12th April 2026 10.30am – 2nd Sunday of Easter – Eucharist

Posted on April 12, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 2.14a, 22-32

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. "

“You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’ This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.

John 20.19-end

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.

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

I have good friends in the United States. But my feelings towards their country have been complicated this past week.

Admiration for the achievement of their scientists in sending astronauts to the other side of the moon and bringing them back to earth safely. But horror and dismay at their President’s threat to bomb Iran back to the stone age. How could a Christian statesman speak in such terms?

But let’s stick with that journey into space and hold it alongside today’s gospel.

In the gospel, one of the apostles, Thomas, is not with the others when the Risen Jesus first makes his presence known to them. When they tell Thomas they have seen the Lord, Thomas is not convinced. For him, seeing is not believing. He has to reach out and touch.

I think we can see why Thomas thinks like this. Our eyes alone can deceive us. We can have hallucinations. In deserts we can see water that isn’t there. Mirages. We know that the witnesses to a road traffic collision often fail to agree about what they have seen. Was the car blue or black? Was the driver a man or woman?

Thomas thinks the evidence of his touch will be more reliable than the evidence of his eyes alone. And especially if he can touch the wounds of the crucifixion. Then he will be sure that this really is the one who died on the cross who has been restored to them.

Yet when the moment comes and Thomas does encounter the Risen Jesus, he doesn’t seem to have reached out at all. Neither sight, nor touch, in the end, lead him to say: My Lord and my God.

How could they? His senses – sight, sound, touch – and so on, can only take Thomas so far. They can assure him that this is no figment of his imagination, no apparition. But they can’t tell him that he is in the presence of the Lord his God.

So there is something else at work here, something that stirs what I can only call the soul of Thomas. It’s that, not sight or touch, that tells Thomas he is in the presence of the Risen Lord and the presence of God.

And I’m sure this is true for each one of us: what convinces us in the end that we have the presence of the Risen Lord with us, is not what we see or think or even feel, but what speaks to our very soul. And how that happens for each of us is different.

I was reading about Thomas just as the astronauts were looking back to earth from the far side of the moon and shared what they were seeing with us. And what they saw, and what we saw, was this tiny blue globe, planet earth, so far away, so small, in the endless universe.

It made me think of those wonderful words in psalm 8. The psalmist, of course, was on earth looking up, and said this:

When I look at thy heavens, the works of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established;
what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him. (Ps 8.3-4)

The psalmist looks up and his very soul is stirred – that the one who made this vast array - the moon and the stars - can be bothered with us.

Surely, similar thoughts must have passed through many of our minds as we saw what the astronauts saw as they looked not from earth to the moon but from the moon to earth.

But these soul stirring moments can happen at any time, not just when we look heavenwards.

Someone who joined my last congregation said that she had been washing dishes in her kitchen when she was overcome with a sense of the presence of God. It was only a moment, but it changed her life.

A member of this congregation, whom some here will have known, some years ago now, told me he was driving his bus along Langsett Road when he felt the presence of God – disconcerting for a non-believer. He had to stop the bus briefly to settle himself.

The psalmist beneath the stars, Thomas in the upper room, my parishioners going about their daily lives, but all in different ways experiencing moments when they were transported beyond the things of this world into the timeless presence of God.

Easter, knowing the presence of the Risen Lord, that experience, can be ours. And it can be here and it can be now.

5th April 2026 10.30am – Easter Day – Eucharist

Posted on April 5, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 10.34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

Matthew 28.1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath, Reader at St Mary's.

God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith.
We give you thanks for this very special day and the many gifts you give to each of us every day of our lives. Help us not to take any of these for granted, especially all the beauty that is in the world. May we appreciate it with heartfelt gratitude.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for your church throughout the world as together we celebrate the rising of our beloved Lord, Jesus Christ. And we pray for our sisters and brothers in places where they are not yet free to worship openly.

At the end our Lenten journey, may we hold on to all that we have found meaningful and that brings us closer to you in both our prayers & spiritual life and in the stuff of everyday life.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our very troubled and turbulent world, for all peoples, communities and nations who are going through dark and difficult times. Lord please give us hope that we can resolve our differences peacefully and make the world a better, more just and compassionate place for everyone.

We pray for our local community and all that makes it the special and creative place that it is.

