Weekly Readings and Prayers
Sunday 27th April 2025 Second Sunday of Easter
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Collect
Almighty Father, you have given your only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ 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 5.27-32
When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, so that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’
Psalm 150
1 O praise God in his holiness; : praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts; : praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the blast of the trumpet; : praise him upon the harp and lyre.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dances; : praise him upon the strings and pipe.
5 Praise him with ringing cymbals; : praise him upon the clashing cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath : praise the Lord.
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 Revelation 1. 4–8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
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Gospel John 20.19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
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Post Communion Prayer
Lord God our Father, through our Saviour Jesus Christ you have assured your children of eternal life and in baptism have made us one with him: deliver us from the death of sin and raise us to new life in your love, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Prayers for the week
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This week we pray for those who live in Larchwood Drive, Larksfield, Laurel Avenue
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"The strife is o'er, the battle done; now is the victor's triumph won; O let the song of praise be sung, Alleluia."
Sunday 27th April
A new day dawns in resurrection light, the long wilderness of Lent is behind, the darkness of the cross ended. And Christ has risen.
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Monday 28th April
I wait upon you now, loving God, my dearest friend, with renewed joy in my worship, and strengthened hope in my heart. And I worship you in the name and for the sake of our risen living Lord, Jesus Christ.
Tuesday 29th April
I thank you for the gifts of sight and insight and ask you to be there in all my looking and thinking. Help me always to see with eyes of faith, and to think with the mind of Christ.
Wednesday 30th April
I pray for the gifts of discernment and integrity among all those who govern, advise and lead our nation. Remove from them any self-centred ambition and free our leaders to serve the people with honesty and respect for all.
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Thursday 1st May
I pray for our ministers, preachers and church officers in their demanding ministry of love, that they may be given all the support, grace and anointing they need.
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Friday 2nd May
Give me joy at the centre of my being: joy in the risen Christ; and let his joy in us set up this church like a beacon by which all around us may see.
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Saturday 3rd May
Living God, for whom no door is closed, no heart is locked, draw me beyond my doubts, till I see your Christ, and touch his wounds where they bleed in others. Help me to see and believe and live the life of every day in the confidence of renewed and resurrected faith.
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Heavenly Father, please accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our Saviour. Jesus Christ. Amen.