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

St Stephen & St Thomas now have its own web site at www.stmg.org.uk/stephen_thomas. There are three immediate reasons for us having a website
1. There is a copy of the Bush Telegraph and a précis of each weeks' sermon posted on the web site. This means that if you are not in church on a Sunday, or when you go home and try to remember what was said in the sermon you can log on and find out what was said. Sunday mornings allow me time to 'preach' but not to 'teach' you about the reasons for the faith that you have within you - so log on and learn.
2. You can send a link of the website to any friends of yours showing an interest in the church. It is an easy low level evangelism and it provides people who may not be ready to come to a church service with different ways of accessing the church
3. It means that anyone moving into the area will have information about St Stephens to hand.
I will be grateful to hear from any web-designers, computer literate people who may be able to provide time or expertise towards maintaining and improving the site

Processional Hymn     455  Guide me, O thou great Redeemer

Collect of the Day
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

First Reading                 Acts 4.5-12                                          (p.554)
5The Jewish rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’ 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, 9if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, 10let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 11This Jesus is “the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.” 12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’

Second Reading           1 John 3.16-24                                 (p.555)
16We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?  18Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. 19And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; 22and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.  23And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us. 

Gradual Hymn               150        Love’s redeeming work is done

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                         John 10.11-18                                    (p.556)
Jesus said to the Pharisees: 11‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away – and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

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.

Communion Hymn      127  When I survey the wondrous cross

Post Communion Prayer
Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd, and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again: keep us always under his protection, and give us grace to follow in his steps; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Recessional Hymn      160        Thine be the glory

Coffee in Church after the service

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. Post Communion (4th of Easter) ©  1995 General Synod of the Church of Ireland. Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

THIS MONTH

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

NEXT SUNDAY:       

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Acts 8.26-40 (p 557) 1 John 4.7-21 (p 559) John 15.1-8 (p 560)

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.