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The Barham Downs Group of Church

Adisham • Barham • Bishopsbourne • Kingston • Wymynswold

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PUBLIC WORSHIP

Holy Communion services depend upon the progress of the pandemic.
We would still ask that we wear masks during worship and pastoral services. Social Distancing and Hygiene measures are in place until further notice.

Church Services - see https://www.barhamdownschurches.org.uk/churchservices.htm

Advent 2

5th December 2021

Advent 2 Candle photo

Collect of the day

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever .

Amen

Reading-Malachi 3:1-4

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Luke 3:1-6

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
Glory to you O Lord

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
   and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
   and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the sick peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, that they imitate the governance of heaven here on earth and to love unconditionally.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel, James.

And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

Peter Presland, Elizabeth Lancaster- Moore, Michael Johnson, James (Jim) Colthup, Marie (Marj) Stewart, Colin Horton, Lis Rowe

And whose anniversary falls at this time;

Marjorie Langdon, Audrey Epps, Jack Berry, Timothy Bramsdon, Peter Crouch.

Christ the King

21st November 2021

Collect of the day

God the Father, help us to hear the call of Christ the King and to follow in his service, whose kingdom has no end; for he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, one glory.

Amen

Reading-Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14

As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him.

To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Revelations 1:4b-8

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests servinghis God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Gospel – John 18:33-37

Glory to you O Lord

Then Pilate entered the headquartersagain, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel,

And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

Peter Presland, Elizabeth Lancaster- Moore, Michael Johnson, James (Jim) Colthup, Marie (Marj) Stewart, Colin Horton

And whose anniversary falls at this time;

Rosemary Bone-Knell, Pauline Dixon, Marguerite MacDonald, Bessy Collingwood, Sally Goodban, Malcolm Hoyle

Come and join us in praying for the COP26 in Taize style - with chants, icons, candles and a poignant set up. Words on the screen so that you can join in the singing.

3rd before Advent

7th November 2021

Collect of the day

God, our refuge and strength, bring near the day when wars shall cease and poverty and pain shall end, that earth may know the peace of heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen

Reading-Jonah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying,“Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Gospel – Mark 1:14-20

Glory to you O Lord

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel,

And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

Roddy Loder-Symonds, James, Peter Presland, Elizabeth Lancaster- Moore, Michael Johnson

And whose anniversary falls at this time;

Geoff Macdonald, Betty Thompson, Susan Keyes

Medieval image of Saints

Eve of All Saints day

31st October 2021

Collect of the day

God of holiness, your glory is proclaimed in every age: as we rejoice in the faith of your saints, inspire us to follow their example with boldness and joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord Reading-Revelations 21:1-6a

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwellwith them; they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Gospel- John 11:32-44

Glory to you, O Lord

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel,
Jesse Crump

And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Roddy Loder-Symonds, James, Peter Presland, Elizabeth Lancaster- Moore, Michael Johnson

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
Ken Tritton, Peggy Manby

Bible Sunday

24th October 2021

Collect of the day

Merciful God, teach us to be faithful in change and uncertainty, that trusting in your word and obeying your will we may enter the unfailing joy of Jesus Christ our Lord

Reading- 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it,and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you:proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Psalm 19 vv. 7-14

The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: the judgements of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is thy servant taught: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can tell how oft he offendeth: O cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me: so shall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart: be alway acceptable in thy sight, O Lord: my strength, and my redeemer.

Gospel- John 5:36b-47

Glory to you, O Lord

But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.“You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings. But I know that you do not have the love of God in you.I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him.How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope.If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel,
Jesse Crump

And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds, James, Peter Presland

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
Richard Kelly, Suzanne Potter, Kathleen Ransley, Alexander Wheaten.

Trinity 20

17th October 2021

Collect of the day

God, our light and our salvation: illuminate our lives, that we may see your goodness in the land of the living, and looking on the beauty may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord

Reading- Hebrews 5:1-10

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness;and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesusoffered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered;and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Gospel- Mark 10:35-45

Glory to you, O Lord

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?”And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds, James, Peter Presland

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
Joyce Grieg, Betty Richardson, Maggie Ferguson.

Trinity 19

10th October 2021

Collect of the day

Faithful Lord, whose steadfast love never ceases and whose mercies never come to an end: grant us the grace to trust you and to receive the gifts of your love, new every morning, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading- Hebrews 4:12-16

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been testedas we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Psalm 90 vv. 12-17

So teach us to number our days: that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last: and be gracious unto thy servants. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon: so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us: and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity. Shew thy servants thy work: and their children thy glory. And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us: prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handywork.

Gospel- Mark 10:17-31

Glory to you, O Lord

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds, James, Peter Presland

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
Martin Jervis, Clive Jones, Peter Ward.

On Sunday 17th October 2021 at 4 pm there will be a

service of Healing, Hope and Recovery at St Peter’s Church, Aylesham

Led by Rev. Lorraine Apps-Huggins and the team of The Living Well, Nonington.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

For enquiries please contact@the-living-well.org.uk or nick.ratcliffe@outlook.com

Trinity 18

3rd October 2021

https://youtu.be/llWJPzYFCYs

Join us for our Taize Prayer in Praise of Creation as Christians around the world are praying for creation in anticipation of COP26 in Glasgow. There are beautiful images from the Garden, the View and the Yurt and joyful, hopeful chants from the Community. with words on the screen so all can join in. Half an hour to take you from the ordinary to the heavenly!

Trinity 18

3rd October 2021

Collect of the day

God, our judge and saviour, teach us to be open to your truth and to trust in your love, that we may live each day with confidence in the salvation which is given through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading- Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them

, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honour, subjecting all things under their feet.” Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them,but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lowerthan the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Gospel- Mark 10:2-16

Glory to you, O Lord

“Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.”But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you.But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’‘For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds, James

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
Primrose Retallack, Dot Knight, Jim Risby, Vera Errington

Trinity 17

26th September 2021

Collect of the day

Creator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons; as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Psalm 65

THOU, O God, art praised in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem. Thou that hearest the prayer: unto thee shall all flesh come. My misdeeds prevail against me: O be thou merciful unto our sins. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee: he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Thou shalt shew us wonderful things in thy righteousness, O God of our salvation: thou that art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea. Who in his strength setteth fast the mountains: and is girded about with power. Who stilleth the raging of the sea: and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid at thy tokens: thou that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee. Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it: thou makest it very plenteous. The river of God is full of water: thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth. Thou waterest her furrows, thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof: thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness: and thy clouds drop fatness. They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness: and the little hills shall rejoice on every side. The folds shall be full of sheep: the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing.

Reading- Joel 2:21-27

Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Do not fear, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and vine give their full yield. O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.

And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Gospel- Matthew 6:25-33

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds, James

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
David Leidig, Doris Watson, Alice Bland, Charles Fagg, Kitty Bradshaw

Trinity 16

19th September 2021

Collect of the day

O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Reading- James 3:13-4:3, 4:7-8a

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Friendship with the World

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you?You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God.

