TowerPod: St Mary's Marston Moreteyne and Lidlington

<p>Dear Reader, </p><p>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 <em>Affirmation of Baptismal Faith</em>). Thank you to everyone who has welcomed, prayed, and supported Danny on his journey of faith.</p><p>May I thank you too, for your kind words, cards and farewell gifts - and your support in my journey; these final four years of my stipendiary ministry. For my failures and weaknesses - thank you for your patience - and I ask of you forgiveness.</p><p>Today is Easter -Resurrection Day, and my official Retirement date is tomorrow…</p><p><em>Pray for me, as I will for thee, that we may merrily meet in heaven"</em></p><p><em>Sir Thomas More, Letter to his daughter Margaret Roper 5 July 1535</em></p><p>I wish you blessed and happy Easter! <strong>Christ is Risen!</strong></p><p>Andrew+</p><p>PS look out for my final message - <strong>the story of the Tower,</strong> coming shortly.</p><p>Listen to Danny’s Testimony above, or read the Transcript from the side menu.</p><p>Watch Danny’s <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/WFO_nQUANMg?si=E1LYTIWSeLzCvbhK">Testimony</a></p><p>Watch his <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/g_iR3AYnDkI?si=-5f3ntlF3QbhXnx5">Renewal of Baptism</a></p><p></p><p>John 3.1–17 NRSVNow there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ 3Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’4Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ 5Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.7Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.”8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ 9Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ 10Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?</p><p>11 ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.</p><p>16 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.</p><p>17 ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com</a>

<p>Church of the Transfiguration at the Community of Jesus, Massachusetts</p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p>May I wish you a blessed Shrove Tuesday - enjoy your pancakes as we prepare to journey with Jesus in spirit during Lent towards Easter.</p><p>May I invite you to begin your Lenten journey tomorrow 7pm Ash Wednesday?</p><p>Blessing of Lent to you.</p><p>Andrew+</p><p>Exodus 24:12–18 NRSV</p><p>The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”</p><p>Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com</a>

<p>Dear Reader,</p><p>I hope you enjoy listening to the sermon podcast above… </p><p>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.</p><p>May I invite you to begin a holy Lent - come to our A<strong>sh Wednesday Service</strong> with the Imposition of Ashes on 18th February at 7pm. </p><p>* This Lent our Devotional is <strong>Draw Near: life giving habits for Lent 40 </strong>daily reflections.<strong> Download</strong> the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/exploring-faith/everyday-faith">Everyday Faith</a> app to take part. You can also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/drawnear">order a booklet</a> if you prefer.</p><p>* Alternatively why not try <strong>Wisdom in the Desert</strong> beginning on 16 February where you will meet the desert Mothers and Fathers of the church? They were early Christian pioneers, seeking God in the solitude of the Egyptian wilderness. <a target="_blank" href="https://lectio365.com/the-app/">Download Lectio 365 app</a> There is also a Family version - download <a target="_blank" href="https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/lectioforfamilies/">Lectio for Families</a>.</p><p>Blessing of Lent to you.</p><p>Andrew+</p><p>News</p><p>We’ve started our weekly <strong>Energize group for children</strong> at our new Service time of 10.00am (no more services at 9.30am). We have a ‘family corner’ with a sofa as well at the back of church and a rug for little ones to play on.</p><p>Once a month we’ll have a <strong>‘Together’ service</strong> where children and families will take part in the service together.</p><p>15th March – Mother’s Day </p><p>5th April – Easter </p><p>24th May – Pentecost </p><p>21st June – Father’s Day </p><p>6th September – Back to school </p><p>11th October – Harvest </p><p>29th November – Advent </p><p>6th December – Christingle </p><p>Social Events</p><p><strong>Saturday 7th March</strong> </p><p><strong>Family Silent Disco 4:00pm – 6:00pm</strong></p><p>Soft drinks & snacks. Glitter galore & glow sticks</p><p><strong>Adults-Only Silent Disco (18+) 7.30pm – 11.00pm</strong></p><p>Bar fully stocked, cocktails, beers and wine Proper street-food from outside caterers: burgers, hotdogs, sausage rolls, and grazing boxes to keep you fuelled!</p><p>Advance tickets only: book <a target="_blank" href="http://bit.ly/stmarystickets"><strong>bit.ly/stmarystickets</strong></a></p><p><strong>Matthew 6:25–34 NIV</strong></p><p>“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?</p><p>“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com</a>

<p> St Andrew and St. Peter, by Fernando Gallego, 1480-1488</p><p><strong>John 1:29–42 NIV</strong></p><p>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 Israel.”</p><p>Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”</p><p>When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”</p><p>They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”</p><p>“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”</p><p>So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.</p><p>Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.</p><p>Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com</a>

<p><strong>Matthew 3:13–17 NIV</strong></p><p>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?”</p><p>Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented.</p><p>As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. *And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">stmarysmarstonmoreteyne.substack.com</a>