Hilary at the BBC Radio Cornwall – Make a Difference Awards
Bible readings: Romans 14:1-12 and Matthew 18: 21–35
Gospel Reading [NRSVA]
Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’
CLUSTER INFORMATION & EVENTS
Celtic Morning Prayer – Each weekday morning on zoom 8:00am – 8:30am. Please email Keno for zoom details.
Breakfast and Breathe – This group for parents and carers meets every Monday at St Mary’s at 9:30am. We share breakfast, friendship and fellowship. We have craft activities and also have an optional gentle faith-related activity. Please let Hilary know if you are coming to this so we know numbers.
Fellowship Lunch at St Mary’s – Every Monday midday.
Lunch Club at Paul Hall – The next lunch on Monday 14th September Lunch Club will be in the Kings Arms. Mary
Emmaus Group is a diverse, friendly group reflecting on a Bible reading every Tuesday, 5-6pm, at Paul Church Hall
Please note that Emmaus will not be meeting in the hall on the 15th September. Please contact paulwarden@penleecluster.org.uk for more details. All are very welcome. Kevin
Night Church at St Mary’s – 6pm to 9pm every Wednesday, join us for dinner, reflection and singing. A warm welcome awaits. This is a place for everyone. Victoria
Psalm Prayer Group – Every Thursday at 11:15am we read, pray and meditate on a Psalm. Come and join us at St Mary’s. Josie
Meditation Group – Every Friday a Meditation group meets at St Mary’s church at 10:30am. This is a welcoming and supportive space for everyone in the community. Vicky
Christian Meditation and Contemplative Prayer
Last Monday of the month at St Mary’s at 6pm. We look forward to being together in silent worship. Vicky
St Mary’s Patronal Festival
On Sunday 13th September at 12:30pm, there will be a roast lunch following the communion service to celebrate our Patronal Festival. All welcome!
Julian Prayer Group
The Julian Group meets at 6pm at St. Pol de Leon church on the first Sunday of the month, and online via zoom other Sundays. If you would like to attend, please email Mel at mlevesconte@hotmail.co.uk for zoom details. No online meeting this Sunday 13th September. Mel
Proposed Pastoral Scheme affecting Penlee Cluster – Consultation
The Truro Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee has prepared a draft Pastoral Scheme for our four churches in the Cluster, which will unify them as one benefice. The scheme includes a number of important proposals for reorganisation and we are all invited to make representations either for or against by 14th September. Print-outs of the proposal are available in our churches and you can also find details on our cluster website here: https://www.penleecluster.org.uk/explore-our-cluster/
St Mary’s church Tidy Up
Saturday 26th September 9.30-12 noon.
Please come along to help tidy up the church space. If you feel you’d love to help out but don’t feel up to moving things around, please offer to come along for about 10.45am when we’ll stop for some refreshments. If you’d like to help out in some way, please be in touch. Thank you so much. Rev Jacky and Eliza
St Peter’s Church – Macmillan Cream Teas
Saturday 26th September at 2pm.
All welcome. Thank you. Lynda
Cluster Harvest Service
Sunday 27th September at 11am.
Everyone across the cluster is invited to come together for a Harvest celebration at St Pol de Leon, where we will collect items for the foodbank and give thanks for all of God’s provision, in our lives and in our wider communities. Current requests for the Foodbank include tinned vegetables and fruit, tea bags, coffee and sugar, tinned meals and soups; all very appropriate for harvest gifts. We’ll update the requests ahead of the service, but please feel free to buy any of the above as you go shopping. Thank you! Rev Jacky
BBC Radio Cornwall – Make A Difference Awards
Wednesday 9th September started like most other days for me: listen to the headlines on Radio 4; cycle through a sleepy range of bafflement, occasional delight, but mainly anger or dismay, then onwards into a time of prayer that often feels like a refuge from the world. From 3.30pm, however, I found myself returning to that hopeful, compact piece of theology from John’s prologue: ‘And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.’ I was at the BBC Radio Cornwall Make A Difference Awards in Truro, the proud guest of our very own Hilary, who was nominated in the volunteer category. The awards recognise and honour those people and groups who serve their communities and it would surprise absolutely no one who knows her that Hilary was a finalist in this category.
Hilary was nominated for the work she does for the Rainbow Project, which offers families emotional and practical support in our area. In this vocation, Hilary is driven by her faith and her commitment to social justice; as her friend, I’ve seen up close how these are not divisible. ‘Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith’: in Hilary, I see that passion for getting on and serving the needs of others embodying James’ message.
I’ve always loved the King James translation of John 1:5. Many modern translations use the word ‘overcome’, but ‘comprehended’ can take the weight of perhaps a richer interpretation, that of understanding. As I sat there watching the films of each nominee across eight categories, it occurred to me that the darkness does not understand the light. The light baffles it. It’s a daily temptation to see what we modestly refer to as ‘small acts of kindness’ (though no act of kindness is small in God’s economy) as not as real somehow as the great acts of violence and hard-heartedness currently engulfing our world, but they are. And though Hilary did not win in her category (receiving instead a highly commended award), every nominee there exemplified the logic of love, which the darkness simply cannot understand, much less overcome. May all the finalists and winners yesterday continue to do what they do, day by day, while we here in Penzance celebrate our dear friend Hilary with particular joy.
– Josie
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 by 7pm on Tuesday evenings.
If you would like to join the group and could spend a little time each week praying the list in your personal prayer time, please do contact Mel at mlevesconte@hotmail.co.uk who will add you to the circulation list. Information is not shared and members’ names are not circulated within or outside the group. Mel
