Almighty God,

in Christ you make all things new:

transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace,

and in the renewal of our lives

make known your heavenly glory;

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.or

Eternal Lord,

our beginning and our end:

bring us with the whole creation

to your glory, hidden through past ages

and made known

in Jesus Christ our Lord.Readings1 Samuel 3.1-10 [11-20]

3Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lordunder Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; ³the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. ⁴Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ ⁵and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. ⁶The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’[ ¹¹Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. ¹²On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³For I have told him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. ¹⁴Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.’

15 Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ ¹⁷Eli said, ‘What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.’ ¹⁸So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.’

19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. ²⁰And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.]This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 139.1-5, 12-18

1  O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; •
   you know my sitting down and my rising up;
      you discern my thoughts from afar.
2  You mark out my journeys and my resting place •
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
3  For there is not a word on my tongue, •
   but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
4  You encompass me behind and before •
   and lay your hand upon me.
5  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, •
   so high that I cannot attain it.
12  For you yourself created my inmost parts; •
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
13  I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; •
   marvellous are your works, my soul knows well.
14  My frame was not hidden from you, •
   when I was made in secret
      and woven in the depths of the earth.
15  Your eyes beheld my form, as yet unfinished; •
   already in your book were all my members written,
16  As day by day they were fashioned •
   when as yet there was none of them.
17  How deep are your counsels to me, O God! •
   How great is the sum of them!
18  If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, •
   and at the end, I am still in your presence.
[or Psalm 139.1-9]

1  O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; •︎
   you know my sitting down and my rising up;
      you discern my thoughts from afar.
2  You mark out my journeys and my resting place •︎
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
3  For there is not a word on my tongue, •︎
   but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
4  You encompass me behind and before •︎
   and lay your hand upon me.
5  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, •︎
   so high that I cannot attain it.
6  Where can I go then from your spirit? •︎
   Or where can I flee from your presence?
7  If I climb up to heaven, you are there; •︎
   if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
8  If I take the wings of the morning •︎
   and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
9  Even there your hand shall lead me, •︎
   your right hand hold me fast.
Revelation 5.1-10

5Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; ²and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ ³And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁴And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne.⁸When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹They sing a new song:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
   saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; 
¹⁰ you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,
   and they will reign on earth.’This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.AllGlory to you, O Lord.John 1.43-end

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ ⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ ⁴⁶Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ ⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ ⁴⁸Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’⁴⁹Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ ⁵⁰Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ ⁵¹And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

God of glory,

you nourish us with your Word

who is the bread of life:

fill us with your Holy Spirit

that through us the light of your glory

may shine in all the world.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Eternal Father,

who at the baptism of Jesus

revealed him to be your Son,

anointing him with the Holy Spirit:

grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,

that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;

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.or

Heavenly Father,

at the Jordan you revealed Jesus as your Son:

may we recognize him as our Lord

and know ourselves to be your beloved children;

through Jesus Christ our Saviour.ReadingsGenesis 1.1-5

1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ²the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.⁴And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 29

1  Ascribe to the Lord, you powers of heaven, •
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2  Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; •
   worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3  The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
      the God of glory thunders; •
   the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
4  The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; •
   the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
5  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; •
   the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6  He makes Lebanon skip like a calf •
   and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7  The voice of the Lord splits the flash of lightning;
      the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; •
   the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8  The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe
      and strips the forests bare; •
   in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’
9  The Lord sits enthroned above the water flood; •
   the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
10  The Lord shall give strength to his people; •
   the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
Acts 19.1-7

19While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. ²He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ ³Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ ⁴Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ ⁵On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— ⁷altogether there were about twelve of them.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Mark 1.4-11

⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

Lord of all time and eternity,

you opened the heavens and revealed yourself as Father

in the baptism of Jesus your beloved Son:

by the power of your Spirit

complete the heavenly work of our rebirth

through the waters of the new creation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

celebrated on Wednesday 6 January. Collect

Almighty God,

in the birth of your Son

you have poured on us the new light of your incarnate Word,

and shown us the fullness of your love:

help us to walk in his light and dwell in his love

that we may know the fullness of his joy;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.or

God our Father,

in love you sent your Son

that the world may have life:

lead us to seek him among the outcast

and to find him in those in need,

for Jesus Christ’s sake.ReadingsJeremiah 31.7-14

⁷ For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
   and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
   ‘Save, O Lord, your people,
   the remnant of Israel.’ 
⁸ See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
   and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
   those with child and those in labour, together;
   a great company, they shall return here. 
⁹ With weeping they shall come,
   and with consolations I will lead them back,
I will let them walk by brooks of water,
   in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;
for I have become a father to Israel,
   and Ephraim is my firstborn. 

