20 April 2025
10:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Acts 10:34-43
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Peter began to speak to those assembled in the house of Cornelius:
‘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.’
Isaiah 65:17-25
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
I am about to create new heavens and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.
No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labour in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—
and their descendants as well.
Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent—
its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain,
says the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are of all people most to be pitied.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have died.
For since death came through a human being,
the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;
for as all die in Adam,
so all will be made alive in Christ.
But each in his own order:
Christ the first fruits,
then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,
after he has destroyed every ruler
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Luke 24:1-12
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
On the first day of the week, at early dawn,
the women who had accompanied Jesus came to the tomb,
taking the spices that they had prepared.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
but when they went in, they did not find the body.
While they were perplexed about this,
suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.
The women were terrified
and bowed their faces to the ground,
but the men said to them,
‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen.
Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners,
and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’
Then they remembered his words,
and returning from the tomb,
they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.
Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna,
Mary the mother of James,
and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
But these words seemed to them an idle tale,
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb;
stooping and looking in,
he saw the linen cloths by themselves;
then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
13 April 2025
Today the service started in the Church Hall for those who wished to process with their palms. We heard the gospel according to Luke both in the hall and in church, then the procession from the hall to church, everyone singing "All Glory Laud and Honour".
A big "THANK YOU" to the people who helped with the church spring clean yesterday. As Fr Chris commented, we were not distracted by the cobwebs during his sermon.
Don't forget the upcoming services this week, Stations of the Cross on Wednesday, Maundy Thursday both in the evening at 7pm and Good Friday at 2.30pm. The Easter Vigil will be in the cathedral, 7.30pm, not in St Mary's this year. Then the all age Eucharist on Sunday 10am as we celebrate Easter.
Luke 19:28-40 (10am only)
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany,
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of the disciples, saying,
‘Go into the village ahead of you,
and as you enter it you will find tied there
a colt that has never been ridden.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?”
just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’
So those who were sent departed
and found it as he had told them.
As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them,
‘Why are you untying the colt?’
They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’
Then they brought it to Jesus;
and after throwing their cloaks on the colt,
they set Jesus on it.
As he rode along,
people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.
As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully
with a loud voice
for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him,
‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’
He answered, ‘I tell you,
if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’
Isaiah 50:4-9a
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The servant of the Lord said:
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 backwards.
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?
Philippians 2:5-11
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.
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.
Luke 23:1-49
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They began to accuse him, saying,
‘We found this man perverting our nation,
forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor,
and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.’
Then Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’
He answered, ‘You say so.’
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,
‘I find no basis for an accusation against this man.’
But they were insistent and said,
‘He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to this place.’
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him off to Herod,
who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad,
for he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
because he had heard about him
and was hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at some length,
but Jesus gave him no answer.
The chief priests and the scribes stood by,
vehemently accusing him.
Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him;
then he put an elegant robe on him,
and sent him back to Pilate.
That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other;
before this they had been enemies.
Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,
and said to them,
‘You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people;
and here I have examined him in your presence
and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him.
Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us.
Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death.
I will therefore have him flogged and release him.’
Now he was obliged to release someone for them at the festival.
Then they all shouted out together,
‘Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!’
(This was a man who had been put in prison
for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)
Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again;
but they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’
A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?
I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death;
I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.’
But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts
that he should be crucified;
and their voices prevailed.
So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted.
He released the man they asked for,
the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder,
and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene,
who was coming from the country,
and they laid the cross on him,
and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A great number of the people followed him,
and among them were women
who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
But Jesus turned to them and said,
‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me,
but weep for yourselves and for your children.
For the days are surely coming when they will say,
“Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore,
and the breasts that never nursed.”
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”;
and to the hills, “Cover us.”
For if they do this when the wood is green,
what will happen when it is dry?’
Two others also, who were criminals,
were led away to be put to death with him.
When they came to the place that is called The Skull,
they crucified Jesus there with the criminals,
one on his right and one on his left.
Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them;
they do not know what they are doing.’
And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
And the people stood by, watching;
but the leaders scoffed at him, saying,
‘He saved others;
let him save himself
if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,
and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’
There was also an inscription over him,
‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals who were hanged there
kept deriding him and saying,
‘Are you not the Messiah?
Save yourself and us!’
But the other rebuked him, saying,
‘Do you not fear God,
since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed have been condemned justly,
for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds,
but this man has done nothing wrong.’
Then he said,
‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
Jesus replied,
‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
It was now about noon,
and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,
while the sun’s light failed;
and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said,
‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’
Having said this, he breathed his last.
When the centurion saw what had taken place,
he praised God and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent.’
And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle
saw what had taken place,
they returned home, beating their breasts.
But all his acquaintances,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee,
stood at a distance, watching these things.
A beautiful day. Although we are not allowed flowers in church because it is Lent, the church yard is full of the glory of our Lord, with a lot of help from the church yard working group who were hard at it yesterday.
Fr Chris preached around the gospel speaking of the many ways in which we can pray. There is no fixed way to do it. Be happy with God and speak to him however feels best to you.
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honour me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
Philippians 3:4b-14
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:
circumcised on the eighth day,
a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;
as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had,
these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.
More than that,
I regard everything as loss
because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things,
and I regard them as rubbish,
in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him,
not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
but one that comes through faith in Christ,
the righteousness from God based on faith.
I want to know Christ
and the power of his resurrection
and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death,
if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this
or have already reached the goal;
but I press on to make it my own,
because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own;
but this one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
I press on towards the goal
for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
John 12:1-8
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
the home of Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
There they gave a dinner for him.
Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard,
anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.
The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples
(the one who was about to betray him), said,
‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii
and the money given to the poor?’
(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief;
he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone.
She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you,
but you do not always have me.’
30 March 2025
Joshua 5:9-12
A reading from the book of Joshua.
After the Israelites had crossed over the Jordan river,
The Lord said to Joshua,
‘Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.’
And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.
While the Israelites were encamped in Gilgal
they kept the passover
in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month
in the plains of Jericho.
On the day after the passover, on that very day,
they ate the produce of the land,
unleavened cakes and parched grain.
The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land,
and the Israelites no longer had manna;
they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;
even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,
we know him no longer in that way.
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away;
see, everything has become new!
All this is from God,
who reconciled us to himself through Christ,
and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,
not counting their trespasses against them,
and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
So we are ambassadors for Christ,
since God is making his appeal through us;
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.
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-33
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
All the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus.
And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying,
‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
So he told them this parable:
‘There was a man who had two sons.
The younger of them said to his father,
“Father, give me the share of the property
that will belong to me.”
So he divided his property between them.
A few days later the younger son gathered all he had
and travelled to a distant country,
and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.
When he had spent everything,
a severe famine took place throughout that country,
and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out
to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.
He would gladly have filled himself
with the pods that the pigs were eating;
and no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself he said,
“How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare,
but here I am dying of hunger!
I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
I am no longer worthy to be called your son;
treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ”
So he set off and went to his father.
But while he was still far off,
his father saw him and was filled with compassion;
he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
Then the son said to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
But the father said to his slaves,
“Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
And get the fatted calf and kill it,
and let us eat and celebrate;
for this son of mine was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found!”
And they began to celebrate.
‘Now his elder son was in the field;
and when he came and approached the house,
he heard music and dancing.
He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.
He replied, “Your brother has come,
and your father has killed the fatted calf,
because he has got him back safe and sound.”
Then he became angry and refused to go in.
His father came out and began to plead with him.
But he answered his father,
“Listen! For all these years
I have been working like a slave for you,
and I have never disobeyed your command;
yet you have never given me even a young goat
so that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours came back,
who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fatted calf for him!”
Then the father said to him,
“Son, you are always with me,
and all that is mine is yours.
