30/1/22
News from the Benwell & Scotswood Team
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Rembrandt, Simeon in the Temple, 1665-69
Oil on canvas, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm 1967
Dates for your diary
Sun 30 Jan - Candlemas
11 am - Celebration service at Venerable Bede for baptism families
Sun 20 Feb - services in all churches
Times TBC
Sun 27 Feb - 'Carnival' experimental service
11 am - Venerable Bede
Wed 2 Mar - Ash Wednesday
Services TBC
News
Candlemas - Christening celebration this Sunday
Sun 30 Jan, 11am
At Venerable Bede Church West Road, NE4 8AP
Were you, your children, or another loved one, baptised (christened) at one of our churches? Or have you acted as godparent for someone?
We are holding a service of celebration for all who have been baptised in Benwell & Scotswood Team Parish and you are invited!
Don't forget the service time is now 11am!
The time of our 'hub' service at the Venerable Bede will begin half an hour later at 11am.
We hope this will make it easier to hold worship in all our churches on Sundays and reach more people in our community.
This will last until Easter when we will review whether the new timings have been successful.
Worship Texts
The Collect
Almighty and ever–living God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple,
in substance of our flesh:
grant that we may be presented to you
with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Gospel
Luke 2.22–40 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Sermon
Today should have been Dominic giving the talk unfortunately he has covid so you got me. He is getting better, and we wish him and family all the best. Dominic recently became a father for the 2nd time, and I know he wanted to say something about the experience of being a new parent. It ties in with our reading in which new parents Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the temple 40 days after the child’s birth. They dedicate Him to God as the law required. Not unlike the way new parents might come bringing children for baptism.
Being a new parent can be anxious time. I can still remember that feeling of ‘Help’, when given this little bundle of life, and everyone goes off and you are left with the responsibility to care for and nurture new person. You can feel very much on your own. It’s important to know you’re not on your own, the support of family, friends community, in our day the NHS etc all play a part.
But more than that we are not on our own because we have God’s promise of love and care, which is what baptism all about.
The reading had in it mysterious people saying strange things about Jesus, He would be a light for all people but also about him being sign that would be resisted and a sword piercing his mother’s heart. Not easy, but the message is one of God’s blessings now Simeon’s anxieties can end. He has found peace This child will bring peace for all. Anna too knows the child shows God’s promise is being fulfilled.
The reading ended not in the temple but with what came later. ‘The child grew and became strong he was filled with wisdom and the favour of God was upon him’
God’s blessing was with Him, and that blessing will stay with Him through all the uncertain and sometimes difficult future he will face.
In our Baptism that promise is held out to us too; made one with Christ, His and our destiny are bound up together. The anxieties we might have for ourselves or our loved ones we can entrust to Him. The importance of baptism doesn’t end with childhood. Growing in wisdom and grace is something for us all whatever stage of life we are at baby, new parents or like Simeon and Anna. Amen.
Intercessions
To add names to the prayer list please email church@benwellscotswood.com
Prayers for others:
Joyce Cuthbertson
Dominic, Frances, James, and Isaac
Donna Krol
George Irving
Alistair
John Nicholson
Alan Robson
Peter Wilson
Esmaeel
Liz Holliman
Joan Finley
James, Christina, Anastasia, and Xavier
Ali Zareie and his family
The Riches Family
Jill Sorley
Joyce Phillips
George Snowden
Claire Mozaffari
Herbert Agbeko
Edward Fraser
All those who are struggling at home or in hospital with Covid-19
Baptisms
Paula, Alan, Jacob, Melody, and Kaleb
Post Communion prayer
Lord, you fulfilled the hope of Simeon and Anna,
who lived to welcome the Messiah:
may we, who have received these gifts beyond words,
prepare to meet Christ Jesus when he comes
to bring us to eternal life;
for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
Amen.