Reports for May

On Sunday, 25 May, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Princes Risborough

Dear All

Judith shares her experiences of growing up in a Christian environment with us. Please pray for the lovely people at Princes Risborough this week and also remember in your prayers those who guided us through our growing years and pointed the way towards a loving relationship with Jesus.

(If anyone would like to follow up on Judith's thoughts on 'exploring the context of books in the Bible', there is an excellent opportunity each week to join Richard Atkinson's Bible study on Zoom, either on Tuesday evenings or Thursday afternoons – reply to this email for details – Pete).

Pete

Judith writes:

I have been with the Methodist Church since childhood, and I know I owe the many folk who gave their time and energy to encourage and enthuse us when we were children, teenagers and young adults.

I have always appreciated the church's strong promotion of social justice, but a transformational time for me as an adult was the sharing of more recent theologies by Biblical scholars, which explored the context of the books in the Bible and took us back to the core of Jesus' teaching. They suggested that we take the Bible seriously, but not always literally.

Anyone remember John Robinson's 'Honest to God'? and various other progressive writers on theology, whom I eagerly devoured and discussed with like minds in the church fellowship.

I found this inspiring and liberating, making it a joy to try to follow the Christian path to God, whilst acknowledging that other religions have validity for their cultures too.

Judith Gerrard

#On Sunday, 18th May, we prayed for the work and the workers at North Marston

Dear All

Something different this week! We are grateful to Heegon as he offers his thoughts on the gospel of St Luke. It is very helpful to know what lies behind the words when we read passages like the gospel of Luke. It adds to our understanding and enables us to make sense of the obscure bits as well as seeing the wider picture. Do enjoy and share this article from Heegon and pray for a wider understanding of the good news of Jesus throughout our circuit.

Also on this Sunday, 18 May, we pray for the work and the workers at North Marston that they may be empowered to share and celebrate the good news of Jesus with all, in their fellowship and community.

Pete

Heegon writes:

The Gospel of Luke

Gospel of Luke stands out as the most comprehensive account of Jesus' life among the four gospels. It is unique in that it is the only gospel to have a sequel, the Book of Acts. Together, these two works form a significant part of the story of Christianity's beginnings. Both are addressed to a man named Theophilus and written with the same purpose: to demonstrate how God's plan unfolds through the life, ministry, and followers of Jesus Christ.

Luke carefully compiled his gospel from reliable, first-hand sources, striving to present an accurate and truthful account of the events in Palestine during Jesus' lifetime. He is not merely a biographer; his overarching goal is to reveal the truth of Jesus' mission. Through Luke's writing, we see Jesus as the Saviour of all humanity--His coming a pivotal event in history.

Luke's gospel offers a particularly human portrayal of Jesus. It reflects Luke's compassion for people, especially the marginalised--the sick, the poor, women, children, and social outcasts. While each gospel has its unique emphasis, it has been said that Matthew's keynote is royalty, Mark's is power, John's is love, and Luke's is compassion and joy. The Gospel of Luke overflows with joy as it shows how God's love transforms human lives.

Purpose of the Gospel

Luke's purpose is twofold:

1. To present an accurate, orderly account of Jesus' life.

2. To present Christ as the perfect human and Saviour of the world.

About the Author

Luke was a physician (Colossians 4:14), a Greek, and a Gentile Christian. He is the only known Gentile author in the New Testament. A close companion and friend of the Apostle Paul, Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts, which together provide a seamless narrative of Jesus' ministry and the early church.

To Whom It Was Written

The Gospel was addressed to Theophilus, whose name means "lover of God" Gentiles. It was also written for all people everywhere who seek to understand God's work through Jesus.

Date and Setting

Luke likely wrote his gospel around AD 60, possibly from Rome or during Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea.

Key Verse

"Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'" (Luke 19:9-10).

Key Figures and Locations

Key People:

Jesus, Elizabeth, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Mary, the disciples, Herod the Great, Pilate, and Mary Magdalene.

Key Places:

Bethlehem, Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.

Special Features of Luke's Gospel

Luke's gospel is the most comprehensive of the four, showing a broad vocabulary and educated diction.

It frequently references angels, prayer, and miraculous events.

Luke places a strong emphasis on Jesus' relationships with people, especially the marginalised.

It contains inspired hymns and praises, and gives significant attention to women.

A large portion of Luke's gospel (9:51-18:35) is unique and not found in the other gospels.

The Miracle of Miracles

Every birth is a miracle, and every child is a gift from God. Yet, nearly 20 centuries ago, a miraculous birth changed the course of history. A baby was born--not just any child, but the Son of God. While all the gospels tell of this event, Dr. Luke, as though he were an attending physician, provides the most detailed account of Jesus' birth. With a divine Father and a human mother, Jesus entered history as God in the flesh.

