Sundau 10th January The Baptism of Christ
You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
Mark 1. 4-11
The Gathering
The Greeting
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
your name is proclaimed in all the world.
The Lord of glory be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Hymn: Crown Him with many Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMh_ept-Js
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria in Excelsis
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The 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.
The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
Genesis 1. 1-5
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Acts 19.1-7
And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "Into what then were you baptised?" They said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptised with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Alleluia, alleluia.
This is my Son, the Beloved,
with whom I am well pleased. Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
Glory to you, O Lord.
Mark 1 4-11
John appeared, baptising in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit." In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon by The Ven. Steve Wilcokson
The Festival of the Baptism of Christ
Acts 19:1-7 – Paul shows that Baptism into Christ is meant to release the Holy Spirit
Mark 1:4-11 – John the Baptist predicts that Jesus’ Baptism will unleash the Spirit’s power
Some years ago, I was delayed for ages at an Airport on a journey home from the States. This gave me time to look at virtually every book in the numerous bookstands at the terminal. I noticed how many books were self-help manuals. These were and still are very popular in a culture that promises that you can achieve wealth, happiness or success by some simple steps. I noticed that a lot of the titles contained the word “Unlock.”
Etc.
The idea is that there is often something inside us holding back the floodgates of possibility that keep us from realising our dreams.
I thought about how we as the Church often fail to realise our true calling as the Body of Christ. Something seems to hold us back. Or, as we often put it in the Anglican Church, “We don’t live out our Baptism.” How can we unlock this potential?
John the Baptist and Jesus
John was sent ahead of Jesus’ public ministry to make things ready by creating an expectation of God’s Kingdom about to break in, and the Messiah about to step forward. As John said, “I baptise you with water but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Mark 1:8). The coming of God’s Kingdom, the arrival of the Messiah and the outpouring of the Spirit were all associated together in Jewish hope of the New Age: A great Day will dawn when God rules, the Messiah leads and the Spirit empowers.
When Jesus stepped forward at the Jordan riverside, John recognised him, and hailed him as the Coming one, “the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (Mark 1:7)
As soon as Jesus was baptised, Jesus stepped out of the shadows into the limelight of publicity, with inspirational teaching and extraordinary signs and wonders. In modern parlance, at his Baptism, Jesus “put himself out there.” And he received an anointing from God’s Spirit who unlocked the power of God to flow through him. People had to take notice. Lives were changed. Jesus would live in the shadows of obscurity no longer. There would be no going back, and today he still reigns in glory as our risen Saviour. And he still pours out the Holy Spirit on all who are baptised and believe in his name.
Baptism and the Spirit
From the Day of Pentecost onwards, when all the believers were filled with power as Jesus had promised, the Spirit’s empowering became ours too, as part of our Baptism into Christ. The Church was born. The Gospel spread. Lives were changed. Fellowships multiplied.
Whenever the Church has been revived, the same pattern has occurred: The Holy Spirit leads the way and empowers the Church to proclaim the Good News. This is not “eccentric” or “extreme”, but “normal” Christianity. To have God’s love, grace and power unlocked in our lives and in our churches is not “weird” or “whacky”, but integral to our Baptism.
When Paul arrived in Ephesus in Acts 19, he came across some small groups of people who had heard about the life and works of Jesus, and had begun to follow him. But they hadn’t yet heard about the Holy Spirit. In fact, they said that they had received “John’s Baptism.” (Acts 19:1-3). Paul explained to them that John’s baptism was valid as a sign of repentance and readiness for the coming of the Christ, but did not usher in the new life of the Kingdom. The result was that, despite their sincerity, they were still spiritually disabled. (Acts 19:4)
In fact, Paul said that this matter was so important that they needed to be baptized all over again, this time not into John’s Baptism of Repentance but into Christ’s Baptism of New Birth and New Life. They were eager to receive the “real thing”, and immediately agreed to be baptized into the name of Jesus Christ. The change was instantaneous, miraculous and dramatic. (Acts 19:5-7)
What About Us?
When we don’t seek the daily renewing and empowering of God in our lives, we soon settle into sedate mediocrity. Our lives and our Churches begin to look more as if they are under John’s Baptism of Repentance than under Jesus’ Baptism of Release.
My wife and I have been chucking out or giving away things we won’t be taking with us when we move. On Wednesday this week, we went through the kitchen cupboards. I looked at the “use-by” dates on the labels of the many containers on the herb and spice racks. Because we don’t use them the whole time, some of them had run over their use-by dates, and sat there, growing stale. They still had the same colour, but now their flavour, tang and vigour had faded. They looked OK, but they were never going to spice up a meal again. They had become almost tasteless.