But we had to celebrate and rejoice,
because this brother of yours was dead
and has come to life;
he was lost and has been found.” ’
23 March 2025
Isaiah 55:1-9
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The Lord says this:
Everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labour for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
I do not want you to be unaware,
brothers and sisters,
that our ancestors were all under the cloud,
and all passed through the sea,
and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
and all ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them,
and the rock was Christ.
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them,
and they were struck down in the wilderness.
Now these things occurred as examples for us,
so that we might not desire evil as they did.
Do not become idolaters as some of them did;
as it is written,
‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.’
We must not indulge in sexual immorality
as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.
We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did,
and were destroyed by serpents.
And do not complain as some of them did,
and were destroyed by the destroyer.
These things happened to them to serve as an example,
and they were written down to instruct us,
on whom the ends of the ages have come.
So if you think you are standing,
watch out that you do not fall.
No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone.
God is faithful,
and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength,
but with the testing he will also provide the way out
so that you may be able to endure it.
Luke 13:1-9
Hear the ospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
There were some present who told him about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?
No, I tell you;
but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.
Or those eighteen who were killed
when the tower of Siloam fell on them—
do you think that they were worse offenders
than all the others living in Jerusalem?
No, I tell you;
but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’
Then he told this parable:
‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard;
and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
So he said to the gardener, “See here!
For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree,
and still I find none.
Cut it down!
Why should it be wasting the soil?”
He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year,
until I dig round it and put manure on it.
If it bears fruit next year, well and good;
but if not, you can cut it down.” ’
16 March 2025
The third Sunday of March so our service in Church was Mattins, while the Crafty Communion was held in the Church Hall.
The choir sang 'Lead me Lord' by Charles Wesley as the anthem. As it was lent the csnticles were the Venite, the Benedicite and the Jubilate
There was coffee after the service.
We are re doing the Electoral Roll. Every 5 years we have to re enter everyone on the roll. There are forms at the back of the church .and an envelope to return them to. If you live in SIdlesham and are baptised you can be on the roll. If you live outside Sidlesham but worship regularly you can also be on the roll. This gives you the right to vote at the Annual eeting, and serve on the PCC.
A reading from the book of Genesis.
The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision,
‘Do not be afraid, Abram,
I am your shield;
your reward shall be very great.’
But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me,
for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’
And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring,
and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’
But the word of the Lord came to him,
‘This man shall not be your heir;
no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’
He brought him outside and said,
‘Look towards heaven and count the stars,
if you are able to count them.’
Then he said to him,
‘So shall your descendants be.’
And he believed the Lord;
and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him,
‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, t
o give you this land to possess.’
But he said,
‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’
He said to him,
‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old,
a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’
He brought him all these and cut them in two,
laying each half over against the other;
but he did not cut the birds in two.
And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses,
Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram,
and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
When the sun had gone down and it was dark,
a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,
‘To your descendants I give this land,
from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
Philippians 3:17-4:1
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philiippians.
Brothers and sisters,
join in imitating me,
and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.
For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ;
I have often told you of them,
and now I tell you even with tears.
Their end is destruction; their god is the belly;
and their glory is in their shame;
their minds are set on earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will transform the body of our humiliation
so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,
by the power that also enables him
to make all things subject to himself.
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.
Luke 13:31-35
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him,
‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’
He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me,
“Listen,
I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I finish my work.
Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way,
because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.”
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!
How often have I desired to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
and you were not willing!
See, your house is left to you.
And I tell you,
you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’
09 March 2025
The first Sunday in Lent was a Parish Eucharist. The children left for their own session in the Parish Rooms, and the congregation continued with the service.
We are singing a new setting for Lent, the Downside Service. This helps to make our Lenten services different from those of other parts of the Church Year.
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| The children share their work with the congreation |
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| Father Chris keeps a lighted candle on the alter to remind us the children are still with us |
A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.
