Introduction
Good morning everyone and hope you are well, lots of things are going on regarding the team and mission community. On the 27th January we are having a quiz night at St. Andrew’s, Bromley Cross, teams of 6 although if you haven’t got a team you can turn up on the night and make up teams, supper of meat and potato or cheese and onion pasties, tickets are £5 each and because of catering please buy in advance, contact Chris Sutcliffe team administrator for information. We have a team service at Canon Slade on Sunday 12th February , breakfast will be served at 9.15-9.45 the service starts at 10am, again please sign up at church so we can ensure correct numbers for catering.
Today’s Gospel reading is from John and tells of John the Baptist and his recognition of Jesus and the first disciples. The Reflection is a thought for today from roots and prayers are by myself this week.
God bless.
Jan B.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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.
PRAYER OF PENITENCE
Father of all, we have sinned against heaven and against you. We are not worthyto be called your children. We turn back to you again. Have mercy on us, bring us back to yourself as those who were dead but now have life, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us. You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
THE COLLECT
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. Amen.
THE NEW TESTAMENT READING
1CORINTHIANS 1. 1-9
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you O Lord
JOHN 1. 29-42
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you O Christ.
REFLECTION
When Facebook and Twitter first appeared, do you remember being bemused at, for example, a cake shop having ‘followers’. How can you ‘follow’ a shop? Doesn’t something have to be moving for you to follow it? Now phrases such as ‘follow us on Twitter’ are commonplace and unquestioned. But where does this following lead? If you follow someone – someone famous, perhaps – does it give you a true picture of who they are? Is it a picture you want to have?
In New Testament times, rabbis had followers – disciples whom they were training. John the Baptist had some; we heard of them in this week’s Gospel reading. But John had made a discovery. He had seen something in his cousin Jesus that, perhaps, he wasn’t expecting. And he didn’t want to keep it to himself. Quite the opposite; he went out of his way to tell Andrew and his friends what he thought, even though it meant losing these disciples to Jesus.
But what he said was effective. Andrew was intrigued by this man Jesus. He went to see for himself. He accepted the invitation to find out more. And then he couldn’t keep what he had seen to himself either. He went in search of his brother. This was not some sudden inspired grand plan to evangelise the world. It was just someone who thought his brother needed to know. So, he told him.
Peter didn’t take it on trust either. He went to see too. And then he went and told others. Perhaps his friends, James and John – we don’t know exactly; but we do know that he went on to tell many other people. He came. He saw. He told. And again. And again.
And what he told was quite simple, really: we’ve found the Messiah; come, and see.
And the story continues. But now it’s our story to tell. We are the ones who have come to see. We are the ones who now have to repeat it to others. Our words, and especially our lives, need to be like signposts to Jesus, or like John’s pointing finger. Behold! See!
Who are you going to tell this week?
THE CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father; he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Here we pray for the church, for the world, those in need and those who have died, you can follow your own prayers or these below on today’s theme.
Father, we ask your blessing upon the church, that it may grow in love for you and in holiness and size. That we might be your disciples and reach out in mission to others and tell of your love and saving power. We pray for our clergy and lay ministry teams and ask that we may all share in bringing others to you.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Lord God, we pray for all whoa re being exploited by others. We remember the homeless and we ask your blessing on all who care for refugees and deprived peoples. We pray for all who lack any moral or spiritual guidance and who are being led astray by people around them.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for those who have taught us the faith and who set us an example by their lives. We ask your blessing upon our home, our loved ones and all who have cared for us. We pray for all who suffer from neglect, violence or lack of love.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
God, in you is peace, our hope and our salvation. We remember all who are ill or suffering especially, Joan Finch, Harold Bowers and Evelyn Cooper. We pray especially for any who feel confused by life and who are not able to cope. We pray for all who are caught up in drug abuse or depression.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for your redeeming love and for the gift of eternal life. We pray for all our loved ones departed especially Jean Barker who’s funeral is on Friday and from our book of remembrance; Margaret Ann Jones, Samuel Scowcroft, Robert Inglis Perry and Rebecca Council. Commend them, this world and ourselves to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 forever. Amen.
THE BLESSING
May the God the Father, who led the wise men by the shining star to find the Christ, the light from light, lead us in our pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
May God who has brought us out of darkness give us a place with the saints in light in the kingdom of his Son. Amen.
May the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shine in our hearts and transform our lives to bring his light to others. Amen.
And may the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with us now and always. Amen
