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17 March 2024
Jeremiah 31:13-34

A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.

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; f
or I will forgive their iniquity, 
and remember their sin no more.


Hebrews 5:5-10

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.

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 for ever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.’

In the days of his flesh, 
Jesus offered 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.


John 12:20-33

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

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.
10 March 2024
Numbers 21:4-9

A reading from the book of Numbers.

The Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea, 
to go around the land of Edom; 
but the people became impatient on the way. 

The people spoke against God and against Moses, 
‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt 
to die in the wilderness? 
For there is no food and no water, 
and we detest this miserable food.’ 

Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, 
and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 

The people came to Moses and said, 
‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; 
pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ 
So Moses prayed for the people. 

And the Lord said to Moses, 
‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; 
and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ 

So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; 
and whenever a serpent bit someone, 
that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.


Ephesians 2:1-10

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 

in which you once lived, 
following the course of this world, 
following the ruler of the power of the air, 
the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 

All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, 
following the desires of flesh and senses, 
and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 

But God, who is rich in mercy, 
out of the great love with which he loved us 

even when we were dead through our trespasses, 
made us alive together with Christ
by grace you have been saved— 

and raised us up with him 
and seated us with him 
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 

so that in the ages to come 
he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace 
in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, 
and this is not your own doing; 
it is the gift of God— 

not the result of works, 
so that no one may boast. 

For we are what he has made us, 
created in Christ Jesus for good works, 
which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.


John 3:14-21

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John,

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

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. 

Those who believe in him are not condemned; 
but those who do not believe are condemned already, 
because they have not believed 
in the name of the only Son of God. 

And this is the judgement, 
that the light has come into the world, 
and people loved darkness rather than light 
because their deeds were evil. 

For all who do evil hate the light 
and do not come to the light, 
so that their deeds may not be exposed. 

But those who do what is true come to the light, 
so that it may be clearly seen 
that their deeds have been done in God.’

03 March 2024
A fine sunny spring morning for the first Sunday in March. We held an all age Eucharist at 10am. Father Chris preached about the cleansing of the Temple, anger, and how 
it can be a sin, if it is selfish but can be a force for good if it is objective.
After the service in the rooms we had a sale of Jewellery and Bathroom items, an opportunity to stock up for Mothering Sunday next week.









Exodus 20:1-17

A reading from the book of Exodus.

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. 

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.


1 Corinthians 1:18-25

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

The message about the cross 
is foolishness to those who are perishing, 
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

For it is written,
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’

Where is the one who is wise? 
Where is the scribe? 
Where is the debater of this age? 
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 

For since, in the wisdom of God, 
the world did not know God through wisdom, 
God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, 
to save those who believe. 

For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 

but we proclaim Christ crucified, 
a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 

but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, 
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 
For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, 
and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.


John 2:13-22

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

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.’ 

They 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.

25 February 2024
This week 10am we had a Parish Eucharist as our main service. The Children are with us for the first Hymn then go into the rooms for their own session. A candle is lit and placed on the alter to remind us of their activities.
During Lent we do not have music before and after the service, but we sing hymns and the Choir sang an Anthem Lord for thy tender mercies say by Farrant. This seventeenth century music creates a sutible mood for Lent.
There was coffee after the service.


  






Genesis 17:1-7, 15, 16

A reading from the book of Genesis.

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.’


Romans 4:13-25

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.

The promise that he would inherit the world 
did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law 
but through the righteousness of faith. 

If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, 
faith is null and the promise is void. 

For the law brings wrath; 
but where there is no law, 
neither is there violation.

For this reason it depends on faith, 
in order that the promise may rest on grace 
and be guaranteed to all his descendants, 
not only to the adherents of the law 
but also to those who share the faith of Abraham 
(for he is the father of all of us, 

as it is written, 
‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—
Abraham believed in the presence of the God, 
who gives life to the dead 
and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 

Hoping against hope, 
he believed that he would become 
‘the father of many nations’, 
according to what was said, 
‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’ 

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, 
which was already as good as dead 
(for he was about a hundred years old), 
or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, 
but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 

being fully convinced that God was able to do 
what he had promised. 

Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ 

Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’, 
were written not for his sake alone, 

but for ours also. 
It will be reckoned to us who believe in him 
who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 

who was handed over to death for our trespasses 
and was raised for our justification.