Gospel- Mark 9:30-37

Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Rachel
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds, James

And whose anniversary falls at this time;
Valery Jones, Philip Winter Taylor, Jessie Trot

Trinity 15 Education Sunday

12th September 2021

Collect of the day

God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent in the fellowship of the gospel that, always abiding in you, they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Reading- Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.

The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.

The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.
It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Gospel- Mark 8:27-38

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ron Waitt, Roddy Loder-Symonds

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Irene Curtis, David Durell, Tim Bradley, Andrew Candy, Elizabeth Duncan, Elsie Mant, Keith Milner

Trinity 14
5th September 2021

Collect of the day

Merciful God, your Son came to save us and bore our sins on the cross: may we trust in your mercy and know your love, rejoicing in the righteousness that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen.

Isaiah 35: 4-7

Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.

He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

James 2: 1-10, 14-17 The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Cures a Deaf Man

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus^[c] ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Jarrett, Erin, Eric Todd

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Jean Burgess, Christine Haswell

Trinity 13
29th August 2021

Trinity 13

Collect of the day
Almighty God,
you search us and know us:
may we rely on you in strength
and rest on you in weakness,
now and in all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 15 Who shall abide in God’s Sanctaury

O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
   and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
   and do no evil to their friends,
   nor take up a reproach against their neighbours;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
   but who honour those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
who do not lend money at interest,
   and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved

Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-9 Moses teaches the commands of God

So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you. You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!’ For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?

But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children—

Mark 7:1-8,14,15,21-23 Jesus instructs the Elders

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’ He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
“This people honours me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.”
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.’

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.’ For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the sick peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, that they imitate the governance of heaven here on earth and to love unconditionally.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Wilfred Davies, Joy Moss, June Fisher, Barbara Perkins, Donald Williams, Jean Burgess,
Audrey Fagg

Trinity 12
22nd August 2021

Collect of the day
God of constant mercy,
who sent your Son to save us:
remind us of your goodness,
increase your grace within us,
that our thankfulness may grow,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Psalm 34:15-22
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
   but the Lord rescues them from them all.
He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.
Evil brings death to the wicked,
   and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
   none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Joshua 24:1-2a,14-18 Joshua unites the tribes in renewing the Covenant

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods.

‘Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’

Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’

John 6:56-69 The Words of Eternal Life

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Donald Arter, Mabel Perrott

The Blessed Virgin Mary
15th August 2021

BVM

Collect of the day
Almighty God,
who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and chose her to be the mother of your only Son:
grant that we who are redeemed by his blood
may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever. Amen.

Psalm 45:10-17
Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
   forget your people and your father’s house,
   and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
   the people of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,
   the richest of the people with all kinds of wealth.

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;
   in many-coloured robes she is led to the king;
   behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
With joy and gladness they are led along
   as they enter the palace of the king.

In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.

Revelation 11:19-12:6,10 The Woman and the Dragon

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
‘Now have come the salvation and the power
   and the kingdom of our God
   and the authority of his Messiah,
for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,
   who accuses them day and night before our God.

Luke 1:46-55 Mary praises (magnifies) the Lord

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Jarrett, Erin

And whose anniversary falls at this time
(Edward) George Austin, Winifred Hooper, Jean Foster, Susan Perkins, Phyllis Gainer

Trinity 10

8th August 2021

Collect of the day
Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 34:1-8
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
and was saved from every trouble. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Jarrett, Erin

And whose anniversary falls at this time
(Avil Hughes, Pamela Leaver, Eileen Court, Murial (Wuffles) Presland

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 9
1st August 2021

Trinity 9

Collect of the day
Almighty God,
who sent your Holy Spirit
to be the life and light of your Church:
open our hearts to the riches of your grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
in love and joy and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

Psalm 78:23-29
Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;
he rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. Mortals ate of the bread of angels; he sent them food in abundance.
He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by his power he led out the south wind;
he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas; he let them fall within their camp, all around their dwellings. And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them
what they craved.

Exodus 16:2-4,9-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’

Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.

Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.” ’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.” ’

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Mark 6:30-34,53-56 Feeding & Healing so many

So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Wendi, Benji
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Anu Bhattacharya

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Joyce Friend, Trevor White, Alan Tanner, David Teakle

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

James the Apostle
25th July 2021

Collect of the day
Merciful God,
whose holy apostle Saint James,
leaving his father and all that he had,
was obedient to the calling of your Son Jesus Christ
and followed him even to death:
help us, forsaking the false attractions of the world,
to be ready at all times to answer your call without delay:
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Acts 11:27-12:2 The death of James

At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.

Matthew 20:20-28 The request of the mother of James and John

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’

When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Wendi, Anu Bhattacharya
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Jarrett, Barry Thomas

And whose anniversary falls at this time
John Malin, Violet Bardell

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 7
18th July 2021

Collect of the day
Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Ephesians 2:11-22 One in Christ

So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

Mark 6:30-34,53-56 Feeding & Healing so many

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Rosalind Roman, Wendi, Barry, Anu Bhattacharya
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Jarret

And whose anniversary falls at this time
David Simpson, Colin Gray, William Plummer, Jean Holt, Philip Mant, Leonard Maxted,

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 6
11th July 2021

Psalm 85:8-13
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Amos 7:7-15 Go prophesy!

This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb-line.’ Then the Lord said,
‘See, I am setting a plumb-line
   in the midst of my people Israel;
   I will never again pass them by;
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
   and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
   and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’

Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the very centre of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said,
“Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile away from his land.” ’
And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.’

Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycomore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

Mark 6:14-29 Death of John the Baptist

King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced,she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Maggie, Joan, Nathan, Anthony, Adam, Rosalind Roman
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Marjorie Alcorn

And whose anniversary falls at this time
John McKenzie, Diana Garstin, Barry Rowlandson, William Plummer, Maurice Atherton,

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 5
4th July 2021

Psalm 123:1-4a

To you I lift up my eyes,
   O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants
   look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
   to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
   until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,

Ezekiel 2:1-5 Vision of the Scroll
He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

Mark 6:1-13 Jesus and The Twelve
He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the oppressed peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, that they imitate the governance of heaven here on earth and to love unconditionally.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Philip Zurakovsky,

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Brenda Fox, Bob Horn,

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 4
27th June 2021

Collect of the day

Gracious Father,
By the obedience of Jesus, you brought salvation to our wayward world:
draw us into harmony with your will, that we may find all things restored in him, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Psalm 30:1-4,8-12 O Lord, my God!

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
   and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
   restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
   and give thanks to his holy name…

To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication:
‘What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!’

You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.

Lamentations 3:23-33 The Lord is my portion

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for one to bear the yoke in youth, to sit alone in silence
   when the Lord has imposed it, to put one’s mouth to the dust
   (there may yet be hope), to give one’s cheek to the smiter,
   and be filled with insults.
For the Lord will not reject for ever.
Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
   according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.

