What’s On - Skegness Church of England

A prayer and a message from the Rector Sunday 24 January 2021

Heavenly Father we thank you for all the good things in our lives, we thank you for the many gifts you give us, we thank you for your love, we thank you for the gift of your son, we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, we thank you for your gift of grace. Father we thank you. Amen.

During the 30 years war a Lutheran Pastor called Martin Rinkart lived in a German town called Eilenburg. It was a walled city and became a refuge for those fleeing the war. It was captured by different armies three times and it was badly hit by a severe plague because of the overcrowding in 1637. Pastor Rinkart was the only surviving pastor and during the year he performed more than 4,000 funerals including that of his wife. In the midst of all this disease and devastation he wrote a famous hymn which we know as, “Now thank we all our God”.
If we move from his time in the 17th century and look at the problems we are having with our pandemic we might well give thanks for the NHS and the medics, we might well give thanks for the scientists who have produced a vaccine in an amazingly rapid time frame, we might well give thanks for all those who work to keep the fabric of society and those things which we need available. Also we might give thanks, like Pastor Rinkart, to a loving God that there is light at the end of the tunnel. God is with us now so let’s give thanks. Blessings Richard

Sunday 24 January 2021

Please Note: Face coverings must be worn at all services

14 February 2021
The First Sunday before Lent Liturgical colour: Green
St Matthew is open for Sunday Services. Other churches will continue to remain closed at present.
Follow us on facebook, twitter and instagram-'skegness group of churches' web page: www.skegness-anglican.org email: info@skegness-anglican.org.uk

11am Sunday 14 February Holy Communion at St Matthew’s Church
11 am Sunday 14 February the Rector will live stream a virtual service on our FACEBOOK page ‘skegness group of churches’

Tuesday 10am-12 noon St Matthew’s Church will be open for Private Prayer

Wednesday 17 February 10.30am
Ash Wednesday Holy Communion service at St Matthew, also live streamed

A prayer and a message from the Rector Sunday 14 February 2021
Lord your light shines in the darkness, your light guides our path, your light illumines my spirit, your Spirit lights my life.
Lord come and walk with me. Amen.

Many in our congregation have already had the vaccine and are just waiting for the 3 weeks for the vaccine to work. There is still the wait for the second jab in 3 months time but things are still looking up. The Prime Minister has said that it will be the turn of the people in their sixties next and so Carol and I are preparing for our turn. It feels as though at last we are soon going to be able to get back to a more normal way of living. There are questions as to what the new normal will be like after Brexit and with all the concerns over climate change.
I don’t want to say too much as Malcolm is preaching this Sunday but the scripture will focus on the Transfiguration. Jesus and a few of the disciples go up a mountain where Jesus glows with light and meets with Moses and Elijah. It signifies the handing over from the Old Testament to the New. From the Law and Prophets to Jesus Christ himself. A paradigm change indeed. This moment feels something like that handing over as we move from the old normal to the new. The high street is certainly going to look very different and we are moving to electric vehicles and clean sustainable power. These are exciting times as well as times that are worrying.
As Christians we must always ask ourselves when decisions are made in our name or when we ourselves decide on a particular course of action, in this situation, at this time, what do we think that Jesus would do. We look to Jesus and the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions to do the right things at the right time.
Blessings Richard