Notes from around the Parishes, September 2018

Harpley & the Massinghams

Mercy and the Cross of Christ:

Recent stories in the news have caused me to reflect on the Christian
understanding of mercy.
Mercy is showing compassion or forgiveness to someone in one’s
power to punish or to harm. Human relationships can be very
complicated but we always have the capacity to be kind and generous.
Often there is inequality in our relationships - one person being
stronger than another, either physically or emotionally: the stronger
person who has power is the one who can show mercy. You may
remember a song by Duffy called Mercy? Making someone beg for mercy is really
harsh because we can freely choose to treat each other with kindness. An action to
relieve suffering of any kind is a merciful act.
Imagine a prisoner on Death Row in America, facing the death penalty; the state
governor has the power to be merciful and intervene, commuting the death sentence to
life imprisonment. He can show mercy. We too can show mercy, in much less dramatic
ways, in the way we behave to one another. Can you think of a time when you showed
mercy to someone else?
Shakespeare wrote: “The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain
from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: it blesses he who gives and he
who receives.” Everyone benefits from mercy.
Christians call Jesus Christ ‘our merciful redeemer’. He gave his life for us on the
Cross, so that we might live as redeemed people, freed from sin. When he died Jesus
took away our sins - and the sins of the whole world: he showed mercy. The old hymn
states: “There’s wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea. . .” a powerful
image of the vast, limitless nature of God’s mercy.
The Cross is the powerful symbol of Jesus’s unfailing mercy to us. We are weak, we
don’t always do the right thing - but Jesus is merciful and he will always forgive us. The
Cross is the universal symbol of our faith as Christians. It can remind us of many things:
suffering, humility, reconciliation… and also, importantly, hope and love. God offers
us the hope of redemption through Jesus Christ. God loves us unconditionally; we are
made in his image to reflect his truth and light and we each have the opportunity for a
personal relationship with God through faith. This is what the Cross reminds us of: our
merciful God, who always loves us, even though we don’t deserve it.
The Bible tells us: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come
to an end. They are new every morning.”
What an inspiring thought to keep in mind. With love, Judith.
**********
The Rev’d Jane has hung up her boots and returned from her sabbatical.
If you would like to know more about her journeys of ‘Prayer &
Pilgrimage’ then you are invited to come along to St Botolph’s, Grimston,
on Saturday, 8th Sept from 7pm.
SERVICES ACROSS THE GROUP in September
Sunday, September 2nd ~ 14th Sunday after Trinity
0930 Family Service St Lawrence’s, Harpley
1100 Holy Communion St Mary’s, Great Mass
0830 Holy Communion All Saints’, Ashwicken
1030 Holy Communion St Botolph’s, Grimston
1030 Morning Praise St Nicholas’, Gayton
3pm Group Prayer Meeting All Saints’, Roydon
6pm Sung Evensong St Andrew’s, Congham
Weds, 5th Sept 9am Holy Communion at St Lawrence’s, Harpley

Sunday, September 9th, ~ 15th Sunday after Trinity

1030 Group Holy Communion St Andrew’s, Lt Mass

4pm The Gap Pott Row Methodist Chapel

Sunday, Sept 16th ~ 16th Sunday after Trinity

0930 Holy Communion St Andrew’s’, Little Massingham
1100 Family Service St Mary’s, Great Massingham
1115 Sung Holy Communion St Lawrence’s, Harpley
0830 Holy Communion All Saints’, Roydon
1030 Holy Communion St Nicholas’, Gayton
1030 Morning Praise St Botolph’s, Grimston
Weds, Sept 19th ~ 9am Holy Communion at St Botolph’s, Grimston
Many will remember John Ashe who retired in March after 9 years as Archdeacon of
Lynn. He set up the Archdeacon’s Charge (which our parishes have supported over the
last six years); to raise funds for the Air Ambulance and Norfolk parishes.
The new Archdeacon is the Rev’d Canon Ian Bentley; he has ministered in the Norwich
Diocese since his ordination in 1995, most recently as Vicar of St Peter Mancroft,
Norwich. His previous (15 year) career was as a teacher, but he was also licensed as a
Reader. The final nudge towards ordination came when he was a Deputy Head at a
school for Service Children in Germany, after he was in contact with troops heading off
for the First Gulf War. He will be installed on Sunday 9th September in a service at
Norwich Cathedral. One of the jobs an Archdeacon has is to monitor the parishes and
our Benefice will welcome him on his ‘Visitation’ on 12th/ 13th Sept. He will spend time
at each church but will also join us and preach at a service of Holy Communion on 23rd
September.
Sunday, Sept 23rd ~ 17th Sunday after Trinity
Welcoming the new Archdeacon of Lynn
1030 Group Holy Communion St Botolph’s, Grimston
(The services usually held on the 4th Sunday will take place on the 5th Sunday in September:)
Sunday, Sept 30th ~ 18th Sunday after Trinity
1100 Holy Communion St Mary’s, Great Massingham
0830 Holy Communion St Andrew’s, Congham
1030 Family Service St Botolph’s, Grimston
3pm Celtic Worship St Mary’s, Gayton Thorpe
Weds, 3rd October 9am Holy Communion at St Lawrence’s, Harpley
Sunday, October 7th ~ 19th Sunday after Trinity
0930 Family Service St Lawrence’s, Harpley
1100 Holy Communion St Mary’s, Great Mass
0830 Holy Communion St Mary’s, East Walton
1030 Holy Communion St Botolph’s, Grimston
1030 Morning Praise St Nicholas’, Gayton
3pm Prayer Meeting St Mary’s, East Walton

