The week in Bible reading and prayer
During the first two weeks of October please pray for the finances of the church, both for our parishes, for the diocese and for our Gift days.
Sunday, Trinity 17
8am Eucharist: St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
10.30am: Eucharist: Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Today’s readings – Isaiah 5.1-7, Psalm 80.9-17, Philippians 3.4b-14 and Matthew 21.33-end.
The Collect – Almighty God, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you. Pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself and so bring us at last to your heavenly city, where we shall see you face to face. 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. Amen.
Old Testament – Isaiah 5.1-7
5 Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 2 He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watch-tower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
3 And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?
5 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!
Psalm 80.1-4 Refrain – For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.
Gospel – Matthew 21.33-end – Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
33 ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34 When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ 41 They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’ 42 Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
“The stone that the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’ 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Prayer intentions:
For the sick and those in need: Zena Ashcroft, Margaret Baxter,
Bishop John, Colin Brown, Jack Dalton, Eric Gore, Jimmy Johnstone, Santau Ka, Paddy MacDonagh, Ruth Middlesborough, Donald Sephton & Stephen Smith.
Year’s mind: Mattie Cardinal, Margaret Caunce, Peter Johnson, Mary Newhouse, Ria Parker, Sidney William Rowland, John Stazicker & Craig James Trafford.
🙏🏼 We pray for key workers and in our cycle of prayer we pray for those living in Sandringham Close.
Monday
Today’s readings – Galatians 1.6-12; Ps. 111.1-6; Luke 10.25-37.
🙏🏼We pray for those in authority; that they make decisions for the good of all people and for students.
Tuesday – William Tyndale, translator, martyr, 1536.
Today’s readings – Galatians 1.13-end, Ps. 139.1-9 & Luke 10.38-end.
🙏🏼 We give thanks for Bible translators and distributors and pray for lay leaders in our churches.
Wednesday
10am Eucharist: Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Today’s readings – Galatians 2.1-2, 7-14, Ps. 117 & Luke 11.1-4.
🙏🏼 Please pray for our wardens and PCC’s, as they prepare for the annual meetings.
🙏🏼We also pray for all in care homes or sheltered housing; both staff and residents.
Thursday
7pm Eucharist: St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Today’s readings – Galatians 3.1-5, Canticle – Benedictus & Luke 11.5-13.
🙏🏼 We pray for all who feel isolated and lonely.
Friday: Robert Grosseteste, bishop, philosopher, scientist, 1253.
Today’s readings – Galatians 3.7-14, Ps. 111.4-end & Luke 11.15-26.
🙏🏼 We pray for all scientists and technicians working on testing for and establishing a vaccine against the Corona virus.
Saturday – Paulinus, first Bishop of York, 644.
10am-3pm: Gift Day at Holy Trinity, Tarleton,
Today’s readings – Galatians 3.22-end, Ps. 105.1-7 & Luke 11.27-28.
🙏🏼 We pray for all who keep communications networks going.
Next Sunday
8am Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton – Trinity 18
Readings – Isaiah 25.1-9, Ps. 23 & Matthew 22.1-14.
10.30am: Harvest Thanksgiving Eucharist: St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Readings – Deuteronomy 8.7-18, Ps. 65, Corinthians 9.6-end & Luke 12.16-30.
🙏🏼 We pray for public health professionals and in our cycle of prayer, for those in Southport New Road.
