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7th June 2026

The First Sunday After Trinity

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The Collect
O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in you, mercifully accept our prayers and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in the keeping of your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; 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. Amen.

Post Communion
Eternal Father, we thank you for nourishing us with these heavenly gifts: may our communion strengthen us in faith, build us up in hope, and make us grow in love; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lectionary Readings for Sunday:

Old Testament Reading:  Hosea 5: 15 – 6.6
I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favor: “Come, let us return to the Lord, for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.” What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

New Testament Reading:  Romans 4: 13 – end
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore “it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

Gospel:  Matthew 9: 9 – 13, 18 – 26
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.” While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that moment. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread through all of that district.

Please click here (or on the image) for This Weeks Daily Readings
 

Benefice Prayers 

We pray for those who are sick at this time and remember those who have recently died and pray for their families:

Continuing Prayers for
Debbie Morris
Ellen Jones
Connie Cowley

Sick
Arthur Hughes
Caroline Hunt
Richard Watts
Ann Atkin
David Lawrence

Rest In Peace
Tim Knights
Peter Cox
Mabel Stock
David Shield

Benefice Notices

Notice
Please note that due to the new projection equipment being installed, St Lawrence will be closed on June 8th and 9th and no access available with out prior conversation with Revd. Paula. On the dates Morning Prayer will be via Zoom only.

Pet Service
We are holding our first Pet Service at St Lawrence on Sunday 7th June at 9.15 am. It is hoped that pet owners who might not otherwise come to church will join us – so if you have a friend or neighbour who you think would be interested, please do invite them. The service will be relaxed – no doubt the animals will want to join in and make their voices heard from time to time. Dogs will be on leads, and other animals in carriers, and in their designated areas – not every rabbit wants to sit next to a dog! All animals are welcome, but bringing a photo instead is fine if you think your pet would be happier at home, or your pet is no longer with you; you can still share all that you love about your pet with God. This is a service for everyone, even if you have never owned a pet, it is a service of thanksgiving to God’s for his wonderful creation and the love to be found within it. Please join us for a morning of fun, fur, feathers, fins (and photos), and after the service enjoy a cup of tea out in the lovely churchyard and make some four-legged friends.

Greens Norton Village Fete 
Sunday14th June. Helpers needed. Please speak to Revd Greg or Roberta if you can help.

Churchwarden Admissions Service 
18th June, 7:30 pm. We are hosting the Brackley and Towcester Deanery Churchwarden’s Admission service at St Lawrence. We would love to offer some homemade cakes alongside the refreshments served afterwards. If you are able to bake or provide a cake, please let Eileen know.

St Lawrence Fete
Sunday 28th June. Helpers needed for stalls and games. Tombola items also needed – bottles, boxes of biscuits and chocolates, smellies, new small gifts. Please drop into the Chantry House Office or contact Steve Challen 07593700754

Raffle Tickets
Tickets for the St Lawrence Church Grand Draw are on sale in St Lawrence. Please place your completed ticket stubs in the envelope provided and post through the Vicarage postbox or bring to the Fete.

Clothing Recycling
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the recent clothing recycling initiative at St Lawrence. This has raised £228.80. We expect to run another in the autumn.

Communion
Please can we ask and remind people to refrain from dipping (intinction) their wafer into the wine when receiving communion. Those administering the chalice do not wish to cause upset at the communion rail. The reason for non-dipping policy is on the bishop’s advice and twofold: firstly one of hygiene and secondly because we have members who are gluten intolerant. If you feel unable to receive the wine from the chalice then receiving in one kind means you are making a valid communion. Thank you for your understanding.

Easton Neston Church and Churchyard visitors
If you have previously registered your number plate for access to visit St Mary's Easton Neston Church and Churchyard and it is not working the gate, please would you let Bev know on 01327 354385.

Please click here, or on the image, for This Months Services