We too need to keep refreshing and updating in our life in the Spirit, as we seek to be the Baptised Body of Christ, the Spirit-filled Family of God. We don’t need to be re-baptised like those Ephesian followers of John the Baptist, but we do need to be daily refreshed by God’s Holy Spirit. When we eagerly seek his presence and empowering, something happens that changes us and makes us effective as we proclaim the Gospel to this generation.
Being baptised into Christ becomes a living reality that defines our lives, not just a historic event years ago when perhaps were young children or infants. We need to live out our Baptism, but you don’t have to go through the ritual again.
My lovely wife Heather was Christened as a teenager in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Baptised by full immersion as a teenager in a Pentecostal Church, and Confirmed as an adult in the Church of England. I tell her that she has just been hedging her bets!
It’s not the way the ritual was performed, or our age when it was administered. It’s the reality of living out our baptism in the power of the Holy Spirit that is going to make a difference to us.
And Next…
Your Churchwardens have told me where your PCC has got up to in preparing a Parish Statement for a process leading, we hope, to the appointment of a Vicar. I have been encouraged by their determination to be aspirational. I encourage each of you to be aspirational with them. Put your energy and prayer into this, as you seek the person of God’s choice to lead you forward. By “aspirational”, I mean “Setting your sights high, expecting God to lead you to an inspiring leader who will take you and your parish to new and greater possibilities.”
As Jesus came out of the River Jordan, his public ministry lay ahead of him. He felt new power welling up from the Holy Spirit. He fasted, reflected and prayed in the Wilderness for 40 days. He fought off Satan’s temptations to settle for second best. He set out in his mind a clear vision of being the Messiah (Mark 1:12). It would be a herculean task, but he relied on the call and favour of God: “You are my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10-11)
As you enter 2021, new possibilities lie open before you too, as they did for him. As you pray and reflect on what it means to be aspirational in God’s work, may I suggest some simple questions for you to ask, and bring to God in prayer:
Hymn: When Jesus came to Jordan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJEMg_fpB6U
Intercessions
Loving Father, as we approach a New year that looks very different from normal, we thank you, that while we may not be able to meet in your house, we know that you are always with us where ever we are. Where there is weariness, would you bring your rest; where there is hopelessness, would you bring fresh encouragement; where there is despair, would you bring hope.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, we give thanks for this new day and as we gather this morning our separate homes, help us to focus on the Baptism of our Lord, let us remember our own Baptisms and our calling to be Christians. May we be filled with such joy as we believe in you that our hearts overflow with love for you and for all who we meet along our journey and help us to understand the mystery of the baptism of your Son. May we walk in your way, live our life for you and be mindful of your presence day by day.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Creator God, we remember all countries where there is war or conflict and pray that you will look mercifully upon the sufferings of the people involved.
We pray for our Queen and especially our Government in these difficult days, and the leaders in the rest of the world. Sharpen their consciences and give them the courage to make wise decisions, making wrongs right and meeting the needs of all who suffer especially as the Pandemic continues worldwide.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Compassionate God, we pray for the community of Dinnington, that we may bear witness of your never ending love for those who have yet to know you, we remember our Bishops Pete and Sophie give them wisdom for these trouble times.
We pray that you will prepare the heart, of the person you have chosen for St Leonard’s, that they might lead us in our service.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Father God, we pray today for our friends, our families and our Christian community, that united by our common baptism we may always welcome the newcomer, the stranger and all who are vulnerable.
We also remember today all involved in education as they struggle to meet the needs of their students, praying that their efforts will be justly rewarded and that the students will achieve their full potential.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Loving God we pray for those who face difficulties in their personal lives. We raise before you all who are sick, the bereaved, those with problems in their families, in their relationships, in their neighbourhoods or in their workplace. Give them a patient faith in their troubles and the knowledge that you share their sufferings with them.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Mighty God, Lord of unending being, we pray for those whose earthly lives have ended. We remember those whose anniversary of their passing falls at this time and for the souls of all who have passed away recently. We give thanks for lives well-lived and for happy memories. May they find rest in the eternal joy of heaven and let all who mourn their passing find comfort and peace.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Faithful God, we thank you for making us your children, for feeding us with the spiritual food which satisfies our longings and for the promise that you listen to our supplications and answer our requests.
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism
God in Christ gives us water welling up for eternal life.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Lord, give us this water and we shall thirst no more.
