Trinity 21
LAST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Hymns 486, 381, 273, 476
FIRST READING Deuteronomy 34.1-12
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the [Lord]{.smallcaps} showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The [Lord]{.smallcaps} said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants”; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’ Then Moses, the servant of the [Lord]{.smallcaps}, died there in the land of Moab, at the [Lord]{.smallcaps}’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.
Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the [Lord]{.smallcaps} had commanded Moses.
Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the [Lord]{.smallcaps} knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the [Lord]{.smallcaps} sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 90 Response: O Lord my God, in you I take refuge.
Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to another.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or the earth and the world were formed,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. R
You turn us back to dust and say:’Turn back, O children of earth.’
For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday, which passes like a watch in the night. R
You sweep them away like a dream; they fade away suddenly like the grass.
In the morning it is green and flourishes; in the evening it is dried up and withered. R
SECOND READING 1 Thessalonians 2.1–8
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.
GOSPEL Matthew 22.34–46
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’
He said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question:’What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’
They said to him,’The son of David.’
He said to them,
‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’”?
If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
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 (All Souls' Day) 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.
All Souls' Day: If you would like to have a loved one mentioned by name in our commemoration of All Souls on Thursday, please write his or her name on the sheet which you will find at the back of church. And please, if you are available that morning, come to Mass to remember your loved ones.
Pamela Waite will be remembered by a number of past and present members of St Michael's - some who knew her in her years as Girls' Friendly Society leader, and others who remember her as our Treasurer. More recently she was a resident of Abbeyrose, and then of Abbot's Leigh care home, Staplehurst. Pam died on 21st October, aged 93. Deeply devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, she also had a highly professional grasp of the church finances, and both these aspects of her life of faith were much appreciated by her fellow-parishioners. Her funeral will take place in church on 9th November at 10.30 am. May she rest in peace, and rise in glory.
Choral Evensong takes place in church today at 5 pm. A lovely, prayerful, musical way to round off a Sunday! - do come, and invite your friends. Thank you in advance to Gareth for arranging it, to Fr Paul for officiating, to our guest organist and singers, and to all “regulars” for their support.
Thank you to Martyn, William and Paul for the various maintenance jobs they have managed to complete in the church halls during half-term, and also to the Garden Working Party for what they accomplished in the church grounds. Thank you, too, to Sue, for creating a compact and practical “coffee-box” so that refreshments can be provided more easily for the Thursday morning congregation.
A Vigil for Peace in the Middle East takes place on the evening of Monday, 30th October, from 6.30 pm (after Choral Evensong) to 7 pm, at Canterbury Cathedral. Participants are invited to bring battery-operated candles. This is a non-political event; please, no political slogans or symbols in the precincts.
The Parochial Church Council meets on November 8th at 7.30 pm in the Vestry Hall. If you would like an item included in the Agenda, please speak to Jonathan today.
NB The Deanery Roadshow last week focused on mission in a way that will be a healthy challenge to us all. The PCC will be discussing some of the matters that emerged; prepare to hear more!
Our pre-Christmas Fair is nearer than we think! Please look out for things that would make good Tombola prizes, and think about home-made items such as cakes and jams (please attach a list of ingredients). Or provide something crafty, or Christmassy, or nice for the garden! If you are willing to run a stall or come and help, don't leave Sara to wonder – please let her know! If she has to miss Mass for work reasons, Sara can be reached, with any offers or questions, on 07837 919761.
From Our Tower - Kent County Association, Maidstone, Kent: St Michael and All Angels
Sunday, 22 October 2023 in 44m (6–1–24 in C)
1320 Plain Bob Minor
- Jacqueline Barlow
- Charlotte Elvers
- Barry Evans
- Mark Elvers
- Ray Taylor
- Neil Jones (C)
An 11th birthday compliment to Charlotte Elvers. Rung on the Saint's Day of Pope John Paul II.
Readers' List for November
Warmest thanks to all our readers! If unable to read on the day listed, please try to arrange a swap with another reader.
Sunday 5th November (All Saints) Revelation Paul Jones, NT Katja Svarts
Sunday 12th November (Remembrance Sunday) OT Mike Trout, NT William Danes-Volkov
Sunday 19th November OT Catherine Garland, NT Margaret Gatehouse
Sunday 26th November (Christ the King) OT Team Kwalombota, NT Ralph Baldock
For your prayers: Among the sick we pray for Paul (in hospital) and for Margaret, Ellie, Pauline, Rue, Fr Leon, Antony, Fran, Ellie, TomJoseph, Pamela, Valerie, Peter, Joan, Gay, Margaret, Lindsay, Glynis, Ethan, Sarah and Yvonne.
Among the departed: Pamela Waite, Jeremy Plummer, Rachel Herriott, Dorothy Pye. John Meredith, Freddie Brown, Malcolm Stanley, Marjorie Mason, Ann Giles.
Could you pass on this sheet to someone else who might like to see it?