Trinity 2

2nd SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Hymns 333, 205, 305, 434

FIRST READING Exodus 19.2-8a They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’ So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 100 Response: We are his people, the sheep of his flock. 1. Cry out with joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness:

Come before him, singing for joy. R.

2. Know that he, the Lord, is God:

He made us, we belong to him;

We are his people, the sheep of his flock. R.

3. Indeed, how good is the Lord;

Eternal his merciful love:

He is faithful from age to age. R.

SECOND READING Romans 5.1-8 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

GOSPEL Matthew 9.35-10.8 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’ Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.'

Could you pass on this sheet to someone else who might like to see it?

NEWS FROM ST MICHAEL'S

A very warm welcome to any new readers, and to visitors and newcomers to St Michael's. A special welcome and thanks to Fr Paul, our celebrant this morning, who will also kindly be saying Mass for us on Thursday at 10.30 am. If you are new to St Michael's, do join us in the Vestry Hall after the service, so that we can welcome you properly.

Local Government elections 2024. Cllr Stephen Thompson of the Green Party, a member of Jubilee Church, has contacted local churches to alert them to the fact that in May 2024, by contrast with previous years, the entire Maidstone Borough Council will be up for re-election, with 48 seats to fill. Far from trying to tell us how to vote, Cllr Thompson is asking us to do our best to see that there will be enough candidates whom we shall want to vote for. Do you know a person of public spirit and integrity, very possibly a fellow-Christian, whom you could encourage to stand for the Council? Could God be calling you to seek to serve the Maidstone community in this way? Cllr Thompson writes:

“I suggest that we have 3 months in which to find men and women with Christian values and character who could provide residents with a positive choice. Do we agree that God's People should be quick to step forward in the cause of service to our district?” One way in which we are all bound to respond to this challenge, whether or not we can identify a possible candidate, is to pray continually for the public life of our county town.

Please talk to Sara after Mass if you would still like to offer help with our Strawberry Fair! In particular, posters are now available – could you display or distribute?

From Our Tower: Kent County Association, Maidstone, Kent - St Michael and All Angels

Sunday, 4 June 2023 in 41m (6–1–24 in C)

1260 Stedman Triples

  1. Stephen Coaker
  2. Philip Jarvis
  3. Jacqueline Barlow
  4. Emma Jarvis
  5. Mike Birkbeck
  6. Pam Thomas
  7. Neil Jones (C) 
  8. Mark Elvers

Rung on the Saint's Day of Petroc, Abbot of Padstow, 6th century.

Sunday, 11 June 2023 in 43m (6–1–24 in C)

1344 Double Norwich Court Bob Major

  1. Mark Elvers
  2. Janice Byrne
  3. Jacqueline Barlow
  4. Rupert Cheeseman
  5. Paul Barton
  6. Kath White
  7. Pam Thomas
  8. Neil Jones (C) 

Rung on the Saint's Day of Barnabas the Apostle.

Bishop Jonathan Baker draws attention in New Directions to two areas of tension apparent as the traditional sacramental teaching of the Church is challenged by recent developments in and out of General Synod. In relation to same-sex civil marriage, a priest who maintains the traditional doctrine of marriage has liberty of conscience about whether or not to use the proposed prayers of blessing for a same-sex union. In relation to sacramental confession, it is proposed in the final IICSA Report on sexual abuse that even a disclosure that takes place in the confessional shall be subject to mandatory reporting by the priest – which would be a radical departure from the teaching of the church and from present canon law. While endorsing the Report's call for better training and possible licensing for confessors – a process to which Anglo-Catholic practice and experience can make a distinctive contribution – Bishop Jonathan adds: “We know where we cannot, in conscience, ever go…. We must pray that if the law of the land changes we will be given strength and wisdom as to how to live and minister this sacrament in those circumstances; but that the Church herself will not change her laws, her canons, her teaching in this matter which touches on the very essence of the gospel.”

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