Bartholomew the Apostle. Detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale. Ravena, Italy
Bartholomew the Apostle/10th Sunday after Trinity
Bible readings:
Isaiah 58:9b-end;
Psalm 103:1-8;
Hebrews 12:18-end;
Luke 13:10-17
Announcement
The Bishop of Truro, The Right Reverend David Williams, is sorry to announce that, for personal reasons, the Reverend Claire Louise Towns has withdrawn from the process to become Priest in Charge (with oversight responsibility) of the Benefice of St Mary’s with St Paul and St John the Baptist in Penzance, The Benefice of St Peter’s, Newlyn, and the Benefice of Paul in the Diocese of Truro, known locally as the Penlee Cluster. She will remain, therefore, as Priest in Charge of St Thomas, Wells with the Horringtons and St Michael and All Angels, Dinder in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. This is disappointing news, and the search for a new Priest in Charge here will resume immediately.
Reflection
This week, we are delighted to feature the text of Victoria’s talk on NightChurch, which she has recently delivered to the churches in the Cluster.
Recruited by Grace: Living the Abundant Life of the Kingdom
As I was preparing to share about the outreach we do through NightChurch, I was thinking, should I write about how many people come, the fellowship, that we share we a meal together, the stories we hear of people’s pain, prayer ministry, the privilege of journeying alongside people, seeing the light of Jesus in unexpected ways, how two guests burst into a hymn that they remembered from their childhood, a comment made of the presence of God in this place. Or even what I’ve learnt about mission during the past three years of studying at St Mellitus. But I kept returning to the gospel. My hope is that I give you a sense of what NightChurch is all about. Better still though come and see: NightChurch is every Wednesday evening from 6pm to 9pm.
In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that ‘he has come so that we may have life, and have it to the full.’ This is the vision of NightChurch: a people of hope, reaching out so that everyone in our community may experience the abundance of God’s kindness. Not simply survival, not spiritual scarcity, but flourishing. A life lived fully, freely, and together.
I love the story in the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus enters Simon’s house and heals his mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31). Immediately after being restored, she gets up and begins to serve them, not out of obligation or expectation, but as a free and joyful response to grace.
We often hear the phrase ‘hurt people hurt people’. But just as true is this: healed people heal people. Not through perfection, duty or social expectation, but as a natural overflow of what has been received. When Jesus touches someone, he doesn’t just restore their health, he restores their identity, their dignity, their place in the community. Jesus wasn’t just about healing isolated individuals either. His mission was and is to restore all things, to gather up what has been broken, with an invitation into the wholeness of the Kingdom of God. Every healing, every act of mercy, is a recruitment into that mission.
That is what we are part of. That is what it means to follow Christ. When we love, when we speak truth, when we offer compassion to our neighbours, we pass on what has been given to us. We rise, we serve, and we step into the story that Jesus is still writing. Because here’s the thing: in the Kingdom of God, there is no personal treasure, only shared gifts. There is no ranking, no hierarchy. There are only open hands, giving and receiving. The healing of all creation began in the life of Jesus, and it continues now through our hands, through our lives. We see this grace made visible: in the waters of baptism, where new life begins. At the Lord’s Table, where all are fed. In the gentle hand of prayer, reaching out in love. Our hands are what God uses. Hands that no matter what our stories are, have as much to receive as they have to give. We are called into the beautiful redemptive story of God’s love for all of humanity. We, every single one of us, are part of Jesus’ dream team.
And when we say ‘all are welcome’, we don’t mean ‘all are welcome if…’ or ‘all are welcome until…’. We mean it because Jesus meant it. Every barrier has been broken down.
And when we say ‘all are welcome’, we don’t mean ‘all are welcome if…’ or ‘all are welcome until…’. We mean it because Jesus meant it. Every barrier has been broken down. Every person is included not because we are particularly nice or tolerant but because Jesus has made it so. Let us open our eyes, hearts, and hands, to embody the good news of welcome and abundance. The Kingdom of God has indeed come near.
May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that we may live deep within our hearts. May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in the world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all. Amen. – Victoria, NightChurch
CLUSTER INFORMATION & EVENTS
Celtic Morning Prayer
Each weekday morning on zoom from 8.00am-8.30am. If you would like to attend, please email Keno admin@penleecluster.org.uk for zoom details.
Julian Prayer Group
The Julian Group will meet on zoom at 6.00pm this Sunday, 24th August. If you would like to attend, please email Mel at mlevesconte@hotmail.co.uk for zoom details. For reflection:
Prayer Requests
If you are concerned about someone and would like their name included in the Prayer Request Group’s weekly prayer list, please do email Mel at mlevesconte@hotmail.co.uk by 7.00pm on Tuesday evenings. Thank you.
NightChurch Volunteer wanted…
We are looking for a volunteer to join our NightChurch Outreach Team every Wednesday from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
The role is to prep and cook in the kitchen, allowing the rest of the team to focus fully on welcoming and supporting our guests. If you enjoy cooking, feel led to serve in a practical way, and can offer a couple of hours each week, we would love to hear from you! No formal experience needed, just a heart to serve and a willingness to help. Interested? Please speak to Victoria at nightchurchpenzance@gmail.com
Bric-a-brac & Book Sale at St. Peter’s Church
Monday 25th August
Come along to St. Peter’s bric-a-brac and book sale on Bank Holiday Monday (25th August) from 11.30am – 1.30pm. Refreshments, including hot and cold drinks, as well as Ploughman’s lunches and cakes will be available. All welcome!
Paul Church Talk:
Judges I have Loved
a talk by John Gallagher KC
Tuesday 2nd September
Last year John Gallagher gave us a thoughtful and discussion-provoking analysis of the current state and future role of the Law. Given his career history as an accredited Mediator, a Barrister, Master of the Bench of Gray’s Inn and since 1994 a part time Judge of the Crown and County Court, few can be better qualified to speak on his chosen 2025 topic. He has subtitled it ‘Judges I have known: the good, the bad and the judgly’…. This year’s talk may well be even more memorable, definitely not to be missed. Doors open at 7.00pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm. £5.00 entry, includes nibbles. Drinks on sale before and afterwards.
St. Peter’s Art Exhibition
Back in May St. Peter’s held its annual very successful and ever-growing Art Exhibition. Monies raised – £683.29 – was shared with the Penlee Lifeboat Newlyn. So, on Wednesday 20th August Lynda, Diane (Churchwardens), Rev. Derath with Jane and Nigel Haward made their way to the Lifeboat Station in Newlyn Harbour. The plan was to have a photo with the RNLI volunteers and relief coxswain Neville Pittman, taken next to the lifeboat and handover a cheque for £300, but the crews’ pagers bleeped, as we were there, giving us the chance to see how the money would be spent – pair of yellow wellies I thought! With the cheque safely donated, the crew took the lifeboat to sea to give medical assistance to someone on board a yacht four miles south of Tater Du lighthouse. – Lynda, St. Peter’s
Congratulations!
We at St. Mary’s are delighted to report that our dear friend and brother in Christ, Alex, received a distinction in Games Design at Penwith College and will be off to Plymouth in September to start his BA degree in Filmmaking. We’ll miss Alex and thank him heartily for all he’s done for our church and for his friendship and wish him all the very best as he takes this next step in his journey.
NightChurch
There is much happening at NightChurch, from the Sketchbook Project to shared meals and moments of reflection together. We would love you to be part of the journey, even throughout the week! Nothing we do is possible without God’s guiding hand, so we ask you to partner with us in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer and know that God moves in all we do. Additionally, please follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates, stories and ways to be involved. It is a simple way to stay connected, share encouragement and spread the word about NightChurch.
