Rainbow Kids Club in Colindale

One of the lovely things about St Matthias is the number of local community groups that use our halls.

Recently, Gifty and Vicky have started up Rainbow Kids Club, an after-school club for primary age children, at St Matthias hall.

If you are interested in making use of this club, email them!

Reflection for the 16th Sunday after Trinity

"Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?"

In today's gospel we are given the images of a shepherd seeking out a solitary lost sheep and of a woman searching the house for a lost coin.

Given by Jesus in response to criticism of his mixing with 'sinners', these images present him as valuing every person to such an extent that he will seek them out when they are lost.

Every single person on this planet is of incomparable worth because they are valued by God. As Christians, we have to believe that about others - we cannot sign up for any way of thinking about, or acting towards, people which sees them as dispensable, in the cause of 'the Economy', 'the greater good', 'the Nation' or whatever.

But we also have to believe it about ourselves, which can sometimes be difficult. We are loved by God, we are valuable, we are worthwhile. Whatever others, the world around us, or we ourselves might try to say about us, nothing can change that. And nothing we do, nothing we are, can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Jesus, who seeks out the lost sheep, is always there to welcome us home - a reality we celebrate in the sacrament of confession.

Confirmation - 5th January 2014

Bishop Peter will be visiting St Matthias for the 11am Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany, Sunday 5th January 2014. He will celebrate the sacrament of confirmation. Candidates from both St Matthias and St John will be confirmed.

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of the Church, the great signs of God's love that give us God's grace to live as Christians. Confirmation strengthens us by the gift of the Holy Spirit to lead adult Christian lives. In our tradition, it is usually given to older children or adults.

If you have not been confirmed and would like to be, or are interested in finding out more, please contact Father Simon. We will be be running confirmation classes in the next few months.

Cheese, Wine, and Poetry at St Matthias : 20th September

On Friday 20th September Trevor Potter will be reading poetry at a cheese and wine evening at St Matthias vicarage. This event will start at 7:30pm, and will last for about ninety minutes. It should be fun and will raise funds for our boiler!

Donations of five pounds per person will be invited. Please let Fr Simon know if you're thinking of coming.

Prayer and Fasting for Syria - 7th September

As we continue to follow the news from Syria, Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace for this Saturday, September 7th.

Prayer with fasting is a scriptural way of commending a situation to God, and of uniting ourselves in solidarity with those who are suffering. Fasting, in the Christian tradition, is understood as 'eating considerably less food' - not starving ourselves, but eating less, and more simply. Perhaps we could donate the money we save to the DEC Appeal for Syria.

We pray for those damaged by the fighting in Syria.

To the wounded and injured:

Come Lord Jesus.

To the terrified who are living in shock:

Come Lord Jesus

To the hungry and homeless, refugee and exile:

Come Lord Jesus

To those bringing humanitarian aid:

Give protection Lord Jesus

To those administering medical assistance:

Give protection Lord Jesus.

To those offering counsel and care:

Give protection Lord Jesus.

For all making the sacrifice of love:

Give the strength of your Spirit

and the joy of your comfort.

We pray in the hope you have given us.

Amen.

Back to Church Sunday at St Matthias

In yesterday's gospel we heard about invitations to banquets. This month at St Matthias we are going to invite people to our banquet, the Mass!

We are taking part in Back to Church Sunday on 29th September. Everybody who was at Mass yesterday was given an invitation to hand out to somebody they know - perhaps a family member, friend, or workmate - who might appreciate being welcomed to church.

If you were given one of these invitations, please have a think over the next few days about who you will invite and then fill in and pass on the invitation. Over the coming weeks, pray for the person you have invited.

If you are a St Matthias regular, but were not at Mass yesterday, please ask one of the clergy for a invitation to pass on.

And if you are someone who is interested in the Christian faith, or who used to come to church but don't any longer - why not take this opportunity to come along to a local church in Colindale? You will be very welcome at our 11am Mass on 29th September. This includes singing, takes about an hour, and is followed by refreshments.

St Augustine

Today is the feast of St Augustine of Hippo, one of the most famous converts to Christianity and one of the greatest Christian thinkers. You can read a version of his Confessions on-line here.

"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."

From the Confessions