The Tew Benefice

Duties

Sacristan John Mitchinson ; Reader Rachael Mitchinson; Intercessions Rosie Rowe; Sidesperson Christian James; Offertory  R Mitchinon; Chalice Christian James; Coffee – Georgie Harris

HYMNS

351 Come ye faithful raise the anthem,

107 Good Christian men, rejoice and sing VULPIUS

Offertory: (on sheet) Christ triumphant ever reigning GUITING POWER

295 Let all mortal flesh keep silence

271 Alleluia, sing to Jesus

Collect

Almighty Father,

who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples

with the sight of the risen Lord:

give us such knowledge of his presence with us,

that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life

and serve you continually in righteousness and truth;

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.

Post Communion

Living God,

your Son made himself known to his disciples

in the breaking of bread:

open the eyes of our faith,

that we may see him in all his redeeming work;

who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

This passage ends the first recorded sermon. We see not only the effect of Peter’s preaching but we are given an insight into how the early church began its mission. There is a demand by Peter for a change of mind and heart, and an individual and public acknowledgement of that change. And there is also a promise of the same experience of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as had been given to the apostles. We also see the early church using the rite of baptism as a sign of God’s forgiveness and a welcoming into this new community.

Epistle Acts: 14a; 36-41
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Alleluia Alleluia, The Lord is risen indeed and made known in the breaking of the bread Alleluia

In this beautifully told story, unique to this gospel, St Luke skilfully unfolds the drama in this small and very homely story. Two friends in the throes of a terrible loss: they had pinned all their hopes on someone and it had all gone horribly wrong. How poignant is the ‘we had hoped’… As in last week’s gospel reading, St. Luke also touches on the mystery of a Christ who is unmistakably Himself but in some way different, no longer subject to the laws of time and space.

Gospel Luke 24: 13-35
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.