Moses spoke to the peopple saying:
When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you
as an inheritance to possess,
and you possess it, and settle in it,
you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground,
which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you,
and you shall put it in a basket
and go to the place
that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name.
You shall go to the priest
who is in office at that time, and say to him,
‘Today I declare to the Lord your God
that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’
When the priest takes the basket from your hand
and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God,
you shall make this response before the Lord your God:
‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor;
he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number,
and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.
When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us,
by imposing hard labour on us,
we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors;
the Lord heard our voice
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
The Lord brought us out of Egypt
with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders;
and he brought us into this place and gave us this land,
a land flowing with milk and honey.
So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground
that you, O Lord, have given me.’
You shall set it down before the Lord your God
and bow down before the Lord your God.
Then you, together with the Levites
and the aliens who reside among you, s
hall celebrate with all the bounty
that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.
Romans 10:8b-13
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
What does scripture 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.’
Luke 4:1-13
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. H
e ate nothing at all during those days,
and when they were over, he was famished.
The devil said to him,
‘If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’
Jesus answered him,
‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’
Then the devil led him up
and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
And the devil said to him,
‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority;
for it has been given over to me,
and I give it to anyone I please.
If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’
Jesus answered him,
‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem,
and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him,
‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus answered him, ‘It is said,
“Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’
When the devil had finished every test,
he departed from him until an opportune time.
05 March 2025
Our Ash Wednesday Eucharist and imposition of ashes was in the evening. The Church was bare of any flowers or ornamentation, as is appropriate for the beginning of Lent. The Eucharist was celebrated by Father Chris and the congregation came forward to receive the sign of the cross in ash on the forehead as a sign that we mortals 'are dust and to dust we must return.'
The Choir sang ' Turn Thy f
ace from my Sins' Setting by Attwood as the anthem.
ace from my Sins' Setting by Attwood as the anthem.
Father Chris wished us a Holy Lent as we left.
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Shout out, do not hold back!
Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practised righteousness
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgements,
they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why do we fast, but you do not see?
Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?’
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day,
and oppress all your workers.
Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
If you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt,
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in.
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.
John 8:1-11
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
Early in the morning he came again to the temple.
All the people came to him
and he sat down and began to teach them.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery;
and making her stand before all of them,
they said to Jesus,
‘Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women.
Now what do you say?’
They said this to test Jesus,
so that they might have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down
and wrote with his finger on the ground.
When they kept on questioning him,
he straightened up and said to them,
‘Let anyone among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.’
And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
When they heard it, they went away,
one by one, beginning with the elders;
and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
Jesus straightened up and said to her,
‘Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?’
She said, ‘No one, sir.’
And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you.
Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’
02 March 2025
Our 10 am Eucharist today was an all age service. Father Chris was the Celebrant, and the lessons were read by members of our Sunday School. We have recently been working on reading alowed skills with the children and their parents. We saw the fruits of this work this morning with excellent readings from Scarlet and Esme.
In the sermon Father Chris talked about the Transfiguration, how light, especially the light of God is essential to our Christian life. He illustrated how difficult things are with out light by asking one of the children to assemble a doll inside a black film unloading bag. She made a very good effort but illustrated the point well!!
In the sermon Father Chris talked about the Transfiguration, how light, especially the light of God is essential to our Christian life. He illustrated how difficult things are with out light by asking one of the children to assemble a doll inside a black film unloading bag. She made a very good effort but illustrated the point well!!
The Choir sang the Ave Verum in the setting by W.A. Mozart for the anthem.
Father Chris thanked Dr Platts for her fantastic welsh themed meal held on Saturday, St David's day. 24 people ate a three course welsh meal, which finished with the most delicious welsh cakes. We raised £300 for the church at the same time!!
There was coffe after the service.
In the Afternoon we had our Sung Evensong at 3:30. This lovely service with the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, a pslam, Hymns and prayers is a once a month occasion. It is a lovely moment of praise and prayer before the start of the week.
Spring is on its way!
A reading from the book of Exodus.
Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
As he came down from the mountain
with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand,
Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone
because he had been talking with God.
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses,
the skin of his face was shining,
and they were afraid to come near him.
But Moses called to them;
and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him,
and Moses spoke with them.
Afterwards all the Israelites came near,
and he gave them in commandment
all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.
When Moses had finished speaking with them,
he put a veil on his face;
but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him,
he would take the veil off, until he came out;
and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,
the Israelites would see the face of Moses,
that the skin of his face was shining;
and Moses would put the veil on his face again,
until he went in to speak with him.
2 Corinthians 3:12- 4:2
A reading from the seconf letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Since, we have such a hope,
we act with great boldness,
not like Moses, who put a veil over his face
to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory
that was being set aside.
But their minds were hardened.
Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant,
that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.
Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read,
a veil lies over their minds;
but when one turns to the Lord,
the veil is removed.
Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And all of us, with unveiled faces,
seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror,
are being transformed into the same image f
rom one degree of glory to another;
for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
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 practise 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.
Luke 9:28-36
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James,
and went up on the mountain to pray.
And while he was praying,
the appearance of his face changed,
and his clothes became dazzling white.
Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.
They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure,
which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep;
but since they had stayed awake,
they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.
Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus,
‘Master, it is good for us to be here;
let us make three dwellings,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah
Peter did not know what he said.
While he was saying this,
a cloud came and overshadowed them;
and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’
When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
And the disciples kept silent
and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
23 February 2025
This evening at 5pm we met at Saint Paul's Church in Chichester for a service of Celebration of the 950 th anniversary of the diocese being moved from Selsey to Chichester. Bishop Martin snd Bishop Ruth lead the service of praise and prayer with representatives of all the churches in the Chichester Deanery. We heard ftom the Dean about events of Celebration at the Cathedral this year, of planned pilgrimages, exhibitions, singing events, and with emphasis on young people, camps to be held in the summer.
Our Church Wardens Chis and Christine lead the procession of Church Wardens into the service.
We saw an excellent video of drone footage of all the Churches on the Deanery produced by our own Sam Brading. Well done Sam.
We sang lovely hymns and it was wonderful to appreciate our part in the continuity of Christianity in Sussex and yo pray for its future success.
This morning our 10 am service was a Eucharist, celebrated by Father Chris. The children left for their own session after the first hymn and rejoined us for a blessing at the slter during communion.
The choir sang The Irish Blessing (trd) setting by Bob Chilcott as the anthem.
In his sermon Father Chris told us some of the history and theology of the Nicean Creed which is 1700 years old this year. He explained that it was necessary to produce this statement of belief for all Christians because misguided heresies were springing up. The creed we all say at the Eucharist is a summary of the nature of God, his son who is of the same being, and the Holy Spirit who comes from them, the Trinity that is our one God.
The children showed us their paintings they had been studying the Gospel passage where Our Lord calms the storm. Something we can appreciate living so near to the sea!
Next weekend, Saturday 1st March a supper for Saint David's day. 3 course meal in the Parish Rooms £15 per person, tickets from the Church Wardens see you there!
A reading from the book of Genesis.
In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
when no plant of the field was yet in the earth
and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—
for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth,
and there was no one to till the ground;
but a stream would rise from the earth,
and water the whole face of the ground—
then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and the man became a living being.
And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east;
and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree
that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,
the tree of life also in the midst of the garden,
and the tree of knowledge, of goos and evil.
The Lord God took the man
and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
And the Lord God commanded the man,
‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat,
for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’
Then the Lord God said,
‘It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him a helper as his partner.’
So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field
and every bird of the air,
and brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
and whatever the man called each living creature,
that was its name.
The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air,
and to every animal of the field;
but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man,
and he slept;
then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man
he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Then the man said,
‘This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called Woman,
for out of Man this one was taken.’
Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife,
and they become one flesh.
And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
Revelation 4
A reading from the boook of Revelation.
After this I looked,
and there in heaven a door stood open!
