Church

We have all been touched by Jesus Christ

Vicar in the Vale

the Rev Richard Priest, of Stour Vale Benefice

Mark 10:2-16 Let the children come to me.

I recently came across some wonderful prayers written by children, which reveal their authentic way of coming to God. Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. n It works with my brother. –Larry n I didn’t think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool. – Eugene n Are you really invisible or is that just a trick? – Lucy n Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? – Norma n Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don’t you just keep the ones you got now? – Jane n I don’t ever feel alone since I found out about you. – Nora “Children say the most amazing things.” But in the passage today, it is Jesus who says the most amazing things. And what He says is not only about children but about each of us... And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them We are told that parents brought their little ones to Jesus. Mark tells us that they were even bringing infants for Jesus to touch. In all of this we see a beautiful picture of our Lord ministering not only to the children but also to the parents, for they were lined up to get this blessing from Jesus. It was common for parents to bring children to a rabbi to touch, and we might suppose that this is what was happening, but there is also something deeper. Every one knows that parents want the best for their children. There is also a parental instinct that recognises that so much of life is out of our control and we need God to protect and bless our children. In this passage we come to see that God welcomes little ones who cannot make decisions, cannot debate or enter into arguments about religion or even express faith. Yet, Christ touches these children as if they were to be included in His family, because they are. Everywhere in the Word of God, the children of believers are to be included until they can see for themselves their need of Christ and can turn to Him. This is one of the reasons, though not the only reason, that we baptise infants. Bringing our little ones to Jesus Christ has spiritual blessings from God to the child through the faithfulness of the parents and God-parents Not long ago I was watching a program in which university researchers tagged a baby whale in Monterey, California. For years they watched as that baby grew. She went all over the world, but at the right time in her life she returned home. The touch of God on a child’s life early on is like a divine tag in which Jesus says, This child is mine. She or he may wander all over the world, but they have the tag, the early impression of Jesus in their life, the touch of Christ on their life. And when the time is right they will turn to Christ. We must not discriminate in who hears the gospel. We must reach all with it. Moreover, we must not place barriers in the lives of people who desire to come to Christ. Jesus was touching the babies, maybe talking with the parents about the life of their child. But he also talks to each and everyone of us if only we would listen for we are all children of God.

THE LOWER STOUR BENEFICE AND LANGTON LONG (Find us at achurchnearyou.com) Everyone welcome. Sunday, October 3 10.45am Charlton Marshall Together service At the Village Hall. Sunday, October 10th 9:30am Blandford St Mary Communion 11am Langton Long Harvest Communion

ANGLICAN HIGH MASS AT WIMBORNE ST GILES The monthly High Mass is now being offered again on each first Sunday at 10am, starting Sunday October 3rd All most welcome 01202 828797.

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 3 9.30am: St Peter’s All-Age Worship for Harvest 9.30am: St James’ Harvest Parish Communion 9.30am: Motcombe Harvest Parish Communion 11.15am: Enmore Green Harvest Family Service 11.15am: Melbury Abbas Harvest Service 11.15am: Margaret Marsh Harvest Service Sunday October 10 9.30am: St Peter’s Parish Communion 9.30am: Motcombe Parish Communion 11.15am:West Orchard Morning Worship 6.00pm: St James’ Pilgrim Service Sunday October 3 9.00am: Mappowder Holy Communion 10.30am: Hazelbury Bryan Morning Prayer 11.00am: Ibberton Holy Communion 6.30pm: Belchalwell Evening Prayer for Harvest Sunday October 10 10.30am Mappowder Morning Praise 11.00am Fifehead Neville Harvest Praise 4.30pm Hazelbury Bryan Harvest Festival followed by tea in the school hall Sunday October 17 10.30am Hazelbury Bryan Family Worship 10.30am Belchalwell Holy Communion 6.30pm Ibberton Evening Prayer for Harvest with Refreshments

Holy Rood Church, Shillingstone. We are holding a Harvest Evensong Service at 6.30pm on October 10. There will be Harvest hymns, readings and canticles. Everyone is welcome to join us.