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The Priory and Parish Church of St James, Deeping
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The Church, the world-wide Church through the ages, I mean, has a lot to answer for. How often I have heard people say that they do not attend church because ... and out comes a list of shortcomings. Often fair criticism, sometimes not, but what will suffer either way is the relationship between God and his people, for if they do not attend church the chances are slim that their relationship with God may grow. Regular Bible reading, prayer and preaching, not to mention the sacraments, are not easily provided by other means.
Then there are some who blame God himself - or, at least, the way they perceive God to be or have been. “He lets all that violence go on, so I don’t believe in him” (!) or “I won’t worship him.” But God is a bit bigger than that, and we need him much more than he needs us! We may not understand his ways, but that is because of our own limitations as creatures not because of his shortcomings as creator. A big dose of humility is sometimes needed to counter the Frank Sinatra attitude to life: we need not to do it “my way” but God’s way, and then we shall find true joy in this life and for eternity.
This is a counsel of perfection and it will take more than a human lifespan to learn how to do things God’s way, but we shall not do it any quicker by turning our backs on the Church - even with its undoubted imperfections - for we find God in each other. And so long as we try, God will make up our shortcomings from his own infinite goodness and love, presenting us faultless at the last no matter how faulty we may have begun.
1st August, 9th Sunday after Trinity:
10am: Romans 9: 1-5; Matthew 14: 13-21
8th August, 10th Sunday after Trinity:
10am: Romans 10: 5-15; Matthew 14: 22-33
15th August, Blessed Virgin Mary:
10am:
Galatians 4: 4-7; Luke 1: 46-55
6pm: Philippians 1: 20-26; Luke 11: 9-13
22nd August, 12th Sunday after Trinity:
10am: Romans 12: 1-8; Matthew 16: 13-20
29th August, 13th Sunday after Trinity:
10am: Romans 12: 9-21; Matthew 16: 21-28
5th September, 14th Sunday after Trinity:
10am: Romans 13: 8-14; Matthew 18: 15-20
First of all I must apologise for my last article on this subject, which may have given the impression that the Council is both riven by strife and organised into party groups. This is not the case and I am sorry if that is how it seemed from what I wrote: as soon as I saw the article in print I could see that I had not quite said what I wanted to say. Having now been to two more meetings I would say rather that there are simply coincidences of people with similar outlook on the matters we have considered - which is probably what I’d have said last month if I had thought about it rather more.
The scheduled meeting at the end of June was a bit of a disappointment. Both chairman and vice-chairman were absent and there was a (contested) election for a chairman for that meeting. Main agenda items were those raised by the vice-chairman at the previous meeting, and these were held over until he could be present, leaving the Council with only a small amount of “village housekeeping” business, worthwhile but not worth writing about here. One thing which can be mentioned is the official “unveiling” of the Cross on 18th September at 11am. Representatives from various village organisations (including the parish church) are being invited and our bells will be rung. The writer John Timpson will be present.
There was an extra meeting in July to discuss the procedure for recruiting a new Parish Clerk to succeed Louis Jones who recently gave notice of his retirement after fifty-four years of public service as Clerk. His contribution to Deeping St James affairs is inestimable and his fund of knowledge probably greater than any of the councillors. A small sub-committee is advertising the post and sifting applications as well as reviewing the duties expected of the Clerk, the opportunity of the vacancy being taken to consider if any changes need to be made.
We welcome to the Lord's Family:
We congratulate:
We commend to God's keeping:
also Florence Annie Trimm (88), Thomas Gallie (62) and Horace Frederick Baxter (77), whose funerals were held at Peterborough Crematorium on 7th, 25th and 28th June respectively.
This is only an extract from some of our magazine. Residents of Deeping St James can subscribe to the printed version.
Back issues are available on line as follows:
November 1997;
December 1997;
January 1998;
February 1998;
March 1998;
April 1998;
May 1998;
June 1998;
July 1998;
August 1998;
September 1998;
October 1998;
November 1998;
December 1998;
January 1999;
February 1999;
March 1999;
April 1999;
May 1999;
July 1999.