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We're very happy to announce that, following the lifting of restrictions, St Martin’s has re-opened its doors for public worship. For now the normal pattern will be:

10.00am Sunday - Family Service or Communion
9.30am Wednesday – Holy Communion (BCP)

As you would expect there are lots of rules and regulations attached to this and it is subject to change. Please follow the link below for  further details before you arrive and keep checking this website for updates (updated 17 July)
(See Staying in Touch)

Sunday 27 September 2020
16th Sunday after Trinity

Last Sunday, there was a special service in Westminster Abbey to commemorate the Battle of Britain. Opening the service the Dean said:

We meet in this Abbey church, where our nation so often gathers to remember, to celebrate and to grieve. Here, we give thanks for the dedication and daring of members of the Royal Air Force and allied air forces during the Battle of Britain. Their sure courage halted the advance of a terrible tyranny. They held fast in days of greatest danger. Now, we renew our commitment to seek out, together, the ways of peace and reconciliation’.

At the service, held without a congregation because of Covid restrictions, the Prime Minister read the lesson from Philippians 2.

In Phillipians 2 St Paul writes: ‘Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others’.

During his briefing last Monday, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said: ‘You cannot in an epidemic just take your own risk. Unfortunately, you’re taking a risk on behalf of everybody else.’

Following the latest Government restrictions, debate about what we should do to prevent a major catastrophe of the second wave of the virus has again revealed the disunity of our society in trying to answer the question ‘What is the best course of action?’ Who do we follow, when science, economics and politics cannot agree?

Many of the politicians, scientists, economists and statisticians care deeply about the interest of others; but some seem to be looking after their own interests first. Sadly, it is much easier to criticise the selfishness of others than to notice our own selfishness. I am reminded of Jesus’ story about the log in our own eyes (Matthew 7.3-5). Lest we try to put all the blame on the confusion of constantly changing rules and advice perhaps we need to look at ourselves and our own behaviour.

Since the wearing of masks is mainly to protect others from us (rather than us from them), is it selfish when those who are not exempt fail to comply with the rules? Do we always queue politely? Have we always made an effort to thank those such as shop and utility workers or teachers and support staff (as well as the more obvious NHS and care workers) who stayed at work during the pandemic?

One thing we can do, as we face the tyranny of the Coronavirus is to respond to St Paul’s challenge to imitate Christ’s humility as we remember that God, who came to earth as a humble servant, challenges us to empty ourselves of all pride and selfishness. We can also pray for courage both to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and to live out our calling in equally humble service in these difficult times, as we too hold fast in the days of great danger facing us today.

Revd John  

readings and resources continue

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Daily Prayers - John Sargant and Val Hemmings are now broadcasting live daily prayers on Tuesdays and Thursday at 8.15am on our Facebook page:. www.facebook.com/ChelsfieldStMartins