Praise God who made heaven and earth,
Who keeps his promise for ever.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Father, we give you thanks and praise
for your gift of water in creation;
for your Spirit, sweeping over the waters,
bringing light and life;
for your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
baptised in the river Jordan.
We bless you for your new creation,
brought to birth by water and the Spirit,
and for your grace bestowed upon us your children,
washing away our sins.
May your holy and life-giving Spirit
move upon these waters.
Restore through them the beauty of your creation,
and bring those who are baptised
to new birth in the family of your Church.
Drown sin in the waters of judgement,
anoint your children with power from on high,
and make them one with Christ
in the freedom of your kingdom.
For all might, majesty, dominion and power are yours,
now and for ever. Alleluia. Amen.
God of truth,
you are faithful to the covenant you have made with us;
look in mercy on your people.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
We have broken the pledges of our baptism,
and failed to be your disciples.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Though we are saved by Christ
and dead to sin through the deep waters of death,
we have not witnessed to his grace by our manner of life.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
We have shown indifference to those in need
and have been afraid to stand up for justice and truth.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
We have been slow to forgive, and have failed to remember
your repeated forgiveness of our sins.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Today we rejoice and give thanks
because your Son humbled himself to be baptised in the Jordan.
Through the waters you have given us the mystery of baptism
for the remission of our sins.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Through water and Spirit
you give us new life as the people of God,
and pour out upon us the gifts of your new covenant.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Almighty God,
in our baptism you have consecrated us
to be temples of your Holy Spirit.
May we, whom you have counted worthy,
nurture your indwelling Spirit with a lively faith,
and worship you with upright lives;
through Jesus Christ. Amen.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: Spirit of our Living God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2t3TfhoNE8
The Peace
God has made us one in Christ.
He has set his seal upon us and,
as a pledge of what is to come,
has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Alleluia.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
All may exchange a sign of peace.
The Dismissal
We have come to Christ, the living water.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Hymn: Be Thou My Vision - Celtic worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiukM6WHQEQ
Keep well, stay safe and God Bless
Mark 1. 4-11
The Gathering
The Greeting
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
your name is proclaimed in all the world.
The Lord of glory be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Hymn: Crown Him with many Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMh_ept-Js
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria in Excelsis
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The 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.
The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
Genesis 1. 1-5
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Acts 19.1-7
And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "Into what then were you baptised?" They said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptised with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Alleluia, alleluia.
This is my Son, the Beloved,
with whom I am well pleased. Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
Glory to you, O Lord.
Mark 1 4-11
John appeared, baptising in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit." In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon by The Ven. Steve Wilcokson
The Festival of the Baptism of Christ
Acts 19:1-7 – Paul shows that Baptism into Christ is meant to release the Holy Spirit
Mark 1:4-11 – John the Baptist predicts that Jesus’ Baptism will unleash the Spirit’s power
Some years ago, I was delayed for ages at an Airport on a journey home from the States. This gave me time to look at virtually every book in the numerous bookstands at the terminal. I noticed how many books were self-help manuals. These were and still are very popular in a culture that promises that you can achieve wealth, happiness or success by some simple steps. I noticed that a lot of the titles contained the word “Unlock.”
- Unlocking your true self
- Unlocking your hidden possibilities
- Unlocking your great potential
Etc.
The idea is that there is often something inside us holding back the floodgates of possibility that keep us from realising our dreams.
I thought about how we as the Church often fail to realise our true calling as the Body of Christ. Something seems to hold us back. Or, as we often put it in the Anglican Church, “We don’t live out our Baptism.” How can we unlock this potential?
John the Baptist and Jesus
John was sent ahead of Jesus’ public ministry to make things ready by creating an expectation of God’s Kingdom about to break in, and the Messiah about to step forward. As John said, “I baptise you with water but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Mark 1:8). The coming of God’s Kingdom, the arrival of the Messiah and the outpouring of the Spirit were all associated together in Jewish hope of the New Age: A great Day will dawn when God rules, the Messiah leads and the Spirit empowers.
- What’s not to like?!
When Jesus stepped forward at the Jordan riverside, John recognised him, and hailed him as the Coming one, “the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (Mark 1:7)
As soon as Jesus was baptised, Jesus stepped out of the shadows into the limelight of publicity, with inspirational teaching and extraordinary signs and wonders. In modern parlance, at his Baptism, Jesus “put himself out there.” And he received an anointing from God’s Spirit who unlocked the power of God to flow through him. People had to take notice. Lives were changed. Jesus would live in the shadows of obscurity no longer. There would be no going back, and today he still reigns in glory as our risen Saviour. And he still pours out the Holy Spirit on all who are baptised and believe in his name.
