26 May 2024
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Isaiah 8:1-8
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
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!’
Romans 8:12-17
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Brothers and sisters,
we are debtors, not to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh—
for if you live according to the flesh, you will die;
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery
to fall back into fear,
but you have received a spirit of adoption.
When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’
it is that very Spirit bearing witness
with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—
if, in fact, we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.
John 3:1-17
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
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; f
or 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.
19 May 2024
Acts 2:1-21
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
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 their native language.
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.”
Romans 8:22-27
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
We know that the whole creation
has been groaning in labour pains until now;
and not only the creation,
but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly while we wait for adoption,
the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what is seen?
But if we hope for what we do not see,
we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
And God, who searches the heart,
knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God.
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus spoke to his disciples:
‘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.
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.
12 May 2024
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers
(together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people)
He 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.
1 John 5:9-13
A reading from the first lesson of John.
If we receive human testimony,
the testimony of God is greater;
for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.
Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts.
Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar
by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever has the Son has life;
whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
so that you may know that you have eternal life.
John 17:6-19
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed:
‘Father, 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.
09 May 2024
A small group of us met for a Eucharist for the feast of the Ascension at 7pm in the evening. We sang traditional hymns for the feast, and although we were few there we gave great celebration for Gids Glory.
Daniel 7:9-14
A reading from the book of Daniel.
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 thousand served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement, and the books were opened.
I watched then because of the noise
of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking.
And as I watched, the beast was put to death,
and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.
As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away,
but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
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.
Ephesians 1:15-23
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.
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.
Luke 24:44-53
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Jesus said to the disciples,
‘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.
And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised;
so stay here in the city
until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.
While he was blessing them,
he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.
And they worshipped him,
and returned to Jerusalem with great joy;
and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
05 May 2024
Today would have been our Rogation walk, but the weather was against us, so we had a Family Eucharist at 10 am and were also treated to Choral Evensong at 3:30. BOth of these services were followed by a party yo thank Janet, our Church Warden who has stepped down form the role after 15 years! Two big Thank yous but we will still have Jnaet in the congregation and choir for years to come!
Acts 10:44-48
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
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.
1 John 5:1-6
A reading from the first letter of John.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ
has been born of God,
and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.
By this we know that we love the children of God,
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we obey his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whatever is born of God conquers the world.
And this is the victory that conquers the world,
our faith.
Who is it that conquers the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ,
not with the water only but with the water and the blood.
And the Spirit is the one that testifies,
for the Spirit is the truth.
John 15:9-17
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus said to his disciples:
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
