Visit the church web site at www.ststephensw12.org. You can read all the latest news about the parish. You can also read the sermons which are posted each week

I have taken Sylvie away for her birthday and so you have a chance to welcome Ann Clarridge as Celebrant and Preacher. There is a PCC meeting on Monday at the vicarage; this will be a meal from 6.30 and the meeting starting at 7.30. We will look at the issue of children in church. I will be back next week for the Back to Church Sunday. Do think of anyone that you might like to invite.

BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY

Next Sunday is 'Back to Church Sunday' when we are asked to invite to church anyone we know that has come to church in the past, but has now stopped coming. There are a lot of people like this who have simply fallen out of the habit. This might be due to a change in their life circumstances: they might have moved house, need to work at weekends or started taking their child to a Sunday sports activity. Coming back to church might feel like a step too far.

It is up to us to take the initiative and to make people feel comfortable and welcome.

There are any number of cultural hurdles for people to jump before they come to church. If they have children they might be worried at the noise they will make, they might be embarrassed at not knowing what to do at different points in the sermon, they might be unwilling to make the move and to come on their own. People might work at weekends, stay out late on Saturday nights or go away for the weekend.

It is up to us to help. Who might you invite back to church next week?

Processional Hymn                   

Collect of the Day
O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfill them; 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                 1 Timothy 2.1-7                                   (p.995)
My dearly beloved, 1I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 4who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5or there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6who gave himself a ransom for all - this was attested at the right time. 7For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Gradual Hymn                            

GOSPEL                         Luke 16.1-13                                      (p.995)
1Jesus said to the disciples, 'There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2So he summoned him and said to him, "What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer." 3Then the manager said to himself, "What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes." 5So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, "How much do you owe my master?" 6He answered, "A hundred jugs of olive oil." He said to him, "Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty." 7Then he asked another, "And how much do you owe?" He replied, "A hundred containers of wheat." He said to him, "Take your bill and make it eighty." 8And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
10Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.'

Amazing love, oh what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My debt He paid, and my death He died
That I might live, that I might live

INTERCESSIONS
Please pray for
- The sick and suffering: especially Felix Okike, Lucilda Bernard, Joan Andrew, Elizabeth Dorsett, Ron & Ivy Smith, Susie Leach, Norbert Edwards, Brother Paul Anthony, Sylvia Steed, John Asbridge, Caroline Nevill, Tracey Davies, Esmay Young, Roger Cox.

Offertory Hymn                           

Communion Hymn                   

Post Communion Prayer
Almighty God, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law: grant that we may love you with our whole heart and our neighbours as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Recessional Hymn                    

Coffee in church after the service

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. Collect (16th after Trinity) © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

THIS MONTH

NEXT SUNDAY: 30 September 2007 - Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
Back to Church Sunday - www.backtochurch.co.uk

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant and Preacher - The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
1 Timothy 6.6-19 (p 1000), Luke 16: 19 - 31 (p 1002)

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

What about today's Gospel
1. Why did Jesus praise the dishonest manager?
2. What did the dishonest manger do?
3. What does Jesus want us to do?

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 Father Bob. The only time that Bob will be unavailable is between Friday pm and Sunday am.