Hello everyone,

As we see the images of yet more suffering and destruction on our TV screens, let us continue to pray for all those caught up in violence or forced to flee their homes, for world leaders and the UN trying to bring about a cessation to fighting in so many places in our world, and for Aid Agencies doing all they can to bring relief.  

Services this week:

This Sunday at 10.00am there will be services of Morning Prayer at Measham, Holy Communion at Appleby and Donisthorpe at the Halfway House Pub, and Morning Worship at Packington. Appleby also have Kids Kingdom Sunday School from 9.45am.

Looking ahead:

Another busy Wednesday ahead with:

Midweek Communion in Packington Church at 10.00am;

Coffee, Cake & Chat from 10.30am to 12.00noon in Swepstone Church Hall;

Activeage at 11.00am in Measham Church Hall;

Community Lunch in Appleby Church Hall from 12.30pm.

On Thursday Kids Kingdom Baby & Toddler group meets in Appleby Church Hall from 9.00 to 11.00am.

On Friday Packington have Soup and a Pudding in church from 12.00noon to 2.00pm. There is no charge, but donations welcome towards Church funds.

On Saturday (20^th) Packington are also asking for volunteers to help with having a tidy-up in the churchyard from 9.00am onwards. Refreshments will be provided, just turn up – no help refused!

Next Sunday (21^st) there will be 10.00am Holy Communion at Normanton, Norton and Swepstone, and at Donisthorpe at the Halfway House Pub led by the Archdeacon of Loughborough Claire Wood. There will also be Breakfast Church at Measham, and Sunday People at Appleby, again at 10.00am.

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 14^th April – The Third Sunday of Easter

Risen Christ,

you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope:

strengthen us to proclaim your risen life

and fill us with your peace,

to the glory of God the Father.

Amen

Reading for 14^th April – Acts 3.12-19 New International Version (UK)

¹² When Peter saw this, he said to them: ‘Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. ¹⁴ You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. ¹⁵ You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ ‘Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. ¹⁸ But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹ Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

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.

• We pray for the people in Gaza. We pray for the many casualties of war; for those bereaved or injured by conflict; for those who have lost their homes; and for safe passage for those who are fleeing violence and destruction. We pray for productive negotiations and lasting peace. Give guidance to all world leaders who are struggling with the politics of retaliation and with the consequences of military action. Bring justice and healing to this divided land: hope for those who feel helpless, healing for those who have been wounded, and safety for all those who feel afraid.
• Creator God, you gave us a beautiful world to live in and to care for.  We know that in many areas our stewardship has been a failure yet, through the victory of Jesus Christ, we know also that you can restore all things in glory; and so we pray for a change of heart and attitude, an awakening to a better way of living, and the courage to reject wrong principles.
• Father God, we pray for our church communities, that each of us might make use of our individual talents enabling each church in our team to flourish as a witness to the “One Body” of Christ.  Help us to spread the warmth of your love to everyone we meet.
• Loving God, we pray for those living in the shadow of darkness and despair and for those whose illness narrows their view of the world.  We especially pray for those we know who have requested prayer and in the quietness of our hearts we also raise before you any others we know who are in need of your healing and comfort.
• Merciful God, we pray for those whose hearts have been saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them, and for members of our families who have died and whose anniversary we recall. Help us to experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within us, and the fellowship of the church family around us until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom.
• Faithful God, in the week that lies before us may we reflect your love in our families, our church and our communities, so that the world can see that we are followers of Christ and that they too may be drawn into his loving care.

Amen.