14th Sunday after Trinity 2022 St Andrew’s Milngavie
Dear All
Today as we gathered to celebrate the Eucharist, we once again gave thanks for the life of our dear departed monarch, Queen Elizabeth. We offered prayers for the repose of her soul, prayers for the Royal Family and all who mourn her, for our new King and prayers for the nation.
Again, the service concluded with the National Anthem and singing rousingly “God save our gracious King” followed by a very moving Funeral March played beautifully by Penny.
Yesterday many of us joined a large group from All Saints to walk from Mugdock to Mairi and Neil’s house at Easter Carbeth where we all enjoyed an elaborate and delicious tea! Much fun was had by all including the dogs! Thank you Mairi and Neil plus Jane and all the cake providers.
Next Sunday is Harvest Festival – please do bring any contribution to the produce offertory which will be displayed on the chancel steps as usual. Please do also stay for the soup lunch following the service – any contribution for a cake or pud would be most welcome.
Notices for this week:
Tuesday 10am Prayer Group in the Garden Room.
Wednesday 7.30pm – Book Group – Helen’s
Thursday 10am Said Eucharist followed by coffee in Friendship House
Sunday 25th September 10am Sung Eucharist for Harvest Festival followed by soup lunch in the hall
Saturday 1st October10-12am – Garden Tidy! Calling all gardeners to lend a hand to give the garden an autumn tidy, coffee will be included.
Readings for next Sunday – Harvest Festival – Isaiah 25:1-9 Philippians 4:1-9 Matthew 6:25-34
Today’s Readings – Psalm 121 1 Corinthians 13 John 14:1-6,27
We all have our stories to tell.
I am 18 years old; I have just started my nurse’s training at The London Hospital, my name has been pulled out of a hat and as a result I am lining the corridor as the Queen walks past to open the new casualty department, talking to people as she walks by.
My next glimpse of Her Highness came years later as we attended the Braemar Gathering in the company of the Royal family, there was further glimpse one summer as she attended church at Crathie. Stephen claimed he spied the Queen as we were driving into London on the M4, coming up behind us in the fast lane, just after the Queen Mother had died.
The last time I should have seen the Queen was four years ago when Stephen and I were invited, courtesy of Tim, to the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood but given my height and the Queen’s and the sheer number of people no sighting was forthcoming.
There have been many, many, such accounts relayed all week by so many people.
One that I felt stood out was the very moving account from the war surgeon David Nott. He recalled at a lunch at Buckingham Palace how the Queen helped him overcome the trauma he was suffering days after he returned from Syria by allowing him to pet her corgis. He remembers how, in his distress, he was unable to reply when the queen asked him about his experience at Aleppo. Sensing his distress, the Queen asked a courtier to produce a silver dish of dog biscuits and so the rest of the meal was spent feeding thee dogs under the table while the Queen chatted gently to him discussing her dogs and telling him all their names.
For many of us a glimpse of her majesty is all we have been afforded, but that possibly is all that is required to prove that she was real, that she was present and that she cared.
Perhaps it’s the same with God – we only ever receive glimpses of the divine. Sure, we attend church regular and receive the sacrament weekly, and as a result our daily lives are upheld and enriched by the Holy Spirit but moments of really deep engagement and of transforming spiritual enlightenment are perhaps, few and far between – but the fact is the glimpses are there affirming the presence and love of our Lord.
It is often remarked that the Queen wore bright colours so that she would show up in a crowd and therefore be more noticeable. There is no record of Jesus dressing up in elaborate robes to stand out in a crowd but in his ministry, Jesus did use dramatic language and bold gestures to make a point and so be noticed and remembered.
We think of the time he cleansed the temple using a whip of cords (John 2:15) and the time he ordered the swine over the cliffs at the healing of Legion (Luke 8:33). The language he used was also dramatic – two Sundays ago we heard the words “If any hates brother sister…and life itself” and then the order to sell all our possessions (Luke 14:26,33). These are not words you can ignore or forget about easily.
From the very beginning Jesus’ story is remarkable by its drama – from the virgin conception to his birth in stable accompanied by an eclectic mix of visitors including shepherds and wise men.
Jesus’ ministry concluded with the greatest drama of all, his horrific death on the cross followed by the extraordinary resurrection to new life three days later. The greatest drama of all time and as such impossible to ignore or to forget, affirmed by the fact we are still talking about it and more importantly living by it two millennia on.
Tomorrow we will gather as a nation and throughout many parts of the world to bid farewell to our beloved Queen Elizabeth whose long reign was sustained by the Holy Spirit through a great faith. Throughout all her moments of national and personal dramas to the everyday tasks and duties in calmer times the Queen embodied what it is to live in the witness of Christ.
Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:12-13
May her soul rest in peace and rise to the full glory of our Lord
Amen