This Sunday we hear Jesus speaking of Himself in John’s gospel as “the Good Shepherd”. Jesus as the Good Shepherd was one of the most important images of Jesus in the early church. We find shepherd imagery connected with Jesus in different forms in all the gospels, and in many of the letters of the New Testament. It is an image taken up in the earliest Christian art. This may be because of the pagan cult of the kriophoros, or ram-bearer: the image of a man carrying a ram was widespread in the ancient world, and so images of Jesus the Good Shepherd – such as the one above from the catacombs outside Rome – could be passed off as pagan images at a time when Christians were subjected to persecution. The Good Shepherd also has deep roots in the Old Testament – as well as King David, called from looking after his father’s flocks to be King of Israel, we might think of Psalm 23, and we may also remember that Moses was a shepherd when he encountered God in the Burning Bush. The Cross, rather than the Good Shepherd, has become the ubiquitous Christian symbol, but Jesus as the Good Shepherd draws our attention to different aspects of Jesus’ ministry, whilst still pointing to its ultimately sacrificial nature.
This Sunday:
8am Holy Communion (BCP)
9.30am Sung Eucharist and Junior Church
10am APCM (at St Nicholas, Remenham)
11am APCM
11.15am Matins (BCP) (at St Nicholas, Remenham)
3pm Marriage Preparation (The Rectory)
4pm Evening Prayer (BCP)
This week:
Tues 2nd Archaeological and Historical Group 7pm (Chantry House)
Holy Eucharist, offered for the Henley Debt Centre 7.30pm
Julian Group 7.45pm for 8pm (Forge Cottage)
Wed 3 BATS 10am (Chantry House) Holy Eucharist 12noon
Thurs 4 Holy Eucharist 10am (St Mary’s), followed by coffee in the Chantry House
Melody Makers 6pm Choir Practice 7.15pm
Fri 5 Holy Eucharist, offered for those who suffer 12noon
Morning Prayer will be said at 9am Tuesday to Friday.
Sunday May 7th ~ The Fifth Sunday of Easter
8am Holy Communion (BCP)
8.35am Parish Breakfast (Chantry House)
9.30am Sung Eucharist, Junior Church and Creche
11.15am Sung Matins (BCP) for the Coronation of King Charles III (at St Nicholas, Remenham)
4pm Choral Evensong for the Coronation of King Charles III