St Thomas’ Church - keeping in touch
Building the Kingdom...................................
This picture of honeysuckle is from Joan (Metcalfe) – many thanks, Joan, for sharing this beautiful photo with us.
You will see in the lectionary table below that, on Tuesday, Clare of Assisi is remembered. Clare is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, later called the Poor Clares, a monastic order for women, and wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman. The Order is based on living a simple life of poverty, austerity and seclusion from the world. In recent times, many of you have had to follow the rule of seclusion and be shielded because of Coronavirus, please be assured that you are being prayed for.
On Thursday, the lectionary remembers Florence Nightingale and how appropriate given the work of NHS workers, nurses and all hospital staff, particularly through the pandemic.
As we think of sacrificial service for the Lord, showing His love to others, two of the Bible verses referred to is in the Song of Solomon chapter 8 verses 6 and 7 “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is as strong as death, jealousy (or ardour) is as fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it….” (ESV). The following prayer is given in Common Worship ‘For Social Justice and Responsibility’:
Eternal God,
in whose perfect realm
no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness,
and no strength known but the strength of love:
so guide and inspire the work of those who seek your kingdom
that all your people may find their security
in that love which casts out fear
and in the fellowship revealed to us
in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Our readings for this week
SUNDAY 9th August: Morning - Holy Communion Gospel: Matthew 14: 22 - 33
Evening – Psalm 86; 1 Kings 11: 41 – 12: 20; Acts 14: 8 – 20
| Morning Readings | Evening Readings |
Monday 10th August | Psalm 44; 1 Samuel 19: 1 – 18; Acts 1: 1 – 14 | Psalm 47: Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14; Mark 1: 1 - 13 |
Tuesday 11th August Clare of Assisi, founder of the Poor Clares | Psalm 48; 1 Samuel 20: 1 – 17; Acts 1: 15 – end | Psalm 50; Ezekiel 37: 15 – end; Mark 1: 14 - 20 |
Wednesday 12th August | Psalm 119: 57 – 80; 1 Samuel 20: 18 – end; Acts 2: 1 – 21 | Psalm 59; Ezekiel 39: 21 – end; Mark 1: 21 - 28 |
Thursday 13th August Florence Nightingale, nurse, social reformer | Psalm 57; 1 Samuel 21: 1 – 22: 5; Acts 2: 22 – 36 | Psalm 62; Ezekiel 43: 1 – 12; Mark 1: 29 - end |
Friday 14th August Maximilian Kolbe, friar, martyr, 1941 | Psalm 51; 1 Samuel 22: 6 – end; Acts 2: 37 – end | Psalm 38; Ezekiel 44: 4 – 16; Mark 2: 1 - 12 |
Saturday 15th August The Blessed Virgin Mary | Psalm 98; Isaiah 7: 10 -15; Luke 11: 27 – 28 | Psalm 132; Song of Solomon 2: 1 – 7; Acts 1: 6 - 14 |
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord makes His face to shine on you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace. Amen. (Numbers 6: 24 – 27)