Mark 5:21-43 A girl restored and a woman healed

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue,
‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the oppressed peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, for the natural resources of the world, for those who have had their human rights taken away from them, for our medical staff strained by the pandemic and needing our support, for our educators and for those who provide social care

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Maggie, Joan, Nathan, Anthony, Adam,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Di George ,Philip Zurakovsky,

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Jo-anne Nutt, Daphne Payne, Mary Goodman, Michael Hendy, Dennis Allford,

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 3
20th June 2021

Collect of the day
God our Saviour,
Look on this wounded world in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace won for us
by your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Job 38:1-11 The Lord answers Job out of a whirlwind

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
   Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
   Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
   and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

‘Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?—
when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors,
and said, “Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stopped”?

Mark 4:35-41 Jesus stills a storm

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the oppressed peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, for the natural resources of the world, for those who have had their human rights taken away from them, for our medical staff strained by the pandemic and needing our support

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Maggie, Joan, Nathan, Anthony, Adam,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Di George, Cynthia Nolan, Philip Zurakovsky,

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Terry Cumming,

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 2
13th June 2021

Ezekiel 17:22-24
Thus says the Lord God:
I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar;
I will set it out. I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live; in the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind.
All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord.
I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.

Mark 4:26-34
He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’

He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples

Collect of the day

Faithful Creator,
Whose mercy never fails:
deepen our faithfulness to you
and to your Living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the oppressed peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, for the natural resources of the world, for those who have had their human rights taken away from them, for our medical staff strained by the pandemic and needing our support

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Maggie, Joan, Nathan, Anthony, Adam,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Di George, Cynthia Nolan

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Hazel Clark, Joyce Fox, Charlie Clark, Clive Rundle, Joe Rumble, Dorothy Gorham, Jean Ovenden,

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity 1

6th June 2021

2 Corinthians 4:13-15

But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—
‘I believed, and so I spoke’—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Mark 3:20-35
and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’

Collect of the day
God of truth,
help us to keep your law of love
and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life
in Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the universal Church, for the oppressed peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss, for all who lead and govern, for the natural resources of the world, for those who have had their human rights taken away from them.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Maggie, Joan, Nathan, Anthony
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Di George

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Frank Sedgwick, Edward Minter, Stephen Burr, Thomas Arter, Terrence Payne

May they rest in peace and rise in glory

May God who made both heaven and earth bless us.
Amen.

Trinity Sunday
God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit
30th May 2021

Bless the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit:
sing his praise and exalt him for ever

Psalm 33.1-5

The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, for it is good for the just to sing praises.

Praise the Lord with the lyre; on the ten-stringed harp sing his praise.

Sing for him a new song; play skilfully, with shouts of praise.

For the word of the Lord is true and all his works are sure.

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 6: 1-8 Isaiah’s Vision of God in the Temple

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

John 3:1-17 Nicodemus visits Jesus

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life,
for the persecuted Church, for the oppressed peoples of the world, for all who are lonely,
for all who are near to death, for all who are facing loss.
For the Children of Gaza and Israel, for our own children and families that need the support of our communities.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Joanne, Di George, Maggie, Joan, Nathan
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Cynthia Levick

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Judith Balough, Barbara Gill.

Pentecost / Whitsun
The coming of the Holy Spirit
23rd May 2021

Blessed are you, creator God,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your Spirit moved over the face of the waters
bringing light and life to your creation,
pour out your Spirit on us today
that we may walk as children of light
and by your grace reveal your presence.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.

Acts 2:1-21 The Coming of your Holy Spirit
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
   and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
     and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,
     before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

John 15:26-27 & 16:4b-15 The Work of the Spirit

‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The Collect (Prayer for the coming week)
God, who as at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people
by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things
and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Joanne, Di George, Maggie, Joan, Nathan
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Cynthia Levick

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Doris Parsons, Percival Fox, Jeanette Seldon

Ascensiontide
The promise of the Holy Spirit
16th May 2021

Acts 1:15-17,21-26 Matthias is chosen as Apostle

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people) and said, ‘Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus— for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.’
So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

John 17:6-19 Jesus prays for his disciples

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Joanne, Diana, Maggie, Joan, Nathan
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
PCSO Julia James

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Stuart Gill, Peter Niblettt, Janice Coade

6th Sunday of Easter
Abiding in Love and in The Spirit
9th May 2021

Rogation 2021

3pm Rogation Walk and Evening Prayers starting and finishing at
St Margaret's Womenswold.

Acts 8:26-40 Holy Spirit for All

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

John 15:1-8 Abide in my Love and bear much fruit

‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back
Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,

If I lacked any thing.

A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:

Love said, You shall be he.

I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,

I cannot look on thee.

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame

Go where it doth deserve.

And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?

My dear, then I will serve.

You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:

So I did sit and eat. George Herbert (Love III)

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Joanne, Diana,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
PCSO Julia James

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Iris Taylor, Norman Weaver, Robert Heap, Audrey Pay, Andrew Shearer

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!

5th Sunday of Easter
Jesus is the Good Shepherd
2nd May 2021

Acts 8:26-40 Philip and the Ethiopian Courtier
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
     ‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
     so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him.
     Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.’

The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’ He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

John 15:1-8 Jesus the True Vine

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Faith Point
Like our earth without the sunshine and its seasons
Like our faith without its reasons;
We whither, perish, return fruitless to the ground
We lose life and become uncrowned;
Scripture nourishes, fellowship encourages
Soaked in baptism the vine thrives;
We cling to Christ, glorified vine, eternal root
We abide in Him bearing fruit

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens,
And for those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Julia Hilton, PCSO Julia James

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Eunice Jaeggi, Dorothy Minter, Colin Ball, Greta Allen, Rayden Chadwick,

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!

4th Sunday of Easter
Jesus is the Good Shepherd
25th April 2021

Acts 4:5-12 Peter stands before those who accused Jesus
The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is
“the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.”
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’

John 10:11-18 Jesus is the Good Shepherd

‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Billy Britton, Jackson Cooper-Cullen, Leo,
For those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Denise Garrett, Beryl Graham, Julia Hilton

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Tony Jaconelli, Oliver Willoughby, June Bishop, Cecile Mirkowski, Raymond Bovis

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

3rd Sunday of Easter
Jesus appears to the Disciples
18th April 2021

The Collect
Risen Christ,
you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope: strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace,
to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Psalm 4:1,3, 6 – The Lord hears
Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer…But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. There are many who say, ‘O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!’

Acts 3:12-19 We are Witnesses
When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out,

Luke 24:36b-48
Jesus appears to his Disciples
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself.

Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Faith Point

What is it that we just don’t get?
A dead man rising to life!
Doesn’t happen, does it?
They, the disciples, saw and witnessed so much about Jesus, why don’t they get it?
Do we?

