11:00 am – First Sunday after Trinity

United Benefice of Altham and Clayton-le-Moors

First Sunday after Trinity 

This service is live in church, with all the usual COVID restrictions, but it will be streamed so if you are unable to attend you can view it online.Now most of the words will also appear when you view the service on line so it will be easier to follow the service.

However, below are the day’s readings plus the intercessions for reference, as there will not appear on screen.

First reading : 2 Corinthians 4: 13 – 18. 5: 1

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[a] Since we have that same spirit of^[b] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

 

Second reading: Mark 3 : 20 – 35

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. ⁸ When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. ⁹ Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. ¹¹ Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” ¹² But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴ He appointed twelve^[a]that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and to have authority to drive out demons.¹⁶ These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered,so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. ²¹ When his family^[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

²² And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

²³ So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.²⁶ And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. ²⁷ In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. ²⁸ Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

³⁰ He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

³¹ Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

³³ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

Intercessions

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the support and fellowship which we find in our worship today, and we ask that you help us to pray for the needs of our world, our community, our families, our friends, and ourselves.

We pray for our church and United Benefice, for Toby, Peter, our wardens and all who continue to provide spiritual guidance and help to us during the ongoing pandemic.

Give us the desire and purpose to seek and listen to your voice. Guide our path to use the lives you have given us and forgive us that so often we are more ready to turn to you in times of trouble and need, rather than to thank you in the good times we enjoy.

Gracious God. Make us strong in faith and love.

 

Heavenly Father, we presently see a world of beauty and tragedy. We pray for those who work to keep the peace and foster mutual understanding and respect; and for those who teach, heal and care, giving freely of themselves in the service of others.

We pray for the life of the world in which we live, especially for those who exercise power and authority in politics, the media, industry and education.

Gracious God. Make us strong in faith and love.

 

Heavenly Father, may we never lose sight of the many and varied needs of our own neighbourhood, and may we always be found willing and able to help and support others whenever we can.

We thank you for the place we call home, and we pray for our families and friends. Make your loving presence felt amongst us all, especially with those whose family life has been made difficult and testing during the weeks of lockdown. Be with those who have no family to care for them. Comfort those whose loved ones are causing them worry and heartache and strengthen those whose children or family are in danger.

We bring before you now, all who are sick and in need of our prayers at this time and in a moment of silence, we name them in our hearts.

We especially pray for…

Gracious God. Make us strong in faith and love.

 

We pray for the departed and those who are mourning at this time. Help us to experience the comfort of your love within us, and the fellowship of our church family around us.

We remember the families and friends of…

Gracious God. Make us strong in faith and love.

 

Heavenly Father, we offer ourselves to you in faith and confidence. Show us how we can best prepare ourselves to be part of your response to our prayers. Fill us with the Spirit of life, which was in Christ Jesus, your Son, and our Saviour.

Merciful Father. Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.