The Collects and
Readings for Second Sunday of Easter Collect:
Almighty
Father, you have given your only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: grant us
so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Acts 4. 32-35
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart
and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great
power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was
not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They
laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 1 John 1. 1-2.2
We declare to
you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with
our hands, concerning the word of life- this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you
the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us- we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you
also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing
these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message
we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have
fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he
himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and
just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone
does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and
not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. John
20. 19-31
When it was evening on that day, the
first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.'After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then
the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent
me, so I send you.' When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.' But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when
Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the
mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.' A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although
the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.' Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put
your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.' Thomas answered
him, ‘My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those
who have not seen and yet have come to believe.' Now Jesus
did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you
may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. Post Communion Collect:
Lord God our Father, through our Saviour Jesus Christ you have assured your children of eternal life and in baptism have made us one with him: deliver us from the death of sin and raise us to new life in your love, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayers - we have been asked to remember
in our prayers: David Aked-Walker, Father Mike, Katie Hakin, Carole Harrington, Diane
Jones, Rev’d John Knight, Philip Le Roux, Sylvia Reynolds and James Wagstaffe |