All Saints' Church Doddinghurst
Guild of Simeon and Anna
What is the Guild of Simeon and Anna?
It is a fellowship of Christian disciples of more senior years who commit to offering a prayer for the life of the church and our village once a week in their own homes.
Why Simeon and Anna?
In his gospel, Luke wants to make it clear that Simeon and Anna are senior in years. Their particular calling at this time in their lives is to be in the Temple, worshipping God and praying before Him. Luke also wants us to know that they are both people of deep faithfulness who have been awaiting the Messiah over a long period. They are people of hope, people whose eyes are on God through prayer and so they are able to recognise the baby Jesus when he appears in the Temple with Mary and Joseph. When they speak, they do so in wisdom rooted in their relationship with God. They bring these gifts into the Temple, the centre of worship and community for God’s people.
Simeon and Anna are models of Christian discipleship. They show us that the gifts of age and experience are important. God calls men and women of all ages and that calling may change at different points of life. For some of us, this will mean that as we grow older, our calling may change from one of active ministry with and for others to one of prayer. Here, we may be called to focus our eyes on God and lift up the needs of others before him. It may also enable us to speak into situations with wisdom and compassion.
Here in Doddinghurst, we recognise this particular calling and ministry of the prayer of those senior in years, within the Church. We would like to affirm this calling and ministry and to nurture it within our village. We hope that forming the Guild of Simeon and Anna will enable this to happen.
It is a fellowship of Christian disciples of more senior years who commit to offering a prayer for the life of the church and our village once a week in their own homes.
Why Simeon and Anna?
In his gospel, Luke wants to make it clear that Simeon and Anna are senior in years. Their particular calling at this time in their lives is to be in the Temple, worshipping God and praying before Him. Luke also wants us to know that they are both people of deep faithfulness who have been awaiting the Messiah over a long period. They are people of hope, people whose eyes are on God through prayer and so they are able to recognise the baby Jesus when he appears in the Temple with Mary and Joseph. When they speak, they do so in wisdom rooted in their relationship with God. They bring these gifts into the Temple, the centre of worship and community for God’s people.
Simeon and Anna are models of Christian discipleship. They show us that the gifts of age and experience are important. God calls men and women of all ages and that calling may change at different points of life. For some of us, this will mean that as we grow older, our calling may change from one of active ministry with and for others to one of prayer. Here, we may be called to focus our eyes on God and lift up the needs of others before him. It may also enable us to speak into situations with wisdom and compassion.
Here in Doddinghurst, we recognise this particular calling and ministry of the prayer of those senior in years, within the Church. We would like to affirm this calling and ministry and to nurture it within our village. We hope that forming the Guild of Simeon and Anna will enable this to happen.
Simeon and Anna
