Sunday 3rd May 2020
Easter 4
All People That On Earth Do Dwell
The Collects for the day
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life:
raise us, who trust in him,
from the death of sin to the life of righteousness,
that we may seek those things which are above,
where he reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Risen Christ,
faithful shepherd of your Father’s sheep:
teach us to hear your voice
and to follow your command,
that all your people may be gathered into one flock,
to the glory of God the Father.
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life:
raise us, who trust in him,
from the death of sin to the life of righteousness,
that we may seek those things which are above,
where he reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Risen Christ,
faithful shepherd of your Father’s sheep:
teach us to hear your voice
and to follow your command,
that all your people may be gathered into one flock,
to the glory of God the Father.
The Lord's My Shepherd
Acts 2:42-end
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
O Jesus I Have Promised
John 10: 1-10
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ 6Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ 6Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
The Lord Is My Shepherd - Psalm 23 (Howard Goodall)
From the Vicar:
I don’t know if you remember the tv show one man and his dog? It was about sheep dog trials (not sure what crime they committed!) Interesting note - if you ever travel on the motorway towards Leeds, on Saddleworth Moor, the motorway splits around a house - the owner was one of the great sheep dog drivers. But I digress! The sheep dog were amazing at guiding the sheep, but at times it was slow and some of the sheep wandered away and looked a little lost. Yet it all comes down to practice. We may at times during this lockdown feel also a little lost and worried we may have gone astray. The faith we have practiced for so many years like a good sheepdog will bring us back home - we haven’t stopped being the church just because we have not met together, if anything, we have become more of a family concerned for each other’s keeping in touch. Our faith will bring us home strong once again. Our faith points us always to the love of Christ and the love of each other. Stay strong, stay safe.
As always your friend and priest,
Padre Fran
I don’t know if you remember the tv show one man and his dog? It was about sheep dog trials (not sure what crime they committed!) Interesting note - if you ever travel on the motorway towards Leeds, on Saddleworth Moor, the motorway splits around a house - the owner was one of the great sheep dog drivers. But I digress! The sheep dog were amazing at guiding the sheep, but at times it was slow and some of the sheep wandered away and looked a little lost. Yet it all comes down to practice. We may at times during this lockdown feel also a little lost and worried we may have gone astray. The faith we have practiced for so many years like a good sheepdog will bring us back home - we haven’t stopped being the church just because we have not met together, if anything, we have become more of a family concerned for each other’s keeping in touch. Our faith will bring us home strong once again. Our faith points us always to the love of Christ and the love of each other. Stay strong, stay safe.
As always your friend and priest,
Padre Fran
Closing Prayer
Merciful Father,
you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd,
and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again:
keep us always under his protection,
and give us grace to follow in his steps;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Merciful Father,
you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd,
and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again:
keep us always under his protection,
and give us grace to follow in his steps;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.