On Wednesday we entered the third national lockdown for the pandemic we are in. This week the deaths reached a milestone, the highest we have yet seen in this country for any week, and more than 80,000 in total. A new variant of the coronavirus has been identified that is far more easily transmitted. Hospitals are reporting significantly higher admissions, higher than ever seen for winter flu.
A difference between the first two national lockdowns (starting March and November last year) is that Places of Worship may remain open. This week the Parochial Church Council of All Saints Cleadon met and considered whether it is appropriate to remain open in the light of the first paragraph. They took the decision to request a temporary dispensation from the Bishop of Durham of the Canons (laws) of the Church governing Public worship. This has been granted, therefore with immediate effect there will be no services in the building other than funerals, with a review at the February PCC meeting.
Bishop Paul has written to Incumbents and Churchwardens saying “There has been clear sorrow at having to decide that closure for a period is best. But the reasoning has shown real concern for the wider public first, the health and safety of regular worshippers and a real concern for the well-being of clergy.”
Just because our buildings are closed, we do not cease in our worship and prayer, nor our common life.
Our recorded Audio services will continue to be available each Sunday, as they have for the last nine months. Additionally we will try and livestream a service at 10.00am on the All Saints Cleadon YouTube channel. As this is the first time we will have endeavoured to do this in this particular way it might all go wrong.
Donations for the Key2Life Foodbank can be left in the foyer of All Saints Chapter House on Sundays and Thursdays 11.00am to 3.30pm. Please remember that these should not include fresh produce but packets and tins with a reasonable shelf life. It can take time for them to get to the foodbank and then to be given out to the recipients.
Parishes continue to have expenditure that needs to be met and so continued regular giving should continue. If it is your practice to give through the plate in Church then pop it in an envelope and put it through the letterbox. You may use the letterbox of your Churchwarden or mine at the Vicarage. If you are part of the envelope scheme then please use these.
If we do not have your email address and so you are not getting the Pastoral letters we have been sending out then please get in touch and let us have it.
Given the increased transmission capacity of the new variant it is really important that we keep at least 2 metres from those outside of our households; we wear face-coverings over our mouth and nose; and we wash our hands for at least 20 seconds or use sanitizer regularly and frequently. It has been commented to me that at a vaccination centre the queues of those waiting for their vaccination were enjoying the company of others but forgetting that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. I am informed that once vaccinated it takes two weeks to build any immunity, it is not instantaneous, nor 100%, even after the second vaccination.
Please also remember not to be socially isolated. Our mental health requires us to have contact with others so perhaps the use of the telephone needs to increase. Let us look after one another.
And finally, for some light relief:
- My mates told me there was a job going. £100 per hour at the local clockwork toy factory
Turned out to be a big wind up. - A guy knocked on my door and asked where I get my energy from. I said mostly from food and sunlight.
- There was an explosion at the pie factory. The blast could be heard 3.14 miles away.
- I bought a book on medical procedures. When I opened it I found the appendix was missing!
- I asked the librarian if the library had any books about paranoia.
She whispered, “They’re right behind you…”
¶ The Gathering
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink. Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Matthew 6.31,33
Let us confess our sins and our failure to make God’s will our priority:
We have not held out the word of life
in a dark and twisted world:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
We have failed to share our bread with the hungry:
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
We have closed our hearts to the love of God:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Absolution
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins
and make us holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words “let us pray” or a more specific bidding.
God of all mercy,
your Son proclaimed good news to the poor,
release to the captives,
and freedom to the oppressed:
anoint us with your Holy Spirit
and set all your people free
to praise you in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
At the end of each the reader may say
For the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Genesis 14.17–20
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.” [NIVa]
Revelation 19.6–10
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow-servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” [NIVa]
Gospel Reading
John 2.1–11
The Gospel is announced then the reader says
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. [NIVa]
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God, Father Son and Holy Spirit
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come,
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
There are no prayers included in this service, but please do pray. You may wish to pray now (you will need to pause the audio if you do) or do so after the Dismissal.
