elham valley group Newsletter
5th July 2026 - 5th Sunday after Trinity
The Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Post Communion Prayer:
Grant, O Lord, we beseech you, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance, that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 9:9-12
Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem;
and the battle-bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:16-19,25-end
‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, 17 “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’
25 At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
Please Pray for Mark, Andy Ashman, Val Pinder, Roger Goody, Jenni Lister, The Bradley family, Wendy Cook, Sue Leaver, Millie Collins, Jill Fitch, Poppy Allard, Michael Kirk, Alice Mills, Lilian Bowles & family, Claire Laker.
Please contact the Benefice Administrator Alison Dale 07985025381 or beneficeadmin@elhamvalleygroupofchurches.co.uk to add people to the prayers.
Please pray for the departed, Jan Hall, and those for whom an anniversary of death falls at this time, Almaz Mikire, Stanley Parsons, Derek Pemble, Evelyn London & Gerald Darnley.
To arrange for Funerals, Thanksgivings, Blessings, Renewal of Vows and all other services please contact the Rector – revcarolbates@gmail.com 0777 239 4855
For Baptisms and Weddings please contact the Benefice Administrator as above.
Parish Notices:
Weddings– Sarah Cullingham & Neal Abbott – Sat. 4th July 12pm – Elham; Elizabeth Sumner & Andre Allen – Sat. 11th July 1pm - Elham
Funeral– Joan Moore – Fri. 10th July 11am - Lyminge
Denton & Wootton Church Fete – Sat. 4th July 11am-4pm – Denton Village Hall
elham valley group Newsletter
12th July 2026 - 6th Sunday after Trinity
The Collect:
Creator God, you made us all in your image: may we discern you in all that we see, and serve you in all that we do;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Post Communion Prayer:
God of our pilgrimage, you have led us to the living water: refresh and sustain us as we go forward on our journey, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 55:10-13
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears listen!’
18 ‘Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’
Please Pray for Mark, Andy Ashman, Val Pinder, Roger Goody, Jenni Lister, The Bradley family, Wendy Cook, Sue Leaver, Millie Collins, Jill Fitch, Poppy Allard, Michael Kirk, Alice Mills, Lilian Bowles & family, Claire Laker.
Please contact the Benefice Administrator Alison Dale 07985025381 or beneficeadmin@elhamvalleygroupofchurches.co.uk to add people to the prayers.
Please pray for the departed, Jan Hall, and those for whom an anniversary of death falls at this time, Stanley Bradshaw, David Addington, John Coleman, Nora Parsons, Dorothy Middlemiss, Pamela Jones , George Standish, Betty Newman, Jack Bayley, Judy Pope, Jane Bruce, Derek Wood, Gwen Gasson & John Ames.
To arrange for Funerals, Thanksgivings, Blessings, Renewal of Vows and all other services please contact the Rector – revcarolbates@gmail.com 0777 239 4855
For Baptisms and Weddings please contact the Benefice Administrator as above.
Parish Notices:
Weddings– Emily Bone-Knell & Fergus Dougal – Sat. 25th July 2pm – Stanford
Baptisms – Alexander & Elizabeth Farrall – Sat. 25th July 4.30pm - Stanford
Acrise Festival – Sat.1stAugust 10am – 5pm – Acrise Church Green
