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

Black History Month: The Hammersmith and Fulham Gazette would like to write a series of articles on a few different members of the West Indian Community and they are planning to feature members of St Stephens Church. There would be four separate articles published each week during Black History month in November. It would be an opportunity to celebrate and learn from the contribution that the West Indians have made to the Shepherds Bush community over the last 40 years. There is a lunch at the vicarage this Thursday (September 28th) at the vicarage to give Jo (from the newspaper) a chance to meet with any who might be interested – Mary and Marjorie have said that they are definitely coming and I hope that a lot more of you will want to – anyone else who fancies a lunch of rice and chicken and a chance to chat should talk to me.

Church Lite: An informal chance to meet and to chat about the previous week's sermon – Wednesdays at 7pm in the church

Rt Rev Tom Wright Bishop of Durham is doing a series of lectures on Christianity in our contemporary society on September 29th at St Barnabas in Kensington. Each parish is invited to take up to 20 people to this opportunity to hear one of the leading Christian thinkers of our time,

Processional Hymn     251        All things bright and beautiful

Collect of the Day
God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent in the fellowship of the gospel that, always abiding in you, they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

First Reading                 Proverbs 31.10-31                            (p.679)
10A capable wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.
11The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
14She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.
15She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and tasks for her servant-girls.
16She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.
18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.  Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson.
22She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her:
29‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’
30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

Gradual Hymn         473     I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath

GOSPEL                         Mark 9.30-37                                       (p.685)
After leaving the mountain 30Jesus and his disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.  33Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

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             534     O for a thousand tongues to sing

Communion Hymn      Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus,
Holy and anointed one,
Jesus
Jesus, Jesus,
Risen and exalted one,
Jesus
Your name is like honey on my lips,
Your spirit like water to my soul.
Your work is a lamp unto my feet.
Jesus, I love you,
I love you.
Post Communion Prayer
Keep, O Lord, your Church, with your perpetual mercy; and, because without you our human frailty cannot but fall, keep us ever by your help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Recessional Hymn   555  Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven

Coffee in church after the service

Collect (15th after Trinity) ©  1980, 1986 Mowbray, a Cassell Imprint: Prayers for the Alternative Services comp. David Silk. 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. Post Communion (15th after Trinity) ©  The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

NEXT SUNDAY:        1 October 2006 – Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

10 am ALL AGE WORSHIP
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Esther 7.1-6,9-10; 9.20-22 (p 686), Mark 9.38-50 (p 692)

Hospital  visiting for you?  If you would like to explore the possibility of becoming a Chaplaincy Volunteer visitor, you are invited to join the following meeting: Wednesday 27th September from 5-6 pm at the Chapel, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, ground floor, South Wing.  The visiting (or wheeling patients to the services) can be at either Charing Cross, Hammersmith or Queen Charlotte’s hospital.  Training is provided.  If you would like any more details, or to confirm that you plan to attend, please ring Christopher Guinness on 020 8846 1041.  We remember the startling words of our Lord from St Matthew 25 “When I was sick you visited me.”

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 please get in touch with either Bob Mayo, the vicar, or Sarah Archer, the Associate-Vicar at St Michaels. The only time that Bob will be unavailable is between Friday pm and Sunday am.

For Parish Hall enquiries please contact the Parish Secretary, Jill Wigney. on 020 8740 9879 or email ststephensw12@london.anglican.org

Visit the church web site at www.ststephensw12.org