The Tew Benefice

Hymns

293 Lead us heavenly Father lead us

466 Teach me, my God and King

115 Eternal ruler of the ceaseless round

309 Lord enthroned in heavenly splendour ST HELEN

 Collect

O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee

such good things as pass our understanding:

pour into our hearts such love toward thee

that we, loving thee in all things and above all things,

may obtain thy promises

which exceed all that we can desire;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion
O God of our pilgrimage,
who hast led us to the living water:
refresh and sustain us
as we go forward on our journey,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Epistle
Isaiah 55: 9-13
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Alleluia, Alleluia. Blest are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Alleluia

In this chapter Jesus makes full use of His characteristic teaching method – parables. These simple stories – vivid word pictures – enabled His listeners to discern truths meaningful to their lives. This story has a double purpose; one not only aimed at the hearer of God’s message but also to those who preach it. It is an encouraging lesson for, although we cannot necessarily know where the seed is sown – or a particular outcome, Jesus points out that a good harvest will come to pass.
THE GOSPEL
Matthew 13: 1-9; 18-23
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

For your Prayers:

Ryan Walker, Victoria Gibbens, Tim Mayne, Robert Mayne, Stewart Douglas