30 April 2006
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
and Baptism of Zyon Henry Sesay and Jozele Delency Sesay

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

There are two public consultation days that will be held to gather opinion and support for the Church’s New Hall planning application. The first one was last Friday (April 28th) and the second one will be on Saturday May 6th, 11.00am in St Stephen's Church. We need the local Council to give us planning permission; for this to happen, they will need to hear, from us, that there is significant support for the project. With this in mind, there are three things that I need you to do.

The first is to read the leaflet about the New Hall. Can you then sign the form and give it back either to me, Marjorie, Juliet, Elwyn, Nathan or one of the sides-people.
The second thing is to take enough leaflets to give to friends of yours and anyone you may know, who would be interested in the project – if you can get them to sign the form, can you then pass it on to someone in the church.
The third thing to consider is whether you can come to the consultation day on May 6th. There will be people from the neighbourhood who disagree with the proposal and there needs to be a decent number of us, from the church, at the meeting to hear what they have to say. 
Bob
Ps I ran the marathon in just over four hours. It was massive fun; there was a great atmosphere and I did not want it all to end

Processional Hymn          497      Let all the world in every corner sing

Collect of the Day
Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; 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                  Acts 3.12-19                                           (p.551)
12Peter addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. 14But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, 15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. 17‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiahwould suffer. 19Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.’

Second Reading              1 John 3.1-7                                        (p.552)
1See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.  4Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Gradual Hymn                   156         Sing choirs of heaven!

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the first and the last, says the Lord, and the living one; I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore
All        Alleluia.

GOSPEL                          Luke 24.36b-48                                     (p.553)
36While the eleven and their companions were talking about what they had heard, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence. 44Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you - that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things.’

INTERCESSIONS

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

Offertory Hymn                 137         Alleluia! Alleluia!

Communion Hymn            387         Before Jehovah’s aweful throne

Post Communion Prayer
Living God, your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in all his redeeming work; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

Recessional Hymn           157         The day of resurrection!

Coffee in Church after the service

Post Communion (3rd of Easter) ©  1985 Anglican Church of Canada: The Book of Alternative Services. Invitation to Confession (Easter Day until Eve of Ascension) ©  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

THIS WEEK:

NEXT SUNDAY:          7 May 2005      Fourth Sunday of Easter

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Acts 4.5-12 (p 554), 1 John 3.16-24 (p 555), John 10.11-18 (p 556)

NEXT MONTH

Thursday 25 May – Confirmation Service at St Stephens – 7 pm.

New Hall - Public Consultation days

Please could  ST STEPHEN"S COMMITTEE MEMBERS let Juliet Byford know if they can assist at the second of the TWO public consultation days that will be held to gather opinion and support for the New Hall planning application on Saturday May 6th, 11.00am at St Stephen's Church.

Quiz Evening Saturday 13 May 2006 in the Hall

5-6.30 pm – Bring and Share supper followed by Quiz.  £1.50 per person to enter – groups will be organized on the night.  Drinks will be on sale.  For further information see Liz or Barry Clarke, or Fiona Minors.

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

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 St Stephen & St Thomas web site at www.stmg.org.uk/stephen_thomas.