The prayers usually include these concerns
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
This week’s prayer resource is available here
The Lord’s Prayer
Seeking the salvation of the world,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray…
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
¶ The Dismissal
The president uses a suitable blessing
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
There are many things we can be praying for. The items in this post are drawn from some of the Prayer cycles we are involved with.
Pray for those known who suffer in body, mind, spirit or estate.
The Collect for this week
God of all mercy,
your Son proclaimed good news to the poor,
release to the captives,
and freedom to the oppressed:
anoint us with your Holy Spirit
and set all your people free
to praise you in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
From Durham Diocese
Sunday 24th
Third Sunday of Epiphany
7th Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
-Cathedral Musicians and Vergers, Master of Choristers: Daniel Cook, Sub-organist Joseph Beech, Head Verger: Jeffrey Hewitt
-Diocesan Retreat House, Shepherds Dene, Warden, staff, for visitors and events held there
-The Church of Bangladesh
Monday 25th
Conversion of Paul
Last Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
-For Licensed Lay Ministries—Warden: Revd Dr Alastair Prince, Sub Wardens: Revd Hilary Avent, Dr Jocelyn Bryan, Mrs Amanda Petch, Mrs Connie Robinson, Mr Andrew Trigger and Mrs Mavis Worsley
-Diocesan links: Nordkirche -Germany & Alba Iulia -Romania
-The Diocese of Akure –The Church of Nigeria
-Those approaching retirement and anxious about the future
Tuesday 26th
Timothy and Titus, Companions of Paul
-Waymark Development and Change Lead: Mr Duncan Podbury
-Senior Force Chaplain Durham Police: Canon Adrian Gatrill
-The Diocese of Alabama –The Episcopal Church
-The work of Aid Agencies throughout the world
Wednesday 27th
-South Hetton Holy Trinity Minister: Vacant, SSM Curate: Revd David Bond, Reader in Training: Mrs Carol Lines
-Regional Officer for North East Churches Acting Together: Revd Joanne Thorns
-The Diocese of Alaska –The Episcopal Church
-Teachers working to keep schools open and children in education
Thursday 28th
Epiphany Season
Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith 1274
-Interviews for PiC All Saints Preston-on-Tees and St Mary’s Long Newton
Parish Giving Champion: Nathan Bruce, Finance Resources Co-ordinator: Samantha Amsden
-The Diocese of Saint Albans –The Church of England
-The Queen, Members of Parliament and the Armed Forces
Friday 29th
-Wheatley Hill All Saints and Wingate Holy Trinity with Hutton Henry and Thornley, PiC: Revd Canon Jane Grieve, Curate: Revd Alison Williams
-Hutton Henry CofE Primary School, HT Mrs S Gibbins
-The Diocese of Albany –The Episcopal Church
Saturday 30th
Charles, King and Martyr, 1649
-The Diocesan Deliverance Ministry Team
-Northumberland and Tees Valley Industrial Missions and Chaplains
-The Diocese of Algoma –The Anglican Church of Canada
-Farmers and the Fishing industry, all who work on land and at sea
From the Parish Cycle
Those living in
Oakleigh Gardens
Secretary of State for the Home Office
Pray for immigration, counter-terrorism, police and fire service
Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Churches Together in South Tyneside
This week’s Prayer Points pdf is available here.
¶ The Gathering
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink. Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Matthew 6.31,33
Let us confess our sins and our failure to make God’s will our priority:
We have not held out the word of life
in a dark and twisted world:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
We have failed to share our bread with the hungry:
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
We have closed our hearts to the love of God:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Absolution
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins
and make us holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words “let us pray” or a more specific bidding.
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.
Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
At the end of each the reader may say
For the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
1 Samuel 3.1–10
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The 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. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” [NIVa]
Revelation 5.1–10
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no-one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no-one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.” [NIVa]
Gospel Reading
John 1.43–51
The Gospel is announced then the reader says
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You shall see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” [NIVa]
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God, Father Son and Holy Spirit
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come,
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
There are no prayers included in this service, but please do pray. You may wish to pray now (you will need to pause the audio if you do) or do so after the Dismissal.
