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

Here is some news of a previous member of our congregation:  Mitra became a Christian soon after I arrived. Katherine (who sent the email) was an ordinand on placement with us:

Dear Bob,
I just wanted you to know that Mitra (remember her and her daughter Sarah), after a stint in Portsmouth they did get through the asylum process and then the family moved to London.  Surprisingly they found somewhere to live on Holland Park Avenue.  Mitra then started attending St John's (my previous
church) and she and Sarah were baptised there not long ago. Sarah is now in the local church school St Clements & St James.  Mitra's husband Sharam has had a difficult time but I think is doing well now. So God has been good ! (as usual!)_
Do hope all is well with you and hi to Sylvie.

With love and prayers,
Katherine

Processional Hymn     250        All creatures of our God and King                (odd verses only)

Collect of the Day
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever.

First Reading                 Genesis 2.4b-9,15-25                      (p. 807)
4In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; 6but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground  7then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. 8And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9Out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  15The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’  18The LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ 19So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.’  24Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

Gradual Hymn               64           Of the Father’s love begotten

GOSPEL                         Luke 6:17-26                                      (p.798)
17He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
23Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
24‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25‘Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

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             585        The church’s one foundation

Communion Hymn      252        As water to the thirsty

Post Communion Prayer
God our creator, by your gift the tree of life was set at the heart of the earthly paradise, and the bread of life at the heart of your Church: may we who have been nourished at your table on earth be transformed by the glory of the Saviour’s cross and enjoy the delights of eternity; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Recessional Hymn   262  O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

Coffee in church after the service

Post Communion (2nd before Lent) ©  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. Collect (2nd before Lent) ©  Oxford University Press: The Book of Common Worship of the Church of South India. Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

NEXT SUNDAY:        LINK SUNDAY
18 February 2007      Sunday Next before Lent

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Exodus 34.29-35 (p 811), Luke 9.28-36 (p 813)

THIS MONTH
21st Feb – Ash Wednesday – 6pm Said Communion at St Stephen’s

Children's Society Boxes
Through the home boxes scheme, St Stephen's has contributed over £650 during the last three years to the Children's Society, for their work with homeless and abused children. If you would like to have a Children's Society Charity Box at home to help with the Society's work, please see Juliet Byford. Boxes received now should be brought to church for emptying in June.

What about Today’s Gospel Reading?

1. Which people will God bless?
2. What will God do when people hate you and insult you?
3. Who has a hard life ahead of them?

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.

Visit the church web site at www.ststephensw12.org