Sunday School meets in St Stephen's School
Sunday Youth meets in the Glebe Maisonette
Small Children are welcome to play in St Thomas's Chapel, near the porch
Baptised Communicants of other Churches are encouraged to receive communion
Children and other non-communicants are invited to come to the altar for a blessing
The Ministry of Healing is offered in the Chapel, after Communion is given

David Cameron and I have both recently completed our first year in office. He has wanted to rebrand the Tories. I have wanted to honour the Catholic tradition at St Stephens, do the simple things well and allow my own spirituality to emerge gradually. I am a lucky man to be the vicar at St Stephens; as we now begin the second phase of our journey with each other I want us all to step up a level and find out what God wants of us together.

The first big activity of my second year will be the youth service, which will start again in January. The second activity is the Alpha Course, which starts on Wednesday January 17th in the vicarage at 7.30pm. Every week will start with a meal and so there is a time for fellowship and the opportunity to get to know some new people. I will be the host and Cameron Collington the vicar at St Simons will be leading the sessions.

I feel both vulnerable and determined about this Alpha Course. I feel vulnerable because it will stand or fall by your involvement as the congregation. Are you interested in the Alpha Course for yourself or do you know someone else who may be interested? I feel determined because it is a way of us working together to fulfil the mission mandate for the church to bring people in, bring people on and then send them out.

Processional Hymn           29        Hills of the North, Rejoice

Collect of the Day
O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever.

First Reading                 Baruch 5.1-9                                             (p.)
1Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.  2Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting; 3for God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven. 4For God will give you evermore the name, ‘Righteous Peace, Godly Glory’.  5Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height; look towards the east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them.  6For they went out from you on foot, led away by their enemies; but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne. 7For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.  8The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God’s command.  9For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

Gradual Hymn         31     Lo, he comes with clouds descending

GOSPEL                         Luke 3.1-6                                                  (p.)
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;  6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’

INTERCESSIONS

Please pray for
- The sick and suffering: especially Felix Okike, Lucilda Bernard, Joan Andrew, Elizabeth Dorsett, Clive Heywood, Ron & Ivy Smith, Susie Leach, Norbert Edwards, Brother Paul Anthony, Sylvia Steed, John Asbridge, Caroline Nevill, Ruth and Tracey Davies.

Offertory Hymn             32           O come, O come, Emmanuel

Communion Hymn      Jesus, Remember Me (see sheet)

Post Communion Prayer
Father in heaven, who sent your Son to redeem the world and will send him again to be our judge: give us grace so to imitate him in the humility and purity of his first coming that, when he comes again, we may be ready to greet him with joyful love and firm faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Recessional Hymn      34     On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

Dear Congregation,
Some of you may know of Limegrove Hostel in Shepherds Bush, which houses and supports young people and vulnerable adults in the Hammersmith and Fulham area.  As you can imagine, many of our residents are isolated from friends and family and so Christmas can be a very lonely time of year for them.  This is why we are appealing to you for donations that we can give to them as Christmas presents.  Anything that could be passed off as new would be greatly appreciated…what about those things you bought and never used or those gifts you received only to tuck away in a drawer?  Whatever you have to offer, you can extend the Christmas spirit to those who do not have much.

If you would like to donate anything please give it to Father Bob who will pass it onto the team at Limegrove.

Wishing you the compliments of the season! (Limegrove Hostel)

copyright: Philippians 1.3-11 ©  1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Pub. Hodder & Stoughton. Post Communion (2nd of Advent) ©  1980, 1986 Mowbray, a Cassell Imprint: Prayers for the Alternative Services comp. David Silk. Invitation to Confession (1st Sun. of Advent to Christmas Eve) ©  1988 Continuum (Mowbray) (Adapted). Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA. Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000. Collect (2nd of Advent) ©  The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

TODAY – Newcomers’ Tea – 4pm at the vicarage.  For anyone who has recently joined the church.  A chance for us to get to know one another.

NEXT SUNDAY:        17 December 2006    Third Sunday of Advent

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Zephaniah 3.14-20 (p), Luke 3.7-18 (p )

Followed by St Stephen’s Christmas Party at 12.30 straight after the morning service – wine and mince pies, bring and share. This will either be in the vicarage or in the church hall (depending on how many people come). Talk to Ana for arrangements (07946140363)

3pm  CRIB SERVICE

Christmas Services
Tuesday 12 December - 6.30 pm - BBC Carol Service
Monday 18 December - 9 am - St Stephen’s School Christmas Service
Christmas Eve, Sunday 24th December  - 10 am – Sung Eucharist
                                                                  - 11.30 pm – Midnight Mass
Christmas Day, Monday 25th December  - 10 am – Sung Eucharist
Sunday 31 December – Festival of St Stephen

Alpha course starts Wednesday 17 January 2007.

Visit the church web site at www.ststephensw12.org