Clergy clash in football frenzy for charity!

Two teams of fearless footballers are set to clash at 3pm at the Paradise Centre Ground, Newnham St, Ely on Saturday March 20th to raise funds for the charity Street Child World Cup, one of two charities supported by the Bishop’s Lent Appeal this year. The Street Child World Cup will be taking place at the same time as the main World Cup in South Africa and will involve teams of street children from across the world playing football to raise awareness of their plight and to launch an international campaign to give street children the basics rights of security, housing, education, food and clothing.
The Cathedral and Diocese All-Stars will  be captained by Canon Alan ‘Have a Go’ Hargrave
and the Cambridge Castle Free Rangers will be captained by Rev. Philipa ‘Chopper’ King.
The teams will be raising money through sponsorship for each minute the individual players remain on the field, via donations taken at the match and also through their justgiving websites:
http://www.justgiving.com/Philipa-King
http://www.justgiving.com/Alan-Hargrave
So whether you want the Diocese or the Castle team to win, come along and support the match but do give as much as you can.
More information about the Lent Appeal can be found on the Diocese’s website here,

http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/news_items/lent10.html

http://www.churchatcastle.org/
01223 315000 (parish office)

Filed under: Lent

A Prayer for Today

Lent 2

Almighty God,
you show to those who are in error the light of your truth,
that they may return to the way of righteousness:
grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,
that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession,
and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Filed under: A Prayer for Today

Ely Diocesan Prayers February 28th

February 28 – March 6    Deanery of Yaxley

Rural Dean:    Canon Malcolm Griffth    Lent  2
Lay Chairman:     Mr David Neate    Church of Latvia

28    For the Licensed Lay Ministers Board and for the training of new Lay Ministers.
Martin Bruce, Reformer, 1551(Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge)
PRAY for The Church of England The Most Revd Rowan Douglas Williams Archbishop of Canterbury

Filed under: Prayer Cycle

Kissing Frogs

Damaris have just published another of their helpful commentaries on current films, this time notes on Disney’s The Princess and the Frog by Holly Price under the title Chasing Disney Dreams. It’s well worth a look. I was amused by the certificate comment “Contains mild scary scenes”: usually quite enough to get me behind the sofa. And by the link to an Express article about 50 youngsters in the stataes getting ill by kissing frogs… In these PC days half of them were boys and half girls.

Filed under: Films

George Herbert, Priest

George Herbert needs little introduction. He was born in 1593 into the well-known Welsh noble family of Pembroke and became a fellow of Trinity College Cambridge as well as Public Orator in the University. He went on to become a Member of Parliament and distinguished royal service beckoned, but he took what was felt to be the surprising step of seeking ordination. After time in retreat at Little Gidding with Nicholas Ferrar he was made deacon in 1626, and three years later married and then took the country living of Bemerton just outside Salisbury, before dying very young in 1633.

Herbert’s poetry is now often sung as hymns (he was an accomplished musician himself) and with his treatise on The Country Parson –  and an early death – it established him as the very model of the Anglican country vicar. But that is too wry a comment to sum up the man: his words must speak for themselves, and always will. I am pondering preaching on the ones which follow at a confirmation scheduled for his feast day this year

LOVE (III)

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
         Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
         From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
         If I lack’d anything.

"A guest," I answer’d, "worthy to be here";
         Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
         I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
         "Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them; let my shame
         Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
         "My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
         So I did sit and eat.

Collect

King of glory, King of peace,
who called your servant George Herbert
from the pursuit of worldly honours
to be a priest in the temple of his God and King:
grant us also the grace to offer ourselves
with singleness of heart in humble obedience to your service;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Filed under: Celebrating the Saints

A Prayer for Today

George Herbert

King of glory, king of peace,
who called your servant George Herbert
from the pursuit of worldly honours
to be a priest in the temple of his God and king:
grant us also the grace to offer ourselves
with singleness of heart in humble obedience to your service;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Filed under: A Prayer for Today

Ely Diocesan Prayers February 27th

Tydd St Giles
Rector:        Sandra Gardner
House for Duty:    Janet Phillips
Curate:        Ryk Parkinson
Ember Day
Confirmation: King’s School, Ely – Cathedral
George Herbert, Priest, Poet, 1633 (Prebendary of Leighton Bromswold)
Bauchi (Nigeria) – The Rt Revd Musa Tula

Filed under: Prayer Cycle

Run an Election Event!

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have set up a section of their website where you can search for an election hustings or publicise your own. Go to http://www.ctbi.org.uk/CFHD/428 (screen shot below). It’s been made in such a way that a techie can integrate it into your own website as a frame. Don’t ask me how: I just wear a pointy hat and cloak and carry a staff …

 

Filed under: Election

Jesus’ Day Off

I’ve just been given a copy of a book called Jesus’ Day Off by Nicholas Allan, author of such modern classics asThe Queen’s Knickers, Jesus’ Christmas Party, and Cinderella’s Bum!

He is also the author behind the award-winning CITV show Hilltop Hospital, and a former Chairman of the Society of Authors’ Children’s Group.

I’ve got a Lenten retreat week coming up so the donor’s timing was brilliant. I mustn’t spoil the story for you, but if flowers start springing up where I walk you know the therapy is working.

Filed under: books, Humour

A Prayer for Today

Have you not heard his silent steps? He comes, comes, ever comes. Every moment and every age, every day and every night, he comes, comes, ever comes. Many a song have I sung in many a mood of mind, but all their notes have always proclaimed, he comes, comes, ever comes. In the fragrant days of sunny April through the forest paths he comes, comes, ever comes. In the rainy gloom of July nights in the thundering chariot of clouds he comes, comes, ever comes. In sorrow after sorrow it is his steps that press upon my heart, and it is the golden touch of his feet that makes my joy to shine.
Rabindranath Tagore

Filed under: A Prayer for Today