Leeds Vineyard

Caked in mud and odd splashes of blood 


One of the jobs I did for a while when I used to play rugby was washing the kit. We all took turns and I fondly remember the abandoned shirts scattered around the changing room after 15 of us had spent a happy 80 minutes falling over in cold wintery mud at Headingley RFC. Sodden, cold, caked in mud and odd splashes of blood. Garments gladly left behind for the poor soul whose job it was to collect them up and bring them back next week freshly laundered.
 
When the disciple Peter leaned to look past the rolled-away stone into the tomb where Jesus’ body had been laid I doubt he expected to see abandoned blood-stained cloths gladly left behind for someone else to pick up.
 
Jesus had gone, he had left the pain and dirt of this earthly life behind and gone. Gone to a new, resurrected life in which the old clothes were no longer needed.
 
On Sunday, Easter Sunday, we will remember and celebrate the resurrection story. As part of making it real for us today I would like to invite you to bring an article of clothing - which is good enough to give away (not caked in mud and odd splashes of blood!). It can also represent something of your life - which you can “leave behind”.
 
During the service (the children will have gone to their groups) there will be an opportunity for you to place your old garment at the foot of the cross. Afterwards we will take these clothes and give them to a local charity.

Roll Away The Stone 

EASTER EVENTS

Passover meals
This year, rather than one central Passover meal some of the housegroups are doing different versions during the week. Please ask your house group leader whether your group is doing this and if not feel free to join another group. If you are a housegroup leader and happy for others to join you please post the information on the website forum.
 

Good Friday Walk & Breakfast on Ilkley Moor

Our traditional trip up t’hill for breakfast on Friday morning. Full information on the website here. One of our favourite events and great for inviting friends.
 

Good Friday Walk of Witness in Headingley

If you would prefer to stay nearer sea level you can join our friends from other churches in Headingley for a short prayer and worship walk. Please gather outside the Arndale Centre opposite HMC at 10.10am on Friday.
 

Weekly worship: “Roll Away the Stone”

All are very welcome to join us to celebrate the world-changing resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning at Headingley Methodist Church. The service starts at 11.00am as usual. The children will stay with us for the first part – with drama and worship. When the children have gone to their groups there will be the opportunity for you to respond to the message by leaving an item of clothing (see above) – please come prepared! Please invite your friends.
 

The Bunker: “Roll Away the Stone”

We meet to worship, pray and wait on the God as usual. This is when there is time for quiet, for sharing what we sense the Lord is saying, for prayer ministry. 7.30-8.30pm at Headingley Methodist Church.
 

May the Lord bless you and speak to you this week as we remember a sequence of events that goes from celebratory, to mystery, to trauma, to bereavement and guilt and darkness and then back to celebration. A sequence that tells the story of God’s Mission to do everything it takes to show us His love and rescue us from death and bring us to new eternal life.
 
Here is the Collect (a prayer) from the Anglican Common Worship for Good Friday. You could pray this each day this week:
 

Eternal God,
In the cross of Jesus
we see the cost of our sin
and the depth of your love:
in humble hope and fear
may we place at his feet
all that we have and all that we are,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 
David
David Flowers, 14/04/2014