Prayer of Saint Benedict
Gracious and Holy Father
Give us wisdom to perceive you
Intelligence to understand you
Diligence to see you
Patience to wait for you
Eyes to behold you
A heart to meditate on you
And a life to proclaim you
Through the power of the
Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
“God may call you at any time but He will not use your mobile phone.
So please turn it off.”
This notice was on the door to the sanctuary at St. Benedict’s R.C. church in Garforth where I was attending a workshop on Purcell anthems.
In 529AD Benedict of Nursia, a hermit, founded a momastery at Monte Cassino in Italy and drew up the Rules known by his name, thus founding the Benedictine Order.
St Augustine, who came to England in 597 was a member and founded the first Benedictine monastery in the country in Canterbury. Later, there was one at Whitby and Ampleforth is a Benedictine monastery though not a medieval foundation.
Other Yorkshire abbeys, such as Fountains and Rievaulx were Cistercian. This was an order which followed a stricter form of the Rule of St Benedict. St. Bernard of Clairvaux was a member of this order and sent a mission in 1131 which resulted in the foundation of Rievaulx, the earliest Cistercian abbey in the north. It was closely folllowed by Fountains which was founded by disgruntled Benedictines who defected to the Cistercians. (Kirkstall Abbey, also a Cistercian foundation, was built between 1152 and 1182).
Their abbeys were often built in remote places and they emphazied labour over study, growing crops and rearing sheep. All monks attended seven services in the church, called the canonical hours.
The Benedictines were known as Black monks and the Cistercians as White Monks from the colours of their habits.
Ann Woodhouse
When Ann gave me her interesting piece on St Benedict, it seemed appropriate to add his prayer as we begin the consider the Holy Habit of prayer. It is, perhaps, a prayer on prayer.
CHURCHES TOGETHER IN HEADINGLEY
A Committee Meeting was held on 7th May at Headingley Methodist Church and the Minutes of the meeting are posted on the Notice Board.
The meeting was mainly concerned with reviewing events which had taken place between Christmas and Easter with particular emphasis on Lent and Holy Week.
Following a steady decline in numbers attending the Lent Lunches together with other factors, it was felt that the time had come to review/rethink our Lent activities particularly the Lent Lunches. Dorothy Gazey informed the meeting that she had decided to step down from her role as Organiser of the Lunches. Dorothy’s exceptional contribution over many years was warmly acknowledged. The thanks of all were expressed – her hard work was much appreciated. Members were asked to consult with their church communities about a fresh approach and submit ideas to the CTH secretary by the end of July. Please let us have your ideas.
News from other churches.
Rev. Tim Boocock informed the meeting that he was leaving Headingley Methodist Church but would be continuing his ministry in South Leeds and would also be pursuing a new development role.
Vineyard Church – work is progressing on the property they have recently acquired on Bennet Road and they would be pleased to show groups/individuals around. Contact their office on 0113 2302139 if interested.
South Parade Church/Vineyard Church are organising a joint Service of Worship and teaching and prayer at S.P. Church on 2nd June at 6.30pm to mark ‘Thy Kingdom Come Week’ -(a global week of prayer). The Service will last an hour and will be followed by going out onto the streets to pray for the Headingley Community.
A Concert in support of WaterAid is being held at Headingley Methodist Church on Thursday, 6th June at 7.30pm. Please see Notice Board for details.
The date of next Committee Meeting; 24th September at HStC.
Christine Tweedie & Joan McShane
‘Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!’ – Luke 11.11-13 NIV
Dear Friends,
I recall one day a while ago, when that last verse sprung out at me. It comes in Luke’s gospel where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray, and we’re given a more abridged version of what we call the Lord’s Prayer than in Matthew’s gospel. Jesus goes on to talk about perseverance in prayer, encouraging the disciples, and us, ‘to ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.’ (Luke 11.9-10 NIV)
The three verses after that, at the top of this letter, could be used for a Fathers’ Day service, which this year falls on the 16th of this month. But what sprung out to me as quite a surprise realization, are relevant to another celebration this month, that of Pentecost, where we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on 9th of this month.
Jesus says, ‘how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!’ All we have to do is ask for the Holy Spirit. What an amazing revelation. The Holy Spirit is there for us, for any of us to ask for. Not only that, in the parable of the father who gives good gifts to his children, Jesus is comparing the Holy Spirit to more than a good gift – the best gift.
Some of us may find the concept of the Holy Spirit, or the work of the Holy Spirit, difficult. Yet Jesus describes her as this gift, this really good gift, something we don’t need to be worried about, but to ask for.
In Paul’s letters, there is a lot about the Holy Spirit, describing the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. Paul also tells us that unless we have the Holy Spirit living in us, we are unable to say, “Jesus is Lord” (1 Corinthians 12.3 NIV). That points to the Spirit living in each of us as believers.
In that sense, the Holy Spirit grows us in our faith: helps us to be more Christ-like in how we respond to others; helps us to know what to pray; and who will give us the words to say in difficult situations when we are witnessing to Jesus.
In some of that, although we are promised the Holy Spirit living in us, we can also ask for the help we need, in the situations we find our-selves in. And we can also ask for the gifts of the Spirit. Those gifts are to help in the work of the Church especially. They are not there for us to look good, like the Pharisees standing on street corners to pray, but so that we can further the work of the Kingdom.
