Reflections

Below you can find prayers, reflections and favourite Bible passages from the worship team and other members of the congregation to be used as a resource for your own quiet time

If you have a favourite short prayer or reading, contact us and we will try to include it

 

WRITING FROM THE RECTORY

 Dear Reader, 

It seems to come round more quickly every year, but here we are, Lent again.  The ‘forty days’ is the season for self-examination, a sort of spiritual M.O.T.  This is no negative exercise.  If we didn’t service and MOT our cars, their performance would soon decline, the breaks become faulty and the fuel economy diminish.  We would soon know something was wrong, even though the car would still be on the road for a while longer in some under-performing way.

 

Lent helps us change the spiritual oil and give a boost to our Christian discipleship, through self-examination, and re-focussed devotion and study.  Once more, there will be extra mid-week Eucharists with a devotional flavour:

  • Every Wednesday at St Hugh’s, Sturton, at 9.15am
  • Every Thursday at St Peter’s, Torksey, at 9.30am
  • Every Friday at St Helen’s, Willingham, at 7.30am

 In addition there will be a midweek Lent Course, based on a Lenten programme devised by Dr Paula Gooder, Canon Theologian of Birmingham Cathedral, a Reader, and a young mother. The course is entitled Lentwise, spiritual essentials for real life.  It will take place on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm on  March 3rd, 17th, 24th,  and 31st.

Tuesday 10th is the usual Songs of Praise.  All will take place at Sturton Methodist Church and there will be opportunity for prayer, study and discussion..

 

Again, if anyone would like to borrow a book from the Rectory ‘library’ for Lenten reading, please do not hesitate to ask. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Alex Whitehead

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX FROM ALL OF THE STOW GROUP

THE MONTHLY PRAYER MEETING

On the first Monday every month we continue a prayer meeting at the Rectory between 7.00 and 8.00pm. 

 The meeting usually includes introductory reflective music, prayers for the day with prayer from the Stow Group’s Prayer Diary and a space for silence and our own prayers. 

This links our prayers with both the regular Sunday worship and also the  Service of Wholeness, Healing and Shalom.

   Diary Dates

Women's World Day of Prayer Friday 6th March, Sturton Methodist Church 2pm for 2.30 service

PEACE BE WITH YOU AND YOURS THIS DAY AND ALWAYS



  

 

THOUGHT AND PRAYER FOR THE MONTH

   

 

As we come to the end of the Christmas, New Year and Epiphany celebrations, we enter into the second month of the new year.  In Angela Ashwin’s book, Woven into Prayer, she gives a biblical reading for each day of the week for reflection and meditation. 

 

 

Sunday:        O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How  unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! To him be glory for ever.   Amen.   Romans 11.33.36b

Monday:       I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  Galatians 2.20

Tuesday:      God forbid that I should boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.   Galatians 6.14

Wednesday: Jesus said, 'You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit. ' John 15.16

Thursday:   ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’, says the Lord.  ‘Therefore I have continued my faithfulness toward you’.  Jeremiah 31.3

Friday:     Do you not know that you are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in  you?      1 Corinthians 3.16

Saturday:    Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord is my         strength and my might.  Isaiah 12.2

 

Angela also has this prayer to be used after reading or reciting Psalm 139:

         All seeing and ever present God,

         I thank you

         for the wonder of my existence.

         You knew me before I was born

         and will welcome me when I will die.

       Keep me always in the love of your Son,

            Jesus Christ, my Lord.

 Amen.

           

 Jan Whitehead