Sunday School meets in the Vestry
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

New Hall, Planning Application - The future of our new parish hall is now in the hands of the ten Councillors on the Planning Applications Committee, who will decide on our case at their meeting on July 26.  They will receive from the Planning officers a recommendation on how to vote on our case and at the moment it looks as if our case will come with a recommendation that it should be rejected.  Our only chance now is to try to change the minds of those ten Councillors and encourage them to vote against party lines.

We have two strengths we can use to help ourselves at this point, we can write, and we can pray.  For how to write, see the insert sheet; it tells you who to write to and where to send it. Writing may not appeal to everyone, but we can all pray.
So let our prayers be

- that the Councillors’ hearts may be turned towards the outcome we believe is right and just,
- for everyone whose lives we hope to improve through this hall,
- and for grace, to remember that whatever we do, we do it in the name of Christ our Saviour.  Amen                                                             Juliet Byford

Processional Hymn     500        Lift up your hearts!

Collect of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

First Reading                 2 Samuel 6.1-5,12b-19                     (p.620)
1David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. 3They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart 4with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. 5David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the LORD with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.  12So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13and when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.  16As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.  17They brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the LORD. 18When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts, 19and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.

Second Reading           Ephesians 1.3-14                            (p.624)
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ 4before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5God destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of God’s will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of God who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people to the praise of his glory.

Gradual Hymn               516        Love divine, all love’s excelling

GOSPEL                         Mark 6.14-29                                       (p.625)
14King Herod heard of the healings and other miracles, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ 15But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’  17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ 23And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ 24She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ 25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.’ 26The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

INTERCESSIONS
Please pray for
- The sick and suffering: especially Felix Okike, Lucilda Bernard, Felicity Balwant, 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       598        There’s a wideness in God’s mercy

Communion Hymn      507        Lord of all hopefulness

Post Communion Prayer
Grant, O Lord, we beseech you, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance, that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Recessional Hymn      see sheet            Meekness and Majesty

Coffee in Church after the service

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. Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

THIS MONTH

Father Bob will be away from 19th July to 6th August.

NEXT SUNDAY:      23 July 2006     Sixth Sunday after Trinity

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Ann Claridge
2 Samuel 7.1-14a (p627), Ephesians 2.11-22 (p631), Mark 6.30-34,53-56 (p632)

ARE YOU ON THE EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST?

We are setting up an email distribution list to keep members of St Stephen’s in touch with a weekly prayer and much more.  If you would like to be included on this list, please complete the relevant insert (with the free pen provided!) or email the Parish Secretary at ststephensw12@london.anglican.org.

Home Communion – Available to any unable to come on a Sunday.  Talk to Father Bob (8743 3166) if you or anyone else might be interested.

Any enquiries about pastoral concerns, baptisms, weddings or funerals while Father Bob is away, please get in touch with Sarah Archer, the Associate-Vicar at St Michaels

Bookings for the Parish Hall are dealt with by the Parish Secretary, Jill Wigney.  To make a booking please telephone Jill on 020 8740 9879 or email ststephensw12@london.anglican.org

Visit the church web site at www.ststephensw12.org.