Trinity 20

TRINITY 20 Hymns 401, 427, 286, 431

FIRST READING: EXODUS 33.12-23

Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favour in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.” The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 99 Response: The Lord our God is holy

Proclaim the greatness of the [Lord]{.smallcaps} our God, and fall down before his footstool; *
he is the Holy One. R

Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *
they called upon the [Lord]{.smallcaps}, and he answered them.

He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them. R

O [Lord]{.smallcaps} our God, you answered them indeed; you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their evil deeds. R

Proclaim the greatness of the [Lord]{.smallcaps} our God and worship him upon his holy hill; *
for the [Lord]{.smallcaps} our God is the Holy One. R

SECOND READING: 1 THESSALONIANS 1.1-10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead -- Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 22.15-22

The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

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 Matthias, 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.

Valerie Brown's funeral Mass will take place in church on Friday, 27th October, at 12.30 pm (please note the slight alteration in timing), followed by cremation at Vinters Park at 2.45 pm. A card from the St Michael's congregation has been sent to her daughter Catherine.

Choral Evensong often speaks not only to active Anglicans but to many people whose links with the Church are far less definite. Everyone will be welcome at Choral Evensong at St Michael's on Sunday, 29th October, with a gathered choir conducted by Gareth James. Do pass the word around!

From Our Tower

Kent County Association Maidstone, Kent St Michael and All Angels

Sunday, 15 October 2023 in 42m (6–1–24 in C)

1280 Cornwall Surprise Major

  1. Janice Byrne
  2. Phillip Barnes
  3. Jacqueline Barlow
  4. Elizabeth Barnes
  5. Paul Barton
  6. Mark Elvers
  7. Pam Thomas
  8. Neil Jones (C)

Rung in memory of Tom Barlow (15/10/20), Charles Relle (7/10/15) and Peter Glazebrook (12/10/23), R.I.P.. May they Rest in Peace and Rise with Christ in Glory.

Friday, 20 October 2023 in 42m (6–1–24 in C)

1296 Grandad Surprise Minor (Lynn Scales)

  1. Steve Newlands
  2. Jacqueline Barlow
  3. Janice Byrne
  4. Mark Elvers
  5. Pam Thomas
  6. Stephen Coaker (C)

Rung on the Day of St Paul of the Cross, Priest, and St Frideswide.

Vacancy News

You will be happy to know that shortlisting has now taken place, and that the interview day has been fixed for December 6th. The timetable for this is still to be worked out, but please continue to pray for all involved in the appointment process.

November 19th will be Safeguarding Sunday! - not a major liturgical concern, but a good time to do a little stocktaking. Everyone interested is encouraged to take the Basic Awareness and Foundations online units, and, additionally, all PCC members now have to take the Awareness of Domestic Abuse unit as well as the first two. Churchwardens, Readers and others with special responsibilities in the church also have to take the Leadership unit – this unit is not just for clergy. All this is obligatory and Katja is responsible for seeing that we all tick the right boxes. Please see Katja if you have questions or need guidance – she will be very happy to help you. We all need to make sure that our church is a place where young or vulnerable people can be confident and safe.

Maidstone Street Pastors are celebrating 15 years as a Christian presence on weekend evenings on the streets of the county town, being available to anyone who gets into difficulties among its sometimes hectic nightlife. This can involve providing reassurance, sick-bags, bottled water, flip-flops, rain ponchos, and even foil blankets, sleeping-bags and small tents – all of which costs about £13000 a year, mostly met from donations. To find out more about what they do, and how to support them by prayer and otherwise, visit www.maidstone.streetpastors.org.uk.

For your prayers:

Among the sick we remember Margaret, Ellie, Pauline, Rue, Fr Leon, Antony, Fran, Ellie, Tom, Joseph, Pamela, Valerie, Peter, Joan, Gay, Margaret, Lindsay, Glynis, Ethan and Sarah.

Among the departed: Gweneth Bryson, Ann Cook, Freda Wallace and Rosamond Jones.

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

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