Reverend Phillip celebrated his first years anniversary on 3rd November. We wanted to mark this but because of the current Lockdown we couldn't in the way that we wanted. Originally, we were going to play this to him in Church this coming Sunday but we had to drop a memory stick off with him instead.

Thanks to all that contributed to the video below.

DOWNLOAD Rev Phillip's anniversary video

Christ the King

Today the 22nd of November 2020 is a very special day. It is called Christ the King. I suppose you could call it Christ the King Day. It is special because it is the last day of the Churches year. Throughout the year we have thought about Jesus' life and ministry. We started last Advent preparing for the birth of Jesus at Christmas. We then tracked His life and Ministry using Matthews Gospel. We thought about His stories and miracles right through to hearing about Jesus' death and resurrection at Easter. We went through all the ups and downs of Jesus' Life. We then prepared for Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and then for Trinity Sunday. We followed the course of the early Church through the letters from the Apostles and readings from Acts. We have thanked God for the harvest and the gifts we have received and next week it starts all over again. Next week is the first Sunday of Advent and we start from the beginning - although we will follow the story using Mark's gospel instead of Matthew. So today, traditionally is the last day for us to celebrate Jesus as King of Heaven because next week we start to look forward to his coming again as King on earth, but there is more to it than that.

When Jesus was nailed to the cross above him was an inscription 'This is the King of the Jews'. In John's Gospel it says that Pilate had those words put there. The Religious leaders at the time said don't put that! Put - 'this man said that he was King of the Jews.' Pilate said I have written what I have written. To the Jewish people, the best king they had ever had was David. He represented the glory days of Israel. He was a great king in the human sense. When we do come to Advent we may find that when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary to inform her about Jesus she is told that he would be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High and he shall be given the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever (meaning over Israel) and of His kingdom there will be no end. Israel, the Jews, were known as the people of the Covenant (that means an agreement or an understanding between God and Humankind). The Old Covenant made between God and Noah, God and Abraham, God and Moses and God and Jacob who is Israel. Jesus brought the New Covenant, the completion of the understanding between God and humankind and all that believe in Him are people of that New Covenant - the new Israel is the new Kingdom, and I don't mean a physical place in the Middle East but a kingdom of hearts and minds.

The large candle in church, our paschal candle reminds us that Jesus is the Light of the World. When it is first lit on Holy Saturday to mark the Resurrection these words are said.

"Christ the morning Star has risen, never again to set, and is alive and reigns for ever."

The star is more significant to our faith than we realise. I often wonder why more isn't made of it at Advent particularly with the three wise men in mind. They arrive at Epiphany after following the Star, but they had been following it since before the birth event took place. And their significance to today rests in their acknowledgement of the Kingship of Jesus Christ.

So today we give thanks for the Christian year and crown Jesus in our hearts and prepare to welcome Him again through the rites and ordinances of His Church. But above all we look forward to the day when He shall come again - the second coming, as Jesus said 'Watch therefore for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.'

Christ yesterday, today and tomorrow, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, all time belongs to him, and all ages; to him be glory and power, through every age and for ever. Amen

Rev Philip

Prayers by Carole

Let us pray for the Church and the world, and let us thank God for his love. For knowing that we can place into his hands all our concerns and needs, with the knowledge that they will be heard and answered even though the answer may not be what we expected.Heavenly Father, as we come before you in prayer,
Open our eyes to see your presence,
Open our minds to know your grace,
Open our lips to sing your praise,
Open our hearts to feel your love,
Open our lives to receive your healing.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer

We thank you Lord for the church here at St Nicholas and pray for your blessing on all who share with us in its life and ministry. We thank you for sending Philip and his wife Janice to minister to us during this year when the world is attacked by Covid19. We thank you for the many people who are working to keep the church here alive and ask that the Holy Spirit continues work through them, helping us to know your presence in our lives and encourage our spiritual growth.
Lord in your mercy here our prayer

Lord we pray for all our children who would normally attend JAM and give thanks for the wonderful online service they led last week to celebrate JAMs anniversary. We also pray for all the children in Ribby with Wrea school and especially for the speedy return of the time when the whole school can once again come to church once a week for a service in church.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.

Father we pray for the older members of the congregation who have steadfastly worshipped here all their lives, some of whom because of the virus have been unable to attend church since March. We ask you to keep them safe and in good spirits despite their loneliness. As your body here on earth, help us to continue to do all we can to support them in any way we can whilst following all the guidance and rules to prevent the spread of the virus.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.

Lord we pray that we continue to remember your love for us as the whole world struggles with the pandemic. We pray for a cure, safe vaccines and a speedy end to the pandemic to enable us to return to a more normal way of living.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father , we think of the troubled parts of the world, which cause so much pain and grief, and so much doubt and despair.
God of hope, as we search for reassurance and guidance, help us to remember that you gave us the rainbow as a symbol that you are always with us. In its colours you have shown us the variety of life which exists in the world. Its span between heaven and earth reminds us that our hope for the future is founded on your love and grace and that you have called us to love one another and be peacemakers. We pray for people whose humanity is denied by others, for those who have fled from oppression, for those without homes and for those suffering from malnutrition, illness and Covid 19. As we remember them we pray for those who work in difficult and dangerous conditions to bring help and hope to all in need.
Lord make them and us your rainbow people , glorying in our God given variety, passionate for peace, trusting your grace in the name of Jesus Christ, the hope of the world.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.

Father of all we thank you for the joys of family life, for the pleasure and happiness which they bring. We pray that our families be outward looking, always welcoming the stranger, the lonely and the needy.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord we pray for all who are sick in body or mind praying especially for Maurice Cheney, Linda Hollis, Catherine Stacey, Jim Jolly, Jean Southern, Ivy Davies, June Eastwood

We also pray for those who mourn especially the family and friends of Winifred Bradley and Peter Hale.
Help them to know the love you have for them and help us to comfort them in the grief.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father wherever we go this week, we pray that in all we do or say we are guided by your Holy Spirit so that our actions may show the love you have for each one of us.
Merciful Father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ . Amen

"Shine from the Inside out"

Save the Date ...

for our Christingle Service, on Sunday 6th December at 3pm

We are planning to have a Christingle Service using Zoom this year! Everybody is welcome. It will be a short interactive service focussing on the work of the Children's Society. During the service we will all light our own Christingles in our homes. If you would like to attend please email Janet at: janetreeh@btinternet.com

This is an opportunity for you to make your own Christingle! All instructions for making your Christingle to bring to the service will be sent to you but don't worry if you can't make one, a candle will do just as well.Come and "Share the Light"

For over 50 years, donations from Christingle services to The Children's Society, have helped millions of young people in this country to get the care and support that they so urgently need. For many years our church has supported the work of The Children's Society, through collection boxes and other donations, which we normally bring to our Christingle service. This year some of you may have already made a donation, but if you haven't yet done so and would like to support this vital work you can give online at:

https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/how-you-can-help/donate#make-a-donation

or you can write a cheque payable to "The Children's Society", and send it to: FREEPOST, RSYH-HEEE-XZEG, The Children's Society, 50 Banner St., London EC1Y 8ST

Second Sunday before Advent

Gospel: The Parable of the Talents: Matthew 25 v14-30

Homily: In some translations of this passage the servants are given bags of gold and in others the word that is used instead is talents. I prefer the use of the word talent to understand what Jesus is referring to. A talent was not a coin but a weight. In other words, a bag of coinage that measures a certain weight known as a talent. So, the value of the talent obviously depended on whether the coinage involved was copper, gold or silver. The same weight but a different value. The most common metal involved was silver. In this parable from Jesus there is no doubt that the story is riveted on the useless servant who received just one talent and did nothing with it - but for who does he stand?

