Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, February 21, 2010

The First Sunday of Lent

Divine Office

The Office for Lent is used all week.
Morning Prayer is said at 9.00 am Monday - Friday.

Order of service for Morning and Evening Prayer.

Services and Events

Opening Prayer

Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves
in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
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.

First Reading

Deuteronomy 26.1-11
A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
1 When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you
as an inheritance to possess,
and you possess it, and settle in it,
2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground,
which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you,
and you shall put it in a basket
and go to the place
that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name.
3 You shall go to the priest
who is in office at that time, and say to him,
‘Today I declare to the LORD your God
that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.’
4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand
and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God,
5 you shall make this response before the LORD your God:
‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor;
he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number,
and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.
6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us,
by imposing hard labour on us,
7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors;
the LORD heard our voice
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
8 The LORD brought us out of Egypt
with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders;
9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land,
a land flowing with milk and honey.
10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground
that you, O LORD, have given me.’
You shall set it down before the LORD your God
and bow down before the LORD your God.
11 Then you, together with the Levites
and the aliens who reside among you,
shall celebrate with all the bounty
that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 91.1-2,9-11

Second Reading

Romans 10.8b-13
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.

8 What does scripture say?
‘The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
11 The scripture says,
‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all
and is generous to all who call on him.
13 For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Acclamation

Glory and Praise to you, O Christ, Glory and Praise to you, O Christ One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Glory and Praise to you, O Christ, Glory and Praise to you, O Christ

Gospel

Luke 4.1-13
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing at all during those days,
and when they were over, he was famished.
3 The devil said to him,
‘If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’
4 Jesus answered him,
‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’
5 Then the devil led him up
and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
6 And the devil said to him,
‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority;
for it has been given over to me,
and I give it to anyone I please.
7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’
8 Jesus answered him,
‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem,
and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him,
‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
10 for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,”
11 and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
12 Jesus answered him, ‘It is said,
“Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
13 When the devil had finished every test,
he departed from him until an opportune time.

Closing Prayer

Lord God,
you have renewed us with the living bread from heaven;
by it you nourish our faith,
increase our hope,
and strengthen our love:
teach us always to hunger for him
who is the true and living bread,
and enable us to live by every word
that proceeds from out of your mouth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Your Prayers are asked for

Those in particular need of healing: Margret, Sister Mary Jean SSC, Beth, Win, Yvonne, James, Phyllis, John, Sheena, Paul, Sheila. ** Sheila, Sam, Gladys, Reg, Maria, John, Leslie, Michael, Nigel, Daniel Dominic.

Recently Departed:

Anniversary of Death: Percy Smith, Mac Hughes, Reginald Rhodes-Wrigley, William Clarke, Edith Lay, Ridge Mander (Priest), Frances Longland.

Notices and Future Dates

Lent 2010 – information leaflets are now available, please sign up on the lists at the back of church if you wish to join a Lent Group.

A New Art Commission – a member of the congregation has very generously offered to pay for a new piece of artwork for the Church. This will take the place of an Icon which will replace the Victorian triptych which hangs behind the font. The new icon will show the Baptism of Jesus and relate to the sacrament performed in this part of the church. We have approached 2 iconographers and have had a reply from one. Sister Teresa Margaret is part of the Community of the Holy Name which is based in Derby . Please sign your initials next to the picture you prefer. If you don't like any please sign the ‘blank' page below. We do hope that we will receive more designs to give us more options. Please remember that these pictures will only form the basis of the commission for St George's .

Invitation from the Archbishops' – we have been chosen to trial two new Eucharistic Prayers for six months by the Archbishops'. These new prayers are specifically designed for use when a large number of children are present and so will be used at any Mass held in Central School and the first Sunday of the Month.

Andy Wilkes – as you know Andy is to be ordained this summer. Before Christmas we started a collection to buy Andy his first Cassock (long black robe). Thank you to everyone who has given to generously we can now buy Andy his first cassock!

Thank you – to all those who have signed up to our Holy Dusters rota and have already made a start. You can certainly notice a difference! We have four teams of people (Saturdays 10.30 – 11.30, Saturdays 2.00- 3.00, Wednesday s 2.00- 3.00 and Thursdays 9.30 – 10.30). If you have volunteered to help but could not commit to a day or time please get in touch with the office once you know your availability. We hope to make an evening group start soon. Many hands make light work.

Dragon's – starts again TONIGHT. PLEASE BRING A PLATE OF FOOD TO SHARE AND LOTS OF IDEAS! 6.30 -8PM Open to all in Year 5 and above!

The E List – The St George's e-mailing list has proved popular with over 69 ‘subscribers' now receiving a copy of the weekly bulletin together with other notices and items of interest. If you wish your name to be on the list reply to Ken. Addresses will be shown ‘blind' to prevent access by spammers and the list will not be passed to others. Items to be included should be submitted to Fr Stuart. A copy of each notice, other than the bulletin will be displayed on the notice board for those not on the Internet.

Social Team – the social team will be getting busy over the next few months to produce an outline of social events for the rest of the year. If you would like to help in this important part of our church life please talk to Sheila Price.

Wintershall Life of Christ - so far approximately 30 people have signed up for this wonderful day out at the Wintershall Estate near Guildford . Sign up now to secure a place to see the life of Christ produced in this wonderful estate with live camels, horses' sheep and over 200 actors. The coach costs have been generously paid by an individual so all you need to by are your tickets through the church at £15 per adult and £7.50 per child. Please sign up on the list at the back of Church.

Georgettes – meal will be on Friday 26 th February (this Friday) 8pm, The Jasmine House, The Hornet. Good Food, good company & no cooking!! Should be fun so please contact Diane Wynne. The full programme for the year with contact details for those organising each event is available on the table at the back of church.

Parish Magazine – a few months ago we tried to get people to help with setting up a Parish Magazine, and despite gaining £1,500 towards the start up costs, we still have not got a viable working group to make this community project, founded by the church started. If you would like to be involved in this important church and community venture please do talk to Fr Stuart. If we don't get it started we will have to give the money back and will have missed a real opportunity for mission within the parish!!!

Walsingham – thanks to the generous donations by 2 individuals we are able to afford our own coach to get us to Walsingham, Many thanks to those 2 people.

Visiting Preachers in 2010 – March 25 th Feast of the Annunciation, Celebrant – The Right Reverend Kenneth Stevenson, Preacher - The Very Reverend Dr Jeffery John, Dean of St Albans

April 23 rd Feast of George Martyr and Patron of England, Preacher – The Right Reverend Dr Graeme Knowles, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral.