Dearest friends,
Palm Sunday has always struck me as a delightful and fun day. I can so easily get caught up in the expectation and the joy of the people of Jerusalem as Jesus enters the city.
I can see and hear the children as they run to meet him. This great teacher, this man who is God, Jesus who has given us so many signs and such wonderful love.
The noise, the smells, the hands held high waving palm branches crying out ‘Hosanna in the highest!’
But in the midst of that joy there is a deep darkness. It is harder for us to experience fully the joy of the people of Jerusalem because know the story, we know what comes next.
We know the agony that awaits Jesus and his disciples.
We know the darkness of the garden at Gethsemane (where we will join the Disciples in their Watch on Maundy Thursday).
We know the pain of the arrest and His condemnation. His struggle to carry the cross, His falls, the reversal of the joy of the crowds to jeers, hatred and spittle.
Palm Sunday marks the start of that journey of darkness. It also, and this is the vital part of the story, marks the start of the journey towards the light.
We KNOW that Jesus will come again, that He will rise three days later, that He will save us all – and in that joy we share a large part.
This week, accept and see the darkness… then let the light destroy it utterly.
Worship Focus
There is a great deal to dip into this week, but the highlight is either the Vigil Mass (8pm, Holy Saturday, St. John’s) or the Dawn Mass (6am, Easter Sunday, St. Luke’s).
These services are the high point of Holy Week, they’re the high point of the Christian Year and I encourage you to make every effort to come along.
Prayer Focus
For all of those who may encounter us this Easter. Who may wander into church during Holy Week and discover us at prayer. That their discovery will lead to conversion of heart and that they will come to know the loving care and Passion of Jesus Christ.
Notices
Summer Lectures
Over the summer term I don’t plan to run what you may call a traditional ‘course’. Instead I’m going to offer a series of Sunday afternoon lectures, perhaps once a fortnight. These lectures will range from ‘What is the Christian perspective on Assisted Dying’, to ‘Why was Devon so central to the Anglo-Catholic movement in England’. Suggestions over the last week or so have also included, ‘Women in scripture’, and ‘The Nicene Creed’. That gives us four very good afternoons, but is there just one more you’d love to hear more about? Let me know.
Evangelism
As the longer evenings start to warm up it’s a good opportunity to get out and invite people to our wonderful churches. In Bovey Tracey we are going to partner with PPT to visit the new estates in the parish and invite people to the loving welcome of St. John’s and PPT. In Newton Abbot we’re partnering with the rest of the Team to be in the town centre on market days to had out flyers and loving invitations. Training is provided and it’s a terrific opportunity to meet people. If you’d like to get involved please see me.
Summer Term Planning
As in previous terms we’ll meet together as two churches and plan the term ahead. The Summer Term will be based out of St. Luke’s and our planning meeting will happen there on the 30th April at 6:30pm. We’ll do a short review of the Easter term and then plan for the term ahead.
Confession
It’s a particularly important time of year to make your confession. If you’d like to see a Priest to make your confession, or simply to find out more, please send me an email or call me.
Fr. Matthew
Sunday 13th April
Palm Sunday
9am – Sung Mass, St. John’s
11am – Sung Mass, St. Luke’s
Divine Office Psalter Week 2, C(I), Palm Sunday
Upcoming Dates
April
- 30th – Summer Term Planning Meeting, 6:30pm [SL]
May
- 7th – PCC Meeting [SL]
- 16th – Bingo [SL]
- 30th – Cheese & Wine Evening [SL]
St. John’s Table Top Sale – Every 3rd Saturday at Wickham Hall
A sonnet for Holy Week
His spirit and his life he breathes in all
Now on this cross his body breathes no more
Here at the centre everything is still
Spent, and emptied, opened to the core.
A quiet taking down, a prising loose
A cross-beam lowered like a weighing scale
Unmaking of each thing that had its use
A long withdrawing of each bloodied nail,
This is ground zero, emptiness and space
With nothing left to say or think or do
But look unflinching on the sacred face
That cannot move or change or look at you.
Yet in that prising loose and letting be
He has unfastened you and set you free.
Malcolm Guite
The week ahead:
Monday 14th April
Monday of Holy Week
[prayers offered at home, Fr. Matthew’s rest day]
Prayer focus: Our Clergy
Tuesday 15th April
Tuesday of Holy Week
9:30am – Morning Prayer [SJ]
10am – Said Mass [SJ]
Prayer focus: The Parish of St. Luke’s
Wednesday 16th April
Wednesday of Holy Week
10am – Said Mass [SL]
11am – Poppins Easter Bonnet Parade [SL]
Prayer focus: The Parish of St. John’s
Thursday 17th April
Maundy Thursday
7pm – Joint Mass with Washing of Feet & Watch, [SJ]
(Watch to continue at SL from 8:30pm)
Prayer focus: The Mission of St. Luke’s and St. John’s
Friday 18th April
Good Friday
10am – Walk of Witness, St. Paul’s, Devon Square
3pm – The Liturgy of the Passion [SL & SJ]
Prayer focus: Children in hospital
Saturday 19th April
Holy Saturday
8pm – The Paschal Vigil & First Mass of Easter [SJ]
Prayer focus: All Families
Sunday 20th April
Easter Sunday
6am – Dawn Mass [SL]
9:15am – Mass of Easter Sunday [SJ]
11am – Mass of Easter Sunday [SL]
Divine Office Psalter Week 1, C(I), Easter