The prayers usually include these concerns
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
This week’s prayer resource is available here
The Lord’s Prayer
Seeking the salvation of the world,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray…
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
¶ The Dismissal
The president uses a suitable blessing
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
There are many things we can be praying for. The items in this post are drawn from some of the Prayer cycles we are involved with.
Pray for those known who suffer in body, mind, spirit or estate.
The Collect for this week
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.
Amen.
From Durham Diocese
Sunday 17th
Second Sunday of Epiphany
– Dean & Chapter of Durham – The Very Revd Andrew Tremlett, Revd Canons Prof Simon Oliver, Charlie Allen, Michael Hampel, Michael Everitt, Lay Canons: Simon Wood, Mrs Cathy Barnes, Mr Andrew Thurston, Chapter Clerk and CO Amanda Anderson, College of Canons & Minor Canons
– The Anglican Church of Australia
Monday 18th
Amy Carmichael, Founder of the Dohnavur Fellowship, Spiritual Writer, 1951
1st Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
– Prison Chaplains, Holme House: Revd Kate Brooke, Revd Sue Bell, Durham: Revd Canon Matthew Tetley, Revd Rebecca Amoroso: Frankland (High Security): Revd Andrew West, Low Newton (Women): Revd Sarah Parkinson
– The Diocese of Aipo Rongo – The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea
– Industrial & Commercial interests particularly affecting the North East
Tuesday 19th
Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 1095
2nd day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
– Peterlee St Cuthbert: Vicar Rev Elaine Jones, Curate; Revd Hannah Richardson
– Our Archdeacons, Rick Simpson (Auckland), Bob Cooper (Sunderland) and Libby Wilkinson (Durham)
– The Diocese of Ajayi Crowther – The Church of Nigeria
Wednesday 20th
Richard Rolle of Hampole, Spiritual Write 1349
3rd Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
– Seaham St Mary the Virgin and Dawdon, Seaham Harbour St John: Deneside All Saints: Vicar Revd Paul Kennedy
– The Diocesan Secretary, James Morgan and those who normally work at Cuthbert House
– The Diocese of Akobo – Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan
Thursday 21st
Agnes, Child Martyr at Rome 304
4th Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
– Diocesan Synod
– Ministry Development Advisor: Revd Canon Dr Alan Bartlett
– Senior Resource Church Leader: Revd Canon David Tomlinson
– The Diocese of Akoko – The Church of Nigeria
– Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Friday 22nd
Vincent of Saragossa Deacon, First Martyr of Spain 304
5th Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
– Children’s Ministry Advisor : Sharon Pritchard
– Diocesan Leader of Youth Mission and Ministry: Andy Harris
– The Diocese of Akoko Edo – The Church of Nigeria
– Those who work and receive care in Hospices
Saturday 23rd
6th Day of Week of prayer for Christian Unity
– The Mother’s Union: President Kathleen Wilson JP, Chaplain Revd Norma Clee
– The Diocese of Akot – The Province of the Church of South Sudan
– The Homeless and those who work to address homelessness
From the Parish Cycle
Those living in
Thornleigh Gardens
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Pray for overseas nations
Cyprus, Greece, Turkey
Churches Together in South Tyneside
This week’s Prayer Points pdf is available here.
¶ The Gathering
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink. Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Matthew 6.31,33
Let us confess our sins and our failure to make God’s will our priority:
We have not held out the word of life
in a dark and twisted world:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
We have failed to share our bread with the hungry:
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
We have closed our hearts to the love of God:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Absolution
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins
and make us holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words “let us pray” or a more specific bidding.
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.
Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
At the end of each the reader may say
For the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Genesis 1.1-5
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. [NIVa]
Acts 19.1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. [NIVa]
Gospel Reading
Mark 1.4-11
The Gospel is announced then the reader says
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
4 And so John came, baptising in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” [NIVa]
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God, Father Son and Holy Spirit
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come,
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
There are no prayers included in this service, but please do pray. You may wish to pray now (you will need to pause the audio if you do) or do so after the Dismissal.
