7 September 2008

Welcome to St Alban’s Anglican Church 

Today's Scripture (HC) : Ezekiel 33: 7-11    Romans 13:8-end    S. Matthew 18:15-20

Today's Liturgy: 8.35 a.m. BCP Matins;   9.00a.m. Scripture Study;   9.30a.m. Holy Communion;   6.00 p.m. EP

Tues to Fri: Midday Prayer 12.30p.m. STANDARD SUNDAY SCHEDULE & SUNDAY SCHOOL RE-START TODAY. 

16^th After Trinity

O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FAITH IN FOCUS: CHRISTIAN FOOTPRINT

It’s become very fashionable these days to talk about having a carbon footprint. It makes us realise that each of us uses up energy in many different ways and when we least suspect it. So it’s not only flying all over the world or driving a gas-guzzling car that leaves its carbon deposit in our atmosphere, but also little things like leaving the TV on standby overnight or forgetting to switch the light off when we no longer need it. Of course, keeping the fridge door wide open doesn’t help either!

In theory it’s possible to monitor people’s carbon footprints so that at the end of a week, month or year you can tell what sort of a mark they’ve made on our environment.

But just imagine keeping a record of a different type of footprint, something positive rather than negative. Let’s call it your charity footprint. St Paul tells us today that we should avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. And he goes on to say that love is the benchmark of our faith, for love is the one thing that cannot hurt our neighbour. That’s why it’s the answer to every one of the commandments.

At the end of our lives what sort of charity footprint will we each have? Will we have lived for ourselves or for others? Will the computers show that on balance we have left more good behind us than bad?

Everyone’s against global warming just like everyone’s against cheating. Everyone’s in favour of feeding the hungry just like everyone’s against murder or robbery. The secret is to find practical ways of stopping global warming and practical ways of loving our neighbour. Most of us will not invent a wonder drug, discover a brand new source of energy or win a Nobel Prize. In the same way when it comes to practical charity it won’t be the grand gesture but the small acts of kindness, the thoughtfulness and the consideration that will count in the end.

 

Think globally and act locally, they say. The same could be written about our attempts at Christian charity. Think celestially and act personally. God calls us to leave a charity footprint in very simple ways that don’t grab the headlines. But just as switching off one light bulb can begin to make a difference, so too can one simple act of charity. And over a lifetime it all adds up.

WORD OF GOD

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. (Romans 13:8)

WORD FOR TODAY

Imagine if the only thing you owed anyone was a good turn! Paul reminds us that the whole practice of our religion can be summed up in the way we love other people. Love is the only thing that cannot hurt our neighbour.

WORDS FOR WORSHIP

Jesus urges us to take notice of other people’s faults but always to extend the grace of forgiveness. Let us pray that we may forgive those who trespass against us, in the words that Jesus taught us: Our Father ...

IF WE FAIL TO FEED the needy, we do not have God’s love, no matter what we say. Regardless of what we do or say at 11am on a Sunday morn, affluent people who neglect the poor are not people of God. (Ronald Sider)

CHARITY THAT IS ALWAYS beginning at home stays there. (Austin O’Malley)

 

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS

Mon: 1 Kings 12:25 - 13:10, Acts 19: 8-20, Mark 12: 28-34

Tues: 1 Kings 13: 11-end, Acts 19:21-end, Mark 12:35-end

Wed: 1 Kings 17, Acts 20: 1-16, Mark 13:1-13

Thurs: 1 Kings 18:1-20, Acts 20:17-end, Mark 13: 14-23

Fri : 1 Kings 18:21-end, Acts 21:1-16, Mark 13:24-31

Sat : 1 Kings 19, Acts 21: 17-36, Mark 13:32-end

NEXT SUNDAY (HOLY CROSS) : Numbers 21:4-9, Philippians 2:6-11, S. John 3:13-17