We give thanks for the successful start to the Artemis 2 mission. May the amazing images of our world from space give us a new perspective and appreciation of your creation and encourage us afresh to take better care of it and all for whom it is home. We pray for the safe return home for the astronauts.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill or unwell at this time. May they be lovingly supported as they navigate the changes and challenges they face as a result of their illness. We pray also for those who will be alongside them that they too will be supported and cared for. In a few moments of quiet let us call to mind anyone known to us who is in particular need of our prayers and let us also bring before God our own needs and concerns.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have died, some recently and some long ago. May they rest in peace and may all who mourn and miss them be comforted and find their own peace.

Especially may we pray for
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ,

4th April 2026 7.30pm – Easter Eve Vigil and Service of Light

Posted on April 4, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

John 20.1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

3rd April 2026 at 2.00pm – Good Friday at the Cross

Posted on April 3, 2026April 3, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 52.13-53.end

See, my servant shall prosper;
he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at him
—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of mortals—
so he shall startle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Hebrews 10. 16 - 25

‘This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds’,
he also adds,
‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

John 18.1-19.end

After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, ‘For whom are you looking?’ They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus replied, ‘I am he.’ Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he’, they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, ‘For whom are you looking?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.’ This was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.’ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?’

So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing round it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.

Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered, ‘I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.’ When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, ‘Is that how you answer the high priest?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?’ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’ They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not permitted to put anyone to death.’ (This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, ‘I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ They shouted in reply, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a bandit.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.’ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’ When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.’ The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.’

Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, ‘Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’ From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.’

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, ‘Do not write, “The King of the Jews”, but, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.” ’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfil what the scripture says,
‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

2nd April 2026 7.30pm – Maundy Thursday – Eucharist

Posted on April 2, 2026April 4, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Exodus 12.1-14

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

John 13.1-17

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’

After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

John 13.31b-35

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

Prayers of Intercession

In the power of the Spirit let us pray to the Father
through Christ the saviour of the world.
Father, on this, the night he was betrayed,
your Son Jesus Christ washed his disciples’ feet.
We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.

On this night, he prayed for his disciples to be one.
We pray for the unity of your Church.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.

On this night, he prayed for those who were to believe through his disciples’ message.
We pray for the mission of your Church.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.

On this night, he commanded his disciples to love,
but suffered rejection himself.
We pray for the rejected and unloved.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.

On this night, he reminded his disciples
that if the world hated them it hated him first.
We pray for those who are persecuted for their faith.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.

On this night, he accepted the cup of death
and looked forward to the new wine of the kingdom.
We remember those who have died in the peace of Christ.
Lord, hear us
and welcome all your children into paradise.

29th March 2026 at 10.30am – Palm Sunday Eucharist

Posted on March 29, 2026 by St Mary's

The Prayers

We stand with Christ in his suffering.

For forgiveness for the many times we have denied Jesus,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For grace to seek out those habits of sin which mean
spiritual death,
and by prayer and self-discipline to overcome them,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For Christian people,
that through the suffering of disunity
there may grow a rich union in Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those who make laws, interpret them, and administer them,
that our common life may be ordered in justice and mercy,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those who still make Jerusalem a battleground,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those who have the courage and honesty to work openly for justice and peace,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those in the darkness and agony of isolation,
that they may find support and encouragement,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those who, weighed down with hardship, failure, or sorrow, feel that God is far from them,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those who are tempted to give up the way of the cross,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

That we, with those who have died in faith,
may find mercy in the day of Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

22nd March 2026 at 10.30am – Fifth Sunday of Lent Passiontide Eucharist

Posted on March 22, 2026March 28, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings.

Romans 8.6-11

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

John 11.1-45

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

Scripture quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Prayers
Prepared by Shelley.

We thank you for your steadfast love, and your presence with us in joy and pain. Help us to learn to recognise you in different stages and aspects of our lives and to welcome you in.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord we pray for those in our community who are feeling like the seed in the ground. When we feel like the world is dark or we are falling apart, we pray for your light and comfort. Help us to offer your light and comfort to each other when needed.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Help us to learn how to be slow to anger and rich in love, as individuals, as a community, and in the wider church, so that we can live in unity with one another.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

You came to draw us and all people to yourself, we pray for the world, where there is suffering or war, and pray for your presence in those places.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Especially we pray for our APCM today. We thank you for this community and your work in and through us. Give us wisdom and sensitivity to you as we share information and make decisions.

Merciful father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your son,
Our saviour, Jesus Christ,
Amen.

8th March 2026 at 10.30am – The Third Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on March 8, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings.

Romans 5.1-11

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

John 4.5-42

So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Last Friday was International Women’s Day. And I thought of my grannie. I
spent a lot of time with her as a child, because both my parents worked.
Sometimes she had visitors. While I sat in a corner of her kitchen, pretending
to read a book, women would come and have a cup of tea with her. Then for
a shilling, she would read their tea leaves. This involved swirling the last
dregs of the cup of tea around, tipping the liquid out, leaving the leaves
sticking to the side of the cup.