From the Registers:

Baptisms:
At St Mary’s on 8th July
Alice Jane Taylor

At St Lawrence’s, Harpley, on 29th July:

Emmie Aurora Armime Watts
Marriages at St Mary’s, Great Massingham:
18th Aug Simon John Watson & Hannah Elizabeth Haistead-Stockwell
25th Aug Stephen Gary Sillis & Anna Marie Rose

Our Ministry Team:

Team Rector Rev’d Jane Holmes, The Rectory, Gayton 01553 636227
Team Vicar Rev’d Judith Pollard, The Rectory, Grimston 01485 601251
To arrange Baptisms, Marriages, or Funerals please contact the Rev’d Judith (her day off is Friday).

HC4U HC4U HC4U

3 days at the end of July saw Massingham Village Hall echoing with the sounds of children
having fun as the Church Holiday Club swung into action for the fourth year: Stories,
quizzes, music, crafts, games and more were enjoyed by children and helpers alike! Points
were earned and prizes awarded with Lacey Reeve receiving an extra prize as she had the
most points: 25 children from 16 families took part making it the most successful year yet.
Make a date! ~ Back next year in first week of the hols (DV)! Thanks to Kim and her team
for all their hard work. Check out the pictures on the church web-site: www.ggmbenefice.uk
Julian Thomson (01485 520721) would love to hear from anyone interested in
joining the singing group he plans to (re-)start in the first week of October. It
will be a time to get together for a vocal warm-up and to sing hymns and songs old
and new; aiming eventually to prepare pieces which could be included in a church
service.
The Norfolk Churches Trust Sponsored Bike Ride and Walk from 9am on Sat, 8th Sept
Julian will be setting off on his bike Can you sponsor him? The Bike
Ride has raised around £2,800,000 over the past 32 years. You can join in too More
details in churches or from http://norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/bike-ride/taking-part

Embroidery Exhibition in St Andrew’s, Little Massingham ~ Sat 8th Sept in aid of the
roof fund (suggested donation is £3). Two C18th samplers will be on display: The
Mary Dowell ‘Visitors’ Sampler and the (slightly older) small ‘Norfolk Darning Sampler’,
made in about 1765 http://www.brereton.org.uk/LMassinghamExhibition

Afternoon Teas ~ Every Wednesday from 3pm

in St Mary’s Church, Great Massingham.

Monday, 24th Sept 10:30am to 1pm at 15, St Lawrence Cl, Harpley

As in past years Christine will be cooking up a warm welcome for us all.
Look out for other events at schools and Gt Mass Village Hall
on Friday 28th Sept

Year of Prayer & Pilgrimage

Continues with a series of seven Thursday evening sessions
Held at Pott Row Methodist Chapel.
Tea/Coffee at 6:30pm ~ Finish by 9pm
Prayer - Do we care?
6th Sept “What is Prayer?” Led by John Wallis
13th Sept “Poetry as Prayer” Led by Catherine Dixon
20th Sept “Praying with young people” Led by Paul Niemiec
27th Sept “Praying through the arts” Led by Susanna Gunner
4th Oct “Praying in our busyness” Led by Bishop Jonathan

LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS With The Bilton Silver (Rugby) Band
St Botolph’s Church, Grimston. Saturday 22nd September ~ 7:30pm
Tickets £10 From David Ellis 01553 674286 ~ Tickets at door subject to availability
Please send items for inclusion in the October issue of the ‘Parish Notes’ to the editor by 20th
Sept ~ Rosemary Mehers rosemarymehers@hotmail.com or Tel: 01485 521866