9/3/25
Your weekly update from the Benwell & Scotswood Team.
Click below for the latest news from the parish and texts for worship.
Jump to:
Dates for your Diary
9 March
Exploring Faith group begins 1pm at Ven Bede (continues Sundays throughout Lent)
29 March
Centenary of Montagu Pit Disaster Commemoration at St Margaret's
30 March
11am - Mothering Sunday Team Service at St John's
Services this week
Sunday
9.30am - St John's Holy Communion
9.45am - St Margaret's Holy Communion
11am - Hub service (Parish Eucharist) at Ven Bede
Tuesday
4.30pm - Farsi Bible Study at St James
Thursday
10.30 am - Holy Communion at Ven Bede
News
Exploring Faith begins this Sunday
A group to explore, ask questions, and learn about the Christian faith.
Beginning Sunday 9th March
Continues every Sunday throughout Lent
1pm at Venerable Bede, NE4 8AP
Lunch included (free: donations welcome)
Who is it for?
Exploring faith is a non-pressurised group for anyone who is simply curious, anyone who wants to refresh their faith, and anyone who might want to take the next step of baptism or confirmation (and those who are just unsure!).
All ages, abilities, and backgrounds are welcome.
What will happen?
Depending on who would like to come, we may split into smaller groups for young people and speakers of other languages.
Our clergy and other lay leaders will guide us through different resources and bible passages, and discuss together what they might mean.
Contact & RSVP
You’re welcome to just turn up on the day. But to help us prepare, let us know if you want to come and any dietary requirements or if we can make any adaptations to help you join in the discussion.
If you have any other questions feel free to get in contact:
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.
Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday will be on 30th March and this year we will be celebrating with a team service at St John's at 11am.
On that Sunday join us at: St John's Benwell Village
Ferguson Lane
NE15 6NW
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
First Sunday of Lent
Purple or Lent array
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
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.
Romans 10.8b–13
8But what does it say?‘The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart’(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Luke 4.1–13
4Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ 4Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’
5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ 8Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10for it is written,“He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”,11and“On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’12Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ 13When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Sermon
Revd Mike
Oscar Wilde once said, "I can resist everything… except temptation."
This is a humorous but deeply human admission. Temptation is something we all struggle with, and more often than not, we fall. Whether it’s small things, like giving in to distraction, or deeper struggles that persist over years, temptation can be relentless. And yet, as we enter this season of Lent, we are reminded that Christ Himself faced temptation. But where we so often fail, Christ remained steadfast.
In today’s gospel passage we read that "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert." The word "led" might sound more passive, as though Jesus was simply guided gently into the wilderness. However, the Greek verb used here means something more like "to throw" or "to cast out." This can be understood in a much more forceful way, as if the Spirit actively "flung" or "cast out" Jesus into the desert. This verb choice conveys a more active, almost urgent action by the Holy Spirit, as if driving Jesus into the wilderness for the purpose of His confrontation with temptation.
This difference carries deep theological significance. Adam, the first human, through disobedience, was cast out of Paradise into the wilderness. Jesus, the second Adam, obediently allowed himself to be cast into the wilderness to bring us back to Paradise. By Adam’s disobedience—taking from the tree before he was ready—death entered the world. But by Christ’s obedience—giving His life on the Calvary’s tree —our life and peace with God were restored. Adam’s disobedience led us into the wilderness. Christ’s obedience leads us back to Paradise.
Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness echo Israel’s 40 years of exile after escaping Pharaoh’s tyranny. Each of these 40- periods marked a time when humanity was called not only to turn away from sin, but also a time when humanity said yes to God, yes to something greater.
This reminds me of a well-known parable from Gateshead. A long time ago, before God created The Tesco and Gregs, that now stands on Gateshead High Street , it was a place almost of pure wilderness, except for a small community of Christian monks who lived there, dedicating their lives to prayer. And amongst them was a young monk who had been battling the temptation of lust for years. No matter how hard he fought, he kept failing. At last, in despair, he decided he was going to leave the Gateshead wilderness and return to the bustling village of Benwell, convinced he was unworthy of his calling.
On his way, he met Abba Jackie, who could see the young monk was troubled. When pressed, the monk admitted his struggle, saying he had sought counsel from an older monk, only to be told he was a failure, a disgrace to the Gateshead desert, and should leave. Hearing this, Jackie was furious—not at the young monk, but at the elder who had offered such harsh words. So he told the young man, “I have been in Gateshead for seven years, and I still struggle with this. Go back to your cell and seek the mercy of God for just one more day.”
Then, Abba Jackie went to the older monk’s cell and prayed, “Lord, let this older monk experience the same affliction he dismissed so easily in another.” Immediately, the elder monk was tormented by temptation. Within hours, he was fleeing his cell, overcome by the very struggle he had condemned in the younger monk.
Jackie met him as he was leaving and asked, “Why are you abandoning your cell?” The old monk, ashamed, admitted his failure. Then Jackie told him, “You dismissed another man’s suffering without compassion. But the truth is, without God’s grace, every one of us would fail.”
Both monks returned to their cells, but with a new understanding. The young monk realised that the path of faith is not about never falling, but about getting up again, AND renewing our yes to God, even when it is hard.
The older monk learned that true holiness is not found in harsh judgment and in being perfect, but true holiness is found in humility and trusting in Gods grace.
Lent is our wilderness, our opportunity to say yes to something greater, even when it is difficult. Are we content with a comfortable faith, or will we follow Christ into the wilderness, trusting that while it may be harder, it leads to something greater?
Perhaps the real temptation—is not just about falling into sin!
But, rather, settling for less than the fullness of life Christ offers. As T.S. Eliot put it, ‘"Our greatest temptation is to settle for too little."