29th December - 1st Sunday of christmas

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The Collect: Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image and yet more wonderfully restored us through your Son Jesus Christ: grant that, as he came to share in our humanity, so we may share the life of his divinity; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Post Communion Prayer:  Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth the life of an earthly home: help your Church to live as one family, united in love and obedience, and bring us all at last to our home in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ‘May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord’; and then they would return to their home.

26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and with the people.

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:41- end. 41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents[ saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ 49 He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’  50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.

Please Pray for Martyn Bowles, David Whitethread, Gilly Bartram, Jan Hall, Eileen Greenwood, Jenny, Wendy Cook, John Bell, Tina, Shianna and Tishan Milton, Derek Pemble, Carr Paine, Andrea Beed, Marion Holmes, Caroline King & family, and Colin, Judy, Claire & Jessica Laker.

All names currently on the prayer list will be removed at the end of the year. Please contact Benefice Administrator Alison Dale 07985025381 or beneficeadmin@elhamvalleygroupofchurches.co.uk  to add people to the prayers from January onwards.

Please Pray for the departed and those for whom an anniversary of death falls at this time Christine Podesta, David Ratcliff, Georgina Harris, Lilian Bungard, David Want, Shanon Milton, Richard Mallinson; Kath Hill, Daniel Hayes, Beryl Shucksmith, Trixie Williams, Albert Gimbert and Revd. David Adlington.

To arrange a home visit please contact the ministers direct:

Associate Priest Revd Stephen Dougal - stephendougal@btinternet.com 0776 477 5507
 Assistant Curate Revd Sharon Paine - sharonpaine10@aol.com 0750 329 0552

Licensed Reader Bill Meakin - william.meakin@gmail.com   01303 863913