Magazine

IMAGES OF HOLY WEEK

Shouting, Running.

Pushing, Shoving.

What is going on?

A King has come!

What’s that you say?

A King has come to the town today.

Waving, Cheering.

What’s that I’m hearing?

People shout and sing.

Blessed is the one who comes,

Hosanna to the King!

Doves for sale, and lambs a’ bleating,

Money changes always cheating.

To the Temple Jesus comes.

Incense burning,

Tables overturning,

Jesus angry says "Take care!

My house is a house of prayer".

Preparing, Sharing.

Meeting, Eating.

Passover is here, Bread is broken.

Words are spoken,

Jesus says, "One will betray me".

("Is it I Lord, Is it I"?)

"Judas do what you think is right".

We sing a hymn and go out into the night.

Stopping, Thinking.

Shirking, Shrinking.

Now what’s going on?

Torches flaming, Swords are flashing.

Soldiers coming, Judas kissing

Suddenly my Lord is missing.

Laughing, Jeering.

Cursing, Swearing.

Purple robe is then put on.

Stripped and beaten to the cross, my

Lord is taken,

Dying, lonely and forsaken.

Crowds and friends have gone.

Quietly hurrying.

Weeping, Stooping.

Look! The stone has gone!

He’s not here the angel says,

He has risen from the dead!

My Lord. My life lives on!

P C Durrant

BREAD AND WINE

Oh Lord, we eat bread every day,

not in any special way.

Water or wine is always there

on the table for us to share.

BUT

Let us remember as we eat

that you said whenever we meet

together as friends to use bread and wine

as symbols of a love divine

that Your body was broken, like the bread,

and Your blood, like water and wine was shed

and so we remember and as we do

we have sweet communion with each other

and You.

Paula Durrant

RULES FOR LIVING

If you open it, close it;

If you turn it on, turn it off;

If you unlock it, lock it up;

If you break it, admit it;

If you can’t fix it, call someone who can;

If you borrow it, return it;

If you value it, take care of it;

If you make a mess,

clean it up;

If you move it, put it back;

If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission;

If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone;

If it’s none of your business, don’t ask;

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it;

If it will brighten someone’s day, say it;

If it will tarnish someone’s reputation, keep it to yourself.

Author unknown

Taken from the recent Circuit Prayer Workshop:

LORD, TEACH ME TO PRAY

I cannot pray Our if my faith has no room for others and their need;

I cannot pray Father if I do not demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living;

I cannot pray Who art in heaven if all my pursuits and interests are in earthly things;

I cannot pray Hallowed be thy name if I am not striving, with God’s help, to be holy;

I cannot pray Thy kingdom come if I am unwilling to accept God’s rule in my life;

I cannot pray On earth as it is in heaven unless I am truly willing to give myself to God’s service here and now;

I cannot pray Give us this day our daily bread without expending honest effort for it, or if I would withhold from my neighbour the bread that I receive;

I cannot pray Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us if I continue to harbour a grudge against anyone;

I cannot pray Lead us not into temptation if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted;

I cannot pray Deliver us from evil if I am not prepared to fight evil with my life and my prayer;

I cannot pray Thine is the Kingdom if I am unwilling to obey the King;

I cannot pray For ever and ever if I am too anxious about each day’s affairs;

I cannot pray Amen unless I can honestly say:

“Cost what it may, this is my prayer”

The Scarborough Prayer - My Church

This is my Church; it is composed of people like me. We make it what it is.

I want it to be a Church that is a lamp to the path of pilgrims leading them from goodness truth and beauty.

It will, if I am.

It will make generous gifts to many causes –

If I am a generous giver.

It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship –

If I bring them.

It will be friendly -

if I am.

Its pews will be filled -

If I fill them.

It will do great work -

If I work.

It will be a Church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, a Church with a noble spirit –

If I who make it what it is am filled with these.

Therefore I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all of these things I want my Church to be.

From Scarborough Unitarian Church: submitted by Mick Mearman

THE OLD VIOLIN

Let us all remember that the quality of our life can be radically changed by letting Christ enter into it. Also, it is not always advisable to take people at face value and on first impressions.

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Scarcely thought it worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin

And he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bidden, good folks?" he cried

"Who will start the bidding for me?"

"A pound, a pound, now two, only two and three pounds once,

and three pounds twice and going for three..."

But no,

From the room far back a grey haired man came forward

and picked up the bow,

Then wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening

up all the strings....

He played a melody pure and sweet, as sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased and the Auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said "What am I bid for the old violin?" and he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand, and who’ll make it two and who’ll

make it three once, 3,000 twice and going and gone" said he...

The people cheered and some of them cried.

"We do not quite understand what changed its worth".

The man replied:-

The touch of the Master’s hand,

And many a man with life out of tune, all battered and torn with sin

Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.

A mess of potage, a glass of wine - a game and he travelled on.

He’s going once, he’s going twice, he’s going and almost gone.

But the Master comes and the foolish crowd never can quite understand,

The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought by the

Touch of the Master’s Hand.

submitted by Beryl Graystone

Simple ways to bless your day

Take joy in the gift of today

Count your blessings

Shine in the light of God’s Love

Forgive and forget

Grow gracefully

Seek simplicity

Obey with a cheerful heart

Stand and be counted

Be true to your beliefs

Encourage those around you

Invest your time in things that matter

Keep the faith

Fill your life with love

Share God’s word

Be strong in the Lord

Delight in creation

Bask in the warmth of God’s Love

Memorise the scriptures

Celebrate God’s promises

Say your prayers

Believe in miracles

Live the life

Remember, God won’t ask you to do anything you and He together can’t achieve.

Seen in a Church in Derbyshsire: Submitted by Irene Siviter.

MY PRAYER

Almighty Father, help me be a good and loving dad,

that my dear children may enjoy the blessings I have had.

Give me the wisdom I should use to teach them right from wrong,

and how to keep going when the road is rough and long.

To do the duty due to them until the very end,

To look for lasting beauty and appreciate a good friend.

Endow me with the grace I need, to mould their gentle youth,

according to the measurements of loyalty and truth.

Enable me to comfort them whenever they are sad,

and O my Father, please grant that they will always

love their dad.

By Brian King