It’s not about all life adhering strictly to the parameters of this physical world but of a God who creates the universe and offers a glimpse beyond quantum sight – that all things are possible.
Jesus is not just human but also divine and the gateway between the two. We just need to remember what he told the disciples. They are witnesses, and so are we along The Way. How many times like the Disciples do we need to return to our Bibles and see God’s salvation plan blue-printed in the messages of the Prophets to the Word-made-flesh and to a New Jerusalem?

The world we inhabit is a wonderful testament to the holy and tremendous life-giving power of the Lord-of-All. Now how much more will that life be in union with Christ starting in this world and being fulfilled in the next, world without end? Amen.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Billy Britton, Jackson Cooper-Cullen, Leo,
For those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Denise Garrett, Beryl Graham, Julia Hilton

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Lieselotte Adam, Margaret Cutt, Bluette Easton, John Earl, Joyce Rickell, George Stewart,
Michael Buscall, Frank Bennett.

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

Friday of Easter Week 9th April 2021
HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, RIP

It is with great sadness that we hear about the death of HRH Prince Philip,
Duke of Edinburgh. Our deepest sympathy and our prayers go with HM
The Queen and the Royal Family.

The Duke was a dedicated husband and family man
as well tirelessly serving his nation and the Commonwealth
with dedication and for the common good. I wonder how many of us were involved and participated in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Condolences may be given online via the Church of England: -

https://www.churchofengland.org/remembering-his-royal-highness-prince-philip

Condolences may also be written after church services on Sunday and the
following churches will be open over the weekend. It must be stressed that
social distancing, mask wearing and sanitising must be adhered to:

St John's Barham: Saturday 10am-2pm & Sunday 10:30am to 1pm
St Margaret's W'wold: Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm
St Mary's Bishopsbourne: Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm
St Giles Kingston: TBA - Saturday 12-12:30 & Sunday 9am-12pm
Holy Innocents Adisham: TBA

Collect (Prayer for today)

Most Merciful Father,
hear our prayer and comfort the Queen, her family and nation;
renew our trust in your Son, whom you raised from the dead;
strengthen our faith that all who have died in the love of Christ
will share in his resurrection:
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

2nd Sunday of Easter
Jesus appears to the disciples and then Thomas
11th April 2021

Easter 2 Upper Room

The Collect
Risen Christ,
for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:
open the doors to our hearts, that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace, to the praise of God the Father. Amen.

Acts 4:32-35 The Early Church shares its possessions

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need

John 20:19-31 Jesus appears to the disciples and then Thomas
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Billy Britton, Jackson Cooper-Cullen, Leo, Julia Hilton
For those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Denise Garrett, Beryl Graham

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Elsie Ansell, Irene Richards, Ashley Carter, Joan Bishop, Betty Sharp, Hazel Ebers, Tess Tanner, Barry Gidney, John Hudson, Dora Reid, Gillian Epps, Bernard Callan, Eric Poole

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

Easter Sunday
Christ is risen! He has risen indeed!

4th April 2021

Christ has been raised from the dead:
the first fruits of those who sleep. Romans 6:9

The Collect (prayer for the day)

Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might,
now and in all eternity. Amen.

Acts 10:34-43 Gentiles Hear the Good News

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

Mark 16:1-8 The Resurrection of Jesus

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Death is swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your sting? 1 Corinthians 15:54,55

Prayers

On this day that the Lord has made, let us pray for the people he has redeemed.
That we may live as those who believe in the triumph of the cross: hear our prayer

That all people may receive the good news of his victory: hear our prayer.

That those born to new life in the waters of baptism may know the power of his resurrection: hear our prayer.

That those who suffer pain and anguish may find healing and peace in the wounds of Christ: hear our prayer.

That in the undying love of Christ we may be united with all who have died in the faith of Christ: hear our prayer.

Let us commend the world, in which Christ rose from the dead, to the mercy and protection of God.

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia

Palm Sunday
Triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem

28th March 2021

Palm Sunday 3 2021

Zechariah 9.9-12 Rejoice O daughter Jerusalem

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
   Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
   triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey,
   on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem;
and the battle-bow shall be cut off,
   and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
   I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
   today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Mark 11:1-11 Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.” ’ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens, Billy Britton, Jackson Cooper-Cullen, Leo
For those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Denise Garrett,

And whose anniversary falls at this time
John Spanton, Henry Maude, Michael Bailey

May Christ, who bore our sins on the cross,
set us free to serve him with joy. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

5th Sunday of Lent (Passiontide)
21st March 2021
Passiontide 2021

The Collect of the day
Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 A New Covenant
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

John 12:20-33 The Son of Man to be Glorified

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.

‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

Prayers of Intercessions

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Keith Roberts, Valentine Stevens
For those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Denise Garrett, Herbert Trevette,

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Tim Showan, Charles Mozesh, Alan Nelson,

May Christ, who bore our sins on the cross,
set us free to serve him with joy. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Mothering Sunday
14th March 2021

With contributions from the children of Barham Primary School

Mothering Sunday 2021

A Prayer for Mothering Sunday

Praise God who loves us.
Praise God who cares.

God of love,
passionate and strong, tender and careful:
watch over us and hold us all the days of our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Exodus 2:1-10 Birth and Youth of Moses

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, ‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.

John 19:25-27 Mary is brought into John’s home

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

Prayers of Intercessions

for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life, for mothers and those who 'mother' children not just in our communities but across the world, for children to be loved, nurtured and protected, for the work of Mothers Union and similar organisations, for all teachers, nurses and Social workers caring for the vulnerable

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

For those so dear to us suffering in body, mind and spirit

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Margaret Tomsett, Peggy Underwood, Phyllis Brett, Harry Mummery, Ronald Haywood, Ros Breach, Stanley Bradshaw, Gordon Langdon

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory

May God, who gave birth to all creation, bless us:
may God, who became incarnate by an earthly mother, bless us:
may God, who broods as a mother over her children, bless us.
May almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.
Amen.

3rd Sunday of Lent

7th March 2021

The Collect (Prayer for the day)
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments

Then God spoke all these words:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

John 2:13-22 Jesus Cleanses the Temple

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Intercessions
for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life, for those preparing for baptism and confirmation, for those serving through leadership, for those looking for forgiveness, for those misled by the false gods of this present age, for all who are hungry and destitute, for those suffering in body, mind and spirit and from the om the long-term effects of Covid-19.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Sheila Taylor, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Pam Taylor, Oliver Cook, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper, Paul Crouch, Molly, Ken Rogers, Richard

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Ian Parker, Flossie Page, ,Jo-anne Prestige, Roy Parker, Rosemary Berwick
And whose anniversary falls at this time
Eric Bennett, Jean Lavers,

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory

May God our Redeemer show us compassion and love. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

2nd Sunday of Lent
28th February 2021

The Collect of the day
Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings, and by following his Way come to share in his glory:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Genesis 17:1-7,15-18 The Sign of the Covenant

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘O that Ishmael might live in your sight!’

