This is Friday’s Common Lectionary Bible reading, which we will include in the Cam Villages pop-up prayer. This week’s morning prayer will be celebrated at All Saints Church, Great Chesterford, at 9:30 a.m. on Friday.
Acts 15.22-35
Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: ‘The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.’
So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After they had been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there, with many others, they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.
Psalm 17
1 Hear my just cause, O Lord; consider my complaint;
listen to my prayer, which comes not from lying lips.
2 Let my vindication come forth from your presence;
let your eyes behold what is right.
3 Weigh my heart, examine me by night,
refine me, and you will find no impurity in me.
4 My mouth does not trespass for earthly rewards;
I have heeded the words of your lips.
5 My footsteps hold fast in the ways of your commandments;
my feet have not stumbled in your paths.
6 I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me;
incline your ear to me, and listen to my words.
7 Show me your marvellous loving-kindness,
O Saviour of those who take refuge at your right hand
from those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me under the shadow of your wings,
9 From the wicked who assault me,
from my enemies who surround me to take away my life.
10 They have closed their heart to pity
and their mouth speaks proud things.
11 They press me hard, they surround me on every side,
watching how they may cast me to the ground,
12 Like a lion that is greedy for its prey,
like a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, Lord; confront them and cast them down;
deliver me from the wicked by your sword.
14 Deliver me, O Lord, by your hand
from those whose portion in life is unending,
15 Whose bellies you fill with your treasure,
who are well supplied with children
and leave their wealth to their little ones.
16 As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness;
when I awake and behold your likeness, I shall be satisfied.
Reminder: This Sunday, 9th September, is our Five Churches Together Service at St. Peter’s Church, Littlebury Green, at 10:00 a.m. We hope to see you there!