Resources and Services this Week

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Greetings everyone…
I hope you’re all doing well during this time of lockdown. The weather has been beautiful so at least you can get out for your ‘one form of exercise’ per day. I hope you can use this time to root yourself deeper in prayer and reflection as we’re physically separated from our neighbours. This doesn’t, however, mean that we still can’t gather and connect via phone call or online so please do keep in touch and make an extra effort to reach out to others.
**In an effort to continue our practise of celebrating the sacraments weekly together we are going to begin live streaming the services from this Sunday. For those who more frequently attend the Fri. BCP service, Matthias will upload a video of the Eucharist which you can find on the St. Edward’s youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeqE-P3SDLN1sf6yU931TvQ/. Please subscribe to the channel so you can get further updates when we post things.
**This Sunday worship will take place via live stream on our youtube channel which you can access here https://youtu.be/iUesbIZ_w3Q
The live link will begin at 10:55 (please remember that it’s daylight savings time this Sunday and the clocks go forward!) and the service will begin at 11 from the ‘chapel’ at the Scarlata household. Below the video you should be able to make comments so this would be a great place for prayer requests that we can use for our prayers throughout the week. The bulletin with readings for the service can be found through this link: 29 March 2020 Service Sheet 
**There have also been some other online resources made available which you might find useful. There is a course based on Tom Wright’s book Simply Jesus: Small Group Edition. You may enroll in this course for no charge from Tuesday, 24 March, 17:00 until Friday, 27 March 17:00. The window to enroll in this course is 72 hours. We are so grateful that this gift has been given for free (normally charged at £149.99!) by Prof. N.T. Wright and N.T. Wright Online. The link for enrolling is : Simply Jesus – TKC gift
The second resource, is five simple ideas for families to weave prayer and bible readings throughout these days of home schooling. These can be shared by clergy with anyone they think might benefit.
Growing in faith together
 
  1. Keep a regular routine of prayer. Good times to pray together are those times you do something regularly, eating together, going to bed or washing your hands! Or Light a candle and Pray the same family prayer at the same time every day.
  2. Read a bible story at bed-time or watch one online with them during the day.
  3. With the ongoing situation, it can be difficult adjusting to not seeing family and friends in person, however, you can still pray for them together daily. Write them a letter or send them a picture saying that you are thinking and praying for them?
  4. Choose one of the follow family Fun prayer ideas – Bright prayer ideas for families at home!
  5. Listen to a podcast together. For example, you can click here to listen to our Family Prayer Adventure podcasts.
With every blessing….
Mark

 

 

Today’s Sermon

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Happy Mothering Sunday! Though it is strange not to be gathering at St. Edward’s I hope you will all be praying for one another. And please don’t forget to join the church country-wide in lighting a candle and placing it in your window at 7pm this evening as a sign of Christ’s light and presence with us.
Though it’s not quite the same as preaching from Latimer’s pulpit, please find a short homily for this Mothering Sunday on our web site http://stedwardscambridge.co.uk/sermons
We’ll keep you posted on possible live streaming of our services next week but for the moment, I pray you all have a blessed Sunday!

Letter from the Vicar

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Dear St. Edward’s family,

 

It is with a heavy heart that I prayed this morning thinking about not gathering as the body of Christ tomorrow. I’m sure many of you feel the same. These are difficult times, but limiting social contact is necessary to preserve our health care system from being overwhelmed. Revd Professor Alasdair Coles, part of the Immunology Network at Cambridge University, has said that this is the worst medical emergency this country has known outside of war time: ‘Already people with treatable conditions, who could be saved normally, have died because we do not have the capacity to treat them. Young doctors are being ventilated. We know since testing has stopped that the numbers of the infected only count those with severe infection, not all who are infectious. It will be nigh impossible to avoid infection unless strictly self-isolating.’ We all need to act responsibly so that we don’t cause undue stress on the NHS and possibly endanger the lives of those who could be saved.

 

We will need to be creative in how we express the love of Christ and live as his body during this time. Below are a few thoughts on how we might do this for the coming weeks.

 

  1. Church: The church will be open periodically throughout the week and on Sundays from around 10-12. We will not be holding services, but you are welcome to come and pray. Please maintain appropriate distances (2 metres) and be considerate of others. This Sunday please join in the national day of prayer and light a candle in a window at 7pm. https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/latest-news/coronavirus-archbishops-call-national-day-prayer-and-action We are currently looking into the best ways to possibly broadcast services live from St. Edward’s in future weeks. We will also be rescheduling our APCM and the diocese has given us till 31 Oct. Please keep an eye out for email updates.

 

  1. Prayer: It is so important that we remain a praying people at this time. Pray for one another, pray for those working in the health care field, pray for the vulnerable and self-isolating, for families with school children, and those who have lost their jobs or are suffering financially. If you do not use the daily office, may I encourage you to take it up during this time. You can find it online here http://www.oremus.org/cofe.html If you would like listen to Compline in the evening you can find it read here https://www.missionstclare.com/english/spoken/evening.html and you can find other prayers from the C of E here https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-liturgy-and-prayer-resources Psalms that are appropriate at this time are Psalms 91, 103 and 121. Do meditate on these daily as we remember that we dwell in the shelter of God’s wings.