Grannie would then turn the cup this way and that, peering at the leaves until
gradually she saw a pattern emerge. She would then tell the person whose
cup it was, what the pattern meant for their lives.

She could be very bold. She would say to the women that there was
something troubling them. She might name what it was. You have been
stealing from work. You are being unfaithful to your husband. Then she would
tell them they had got to go away and sort their life out – and if they did they
would be a whole lot better for it. The tea reading session was a cross
between the confessional and therapy.

Afterwards she would take me to the sweet shop to spend the money on
sherbet dabs or coils of black liquorice.

Grannie’s career came to an end when they invented tea bags.
The women were always amazed at how accurate the leaves were in
revealing why they had come, what was bothering them.

So how did grannie do it?

Well, I don’t think there was anything magical about the leaves. The answer
wasn’t the leaves, but grannie. She read the women not the leaves. From the
moment they came into her kitchen, she took in everything about them. Every
word they said, every movement of their hands. The way they stood, the way
they looked at her. What they said and the way they said it.

Above all, she was interested in them. She never pushed her own agenda.
She put herself in their shoes. She felt their emotions. She understood. She
sympathised and wanted the best for them. The very best for them. I would
say she really loved them. She had all the skills of a great pastor.

Now why do I mention all this? Because what I saw in my grannie I see in
Jesus in today’s gospel. Jesus may not be reading tea leaves, but he is
reading the woman at the well.

Scholars who comment on this passage will tell you that what Jesus did was
morally hazardous. Men did not go to wells and meet with women - except for
one dubious purpose. So this was not without reputational risk for both Jesus
and the woman.

And it was unusual. Men did not talk to women in that society. Men would not
believe that women’s lives were remotely interesting or that women had
opinions worth hearing.

Again, Jewish men – and Jesus was a Jew, of course – Jewish men would
not talk to Samaritan men, never mind Samaritan women. And this must be
one of the longest conversations Jesus has with anyone in any of the
gospels. They have a deep conversation about spiritual resources – living
water Jesus calls it – about the relationships between Jews and Samaritans,
about what is true worship, and so on. All of that is unusual.

But to my mind the most interesting thing of all, is what this passage tells us
about Jesus as a pastor. He reads people. He focuses on them. He listens to
what they say.

This is something for us to think about in Lent, when we try to grow a little
more like the Lord. Well, here are clues about how we get better at being
pastors to our fellow Christians, to our families, friends, and neighbours. We
do it by learning to read them, as my grannie learnt to read the women who
came to her kitchen. And I stress learnt. People are not born pastors. Being a
good pastor comes with time and practice. And there is no great secret to it.
We read people by being attentive to them.

How do we know whether we are being attentive? We need to be conscious
of what is going on when we talk to others. Are we doing all the talking and
none of the listening? And if we are listening attentively, are we trying to
figure out what lies behind what is being said to us?

And one final thing. Being a good pastor, a good friend, means not being
afraid of learning the truth about one another. Yet still being supportive. After
all, Jesus, our shepherd, our pastor, knows the truth about us and yet he
loves us, as my grannie loved the women whose leaves she read.

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

Heavenly Father,
in this season of Lent, we come before you aware of our need
of you. Like the woman at the well, we come with our thirst, our
questions, our weariness, and our hope. Meet us where we are,
and give us again that living water which only Christ can give.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for your Church throughout the world.
Renew your people in faith, hope and love.
Where the Church has grown tired or fearful, breathe your Spirit
afresh. Help us to reach across divisions, to welcome those
who feel excluded, and to speak of Christ with honesty, humility
and joy.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the world, with all its conflict, confusion and
suffering. We pray for places where there is war, injustice and
deep mistrust. Grant wisdom to those in positions of power and
responsibility, and a real desire for peace and truth. Teach us
all to be people of reconciliation, remembering that your love
reaches out even to us in our weakness and sin.
At this time we pray particularly for the people of Iran and the
surrounding countries, and pray that wisdom and compassion
can be granted to the leaders of all countries involved to
prevent the region further descending into bloody chaos.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our communities, our neighbours, our friends and
our families. We remember those who feel on the outside;
those who feel forgotten, ashamed, lonely or overlooked. We
pray for all whose lives feel dry, burdened or joyless at the
moment.
May your grace refresh them, and may we be ready to show
your love in practical and generous ways.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who are sick, anxious or struggling, in body,
mind or spirit.
We remember especially those known to us now…
Be close to them in their need. Give strength to those who care
for them, and patience, skill and compassion to all who support
them. Where hope is faint, let your presence be known.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We remember those who have died, and those who mourn
them.
Rest the departed in your peace, and comfort all who grieve.
Hold before us the hope that is ours in Christ,
that nothing can separate us from your love.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