¹⁰ Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
   and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
   and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’ 
¹¹ For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,
   and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. 
¹² They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
   and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
   and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
   and they shall never languish again. 
¹³ Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
   and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
   I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. 
¹⁴ I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
   and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, 

says the Lord. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.or Ecclesiasticus 24.1-12

The Praise of Wisdom24Wisdom praises herself,
   and tells of her glory in the midst of her people. 
² In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
   and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory: 
³ ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
   and covered the earth like a mist. 
⁴ I dwelt in the highest heavens,
   and my throne was in a pillar of cloud. 
⁵ Alone I compassed the vault of heaven
   and traversed the depths of the abyss. 
⁶ Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,
   and over every people and nation I have held sway. 
⁷ Among all these I sought a resting-place;
   in whose territory should I abide? 

⁸ ‘Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,
   and my Creator chose the place for my tent.
He said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob,
   and in Israel receive your inheritance.” 
⁹ Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me,
   and for all the ages I shall not cease to be. 
¹⁰ In the holy tent I ministered before him,
   and so I was established in Zion. 
¹¹ Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place,
   and in Jerusalem was my domain. 
¹² I took root in an honoured people,
   in the portion of the Lord, his heritage. 

This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 147.13-end

13  Sing praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; •
   praise your God, O Zion;
14  For he has strengthened the bars of your gates •
   and has blest your children within you.
15  He has established peace in your borders •
   and satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16  He sends forth his command to the earth •
   and his word runs very swiftly.
17  He gives snow like wool •
   and scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.
18  He casts down his hailstones like morsels of bread; •
   who can endure his frost?
19  He sends forth his word and melts them; •
   he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
20  He declares his word to Jacob, •
   his statutes and judgements to Israel.
21  He has not dealt so with any other nation; •
   they do not know his laws.
      Alleluia.
or Wisdom 10.15-end

¹⁵ A holy people and blameless race
wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors. 
¹⁶ She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord,
and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs. 
¹⁷ She gave to holy people the reward of their labours;
she guided them along a marvellous way,
and became a shelter to them by day,
and a starry flame through the night. 
¹⁸ She brought them over the Red Sea,
and led them through deep waters; 
¹⁹ but she drowned their enemies,
and cast them up from the depths of the sea. 
²⁰ Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly;
they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name,
and praised with one accord your defending hand; 
²¹ for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute,
and made the tongues of infants speak clearly. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Ephesians 1.3-14

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.AllGlory to you, O Lord.John 1.[1-9] 10-18

[

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.]

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.¹¹He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. ¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵(John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) ¹⁶From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. 
This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

All praise to you,

almighty God and heavenly king,

who sent your Son into the world

to take our nature upon him

and to be born of a pure virgin:

grant that, as we are born again in him,

so he may continually dwell in us

and reign on earth as he reigns in heaven,

now and for ever.

Collect

Almighty God,

whose blessed Son was circumcised

in obedience to the law for our sake

and given the Name that is above every name:

give us grace faithfully to bear his Name,

to worship him in the freedom of the Spirit,

and to proclaim him as the Saviour of the world;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.ReadingsNumbers 6.22-end

22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²³Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, 
²⁴ The Lord bless you and keep you; 
²⁵ the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 
²⁶ the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

27 So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 8

1  O Lord our governor, •
   how glorious is your name in all the world!
2  Your majesty above the heavens is praised •
   out of the mouths of babes at the breast.
3  You have founded a stronghold against your foes, •
   that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
4  When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, •
   the moon and the stars that you have ordained,
5  What is man, that you should be mindful of him; •
   the son of man, that you should seek him out?
6  You have made him little lower than the angels •
   and crown him with glory and honour.
7  You have given him dominion over the works of your hands •
   and put all things under his feet,
8  All sheep and oxen, •
   even the wild beasts of the field,
9  The birds of the air, the fish of the sea •
   and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.
10  O Lord our governor, •
   how glorious is your name in all the world!
Galatians 4.4-7

⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Luke 2.15-21

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

Eternal God,

whose incarnate Son was given the Name of Saviour:

grant that we who have shared in this sacrament of our salvation

may live out our years in the power of the Name above all other names,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

cdn.fbsbx.com/v/t59.2708-21/132037287_515769062961895_8850180996259600981_n.docx/church-teachings.docx

Gracious Father,

who gave the first martyr Stephen 

grace to pray for those who took up stones against him:

grant that in all our sufferings for the truth

we may learn to love even our enemies

and to seek forgiveness for those who desire our hurt,

looking up to heaven to him who was crucified for us,

Jesus Christ, our mediator and advocate,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.Readings2 Chronicles 24.20-22

20 Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, ‘Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.’ ²¹But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. ²²King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, ‘May the Lord see and avenge!’This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.or Acts 7.51-end

51 ‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. ⁵²Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. ⁵³You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.’

