Baptism of Christ
8 a.m. Said Eucharist
President: The Revd John Hunnisett
Preacher: Linda Jarvis
9 a.m. St Barnabas, Box, Eucharist with hymns
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Howard Gilbert
10 a.m. Sung Eucharist
President: The Revd John Hunnisett
Preacher: Linda Jarvis
5.30 p.m. 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 West Africa and Bishop Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith
For our four overseas partner dioceses, especially the Diocese of Västerås and Bishop Mikael
In our deanery cycle of prayer, for St Andrew, Frocester; St George, Kings Stanley; St Swithun, Leonard Stanley; All Saints, Selsley. Clergy Lead: Dave Bishop; Hospital Chaplain: John Thompson; Richard Bryant.
In our parish cycle of prayer, for those who live and work in Box Lane and Box Crescent
For those in need: Giles Boon, Jonathan Brough, Daphne Webb, Hillary Roberts, Sue Kirkwood
For those who have died recently: Elizabeth Freke
For those whose anniversary of death falls at this time: Keith Chittenden, Amy Dyer, Elizabeth Storrie Chivers, Margaret Lines, Frank Day, Sarah Warman, Terence James, Martin Ecclestone, Vonne Evans, Henry Ind, Garry Dance, Derek Layton, Marian Jablonowski.
COLLECT
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.
FIRST READING: Isaiah 43.1–7
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my sight,
and honoured, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’,
and to the south, ‘Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from the end of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.’
PSALM 29
All The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace
Ascribe to the Lord, you powers of heaven,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name;
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
All The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders;
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation;
the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
All The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace
The Lord sits enthroned above the water flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
The Lord shall give strength to his people;
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
All The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace
SECOND READING: Acts 8.14-–17
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
GOSPEL READING: Luke 3.15–17, 21–22
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
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.