In a few Gospel readings in recent weeks Jesus has been getting at the Scribes and the Pharisees for their attitude towards the Law and the truth about God. The useless servant took and buried his talent in the ground, in order to hand it back to his master exactly as it was when he received it. That was the whole aim of the Scribes and Pharisees, to keep the Law exactly as it was. In their own phrase 'to build a fence around the Law'. Any change, any development, any alteration anything new to them was an anathema - a detested thing. They paralysed religious truth, and hated everything that was new. Like the man with the one talent, they desired to keep things exactly as they were. Even today some churches can fall into that trap I suppose.

In this parable Jesus tells us that there can be no true religion without adventure, without development, without change. The most common meaning today of the word talent is a natural aptitude or skill. Jesus also tells us through this parable that everyone has differing gifts. To one servant is given 5 talents to another 2 and another one. It is not a person's talent or number of talents that matters but how they use it. God does not demand from anyone abilities that they do not have, but he does demand that they do use the abilities that they possess.

Of course, the two servants who did well with their talents are not allowed to rest on their laurels. They are given greater tasks, and greater responsibilities in the work of their master.

At the end of the day the servant who is punished is the servant who will not try. The man with the one talent did not lose his talent, he simply did nothing with it. Even if he had adventured with it and lost it, it would have been better than to do nothing with it at all. The message for us this morning is to think about your talents. What are they? Are you using them for the greater glory of God? - Are you using them at all? If not why not? And if you intend to use them when will you start?

Rev Philip

Almighty Father, as we read these prayers may we feel your presence near us. May all our troubles and concerns be laid at your feet.

We pray for your Church and all who you have called to serve within it leading your people courageously, caring for them lovingly and teaching them faithfully.

During this worldwide pandemic we look for different ways to reach out and teach your message. Fill all who are facing this challenge with inspiration and hope. In our prayers we remember with gratitude all who are key workers at this most difficult of times. We thank you for the encouraging news this week regarding a vaccine and the hope this now gives us.

This Sunday is very special in our Church calendar as it is our JAM Celebration. We are sad not to all be together to celebrate this wonderful day but we give grateful thanks and pray for Cheryl, Annie and their helpers and all the children who attend JAM.

We pray for all who are ill at this time and that you will heal the body, mind and spirit and restore them to wholeness. Remembering all who support them - family members, friends, health professionals working in difficult situations. We ask you give them energy, good humour and patience.

We pray for all the faithful departed and for those whose anniversaries fall at this time. Help those who have lost someone and are facing funeral services and having to grieve during this difficult period. We ask you to give you peace and comfort to everyone who reads this prayer. May we all think of each other at this testing time and ask for your blessing on us all.

Merciful Father - accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, AMEN

Lynda Lancaster

A call to prayer for the Nation

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches/call-prayer-nation#na

God loves a cheerful giver!" (2Corintians 9 v7) Please donate to the work of St Nicholas Wrea Green by using the link below

JAM Activities

JAM CELEBRATION

Sunday 15 November would have been JAM celebration and members of JAM would have led the 9.30 service. We plan to hold the celebration on this day on zoom, at a time to be arranged to suit most participants, but not to clash with the two services in church. Everybody is welcome - please email Cheryl : paul.cheryl@blueyonder.co.uk if you would like to attend.

If you do not already receive JAM news by email and would like to do so, again please email Cheryl

ST NICHOLAS CHRISTMAS RAFFLE

TICKETS £5 PER STRIP, available from social committee OR RING PAULINE 07818401580 OR CHERYL 07778734719

FABULOUS PRIZES

A CUT AND FINISH WITH CONDITIONING TREATMENT WITH KARL AT ALCHEMY HAIR VALID TO 31 JANUARY

A BRAMBLE AND BEE ORGANIC NATURAL SKINARE HAMPER/ BOX

£25 VOUCHER @ SANTA'S BEAUTY PARLOUR LYTHAM

M&S SPECIAL RESERVE

PORT DECANTER

FLORA & FAUNA

DOOR WREATH

TICKETS TO BE DRAWN SUNDAY 13 DEC

Intercessions Sunday 25th October.

Father God, creator of all things and source of all holiness, we praise you for all that you provide for us. We give thanks for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who showed to us that perfect example of human love. We praise you for your Holy Spirit, who empowers us to share that love with others.