Lectionary 22/02/2026
- First Sunday of/in Lent-Year A
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The cry of the poor should bring grief to the people
by Andrew Pratt
The cry of the poor should bring grief to the people, yet balm is not found, there is mourning instead. The harvest is past and the summer is ended, the winter is coming, dread raises its head. Verses 2-3 follow Metre: 12 11 12 11 Tune: STREETS OF LAREDO Andrew Pratt (born 1948…
A moment of wonder, amazement and grandeur
A moment of wonder, amazement and grandeur
by Andrew Pratt
A moment of wonder, amazement and grandeur, a time when God's glory shines clear through our lives, God's grace is beyond us, yet lives in each heartbeat, the source of creation from which peace derives. The eyes of our hearts are enlightened with splendour, inherited glory, the …
Lent for Everyone Year A - Sunday: Week 1 in Lent Year A
Lent for Everyone Year A - Sunday: Week 1 in Lent Year A
by SPCK - N T Wright
WEEK 1: SUNDAY Psalm 32 A long time ago, when I had just learnt to drive, I ran out of petrol on a lonely country road. I gratefully accepted some fuel from a nearby farmer. What he didn’t tell me was that it was a mixture designed not for a car, but for a lawn mower. I got back …
The Joy Of God's Word
The Joy Of God's Word
by Norman J Goreham (1931-2021)
This hymn is based on the prayer of the Venerable Bede (673-735), teacher of the faith and translator of the Scriptures: “I pray you, good Jesus, that, as you have given me the grace to drink in with joy the word that gives knowledge of you, so, in your goodness, you will grant m…
Twelve Months of Sundays Year B - The Third Sunday before Advent Year B
Twelve Months of Sundays Year B - The Third Sunday before Advent Year B
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Third Sunday Before Advent Jonah 3.1-5, 10 Hebrews 9.24-28 Mark 1.14-20 ‘Once, only once, and once for all.’ The hymn that starts thus withdraws with the left hand some of what it gives with the right, hinting that Christ’s unique sacrifice is still somehow present in the e…
Hymn: Rejoice! Rejoice! Again I say rejoice!
Hymn: Rejoice! Rejoice! Again I say rejoice!
by Andrew Pratt
Rejoice! Rejoice! Again I say rejoice! Our God is near, it's time to make our choice, in gentleness and purposeful in grace, to share God's love in every time and place. Rejoice! Rejoice! Again I say rejoice! Put fear aside, let prayer inspire each voice. This is the gift that ea…
Jesus' open love would lead him
Jesus' open love would lead him
by Andrew Pratt
Jesus' open love would lead him into conflict with the law. People then, and now, believing, they know wrong, of this they're sure. Such aggressive condemnation: not the way we should behave, we have rules and regulations plotting how our God can save. Verses 3-5 follow Tune: SAI…
Lectionary Reflections Year A - Proper 21 Year A
Lectionary Reflections Year A - Proper 21 Year A
by SPCK - Jane Williams
Lectionary reflections - Year A Ordinary Time Proper 21 Ezekiel 18.1–4, 25–32 Philippians 2.1–13 Matthew 21.23–32 ‘Don’t forget the bring-and-buy sale next week; the ladies’ group will meet on Thursday to continue their excellent work on the worn-out hassocks; and by the way, don…
Poem: What the Devil …?
