Trinity 3

Third Sunday after Trinity Hymns 378, 343, 306, 413

First Reading Genesis 21: 8-21 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’ The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named after you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Responsorial Psalm 86 R All nations you have made shall come and worship you, O Lord.

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and in misery.

Preserve my soul, for I am faithful; save your servant, for I put my trust in you.

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God; I call upon you all the day long.

Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. R

For you, Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, and listen to the voice of my supplication.

In the day of my distress I will call upon you, for you will answer me. R

Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, nor any works like yours.

All nations you have made shall come and worship you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wonderful things; you alone are God. R

SECOND READING Romans 6.1b-11 Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL Matthew 10.24-39 ‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find 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.

Strawberry Fair, 1st July, 2 – 4.30 pm! Last-minute contributions and offers of help still appreciated – and, most of all, please come, and tell your friends! Sara (07837 919761) is happy to receive offers or field queries.

A lorry is leaving for Ukraine in 3 weeks' time. Particularly requested are medical items, bandages, walking aids, household equipment (including bedding if it's good and clean), imperishable food, school and play items for children, and garden tools for the military (for digging trenches and for digging graves – which does bring the situation home to us, doesn't it?) Samantha Bowden of North Street, Barming, is acting as a collection point. Have you anything you would like to send?

Readers' List for July: Thanks, as ever, to all our readers. If unable to read on the day listed, please try to arrange a swap with another reader, or, if in difficulty, contact Eleanor as soon as you can.

2 July – OT Mike Trout, NT Eleanor Relle

9 July – OT Zangi/Eta, NT Margaret Gatehouse

16 July – OT William Danes-Volkov, NT Paul Jones

23 July – OT Ralph Baldock, NT Alison Heywood

30 July – OT Catherine Garland, NT Katja Svarts

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

Friday, 16 June 2023 in 38m (6–1–24 in C)

1272 Primrose Surprise Minor

1. Philip Jarvis
2. Jacqueline Barlow
3. Emma Jarvis
4. Mark Elvers
5. Stephen Coaker (C)
6. Janice Byrne

Rung on the Day of St Richard of Chichester (1253).

Sunday, 18 June 2023 in 45m (6–1–24 in C)

1312 Turramurra Surprise Major

1. Christopher M Trafford
2. Adam Moore
3. Jacqueline Barlow
4. Mark Elvers
5. Stuart Cox
6. Philip Jarvis
7. Mike Birkbeck
8. Neil Jones (C)

Rung on Fathers' Day, also the Day of Bernard Mizeki, Apostle of the Mashona and Martyr (1896).

Musical Girls? Alas, this year's closing date has just passed – but if you know any musical girls who live within easy reach of Canterbury and will be in year 7 in 2024, bear in mind that Canterbury Cathedral will be auditioning for girl choristers next June as well. The girls sing at services and concerts, and receive music theory tuition and financial grants for singing lessons. Some of them go on to hold music awards at school and university. Previous musical education is good to have, but not a requirement – the cathedral is looking for potential. Further information from the Cathedral Music Dept. No longer do cathedral choristers have to be boys – though there continue to be plenty of openings for boy choristers too, as our own Dylan Elvers has demonstrated at Rochester.

Blessing of the Fisheries, Folkestone: Anyone planning to attend today (Sunday), can look forward not only to a moving ceremony but to a kind welcome from our friends at St Peter's, who always provide a splendid tea. It's also a chance to greet Bishop Norman, who will be present for the last time. Do note, however, that as today is also Armed Forces Community Day, you may need extra time to find parking in Folkestone before heading for The Stade for 2.45 pm.

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