03 May 2026
12:32 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Acts 7:55-60
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Standing before the high priest and the council,
Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
“Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
But they covered their ears,
and with a loud shout all rushed together against him.
Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him,
and the witnesses laid their coats
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
When he had said this, he died.
1 Peter 2:2-10
A reading from the first letter of Peter.
Like newborn infants,
long for the pure, spiritual milk,
so that by it you may grow into salvation—
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone,
though rejected by mortals
yet chosen and precious in God’s sight,
and like living stones
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house,
to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
For it stands in scripture:
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
To you then who believe, he is precioous;
but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner,” and
A stone that makes them stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the word,
as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, God’s own people,
in order that you may proclaim
the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light.
Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
John 14:1-14
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God; believe also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If it were not so, would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and will take you to myself,
so that where I am, there you may be also.
And you know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him,
“Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him,
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, you will know my Father also.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
Jesus said to him,
“Have I been with you all this time, Philip,
and you still do not know me?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own,
but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
but if you do not,
then believe because of the works themselves.
Very truly, I tell you,
the one who believes in me
will also do the works that I do and, in fact,
will do greater works than these,
because I am going to the Father.
I will do whatever you ask in my name,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If in my name you ask me for anything,
I will do it.
Fr Chris is to be licensed to the Parish as Vicar
on Tuesday 5 May, 7.30pm
This is a time of great joy for our parish as the Bishop of Chichester has reinstalled the living for the parish, which has been suspended for approximately 30 years.
The Service of Licensing and Collation will be conducted by The Right Reverend William Hazlewood, Bishop of Lewes and Fr Tom Carpenter, Archdeacon of Chichester. We do hope you are able to join us for the service and refreshments afterwards in the Parish Rooms.
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