The prayers usually include these concerns
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
This week’s prayer resource is available here
The Lord’s Prayer
Seeking the salvation of the world,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray…
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
¶ The Dismissal
The president uses a suitable blessing
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
There are many things we can be praying for. The items in this post are drawn from some of the Prayer cycles we are involved with.
Pray for those known who suffer in body, mind, spirit or estate.
The Collect for this week
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.
Amen.
From Durham Diocese
Sunday 10th
The Baptism of Christ
– Retired Clergy and the support they give in ministry in parishes
– The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Monday 11th
Mary Slessor, Missionary in West Africa 1915
– Haswell, St Paul and Shotton St Saviour Minister; Vacant, Associate Priest: Revd Muriel Peters, Reader in Training & PM: Mrs Julie Olds
– Ven Libby Wilkinson and the team of Diocesan Support Staff
– The Diocese of Afikpo – The Church of Nigeria
Tuesday 12th
Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167,
Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, Scholar, 689
– Hawthorn St Michael and All Angels and Murton Holy Trinity: Minister: Vacant, SSM Curate: Revd Paul Paterson
– DAC meeting, Chair: Sandra Robertson, Buildings for Mission Secretary: Daniel Spraggon
– Interviews for PiC Darlington St Cuthbert’s and Holy Trinity
– The Diocese of North Africa – The Episcopal Province of Alexandria
Wednesday 13th
Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher of the Faith 367,
Kentigern (Mungo) Missionary Bishop in Strathclyde and Cumbria, 603.
George Fox, Founder of the Society of Friends (The Quakers) 1691
– University Chaplains – Revd Anna Brooker, Revd Tim Ferguson, Revd Peter Kashouris, Revd Gavin Wort, Revd David Rushton, Rev Dr Stephanie Burette (Durham) Revd Chris Howson (Sunderland)
– Lindisfarne College of Theology, Principal: Revd Dr David Bryan, staff and students training for ministry
– The Diocese of the Horn of Africa – The Episcopal Province of Alexandria
– Negotiating the effects of Brexit
Thursday 14th
– Horden St Mary PiC: Revd Kyle McNeil
– Growing Faith Lead: Catherine Simpson, Missional Leadership for Growth Partner: Phil Togwell
– The Diocese of Agra – The (united) Church of North India
– Funeral Directors & those ministering to the families of those who died
Friday 15th
Bishop John Cosin, 1672
– Bishop’s Council Friday and Saturday
– The Diocese of Aguata – The Church of Nigeria
– For an increase in vocations in Easington Deanery
– For Care Homes, Residents, Staff and Visitors
Saturday 16th
– Our Bishops – Paul, Sarah, Assistant Bishops: John, Glyn & David
– The Diocese of Ahoada – The Church of Nigeria
– Those working to combat modern day slavery
From the Parish Cycle
Those living in
Ashleigh Gardens
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Pray for the economy and financial world
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Iran, Iraq
Churches Together in South Tyneside
This week’s Prayer Points pdf is available here.
¶ The Gathering
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink. Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Matthew 6.31,33
Let us confess our sins and our failure to make God’s will our priority:
We have not held out the word of life
in a dark and twisted world:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
We have failed to share our bread with the hungry:
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
We have closed our hearts to the love of God:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Absolution
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins
and make us holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words “let us pray” or a more specific bidding.
Creator of the heavens,
who led the Magi by a star
to worship the Christ–child:
guide and sustain us,
that we may find our journey’s end
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
At the end of each the reader may say
For the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 60.1–6
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the arm.
5 Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. [NIVa]
Ephesians 3.1–12
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. [NIVa]
Gospel Reading
Matthew 2.1–12
The Gospel is announced then the reader says
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. [NIVa]
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God, Father Son and Holy Spirit
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come,
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
There are no prayers included in this service, but please do pray. You may wish to pray now (you will need to pause the audio if you do) or do so after the Dismissal.
The prayers usually include these concerns
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
This week’s prayer resource is available here
The Lord’s Prayer
Seeking the salvation of the world,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray…
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
¶ The Dismissal
The president uses a suitable blessing
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
There are many things we can be praying for. The items in this post are drawn from some of the Prayer cycles we are involved with.
