Dear friends,
The Story told by the Church through February begins in the first Sunday of February with the Presentation of Jesus the first born son in the Temple, and just forty days after his birth the Gospel sets the scene for us of Mary Joseph and Jesus meeting with Simeon and Anna, these Temple faithful.
Simeon sees in Jesus a light for all peoples, and prophet Anna's praise speaks of Jesus' work to redeem Jerusalem – from Luke's Gospel, chapter 2 verse 22.
There are many journey's begun in the story of Jesus’ Nativity. Last month I was pleased to journey south to another rural group of parishes to see the beginning of a new ministry for one of my theological college colleagues and his family.
It was an unexpected delight to find myself sharing my pew with two other colleagues from the same college, and then after the service to meet up with three more, as well hear news of those who had influenced us all so much – our teachers.
As we shared our news my mention that benefice's in our Diocese commonly had groupings of half a dozen parishes or more was greeted with some surprise.
The new benefice priest when placed in their stall offered the call to worship which was received enthusiastically, it was most affirming for all of us that our gathering in worship is still so highly valued.
Of course you will all be familiar with rapid change for the Church of England's mission and ministry, as retirements among the baby boom generation of clergy comes about. Of course today's generation still give themselves in vocations, as my college re-unions reminded, it is just that there are fewer from whom to raise the call. No longer then may Anglicanism's focus for local mission be expected with the priesthood, but with the local fellowship themselves. Not a Parson in every place but a person of God, as those faithful Simeon and Anna, so today's to speak of light and redeeming.
Anna saw in Jesus the redeeming of Jerusalem, Simeon the people's light, so in this day the redeeming life and light for our peoples may be seen in the priesthood of all believers, all who follow would Christ.
I pray our churches with their fellowships may truly be guiding lights for our journeys of life and that the brightening of our season may reveal that light for all who look to share their story with ours.
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Rector's View - January 2014
Dear friends,
How we long…
Life in all its fullness John 10.10, that this year be the gateway to pastures new John 10.9. For many life is no grazing in lush pasture, the pasture may be far from sight, the way denied or hidden.
We long for sure footing, sure company and guide.
For many, faith provides if not the release to lush pasture, then the hope of drawing nearer its reward each day. The pilgrim's progress faces both reward and adversity, it is our guide who lifts us when we fall and sets our footing sure.
Our Bishop's remind us of our Good Shepherd, our guide who is our Way, our Christ, by carrying that sign of pilgrimage the Shepherd's Crook, Crosier, and reminds us of the Light of our Way by wearing the flame of Christ's presence the Holy Spirit, seen in the Bishop's Hat, Mitre.
So it is that all who are promised to faith in baptism are encouraged to be received by our Bishop in the great assembly, the sheepfold of faith, to publicly witness to their faith in Christ, and receive by the Bishop's hand the Spirit's gift, that is knowledge and love of God's presence in Christ.
Among all this New Year's resolutions many will simply be hoping for better things, life in all its fullness. If any long for the gateway to pastures new, that is faith in Christ, sure footing, sure company and guide in His Way, please do be in touch with me, whether baptised or not. Our Bishop David will visit our Deanery the evening of June 15th this year and will baptise and confirm all who hear God's call to follow the Way of faith in Christ, the promise of life in all its fullness.
Maybe for you 2014 will be the beginning of a new pilgrimage in faith.
Yours in Christ
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
How we long…
Life in all its fullness John 10.10, that this year be the gateway to pastures new John 10.9. For many life is no grazing in lush pasture, the pasture may be far from sight, the way denied or hidden.
We long for sure footing, sure company and guide.
For many, faith provides if not the release to lush pasture, then the hope of drawing nearer its reward each day. The pilgrim's progress faces both reward and adversity, it is our guide who lifts us when we fall and sets our footing sure.
Our Bishop's remind us of our Good Shepherd, our guide who is our Way, our Christ, by carrying that sign of pilgrimage the Shepherd's Crook, Crosier, and reminds us of the Light of our Way by wearing the flame of Christ's presence the Holy Spirit, seen in the Bishop's Hat, Mitre.
So it is that all who are promised to faith in baptism are encouraged to be received by our Bishop in the great assembly, the sheepfold of faith, to publicly witness to their faith in Christ, and receive by the Bishop's hand the Spirit's gift, that is knowledge and love of God's presence in Christ.
