Hazelwell Church

​Hazelwell Weekly Contact August 13th 2023

9 Aug 2023 • Weekly Notices

Hazelwell Weekly Contact August 13th 2023

(Trinity 10 ) 10.00am

Hazelwell Communion Service

Led by Rev’d Eliakim Ikechukwu

Please pray for

All who have suffered directly or indirectly from the impact of excessively high

temperatures worldwide

All who have been obliged to leave the scout jamboree in Korea

Churches and congregations who are embracing the A Rocher, Eco Church scheme and

particularly the efforts we at Hazelwell are making to promote sustainable practices..

Also the residents of Vicarage Road & Cornhill Grove

Parish Update

  • We are sorry, this week, to say farewell to Rev’d Eliakim prior to him taking up a new post in the Lozell-Newtown Benefice. We are very grateful for all the help and support he has given during our interregnum and we wish him well in his new ministry. His induction service will take place in Lozelles on the first Saturday in September - more details later for anyone wishing to attend.
  • At this week's meeting of the JCC we discussed the response we at Hazelwell are making to the A Rocher Eco Church initiative. In addition to other measures we are taking in support of this we concluded it may be helpful to signpost relevant resources via the newsletter. Further explanation of the scheme may be found at. How Eco Church Works


    • Reflection on Matthew 14: from Revd Joy Boyce

    Is this a story about faith? Perhaps. Is this a story about Peter? Most likely. Peter is the disciple with whom Jesus most often engages when he is trying to teach the twelve about faith.

    Throughout the gospels Peter continues to take risks (although not when he denies Jesus three times when fear of the authorities scares him into denial of his Lord). But normally, he constantly rushes in to show his devotion and faith without always considering the outcome.

    We on the other hand are often so prudent that faith for some is in danger of becoming a dead noun – unless you are a persecuted Christian driven from your home or bombed in your church. There you have to be a risk taker.

    Why does Peter make his request? Jesus has spoken to them, told them to take heart. But that’s not enough for Peter. He puts himself out front as a kind of dare, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water,” he says.

    What is Peter really saying – make me do something extraordinary, set me apart from these other disciples, grant me exemption from the laws of nature that bind ordinary people and I will believe you are who you say you are.

    Sometimes this story is interpreted as commending Peter’s faith for getting out of the boat and walking on the water, the problem comes when he takes his eye off Jesus, his faith falters but Jesus is there to save him. So it can be seen as encouraging us to put our faith into action.

    But I think what we are meant to be looking at here is this story in parallel with the account of the Stilling of the Storm in Matthew 8, and to notice how the disciples’ relationship with Jesus has developed.

    The disciples are not in fear for their lives. There is no storm, just the disciples’ fear when they see Jesus walking on the water and do not recognise him. When Peter’s challenge goes wrong and he sinks calling out “Lord, Save me!” Jesus grabs him and it’s only Peter who is called ‘one of little faith’ and questioned for doubting.

    And the wind simply ceases once Jesus gets into the boat and this time, the disciples worship him as the Son of God. So what are we to learn from the development of this story?

    Perhaps this is an enactment of the truth that we are not intended to walk on water either actually or metaphorically and when we find ourselves in deep over our heads and unable to save ourselves the right response is that of Peter – “Lord, save me!” As I write that line, I realise that this is one of my constant prayers, throughout the day – Lord, save me, help me, be with me!

    In both the story of the Stilling of the Storm and that of Jesus walking on the water, Jesus ends up in the boat with the disciples. A ship was one of the earliest symbols for Christianity and these accounts show us why – when surrounded by adversity, chaos and violence, safety and salvation are experienced in the Church with Jesus in our midst.