Hello everyone,

This weekend sees the reopening of St John’s in Donisthorpe after transformational renovations. We give thanks for the dedication and years of hard work put in by those involved in the Village Heart Project and on the PCC, and for God’s provision in answering prayers for resources and stamina as we see the project come to fruition. A reminder as we are invited back into this wonderful place of worship that God is ever calling us to him as he tells us to come and “see, I am doing a new thing!”

Services this week:

This Sunday at 10.00am, we have Morning Prayer at Normanton and Swepstone, Breakfast Church at Packington, and a Baptism at Swepstone. Donisthorpe reopens at 10.30am as Bishop Saju leads our service of thanksgiving and rededication of the church.

Looking ahead:

Midweek Communion will be at 10.00am on Wednesday at Appleby.

Activeage meet again at 11.00am in Measham Church Hall also on Wednesday.

Next Sunday (8^th) we have 10.00am services of Holy Communion at Appleby, Donisthorpe, and Measham. Kids Kingdom Sunday School also meet again at Appleby from 9.45am.

Further ahead, Packington & Normanton Ladies Group have a special open charity event on Wednesday 18th September at 2.30pm in Packington Church. This year’s charity is Dementia UK and there will be a talk by Gill Thomas  'the one Armed Sewist'. Tickets at £10 (including light refreshments) can be obtained from Doreen Gasson, or by paying at the door.

Woodfield Team prayer

God our Father, you long to draw all people into your love.

Increase in number your church throughout the Woodfield Team; deepen us as followers and learners of Christ; and give us courage to share the good news of your kingdom.

We pray this in the power of your Spirit, to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Sunday 1^st September – The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

Merciful God,

your Son came to save us

and bore our sins on the cross:

may we trust in your mercy

and know your love,

rejoicing in the righteousness

that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Reading for 1^st September – James 1.17-27 New International Version (UK)

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Listening and doing

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.

²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Prayers for today:

We pray:

Eternal Lord, you are our creator and sustainer. We bring before you the needs of our church, our world, our communities, and ourselves.

• Almighty God we pray for our Woodfield Team and ask that our churches be given a clear vision of what is needed to be both focused and relevant in all that is good and serves your purpose of spreading the Good News where we are. We give special thanks as St John’s reopens as a place of worship and community at the heart of the village in Donisthorpe.
• God of Justice, we pray for our world leaders, that they may pursue peace and act in the best interests of the people they serve.  We also pray for our community leaders and those in public office so often faced with difficult situations. Give them wisdom and courage to reject wrong principles and speak out for justice and fairness.
• Creator God, we worship you as the one who has given us this life, and ask that you will help us to live it to the full. At home may we be the friends and neighbours that we really want to be.  Help us to spread the warmth of your love to everyone we meet.
• Compassionate Lord, bring healing in mind, body and spirit to all who are troubled. In lives afflicted by pain, illness, distress or grief bring comfort, hope and the courage they need for today and every day.
• Merciful God, we pray for all who are coming to the end of their journey here on earth and pray that they may come into your presence and kingdom. We pray for all those who have come before your face and now rejoice in the fullness of life eternal.
• Faithful God, we thank you that your wisdom not only to enlightens us but transforms us and guides us in our daily walk through life with you.  Help us, as James advises, to always accompany our words of faith with deeds of action.

Amen.