Sunday 22nd January – 3rd Sunday of Epiphany

✝️8am Eucharist – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
✝️9:15am Sung Eucharist – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford
✝️10:45am Sung Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton; Preacher The Leprosy Mission Regional Manager
✝️3:30pm Ecumenical Service for Christian Unity – Hesketh Bank Christian Centre

COLLECT FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
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. Amen.

FIRST READING: Isaiah 9:1-4
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

PSALM 26:1, 4, 13-14. R. vs. 1 Response: The Lord is my light and my help.

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Jesus went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.

GOSPEL: Matthew 4:12-23
Hear the Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

🙏🏼Please pray for our Bishop, Philip North CMP, upon his appointment as Bishop of Blackburn. Bishop Philip will take up his post officially in May or June 2023.

🙏🏼The Sick: Zena Ashcroft, Margaret Baxter, Val Huddart, Wayne Jackett, Maureen Karr, Winnie Turner, Mary Sephton, Lavinia Sephton, Brian Soady & Marlene Taylor.

🙏🏼The recently departed: Lynn Caunce (24th Jan, Tarleton), Pat Jackett (27th Jan, Tarleton), Joan Webster (27th Jan), Avril Rogers, Eric Ashcroft (2nd Feb, Tarleton), Alun Williams (8th Feb, Tarleton), Gerry Rawsthorne (9th Feb, Rufford), Philip George Williams (10th Feb).

🙏🏼Year’s Mind: Sarah Buck, Betty Mawdsley, Albert White, James Moss, Hugh Cross, James Sephton, George Robert Railson, Marjorie Vickers, Sylvester Midgley, Simon Edward Lewis, Helen Lowe, Margaretha Helen Mayor, James Sephton; Winifred Murray, Frank Holden, John Sims Mitchell, Bill Ramage, Margaret Ashcroft, Henry Alty Yates, William Yates & Joan Colling.

HYMNS – The race that long in darkness, Songs of thankfulness and praise! How sweet the name of Jesus, O Thou who at thy Eucharist & O for a thousand tongues to sing

Monday 23rd January

Hebrews 9:15, 24-end; Ps. 98:1-7 & Mark 3:22-30
🙏🏼Please pray for our link Diocese of Bloemfontein (South Africa) and Braunsweig (Germany)

Tuesday 24th January – St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, teacher, 1622

Hebrews 6:10-end; Ps. 111 & Mark 2:23-end
🙏🏼Please pray for our Bishop, Philip, as he prepares to take up the post of Lord Bishop of Blackburn.

Wednesday 25th January – The Conversion of St. Paul

✝️10am Eucharist – Holy Trinity, Tarleton

Jeremiah 1:4-10; Ps. 67; Acts 9:1-22 & Matthew 19:27-end
🙏🏼Please pray for the conversion of our nation.

Thursday 26th January – Ss. Timothy and Titus, companions of St. Paul

6:30pm Diamond Disciples – Holy Trinity, Tarleton community space
✝️7pm Eucharist – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford

Isaiah 61:1-3a; Ps. 100; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 10:1-9
Please pray all evangelists, lay and ordained.

Friday 27th January

10am-12noon Coffee & Chat – Holy Trinity, Tarleton & Rufford Cricket Club
✝️11am Holocaust Memorial Day Service – St. Mary the Virgin, Rufford

Hebrews 10:32-end; Ps. 37:3-6, 40-end & Mark 4:26-34
🙏🏼Please pray for the Diocesan vocations team and all involved in discerning vocations and training people for lay and ordained ministry.

Saturday 28th January – St. Thomas Aquinas, priest, philosopher

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-9; Canticle: Luke 1:69-73 & Mark 4:35- end.
🙏🏼Please pray for all monastic communities, particularly the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).

🙏🏼A Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas – Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.

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 – currently on placement at St. George the Martyr, Preston.