9/2/25
Your weekly update from the Benwell & Scotswood Team.
Click below for the latest news from the parish and texts for worship.
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Dates for your Diary
17 Feb
4.30pm - St John's DCC
24 Feb
Our Adelaide Terrace Exhibition opens at St James
5 March
1.15pm - Ash Wednesday service at St James
Time TBC - Lent bible study with Kathy at St John's
9 March
Exploring Faith group begins (continues throughout Lent - details TBC)
29 March
Centenary of Montagu Pit Disaster Commemoration at St Margaret's
30 March
11am - Mothering Sunday Team Service
Services this week
Sunday 9 Feb
9.30am - St John's Holy Communion
9.45am - St Margaret's Holy Communion
11am - Hub service (Parish Eucharist) at Ven Bede
Tuesday 11 Feb
4.30pm - Farsi Bible Study at St James
Thursday 13 Feb
10.30 am - Holy Communion at Ven Bede
News
Please note Fr Chris is away Sunday - Wednesday this week.
St Margaret's services every Sunday at 9.45am
From this Sunday St Margaret's Scotswood will now meet for worship every Sunday at 9.45am (apart from when there is a Team service!) You are very welcome to join us there each Sunday.
(There will no longer be a 4pm service. This pattern will be reviewed in a few months' time).
Centenary of the Montagu Pit Disaster
On Saturday 29th March there will be a drop-in event at St Margaret’s Church in Scotswood starting at 10.30am, followed by a service of commemoration at 2pm.
2025 marks the hundredth anniversary of the Montagu Pit Disaster in Scotswood when the pit flooded on 30th March killing 38 men and boys. This was the worst mining disaster in the Great Northern Coalfield between the wars, and is still remembered locally today.
There will be a number of events and activities taking place around that date to commemorate the disaster.
Embrace - Gaza appeal
Conflict across the Middle East is unfolding with relentless intensity, devastating the lives of millions. Even as they live through these dark times, Embrace’s partners in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon are working tirelessly to bring the light of Christ amidst the suffering.
You can click below to donate online. If you would rather donate by phone, please call 01494 897950.
Sunday Worship
4 before Lent
Green
Intercessions
Prayers for others:
John Nicholson
Malcolm Smith
John Peterson
Maria Hawthorn
Herbert Agbeko
Pauline Nelson
Michelle & Peter Wilson
Alan & Maureen Taylor
Irene Foskett
Pat Law
Moe and Mary
Christina Wilson
Diane Humphrey
Pavel
Rest in peace:
Ellis Nelson
Betty Collins
If you would like to add someone to the prayer list please email church@benwellscotswood.com
The name will stay on the list for 1 month unless requested to be long-term.
1 Corinthians 15.1–11
15I should remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.
Luke 5.1–11
5While Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ 5Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Sermon
Revd Anne
What does your faith mean to you? When did you last ask yourself this question? This was what Paul was asking the Corinthians (in our first reading) when he said:
‘Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, and in which you stand, and through which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you.’
What was that ‘good news’? In a few words the Good News which Paul proclaimed was - Jesus is the Christ (or anointed one of God), God’s Son, and our Saviour from sin.
What has this to do with the picture on the slide of a pebble fish on the shore of Lake Galilee? Paul does not mention fish but he would no doubt have in his mind many stories of Jesus with fishermen, including the story we heard in the gospel reading of Jesus in the Simon Peter’s boat on Lake Galilee. This is the story which the early Christians remembered when they began to use the fish as s secret sign of the faith.
In the early years of the church, the ‘Followers of The Way’ as Christians were then called, were persecuted. They had to meet to pray in secret. The fish shape became their secret sign so that they could recognise a fellow Christian. Carvings of fish can be seen in many of the caves where early Christians were imprisoned.
Why a fish? Yes, we know that Jesus lived near the Sea of Galilee and most of his disciples were fishermen. Fish often featured in the stories about him. But there was a significant meaning in the fish symbol.
Many of you already know that the Greek for Fish is ICThYS
The gospels and Paul’s letters were all written in Greek.
I X Ɵ Y Z (ICThYS) is an acronym for ‘Jesus Christ God’s Son Saviour’
The letter I (Iota) is the first letter of Iesus or Jesus.
X – Chi is the first letter of Christos or Christ
Ɵ -Theta is the first letter of Theou or God
Y – Ypsilon is the first letter of Yious or Son
Z – Sigma is the first letter of Soter or Saviour
Whilst Paul does not mention fish, his letter is all about the good news – the message that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and the Saviour promised to all. He wants to remind us all what that means. Paul tells us in the first 2 verses…
The Good News is proclaimed to us and received. Paul received it from Christ and passed it on. We too receive it from within a Christian fellowship. We cannot find it on our own – it is a gift from God through those who have already received the good news.
How did you hear the good news? As a child growing up in a Christian family? Perhaps you first heard the good news from someone in this church fellowship? Perhaps you met someone on your travels who told you about Jesus Christ?
Paul tells us that The Good News is where we ‘stand’ – the good news provides stability in uncertain world. It is the hope of a God-filled future – especially in these days as we hear such alarming news round the world. Also when we receive bad news about ourselves or those we love.
The Good News is that in which we are ‘being saved’ – being saved by the gospel is a continual process in this life – an inexhaustible journey – through good times and challenging times.
The Good News is something to hold onto firmly - despite our doubts and questions.
What about Jesus disciples – how did they ‘receive’ the Good News from Jesus? In today’s story we see Jesus on the lake – speaking to a crowd. Lake Gennesaret, often called Lake Galilee or Lake Tiberius, is 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. It is 680 ft below sea level. It is a semi-tropical climate and a very fertile region. In Jesus day it was very busy with many towns along its shoreline.
This story marks the turning point in Jesus ministry – previously he had spoken in the synagogue – but after a while he is barred from speaking there, so he takes his message to the open road – or the lakeside. So many people wanted to hear that he got into Simon Peter’s boat and pushed away from the shore – the water would help to amplify his voice.
When Jesus finishes speaking to the crowd, he tells Simon Peter to take the boat out further and put out the nets, despite it being the wrong time to catch fish. Simon says:
‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’
‘They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.’
Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ Simon, James and John left everything and followed him.
This was not only a miraculous catch of fish – but also a miraculous revelation for Simon Peter and also James and John. They turned their lives around to follow Jesus – the man who had words of life to speak to them.
We can learn four things from this story about living with Jesus and experiencing miracles.
We need eyes that see – beyond the obvious or beyond our expectations – as Jesus did – seeing shoals of fish where the fishermen didn’t notice.
We need the spirit that will make an effort. Simon Peter was tired but made an effort because Jesus asked him. Too often in life we give up just one effort too soon and miss the unexpected surprise.
We need the will to attempt what seems hopeless. Simon Peter did not expect to find any fish. Simon said, ‘We have worked all night and caught nothing, but if you say so we’ll try again.’ Too often we wait for a perfect set of circumstances, so we never begin at all. If we want a miracle, we must take Jesus at his word when he bids us to attempt the impossible.
We need not be afraid. Jesus can see what is needed, Jesus can give us the spirit to persevere. Jesus can give us the courage to face all circumstances.
So what does your faith mean to you? The faith which you received, in which you stand and through which you are being saved? Are you holding fast to the good news in your life?
Jesus Christ, God’s Son, your Saviour.