Churches open for private prayer
Monday: Holy Trinity Tarleton, 10am-2pm
Tuesday: St. Mary’s Rufford, 10am-2pm
Wednesday: Holy Trinity Tarleton, 11am-2pm
Thursday: St. Mary’s Rufford, 10am-2pm
Friday: Holy Trinity Tarleton, 10am-2pm
Saturday: St. Mary’s Rufford, 10am-2pm
The week in Bible reading and prayer
Sunday 13th December – Advent 3 – Gaudete Sunday
8am Eucharist, St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
10.30am Eucharist, Holy Trinity, Tarleton (Streamed live on our Facebook page)
Today’s readings – Isaiah 16.1-,8-end, The Magnificat (Lk. 1.46-55), 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24 & John 1.6-8,19-28.
The Collect
O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Old Testament – Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-end
61 1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion — to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
8 For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
Canticle: Luke 1.46-55 The Magnificat
Refrain: My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour
New Testament – 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24
5 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Gospel – John 1.6-8, 19-28
1 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’
20 He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ 21 And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’
22 Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’
23 He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord”’, as the prophet Isaiah said.
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ 26 John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
Prayer intentions
🙏🏼We give thanks for those whose talents inspire our worship.
🙏🏼 For the sick and those in need: Zena Ashcroft, Margaret Baxter, Margaret Bolton, Colin Brown, Jack Dalton, Bill Duggan, Wayne Jackett, Jimmy Johnstone, Paddy MacDonagh, Tony Morgan, Ruth Middlesborough, Donald Sephton & Matthew Sutter.
🙏🏼Year’s mind: Stanley Barron, Norah Corlett, Florence Mabel Emminson, Thomas Forrest, James Forshaw, Margaret Golifer, Jean Elizabeth Greaves, Alice Hull, Thomas Jackson, Ida Livesey, Gwenda Mary Marsden, Joan Orr, Inez Lillian Pearce, Canon William Riley, Sian Rowland, Gwyneth Townsley & Joseph Harold Webster. May they Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory.
🙏🏼 In our cycle of prayer we pray for those who live in Waverley Drive and Willow Hey.
Monday 14th December – John of the Cross, Poet, Teacher of the faith, 1591
Today’s readings – Numbers 24.2-7, 15-17, Ps.25.3-8 & Matthew 21.23-27.
🙏🏼 We pray for those responsible for test and trace.
Tuesday 15th December
Today’s readings – Zephaniah 3.1-2, 9-13, Ps. 34.1-6, 21-22 & Matthew 21.28-32.
🙏🏼 We pray for all who stand up for justice in our communities.
Wednesday 16th December
10.00am Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Today’s readings – Isaiah 45.6b-8, 18, 21b-end, Ps.85.7-end & Luke 7.18b-23.
🙏🏼 We pray for families struggling to make ends meet and for generosity & compassion in our country.
Thursday 17th December – O Sapienta
7.00pm Eucharist – St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Today’s readings – Genesis 49.2,8-10, Ps. 72.1-5, 18-19 & Matthew 1.1-17.
O wisdom, come and teach us the way of prudence
🙏🏼 We pray for families and family life.
Friday 18th December
Today’s readings – Jeremiah 32.5-8, Ps. 72.1-2,12-13,18-end & Matthew 1.18-24.
O Adonai, Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm
🙏🏼We pray for health care workers.
Saturday 19th December
Today’s readings – Judges 13.2-7, 24-end, Ps. 71.3-8 & Luke 1.5-25.
O Root of Jesse, Come and deliver us and delay no longer.
🙏🏼 We pray for national government.
Next Sunday 20th December – Advent 4
8am Eucharist, Holy Trinity, Tarleton
10.30am Eucharist, St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Today’s readings -2 Samuel 7.1-11,16, Ps. 89.1–8, Romans16.25-end & Luke 1.26-38.
O Key of David, Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house.
🙏🏼 We pray for those with no permanent home.
🙏🏼 In our cycle of prayer we pray for those who live in Wilson Close and Windgate Fold.
Alls services need to be booked in advance.
For worship at Rufford, please ring Roy on (01704) 821464; for Tarleton, Neil on (01772) 816390.