Mark 8:31-38 Jesus predicts his Death and Resurrection

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

Intercessions
for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life, for those preparing for baptism and confirmation, for those serving through leadership, for those looking for forgiveness, for those misled by the false gods of this present age, for all who are hungry and destitute, for the staff and residents of Barham House Nursing Home as it prepares to close after many decades of dedicated and loving service.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Sheila Taylor, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Pam Taylor, Oliver Cook, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper, Paul Crouch, Molly, Ken Rogers

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis, Rene Viner, Roy Parker, Selma Hussein, Ian Parker,
Flossie Page
And whose anniversary falls at this time
Gloria Goddard, Geoffrey Linnell, Marion Garland, John Barley, Edwina Wyeth

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory

May God our Redeemer show us compassion and love. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

1st Sunday of Lent
21st February 2021
Lent 1

The Collect of the day

Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Word of God

Genesis 9:8-17 God’s Promise to Noah
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’

Mark 1:9-15 Jesus, the Beloved Son
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis, Rene Viner, Roy Parker, Selma Hussein, Ian Parker,
Flossie Page
And whose anniversary falls at this time
Joan Marriott, John Barley, Clifford Grice,

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory

May God our Redeemer show us compassion and love. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

Ash Wednesday
Wednesday 17th February 2021

Ash Weds

image: Stephen O'Connor

All are welcome

Topic: Ash Wednesday Eucharist
Time: Feb 17, 2021 10:00 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 851 1088 2802
Passcode: 612003

Collect (Prayer for the day)

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made and
forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we,
worthily lamenting our sins and and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Readings:
Isaiah 58:1-12
Psalm 51:1-18
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sunday before Lent
Sunday 14th February 2021

The Collect (prayer) of the day

Almighty Father,
whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross:
give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory: who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Unveiled in Christ

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Mark 9:2-9 The Transfiguration of Christ

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Intercessions are offered
for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life, the universal Church, Bishops, synods and all who lead the Church
The leaders of the nations, the natural world and the resources of the
earth, All who are in any kind of need during the pandemic, our hospital, GP Practices, and Nursing Homes.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Leslie Brown, Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis, Rene Viner, Roy Parker, Selma Hussein.
And whose anniversary falls at this time
Tom Coombes, Mary Moat, Bob Taylor, Arthur Mummery, Linden Harris, Michael Rosambeau, Alan Trueman, Karl & Erna Ruschinzik

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

2nd Sunday before Lent
Sunday 7th February 2021

Today's picture from two of our primary school children shows Jesus as our
shepherd but he is also the visible image of God and the firstborn of all Creation!

Join Zoom Holy Communion at 10am

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86354883793?pwd=WkpTK1FzQTJJbTErT0hDZURGa3ZjUT09
Meeting ID: 863 5488 3793
Passcode: 276023

The Collect of the day

Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever.
Amen.

Colossians 1:15-20 The Supremacy of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

John 1:1-14 The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Sheila Taylor, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Oliver Cook, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper, Paul Crouch,

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Graham Underwood, Jean Rance, Leslie Brown, Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis, Janice, Christine

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Dot Wood,
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Candlemas (Christ presented in the Temple)
Sunday 31st January 2021

The Collect of the day
Almighty and everlasting God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son was this day
presented in the Temple,
in substance of our flesh:
grant that we may be presented to you
with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Malachi 3:1-5 The Lord will come to his temple…

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Luke 2:1-22-40 Jesus is presented in the Temple

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
   according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
   which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
   and for glory to your people Israel.’

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Prayers of Intercession
for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life, the unity of the Church, the peace of the world, the healing of the sick, all who travel, young parents and family,
The revelation of Christ to those from whom his glory is hidden

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Sheila Taylor, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Oliver Cook, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper, Paul Crouch, Deidra, Kat, Sarah & Rachel

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Graham Underwood, Jean Rance, Leslie Brown, Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis, Janice, Christine

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Joan Birch, Arthur Mummery, Debra Kirk, James Stamper, Richard Millington, Dave Davis, John Goulden,
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Candlemas 2021

May Christ, who sends us to the nations, give us the power of his Spirit. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

0800 804 8044 Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

Epiphany 3
Sunday 24th January 2021

Topic: Epiphany 3 HC Service (24th Jan)
Time: Jan 24, 2021 10:00 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 844 4918 8884

Passcode: 196895

The Collect of the day
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Revelation 19:6-10 Let us rejoice and exult…
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals, crying out,
‘Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
   the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
   and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
   and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
   with fine linen, bright and pure’—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’ Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow-servant with you and your comrades who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’

John 2:1-11 The Wedding at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Intercessions are offered
for the day and its tasks, for the world and its needs, for the Church and her life, the unity of the Church, the peace of the world, the healing of the sick, all who travel, The revelation of Christ to those from whom his glory is hidden

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Sheila Taylor, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Oliver Cook, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper, Paul Crouch, Deidra, Kat, Sarah & Rachel

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Andy Cameron, Lucas Webb, Molly Johns, Nicolas Yanni, Graham Underwood, Jean Rance, Leslie Brown, Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis, Janice

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Hugo Wenn, Rick McBride, George Lepiorz, Bernard Nolan, Ken Underhill,
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

May Christ, who sends us to the nations, give us the power of his Spirit.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Epiphany 2
Sunday 17th January 2021

Collect

Eternal Lord,
our beginning and our end:
bring us with the whole creation
to your glory, hidden through past
and made known
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Revelation 5.1-10

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song:

‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.’

John 1.43-end

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

The Post Communion

God of glory,
you nourish us with your Word
who is the bread of life:
fill us with your Holy Spirit
that through us the light of your glory
may shine in all the world. Amen.

Prayers of intercessions
The unity of the Church, the peace of the world, the healing of the sick, the revelation of Christ to those from whom his glory is hidden, all who travel, for those alone, for those who help us.
For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Andy Cameron, Lucas Webb, Molly Johns, Nicolas Yanni, Graham Underwood, Jean Rance, Leslie Brown, Jo Prestige, Rita Curtis

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Vera Battersby, Len Smelt, Stan Jones, John Wake, Harry Jarvis, Elizabeth Piersall, Stella Catford, Tony Moorhouse, Pam Perry, Gwen Buck, Elizabeth Thijsse, Margaret Fryer, Sheila Drummond, Brian Wright, Richard Parker, David Fowle, Peter Evans.
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Baptism of Christ - Epiphany Season
Sunday 10th January 2021

Opening Prayer

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, king of the nations,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
your name is proclaimed in all the world.
As the Sun of Righteousness dawns in our hearts
anoint our lips with the seal of your Spirit
that we may witness to your gospel
and sing your praise in all the earth.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.

The Collect of the day

Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus
revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning…

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Mark 1:4-11 John baptises Jesus

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Andy Cameron, Lucas Webb, Molly Johns, Nicolas Yanni, Graham Underwood, Jean Rance, Leslie Brown,

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Dennis Holt, Bill Oakey, Aubrey Gransden, Julia Wake-Smith, Geoffrey Street, Helen Wight
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Notices for Christmas 2 Service of the Word
Sunday 3rd January 2021

Collect

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Jeremiah 31:10-14

Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
   and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
   and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’
For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,
   and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
   and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
   and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
   and they shall never languish again.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
   and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
   I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
   and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,

says the Lord.

