WELCOME TO ST MARY'S AND ALL SOULS
Take a look at the churches in the Benefice from the air |
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St Mary's and All Souls Services We will post any revisions to services here and on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysAndAllSouls |
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St Mary's and All Souls latest Newsletter |
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PCC Papers You can now download minutes and other PCC documents from the PCC page |
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Food Bank latest needs: https://bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/ *PLEASE DON'T SEND US FROZEN OR CHILLED ITEMS AS WE DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT STORAGE FOR IT AND IT SPOILS BEFORE WE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT* WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF PASTA, CEREAL & BISCUITS
Thank you!
Judith Simmonds will be taking the Parish contributions towards the end of the month so please drop your donations into our box in the porch before then. |
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Karen Harcombe writes:
The month of May brings Ascension Day. Many countries in Europe keep it as a public holiday and while it is not a bank holiday here in the UK, it is a significant event in the Christian Calendar. This year it falls on Thursday 29th May, which is the 6th Thursday after Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Luke writes in his Gospel (24: 50-53) and again in the Book of Acts (1: 1-11) that Jesus made many appearances during the 40 days after he had risen. He then led his disciples one final time to the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem, telling them that the time had come for him to return to The Father. The passage in Acts tells us that as they were gathered around Jesus, the disciples asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ Jesus’ reply is that it is not for them to know the Father’s times or dates but that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit so that they can go out, be his witnesses and spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Then as they were watching, Jesus was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Why is Ascension Day important enough to be a public holiday in some countries? It is the feast that marks Jesus’s glorification following his death and resurrection as he is exalted and returns to God the Father. It is more significant than just Jesus now being with the Father, it marks something important for all of us. With Jesus ascending, a new phase in his ministry would begin. His message of salvation would now be spread through his church by his disciples both then and all believers that have followed since including us today and going forward. Jesus promised that we would not be on our own but his instruction was very clear “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. (Acts 1: 8)
This one verse says so much about our Christian lives. We are called to be Jesus’s witnesses, both in how we live our lives and also in telling others about the Gospel message of hope and salvation, and we do this because we live in the power of The Holy Spirit. The Ascension of Jesus set the stage for the Holy Spirit’s descent (10 days later at Pentecost) with the call to be His witness immediate. We are not to be passive in this, but Jesus tells us, we are to be active participants in God’s plan, so the Gospel can be shared to the ends of the earth.
Karen Harcombe
To reflect on this more, the benefice Ascension Day service this year is on Thursday 29th May 8pm at All Souls.
The shortened collect prayer for Ascension Day:
Risen Christ, you have raised our human nature to the throne of heaven: help us to seek and serve you, that we join you at the Father’s side, where you reign with the Spirit in glory, now and forever. Amen
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