Sunday School meets in the Vestry
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

Veneration of the Palms
Priest:     Hosanna to the Son of David, The King of Israel.  Behold your king comes to you, O Zion, meek and lowly, sitting upon an ass.
All           Hosanna to the Son of David.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

We are invited to process in faith; the palms are blessed.  Please follow the procession going out through St Stephen’s door, via Coverdale Road, and into the North porch door.  Please come up the North aisle to the chancel step to receive your palm cross.

Processional Hymn     128        All Glory, Laud and Honour

Collect of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; 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                 Isaiah 50.4-9a                                     (p.529)
The servant of the LORD said: 4The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens –  wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. 5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards. 6I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.  7The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. 9It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Second Reading           Philippians 2.5-11                           (p.530)
5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death –  even death on a cross.  9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gradual Hymn               129        Ride on, Ride on in Majesty

Priest   Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory. Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name.
All        Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

GOSPEL                         Mark 11.1-11                                       (p.526)
1When Jesus and his disciples were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, 2‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?" just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.“’ 4They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ 6They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ 11Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

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             112        My song is love unknown

Communion Hymn      432        From Heaven you came

Post Communion Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant, and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation: give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King, to the glory of God the Father.

Recessional Hymn      376        And can it be that I should gain  

Coffee in Church after the service

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

See insert for Holy Week services

NEXT SUNDAY:        16 April 2006              EASTER SUNDAY

5.30 am EASTER VIGIL

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Acts 10.34-43 (p 541), 1 Corinthians 15.1-11 (p 543), John 20.1-18 (p 544)

THIS MONTH

Wednesday 26 April – Annual Parochial Church Meeting – time and venue to be advised.  All on electoral roll welcome to attend.

Important notice re Electoral Roll

We need to update our Electoral Roll annually – the deadline this year is 26 April.  Anyone who attends regularly at St Stephen’s should be on our Electoral Roll.  There is a copy of the Electoral Roll at the back of the church.  Please add your name and details to it if you are not already on it.  Likewise please amend your details if these have changed since last year.  Please also indicate if you know someone has moved away or should otherwise be removed from the list.

At the Annual Church Meeting the following officers were elected for the coming year
Church warden – Marjorie Bedassee
Deputy Church Warden – Nathan Charlton
PCC Members – Barry Clarke, Tobi Adebiyi, Fiona Minors, Juliet Byford, Tim Turnbull, Nathan Charlton
St Stephen’s Council Members – Caroline Allen, Paula Aitcheson Walker, Nathan Charlton, Vince Cooper

Father Bob will be running in the London Marathon on 23 April to raise funds for a new noticeboard for the church. Please pick up a sponsorship form and give generously