54 When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. ⁵⁵But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’⁵⁷But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ ⁶⁰Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 119.161-168

161  Princes have persecuted me without a cause, •
   but my heart stands in awe of your word.
162  I am as glad of your word •
   as one who finds great spoils.
163  As for lies, I hate and abhor them, •
   but your law do I love.
164  Seven times a day do I praise you, •
   because of your righteous judgements.
165  Great peace have they who love your law; •
   nothing shall make them stumble.
166  Lord, I have looked for your salvation •
   and I have fulfilled your commandments.
167  My soul has kept your testimonies •
   and greatly have I loved them.
168  I have kept your commandments and testimonies, •
   for all my ways are before you.
Acts 7.51-end

51 ‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. ⁵²Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. ⁵³You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.’

54 When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. ⁵⁵But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’⁵⁷But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ ⁶⁰Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.or Galatians 2.16b-20

¹⁶yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. ¹⁷But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor.¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; ²⁰and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Matthew 10.17-22

¹⁷Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ²²and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

Merciful Lord,

we thank you for the signs of your mercy

revealed in birth and death:

save us by the coming of your Son,

and give us joy in honouring Stephen,

first martyr of the new Israel;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading Notes: Any of the following three sets of Principal Service readings may be used on the evening of Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. Set III should be used at some service during the celebration.Collect

Almighty God,

you have given us your only-begotten Son

to take our nature upon him

and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin:

grant that we, who have been born again

and made your children by adoption and grace,

may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;

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.or

Lord Jesus Christ,

your birth at Bethlehem

draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth:

accept our heartfelt praise

as we worship you,

our Saviour and our eternal God.ReadingsSet IIsaiah 9.2-7

² 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. 
³ 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. 
⁴ 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. 
⁵ For all the boots of the tramping warriors
   and all the garments rolled in blood
   shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 
⁶ For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
⁷ His authority shall grow continually,
   and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
   He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
   from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 96

1  Sing to the Lord a new song; •
   sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2  Sing to the Lord and bless his name; •
   tell out his salvation from day to day.
3  Declare his glory among the nations •
   and his wonders among all peoples.
4  For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; •
   he is more to be feared than all gods.
5  For all the gods of the nations are but idols; •
   it is the Lord who made the heavens.
6  Honour and majesty are before him; •
   power and splendour are in his sanctuary.
7  Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; •
   ascribe to the Lord honour and strength.
8  Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; •
   bring offerings and come into his courts.
9  O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; •
   let the whole earth tremble before him.
10  Tell it out among the nations that the Lord is king. •
   He has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
      he will judge the peoples with equity.
11  Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad; •
   let the sea thunder and all that is in it;
12  Let the fields be joyful and all that is in them; •
   let all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord.
13  For he comes, he comes to judge the earth; •
   with righteousness he will judge the world
      and the peoples with his truth.
Titus 2.11-14

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, ¹²training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. ¹⁴He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Luke 2.1-14 [15-20]

2In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 
¹⁴ ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’[

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Set IIIsaiah 62.6-end

⁶ Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
   I have posted sentinels;
all day and all night
   they shall never be silent.
You who remind the Lord,
   take no rest, 
⁷ and give him no rest
   until he establishes Jerusalem
   and makes it renowned throughout the earth. 
⁸ The Lord has sworn by his right hand
   and by his mighty arm:
I will not again give your grain
   to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink the wine
   for which you have laboured; 
⁹ but those who garner it shall eat it
   and praise the Lord,
and those who gather it shall drink it
   in my holy courts. 

