Patrick Comerford
This is the First Sunday after Trinity (2 June 2024), and Trinity Sunday was celebrated last Sunday (26 May 2024). However, the Feast of Corpus Christi was last Thursday (30 May 2024), and its celebration has been transferred to today in many parishes, including Saint Mary and Saint Giles Church, Stony Stratford.
In the week after Trinity Sunday, I illustrated my prayers and reflections with images and memories of six churches, chapels and monasteries in Greece I know that are dedicated to the Holy Trinity. I am continuing that theme this week with images from churches, chapels or cathedral in England that are dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
StonyLive!, a celebration of the cultural talent in and around Stony Stratford, began yesterday and continues until next Sunday (9 June). There is a variety of cultural activities in venues around Stony Stratford this weekend, with drama, music, comedy, art, dance and spoken word, and a Classic Car Show today.
Later this morning, I hope to sing with the choir in Saint Mary and Saint Giles Church, Stony Stratford, at the Corpus Christi Mass and procession. This morning’s anthem is Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. But, before today begins, I am taking some quiet time this morning to give thanks, for reflection, prayer and reading in these ways:
1, today’s Gospel reading;
2, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary;
3, the Collects and Post-Communion prayer of the day.
Mark 2: 23-28, 3: 1-6 (NRSVUE):
23 One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food, 26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions?” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, 28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Holy Trinity Church, Old Wolverton:
Trinity Sunday last Sunday was the Patronal Festival of Holy Trinity Church, Old Wolverton. This is a Grade II* listed church, incorporating Saxon and mediaeval elements, and it was rebuilt in 1809-1815. This is the original parish church of the Saxon settlement of Wolverton, on a prominent site overlooking the valley of the River Ouse, close to the mound of a Norman motte and bailey castle first built by Manno the Breton.
The mediaeval church in Old Wolverton was replaced in the early 19th century. The new church incorporates the 14th-century central tower of the old church, although this was re-cased in new masonry as a west tower.
Holy Trinity Church now consists of a chancel, nave, transepts and west tower. The tower dates from the 14th century and the rest of the building from 1815, when the church was rebuilt and the tower encased, the work being carried out in the Norman style.
An important scheme of decoration began in the church in 1870. This was designed by Edward Swinfen Harris (1841-1924), an eminent Victorian and Edwardian architect in Stony Stratford. His aim was to give the interior a more full-blooded character, inspired by mediaeval church interiors. This included brightly coloured woodwork, vivid stained glass windows, and wall paintings, combined with stencilled decoration by the firm of Bell and Almond.
Inside, the church is dominated by the great round East Window, with Portland stone tracery of eight lobes round a large central circle. The stained glass in this East Window, dating from 1888, was designed by Nathaniel Westlake – who also designed the Swinfen Harris windows in Saint Mary and Saint Giles Church, Stony Stratford – and was made by Lavers and Westlake.
Holy Trinity lost its patron and benefactor in 1970 when the Radcliffe Trust sold the Wolverton estate to the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. The Parks Trust established by Milton Keynes Development Corporation looks after the parkland setting of church, and the earthworks of the larger village which the church used to serve in the Middle Ages, in the field to the west.
Worship at Holy Trinity Church ranges from traditional liturgies, including sung Book of Common Prayer liturgies, as well as contemporary services, Taizé-style services and some fresh expressions styles of worship.
The team ministry with Saint George’s began in 1973. Holy Trinity is grouped with Saint George the Martyr in Wolverton, the rector is the Revd Gill Barrow-Jones, and the other clergy are the Revd Francesca Vernon and the Revd Chibuzor Okpala.
Today’s Prayers (Sunday 2 June 2024, Trinity I):
The theme this week in ‘Pray With the World Church,’ the Prayer Diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), is ‘Volunteers Week.’ This theme is introduced today by Carol Miller, Church Engagement Manager, USPG:
Read Matthew 25: 34-40 and reflect on good deeds
Volunteers’ Week is a national celebration of the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities across the UK. This year celebrations run from 3-9 June. Find out more and how you can get involved at www.uspg.org.uk
Acts of kindness are so often hidden, such as picking up a lost toy on the pavement and placing it on the fence nearby in hopes that the owner will find it. Or offering to get that just-out-of-reach item from the top shelf at the supermarket for a petite shopper.
In this passage, Jesus tells us that kind acts align with Kingdom values and are seen by the King Himself. God knows that in those moments when we are moved to act out of compassion, empathy or gentleness, we are demonstrating our salvation. We act from a position of redemption.
Jesus came to show us how to live and share his love. When we do good to those around us and offer our time and talents for the advancement of the Kingdom of God, we partner with God.
The USPG Prayer Diary today (2 June 2024, Trinity I) invites us to pray:
Father in Heaven,
We thank you for those in self-supporting ministry
such as chaplains, parish ministers, and others.
They give their time, without pay,
to bring the gospel to those in their communities.
The Collect:
O God,
the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Post Communion Prayer:
Eternal Father,
we thank you for nourishing us
with these heavenly gifts:
may our communion strengthen us in faith,
build us up in hope,
and make us grow in love;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Additional Collect:
God of truth,
help us to keep your law of love
and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life
in Jesus Christ your Son.
Yesterday’s reflection
Continued tomorrow
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition copyright © 2021, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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