Church

Eternal life: That’s what’s in it for you

Vicar in the Vale

the Rev Richard Priest, of Stour Vale Benefice

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? ~ MARK 10: 17-31

The story of the rich young man, who asked Jesus what more he needed to do to achieve eternal life, is one of the most familiar stories in the New Testament. The story fascinates us because this man is not the typical person who was drawn to Jesus. In each of the Gospel versions of this story a different factor is added to give this man a celebrity quality. He is variously described as being rich, young, and a ruler. Despite the fact that he has lived a rather exemplary life, he boldly admits that something is missing. He may not be blind or crippled, but he is suffering from a form of dis-ease. Like many who are drawn to worship in the church, this man knew something was missing in his life. He hoped that Jesus could help him determine what it might be. I believe there is a lot of this Rich Young Man in all of us. We know that wealth is never a guarantee of happiness or contentment, but still we act like it is; We are constantly bombarded by the seductive siren song of advertising and the contemporary culture that convinces us that money, prestige, and possessions will bring us joy and a sense of wellbeing. Like the Rich Young Man, we find gratification and identity in our acquired possessions and find it hard to part with them graciously. Peter had observed Jesus’ encounter with the Rich Young Man and, characteristically, Peter could not keep his mouth shut. This man had refused the very same invitation … Follow me! … that Peter and the others had accepted. With the crude honesty of a school student obsessed with fairness, Peter wanted to know what he and the disciples were going to get for their willingness to leave everything and give their full allegiance to Jesus and his ministry. Peter speaks for many people n What is in it for me? n How will my participation in Christian community be a

blessing in my life? nWhen will I get my compensation and in what form will it come to me? This issue is timely because the Gospel of Prosperity, as today’s reading is known, is the idea that God rewards Christians for their faithfulness. In one form or another this mild heresy has been around for a long time, encouraging arrogance and confusion. With it has come a sense that we are an elect people and this land is God’s gift to devout followers. What’s in it for me? Sadly, there are many voices in the Church today that would further this Theology of Prosperity, claiming that God rewards faithful Christians with financial blessings and an abundant life. For in the Prosperity Gospel, God is seen as a wonderful Bryanston’s bells ring out again after a very long time

The bells of Bryanston church have begun to ring out across the Stour meadows on Thursday evenings, following the relocation of the Blandford team of bellringers to the village church for their normal Thursday practice night, having not run properly on eight bells since the pandemic. Bellringer Richard Owen said: “We have rung twice at Stourpaine, for weddings, but that is all. The first practice night brought us all together, to remember how to do it, and try to establish order. There has been no regular ringing of Blandford bells for a long time, it having been suspended first by the rebuild of the cupola and now by the pandemic and the need for the church architect to give permission, due to fears that the leaning weathervane could fall. “Ringing at Blandford also presents problems since the immediate local population haven’t heard bells before. Those in the wider Blandford Forum love them, but the tenancies on the flats around the church are usually six months, and there will be people who know nothing of church bells, which are noisy in the Market Place. So we no longer ring in Blandford for practice nights, and instead are going to Bryanston, an official Association training tower, where we ‘silence ‘ the bells with lengths of timber across the clappers, and the sound of each bell is on a computer simulator, via a photoelectric cell. Except when a spider crawls across!”

Church services

Gillingham Community Church, 8 High Street, Gillingham SP8 4AG We meet every Sunday at 10:30am for a family worship meeting; you are warmly invited join us. We are also open during the week: Mondays and Thursdays 10am to midday for foodbank collection point and drop-in for help and advice on debt, benefits, housing & more Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am to midday for prayer, relaxing and chatting, asking questions and learning new skills Shaftesbury Team Ministry Sunday October 17 9.30am: St Peter’s Parish Communion 9.30am: St James’ Parish Communion 11.15am: Compton Abbas Parish Communion 11.15am: Enmore Green Parish Communion 11.15am: Motcombe Evening Worship Sunday October 24 9.30am: St Peter’s Parish Communion 9.30am: Motcombe Parish Communion 11.15am:Melbury Abbas Parish Communion 6pm: St James’ Reflective Evening Communion Sunday, October 17 – 20th Sunday after Trinity 10.30am Hazelbury Bryan Family Worship 10.30am Belchalwell Holy Communion 6.30pm Ibberton Evening Prayer for Harvest with refreshments St Mary’s, Stalbridge Our regular services are as follows: October 17 - Morning Worship at 10am. Harvest Celebration, followed by brunch in church Thursday, October 28 - Holy Communion at 10am October 31 Benefice service in Stourton Caundle at 11am

n Catholics in Marnhull and Gillingham have welcomed new priest, Fr Francis Straw OSB. His arrival coincided with relaxation of the covid restrictions, which means they are once again receiving the Eucharist at the altar rails and singing. The 6pm Sunday Mass at Marnhull has been reinstated. Times of weekday Masses and other activities can be found at marnhullandgillinghamrc.org.uk Service Times in Marnhull and Gillingham: Mass at Our Lady’s Old Mill Lane Marnhull 9.30am and 6pm. Mass at St Benedict’s Cemetery Road Gillingham 11am.