¹⁰ Go through, go through the gates,
   prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway,
   clear it of stones,
   lift up an ensign over the peoples. 
¹¹ The Lord has proclaimed
   to the end of the earth:
Say to daughter Zion,
   ‘See, your salvation comes;
his reward is with him,
   and his recompense before him.’ 
¹² They shall be called, ‘The Holy People,
   The Redeemed of the Lord’;
and you shall be called, ‘Sought Out,
   A City Not Forsaken.’ 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 97

1  The Lord is king: let the earth rejoice; •
   let the multitude of the isles be glad.
2  Clouds and darkness are round about him; •
   righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3  Fire goes before him •
   and burns up his enemies on every side.
4  His lightnings lit up the world; •
   the earth saw it and trembled.
5  The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, •
   at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6  The heavens declared his righteousness, •
   and all the peoples have seen his glory.
7  Confounded be all who worship carved images
      and delight in mere idols. •
   Bow down before him, all you gods.
8  Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced, •
   because of your judgements, O Lord.
9  For you, Lord, are most high over all the earth; •
   you are exalted far above all gods.
10  The Lord loves those who hate evil; •
   he preserves the lives of his faithful
      and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11  Light has sprung up for the righteous •
   and joy for the true of heart.
12  Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, •
   and give thanks to his holy name.
Titus 3.4-7

⁴But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. ⁶This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour,⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Luke 2. [1-7] 8-20

[

2In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.]

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 
¹⁴ ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Set IIIIsaiah 52.7-10

⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains
   are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
   who announces salvation,
   who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’ 
⁸ Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
   together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
   the return of the Lord to Zion. 
⁹ Break forth together into singing,
   you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
   he has redeemed Jerusalem. 
¹⁰ The Lord has bared his holy arm
   before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
   the salvation of our God. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 98

1  Sing to the Lord a new song, •
   for he has done marvellous things.
2  His own right hand and his holy arm •
   have won for him the victory.
3  The Lord has made known his salvation; •
   his deliverance has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4  He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
      towards the house of Israel, •
   and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
5  Sound praises to the Lord, all the earth; •
   break into singing and make music.
6  Make music to the Lord with the lyre, •
   with the lyre and the voice of melody.
7  With trumpets and the sound of the horn •
   sound praises before the Lord, the King.
8  Let the sea thunder and all that fills it, •
   the world and all that dwell upon it.
9  Let the rivers clap their hands •
   and let the hills ring out together before the Lord,
      for he comes to judge the earth.
10  In righteousness shall he judge the world •
   and the peoples with equity.
Hebrews 1.1-4 [5-12]

1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. ³He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.[

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
‘You are my Son;
   today I have begotten you’?
Or again,
‘I will be his Father,
   and he will be my Son’? 
⁶And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’ 
⁷Of the angels he says,
‘He makes his angels winds,
   and his servants flames of fire.’ 
⁸But of the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever,
   and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom. 
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’ 
¹⁰And,
‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
   and the heavens are the work of your hands; 
¹¹ they will perish, but you remain;
   they will all wear out like clothing; 
¹² like a cloak you will roll them up,
   and like clothing they will be changed.
But you are the same,
   and your years will never end.’]This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.AllGlory to you, O Lord.John 1.1-14

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. ¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

God our Father,

whose Word has come among us

in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:

may the light of faith illumine our hearts

and shine in our words and deeds;

through him who is Christ the Lord.

Reading Notes: Use this provision if John, Apostle and Evangelist is celebrated on Sunday 27 December. 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,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.ReadingsExodus 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 Lordwould go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. ⁸Whenever 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.⁹When 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. ¹⁰When 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.¹¹Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp; but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 117

1  O praise the Lord, all you nations; •
   praise him, all you peoples.
2  For great is his steadfast love towards us, •
   and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
      Alleluia.
1 John 1

1We 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— ²this 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— ³we 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. ⁴We 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. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true;⁷but 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. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.AllGlory to you, O Lord.John 21.19b-end

¹⁹(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘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?’ ²¹When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’ ²²Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’ ²³So the rumour spread in the communitythat 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. ²⁵But 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.This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

Grant, O Lord, we pray,

that the Word made flesh

proclaimed by your apostle John

may, by the celebration of these holy mysteries,

ever abide and live within us;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sunday 13 December 2020 3rd Sunday of Advent

Year B

---

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.or

God for whom we watch and wait,

you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son:

give us courage to speak the truth,

to hunger for justice,

and to suffer for the cause of right,

with Jesus Christ our Lord.ReadingsIsaiah 61.1-4, 8-end

61The 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. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 126

1  When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, •
   then were we like those who dream.
2  Then was our mouth filled with laughter •
   and our tongue with songs of joy.
3  Then said they among the nations, •
   ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
4  The Lord has indeed done great things for us, •
   and therefore we rejoiced.
5  Restore again our fortunes, O Lord, •
   as the river beds of the desert.
6  Those who sow in tears •
   shall reap with songs of joy.
7  Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed, •
   will come back with shouts of joy,
      bearing their sheaves with them.
Magnificat

Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

1            My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

                 my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;  •

              he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2            From this day all generations will call me blessed;  •

              the Almighty has done great things for me

                 and holy is his name.

