The week ahead and Sunday Worship at St James’ and at Home – Eucharist 10:45am Order of Service Sunday 20th September 2020

Here are the Service details to join in with the worship

Sunday 20 September 2020
15th Sunday after Trinity
Proper 20
Collect
God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent
in the fellowship of the gospel
that, always abiding in you,
they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; 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.
Jonah 3.10—end of 4
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
4 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3 And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ 4 And the Lord said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
6 The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’
9 But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?’ And he said, ‘Yes, angry enough to die.’ 10 Then the Lord said, ‘You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not be

concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?’
Psalm 145.1–8
1 I will exalt you, O God my King, and bless your name for ever and ever.
2 3
4 5 6 7 8
Every day will I bless you and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; his greatness is beyond all searching out.
One generation shall praise your works to another and declare your mighty acts.
They shall speak of the majesty of your glory, and I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
They shall speak of the might of your marvellous acts, and I will also tell of your greatness.
They shall pour forth the story of your abundant kindness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of great goodness.
Philippians 1.21–end
21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Matthew 20.1–16
20 ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; 4 and he

said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” 7 They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” 13 But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
Post Communion
Keep, O Lord, your Church, with your perpetual mercy; and, because without you our human frailty cannot but fall, keep us ever by your help from all things hurtful,
and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
THE WEEK AHEAD Thursday 24 September
10.30am Ordination rehearsal at St James’
12.45pm Funeral service for Neil Warburton RIP at St Thomas’
Friday 25 September
10-12 St Thomas’ virtual Macmillan Coffee Morning
Please email Fr David (frdavidstephenson@gmail.com) for the Zoom link.
Saturday 26 September
10-12 Collection time for pre-ordered cakes from the lychgate at St Thomas’ in aid of Macmillan. Please see separate leaflet at St Thomas’ about this event.

DAILY PRAYER
This continues Monday-Friday with Morning Prayer at 9am on St Thomas’ Facebook page and Evening Prayer at 5pm on St James’ Facebook page.
NOTICES
It seems that this ‘new’ way of doing church may be with us for the rest of this year so we’re experimenting with this new-style readings and notice sheet.
ORDINATION
Andrew will be ordained deacon at a service at St James’ on Sunday 27 September, by Bishop Philip, at 3.30pm. We hope to share this service live on the St James’ Facebook page. Please keep Andrew in your prayers especially this week.
ANNUAL MEETINGS
These will take place during October following our Sunday morning services– please watch out for dates and times. Reports will be available in booklet form in advance to help reduce the length of the meetings. We hope that all members of our church community who are able to will attend. Nomination forms for Churchwarden and PCC are available from PCC secretaries.
HARVEST FESTIVALS
4 October, 10.45am, St James’ 11 October, 9.15am, St Thomas’
Although these special services will be a little different to usual this year, we will still gather to give thanks for the bounty of the earth and God’s generosity to each of us. We will have collection points in each church for RAFT food bank. St James’ will also have envelopes available for donations to ‘Water Aid’.
PRAYER LIST
Thank you to everyone who has asked for names to be included on our weekly prayer lists. Please contact Fr David to add a name to those who are unwell or in need, or those who have recently died. It’s always good to know how people are getting on so don’t forget to keep us updated.