And the first voice,
which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said,
‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’
At once I was in the spirit,
and there in heaven stood a throne,
with one seated on the throne!
And the one seated there looks like jasper and cornelian,
and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald.
Around the throne are twenty-four thrones,
and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders,
dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads.
Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning,
and rumblings and peals of thunder,
and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches,
which are the seven spirits of God;
and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne,
are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
the first living creature like a lion,
the second living creature like an ox,
the third living creature with a face like a human face,
and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.
And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
are full of eyes all around and inside.
Day and night without ceasing they sing,
‘Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come.’
And whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks
to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne
and worship the one who lives for ever and ever;
they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,
‘You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.’
Luke 8:22-25
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Chist according to Luke.
One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples,
and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’
So they put out,
and while they were sailing he fell asleep.
A gale swept down on the lake,
and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger.
They went to him and woke him up, shouting,
‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’
And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves;
they ceased, and there was a calm.
He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’
They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another,
‘Who then is this,
that he commands even the winds and the water,
and they obey him?’
<<
16 February 2025
This morning, the third Sunday in February we had 2 services at 10 am. In the Church Hall the youngsters and their families had Crafty Communion. They studied the Gospel for today and looked at the characteristics of Jesus followers as described by St Luke.
Meanwhile in Church we had Matins. This is normally a sung service, but this morning our musical director, Joanna, was unwell. So we gathered together at the front of the church and had a said service. Chris Field, our church warden, read us a reflection from Father Chris which explored the same Gospel passage from Saint Luke.
We had coffee after the service.
We are beginning the process of renewing the Electoral Role. This has to be done every 5 years.
You can be on the Electoral Roll if you are over 16yrs, baptised, and regularly worship with us.
There are forms at the back of the church, please fill in and return to the folder at the back of the church.
, as soon as is convenient, but by the 6th of April.
A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.
Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
They shall be like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse— who can understand it?
I the Lord test the mind and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corninthians.
If Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,
how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead,
then Christ has not been raised;
and if Christ has not been raised,
then our proclamation has been in vain
and your faith has been in vain.
We are even found to be misrepresenting God,
because we testified of God that he raised Christ—
whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised,
then Christ has not been raised.
If Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
Then those also who have died in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are of all people most to be pitied.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have died.
Luke 6:17-26
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
He came down with them and stood on a level place,
with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people
from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.
They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
And all in the crowd were trying to touch him,
for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice on that day and leap for joy,
for surely your reward is great in heaven; f
or that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
‘Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
09 February 2025
We came together this morning at 10 o'clock for our Eucharist service. The weather has been very cold in recent weeks, but plenty of people made the effort to join with us.
Father Chris preached, exploring the Gospel story of the mighty catch of fish. We are fishers of men and go out to gather more people to the Kingdom.
The Choir sang 'The Call' setting by R. Vaughn Williams as the anthem
We had coffee and biscuits after the service
A reading from the boook 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!’
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
I would remind you, brothers and sisters,
of the good news that I proclaimed to you,
which you in turn received, in which also you stand,
through which also you are being saved,
if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—
unless you have come to believe in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance
what I in turn had received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,
and that he was buried,
and that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures,
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters
at one time,
most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me.
For I am the least of the apostles,
unfit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace towards me has not been in vain.
On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—
though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Whether then it was I or they,
so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.
Luke 5:1-11
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
While Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret,
and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God,
he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake;
the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
‘Put out into the deep water
and let down your nets for a catch.’
Simon answered,
‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.
Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’
When they had done this,
they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.
So they signalled to their partners in the other boat
to come and help them.
And they came and filled both boats,
so that they began to sink.
But when Simon Peter saw it,
he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’
For he and all who were with him were amazed
at the catch of fish that they had taken;
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee,
who were partners with Simon.
Then Jesus said to Simon,
‘Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching people.’
When they had brought their boats to shore,
they left everything and followed him.
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