Greetings from Eileen

Dear friends

As Winter makes way for Spring, we present ourselves before the Lord who was obedient to God the Father, humbling himself for our sakes. On Ash Wednesday, we acknowledge our mortality, not in gloomy despair but that our earthly condition makes way for life everlasting.

Ash Wednesday – said service with Ashing

Everyone is invited to a short time of prayer of penitence and reflection, and to receive the sign of the cross by Ashing at 9.30am in St Andrew’s, Winston. I shall also be offering Communion to those who wish to receive this afterwards.

Holy Communion Services on Sunday 27th February 2022

We welcome to our services at 9.30am St Andrew’s, Winston and 10.45am St Mary’s, Gainford the Bishop’s Chaplain, Rev’d Dr Chris Knights, who will preside, preach, and celebrate at our churches.

It is a happy coincidence that Rev’d Dr Chris Knights will also be installed into the College of Canons at Durham Cathedral with me, the following Sunday 6th March at the 3.30pm Choral Evensong Service. I look forward to meeting my colleague and being with those of you who are able to attend our services this Sunday 27th February.

I take this opportunity to thank our lay leaders, colleagues from the diocese, and everyone who have blessed our parishes by your care and sharing of the many duties during my absence.

God is with us. May Christ, who by his incarnation, gathered into one, all things earthly and heavenly, fill you with joy and peace.

Rev’d Eileen Harrop

Our churches continue to be open daily for private prayer.

Please read the separate Covid page outlining the modified approach for each church for details.

The Collect for Sunday Next before Lent

Here are 2 Collects for this Sunday. The first draws our attention to the occasion of our Lord’s Transfiguration. The second invites us to seek Christ that our hearts and wills be transformed in his glory.

Almighty Father,

whose Son was revealed in majesty
before he suffered death upon the cross:
give us grace to perceive his glory,
that we may be strengthened to suffer with him
and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen

Holy God,

you know the disorder of our sinful lives:
set straight our crooked hearts,
and bend our wills to love your goodness
and your glory in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Post Communion

Holy God,

we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ:
may we who are partakers at his table
reflect his life in word and deed,
that all the world may know his power to change and save.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

The First Reading

New Testament Reading

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. 15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

4 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

The Gospel

Luke 9:28-36

28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 

31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 

35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.