John 1:1-9,10-19

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’

Prayers of intercessions
The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ, The leaders of the Church, The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God, Those who are working for justice in the world, The broken, that they may find God’s healing.
For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Andy Cameron, Lucas Webb, Molly Johns, Nicolas Yanni, Graham Underwood, Jean Rance.

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Dennis Holt, Bill Oakey, Aubrey Gransden, Julia Wake-Smith, Geoffrey Street, Helen Wight
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him,
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When he comes to reign;
In the bleak midwinter
A stable place sufficed
The Lord God incarnate,
Jesus Christ.

Notices for Christmas Day HC 10am
Thursday 25th December 2020

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 834 2398 9852
Passcode: 983340

Collect

Almighty God,
you have given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin:
grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 62.6-end

Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,

I have posted sentinels; all day and all night they shall never be silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it renowned throughout the earth.The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm:
I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink the wine for which you have laboured;
but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in my holy courts. Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples.
The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion,

‘See, your salvation comes, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.’

They shall be called, ‘The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord’; and you shall be called, ‘Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.’

Luke 2. 8-20

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The Post Communion

God our Father,
whose Word has come among us
in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:
may the light of faith illumine our hearts
and shine in our words and deeds;
through him who is Christ the Lord. Amen.

Notices for Christmas Midnight Mass 11:30pm
Thursday 24th December 2020

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 284 450 3072
Passcode: 622139

Collect

Eternal God,
in the stillness of this night
you sent your almighty Word
to pierce the world's darkness with the light of salvation:
give to the earth the peace that we long for and fill our hearts with the joy of heaven through our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen

Isaiah 9.2-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before yo as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Luke 2.1-14

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

Post Communion

God our Father,
In this night you have made known to us again
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; confirm our faith and
fix our eyes on him until the day dawns and Christ the Morning Star rises in our hearts. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen

Notices for Advent 4
Sunday 20th December 2020

The Collect
God our redeemer,
who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 God’s Covenant with David

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.’

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.

Luke 1:26-38 The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’
Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

Prayers of intercessions
The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ, The leaders of the Church,
The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God, Those who are working for justice in the world, The broken, that they may find God’s healing.
For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Lucas Webb

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Simon Day, Jim Bardsley, Jean Shepherd, Bernard Price, Albert Smith, Graham Taylor, David Humphreys, Jenny Barling, Maureen Bicker,
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Notices for Advent 3
Sunday 13th December 2020

The Collect
God for whom we watch and wait,
you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son:
give us the courage to speak the truth,
to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right,
with Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 The Good News of Deliverance
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
   to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
   and the day of vengeance of our God;    to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing;  I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge

   that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
   he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
   and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
   and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptist prepares for the Good News
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed,
‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said,
‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
“Make straight the way of the Lord” ’, as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Prayers of intercessions
The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ, The leaders of the Church,
The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God, Those who are working for justice in the world, The broken, that they may find God’s healing.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Lucas Webb, Andy Russell
And whose anniversary falls at this time
Joy Grubb
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Lead us, O God, with joy to walk in the light of glory.

Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height: look to the east and see your children, gathered from the west and the east at the word of the Holy One.

Look towards the east, O Jerusalem,
and see the glory that is coming from God.

Notices for Advent 2
Sunday 6th December 2020

The Collect
Almighty God,
purify our hearts and minds,
that when your Son Jesus Christ
comes again as judge and Saviour
we may be ready to receive him,
who is our Lord and our God. Amen.

Isaiah 40:1-11         God Comforts His People
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
   make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
   and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

A voice says, ‘Cry out!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’
All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
   when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever.
Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
   lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah,
   ‘Here is your God!’
See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Mark 1:1-8 The Good News and of John the Baptist

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” ’,

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

Prayers of intercessions
The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ, The leaders of the Church, The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God, Those who are working for justice in the world, The broken, that they may find God’s healing.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Sharon Steer, Matthew Castle, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing; Andy Cameron

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Barbara Woodgate, Jack Perry, Timothy Bramsdon,
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Lead us, O God, with joy to walk in the light of glory.

Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height: look to the east and see your children, gathered from the west and the east at the word of the Holy One.

Look towards the east, O Jerusalem,
and see the glory that is coming from God.

Public Notice for Medieval Brasses to be moved from the Vestry to the Chapel via faculty process

Thursday 9th December 2020

CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, BARHAM

The Priest, Churchwardens and Parochial Church Council give notice that they are applying to the Commissary Court of the Diocese of Canterbury for a Faculty to carry out the following works: the re-siting of mediaeval brasses currently on the North wall of the Vestry to a position on the East Wall of the South Transept (locally known as the Lady Chapel). The work would be carried out with the advice of the Diocese’s Monument Consultant. The main reason for the re-siting is to enable these important historic monuments to be visible to worshippers and visitors.

Anyone wishing to obtain further information or to make arrangements to view the supporting documents should contact John Andrews on 01227 831907 or e-mail johnandrews@vfast.co.uk

Any objections to the proposal must be directed to the Diocesan Registry Clerk, Mrs Ann Beswick, e-mail registry@wslaw.co.uk , telephone 020 7 593 5148 so that they reach the Registrar not later than Friday, 8 January 2021.

(This is an amended version of the notice. The original version incorrectly stated that the fixing site would be on the South rather than the East wall.)

9th December 2020

Notices for Advent Sunday
Sunday 29th November 2020

The Collect
Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 64:1-9
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
   so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
   so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
   you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity for ever.
Now consider, we are all your people.

Mark 13:24-37
‘‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

Prayers of intercessions
The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ, The leaders of the Church, The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God, Those who are working for justice in the world, The broken, that they may find God’s healing.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest, Sharon Steer, Matthew Castle, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood, Susan Freeman, Lorraine Cooper.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Derek Summerlin, Theresa Moore, Marjorie Langdon
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Notices for Christ the King
Sunday 22nd November 2020

The Collect
Heavenly Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Ephesians 1:15-23 Paul’s Prayer

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Matthew 25: 31-46 Parable of the Sheep & Goats
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

Prayers of intercessions
The saints on earth, that they may live as citizens of heaven; all people, that they may hear and believe the word of God; all who fear the winter months; all sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ; All who grieve or wait with the dying
For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Forrest, Geoffrey MacDonald, Brian Gathergood

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Winifred Eccles, Sally Goodban, Bessie Collingwood, Marguerite MacDonald, Pauline Dixon, Rosemary Bone-Knell, Malcolm Hoyle
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Notices for 2nd Sunday before Advent
Sunday 15th November 2020

The Collect
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil
and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:
grant that we, having this hope, may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory
we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Keep awake, Children of Light!