Poem: What the Devil …?
by Marjorie Dobson
Poem: What the Devil …? The Devil tempting Jesus in the desert didn’t wear a red body stocking and a cloak, or carry a pitchfork, or have a black beard and fierce eyes, and there was certainly no tail to be seen. That would have given the game away far too easily. No, The Devil t…
Twelve Months of Sundays Year B - Proper 7 Year B
Twelve Months of Sundays Year B - Proper 7 Year B
by SPCK - N T Wright
Proper 7 1 Samuel 17.[1a, 4-11, 19-23] 32-49 2 Corinthians 6.1-13 Mark 4.35-41 Right from the start in Mark, Jesus is up against it. Tempted by Satan in the wilderness; shrieked at by benighted souls in the synagogue; criticized by the self-appointed religious experts. Now the se…
Path of peace
Path of peace
by Doug Burke
River Rothay, Ambleside, Lake District TIP- PowerPoint Slide Size- The ideal way to insert into PowerPoint is:- Reduce the image size to 1024x768 pixels using your image editing software. (Will reduce image proportionally) Insert as Picture in the normal way. If needed fill the s…
Meditation - Trinity Sunday Year C
Meditation - Trinity Sunday Year C
by David Middleton
Meditation – Trinity Sunday Time Year C Tomorrow John 16: 12-15 Why? Why go to such lengths to fill us in, Father God? As I look back over the history of your relationship with us I am staggered at the lengths you’ve done to keep us informed. You are God, accountable to no one, f…
Things we thought were firm foundations
Things we thought were firm foundations
by Andrew Pratt
Things we thought were firm foundations, words in which we put our trust, buildings where we offered worship, all these things may turn to dust. Here when wars and devastation seem to damn all future hope, we must find new ways of loving, means to broaden human scope. Verses 2-3 …
Mark for Everyone - The Preaching of John the Baptist
Mark for Everyone - The Preaching of John the Baptist
by SPCK - N T Wright
Mark For Everyone MARK 1.1–8 The Preaching of John the Baptist... ...You are sound asleep and dreaming, when suddenly the door bursts open and a bright light shines full in your face. A voice, breaking in on your dream-world, shouts, ‘Wake up! Get up! You’ll be late!’ And without…
God's Wondrous Love (Orchardknowes)
God's Wondrous Love (Orchardknowes)
by Norman J Goreham (1931-2021)
This hymn is based on words of St. Hippolytus of Rome (c170-c236): "This tree, wide as the heavens itself, has grown up into heaven from the earth. It is an immortal growth and towers between heaven and earth. It is the fulcrum of all things...the centre of the cosmos." Here the …
We wait in hope for hope to come
We wait in hope for hope to come
by Gareth Hill Publishing/Song Solutions CopyCare
Hymn – We wait in hope for hope to come We wait in hope for hope to come: promised of old; the righteous one. Help us to watch, expect and pray and then to greet Messiah's day. We read the story of your plan: this world redeemed by heaven's Son... (c) Gareth Hill Publishing/Song …
Monologue/Drama: The crafty manager
Monologue/Drama: The crafty manager
by Marjorie Dobson
Monologue/Drama: The crafty manager He was a crafty devil, that manager of mine – and devil was the right word for him. He’d been fiddling his expenses for years and the only reason he got away with it was that I wasn’t involving myself in the management side of the business as m…
Reflection/poem: Challenge
Reflection/poem: Challenge
by Marjorie Dobson
Reflection/poem: Challenge ‘You don’t need to do that! Why do you put yourself through it? It’s totally unnecessary!’ Wise advice? Maybe – in some circumstances. Self-inflicted suffering doesn’t seem to make sense in the everyday world. But there are times when we have to face th…
This Is For You (Avon Ohio)
This Is For You (Avon Ohio)
by Norman J Goreham (1931-2021)
This hymn is suitable for use at any Communion service but particularly on Maundy Thursday. It is dedicated to the United Methodist Church congregation at Avon, Ohio, USA, from which the inspiration for it arose at a Maundy Thursday service. Here it is, now paired with the tune A…
When ever disaster brings death and destruction
When ever disaster brings death and destruction
by Andrew Pratt