And so, Lord, in these Lenten days, lead us from dryness to
renewal, from fear to trust, and from distance to deeper faith.
We lay before you our burdens this Lent, and in a few moments
of silence we open ourselves to you.
May we, like the woman at the well, be ready to receive your
grace and to share the good news of Christ with others.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

1st March 2026 at 10.30am – The Second Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on March 1, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings.

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

John 3:1-17

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus* by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’* Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.* Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You* must be born from above.”* The wind* blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you* do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.* And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.*

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath.

God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith.

We give you thanks for this day and the many gifts you give to us every day of our lives. May we take time to realise what we have, especially all the beauty that is in the world and to appreciate it with heartfelt gratitude.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for your church throughout the world, giving thanks for all who keep it going, especially those in places where faith in you is opposed or persecuted or derided.
We give thanks for all who give of their time, talents and resources to make St Mary’s, St Mark’s and St John’s the special places they are and we pray for our respective communities that we seek to serve. Especially we pray for all our local businesses, service providers and societies who make our communities what they are.
We pray for everyone including ourselves on our Lenten journey, that it may be a meaningful time drawing us closer to you in both our prayers and in the stuff of everyday life.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our very troubled and turbulent world, for all peoples, communities and nations who face injustice and great distress through war, oppression, disaster or need. As we mark the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, we pray especially for the peoples of both nations who are suffering so greatly and pray that a way to attain a just and lasting peace will soon be found. We pray for all, especially those in positions of leadership and influence who are working for justice and genuine peace in all parts of the world. Lord give them strength, wisdom, courage and humility and look kindly on their efforts.
We give thanks for the truly uplifting and inspiring way in which the Winter Olympic Games have taken place. May this spirit be an encouragement for all involved in similar future events be they local, national or international.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill or unwell at this time. May they be lovingly supported as they navigate the changes and challenges they face as a result of their illness. We pray also for those who will be alongside them that they too will be supported and cared for. By name let us pray for Viv, Nic & Sue. In a few moments of quiet we call to mind anyone known to us who is in particular need of our prayers and let us also bring before God our own needs and concerns.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have died, some recently and some long ago. May they rest in peace and may all who mourn and miss them be comforted and find their own peace.
Especially may we pray for
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ,
Amen

22nd February 2026 at 10.30am – The First Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on February 22, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings.

Romans 5.12-19

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Matthew 4.1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

The Sermon
Prepared by Kath, Reader at St Mary's.

I can hardly believe it but here we are at the start of Lent already; a period when traditionally many Christians decide to abstain from something they like or enjoy, focus more on their prayer life and/ or give more for the benefit of others be that with money or time or in other ways, or perhaps even a combination of all three of these elements. Very unusually, Lent this year coincides with Ramadan so our Muslim friends and neighbours are doing much the same things. Even many non-religious people use Lent as a prompt to give something up either to improve their health or test their willpower. This notion of serious self control brings us very neatly to the theme of our reading from Matthew’s gospel, namely temptation. Always an interesting subject!

The reading is one that many of us will be familiar with but I wonder, when you’re reading it to yourself, what tone of voice do you imagine the devil using in this exchange with Jesus? Is he assertive or commanding, insisting that Jesus answer him or is he quietly sussing him out? Maybe he already knows the answers he’s likely to get and he’s even amusing himself by toying with a starving and exhausted man. Some cruel people do enjoy seeing the suffering of others. I don’t know why but I tend towards this latter interpretation of what he’s doing. “If you are the Son of God” in other words, prove it, let’s see what you’re made of.

The devil’s first test is pretty basic. As we are told in the passage, Jesus has fasted for forty days and nights and he is “famished”. We’re so used to hearing the information quoted in this reading that perhaps it doesn’t have the impact it should. Just think about it for a moment. That’s a very long time to go without food and no doubt Jesus would not be in a good state. And here is the devil saying “If you are the Son of God” you can satisfy your need for food so easily by turning these stones into bread and proving yourself into the bargain. Did he actually wonder if Jesus would be so easily bought? And what would it have said about Jesus if he had done so?

