SUNDAY 4th December – ADVENT 2
8am Said Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton
9:15am Sung Eucharist – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
10:45am Sung Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton
COLLECT FOR ADVENT 2 – O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
FIRST READING: Isaiah 11:1-10 – A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
PSALM 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17. R./ v. 7 Response: In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.
SECOND READING: Romans 15:4-13
GOSPEL: Matthew 24:36-44 – Hear the Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”’ Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
INTERCESSIONS Pray for:
🙏🏼The Sick: Zena Ashcroft, Margaret Baxter, Val Huddart, Wayne Jackett, Maureen Karr, Winnie Turner, Mary Sephton, Lavinia Sephton, Amanda Soady, Brian Soady, Stuart Drysdale, Joseph Donlan & Rose Wilson.
🙏🏼The recently departed: Margaret Huyton (6th Tarleton) John Webster (6th Tarleton), Elsie Aida Vernon (8th Tarleton) & Freda George
🙏🏼Year’s Mind: Michael Stuart Upton, Agnes Travis, Peter Culshaw, Emma Finney, Margaret Hinchliffe, Peter Ian Coggins, James Monaghan, Harriet Moss, Paul Dutton, Robert Bridge, Elsie Furmiston & Susan
Monday 5th December
2pm Mothers’ Union Prayer Meeting – Holy Trinity Church
Isaiah 35; Ps. 85:7-end & Luke 5:17-26
🙏🏼Please pray for all who use foodbanks, for the work of the Trussell Trust and the Salvation army and for the work of Churches helping those most in need.
Tuesday 6th December – St. Nicholas, bishop, c. 326
7-8pm Choir Practice – Holy Trinity Church, Tarleton
Isaiah 40:1-11; Ps. 96:1, 10-end, Matthew 18:12-14
🙏🏼Please pray for all who work for the Diocesan Board of Education.
Wednesday 7th December – St. Ambrose, bishop, teacher of the faith, 397
10am Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Isaiah 40:25-end; Ps. 103:8-13 & Matthew 11:28-end
🙏🏼Please pray for our Bishop, Philip, and for the person being called to take the office of Bishop of Blackburn.
Thursday 8th December – Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1pm Rufford Old Hall Carol Service – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
6:30pm Diamond Disciples Youth Group – Holy Trinity, Tarleton parish room
7pm Rufford School Carol Service St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Isaiah 41:13-20; Ps. 145:1, 8-13 & Matthew 11:11-15
🙏🏼Please pray for all involved in Youth Ministry, and in particular for the work of the Diamond Disciples team.
Friday 9th December – Ember Day
10am-12noon Coffee & Chat – Holy Trinity Church & Tarleton & Rufford Cricket Club
7pm-9pm Christmas Craft Evening – St. Mary’s Church Hall – Bookable tickets £2.50 to cover costs. Contact Sarah to book: 07943 066678 or email: sarahclairebrown@outlook.com
Isaiah 48:17-19; Ps. 1 & Matthew 11:16-19
🙏🏼Pray for the our Church Wardens.
Saturday 10th December – Ember Day
Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4, 9-11; Ps. 80:1-4, 18-19 & Matthew 17:10-13
🙏🏼Please pray for all preparing for ordination.
Sunday 11th December – Advent 3
8am Said Eucharist – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
9:15am All Age Eucharist – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
10:45am All Age Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton
6pm Tarleton Village Carol Service – Holy Trinity Church, followed by Refreshments (Rufford – Monday 19th December, 6pm in St. Mary’s.)
CHURCH GIVING
Many are now contributing to the church by electronic means so we have stopped passing the collection plate around. If you would like to leave a cash donation, please place it in the plate at the West Door as you leave.
CONTACTS
Rector: The Rev’d Canon Mark Soady SSC Rest Day: Monday
Tel: (01772) 814431/07968 753978 E-Mail: rector@rsmtht.church
Curate: The Rev’d Fr. Tristan Meares Rest Day: Tuesday
Tel: (01772) 590803/07547 973527 Email: curate@rsmtht.church
Ordinand: Danny Abraham Rest Day: Saturday. Study Days: Monday, Tuesday & Friday.