Love in Christ,
Clare <><
Prayer Meeting
Our monthly prayer meeting is on Wednesday 12th June, 10.30-11am. As we’re now exploring the Holy Habit of Prayer, think about coming to pray in the silence with us. We share prayer needs before we begin and have about 20mins prayer in the quiet, opened and closed by Margaret Madill.
Coffee & Conversation
Details this month will be announced in the notices, except to say it might be on how to write prayers.
VOICES FROM ACROSS THE WATER
A celebration of American Choral Music
HYDE PARK UNITED METHODIST CHANCEL CHOIR
From
TAMPA, FLORIDA, USA
The concert will be held at Headingley Methodist Church at 7.30pm on Thursday, 6th June. They will be performing a very mixed programme ranging from spirituals to choral classics and traditional melodies. Tickets, costing £5 will be available in advance or on the door. Please see the poster in the vestibule.
Proceeds in aid of WaterAid.
THE GUILD
We shall be holding our monthly lunch on Tuesday, 11th June, meeting as usual at about 12.30pm for lunch at 1 o’clock. All are welcome.
Our afternoon meeting will be on Tuesday, 25th June when Isabel Dewhirst will be relating tales of ‘Life at the Grand’. Isabel spent many years working at the Grand Theatre in Leeds and she has ‘rubbed shoulders’ with musicians, dancers, actors, the paying public and even Royal Patrons. Prepare to be amused and surprised – and do think about joining us if you cannot usually come. The time is 2.30pm and, as usual, we shall finish the meeting with a cup of tea!
A REMINDER
We were informed at the April Church Meeting that Synod was in the process of distributing £3,000 to each church. The money is designated toward some aspect of ‘Mission’and if you have any ideas about how it could be used in our church, please let Aleck Brownjohn or Ian Henderson know, preferably before the July Church Meeting.
| VESTRY ELDERS | 2nd | June | Elissa Grant |
| 9th | June | Ian Henderson |
| 16th | June | Joan McShane |
| 23rd | June | Pat van Lemmen |
| 30th | June | Susan Bollon |
Please let the relevant Elder know if you have a notice you wish to be read out in church that Sunday; if possible, by the previous Wednesday.
| FLOWERS FOR JUNE | |||
| ARRANGEMENT | DISTRIBUTION | ||
| 2nd | June | Flower Fund | Mrs P Hood |
| 9th | June | Flower Fund | Mrs E Grant |
| 16th | June | Mrs B Pickersgill | Mrs B Mackintosh |
| 23rd | June | Flower Fund | Mrs S Smith |
| 30th | June | Flower Fund | Mrs P van Lemmen |
Once more, grateful thanks to all who help with the flowers. They give much pleasure in church, and to those who receive them.
AUDREY JONES
JULY/AUGUST NEWSLETTER
Please may I have all contributions for the next edition by Sunday, 23rd June. You can either give me articles by hand or by email to mjbrownjohn@ntlworld.com. The newsletter may not be available until the first week of July, so if you wish to send me any notice for that period, I shall be happy to put it in.
MARGARET BROWNJOHN
Prayer Service – Thy Kingdom Come
Sunday 2nd June, 6.30pm
At South Parade Baptist Church
A service of worship, prayer and teaching as part of
the global ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ prayer initiative
(https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)
This is followed by prayers on the streets for Headingley
I would encourage as many of us as possible to go along, especially as it fits in with our current theme of prayer
Christian Aid Week Collection 2019
Money’s returned by Sunday, 19th May.
Pauline, Phil and I spent this afternoon counting the C/A money returned to-day. Thanks must go to Pauline for still hosting the counting.
House -to-House Total £430.43
BP Garage Far Headingley £267.62 (This includes the C/A tin on the garage counter)
Church £211.18
TOTAL £909.23
A very big THANK YOU to all the collectors and the members and friends at the church who gave most generously. I really did not think we would raise anything like this amount. Unfortunately we were unable to cover four of our previously covered streets.
The suggestion by Christian Aid to use the deliver only system with a central collection point was not accepted by businesses in Headingley.
Joan McShane
MORNING WORSHIP IN JUNE
We shall be welcoming some old friends and new to lead our worship this month.
On 2nd June Mrs Helen Windsor, from Knaresborough URC, will join us. Helen usually brings her guitar and introduces us to a new worship song. Members of Headingley Methodist Church will be worshipping with us.
On 16th June our worship will be led by Mrs Alison Devlin from Wigton Moor URC. We are pleased to welcome her again.
Our good friend Rev Phil Chilvers will be with on 23rd June. Phil will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of his Ordination into the ministry that week and we are honoured that he has chosen to share the day with us. Our worship will include the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
On 30th June Rev Helen Lambert from Trinity URC, Rawdon will lead worship. This is the first time she has visited us and we hope you will be able to attend that week to give her a warm welcome.
OUR LENT PROJECT
We were able to send cheques to the value of £1,056.11p to the charity ‘Open Doors’ which has now served and supported persecuted Christians for 60 years. We responded to this need after members had heard Rev Peter Clarkson speak on this subject following his sabbatical studies.
There is a letter of thanks from the organisation on the Notice Board.