Weekly Readings and Prayers
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Sunday 12th January 2025 The Baptism of Christ
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Collect
Eternal Father, who at the baptism of Jesus revealed him to be your Son, anointing him with the Holy Spirit: grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit, that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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First Reading Isaiah 43. 1-7
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’, and to the south, ‘Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.’
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Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, you powers of heaven, : ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; : worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; : the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; : the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; : the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf : and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord splits the flash of lightning; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; : the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare; : in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’
The Lord sits enthroned above the water flood; : the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
The Lord shall give strength to his people; : the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son : and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning is now : and shall be for ever. Amen.
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Second Reading Acts 8. 14-17
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
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Gospel Luke 3. 15-17, 21-22
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
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Post Communion Prayer
Lord of all time and eternity, you opened the heavens and revealed yourself as Father in the baptism of Jesus your beloved Son: by the power of your Spirit complete the heavenly work of our rebirth through the waters of the new creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Prayers for the week
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"Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
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We pray this week for those who live in Blays Close, Blays Lane and Bond Street.
This week we are focussing our prayers on the Church in North Korea. It is the country at the top of World Watch List of fifty countries where Christians suffer severe persecution.
Sunday 12th January
Under such severe persecution, we pray Lord, that Christians will not lose hope and that God's Kingdom will break through in this land of darkness.
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Monday 13th January
Those Christians whose faith is discovered face life imprisonment in labour or political camps. Lord, protect those who meet secretly and deliver them from evil.
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Tuesday 14th January
We pray Lord for Christian workers who risk their lives to support North Korean Christians with, food, medicine and biblical materials. Grant them protection and discernment as they decide with whom to work.
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Wednesday 15th January
Food is scarce. We pray Lord. That you will multiply believers' food as they share it with others.
Thursday 16th January
We thank you Lord for Christian safe houses that support North Koreans who escape the country. Through this ministry many refugees come to faith in Jesus and some are strengthened to take the Gospel back to North Korea.
Friday 17th January
We give thanks Lord, that in the midst of darkness, you are at work. Your Church in North Korea is expanding. We pray the doors to this country will open so that more people will come to know God.
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Saturday 18th January
We give thanks Lord, for the ministry of the Revd Christine Pattinson from St Peter's Church, Chertsey who is leading our worship tomorrow.
Heavenly Father, please accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen