Second Sunday of Lent
8 a.m. Said Eucharist
President and preacher: The Revd Tracey Clements
9 a.m. St Barnabas, Box, Eucharist with hymns
President and Preacher: The Revd Gerald South
10 a.m. Sung Eucharist
President: The Revd John Ansell
Preacher: The Revd Tracey Clements
5.30 Celtic evening prayer with meditative music
Click here for the Church of England's daily prayer: Morning Prayer, Prayer during the Day, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer
As well as the Sunday collect and readings (see below), you may want to use the following in your prayers during the week:
In the Anglican cycle of prayer, for the Church of the Province of Central Africa and Archbishop Albert Chama
For our four overseas partner dioceses, especially the diocese of Västerås and Bishop Mikael
In our deanery cycle of prayer, for Holy Trinity, Minchinhampton; Saint Barnabas, Box; Holy Trinity, Amberley, Church of the Holy Cross, Avening; St Nicholas, Cherington. Clergy: Howard Gilbert, Coral Francis, Natalie Jennings,Tracey Clements
In our parish cycle of prayer, for those who live and work in Ricardo Road, Sheppard Way, Tooke Road, Hyatt Road, Ollney Road, Barcelona Drive
For those in need: Giles Boon, Jonathan Brough, Daphne Webb, Hillary Roberts, Sue Kirkwood, Jason Kennedy
For those who have died recently: Roger Mann, Peter Beamish, Marjorie Russell
For those whose anniversary of death falls at this time: Barry Lucas, Josie Chamberlain, Gillian Watson, Tony Beard, Brendan Clements, Sarah Newman, Phyllis Hatherall, Jeremy Wood
HYMNS at 10 a.m.
to follow
COLLECT
Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in his Way
come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
FIRST READING: Genesis 15.1–12, 17–18
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.
PSALM 27
All The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing have I asked of the Lord and that alone I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the fair beauty of the Lord
and to seek his will in his temple.
All The Lord is my light and my salvation.
For in the day of trouble he shall hide me in his shelter;
in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me and set me high upon a rock.
And now shall he lift up my head
above my enemies round about me;
All The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice, O Lord, when I call;
have mercy upon me and answer me.
All The Lord is my light and my salvation.
SECOND READING: Philippians 3.17 – 4.1
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
GOSPEL READING: Luke 13.31–end
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’
POST COMMUNION
Almighty God,
you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves:
keep us both outwardly in our bodies,
and inwardly in our souls;
that we may be defended from all adversities
which may happen to the body,
and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.