19 November 2023
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
The Third Sunday in November, so we provide a choice of worship at 10 am! In Church we had a Choral Matins, lead by the Church Wardens, and in the Church Hall there was a Crafty Mass lead by Father Chris. This pattern allows us to have a family orientated service with lots of activity and engagement and at the same time provide a calm traditional act of prayer and praise, so something for everyone!!
In the Matins, the Choir sang the setting of the Benedictus by Stanford in C major, and 'God be in my Head' set by John Rutter. We had a reflection from Father Chris on the Gospel read by Chris Field to guide our worship and prayer.
Its only 2 weeks to Advent Sunday and the beginning of the Church Year!
On December 2nd we will hold our French Christmas Market in the Church and the rooms. From 11am to 3 pm there will be stalls and food available. See you there!
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18
A reading from the book of Zephaniah
Be silent before the Lord God!
For the day of the Lord is at hand;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice,
he has consecrated his guests.
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs,
those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
nor will he do harm.’
Their wealth shall be plundered,
and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.
The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter,
the warrior cries aloud there.
That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
I will bring such distress upon people
that they shall walk like the blind;
because they have sinned against the Lord,
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath;
in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed;
for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians
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’, t
hen 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
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
Hesus said to his disciples:
‘The kingdom of heaven 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.”