Pray for those known who suffer in body, mind, spirit or estate.
The Collect for this week
Creator of the heavens,
who led the Magi by a star
to worship the Christ–child:
guide and sustain us,
that we may find our journey’s end
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
From Durham Diocese
Sunday 3rd
Second Sunday of Christmas
– Cranmer Hall: Principal, St John’s College, Revd Professor David Wilkinson, Warden: Revd Dr Philip Plyming, Deputy Warden: Revd Emma Parker, Staff and students in training for ministry
– The Episcopal / Anglican Province of Alexandria
Monday 4th
– Bishop’s Leadership Team
– Deanery Secretary: Mrs Jeanette Simpson, Treasurer: Mrs Karen Jones
– Vocations Strategy Development Adviser: Revd Dr Alastair Prince
– The Diocese of Abakaliki – The Church of Nigeria
Tuesday 5th
– Blackhall St Andrew, Castle Eden and Monkhesleden. PiC: Revd Kyle McNeil, PM: Mrs Mary Williams
– The Diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney – The Scottish Episcopal Church
– Poverty, those in work whose income is too small to maintain life
Wednesday 6th
The Epiphany
– Dalton le Dale St Andrew with New Seaham Christ Church. Vicar: Revd Paul Harrison, Readers: Mrs Carol Maddison, Mrs Elizabeth Armes
– Diocesan Chancellor: Adrian Iles, Registrar: Phillip Wills
– The Diocese of Abuja – The Church of Nigeria
– All who seek to relieve poverty. Foodbanks & volunteers who run them
Thursday 7th
– The Durham Lesotho Link: The Revs Rob and Margaret Bianchi EO in Lesotho: Joseph Morenammele and team
– Director of Initial Ministerial Education Phase 2 Revd Dr Jennifer Cooper
– The Diocese of Abyei – The Province of the Church of South Sudan
– The Emergency Services, Police, Fire and Ambulance for safety
Friday 8th
– Easington St Mary and Easington Colliery The Ascension: Interim Minister: The Revd Lucy Moss
– Easington St Mary’s Primary School, HT: Mr J Appleby
– The Diocese of Accra – The Church of the Province of West Africa
– Those working to reduce the effects of climate change
Saturday 9th
– St. Antony’s Priory – Revd Dr Nicholas Buxton, Ruth Grant, Revd Canon Paul Tyler, Laurence Pinkney, Scholastica Jacob, Sheila Shearer, Gavin Harper
– The Diocese of Adelaide – The Anglican Church of Australia
– Victims of clerical sexual abuse
From the Parish Cycle
Those living in
Shields Road
Lilac Gardens
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service
Pray for our Government
Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Churches Together in South Tyneside
This week’s Prayer Points pdf is available here.
¶ The Gathering
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
Hear the words of the angel to Joseph:
‘You shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.’
Therefore let us seek the forgiveness of God
through Jesus the Saviour of the world.
cf Matthew 1.21
God our Father,
you sent your Son full of grace and truth:
forgive our failure to receive him.
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Jesus our Saviour,
you were born in poverty and laid in a manger:
forgive our greed and rejection of your ways.
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Spirit of Love,
your servant Mary responded joyfully to your call:
forgive the hardness of our hearts.
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Absolution
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins
and make us holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words “let us pray” or a more specific bidding.
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.
Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
At the end of each the reader may say
For the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Exodus 33.7–11a
7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting”. Anyone enquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. [NIVa]
1 John 1
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. [NIVa]
Gospel Reading
John 21.19b–25
The Gospel is announced then the reader says
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Then Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!”
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumour spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. [NIVa]
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God, Father Son and Holy Spirit
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come,
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
There are no prayers included in this service, but please do pray. You may wish to pray now (you will need to pause the audio if you do) or do so after the Dismissal.
The prayers usually include these concerns
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
This week’s prayer resource is available here
The Lord’s Prayer
Awaiting his coming in glory,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray…
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
¶ The Dismissal
The president uses a suitable blessing
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
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