Among all this New Year's resolutions many will simply be hoping for better things, life in all its fullness. If any long for the gateway to pastures new, that is faith in Christ, sure footing, sure company and guide in His Way, please do be in touch with me, whether baptised or not. Our Bishop David will visit our Deanery the evening of June 15th this year and will baptise and confirm all who hear God's call to follow the Way of faith in Christ, the promise of life in all its fullness.
Maybe for you 2014 will be the beginning of a new pilgrimage in faith.
Yours in Christ
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Advent, Carol and Midnight Mass services
For a full listing of services in the Bansfield Benefice for Advent and Christmas please see
http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/services/
This year Midnight Mass will be at All Saints' Wickhambrook starting at 11.30pm.
http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/wickhambrook/
http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/services/special/midnightmass.html
http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/services/
This year Midnight Mass will be at All Saints' Wickhambrook starting at 11.30pm.
http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/wickhambrook/
http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/services/special/midnightmass.html
Toy service - 30 gifts donated to children.
A big thank you to all who donated gifts at our Benefice service in Lidgate. We are able to send 30 presents to local children in the care of Bury St Edmunds social services.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Toy Service at Lidgate - 8th December at 10am
Every year on a Sunday in early December we hold our Toy Service at one of our services. This used to be a Wickhambrook church event but now this has expanded to be a Bansfield Benefice-wide event. During the service Children's Christmas Gifts are presented by the congregation at the altar for later donation by the benefice to Bury St Edmunds Social Services.
Bury St Edmunds Social Services are always very pleased with the donations we give them and they tell us that it makes such a huge difference to the children in their care who otherwise would receive either none or few gifts at Christmas.
People who can not or do not wish to attend the service but still want to donate presents can arrange to do so by emailing contact@bansfieldbenefice.org.uk.
We ask that the presents are wrapped and have a label on them indicating whether the present is for a boy or girl as well as the age of the child to receive it.
Please think of others less fortunate at this festive time and donate a present.
Bury St Edmunds Social Services are always very pleased with the donations we give them and they tell us that it makes such a huge difference to the children in their care who otherwise would receive either none or few gifts at Christmas.
People who can not or do not wish to attend the service but still want to donate presents can arrange to do so by emailing contact@bansfieldbenefice.org.uk.
We ask that the presents are wrapped and have a label on them indicating whether the present is for a boy or girl as well as the age of the child to receive it.
Please think of others less fortunate at this festive time and donate a present.
Rector's View - December 2013
Dear friends,
The disaster of Syria's exodus is turned from exposure on our media by the most destructive Typhoon ever seen, decimating home and livelihood amongst the Philippines.
The natural world coupled with our own capacity for self destruction exposes just how fragile our 21st century comforts and securities really are.
Whilst such destructive force would have been far from the mind of the peoples of 1st century Palestine, the fragility of day to day existence such as these disasters have inflicted on so many was not.
Just as the star of our Christmas story, Rome too was in the ascendancy shining bright upon hard pressed peoples across the known world, as she expounded the hope of improved lifestyles by excellence in organisation transport trade agriculture and civil engineering. Not least to Rome's success was the assurance of peace, subjection to Rome quickly enabled advancement and ownership in the structures of the empires governance.
Joseph and Mary however sheltered in the light of a different star, a star which bought nations beyond even Rome's reach to wonder at a new path for this world's hope. For even as today's civilisation is seen to stand on shaky foundations, the breadbasket of Rome was eventually to fail, and, just as today, inter-national enmity came to caste its long shadow over the bright myths of Roman sureties.
Bethlehem's star spoke of the rise of a Kingdom begun not in technology and consumption but in parent and child. The Holy family's struggle for survival is the same seen in this day by hard pressed people's the world over, fleeing oppression and looking for shelter and daily bread.
The Way of our Christmas story's Daystar is the Way of endurance, for the one subjected to suffering and death on the cross is seen again in those who follow the Way of Christ today. Loving as He loved and not for trade or self-gain gives peoples still in this day their hope for life in all its fullness.
Please remember your gift giving for today's poor as those blessed in God's Kingdom, please give generously for all who seek home and shelter this Christmastide.
May all peoples know the blessing of Righteousness and Peace this Christmas.
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
The disaster of Syria's exodus is turned from exposure on our media by the most destructive Typhoon ever seen, decimating home and livelihood amongst the Philippines.
The natural world coupled with our own capacity for self destruction exposes just how fragile our 21st century comforts and securities really are.
Whilst such destructive force would have been far from the mind of the peoples of 1st century Palestine, the fragility of day to day existence such as these disasters have inflicted on so many was not.