When ever disaster brings death and destruction, when people are suff'ring and questions arise, we should not assume some divine retribution condemning the people that we might despise. God's judgement is subtle, each person is counted, each one is significant, folded in grace. G…
Acts for Everyone part 1 - Stephen Tells the Story
Acts for Everyone part 1 - Stephen Tells the Story
by SPCK - N T Wright
Stephen Tells the Story Acts 7.1-16 One of the most obvious differences between cricket and baseball is the way the ball is projected towards the person who is trying to hit it. As most people will know, the person who ‘pitches’ in baseball stands on a single spot, where he (or s…
John for Everyone Part 1 - The Word Made Flesh
John for Everyone Part 1 - The Word Made Flesh
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Word Made Flesh John 1.1-18 ‘It’s on the right just beyond the end of the village,’ my friend had said. ‘You’ll see where to turn – it’s got the name on the gate.’ It sounded straightforward. Here was the village. I drove slowly past the pretty cottages, the small shops and t…
Hebrews for Everyone - From Mount Sinai to Mount Sion
Hebrews for Everyone - From Mount Sinai to Mount Sion
by SPCK - N T Wright
From Mount Sinai to Mount Sion Hebrews 12.18-24 ‘The year we moved to London we gave each of the children a map of the city and a small guide to the main attractions. Predictably, each of them became excited over different things which the city had to offer. One was noting the ma…
Jesus died for our sins
Jesus died for our sins
by Don Stott
Dark trees with "Jesus died for our sins" TIP- PowerPoint Slide Size- The ideal way to insert into PowerPoint is:- Reduce the image size to 1024x768 pixels using your image editing software. (Will reduce image proportionally) Insert as Picture in the normal way. If needed fill th…
Jesus suffered
Jesus suffered
by Don Stott
TIP- PowerPoint Slide Size- The ideal way to insert into PowerPoint is:- • Reduce the image size to 1024x768 pixels using your image editing software. (Will reduce image proportionally) • Insert as Picture in the normal way. • If needed fill the slide area by placing the image in…
Not in some future span of time
Not in some future span of time
by Andrew Pratt
Not in some future span of time, but every moment that we live, is when to trust the grace of God, to offer love and to forgive. Now is the hour to realise the height and depth, the breadth and length of love in which our lives are held, God's everlasting grace and strength. Vers…
Drama: That’s all you ever give us – rules
Drama: That’s all you ever give us – rules
by Andrew Pratt
Drama: That’s all you ever give us – rules! Voice 1 Rules, rules, rules! That’s all you ever give us. RULES! Up the mountain, down the mountain. MORE RULES! And you say they come from God? Are you sure that you haven’t just concocted them yourself? None of them look like much fun…
There are stories in the Bible
There are stories in the Bible
by Michael Docker
There are stories in the Bible Where this world's turned upside down - Wine from water; health from sickness; Bread from none; a Kingdom shown. Jesus stands in all these stories, Human being with godly powers; By his words and signs and spirit We shall find God's life is ours. Th…
Framed Image - Psalm 32:1a
Framed Image - Psalm 32:1a
by Revd Dr Michael Moon
TIP- PowerPoint Slide Size- The ideal way to insert into PowerPoint is:- • Reduce the image size to 1024x768 pixels using your image editing software. (Will reduce image proportionally) • Insert as Picture in the normal way. • If needed fill the slide area by placing the image in…
Strange holiness: the glory of the Godhead
Strange holiness: the glory of the Godhead
by Andrew Pratt
Strange holiness: the glory of the Godhead, once named as love, the voice of living grace, the Word that spoke the cosmos into being: now Moses met that glory face to face. Unveiled he took that same un-borrowed glory, the covenant was given to his hand; two tablets of the law ga…
Mark for Everyone - The Death of Jesus
Mark for Everyone - The Death of Jesus
by SPCK - N T Wright
Mark For Everyone MARK 15.33–39 The Death of Jesus... ...There are times when I envy musical composers, and this is one of them. If I were capable of setting this brief but shocking story to music, I know how I would start. Darkness at noon: low chords on the heavy brass, a brood…
We justify the things we do
