Dear all,

Yesterday I was at a Diocesan wide training session all about Spirituality and Prayer – yes even Vicars are still learning how to pray! And this Sunday we will all be thinking about prayer in church, particularly how we pray in difficult circumstances and for things that are not easy. We will be focussing on Psalm 31 and drawing out the psalmist’s trust in God with the obvious connection that when things are at their most difficult in our lives – trusting in something unknown or unseen can be a huge challenge.

Verse 5 is one of the key verses for me because it encompasses all that the psalmist is articulating to God:

“Into your hands I commit my spirit;

Redeem me Lord, my faithful God.”

Jesus quoted half of this verse from the cross as he died and so these words may have an air of finality as we hear them – a moment of giving up the spirit in death - but for the psalmist they come near the beginning of this psalm of lament and grief and desperation, they come as major challenges still continue around them. If we read these words in this context they provide a statement of faith – committing what the future holds, what life next has in store – all of it - into God’s hands. They are a request for redemption – not necessarily about rescue by God but about being put right by God.

Yesterday, at the training session, I was reminded that prayer, the nourishing, personal daily act of prayer is just such a statement of faith – not just an activity we are expected to do as Christians -but an act of choosing to make a connection with God, an act of choosing to open ourselves, all of ourselves, up to God’s influence. If we come at prayer as a shopping list of requests expecting each one to be granted, we will spend most of our lives wrestling with why God doesn’t always do what we want! Instead, what happens when we pray, is that we commit our spirit to God. We invite God to redeem us, to make us right from the inside out, then we are able to place our petitions before God, honestly voicing our needs, our anger, our joy and we are allowing God to shape those requests and emotions. To see things through God’s eyes, to feel things with God’s heart, to be moved into action by God’s spirit.

If we approach prayer as a moment of letting go of all the masks and fortified walls, we put up every day as we navigate this world, we may find ourselves surprised by where our prayers take us, what we find popping into our minds to say or think about, what we find is put on our hearts. This is the redeeming power of Christ to realign ourselves with God’s way for the world; the being put right, from the inside out, that prayer offers us.

I hope that this week you might find the time to take yourself to a quiet or special place, to take a deep breath and say these words of Psalm 31v5, and then just wait for God’s loving and merciful response – whatever that might look like for you.

News and Upcoming Events

Sunday 23rd June - Rescheduled Ben & Dom Tour – Ben & Dom are a singing duo from south London. Both experienced choir leaders and community musicians they love group singing and encouraging others to join their voices together in harmony. This is a Singing Workshop (2-4.30pm) followed by a performance (4.45-5.45pm) both taking place at St Philip’s Church. You can find out more and buy tickets for the event at benanddom.com

28^th-29^th June Cambridge Apologetics Summer Conference A two-day conference in Cambridge bringing together local Christians to support and equip one another in engaging the thinkers around us with the gospel. At St Andrew the Great, CB2 3AX. Find out more at 2024 Summer Conference – Cambridge Apologetics

Sunday 14^th July - St Philip’s will be providing a welcome tea for the first Cambridge International Summer Outreach team If you are able to help by providing a little something towards the tea your generosity would be greatly appreciated! Perhaps some sausage rolls or finger sandwiches, a punnet of cherry tomatoes, a bag of crisps or some cupcakes or fruit for example. Michael and Barbara Priestley will be co-ordinating the gathering and transporting of the food to the venue please let them know in church next Sunday if you are able to help, even in a very small way, to providing a lovely welcome for the CIO volunteers.

Sunday 21^st July – 2.30-6pm – A Family Pilgrimage Afternoon at Little Gidding Described as an afternoon of fun, faith, fresh air and food this is an opportunity to explore God’s world as a family. There will be storytelling, worship, walking and prayer stations. Please bring some picnic food to share for tea. For more information contact Rev Fiona revfiona@norleigh.org.uk (children must be accompanied by a parent or carer.)

Toilet Refurbishment these are progressing – thanks for bearing with us as various toilets have been out of action.

Eco-Bite – our new green “nugget” each week:

Do you have a bird bath in your garden? Why not make your own this summer to provide birds with a place to drink and bathe. The RSPB has great advice for making your own but remember the perfect bird bath will have very shallow sloping sides, a maximum depth of only 10cm or so and be as wide as possible – ideally more than 30cm across.

Last Week’s sermon

Last week’s sermon: sermon 16.6.24.mp3

The link to our sermon archive: St Philip's sermon archive

This Sunday 23^rd June

10.30am – Holy Communion with Explorers This week we will be looking at Psalm 31 in depth. How do we hold on to God through challenging times in our lives?

If you can't attend church in person you can always use this Zoom link:

meeting ID: 976 3739 9129 and Passcode: 330714

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/97637399129?pwd=TGhKWWxOcWF1S242aVhrWDlJdUkxZz09

Prayers

If any of you have specific prayers you would like us to include in this newsletter do please get in touch.

Lucy Sixsmith will be stepping down from her role as Parish Assistant at the end of July. We will be so sad to see her leave St Philip’s but please pray for her in this next season of life and please also pray for us as a church as we seek to reappoint someone to the role.

The General Election. Please continue to pray for all those standing for election, for integrity and the motivation to seek the common good. And for us as the voting public that we may use our votes and use them discernment and wisdom.

Please also pray for our Mission Partner this month:

Friends International Cambridge – is a group of Christians who love to meet internationals from all over the world and to welcome them into community, no matter their faith background. Through regular meet-ups and activities, Friends International get to know internationals who come to Cambridge and talk about faith with those who are interested. Find out more at www.ficambs.uk

Regular Weekly Services/Prayers to join:

Wednesday 12noon Reflective Holy Communion A quiet time to help find space and peace in the middle of the week.

Monday & Friday 8.30pm – Compline on zoom

Meeting ID: 836 5965 9953
Passcode: 749968
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83659659953?pwd=btP5AjGMu1s-dE_2W9T0MMFqnnPKSS.1

Wednesdays 7.00-7.30pm - Weekly Prayers on zoom: -

Meeting ID: 852 1105 2733 Password: 397987

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85211052733?pwd=OE52bm9NS1RtQVQ0ZytTc0xBZnVsUT09

Saturdays 8.15am - Morning Bible Discussion and Prayer on zoom:

Meeting ID: 143 338 655 Password: 824271

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/143338655?pwd=L1JJTFZJNU9EaFZjaUFjQzVlalpMZz09

With love and prayers

Ruth