The devil’s second attempt to test Jesus is more serious. He’s trying to get him to test his Father’s love and value for him. Placing him on top of the highest point of the temple he’s saying “If you are the Son of God” he won’t let you get even slightly hurt if you throw yourself off and that will really prove that you are who you say you are. Again try to imagine the scene. I don’t know how you are with heights but I’d be absolutely terrified. But Jesus simply answers him “It is written, Do not put the Lord your God to the test”. Whatever our circumstances, that is something we all have to bear in mind. We shouldn’t expect God to jump through hoops to satisfy our need for certainty.

The Devil’s third attempt is perhaps more subtle. He takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows him “all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour” and says he will give them all to him if he will fall down and worship him. This sounds very much like an appeal to human desires for wealth, status and power.

Any of these tests or offers could tempt most human beings but Jesus isn’t just a human being. Even so, he chooses to trust in His Father as to who and what he is and chooses not to give in to the temptation in order to demonstrably prove it to himself or to anyone else. How does Jesus feel after the encounter is over? Is the human part of him relieved that he passed the test? When the devil is sent away I wonder, is he angry, put out, frustrated, or is he intrigued? “Who is this I’m dealing with?”

As human beings we often have to deal with temptation and there’s an awful lot of it around in our world these days. Depending on our circumstances at any given time it can be easier or harder to resist, even when we know we should. From food that isn’t good for us to situations that are morally questionable or even legally perilous we need to be aware of what we are doing and the possible consequences of giving in to temptation. The devil doesn’t always show up in an easily recognisable form. People can be compromised by accepting seemingly inocuous gifts or favours that are later used to manipulate them, gradually drawing them into doing things they would not under normal circumstances have chosen to do. They can find themselves hooked on whatever they are receiving or trapped by a desire to not be found out. I’m sure we all know how the tentacles of corruption work.

In the news for some time now we have been seeing a lot of chickens coming home to roost, so to speak. Some people who, knowingly or unwittingly were tempted by their desire for luxuries, wealth, drugs, improper relationships, status, power and influence without questioning or caring where these things came from, are now having their, careers, reputations and lives wrecked and bringing others down with them. Some of them probably assumed that they would never be held accountable for their deeds because of who and what they are. Others will be deeply regretting ever meeting those who lured them into the mess they now find themselves in. Was it worth the very high price they are now paying? Did they ever stop to think or care about those who have suffered because of their choices? Do they take responsibility for their actions or do they put all the blame on others?

The people we are seeing in the news may seem very far removed from the lives we lead. We don’t move in the kind of circles that they do so we may feel safe from what is happening to them. But none of us are immune from temptation, even Jesus. The passage in Matthew’s gospel specifically states that the Spirit took him into the wilderness to be tempted. So we can know that our struggles to deal with temptation are understood. From his responses to the temptations set before him Jesus shows us how to see them for what they really are and how we can lean on our beliefs and God given values and stand strong when it matters.

At first I thought this was pretty much where my sermon would end. I’d put my iPad away thinking, well that’s the first draft written, bar a little fine tuning. But later I couldn’t help feeling that it was a bit of a somber and downbeat place to end. More was needed. I couldn’t help thinking it would be nice to be able to preach a sermon that was all sunshine and roses and uplifting but sadly that wouldn’t be a very honest reflection of how life is for many people throughout the world at the moment. Then I listened to someone talking about the Revd. Jesse Jackson who had just died. I think we would all agree that he was a very great and inspiring man. But he was nearly always dealing with incredibly difficult situations, some of which seemed intractable and hopeless for many years. What was so impressive about him was that in spite of all the difficulties and setbacks and prejudice he faced, he never gave up. He kept on working and trying to make the world a better place for everyone. The world he left is far from perfect and there is still a lot to do to put it mildly, but he achieved a huge amount that so many of us have benefited from. When he spoke to his congregations and audiences, Jesse Jackson didn’t sugarcoat anything and I got the impression they appreciated his honesty and still felt hopeful of better times.

This got me wondering where the hope is in the corruption and abuse situations I described earlier. Then I realised that hope is indeed there. It is in the victims who have bravely spoken up and refused to be silenced. Their courage has in turn given others the courage to speak out. At long last they are beginning to be listened to and taken seriously. Hope is in the people who thought they were untouchable, starting to be held to account. Those in positions of power can no longer turn a blind eye. Hope is in the populations who have been oppressed for decades, starting to fight back and their oppressors are getting scared.

Hopefully temptation to make the wrong choices or take the wrong paths will be a lot less appealing from now on, for all of us, and when we do fall short and mess up, as we inevitably will, may we have the courage and humility to say sorry and seek opportunities for redemption.

Amen.

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

Author: St Mary's

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