Baptism and the Spirit
From the Day of Pentecost onwards, when all the believers were filled with power as Jesus had promised, the Spirit’s empowering became ours too, as part of our Baptism into Christ. The Church was born. The Gospel spread. Lives were changed. Fellowships multiplied.
Whenever the Church has been revived, the same pattern has occurred: The Holy Spirit leads the way and empowers the Church to proclaim the Good News. This is not “eccentric” or “extreme”, but “normal” Christianity. To have God’s love, grace and power unlocked in our lives and in our churches is not “weird” or “whacky”, but integral to our Baptism.
When Paul arrived in Ephesus in Acts 19, he came across some small groups of people who had heard about the life and works of Jesus, and had begun to follow him. But they hadn’t yet heard about the Holy Spirit. In fact, they said that they had received “John’s Baptism.” (Acts 19:1-3). Paul explained to them that John’s baptism was valid as a sign of repentance and readiness for the coming of the Christ, but did not usher in the new life of the Kingdom. The result was that, despite their sincerity, they were still spiritually disabled. (Acts 19:4)
In fact, Paul said that this matter was so important that they needed to be baptized all over again, this time not into John’s Baptism of Repentance but into Christ’s Baptism of New Birth and New Life. They were eager to receive the “real thing”, and immediately agreed to be baptized into the name of Jesus Christ. The change was instantaneous, miraculous and dramatic. (Acts 19:5-7)
What About Us?
When we don’t seek the daily renewing and empowering of God in our lives, we soon settle into sedate mediocrity. Our lives and our Churches begin to look more as if they are under John’s Baptism of Repentance than under Jesus’ Baptism of Release.
My wife and I have been chucking out or giving away things we won’t be taking with us when we move. On Wednesday this week, we went through the kitchen cupboards. I looked at the “use-by” dates on the labels of the many containers on the herb and spice racks. Because we don’t use them the whole time, some of them had run over their use-by dates, and sat there, growing stale. They still had the same colour, but now their flavour, tang and vigour had faded. They looked OK, but they were never going to spice up a meal again. They had become almost tasteless.
We too need to keep refreshing and updating in our life in the Spirit, as we seek to be the Baptised Body of Christ, the Spirit-filled Family of God. We don’t need to be re-baptised like those Ephesian followers of John the Baptist, but we do need to be daily refreshed by God’s Holy Spirit. When we eagerly seek his presence and empowering, something happens that changes us and makes us effective as we proclaim the Gospel to this generation.
Being baptised into Christ becomes a living reality that defines our lives, not just a historic event years ago when perhaps were young children or infants. We need to live out our Baptism, but you don’t have to go through the ritual again.
My lovely wife Heather was Christened as a teenager in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Baptised by full immersion as a teenager in a Pentecostal Church, and Confirmed as an adult in the Church of England. I tell her that she has just been hedging her bets!
It’s not the way the ritual was performed, or our age when it was administered. It’s the reality of living out our baptism in the power of the Holy Spirit that is going to make a difference to us.
And Next…
Your Churchwardens have told me where your PCC has got up to in preparing a Parish Statement for a process leading, we hope, to the appointment of a Vicar. I have been encouraged by their determination to be aspirational. I encourage each of you to be aspirational with them. Put your energy and prayer into this, as you seek the person of God’s choice to lead you forward. By “aspirational”, I mean “Setting your sights high, expecting God to lead you to an inspiring leader who will take you and your parish to new and greater possibilities.”
As Jesus came out of the River Jordan, his public ministry lay ahead of him. He felt new power welling up from the Holy Spirit. He fasted, reflected and prayed in the Wilderness for 40 days. He fought off Satan’s temptations to settle for second best. He set out in his mind a clear vision of being the Messiah (Mark 1:12). It would be a herculean task, but he relied on the call and favour of God: “You are my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10-11)
As you enter 2021, new possibilities lie open before you too, as they did for him. As you pray and reflect on what it means to be aspirational in God’s work, may I suggest some simple questions for you to ask, and bring to God in prayer:
- If things went really, really well, what could the parish look like in 3-4 years’ time?
- What existing things might we be doing differently or what new things might we try?
- Are there any opportunities God is already giving us that we are not yet taking?
- How can each of us support a new vicar and not expect her/him to do everything?
- What might we pray for the Holy Spirit to unlock in our lives and parish?
- How can we, like Jesus, live daily in the favour of God the Father?
