Stockton Road Church News
March 2025
Mark 12: 30-31
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your mind, and with all your strength, and you shall
love your neighbour as yourself”.
We are a union of Presbyterian and Congregational
churches at the heart of Sunderland city life, growing from
a past rich in mission and hospitality. We embrace this
heritage utilising the Five Marks of Mission to guide and
enable us to take forward current opportunities for mission
and service.
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MARCH REFLECTION
Luke 13: 1-9
Prior to this reading, Jesus had been speaking openly about
his identity and coming death. Ahead of that exchange, Luke
records for us some teaching about the kingdom of God, and
the ‘narrow door’ by which it is entered. That set of teachings
is introduced by today’s passage. Jesus picks up on some
current ‘news stories’ of the time: people who died in a
building collapse and the mistreatment of some pilgrims who
have come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple.
Pilate was known for his ruthless behaviour and
inflammatory treatment of the Jewish people, including
massacres, the raiding of the Temple treasury and the
bringing to Jerusalem of Roman flags bearing the image of
Caesar. The question being addressed, however, is whether
these people suffering at the hands of Pilate or in the ruined
building were being punished for their sin. Jesus is clear that
those who died were not being singled out for judgement.
Rather, judgement is coming to all, and the only way to
survive this is to ‘repent’.
‘Repentance’ denotes a change of direction. It is an
encouragement to stop living as has previously suited and to
live in a different way, which brings about different results.
The point is to stop being out-of-step with God and, instead,
to live in God’s way as the people of God. The fig tree
parable raises a number of questions (for example, the
identities of the vineyard’s owner and the gardener, why a fig
tree would be planted in a vineyard and why the tree has not
previously been dug around and manured). However, it
makes the point that another chance to repent, to change
direction, is being given – and that these chances will, at
some point, run out.
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The poem ‘Children Learn What They Live’ by Dorothy Law
Nolte sets out the consequences that come from children
learning behaviour from the significant people around them:
‘If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn… If
children live with acceptance, they learn to love.’ What have
we learnt, and what do we model and teach about how to
live as the people of God? What do we show people about
changing direction and second chances?
Questions
• How can repotting help a dying plant?
• How does it feel to receive a second chance? How
does it feel to give one?
• In what ways can we help to fertilize faith in those
who might be struggling?
A Prayer
Loving God,
thank you for your promise to do something new in each of
our lives.
Help us to give people a second chance, as you do for us,
today, in the week ahead and always.
Amen.
Lectionary Readings
2 – 8 March – Face-to-face with God
Transfiguration: Exodus 34.29-35; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians
3.12-4.2; Luke 9.28-36, (37-43)
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9 – 15 March – Tools to survive and thrive
Lent 1: Deuteronomy 26.1-11; Psalm 91.1-2,9-16; Romans
10.8b-13; Luke 4.1-13
16 – 22 March – Now and not yet
Lent 2: Genesis 15.1-12,17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3.17
4.1; Luke 13.31-35
23 – 29 March – Repentance and second chances
Lent 3: Isaiah 55.1-9; Psalm 63.1-8; 1 Corinthians 10.1-13;
Luke 13.1-9
30 March – 5 April – What kind of welcome?
Lent 4: Joshua 5.9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5.16-21;
Luke 15.1-3,11b-32
Church Services March
Services at 10.45am in the Lower Hall unless indicated otherwise
March 2 Jeff Ledger. Coffee and Croissants.
March 9 Elisabeth Meikle.
March 16 Christine Hutchinson and Barbara
Mitchell.
March 23 Revd Jane Rowell. Communion service.
March 30 Revd Jane Rowell. Joint Pastorate service
at Roker URC at 11 am.
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Weekly Activities (all welcome)
Bible Study Group
Food Cycle Lunch
Tuesdays at 10.30am **
Tuesdays at 12.30pm
** Our Minister, Jane Rowell, will be leading a Lent Bible
Study which will start on Tuesday 11 March and continue
each Tuesday throughout Lent. Everyone is very welcome.
Diary Dates
Church Meeting
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Fri 21 March at 10.30am
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Love, Amelia
Don’t forget to check out Love, Amelia’s Wishlist. There is a
collecting box in the foyer for items. Check out their website
for more information too: www.loveamelia.org.uk
Click on link to view previous News letters
March Newsletter 2024