3            He has mercy on those who fear him,  •

              from generation to generation.

4            He has shown strength with his arm  •

              and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5            Casting down the mighty from their thrones  •

              and lifting up the lowly.

6            He has filled the hungry with good things  •

              and sent the rich away empty.

7            He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,  •

              to remember his promise of mercy,

8            The promise made to our ancestors,  •

              to Abraham and his children for ever.         

              Luke 1.46-55This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.1 Thessalonians 5.16-24

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise the words of prophets, ²¹but test everything; hold fast to what is good; ²²abstain 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. ²⁴The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.AllGlory to you, O Lord.John 1.6-8, 19-28

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸He 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?’ ²⁰He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ ²¹And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’²²Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ ²³He 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. ²⁵They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ ²⁶John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, ²⁷the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ ²⁸This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

We give you thanks, O Lord, for these heavenly gifts;

kindle in us the fire of your Spirit

that when your Christ comes again

we may shine as lights before his face;

who is alive and reigns now and for ever.

Heavenly Father,

whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil

and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:

grant that we, having this hope,

may purify ourselves even as he is pure;

that when he shall appear in power and great glory

we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;

where he is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.or

Heavenly Lord,

you long for the world’s salvation:

stir us from apathy,

restrain us from excess

and revive in us new hope

that all creation will one day be healed

in Jesus Christ our Lord.ReadingsZephaniah 1.7, 12-end

⁷ Be silent before the Lord God!
   For the day of the Lord is at hand;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice,
   he has consecrated his guests. 
¹² At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
   and I will punish the people
who rest complacently on their dregs,
   those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
   nor will he do harm.’ 
¹³ Their wealth shall be plundered,
   and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
   they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
   they shall not drink wine from them. 

¹⁴ The great day of the Lord is near,
   near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter,
   the warrior cries aloud there. 
¹⁵ That day will be a day of wrath,
   a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
   a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness, 
¹⁶   a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
   and against the lofty battlements. 

¹⁷ I will bring such distress upon people
   that they shall walk like the blind;
   because they have sinned against the Lord,
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
   and their flesh like dung. 
¹⁸ Neither their silver nor their gold
   will be able to save them
   on the day of the Lord’s wrath;
in the fire of his passion
   the whole earth shall be consumed;
for a full, a terrible end
   he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 90.1-8 [9-11] 12

1  Lord, you have been our refuge •
   from one generation to another.
2  Before the mountains were brought forth,
      or the earth and the world were formed, •
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3  You turn us back to dust and say: •
   ‘Turn back, O children of earth.’
4  For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday, •
   which passes like a watch in the night.
5  You sweep them away like a dream; •
   they fade away suddenly like the grass.
6  In the morning it is green and flourishes; •
   in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7  For we consume away in your displeasure; •
   we are afraid at your wrathful indignation.
8  You have set our misdeeds before you •
   and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
[ 9  When you are angry, all our days are gone; •
   our years come to an end like a sigh.
10  The days of our life are three score years and ten,
      or if our strength endures, even four score; •
   yet the sum of them is but labour and sorrow,
      for they soon pass away and we are gone.
11  Who regards the power of your wrath •
   and your indignation like those who fear you?
] 12  So teach us to number our days •
   that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
[or Psalm 90.1-8]

1  Lord, you have been our refuge •︎
   from one generation to another.
2  Before the mountains were brought forth,
      or the earth and the world were formed, •︎
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3  You turn us back to dust and say: •︎
   ‘Turn back, O children of earth.’
4  For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday, •︎
   which passes like a watch in the night.
5  You sweep them away like a dream; •︎
   they fade away suddenly like the grass.
6  In the morning it is green and flourishes; •︎
   in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7  For we consume away in your displeasure; •︎
   we are afraid at your wrathful indignation.
8  You have set our misdeeds before you •︎
   and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
1 Thessalonians 5.1-11

5Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. ²For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! ⁴But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; ⁵for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. ⁶So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; ⁷for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. ¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. 
This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Matthew 25.14-30

14 ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.”²¹His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” ²³His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²⁴Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” ²⁶But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. ²⁹For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ³⁰As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion

Gracious Lord,

in this holy sacrament

you give substance to our hope:

bring us at the last

to that fullness of life for which we long;

through Jesus Christ our Saviour.