Rural Dean's View - August 2012

Dear friends,

The Eucharist (Holy Communion or Mass depending on your tradition) rightly plays a central role in the worship and life of our church community. It's what we are becoming known to stand for – tradition and a high standard of worship. The Eucharist is offered every Sunday in the Bansfield Benefice.

The Eucharist is the supreme act of worship of our Church following the great Biblical command of Jesus Himself "do this in remembrance of me"; all other forms of worship are merely preludes to this great living memorial. For we remember, and enact, the sacrifice of Jesus, and we celebrate His Real Presence with us in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.

Whenever we come together around the altar, the Priest takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to us saying: "The Body of Christ," we know that Jesus Himself is among us.

He is among us not as a vague memory of a person who lived a long time ago but as a real, life-giving presence that transforms us.

By eating the Body of Christ, we ourselves become the living Christ and we are enabled to discover our own chosen-ness and blessedness, acknowledge our own brokenness, and trust that all we live we live for others.

In living for others we, like Jesus Himself, can become food for those around us, our family, friends, local community and of course the world. That is our Mission as the Church of God in this place!

"Strengthen for service Lord the hands that holy things have taken" we sing.

Why don't you consider coming to the Eucharist on Sunday? You will find that meeting with Jesus in the way as often as we can will enrich your life, strengthen you Christian journey and give you greater anticipation of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Revd Canon Ian Finn
Rural Dean

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