Mark 8:31-38

Hear thgospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

Jesus began to teach his disciples,
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.’
18 February 2024
The third Sunday in February and we once again had a choice of services. In the Church Hall Father Chris held a Crafty Communion with the young people and their parents, while in Church Father Roger took Matins. 
A rainy and cool day did not put us off and by the end of the service there was a little bit of sunshine.
During Matins we sand the Benedicite and the Jubilate Deo, settings by Lloyd and Stanford in B flat. The Anthem was by Samuel Wesley.
The first lesson was from Genesis and described the end of the story of NOoh when God put the rainbow in the shy to mark his new promise not to destroy mankind by a flood again.
This was timely as we had held an activity day in the Church Hall last Tuesday when the children had spent the day learning songs, making costumes, and painting scenary for a production of Noah and the Animals at 4 pm It was a greatly enjoyable day, and as it was Shrove Tuesday we had pancakes for lunch!
Some pictures from the Activity Day.










 







Genesis 9:8-17

A reading from the book of Genesis.

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.’


1 Peter 3:18-22

A reading from the first letter of Peter.

Christ also suffered for sins once for all, 
the righteous for the unrighteous, 
in order to bring you to God. 
He was put to death in the flesh, 
but made alive in the spirit, 

in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 

who in former times did not obey, 
when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, 
during the building of the ark, 
in which a few, that is, eight persons, 
were saved through water. 

And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—
not as a removal of dirt from the body, 
but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, 
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, 
with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.


Mark 1:9-15

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

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.’
14 February 2024


To mark the beginning of Lent there were 2 services one in the morning and one at 7pm in the evening. We move into the period of reflection before Easter  

We sang Psalm 51, and there was imposition of ashes for those who wished.

The Church looks stary now producing the appropriate atmosphere for lent.


Joel 2:1-2,12-17

A reading from the book of the prophet Joel. 

Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—

a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them in ages to come.

Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.

Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering
for the Lord, your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;

gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged;
gather the children, even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her canopy.

Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.
Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord,
and do not make your heritage a mockery,
a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
“Where is their God?” ’


2 Corinthians 5:20b-6.10

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

We entreat you on behalf of Christ, 
be reconciled to God. 

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, 
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, 
we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 

For the Lord says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; 
see, now is the day of salvation! 

We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, 
so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 

but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: 
through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 

beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; 

by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, 

genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; 
with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 

in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. 
We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 

as unknown, and yet are well known; 
as dying, and see—we are alive; 
as punished, and yet not killed; 

as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; 
as poor, yet making many rich; 
as having nothing, 
and yet possessing everything.


Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Jesus said to the disciples,

‘Beware of practising your piety before others 
in order to be seen by them; 
for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

‘So whenever you give alms, 
do not sound a trumpet before you, 
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, 
so that they may be praised by others. 
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 

But when you give alms, 
do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 

so that your alms may be done in secret; 
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘And whenever you pray, 
do not be like the hypocrites; 
for they love to stand and pray 
in the synagogues and at the street corners, 
so that they may be seen by others. 
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 

But whenever you pray, 
go into your room and shut the door 
and pray to your Father who is in secret; 
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘And whenever you fast, 
do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, 
for they disfigure their faces 
so as to show others that they are fasting. 
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 

But when you fast,
 put oil on your head and wash your face, 

so that your fasting may be seen not by others 
but by your Father who is in secret; 
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, 
where moth and rust consume 
and where thieves break in and steal; 

but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 
where neither moth nor rust consumes 
and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

For where your treasure is, 
there your heart will be also.
 

Service Times

First Sunday in the Month:
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Family Service

Second Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Third Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Sung Matins

Fourth Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Variations can be found in the Parish Magazine or the Calendar at the bottom of this page.

Useful links


Here are some links to resources you may find helpful:


  1. St Mary's Facebook page
  2. Chichester Cathedral will be live streaming services. For the Eucharist and order of service Click here before 10:00am Sunday and follow the instructions.
  3. The BBC Daily Service is available here.
  4. Prayer for today.
  5. The C of E youtube channel.
  6. Hearing You is a new phone help line launched by the Diocese of Chichester in partnership with Together in Sussex in response to the impact that Covid 19 has had on Just about the whole community. It aims to provide pastoral support and a listening ear to the recently bereaved and people directly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
  7. COVID-19 advice from the Diocese of Chichester here.

Please note that St Mary's are not responsible for the contents of external links

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