9:30am Communion
9:30am Diddy Disciples followed by Fellowship in the Church Hall.
Monday - Friday 9am Prayer in church this week
Our services are 'live streamed' with the intention of only recording those leading the service. Please note that those in the front seats may have the back of their heads in view.
Covid secure public worship
Hands-Face-Space-Air
Please remain seated when you have come into the church.
The Governments PLAN B means we continue to wear face masks as a legal requirement.
This week We give thanks for ...we pray for ...
We give thanks for the life of Heather Macdonald whose funeral is at 2pm on 20th January at St. Mary's
We give thanks for the life of David Mortimer whose funeral is at 2pm on the 27th January at St. Mary's
We give thanks for the life of Eltie Patterson, whose funeral is at 11:30am on Friday 28th January at St. Mary's Church. Congregation invited to come and join giving thanks for her life and witness.
We pray for the invitations and preparations for the Messy Church Candlemas on the 23rd of January
We pray for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18th-25th January
We pray for discernment as we seek to elect a new churchwarden as Cathy Sanderson retires from this post.
For our NHS and those working on the vaccination and booster program.
Bowl of Prayers
Everybody is invited to put their prayer requests into the bowl of prayers, to be prayed for as part of our Sunday worship,
Heavenly Father,
at the Jordan you revealed Jesus as your Son:
may we recognize him as our Lord
and know ourselves to be your beloved children;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Sunday Worship
MUSIC FOR SUNDAY 9th January 2022 THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST
9.30 am (Parish Communion)* First Sunday after Epiphany
P 401 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry Winchester New
G 453 Spirit of mercy, truth and love Warrington
O 451 Songs of thankfulness and praise vv 1,2,3 & 5 St Edmund
A
C 454 Spirit of the living God (Iverson)
R 130 Fill your hearts with joy and gladness Ode to Joy
10am Service for Wednesday
Journeys
6 January by Jo Kelly-Moore
A treasure at the heart of Christmas for me each year has always been unpacking the nativity sets and setting them out, both at home and in church. The question always comes: where will we put the Wise Men? How far away should they be from the crib scene so that on this wonderful Feast of the Epiphany they get their star turn bringing their gifts to worship the Christ-child?
When our children were young the nativity sets in our house could also end up mixed up with any number of characters from Woody and Buzz to Batman entering the scene, and we would do our best not to let the Wise Men get to the manger too soon! I have always felt a bit sorry for them, too: following the star they arrive at the party just as we are packing them all up for another year!
Reading
Matthew 2.9-12
When they had heard the king, the wise men set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Reflection
In the story of Jesus’ birth, the Magi are a wonderful ‘exclamation mark’ proclaiming that the light of Christ has come into the world. In following the star, they bring their lives and their gifts both to proclaim the arrival of God’s Son and to worship him. As their gifts tell us something of Jesus’ own life journey that was to come, so Matthew’s Gospel records the Magi journeying on from Bethlehem still guided by God.
While our nativity sets are soon put away for another year, the Feast of Epiphany reminds us that the truth of Christmas never ends and that Jesus journeys on with each of us as well. He invites us to know the light of his love, joy, peace and hope guiding our way. And he invites us in turn to be bearers of his light in the world.
Where do you need to know the light of Christ’s love shining into the journey of your life right now? In prayer invite Jesus to journey with you.
How can you use your gifts to bring the light of Christ’s loveto someone else’s journey this week?
Jo Kelly-Moore
Recently announced as the new Dean of St Albans
Spiritual Communion Prayer
Please pray this prayer during the distribution of Communion in the church if you are joining us online or are not receiving communion.
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given us,
for all the pains and insults
you have borne for us.
Since we cannot now receive you sacramentally,
We ask you to come spiritually into our hearts.
O most merciful redeemer,
friend and brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day. Amen.
Adapted from the Prayer of St Richard of Chichester
Daily Prayer
is a beautiful, ad free, experiential app designed to develop long lasting spiritual rhythms of prayer and scripture reading. https://www.rethinkme.com/
PrayAsYouGo
Pray As You Go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time, but particularly whilst travelling to and from work, study, etc. https://pray-as-you-go.org
Daily Hope – dial 0800 804 8044 for prayer, reflection, music and worship services from the Church of England. A weekly service is available from 9 am every Sunday.
