Dear Friends 

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve spent quite a bit of time at Manchester Cathedral – 3 times now already, and with a final service this coming Saturday. It started on the evening of Trinity Sunday on 12th June, where I was preaching as part of the Choral Evensong service. More recently, a group of us from church were in attendance yesterday evening for the formal admission and prayer for wardens, deputy wardens, sides people and PCC members. This was then followed today for a rehearsal for Kathreen’s ordination service which will take place on Saturday afternoon.In both last night’s service, as well as the ordination service, after a description of the heavy responsibility and expectation placed on the holders of the various church responsibilities, together with readings from scripture that relate to them,  the response “with the help of God..I (or) we will”,  is then used by those undertaking the respective role. 

For me, there is a lovely reassurance that God never asks anything of us that he isn’t prepared to equip for along the way. Even when pushed beyond our own comfort zone and perhaps our natural gift set, He is there through His spirit to provide us with all we need. All He looks for is our willingness to be used  by Him. 

“With the help of God,… I will”. 

What might God be asking of us I wonder, which in return will result in His more than considerable help for the task?

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith.

Simon

Dear friends,

Today, I wanted to share with you, what I have been reading and reflecting, some words from The Ordinal as well. What is the meaning to become a priest. I been fasting and praying not just for my ordination but for everyone who got that privilege and responsibilities from God to serve Him and His people. Ordination is not something that someone achieves. Rather, one is called to ordination – called by God and called by a community. While there is indeed a lot of work involved, at the end of the day, ordination is never earned. It is a gift and a sign from God. This is not an easy calling and there are no simple answers just trust in the Lord who knows the best and carry-on serving God with smile.

The Ordination of Priests God calls his people to follow Christ, and forms us into a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to declare the wonderful deeds of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. The Church is the Body of Christ, the people of God and the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. In baptism the whole Church is summoned to witness to God's love and to work for the coming of his kingdom. To serve this royal priesthood, God has given particular ministries. Priests are ordained to lead God's people in the offering of praise and the proclamation of the gospel.

I will end with two requests; one please pray for me and my family. So, we will serve our God all the days of our lives. As it says in Joshua 24:15 “…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Secondly below I am sharing with you one of my heart favourite songs that I known since I said yes to the Lord.  

"Here I Am, Lord"  also known as "I, the Lord of Sea and Sky" after its opening line, is a Christian hymn written by the American composer of Catholic liturgical music Dan Schutte in 1979 and published in 1981. Its words are based on Isaiah 6:8 and 1 Samuel 3:4. 

Please read this song slowly and prayerfully.

I hope you will enjoy this with lots of God's blessings and the sunshine.

I, the Lord of sea and sky, 
I have heard My people cry. 
All who dwell in dark and sin, 
My hand will save. 
I who made the stars of night, 
I will make their darkness bright. 
Who will bear My light to them? 
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart

I, the Lord of snow and rain, 
I have born my peoples pain. 
I have wept for love of them, They turn away. 
I will break their hearts of stone, 
Give them hearts for love alone. 
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame, 
I will tend the poor and lame. 
I will set a feast for them, 
My hand will save 
Finest bread I will provide, 
Till their hearts be satisfied. 
I will give My life to them, 
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart

Lots of love and blessings.

Rev Kathreen Shahbaz

Dear friends

Here is something we should be very glad about: God’s faithfulness to us doesn’t depend on our faithfulness to Him. The Bible says, “If we are faithless, God remains faithful”. Our mistakes may take us out of God’s will, but our mistakes will never place us beyond His reach. When any of us has made a wrong (or even doubtful) turning in our lives through ignorance, lack of trust impatient or fear. God will show us a way out through Holy spirit. Even when we stray, God loves us so much that He will draw us back to Himself again.

” If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself”. 2 Timothy 2:13.

Friends, we just celebrated Trinity Sunday. In the beginning God created the world and humans in His own image and God was delighted. However, disobedience separated us from God. God’s faithfulness was still there, and God sent His only begotten son Jesus Christ our saviour. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God was still faithful and sent Holy Spirit so we always have a companion with us, and we never feel alone. First the father God himself the creator, second the Son Jesus Christ the Redeemer and third the Holy Spirit the sustainer. All three in one Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So be happy we have a companion with us so we need never feel alone or helpless.

Enjoy the sunshine, and the friendship of our faithful God.

Have a blessed weekend.

Rev Kathreen Shahbaz

Dear Friends 

One of my favourite museums (visited each time we go on holiday day there) is in Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus. Located in the former Venetian castle on the harbour front, it contains many ancient artefacts linked to the Mediterranean. Most spectacular, is an almost perfectly preserved trading ship, together with its cargo, which is dated as having sunk around 300BC. There are over 400 clay amphora (containers which would have contained wine), millstones and indeed additional jars that still store over 9000 almonds which were still intact. I find it incredibly powerful to come into such close contact with everyday items which were in existence over 300 years before Jesus (and later on his disciples) commenced their ministry in that same part of the world. 

This morning at church prayers, we were reflecting on the words of St Paul (himself no stranger to the sea trading routes across the Mediterranean). Speaking of the great joy of having God in their lives – a theme we thought about ourselves last Sunday when celebrating the day of Pentecost – Paul writes:

(For it is the spirit’s light which) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 
2 Corinthians 4. 6 & 7 

Again, our unremarkable bodies, just as the clay amphora hosted a variety of items, are host to the amazing spirit of God, drawing attention not to us, but the wonders of God who chooses us as His home on earth. As the retreat leader before my ordination (35 years ago this month!!) put it, “my prayer is (that as a Christian) I don’t get in the way...”

May that be true for all of us – that in all our encounters, we may display and share that treasure of God that is within.

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith.

Simon

Dear Friends

I think I may have shared before, my love of this bible verse from Jesus’ parable of the talents. "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25.23a), a word of affirmation from the master to one of the stewards who had been charged with looking after and making the most of his possessions.

It is also a verse which C. S. Lewis refers to when reflecting on the glories to be found in heaven. He suggests:
"Either glory means to me fame, or it means luminosity. As for the first, since to be famous means to be better known than other people, the desire for fame appears to me as a competitive passion and therefore of hell rather than heaven. As for the second, who wishes to become a kind of living electric light bulb?"

​Instead, he concludes there could be nothing better than in heaven than to receive God’s praise, and to know that we have pleased the One we were created to please and uses the verse from Matthew as an example of the praise he would hope to hear.

Perhaps I should extend my one line sermon of "Know who you are, and whose you are” to then add “and know that you bring Him pleasure!”

Over the next few days in our extended Bank Holiday, we look forward to celebrating the service of one particular 'faithful servant’. Whatever you choose to do in this break, do give thanks for and pray for our Queen. In the words of the following prayer (which we will use as part of our service on Sunday), we are reminded of her faithful service - may it be an inspiration to us as we seek to follow her God and ours.
 
Gracious God, we give you thanks
for the reign of your servant Elizabeth our Queen,
and for the example of loving and faithful service which she has shown among us.
Help us to follow her
example of dedication
and to commit our lives to
you and to one another,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith

Simon