Hymn: When Jesus came to Jordan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJEMg_fpB6U
Intercessions
Loving Father, as we approach a New year that looks very different from normal, we thank you, that while we may not be able to meet in your house, we know that you are always with us where ever we are. Where there is weariness, would you bring your rest; where there is hopelessness, would you bring fresh encouragement; where there is despair, would you bring hope.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, we give thanks for this new day and as we gather this morning our separate homes, help us to focus on the Baptism of our Lord, let us remember our own Baptisms and our calling to be Christians. May we be filled with such joy as we believe in you that our hearts overflow with love for you and for all who we meet along our journey and help us to understand the mystery of the baptism of your Son. May we walk in your way, live our life for you and be mindful of your presence day by day.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Creator God, we remember all countries where there is war or conflict and pray that you will look mercifully upon the sufferings of the people involved.
We pray for our Queen and especially our Government in these difficult days, and the leaders in the rest of the world. Sharpen their consciences and give them the courage to make wise decisions, making wrongs right and meeting the needs of all who suffer especially as the Pandemic continues worldwide.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Compassionate God, we pray for the community of Dinnington, that we may bear witness of your never ending love for those who have yet to know you, we remember our Bishops Pete and Sophie give them wisdom for these trouble times.
We pray that you will prepare the heart, of the person you have chosen for St Leonard’s, that they might lead us in our service.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Father God, we pray today for our friends, our families and our Christian community, that united by our common baptism we may always welcome the newcomer, the stranger and all who are vulnerable.
We also remember today all involved in education as they struggle to meet the needs of their students, praying that their efforts will be justly rewarded and that the students will achieve their full potential.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Loving God we pray for those who face difficulties in their personal lives. We raise before you all who are sick, the bereaved, those with problems in their families, in their relationships, in their neighbourhoods or in their workplace. Give them a patient faith in their troubles and the knowledge that you share their sufferings with them.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Mighty God, Lord of unending being, we pray for those whose earthly lives have ended. We remember those whose anniversary of their passing falls at this time and for the souls of all who have passed away recently. We give thanks for lives well-lived and for happy memories. May they find rest in the eternal joy of heaven and let all who mourn their passing find comfort and peace.
(Short Silence)
Lord; in your mercy hear our prayer.
Faithful God, we thank you for making us your children, for feeding us with the spiritual food which satisfies our longings and for the promise that you listen to our supplications and answer our requests.
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism
God in Christ gives us water welling up for eternal life.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Lord, give us this water and we shall thirst no more.
Praise God who made heaven and earth,
Who keeps his promise for ever.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Father, we give you thanks and praise
for your gift of water in creation;
for your Spirit, sweeping over the waters,
bringing light and life;
for your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
baptised in the river Jordan.
We bless you for your new creation,
brought to birth by water and the Spirit,
and for your grace bestowed upon us your children,
washing away our sins.
May your holy and life-giving Spirit
move upon these waters.
Restore through them the beauty of your creation,
and bring those who are baptised
to new birth in the family of your Church.
Drown sin in the waters of judgement,
anoint your children with power from on high,
and make them one with Christ
in the freedom of your kingdom.
For all might, majesty, dominion and power are yours,
now and for ever. Alleluia. Amen.
God of truth,
you are faithful to the covenant you have made with us;
look in mercy on your people.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
We have broken the pledges of our baptism,
and failed to be your disciples.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Though we are saved by Christ
and dead to sin through the deep waters of death,
we have not witnessed to his grace by our manner of life.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
We have shown indifference to those in need
and have been afraid to stand up for justice and truth.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
We have been slow to forgive, and have failed to remember
your repeated forgiveness of our sins.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Today we rejoice and give thanks
because your Son humbled himself to be baptised in the Jordan.
Through the waters you have given us the mystery of baptism
for the remission of our sins.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Through water and Spirit
you give us new life as the people of God,
and pour out upon us the gifts of your new covenant.
From all our sins, O Lord:
wash us, and we shall be clean.
Almighty God,
in our baptism you have consecrated us
to be temples of your Holy Spirit.
May we, whom you have counted worthy,
nurture your indwelling Spirit with a lively faith,
and worship you with upright lives;
through Jesus Christ. Amen.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: Spirit of our Living God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2t3TfhoNE8
The Peace
God has made us one in Christ.
He has set his seal upon us and,
as a pledge of what is to come,
has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Alleluia.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
All may exchange a sign of peace.
The Dismissal
We have come to Christ, the living water.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Hymn: Be Thou My Vision - Celtic worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiukM6WHQEQ
Keep well, stay safe and God Bless
