of praise which gets our focus truly on the greatness and glory of God, and before we know it we stampede straight to our first reading and the Gospel.
Initially this felt very quick, but now it feels like a response to our enthusiasm to hear the words of Jesus. It is like we are longing to sit at his feet and listen. There is an excitement to receive our Lord’s Teaching. (When we have all four readings, we can feel a little bogged down with all those words!)
The great thing is that all of the readings of the day are printed on our pew sheets, and the idea is that we read the Old Testament and the Psalm before we start.
The sermon is as usual, but I have tried recording mine a few times, and that feels good because it is another tool for outreach, and like you, I am so keen for the message of Jesus to be shared far and wide.
The creed, our intercessions are as normal, but then we go to The Peace, and this is a big change. No longer do we move around, and greet one another with a Holy Kiss, or a gentle touch, but rather we smile sweetly from a distance, bowing our heads, but smiling behind our masks. Again this is something that I missed to start with, but on reflection it has taken me back to the point of the interaction. It is not the opportunity to be sociable and check out one another’s holiday snaps, it is about sharing in the Peace of Christ. We are bringing God into the heart of our relationships, and our focus is on our shared spirituality and that makes me fell so great. There is time to build our social fellowship after the service.
The Eucharist Prayer is as always, and we watch that fourfold action of the priest Taking, Blessing, Breaking and Sharing the Bread which is the Body of Christ.
I know some folk miss receiving the wine, and I understand that because it has been our practice for ever, but at the moment it is risky, and so the Vicar does it Vicariously on behalf of everyone.
Our service is almost over, maybe 40 / 45 minutes, but it hasn’t been rushed, but rather it has been reflective, and there have been moments of silence which sometimes have been missing in the past.
Before our final hymn, and inspired by the grace of having received our Holy Communion, we say together that beautiful, beautiful final prayer:
Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory. Amen.
Words of Thanksgiving, and an acknowledgement of what we have received. An offering of our souls and bodies – no small thing. We are giving ourselves to the work of Christ, who has equipped us by his grace.
Then the prayer that God will send us out in the power of the Holy Spirit. In His name we can do everything that needs to be done to build the Kingdom in this place, and give God the Glory.
Please God that that will come to pass for all of us.
Bless you, Bless you,
Bless you.
As ever,
Fr Marcus