 

  1. Communication: Most of our communication will now be done online or by phone. Please do be in touch whenever needed. If you need to call/text my mobile is 07794 176744 and Matthias’ 07919 445378. I will be working from home since the college has closed our building and Matthias will also be around. Be creative with things like Facetime, Skype, Zoom or other online meeting software. I’ve found https://zoom.us/ to be very useful for group chats and you can sign up for free.

 

  1. Giving: I pray we can continue to be a generous people at this time. Even though the church building is not being used, we still have our ongoing costs and expenditures. If you do not give online, can I please encourage you to make your donations via BACs to our parish account: Sort code: 20-17-19 Account number: 30851477.

 

Finally, please take care of yourselves at this time. It will be stressful on all of us and for many self-isolating will bring on mental health challenges. I hope we can all support each other as best as possible during this time, trusting that Christ remains present among us all.

 

With his blessings…

 

Mark

 

p.s. please forward this on to anyone who might not be on our church email list

A pastoral update

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Dear all,

Warmest greetings in these strange times. The cessation of worship does not mean an end to the church’s presence or a cessation of our care for the parish.

First of all, we are keen to reach out to those who might feel lonely and isolated. To those who are having to self-isolate or who may feel struck down with a sense of overwhelming fear, know this: you have our concern, solidarity, prayer and love. And of course, our genuine offer of practical help where it may be needed. Please just reach out to us if we can help in any way – especially with picking up groceries or prescriptions, or for a listening ear.

The contact details of the priests are:

Revd Dr Mark Scarlata: mws31@cam.ac.uk

Revd Dr Matthias Grebe: mg471@cam.ac.uk

The Archbishops have written to all the clergy urging us to demonstrate our local presence as best we can. Churches will not be locked as far as possible. And this Sunday the Archbishops have asked that we have a day of prayer nationally.

They say:

“Wherever you are this Sunday please do join in this day of prayer and action and remember especially those who are sick or anxious, and all involved in our Health Service. As one action, we are calling on everyone to place a lighted candle in their window at 7.00 p.m. as a sign of solidarity and hope that can never be extinguished.”

 

A prayer for this troubled time:

Jesus Christ, you travelled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbours from helping one another.

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.

Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.

Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.

Jesus Christ, heal us.

—

For those who would like to think and ponder further:

An hour’s fascinating lecture given in 2014 by

Dr Rowan Williams

Lord Williams of Oystermouth

‘Plagues and Metaphor’

Rowan Williams

LANGUAGE about ‘plague’ rather than – say – ‘epidemic’ introduces elements of moral and theological interpretation into our view of a situation: plague is something ‘inflicted’, and is conceived against the background of certain kinds of biblical and classical narratives (the plagues of Egypt, Oedipus at Thebes, etc.). While this is by no means defunct (with some very unpleasant recent applications) the overall climate has changed. But it is still possible to reach for this language as a metaphorical structure – Camus, Garcia Marquez –  which highlights aspects of the moral urgencies and ambiguities of a situation. The lecture looks at both the background usage and its modern transformations so as to draw out some thoughts on the nature of human limits and human responsibilities.

https://lectures.dar.cam.ac.uk/cat/plagues-2014/video/plagues-and-metaphor

Services Suspended

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Greetings everyone…
It is with great regret that ++Justin has just issued a statement regarding public worship services. We have also received word from the Diocese with the same information. Services are to be suspended temporarily due to the spread of the coronavirus. This means that we will not be celebrating the Eucharist on Friday or Sunday until further notice.
This does not mean, however, that the church is closed! We are still very much the body of Christ serving one another. St. Edward’s will be open for personal prayer/meditation with the hope that people will keep a safe distance from others. Thus we will open the church on Friday and Sunday morning till the afternoon for anyone to come and pray. The church is usually open throughout the week with our scriptorium scholars.
Please do spread the word to anyone you can think of who may not receive this email. Please also do keep in touch with each other and myself and Matthias to make sure that everyone is cared for in this time of crisis.
And so we remember, ’The one who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. 91.1) May Christ be our refuge in this time.
With all blessings…
Mark

 

Services This Week

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Services

  • Friday @ 10.30am – BCP Holy Communion
  • Sunday @ 11am – Holy Communion

SERMON: ‘Water in the Wilderness’

Services This Week

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Services

  • Friday @ 10.30am – BCP Holy Communion
  • Sunday @ 11am – BCP Holy Communion

SERMON: ‘Born of Water and Spirit’

Lectures

  • StED Talk with Prof Ian McFarland on Friday 6 March 12:15pm. He will be speaking on “What the Doctrine of Creation Does and Doesn’t Do for Christians”. Tickets available here.