Words from Bede Circuit
Dear Friends
A school nativity play was going like clockwork until the three Kings arrived. The first little boy, dressed in a red velvet curtain, and wearing a crown that half-covered his face, announced loudly: “I am Melchior and gold I bring.” The second king strode on to the stage: “I am Caspar. Frankincense I bring.” The third king entered nervously, staring wide-eyed and frightened, and then began to cry: “I don’t know who I am. I don’t want to do it!” “You’re Balthazar”, the teacher said in a loud stage whisper, “and you’ve brought myrrh for baby Jesus”. “I don’t know who I am. I don’t want to do it,” the little boy cried. The teacher placed his gift, representing myrrh, beside Mary and Joseph.
I am reflecting on the Methodist Covenant service which was first introduced by Rev John Wesley as a means of inviting the Methodist people to renew their covenant relationship with God. A covenant is a two-way process; God has offered Himself to us in Jesus and, in response to that love, we offer ourselves back to Him, for His purposes. However, this service is not for the faint-hearted! On Sunday 17th January, our Circuit service on Zoom will be a Covenant service. The Sunday service sheet a couple of weeks ago included the Covenant but why not use the Covenant prayer (below) in your own devotions too?
THE COVENANT PRAYER
I am no longer my own but yours. Your will, not mine, be done in all things, wherever you may place me, in all that I do and in all that I may endure; when there is work for me and when there is none; when I am troubled and when I am at peace. Your will be done when I am valued and when I am disregarded; when I find fulfilment and when it is lacking; when I have all things, and when I have nothing.
I willingly offer all I have and am to serve you, as and where you choose.
Glorious and blessd God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours.
May it be so for ever. Let this covenant now made on earth be fulfilled in heaven. Amen
(Methodist Worship Book, page 288. © 1999 Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes)
Imagine taking hold of an onion and beginning to peel it, layer by layer. As you peel one layer, another appears and then another. Sometimes the process is difficult; your eyes smart, you may even be reduced to tears but, eventually the onion is peeled ready for its purpose! “I don’t know who I am. I don’t want to do it.” We have just celebrated Christmas and Epiphany remembering that God gave His only Son TO us and FOR us; a story that began at the manger, took Him all the way to the cross and culminated in the victory of the Resurrection and the Ascension. We are invited to share that life by entering into our Covenant with God, but do you know who you are in God’s story? Do you want to do it? Having faith can be rather like “taking hold of the onion”. We must be prepared to engage with it, facing up to whatever challenges it brings – whatever it means for us to follow Jesus; a process that can only begin as we dare to make the first cut!
Sunday worship continues on Zoom at 10.30am
Zoom Bible studies looking at the Book of Proverbs on Monday evenings at 7.00pm and Thursday mornings at 10.30am
Zoom Wednesday Morning prayers are at 10am
There are also Sunday services using Why-pay telephone conferencing and a Sunday worship sheet.
Please contact the Senior Church Steward (Brenda Wallace) for more details: wesleymemchurch.pr@gmail.com
With good wishes and prayers on behalf of the Bede Circuit staff team,
Revd Deborah Wainwright