13th February 2022

The Parish Churches of

St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with

St Saviour Aston by Stone

Todays Gospel is “The Sermon on the Plain”.  We all know about the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthews Gospel, but this is like a miniature Sermon on the Mount.

It is called the Sermon on the Plain because, according to Luke “Jesus came down from the Mount and stood on a Level Place”.   Jesus was talking to all his disciples, not just the twelve, but to all of us. His teaching here is not for the super spiritual, but for every follower of Jesus .Matthews Gospel gives us the Beattitudes, but Luke refers to them as Blessings and Woes, four of each. To be blessed means to be favoured by God. And this favoured status shows up in what is given - possession of the kingdom, being satisfied, laughing, and having a great reward in heaven“ Woe” is a way of pronouncing God’s curse or judgment on someone. The judgments are: no hope of the kingdom, hunger, weeping, and although the fourth is left unsaid, the opposite of reward is condemnation. Some of the blessing come now, and some later when the kingdom comes in its fullness. As with the blessings, some of the judgment occurs now, and some later, at the final judgment.

The coming of the kingdom brings about –The great reversal the exalted one and the humble one will trade places Disciples who are poor, hungry, weeping and rejected are exalted with the coming of the kingdom.

And disciples who are rich, well fed, laughing and socially accepted are brought low and judged.  Jesus is very clear. The coming of the kingdom will turn everything upside down.

Nichola Abbott

Hymns for today

                        Aston                          Stone

56                                56

            63                                63

                        122                              122

127/175                       463/386

148                              485

Please pray for the sick in the benefice:

Elsie Richardson, Vera Tomkinson, Gary Kelsall, John Richardson, Peter Bowler, Catherine Ritchie, Miles Brain, John & Ann Shuttleworth, Margaret Wright, Molly Wright, Norman Latham, Gillian Wright, John Hargreaves, June Stringer, Pam Miles, Jean Gulliver, Margaret Tomlinson, Dave McGlynn, Sue Kenchington, Carl Hartley, Mike Thompson, Helen Tallent, John Ecclestone, A’bella,

For the recently departed, remembering their families and friends:

Trevor Holland, Eileen Knapper, George Babb, Jacqui Meredith, Martin Wemyss, Sheila Evans, Graham Little, Monika Delonge

Remembering their families and friends at this time

This week:

Tuesday 15^th 11.45am- 1pm DROP INN CAFE St Michael’s Hall

Thursday 17^th 10.30am Holy Communion – St M&W

LATEST COVID GUIDANCE

The latest advice from Government to churches is that Social Distancing and mask wearing is still strongly advised. Both PCC^s have voted to uphold this.

MESSY CHURCH PLANNING

This will take place on Wednesday 23^rd February at 7.30pm. The venue will be confirmed once we know how many people are able to attend. Please let Edith know if you can attend.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

This will take place on Friday 4^th March at 2pm. It will be hosted by The Church at the Crossing. Everyone is welcome to attend.