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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
Processional Hymn
Collect of the Day
O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
First Reading Zephaniah 3.14-20 (p.762)
Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” “The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honour in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the LORD.
Gradual Hymn
GOSPEL Luke 3.7-18 (p.764)
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptised by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” Tax collectors also came to be baptised. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t
extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay.” The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, “I baptise you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.
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
Communion Hymn
Post Communion Prayer
We give you thanks, O Lord, for these heavenly gifts; kindle in us the fire of your Spirit that when your Christ comes again we may shine as lights before his face; who is alive and reigns now and for ever.
Recessional Hymn
The St Stephen’s Christmas party will follow straight on from the end of the service. Please come and join us for wine and mince pies at the back of the church.
Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Pub. Hodder & Stoughton. 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 (3rd of Advent) © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662). Post Communion (3rd of Advent) © Westcott House, Cambridge
NOTICES
THIS WEEK:
| Tues 19th |
6-8pm |
Bush City Youth Academy, 11-19 years, St Stephens |
| Thurs 21st |
6.30 pm |
Christian Meditation Group, St Stephen’s |
| Fri 22nd |
7.30-8.30 pm |
Youth - Connecting with God, Glebe House |
TODAY:
3pm Crib Service
NEXT SUNDAY: 24th December 2006 Christmas Eve
10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Micah 5.2-5a (p 765), Luke 1.39-45 (p 768)
11.30 pm – Midnight Mass
Christmas Services
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 at St Stephen’s vicarage. Call 0207 603 4879 to register
Visit the church web site at www.ststephensw12.org
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The
Church of St Stephen & St Thomas