Just as the star of our Christmas story, Rome too was in the ascendancy shining bright upon hard pressed peoples across the known world, as she expounded the hope of improved lifestyles by excellence in organisation transport trade agriculture and civil engineering. Not least to Rome's success was the assurance of peace, subjection to Rome quickly enabled advancement and ownership in the structures of the empires governance.
Joseph and Mary however sheltered in the light of a different star, a star which bought nations beyond even Rome's reach to wonder at a new path for this world's hope. For even as today's civilisation is seen to stand on shaky foundations, the breadbasket of Rome was eventually to fail, and, just as today, inter-national enmity came to caste its long shadow over the bright myths of Roman sureties.
Bethlehem's star spoke of the rise of a Kingdom begun not in technology and consumption but in parent and child. The Holy family's struggle for survival is the same seen in this day by hard pressed people's the world over, fleeing oppression and looking for shelter and daily bread.
The Way of our Christmas story's Daystar is the Way of endurance, for the one subjected to suffering and death on the cross is seen again in those who follow the Way of Christ today. Loving as He loved and not for trade or self-gain gives peoples still in this day their hope for life in all its fullness.
Please remember your gift giving for today's poor as those blessed in God's Kingdom, please give generously for all who seek home and shelter this Christmastide.
May all peoples know the blessing of Righteousness and Peace this Christmas.
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
Friday, November 1, 2013
Rector's View - November 2013
Dear friends,
I remember vividly one of the first primary school assemblies I took, about this time of year. I was drawing oval faces small and large in a great crowd to illustrate the story of Jesus’ ‘sermon on the mount’ his teaching the crowds who gathered to hear his word. What can you see I asked – ‘fireworks’ came the reply and that was the end of my carefully prepared assembly.
November begins with the commemoration of so many people through All Saints', All Souls' and Remembrance. Some such lives burn as bright as fireworks against the darkness of this world’s trials, and others brightly light more personably our own lives by the light of the loves we shared. So the language of our faith story offers encouragement against the lengthening nights, this month closing with the assurance that in crowning our Christ King in our lives, His light will always shine to guide our path in His Way.
My niece at this time is walking the Way, joining the millions of pilgrims who have sought to draw closer to their guiding light, our sovereign Christ, along the Camino, the Way to Santiago de Compostela, shrine of the Apostle St James. Her ‘Twitter’ diary posts are lit by those fellow pilgrims she meets, whether she is able to share conversation with them or not as every tribe and nation meets along the Way is no matter, for her encouragement is that others too share her vision of arrival.
Such truly is the company of our life’s pilgrimage, to be one peoples in crowning our Christ our Saviour joins us to the universal, timeless throng who through the ages follow the Way he taught, that all roads should lead to that Daystar Dawn of God’s Kingdom come. May this month find us all encouraged to know our belonging each to the other all villages and nations, may our fireworks remind us to look for that goodly light, our daystar to lead through our winter’s darkness to that new brightening day of hope, God’s kingdom come.
Your servant in Christ,
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
I remember vividly one of the first primary school assemblies I took, about this time of year. I was drawing oval faces small and large in a great crowd to illustrate the story of Jesus’ ‘sermon on the mount’ his teaching the crowds who gathered to hear his word. What can you see I asked – ‘fireworks’ came the reply and that was the end of my carefully prepared assembly.
November begins with the commemoration of so many people through All Saints', All Souls' and Remembrance. Some such lives burn as bright as fireworks against the darkness of this world’s trials, and others brightly light more personably our own lives by the light of the loves we shared. So the language of our faith story offers encouragement against the lengthening nights, this month closing with the assurance that in crowning our Christ King in our lives, His light will always shine to guide our path in His Way.
My niece at this time is walking the Way, joining the millions of pilgrims who have sought to draw closer to their guiding light, our sovereign Christ, along the Camino, the Way to Santiago de Compostela, shrine of the Apostle St James. Her ‘Twitter’ diary posts are lit by those fellow pilgrims she meets, whether she is able to share conversation with them or not as every tribe and nation meets along the Way is no matter, for her encouragement is that others too share her vision of arrival.
Such truly is the company of our life’s pilgrimage, to be one peoples in crowning our Christ our Saviour joins us to the universal, timeless throng who through the ages follow the Way he taught, that all roads should lead to that Daystar Dawn of God’s Kingdom come. May this month find us all encouraged to know our belonging each to the other all villages and nations, may our fireworks remind us to look for that goodly light, our daystar to lead through our winter’s darkness to that new brightening day of hope, God’s kingdom come.
Your servant in Christ,
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
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