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Sunday,28thFebruary2021DearFriends,WeareclearlybeginningtoseeSpringemerge.Thechurchyardiscomingtolife.Snowdropsareeverywhere.Childrenarelookingforwardtogettingbacktoschool.OurgranddaughterannouncedshewantedtocuddleNanna,shedidn’twanttocuddletheiPadanymore!Holdingahandwillbesuchagift.WeheardtributestoCaptainSirTomMooreashisfuneraltookplace.Whatawonderful,humble,gentleman,aninspiration.OnMondaythePrimeMinisterannouncedhisroadmapoutoflockdown.Yesterdaythedeputychiefmedicalofficerremindedusthatweneedtocontinuetostickdiligentlytotherules,whetherornotwehavebeenvaccinated.Thisprovidesagoodopportunityforus,asChristians,toreflectonhowweshouldbehaveandhowweshouldlive,especiallygivenitsLent.TheCommandmentsandJesus’summaryofthelawprovideagoodstartingpoint.

LUKE10.27‘YoushalllovetheLordyourGodwithallyourheart,

andwithallyoursoul,andwithallyourstrength,andwithallyourmind;andyourneighbourasyourself.’

The10Commandments(seeExodus20.1-17)wereinscribedontwotabletsofstone.ThefirsttabletdescribesourobligationstoGod.Theseconddealswithourobligationsandrelationshipstootherpeople.AsfollowersofJesus,wecannotfocusonloveforGodandneglectthewaywebehavetowardsourneighbours.NorshouldwefocusonthewaywebehavetowardsourneighboursandforgetourloveforGod.

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PRAYER

AlmightyGod,youseethatwehavenopowerofourselvestohelpourselves:

keepusbothoutwardlyinourbodies,andinwardlyinoursouls;

thatwemaybedefendedfromalladversitieswhichmayhappentothebody,andfromallevilthoughtswhichmayassaultandhurtthesoul;

throughJesusChristourLord.Amen

Theidealisforourlivestobeshapedinarhythmofworshipandservice,ofloveforGodandloveforothers.Theyareinterdependentandintimatelyrelated.WeneedGodtohelpus.It’simportanttorememberthatwecannotearnGod’sfavour.Ourroleistorecognizethewrongchoiceswemake,infaithaccepthisforgiveness,whichJesusextendedtousthroughhisdeathonthecross,andreceiveGod’sgiftoftheHolySpirit.Weneedthenewheartthespiritgivesusasweaimtolivehiscommandments.

FAVOURITEHYMNPurifymyheart,

Letmebeasgoldandprecioussilver.Purifymyheart,

Letmebeasgold,puregold.

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Purifymyheart,CleansemefromwithinAndmakemeholy.Purifymyheart,

Cleansemefrommysin,deepwithin.

LastWednesdayeveningweranthefirstsessionofthisyear‘sLentcourse,whichisabouttheCommandments.17ofusjoinedonzoomat7pmandspentamostenjoyablehourorsoreflectingonGod’scommandmentsanddiscussingtheminsmallerbreak-outgroups.PleasedoletmeorJudyknowifyouwouldliketoreceiveazoominvitationforthiscomingalongWednesday.It’sawonderfulopportunitytomeettogethertoreflectonhowweshouldbehaveandhowweshouldlive.Asalways,Sundayworshiptomorrowonzoomstartsat11am.Ifyouarefree,dojoinus.Icanpromiseyou’llfeelathomeandbemadetofeelwelcome.JustletJudyknoworcallon01282859956andyou’llbesentaninvitation.Eachweekaround50joinustopray,sing,thinkaboutandlearnmoreaboutGodtogetherIfyouhaven’tdonesoalreadypleasedotryoutthediocesanLentdevotional,whichIamattachingafurthercopywiththisletter.Followingtheterriblenewsof100,000deathsfromthevirus,theArchbishopshavepeopletoprayereveryeveningat6pm.Youcanfindoutmoreinformationandarangeofresourcesathttps://www.churchofengland.org/resources/prayer-nation

WehadastunningsunriselastTuesday.

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TheDiocesanServicethisSundaycomesfromStCuthbert’s,FulwoodandcanbefoundontheDiocesanYouTubePage.

Pleasetakecareandlookafteryourselves.Youarealwaysinmythoughtsandprayers.Ifthereisanythingyouneedpleasecall.Ilovetotalkandcatchup.Ifthereareeveranyspecialprayerrequestspleaseletmeknow.Ilovetoprayeachdayandifyouarehappyforustodoso,weprayforfolkeachweekatcompline.Withloveandmanyblessings,RevJohnMobile:07845790421john.knott51@iCloud.com

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TRADITIONALLENTPRAYERAlmightyGod,

youshowtothosewhoareinerrorthelightofyourtruth,thattheymayreturntothewayofrighteousness:

granttoallthosewhoareadmittedintothefellowshipofChrist’sreligion,thattheymayrejectthosethingsthatarecontrarytotheirprofession,

andfollowallsuchthingsasareagreeabletothesame;throughourLordJesusChrist,

whoisaliveandreignswithyou,intheunityoftheHolySpirit,oneGod,nowandforever.

AMEN

FAVOURITEHYMNDearLordandFatherofmankind,

forgiveourfoolishways!Re-clotheusinourrightfulmind,inpurerlivesthyservicefind,indeeperreverence,praise;indeeperreverence,praise.

Insimpletrustliketheirswhoheard,

besidetheSyriansea,thegraciouscallingoftheLord,letus,likethem,withoutaword,

riseupandfollowthee;riseupandfollowthee.

Dropthystilldewsofquietness,

tillallourstrivingscease;takefromoursoulsthestrainandstress,

andletourorderedlivesconfessthebeautyofthypeace;thebeautyofthypeace.

Breathethroughtheheatsofourdesire

thycoolnessandthybalm;letsensebedumb,letfleshretire;

speakthroughtheearthquake,wind,andfire,Ostill,smallvoiceofcalm;Ostill,smallvoiceofcalm.