TowerPod: St Mary's Marston Moreteyne and Lidlington

Dear Reader, Here’s the podcast from my last Sunday Service with you at St Mary’s church. I was delighted and very moved that this was the day of Danny’s Renewal of Baptism… It was wonderful and significant to me that this should take place at the ending of my ministry among you - the renewal of faith of a new believer (in a rite formally known as Affirmation of Baptismal Faith ). Thank you to eve...

Church of the Transfiguration at the Community of Jesus, Massachusetts Dear Reader, May I wish you a blessed Shrove Tuesday - enjoy your pancakes as we prepare to journey with Jesus in spirit during Lent towards Easter. May I invite you to begin your Lenten journey tomorrow 7pm Ash Wednesday? Blessing of Lent to you. Andrew+ Exodus 24:12–18 NRSV The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mounta...

Dear Reader, I hope you enjoy listening to the sermon podcast above… Now Lent is almost upon us. Let’s make it a special ‘worry free’ time of turning away from the many distractions of life to the one true Source of peace, our Saviour Jesus Christ. May I invite you to begin a holy Lent - come to our A sh Wednesday Service with the Imposition of Ashes on 18th February at 7pm. * This Lent our Devoti...

St Andrew and St. Peter, by Fernando Gallego, 1480-1488 John 1:29–42 NIV The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to...

Matthew 3:13–17 NIV Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw...

Matthew 2:1–12 NIV After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers...

“Saint Joseph and the Infant Christ” by Giovanni Battista Gaulli Matthew 2:13–18 NIV When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where...

Dear Reader, I hope the sermon inspires you… And may I invite you to come and celebrate the #realmeaningofchristmas at St Mary’s - Jesus’ birthday? * Christmas Eve 4pm Crib Service. All Shepherds and Angels in their outfits welcome! * Midnight Mass 11.15pm * Jesus’ Birthday Party Service 9.30am - adults and children bring a present to show and tell Wishing you a happy and blessed Christmas! Andrew...

The George Orwell Statue outside BBC Broadcasting House: the text reads; “If Liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear” Dear Reader, I enjoyed writing this sermon - I hope you enjoy listening/reading. Did you know - you can read a transcript of the audio by clicking the transcript button above? Here’s an our Christmas poster for you below. I’m de...

Listen and enjoy! Andrew+ Matthew 3:1–12 NIV In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a...

Dear Reader, Our Mission should we accept it: To be a Tower of living stones; chosen, mended and built by Jesus our Cornerstone - to make followers for Him, to be a sanctuary of prayer and a community of love. I was therefore very struck when Sonia shared on our Community Bible Study Whatsapp a sermon by Captain Rev. Astor Carlyle to the Garrison church family Jamaica. His words resonated strongly...

Dear Reader, Be still, and know that I am God . From Psalm 46:10 - our psalm for Sunday last. May I invite you to our Taizé Prayer, with optional Anointing and Prayer for Healing? Next Sunday at 7pm, 30 November, the fifth Sunday of the month. In the beauty of candlelight we will chant contemplative Taizé songs, listen to a Gospel Reading and enjoy the presence of Jesus Christ, the High King… I lo...

Luke 21:5–19 NIV Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take pla...

Photo : waymark on the John Bunyan Trail. John Bunyan author of the Pilgrims Progress is commemorated on the Church of England Calendar on 30 August. Dear Reader, A little note from Marti to go along with the All Saints Sermon Podcast (see the readings for that below): If you run a Marston or Lidlington based business or organisation, we invite you to decorate a Christmas Tree for our very first e...

Book of Common Prayer of a 94 year old: well-used, Bible Readings and prayers - photo taken last week. Dear Reader, I hope you like the photo above of a well-used Book of Common Prayer! From our Bible Sunday sermon, may I leave you with this thought: Thomas Cranmer in his Homily on Scripture ended it with an exhortation to read scriptures in this way: “Let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cu...

Dear Reader, This is an intriguing story Jesus tells and he wants us to ‘bump up’ against the idea that God is an unjust judge and to pray persistently. I mentioned a couple of ideas to help you with the spiritual discipline of regular daily prayer in the Notices: set up a ‘prayer corner’ in your room with a candle, Bible and Cross etc. Make time in the morning first thing (an orchestra doesn’t tu...

Christ and the Lepers, Painting by Gebhard Fugel (1863-1939) Luke 17:11–19 NIV Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as the...

Dear Reader, I’m delighted to share a Guest Preacher with you: Revd Nina-Rae Barrett of St Lucea Cure, Hanover Jamaica. Enjoy! I’m on Retreat this week. In the words of St Thomas More: Pray for me, as I will for thee, (until we may merrily meet in heaven)… Andrew+ Thanks for reading St Marys Marston Moreteyne & Lidlington! This post is public so feel free to share it. Numbers 21:4–9 NIV They trave...

Dear Reader, On Sunday we celebrated the Feast of St Michael and All Angels. Here’s the Collect prayer for the day: Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted the ministries of angels and mortals in a wonderful order: grant that as your holy angels always serve you in heaven, so, at your command, they may help and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and...

Dear Reader, Coming up: Our Community Bible Study begins a new Series - the Letter to the Philippians. Your Autumn Bible study sorted! Join on Wednesdays 12pm BYO packed Lunch for 12.30-1.30pm 5 October: Harvest Festival we’ll be having a joint Family and Adults Service at 10.30am followed by Baked Potato Harvest Lunch £7 sign up in church or book online: stmarysmarston.org/events Yum! For items t...

On Mount Nebo, in front of the church of Saint Moses, looking over the valley below is a monument of the bronze serpent which Moses erected in the Neghev desert. Numbers 21:4–9 NIV They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to d...

Dear Reader, I was struck by Jesus’ talk about building a Tower in this Gospel reading, because we have such a prominent Tower separate from our main church! Our Vision is of a Tower of living stones: To be a Tower of living stones; chosen, mended and built by Jesus our Cornerstone - to make followers for Him, to be a sanctuary of prayer and a community of love . It could be said that we can’t pro...

Dear Reader, I was excited to preach this sermon because Jesus was making one thing stand for another in his storytelling. Mysterious depths… and I thought he showed such courage facing the hostile opposition of the Pharisees and Lawyers. He broke right through them with compassion to heal the sick man. If you’d like to pray the Valley of Vision prayer for yourself, here it is: Lord, high and holy...

Section of a painting by James Tissot Dear Reader, I hope you are blessed through listening to this talk, which I found quite challenging. In other news, we have our Family Fun Morning and BYO Picnic on Friday at 10am. Buy your ticket online or just come for the picnic after it finishes (11.30am). I hope you have a happy week! Andrew+ Luke 13:10–17 NIV On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the...

Dear Reader, As I write this, I’m listening to the Biddenham Handbell Ringers in church. I’m startled how familiar tunes are transformed into the most beautiful ethereal sounds by the very act of being rung on handbells. At the risk of over-playing the analogy ;-) maybe this is something like how our ordinary, clumsy and let’s be honest - mostly failing efforts to follow God and His ways can be tr...