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Matthew 25: 14-30 Parable of the Talents
‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Prayers of intercessions
The saints on earth, that they may live as citizens of heaven; all people, that they may hear and believe the word of God; all who fear the winter months; all sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ; All who grieve or wait with the dying

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Forrest, Geoffrey MacDonald, Brian Gathergood

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Satoko Newey, Pat Watson, Eileen Pikett, Dennis Ratcliff, Marjorie Pontin,
Kate Peppiatt, Sergio Medeiros

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

Notices for Remembrance Sunday
Sunday 8th November 2020

God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble Psalm 46:1

‘Do not repay anyone evil for evil; bless those who persecute you, and where possible, live peaceably with all.’ Romans 12.14,17

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5.9

Collect (Prayer) for Remembrance Sunday

Almighty Father,
whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son,
the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule;
who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of intercessions
The saints on earth, that they may live as citizens of heaven
All people, that they may hear and believe the word of God
All who fear the winter months
All sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ
All who grieve or wait with the dying
All who died in defence of their country in the World Wars and subsequent conflicts

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest, Sharon Steer, Michael Castle, Rosemary Berwick, Pat Gathergood,

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alan Forrest, Brian Gathergood

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Susan Keyes, Betty Thompson, Jetje Flavell, Sidney Roe, Hilly Rowlandson,
Kate Peppiatt, Sergio Medeiros

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory with the Saints.

Notices for All Saints Day
Sunday 1st November 2020

The Collect of the day

Almighty God,
you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord:
grant us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living
that we may come to those inexpressible joys
that you have prepared for those who truly love you;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Revelation 7:9-17

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing,
‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honour
and power and might
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God,
   and worship him day and night within his temple,
   and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
   the sun will not strike them,
   nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd,
   and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest, Sharon Steer, Michael Castle

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Poppy Deveson, Ken Tritton, Peggy Manby,

and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory with the Saints.

May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Notices for Last Sunday after Trinity
Sunday 25th Oct 2020

The Collect of the day
Merciful God,
teach us to be faithful in change and uncertainty,
that trusting in your word and obeying your will
we may enter the unfailing joy of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Paul’s ministry to Thessalonica

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Matthew 22: 34-46 Greatest Commandment & David’s Son

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ‘What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet’ ”?
If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest, Sharon Steer, Michael Castle

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Elizabeth Marsh, Kay Purcell, Edith Barling, John Manduell, Suzanne Potter,
Kathleen Ransley and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory.

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Notices for Trinity 19 / Luke the Evangelist

Sunday 18th Oct 2020

The Collect of the day
Almighty God,
you called Luke the physician
whose praise in in the gospel,
to be an evangelist and physician of the soul:
by the grace of the Spirit
and through the wholesome medicine of the gospel,
give your Church the same love and power to heal;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord
who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:5-17

As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Do your best to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message.

At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

Psalm 147:1-7

Alleluia!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
   for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
   he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the broken-hearted,
   and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
   he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
   his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
   he casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre.

Matthew 22:34-46

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life:
For the blessings of the Medical Professionals and all who care.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald,
Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest, Sharon Steer, Michael Castle, Rosemary Vera Berwick

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Elspeth Richardson, Joyce Grieg, Margaret Ferguson, Ian Heslop, Keith Bailey, Allan Taylor, Daphne Johnson, and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory

Notices for Trinity 18

Sunday 11th Oct 2020

The Collect of the day
God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Philippians 4:1-9 – Rejoice in the Lord always

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Matthew 22:1-14 The Messianic Banquet

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.
Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Post Communion Prayer
We praise and thank you, O Christ, for this sacred feast:
for here we receive you,
here the memory of your passion is renewed,
here our minds are filled with grace,
and here a pledge of future glory is given,
when we shall feast at the table where you reign
with all your saints for ever. Amen.

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life: for the blessings of God's offer to invite us to his Great Feast.

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest, Sharon Steer.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Alice Bland

And whose anniversary falls at this time

Peter Ward, Marjorie Pontin, Teresa Bradshaw and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Notices for Trinity 17 (HARVEST Festival)

Sunday 4th Oct 2020

Harvest Orchard

The Collect of the day

Creator God,
you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea
and the rhythm of the seasons;
as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect
this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Deuteronomy 8:7-18 – The Lord our God gives us a good land

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you.

Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid waste-land with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gained me this wealth.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today.

Psalm 65 - Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed,
O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might.
You silence the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples.
Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain,
   for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges,
softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with your bounty;
   your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain,
   they shout and sing together for joy.

Luke 12:16-30 Do not worry

Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life: For the blessings of the food harvest from sea and land

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Audrey Muriel Fagg, Elizabeth Woodrow

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Martin Jarvis, James (Jim) Risby, Pamela Summerlin
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory

Notices for Trinity 16
Sunday 27th Sept 2020

The Collect of the day
Lord of Creation,
whose glory is around and within us: open our eyes to your wonders,
that we may serve you with reverence and know your peace at our lives’ end.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Philippians 2:1-13 – Imitating Christ

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
   he humbled himself
   and became obedient to the point of death—
   even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
   and gave him the name
   that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
   every knee should bend,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
   that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Matthew 21:23-32 Authority & Belief

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks;
for the world and its needs;
for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Charles Fagg, David Leidig
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Notices for Eve of St Matthew
Sunday 20th Sept 2020

The Collect of the day

O Almighty God,
whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist: give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain and the possessive love of riches that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Treasure in Clay Jars

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 9:9-13 The Calling of Matthew

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Valery Jones, and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory

Notices for Trinity 14 Sunday 13th Sept 2020

This Sunday we worship at St John the Baptist Church in Barham at 10am

The Collect of the day

Merciful Lord,
your Son came to save us and bore our sins on the cross:
may we trust in your mercy and know your love,
rejoicing in the righteousness that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Romans 14:1-12 – Do not Judge each other

Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall.
And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also, those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God.
We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For it is written,
‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness

Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs;
for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Michael & Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald, Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Irene Curtis, Tim Bradley, Andrew Candy, Elizabeth Duncan, Keith Milner
and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them.
May the rest in peace and rise in glory

Additional Prayers
We pray for understanding of God’s mission among his people that we never forget to love HIM in our absolute entirety and to forgive and love all those in our care. We for your blessing of our children and young adults in education and for all who care for them.

The Lord’s Prayer

Notices for Trinity 13 Sunday 6th Sept 2020

This Sunday we worship at St Margaret's, Womenswold (10am)

The Collect of the day

Almighty God,
you search us and know us:
may we rely on you in strength and rest on you in weakness,
now and in all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Romans 13:8-14 – Love one another and remain alert

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Matthew 18:15-20 – Helping each other when we transgress

‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks;
for the world and its needs;
for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Michael & Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein, Pam Taylor, Geoff MacDonald,
Oliver Cook, Alan Forrest.

