Churches open for private prayer
Monday – Tarleton, 10am-2pm
Wednesday – Tarleton, 11am-2pm
Thursday – Rufford, 10am-2pm
Saturday – Rufford, 10am-2pm
All services need to be booked in advance.
For worship at Rufford, please ring Roy on (01704) 821464 and for Tarleton, Neil on (01772) 816390.
Sunday 27th December – JOHN, APOSTLE & EVANGELIST
8am Eucharist, St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
10.30am Eucharist, Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Today’s readings – Exodus 33.7-11a, Psalm 117, 1 John 1 & John 21.19b-end.
The Collect
Merciful Lord, cast your bright beams of light upon the Church: that, being enlightened by the teaching of your blessed apostle and evangelist Saint John, we may so walk in the light of your truth that we may at last attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your incarnate Son our Lord.
Old Testament – Exodus 33.7-11a
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand, each of them, at the entrance of their tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tents. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
Psalm 117
Refrain: The Lord spoke to him face to face [as one speaks to a friend.]
New Testament – 1 John 1
1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — 2 this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us — 3 we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Gospel – John 21.19b-25
19b After this Jesus said to Peter, ‘Follow me.’
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’ 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’ 23 So the rumour spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’
24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
🙏🏼We pray for all parish clergy and office holders, especially for those struggling with family problems and those standing in to give them time off.
🙏🏼 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: Doreen Bond, Arthur Harrison, Ellen Livesey, Eva Melling, June Melling, James Morris, Leslie Rimmer, William Henry Ritchings, James Shepherd, Lester Stazicker, Margaret Steele & Michael Williams. May the Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory.
🙏🏼In our cycle of prayer we pray for all who live outside the parish and worship with us.
Monday 28th December – HOLY INNOCENTS
10.00am Eucharist, Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Today’s readings – Jeremiah 31.15-17, Psalm 124, I Corinthians 1.26-29 & Matthew 2.12-18
Collect for Holy Innocents
Heavenly Father, whose children suffered at the hands of Herod, though they had done no wrong: by the suffering of your Son and by the innocence of our lives frustrate all evil designs and establish your reign of justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
🙏🏼 We pray for all prisoners and all working with prisoners and prison staff;
Tuesday 29th December – Thomas Beckett, Archbishop, Martyr, 1170
Today’s readings – 1 John 2.3-11, Ps. 96.1-4 & Luke 2.22-35
🙏🏼 We pray for the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Wednesday 30th December
10.00am Eucharist, Holy Trinity, Tarleton
Today’s readings – 1 John 2.12-17, Ps.96.7-10 & Luke 2.36-40
🙏🏼 We pray for those suffering long term from Covid-19.
Thursday 31st – John Wycliffe, reformer, 1384
7.00pm New Year’s Eve Service – St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Today’s readings – 1 John 2.18-21, Ps. 96.1, 11-end & 1 John 2. 18-21
🙏🏼 We pray for our nation as the new secular year begins.
Friday 1st January – Naming and Circumcision of Jesus
Today’s readings – Numbers 6.22-end, Psalm 8, Galatians 4.4-7 & Luke 2.15-21
🙏🏼 We pray for owners and staff in businesses that are unable to be open in this new year.
Saturday: Basil the Great & Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishops & teachers of the faith, 379, 389
Today’s readings – 1 John 2. 22-28; Ps. 98.1-4; John 1.19-28;
🙏🏼 We pray for those using and supporting food banks.
Next Sunday: Sunday 3 January – Christmas 2
8am Eucharist, Holy Trinity, Tarleton
10.30am Eucharist, St Mary the Virgin, Rufford
Today’s readings – Jeremiah 31.7-14; Psalm 147.13-end; Ephesians 1.3-14; John 1.10-18;
🙏🏼We pray for all leading worship today and in our cycle of prayer, we pray for those who live in Baker’s Mews.
