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

February 3rd is our All age Service – could you come bringing a favourite Teddy Bear or Toy or best Christmas present (Adults as well!)

Ash Wednesday is February 6th! There will be an Ash Wednesday Mass in Church at 7pm.

There will be a Lent Course for any who are interested at the house of Mary Rodney (99 Godolphin Road). This will be a five part study course looking at the Lord’s Prayer. These will be on Wednesdays during Lent – February 13th, 20th, 27th, March 6th, 13th.

Easter day is on March 23rd!! The Easter day service will be a Hat’s Service – come dressed in your finest. We are then planning a big celebration for afterwards.

Anne Cowley will be preaching next week. She is hoping to come here as the curate in September. The service will be followed by a Bring and Share lunch to give people a chance to meet her.

Processional Hymn                    543

Collect of the Day
Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; 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 Corinthians 1.1-9                             (p.47)

1From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind – 6just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you – 7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gradual Hymn                              581

GOSPEL                         John 1.29-42                                        (p.48)

29John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” 31I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ 32And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” 34And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’  35The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ 37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ 39He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). 42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

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, Ivy Smith, Susie Leach, Norbert Edwards, Brother Paul Anthony, Sylvia Steed, Caroline Nevill, Tracey Davies, Esmay Young, Roger Cox.

Offertory Hymn                            444

Communion Hymn                     127

Post Communion Prayer
Almighty Father, whose Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world: may your people, illumined by your word and sacraments, shine with the radiance of his glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

Recessional Hymn                     435

Coffee in church after the service

Post Communion (3rd of Epiphany) © 1985 Anglican Church of Canada: The Book of Alternative Services. 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

NOTICES

THIS WEEK:

NEXT SUNDAY:            27 January 2008           Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

10 am SUNG EUCHARIST
Celebrant – The Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Preacher – Rev Ann Cowley
Psalm 27: 1, 4-12 Matt 4: 12-23

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

The service next week will be followed by a bring and share lunch to meet Rev Ann who will be coming to St Stephens as a Curate in September two days a week.

What about today’s Gospel

1. What does John call Jesus?
2. What did John see when he baptized Jesus?
3. What did seeing the dove tell John?

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

St Stephen’s Quiz Night to be held at St Michael’s Church on 9th Feb  opening at 6.30 – quiz starts at 7 pm  Entry to quiz - £2 per person (4-6 people in a team) with a bring and share supper. People who want to walk up from St Stephens to St Michaels can meet at St Stephens at 6.30

• Confirmations at St Paul’s,  22 March at 7pm

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.