Usk Ministry Area
Ministry Area Leader, Kevin Hasler, 078 3679 5753 [email protected]
Associate Priest, Graham Opperman, 01633 450 811 [email protected]
Assistant Curate, Pamela Love, 01633 450 347 [email protected]
Website: www.uskma.uk
Sunday, 12th March 2017
2nd Sunday of Lent
09.00
08.00
10.30
11.15
10.30
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
St Thomas, Wolvesnewton
St Mary, Usk
St Mary, Usk
Ss Peter, Paul, & John, Llantrisant
St Madoc, Llanbadoc,
joint service for St Andrew,
Tredunnoc, St Cybi, Llangybi and
Christchurch, Coed-y-Paen
Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your
truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant that all
who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion, may reject
those things that are contrary to their baptism, and follow in the way
of Jesus Christ our Lord; who is alive and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Post Communion
Creator of heaven and earth, we thank you for these holy mysteries
given us by our Lord Jesus Christ, by which we receive your grace
and are assured of your love, now and for ever. Amen.
Prayer List: Pamela Davies, Daphne Llewellin, Eira Price,
Les Williams, John & Jeanette Jones, Laura Philips,
Ruth Antuck, Nancy Jones, Simon Byford, Trish McLoughlin; Pru
Williams, Olive Howells and Chloe Hancock.
Years Mind: Frederick John Jones (13th); Jeanette Fry (16th)
MEDITATION
We have two magnificent passages today, the first from
Genesis reminds us of Abraham. Perhaps 4,000 years ago,
Abraham believed that God was leading him to go on a
journey.
"Leave your country," God told Abraham.
"Leave your people and your family.
Leave all that you hold dear and familiar.
Go to the land I will show you."
We are then told
"So Abraham left, as the Lord had told him."
I wonder if you think that Abraham actually heard that voice
out loud in his head and thought, ‘that must be God speaking’.
Personally I doubt it. I suspect that Abraham probably had a gut
feeling, then anguished over what he should he do and after
much soul searching eventually made a decision hoping for the
best. There is no doubt that Abraham in doing as he did,
changed history for ever.
Abraham set out in faith, not knowing where he was going, or
even why he was going, except that he hoped it was the right
thing to do. Many things must have told him not to do what he
was doing
1. It was a move from the known to the unknown, leaving
behind friends.
2. It was doing something which placed in him in a vulnerable
place, outside of his comfort zone.
3. He was leaving behind security and facing an unpredictable
future.
Nevertheless he acted in a committed fashion and found that in
that act of faith he was blessed. That call which Abraham
received, is repeated day in and day out to all of us.
God challenges us to move beyond that which we know and
which gives us security.
Few people ever have God’s guidance in unmistakeable words
or images. We struggle to capture the words which God wants
us to hear.
In spite of this lack of clarity, nevertheless God does call us,
lead us, and encourage us to move, just like Abraham. We
might be led in all sorts of new ways, to new challenges, to new
ideas, to leave behind our prejudices, our small mindedness or
our childish views.
It takes courage to move away from our known places but we
have God’s promises of blessing as we do.
So where does God want you to be?
God called Abraham, but he calls every one of us and wants us
to be prepared at times to leave the secure and known and
explore new territory, engage with new thoughts.
Jesus wants us to be born ‘from above’. This is about being
changed, moved along. Being a follower of Jesus means that
every day we try in small ways to make the presence of Jesus
more visible in our troubled world which he loves so very
much that he left the throne of heaven bring about its salvation.
(Some thoughts by Rev. Charles Roydon
of St. Mark’s and Putnoe Heights Church)
NEXT WEEK
Monday
13th
Tuesday
14th
Wednesday
15th
19.00
Diocesan Training event at St Mary’s
10..00
10.30
13.00
16.00
09.30
10.30
Lent Group in Llangybi
Roger Edwards Society in St Mary’s Vestry
Funeral: late Glenys Whistance – St Mary’s
Pastoral Visiting Team meeting
Morning Prayer at St Mary’s
Holy Communion at St Mary’s
10.30
12.00
Thursday
16th
Friday
17th
19.00
10.30
14.00
19.30
11.00
15.00
Llangybi Drop-In Café
Burial of ashes: late Muriel Roberts
St Mary’s
Lent Group in Usk
Coffee and Chat – Llangwm Parish Hall
Lent Group in Usk
St Mary’s Ladies Group
Prayer for healing & wholeness at St Mary’s
Stations of the Cross St. Mary’s
Sunday, 19th March – 3rd Sunday of Lent
10.30
08.00
10.30
18.30
09.00
10.30
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Evening Prayer
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
St John, Llangwm
St Mary, Usk
St Mary, Usk
Coed-y-Paen
St Cybi, Llangybi
St Andrew, Tredunnoc
Readings: Exodus 17. 1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5. 1-11; John 4. 5-42
LENTEN GROUPS
Mondays
10.30
19.30
Tuesdays
Wednesdays
10.00
14.00
19.00
Thursdays
14.00
Forge Cottage, Llandenny
1, Clytha Cottages (behind Clytha House in
Clytha Park; drive through big gates opp
road to Bettws Newydd)
15, St. Cybi Drive, Llangybi
Dean House, Raglan
(opposite Raglan Drs Surgery
54, Maryport St, Usk
36a Maryport Street, Usk
NB stairs to climb