Weekly Readings and Prayers
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Sunday 24th August 2025 St Bartholomew (Tenth Sunday after Trinity)
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Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your word: grant that your Church may love that word which he believed and may faithfully preach and receive the same; 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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Collect for Trinity 10
Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions make them to ask such things as shall please you; 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 Acts 5. 12–16
Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
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Psalm 147. 1–7
1 Alleluia. How good it is to make music for our God, : how joyful to honour him with praise.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem : and gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the broken hearted : and binds up all their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars : and calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; : his wisdom is beyond all telling.
6 The Lord lifts up the poor, : but casts down the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; : make music to our God upon the lyre;
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 1 Corinthians 4. 9–15
For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
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Gospel Luke 22. 24–30
A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ‘You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
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Post Communion Prayer
Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost sent your Holy Spirit to the apostles with the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame, filling them with joy and boldness to preach the gospel: by the power of the same Spirit strengthen us to witness to your truth and to draw everyone to the fire of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Prayers for the week
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"The people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing" (Luke 13:17)
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We pray this week for those who live in Alderside Walk, Aldwyn Place and Alexandra Road
Sunday 24th August
Lord God, give us grateful hearts for the blessings of another new week and for your love, new every morning.
Monday 25th August
We pray for those seeking to make the most of the Bank Holiday today, and also for those in our community who must still work today to serve us and others.
Tuesday 26th August
Faithful and unchanging God, we pray for those facing or anticipating change in the coming days. May they have quiet confidence in your eternal changelessness.
Wednesday 27th August
We pray for The Revd Lansford Penn-Timity and for his wife, Grace, as Lansford embraces a change in his ministry as the new superintendent of our Methodist Circuit.
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Thursday 28th August
We pray for Deacon Jacqueline Esama-John, as she prepares to share with Lansford in ministry across our Circuit churches.
Friday 29th August The Martyrdom of John the Baptist
Almighty God, who called your servant John the Baptist to be the forerunner of your Son in birth and death: strengthen us by your grace that, as he suffered for the truth, so we may boldly resist corruption and vice and receive with him the unfading crown of glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen
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Saturday 30th August
We pray with thanksgiving for the Revd Andrew Reed and for his wife, Pat, as Andrew ministers for the final time within our Circuit. May the changes ahead bring them abundant blessing.
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Heavenly Father, please accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
At all our services we pray for those who are sick, in need and for the bereaved by name. Please do let us know if you would like specific prayer for anyone, and they will be included on our prayer list.