Dear Friends,

The Gospel passages set for these weeks of the Epiphany Season describe some ‘firsts’ in the life and ministry of Jesus. Last week we recalled his first miracle at the wedding in Cana when water became fine wine at his whim. This week our Gospel concerns the first real encounter between Jesus and the people of his home town in Nazareth. Of course, Jesus is already well known to them as the carpenter — Joseph’s Son — but they cannot get their heads around who Jesus really is. He reveals himself as Messiah through Scripture (as echoed in this week’s Old Testament reading from Nehemiah). Opening the scroll in the synagogue, he explains that everything that God had foretold in the prophets has now been fulfilled in him. This moment of revelation ends disastrously as Jesus is driven out of his home town. But then again, ‘no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town’.

Jesus being expelled by his own community is the beginning of a thread which will run throughout his entire earthly ministry. The cost of following Jesus eventually becomes too much for even his closest friends to bear. He will die alone; betrayed, denied and forsaken.

But in his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us that being a Christian is not something we can ever do alone. Instead, being part of a community is essential if we are to begin to understand God. In this week’s passage Paul uses the metaphor of the church being like a body with each organ and limb contributing to the health and usefulness of the whole. It’s a challenging and radical idea, especially for this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: that the Church is only as strong as its weakest member. We, like the Corinthians, must learn to think of ourselves as one body whose health and very life depends on co-operation and connection.

Yours in Christ,

Ian

Worship this Sunday

Sunday 26th January 2025

The Third Sunday of Epiphany

FELTON St Katharine

9.00am Morning Worship

BISHOP SUTTON Holy Trinity

10.30am Morning Worship

WINFORD St Mary & St Peter

11.00am Eucharist

NEMPNETT THRUBWELL St Mary

6.30pm Evensong

STOWEY St Nicholas & St Mary

6.30pm Evensong

Next Sunday: Sunday 2nd February 2025

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)

9.00am Eucharist (Winford); 10.30am Eucharist (Chew Stoke);

6.30pm Choral Evensong (Stowey)

Readings & Collect

Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10

1 Corinthians 12:  12-31a

Luke 4: 14-21

Almighty God,

whose Son revealed in signs and miracles

the wonder of your saving presence:

renew your people with your heavenly grace,

and in all our weakness

sustain us by your mighty power;

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 for ever.

For your prayers

We pray for our WORLD … for its nations and their leaders … for the people of Ukraine and Russia, and for the Middle East … we pray with thanksgiving for the delicate ceasefire and that it will hold … we pray for all those suffering as a result of violence of natural disasters … give wisdom and integrity to all who lead that they may promote justice, peace and the well-being of all;

… for the CHURCH, the precious Body of Christ here on earth … for all who share in the fellowship of Christ’s Church … for all who teach and minister among us in these parishes, and for each other … for the unity of all Christian people and for our Baptist, Methodist and Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in these villages  … fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may grow strong and deep in faith, hope and love;

… for our COMMUNITES and for all who work and live within them … for our neighbours and friends … for the lonely and afraid … make us more aware of the needs and vulnerabilities of others;

…for those in SPECIAL NEED, especially those whose bodies and minds are hurting … for the ill and those who are frail, injured or bereaved … give strength and comfort to the dying … grant healing through the skill of doctors and nurses, and through the caring of family and friends;

… for THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED, among them Ian and Margaret … grant us with them and with all the saints  a share in your eternal Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Contact

Revd Dr Ian Mills, Rector & Area Dean

The Rectory

4 Parsonage Lane

Winford

BS40 8DG

Telephone: (01275) 474504

chewvalleywest@gmail.com

Revd Fran Smettem, Curate

Telephone: (01934) 340682

curatechewvalleywest@gmail.com