Churches open for private prayer
Monday – Tarleton, 10am-2pm
Tuesday – Rufford, 10am-2pm
Wednesday – Tarleton, 10am-2pm
Thursday – Rufford, 10am-2pm
Friday – Tarleton, 10am-2pm
Saturday – Rufford, 10am-2pm
Sunday 24 January – Epiphany 3
Virtual worship only from 10.30am
Today’s Readings – Genesis 14.17-20, Psalm 128, Revelation 19.6-10 & John 2.1-11
The Collect
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.
Old Testament – Genesis 14.17-20
14 17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18 And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.19 He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’ And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything.
Psalm – 128
Refrain: Whoever fears the Lord shall indeed be blessed.
New Testament – Revelation 19.6-10
19 6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready; 8 to her it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure’ — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’ 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow-servant with you and your comrades who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’
Gospel – John 2.1-11
2 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ 4 And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ 5 His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ 6 Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it.
9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Prayer intentions
🙏🏼 As we reflect on the sign of water changed to wine at Cana, pray for greater ambition in our praying.
🙏🏼 For the sick and those in need: Zena Ashcroft, Margaret Baxter, Margaret Bolton, Colin Brown, Bill Duggan, Wayne Jackett, Jimmy Johnstone, Paddy MacDonagh, Tony Morgan, Ruth Middlesborough & Donald Sephton. We give thanks for the recovery of Jack Dalton.
🙏🏼 RIP – Enid Bramham (30 December) & Terence Porter
🙏🏼 Year’s mind: Margaret Ashcroft, Joan Colling, Frank Holden, Simon Edward Lewis, Helen Lowe, Margaretha Helen Mayor, Sylvester Midgley, John Simms Mitchell, Winifred Murray, Stephen Spiller Phillips, George Robert Railson, Bill Ramage, Robert Thompson, James Sephton, Marjorie Vickers, Henry Alty Yates & William Yates. May they Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory.
🙏🏼 In our cycle of prayer, we pray for those who live in Blackgate Lane.
Monday 25th January – Conversion of Paul
Today’s Readings – Acts 1 9.1-22, Psalm 67, Galatians 1.11-16a & Matthew 19.27-end
The Collect – Almighty God, who caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world through the preaching of your servant Saint Paul: grant that we who celebrate his wonderful conversion may follow him in bearing witness to your truth; 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.
🙏🏼 We pray for all who do not have the gift of faith and who are suffering a crisis without the gospel.
Tuesday 26th January – Timothy and Titus, companions of Paul
Today’s Readings – Isaiah 68.1-3a, Ps.100, 2 Timothy 2.1-8 & Luke 10.1-9
🙏🏼 We pray for Christian healthcare workers and chaplains.
Wednesday 27th January
Today’s Readings – Hebrews 10.11-18, Ps. 110.1-4 & Mark 4.1-20.
🙏🏼 We pray for all prisoners and those working in the prison and the criminal justice system
Thursday 28th January – Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the faith, 1274
Today’s Readings – Hebrews 10.19-25, Ps. 24.1-6 & Mark 4.21-25
🙏🏼 We pray for thinkers and theologians.
Friday 29th January
Today’s Readings – Hebrews 10.32-end, Ps. 37.3-6, 40-end & Mark 4.26-34
🙏🏼 We pray for all with financial problems because of the crisis and those working to alleviate these problems.
Saturday 30th January – Charles, king and martyr, 1649
Today’s Readings – Hebrews 11.1-2, 8-19, Canticle: Luke 1.69-73 & Mark 4.35-end
🙏🏼 We pray for those suffering long term from the impact of Covid and from ‘long Covid’.
Next Sunday – Epiphany 4 – TLM Sunday
Virtual worship only from 10.30am – Visiting preacher for The Leprosy Mission
Today’s Readings – Deuteronomy 18.15-20, Psalm 111, Revelation 12.1-5a & Mark 1.21-28
🙏🏼 We pray for The Leprosy Mission, for all involved in sport; especially Christian sportsmen and sportswomen and chaplains.
