Today is the feast of Candlemas, where we remember Jesus being presented at the temple. With the blessing of candles for the year to come and a reminder of our baptismal vows, is Candlemas really for the adults whereas Christmas is for the children – or is there something for us all at this time?
As part of the week of Christian Unity, all the churches in Lymington and Pennington met at in the morning of Sunday 26th January in St Thomas Church, Lymington – for a Christians Together service.
Towards the end of January we invited the community to Pennington Church for an event of songs, reflections and poems to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Including the Straight Bananas acapella group, a specially commissioned piece by our director of music, Leigh Jerwood and local students performing readings and prayer – as we Stand Together as a community.
Humanity makes mistakes. We can deny our wrong doings but most of the time our mistakes are known and we suffer for it. However, rarely are we forgiven our mistakes and in the act put into a position of leadership by the person we’ve wronged so fully: Jesus forgiveness however shows no limitation.
If you haven’t heard a child say “come and see – look at what I’ve discovered!” – perhaps you’ll recall saying this when you were a child. Something happened and you couldn’t keep it to yourself; you wanted someone else to be a part of your life. We invite our spouse, colleague, friend, person we trust to see what we’ve accomplished even now – and want in turn to celebrate and see their moments too. These moments of epiphany: Jesus likewise invites us into a relationship with him – to come and see.
Thank you to all who came this afternoon to celebrate the time Anne has been with St Mark’s – over eight years – and to wish her well as she prepares to lead services in neighbouring Tiptoe! Thank you’s as well of course for those who helped to prepare and serve the food – very much enjoyed by all!
As we remember the baptism of Christ and the new beginnings that can come through being born anew through baptism, it’s fitting that this was to be the topic for Anne’s final service to St Mark’s.
Our director of music, Leigh Jerwood, also sings in an a cappella group:
‘Straight Bananas’. Singing a variety of eclectic music including music hall, comedy, classical, folk and pop including of course some Christmas music!
We all need the basics; for the Samaritan woman it was water – but Jesus knew her real needs, beyond the drink of water. No doubt we have complicated histories, which have affected our lives and none of us have had smooth journeys to reach the point where we are now – but the comfort we take from Jesus conversation with the Samaritan woman is that Jesus knows our true needs, and can deliver these to us.
Do we always notice what’s going on in the Christmas story? Gold is precious and lasts – symbolic of something important. Francincense produces a strong, powerful scent and it’s smoke is symbolic of our prayers, rising to God in Heaven. Our longings, sorrows, hopes and joys – breathed in by God to recognise our need. Myrrh, almost antiseptic – reminding us of our need for healing and God’s power to fix us. The epiphany; how would we greet his new birth if it occurred today?
