Remembrance Sunday
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Hymns 488, 417, 493, 354
FIRST READING Micah 4.1-7 In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, and many nations shall come and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. On that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted. The lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion now and for evermore.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 27
Response: I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
1. The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink. R.
2. There is one thing I ask of the Lord; for this I long.
To live in the house of the Lord; all the days of my life. R.
3. O Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer.
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek: hide not your face. R.
4. I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness; in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart; hope in the Lord. R.
SECOND READING Romans 8.31-39 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GOSPEL John 15.9-17 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
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 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.
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! There are boxes at the back of church for such items as prizes – please bring along what you can!
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.
Canterbury Cathedral invites visitors to enjoy a special tour of its magnificent stained glass, some of which is among the oldest in the world. The tours take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 11.15-12.15, until December 23^rd^, and the charge is £5. St Michael's is rightly proud of its Victorian stained glass, but the medieval glass at Canterbury, some of it very recently cleaned and restored, is well worth going to discover in greater depth than might be possible in an ordinary visit to the Cathedral. Visit the Canterbury Cathedral website also to find details of the many services and events that will be held at the Cathedral during Advent and Christmas.
The Friends of Canterbury Cathedral are looking for new members. If you join, our £30 annual subscription enables you to take part in all sorts of interesting events and also entitles you to a 10% discount (subject to some exclusions) at the Cathedral Shop and the Cathedral Lodge.
A prayer for peace amid unrest
O God, who wouldst fold both heaven and earth in a single peace:
let the design of thy great love lighten upon the waste of our wraths and sorrows:
and give peace to thy Church,
peace among nations,
peace in our dwellings,
and peace in our hearts:
through thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Interview Day for the priest(s) who wish to be considered for St Michael's will be on December 6th. There will be a lunch in church before the formal interview session in the afternoon. If you can offer to help with this in any way, please speak to Sue, who will be delighted to hear from you. And please, everyone, continue to pray for all concerned in the appointment process.
The Diocesan Synod meets at the John Wallis Academy in Ashford on Saturday, November 18th. Part of the Agenda will be concerned with finance (and, yes, the Parish Share!), but there will also be a couple of significant items relating to the environment. In the afternoon, from 1.15 to 3.30, there will be a session, open to others besides Synod members, at which “Living in Love and Faith” will be discussed. Please remember Synod members in your prayers. Remember also that there will be a fresh round of Synod elections in 2024. Maidstone Deanery can elect 4 lay members. Could God be calling you to stand for election next year? It is important that the different styles and traditions of our complex church life should all have a voice at diocesan level.
Christian Aid has launched an emergency appeal to help people affected by the escalation of violence across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. To make a donation, please visit the Middle East Crisis Appeal page on the Christian Aid website – christianaid.org.uk.
Chloe asks our prayers for herself and her contemporaries as they follow their present demanding course.
For your prayers also: Among the sick we pray for Margaret, Ellie, Pauline, Rue, Fr Leon, Antony, Fran, Ellie, TomJoseph, Pamela, Valerie, Peter, Joan, Margaret, Lindsay, Glynis, Ethan, Sarah, Yvonne and Paul.
Please pray for all who have died, and are dying, as a result of war, and for members of he St Michael's family whose year's mind falls at this time: John Richards, Richard Breed, Jean Riddoch.