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Today’s readings: Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8.
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Let us pray.
Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Amen.
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Our guest preacher this week is William Allen, an ordinand at St. Stephen’s House, Oxford
Come and hear him, if you are able, but here is a foretaste of his homily:
Our Gospel reading on this, the fifth Sunday of Lent, narrates the familiar and emotive setting of Christ, at table with Mary, Martha and the risen Lazarus, in the penultimate days before his passion and death. Christians have often drawn inspiration from the servant ministries of Martha, waiting at table, and Mary, annointing Jesus' feet, as exemplary behaviour for those who live out the Gospel story in the community of the contemporary Church. The quiet, attentive disposition of these two women reminds us that, insofar as works of charity, ecclesial concerns, and pastoral welfare are central to the Christian vocation, an acknowledgement of God's tangible though mystical presence with us in prayer and Sacrament remains the critical marker of those who profess a faith in the saving love of Christ. At the hinge-point into the season of Passiontide--Lent's final, sobering weeks--we are encouraged to incline our hearts as much as our works towards the hope we have in a God who suffered death and was buried for us. We are to become an indwelling for Christ in his Church today to set all that we think, say upon the footing of a truly special, divine activity- a great universal prayer set apart from the busy, material and normative world which, in our Lord's time as for us now, corners many parts of the human society in which we live, move and have our being.
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Organ Voluntary
Wolfgang C. Druckenmuller – Concerto in G:
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Today’s hymn
My song is love unknown
NEH 86
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Music from Matthew
At the offertory today Ruthy will sing ‘The Woodcutter’s Song’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams. It is an attractive and simple setting reminiscent of an English folk song, the melody using a pentatonic (five-note) pattern. It is one of seven songs Vaughan Williams set using texts from The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (1628-88).
‘The Woodcutter’s Song’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble, ever shall
Have God to be his Guide.
I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such.
Fullness to such a burden is,
That go on pilgrimage;
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age.
Sarah Fox (soprano), Iain Burnside (piano)
https://youtu.be/GhOfzEGa0OQ
During communion we’ll hear words from Psalm 37 ‘O rest in the Lord’ from Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah.
‘O rest in the Lord’ from Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-47)
O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, And He shall give thee thy heart’s desires. Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him, And fret not thyself because of evil doers.
Betty Monette White (contralto)
Recorded in New Orleans, 1957
https://youtu.be/JiJ7uE2n3SA
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Cooking for Ukraine
Many thanks to all of you who supported and contributed to our ‘Cooking for Ukraine’ supper last weekend. I don’t have a final figure, but I think that we shall be close to or beyond £1,000 to go the Unicef Relief Fund.
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Annual Parochial Church Meeting
This year’s APCM has now been moved from 3rd April to 24th April, 12 noon.
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Children’s Church
We are hoping to restart Children’s Church within the next few weeks. However, we need new/old leaders to help out once a month or so. You don’t have to have children in order to help and training will be given. DBS checks will be arranged for you.
The children have always been a very central and lively part of the life of the Church here. We need you to step forward, not just for the children that we have but for those who are yet to come.
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Tai Chi classes
Beginning on Wednesday 22nd April at 12 noon, and every Wednesday thereafter.
Led by local resident, and friend of St. Anne’s, Jay Stuart, and accredited Tai Chi instructor.
Take a break for just 30 minutes each week to learn this ancient art.
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Holy Week
Here are the liturgies for Holy Week. Please note that some of the times have changed from previous years:
Palm Sunday:
10.45 - Procession from Swain's Lane/Brookfield Park
This is one of our main ‘acts of witness’ within the Parish each year. Please come and join the procession, if you are able.
11.00 - Mass
Monday:
18.30 - Stations of the Cross - Barbara
Tuesday:
18.00 - Confessions
19.00 - Said Mass
Wednesday:
11.00 - Said Mass
Maundy Thursday:
19.00 - Mass of the Last Supper, without footwashing.
Vigil until 22.30 - Meditations - Barbara
Good Friday:
13.30 - Liturgy with veneration of the Cross
18.00 – Good Friday Recital
Holy Saturday:
20.00 - Easter Liturgy
Easter Sunday:
11am – Mass of the Resurrection, with Easter Egg Hunt for the children.
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The Fleet Singers are performing this Sunday
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I received, this week, a very sweet letter and kind donation from a lady in Bath who receives this weekly mailing via a member of our congregation!
I am sure that she won’t mind my quoting a part of it:
‘… [the mailing] … was comforting during lockdown, and as well as the religious content, I loved the beautiful paintings, the music, and even the occasional recipe.
The enclosed…is in recognition of the work which went into producing the service every week, with my thanks and appreciation.’
We have known that this mailing gets passed on across the country and across the world, but it was heart-warming to hear from one of the ‘extended family’ of St. Anne’s. So, thank you and greetings to the ‘Lady of Bath,’ and let me also take this opportunity, once again, to express all of our thanks to Roland, our Editor, who turns what I send him into the glamourous mailing you all receive.
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Gert Van Hoef – Live-Stream
First broadcast on Thursday 31st March 2022:
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For your prayers
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Celeste who died this week and for all who mourn her.
Also, for Chloe Rolfes, Costo Dinas and Jane Darwin.
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Easter bread
Not a recipe of which I had heard. I wonder how many of you will make it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myxnzE8qTxk&list=TLPQMjcwMzIwMjLtchargcLogw&index=1
The ‘Labneh Cheese’ shown and referred to in the video is strained yoghurt, sometimes seasoned.
You don’t need to buy it, just put some Greek or Turkish yoghurt in a sieve, over a bowl, and leave in the fridge over-night and you have Labneh. Or serve with yoghurt, seasoned, with garlic and dill or parsley.
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An after-thought: Vladimir Horovitz – Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
I watched this, late in the night, after a jolly evening with a parishioner (you know who you are!). I really wanted to go to bed but his performance was so compelling that I couldn’t let it go.
We always think of Horovitz as Russian or, perhaps, as American, although it turns out that he was born in Kyiv, so a Ukrainian in today’s world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5mxU_7BTRA
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