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Jack Carpenter

And whose anniversary falls at this time
David Durrell, Christine Haswell, and for all who we have loved and lost and where time does not diminish them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory

Additional Prayers
We pray for understanding of God’s mission among his people that we never forget to love HIM in our absolute entirety and to love all we know as we may care for ourselves. For the blessing of our children and young adults returning to education.

The Lord’s Prayer

Daily Hope Phone Line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

0800 804 8044

Notices
Chamber Music presents ‘The Lunaire Quartet’ at Tadpoles, Bishopsbourne with music from Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven on Saturday 12^th September 6-7pm. It is an outdoor concert no matter the weather. Admission free and
there will be a retiring collection with proceeds going to St Mary’s Church.
Bring a brolly and bottle!

St Mary’s Annual Parish Church Meeting will take place at Charlton Park on Sunday 13^th Sept 1pm. All Bishopsbourne parishioners are welcome!

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Notices for Trinity 12 Sunday 30th August 2020

This Sunday we worship at St Giles Kingston (10am)

The Collect of the day
God of constant mercy,
who sent your Son to save us:
remind us of your goodness,
increase your grace within us,
that our thankfulness may grow,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Romans 12:9-21 – Marks of the True Christian

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 16:21-28 – Prophecy, The Cross & Self Denial

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

‘For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’

Prayers of intercessions
For the day and its tasks;
for the world and its needs;
for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards,
Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Michael & Christian Giuntini, Selma Hussein

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Jack Carpenter

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Jean Burgess, Christine Haswell, Basil Green, Tony Neve

Additional Prayers
We rejoice in the Baptism of Oscar and Dexter Espie at Holy Innocents Adisham yesterday

For the Fruits of The Spirit to flourish in and amongst communities of the world driven by
greed, corruption, intolerance and conflict; to remind us of the goodness we share in God’s image.

The Lord’s Prayer

Aug 30th Compline for Trinity 12, please check it out.
https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-2ydix-e90762

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Notices for the eve of Bartholomew, Apostle Sunday 23rd August 2020

This week we worship at St Mary-the-Virgin, Bishopsbourne

The Collect of the day

Almighty and everlasting God,
who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your word:
grant that your Church may love that word which he believed and may faithfully preach and receive the same: through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:9-15 – Fools for the sake of Christ

For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands.
When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

Luke 22:24-30 – For who is greater?

A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves.
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

‘You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Prayers of intercessions

For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time; Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans, Michael Giuntini, Christian Giuntini

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Violet Bardell, Anthony Piersall

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Mabel Perrott, and for all those who we hold dear in our memories.

The Lord’s Prayer is saidOur Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.

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Notices for Trinity 10 Sunday 16th August 2020

The Collect of the day

Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 – God is merciful

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

Matthew 15:21-28 – The faith of a Canaanite Woman

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

Canaanite Woman

Prayers of intercessions

For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards,
Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans

We remember those who have died and for those who mourn their passing;
Violet Bardell, Anthony Piersall

And whose anniversary falls at this time
Susan Perkins, Donald Arter, and for all those who we hold dear in our memories.

Additional Prayers
In celebrating the wedding of Venetia Twigg & Ed Cheetham at St Mary’s Bishopsbourne on Saturday 15^th. May you bless their lives together.

For the peace of the world as we commemorate 75 VJ Day and the complete end of World War II. For the people of Belarus seeking justice and a democratic way to live. For all those in caught up in conflict, destruction and need in Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen that they me protected, sheltered and fed.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

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Notices for Trinity 9 Sunday 9th August 2020

The Collect of the day

Almighty God,
who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church:
open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Romans 10:5-15 – Salvation is for all

Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

Matthew 14:22-33 – Jesus walks on the water

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

Prayers of intercessions

For the day and its tasks; for the world and its needs; for the Church and her life

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards,
Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill ,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell,

Barham Downs Churches

Benefice Pew Sheet

Come and join us in praying for the COP26 in Taize style - with chants, icons, candles and a poignant set up. Words on the screen so that you can join in the singing.

Gospel- John 11:32-44

Gospel- John 5:36b-47

Gospel- Mark 10:35-45

Gospel- Mark 10:17-31

https://youtu.be/llWJPzYFCYs

Gospel- Mark 10:2-16

Gospel- Matthew 6:25-33

Gospel- Mark 9:30-37

Gospel- Mark 8:27-38

John 15:1-8 Jesus the True Vine

John 10:11-18 Jesus is the Good Shepherd

Acts 10:34-43 Gentiles Hear the Good News

Mark 16:1-8 The Resurrection of Jesus

Mark 11:1-11 Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

John 12:20-33 The Son of Man to be Glorified

A Prayer for Mothering Sunday

Exodus 2:1-10 Birth and Youth of Moses

John 19:25-27 Mary is brought into John’s home

Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments

John 2:13-22 Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Genesis 17:1-7,15-18 The Sign of the Covenant

Psalm 27:1

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Unveiled in Christ

Mark 9:2-9 The Transfiguration of Christ

Colossians 1:15-20 The Supremacy of Christ

John 1:1-14 The Word Became Flesh

Luke 2:1-22-40 Jesus is presented in the Temple

John 2:1-11 The Wedding at Cana

Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning…

Mark 1:4-11 John baptises Jesus

Jeremiah 31:10-14

John 1:1-9,10-19

Mark 13:24-37 ‘‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened,

Ephesians 1:15-23 Paul’s Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Keep awake, Children of Light!

Revelation 7:9-17

Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 22: 34-46 Greatest Commandment & David’s Son

2 Timothy 4:5-17

Psalm 147:1-7

Matthew 22:34-46

Philippians 4:1-9 – Rejoice in the Lord always

Matthew 22:1-14 The Messianic Banquet

Deuteronomy 8:7-18 – The Lord our God gives us a good land

Psalm 65 - Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

Luke 12:16-30 Do not worry

Philippians 2:1-13 – Imitating Christ

Matthew 21:23-32 Authority & Belief

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Treasure in Clay Jars

Matthew 9:9-13 The Calling of Matthew

Romans 14:1-12 – Do not Judge each other

Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness

Romans 13:8-14 – Love one another and remain alert

Matthew 18:15-20 – Helping each other when we transgress

Romans 12:9-21 – Marks of the True Christian

1 Corinthians 4:9-15 – Fools for the sake of Christ

Luke 22:24-30 – For who is greater?

Matthew 15:21-28 – The faith of a Canaanite Woman

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time; Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill, Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans

Romans 10:5-15 – Salvation is for all

Matthew 14:22-33 – Jesus walks on the water

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time; Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards, Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill , Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell,

Mark 13:24-37
‘‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened,

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards,
Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell, Ken Rogers, Sienna, Paul Williams, Jan Evans

For any who are sick or in particular need at this time;
Richard Bellamy, Maureen Baker, Terry & Sylvia Bradshaw, Colin Richards,
Mary Ambrose, Jade Lawless, Anne Herring, Sheila Taylor, Maureen Underhill ,
Tim Everest-Brown, Judith Mitchell,