We justify the things we do
by Andrew Pratt
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany Year A Psalm 119: 1 – 8; Matthew 5: 21 – 37 Hymn: We justify the things we do, We justify the things we do, we veil our acts with lies. We argue round and round by turns, and peer through our disguise. The law that Christ would have us keep goes well …
Mark for Everyone - The Raising of Jairus’s Daughter
Mark for Everyone - The Raising of Jairus’s Daughter
by SPCK - N T Wright
Mark For Everyone MARK 5.35–43The Raising of Jairus’s Daughter... ...Right on cue, as the suspense heightens, messengers come to tell Jairus that his daughter has now died. He shouldn’t bother Jesus any longer. Telling Jairus not to be afraid, and just to believe, in that setting…
John for Everyone Part 1 - The Lamb and the Spirit
John for Everyone Part 1 - The Lamb and the Spirit
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Lamb and the Spirit John 1.29-34 ‘What I want to know is – what’s that sheep doing there?’ The student had been sick for several days, and I went to visit him. He was in his first year at university, and the whole world of cultural and intellectual enquiry was opening up in f…
When Preparing To Sleep
When Preparing To Sleep
by Norman J Goreham (1931-2021)
This hymn is based on an antiphon in the night-time office of Compline. Compline is the final church service (or office) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The name is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline marks the completion of the day.
Acts for Everyone part 1 - Stephen Becomes a Target
Acts for Everyone part 1 - Stephen Becomes a Target
by SPCK - N T Wright
Stephen Becomes a Target Acts 6.8-15 Without in any way wishing to complain, I do have a fellow feeling with Stephen in this passage. He has only just been appointed a ‘deacon’, with particular responsibility for helping organize the daily distribution of food to the community …
Hymn: Fierce waves have shaken fractured stone
Hymn: Fierce waves have shaken fractured stone
by Andrew Pratt
Fierce waves have shaken fractured stone, while cliffs have crumbled into sand, but faith is founded on a rock, eternal love will always stand. Our God, though humble, born of flesh, will hold, renew, restore, refresh. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: ABINGDON Andrew Pratt (born 1948) W…
Gazing on the Gospels Year B - The Fourth Sunday before Advent Year B
Gazing on the Gospels Year B - The Fourth Sunday before Advent Year B
by SPCK - Judith Dimond
The Fourth Sunday before Advent Mark 12: 28-34 Gaze on Jesus still in the Temple after hours of debate. Imagine him standing in the outer Temple courts where the doves are fluttering and goats bleating and penned ready for sacrifice. Five hundred years old, the Temple is the gold…
Framed Image - Psalm 1:1a
Framed Image - Psalm 1:1a
by Revd Dr Michael Moon
TIP- PowerPoint Slide Size- The ideal way to insert into PowerPoint is:- • Reduce the image size to 1024x768 pixels using your image editing software. (Will reduce image proportionally) • Insert as Picture in the normal way. • If needed fill the slide area by placing the image in…
Jesus is Tempted in the Wilderness
Jesus is Tempted in the Wilderness
by Dave Hopwood
Early Days Bible Ref: Matthew 3 & 4; Mark 1; Luke 2-4; John 1-4 Each of the following sketches (scenes) can be used to form the basis for a complete act of worship or used as individual scenes on separate occasions. Each scene will require a narrator to read the linking tex…
When Moses uttered, ones who heard
When Moses uttered, ones who heard
by Andrew Pratt
When Moses uttered, ones who heard assumed he spoke for them, for now, not for some future time or place still wanting of a Saviour's grace. And yet those words would resonate beyond that early utterance, would still have force in later years to speak to latent needs and fears. V…
How can we live at one with God
How can we live at one with God
by Andrew Pratt
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Year A Education Sunday Hymn: How can we live at one with God How can we live at one with God, inspired by Christ the living Word, infused with all the Spirit’s power when life is twisted and absurd... Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © Stainer & Bel…
Out of hope we act with boldness