Key Passages and Stories

Here are some of the best-known stories and key moments from Luke's gospel:

The Births of John and Jesus (Ch. 1-2)

Mary's Song (The Magnificat) (1:46-56)

Simeon's Praise (Nunc Dimittis) (2:29-32)

The Boy Jesus in the Temple (2:41-50)

Jesus' Teachings and Miracles (Ch. 4-13)

The Sermon in the Synagogue (4:16-22)

The Good Samaritan (10:25-37)

Martha and Mary (10:38-42)

The Lost Sheep (15:4-6)

The Prodigal Son (15:11-32)

Zacchaeus' Transformation (19:1-10)

Jesus' Last Week and Crucifixion (Ch. 22-24)

The Road to Emmaus (24:13-35)

The Ascension of Jesus (24:50-53)

Luke's gospel gives us an unparalleled look at Jesus' life and mission. It portrays a Saviour who meets people where they are--loving, healing, and transforming lives. As you read, let the joy and compassion of Christ fill your heart and inspire your walk with Him.

(from Life Application Study Bible, The New Lion Handbook to the Bible)

Heegon

On Sunday, 11 May, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Haddenham

Dear All

We join Christine as she shares her story of God's presence in her life during her time in Zimbabwe.

Christine discovered the truth in a dramatic way that we are indeed never alone, wherever we go, whatever we do, Jesus is with us and if we call him, he will come to us. Please remember the lovely people of Haddenham in your prayers this week and also pray for those who feel so alone in what can be a daunting world, that they may see the presence of Jesus in their lives.

Pete

Christine writes:

The wonderful work of God's experience in my life in Zimbabwe.

My spiritual background started when I was about 6 years old. I was born into a family of 12 children and I was the last born in the family. Our parents had a big farm and that is where all the children were born. My father's uncle was a reverend at the local church but he did not live with us.

Every evening after supper we would all gather in the lounge and Dad would choose who would be praying that evening. It was either him or Mum or any one of us children. That is how we learnt how to pray. We were encouraged to read the Bible on a daily basis. On Christmas day we used to go to church and dramatise the birth of Jesus Christ. My brother would be the shepherd and I would be the sheep!!!!!

When I grew up I was sent to a Methodist secondary school as a boarder. I joined the church choir. I was at this Mission school for 4 years.

Now this is the story of how through my belief and trust in the promises of God that when we call out his name he will come to our rescue:

I was visiting my son who was at a Boarding school in Masvingo in Zimbabwe, a 5 hours' drive distance from Harare where I lived. We were meant to arrive around 3 pm but our bus had a breakdown. I was with my sister and my 10 year old daughter. The mechanic arrived late.

We then continued the journey and arrived at midnight.

Our dropping off point was at a forested place where we had to walk a further 15 minutes to reach the Boarding school. There was nobody else walking with us.

As we were walking we heard a male voice saying, "Hey you, stop where you are!!!"

The man had a white cap on which we could see in the moonlight. We knew we were in trouble.

My hair stood up with fear.

Immediately I knew who to call!!! I shouted loudly saying, "Jesus, please come to our rescue."

I kept on calling louder and louder. The man was then almost near to where we were. He threw a stone which hit my sister and knocked her to the ground. Then the man disappeared!

I lifted my sister up but she was bleeding from the stone's hit.

I lifted her up and held her by the hand. We walked about 100 yards and found a bottle store which was still open. The owner was so kind. After hearing our story he called the police and we were taken to the nearest hospital, where my sister had sutures sewn on her bleeding head.

In Daniel 3 v 25, in the story of Shadrak, Mishak and Abednigo, another man appeared in the fire. This story came to my mind. I think the man ran away because there was a fourth person standing with us who he saw as he got nearer to us.

Psalm 50:51, Call upon me and I will rescue you,

All glory and honour belongs to God. God is faithful to his promises.

from Christine de Silva, May 4th 2025

On Sunday, 4 May, Fairford Leys was the focus of our Circuit Prayers

Dear All

Lorraine shares with us exciting news about the work being undertaken there. It is important to recognise the presence, inspirational leadership and the work of the Holy Spirit amongst us, and the Church at Fairford Leys does just that. The Church on Fairford Leys is a Local Ecumenical Partnership between the Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic and United Reformed Church denominations. Please pray for the fellowship and the work at Fairford Leys this week and pray that we may recognise the gifts of the Spirit at work throughout our circuit as we strive to serve our living Lord.

Pete

Lorraine writes:

As 2025 moves rapidly through its 2nd quarter we have so much to praise God for in Fairford Leys Church.

Our youth work is going from strength to strength. The youth café and meetings, started last year, with the leadership from Tara Zimmerman from St Mary's, Aylesbury and volunteers from Fairford Leys, has grown to such a number that we have had to start a waiting list!

Wednesday Fellowship has also grown in number and continues to be a blessing to those who attend. There have been a number of answers to prayer for those in this fellowship.

Wednesday Lunch Club continues to offer a place for a friendly chat and hot meal to help with limiting isolation and loneliness. Currently we have 13 regular attendees and 5 faithful volunteers.

Saturday morning tea, coffee and cake is also very well attended and we are blessed to have 4 volunteers to run this, so once a month commitment.

Our recently re-formed music group is also adding a fresh complimentary addition to Sunday morning worship.

The next 3 months see Reverend Anthony Howells off on sabbatical. We pray that he will return refreshed and have a Blessed time whilst reflecting on and exploring AI and IT in the church. Please pray for the visiting clergy and Church Elders that are covering Sunday and Wednesday Services while Anthony is off.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Blessings from Lorraine Durand

The Church on Fairford Leys

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