| † St Andrews Proclaiming Christ in Clewer 25 January 2026 Third Sunday of Epiphany / Conversion of Paul |
 Saul of Tarsus (to become the apostle Paul) on the road to Damascus by H M Brock WELCOME 3rd Sunday of Epiphany / Conversion of Paul St Pauls says, “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5.17) Let us worship the God who caught Saul that caused us to come new people in Christ Jesus. First reading Jeremiah 1.4-10 despite his hesitation, Jeremiah is chosen to deliver God’s message to the people of Judah and onto the rest of the world. Second reading Acts 9.1-22 Saul meets Jesus, and his life and the life of the Christian church are turned around forever. Galatians 1.11-16 Paul tells the church in Galatia how he came to accept the truth of the Gospel through personal experience of Jesus. The story of St Paul tells us much about the development of the early Christian church but it also tells us about the God who saw what was needed and provided the right men. On this feast day of the conversion of St Paul, we thank God for the unlikely saints who taught us so much about how to live out faith and how to understand it. When we pray for the church and the world, we sometimes think we know what we’re praying for, but when we leave things to God the answer to our prayers may be startling. If we look around us into the least likely places and the most unsuitable of people perhaps that is where we may rejoice and see God at work. Blessings Canon Brian SUNDAY SERVICES 25TH JAN 3rd SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY 10:30am Parish Eucharist & Baptism NO EVENING PRAYER COLLECT Almighty God, who caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world through the preaching of your servant Saint Paul: grant that we who celebrate his wonderful conversion may following him in bearing witness to your truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen READINGS Jeremiah 1.4-10 4Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 5‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ 6Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ 7But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.’ 9Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’ Acts 9.1-22 1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 5He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ 7The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.10Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ 11The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ 13But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ 15But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ 17So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ 18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ 21All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ 22Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. Galatians 1.11-16 11For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.13You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being. Matthew 19.27-end 27Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ 28Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. Sermon Sunday 18th Jan 2026 (Revd Rosie) NOTICES PLEASE PRAY FOR The Suffering: Louise, John B, Matt, Stef, and Joanna. Refugees, Prisoners, the Homeless and those who mourn. The Departed: Sue Morgan, Brenda Stafford and all those recently departed this life and those whose anniversaries fall at this time. Baptisms: George and Bodhi Weddings: Community Prayers: Clewer Green School, Mrs Branch, Mr Seymour, and all the staff, pupils, staff and governors. Busy Buttons CORE Charity and for all the work that they do. For all our Care Homes, for the safety of residents and staff. We pray also for Windsor Christian Action, and the work of the Homeless Project, Street Angels, and FoodShare, under the umbrella of the Alma Beacon Hub. Please pray for the PCC as they work through the Mission Action Plan and discern God’s mission in Clewer. Parish Cycle of Prayer: Please pray for all who live or work in St Leonards Hill, Bridewell, Chestnut Drive, Gratton Drive, Fairlawn Park, Dower Park, Poolmans Road, Snowdon Close, Turnoak Park and Brundenell. Anglican Cycle of Prayer: please pray for Iglesia Anglicana de Chile. Please pray also for the Churches in these Dioceses: Sur (Chile), Del Sureste (Mexico), Swansea and Brecon (Wales), Sydney (Australia), Tabora (Tanzania), and Tai Tokerau (New Zealand). Please continue to pray for and support your neighbours and families. If you would like anyone added to our Prayer List please email the office office@clewerparish.org SERVICES FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS Morning Prayer on Wednesdays at 8.00am in Church Evening Prayer on Tuesday and Thursdays at 5pm on Zoom Prayers & Bears – Early Years Liturgy on Fridays at 9.30am in Church The church is open for private prayer 10.00am-dusk daily Sun 01 Feb – Candlemass 10:30am All Age Eucharist 5.00pm Eucharist Sun 08 Feb – 2nd Sunday before Lent 10:30am Parish Eucharist 3.30pm Faith Explorers 5.00pm Evening Prayer Sun 15 Feb – Sunday before Lent 10:30am Parish Eucharist 3.00pm Wild Worship 5.00pm Evening Prayer UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES The Alma Beacon Cold Weather Night Shelter 2025/2026 run by the Windsor Homeless Project are looking for volunteers from Monday 15th December 2025 to Sunday 29th March 2026 to help run the shelter. More details and information can be found here. Faith Explorers (our middle schoolers group) will restart on 8th Feburary 3.30pm Care Home Services restart in Feb if anyone who wishes to attend with Revd Rosie please let her know Dates for the diary Pancake Party Tuesday 17th Feb 5pm at church Ash Wednesday Eucharist 18th Feb Midday and 7pm Community Lunches During Lent – Saturdays during lent, if you would be interesting in hosting one please contact the office (office@clewerparish.org)     As part of the process to appoint a new bishop the diocese is asking for everyone living, working or worshipping in the diocese to respond and contribute their views. You can take part in the survey by clicking here. The survey will close on Wednesday 4 February at 5pm.NIGHTSHELTER MEALSA request has come from the Night Shelter for meals for 30 people per night Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the weeks that the shelter is open from 19th December. There is a budget that can be reimbursed by Alma Beacon of up to £60 per night. Please let us know if you can help.  A reminder that we will be holding an Auction of Talents after Easter. We ask that everyone considers if they can commit to offering something for the auction – a cake, gardening skills whatever it may be! All commitments need to be made before Lent in order for us to be able to organise our fundraising event after Easter, please email the office (office@clewerparish.org) if you are able to support this. CHURCH GIVING Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute to our church financially as well as through their time and skills. As we see our congregation grow and our community events increase we invite you to prayerfully consider how you might support this ongoing growth. Every contribution helps us serve our parish here in Clewer. Finance Details Parish Giving Scheme – where one off payments or regular giving can be set up. Alternatively, financial contributions can be paid directly to our bank account, the details of which are: HSBC Bank Sort Code: 40-47-37 Account number: 11373366 Account name: PCC St Andrews Church If you haven’t already please consider downloading the Church of Englands EverydayFaith app to help with daily reflections to inspire, equip and encourage you in your everday faith. CONTACTS Rector Revd Rosie Webb 01753 852334, email: rector@clewerparish.org Parish Office email: office@clewerparish.org Parish Website: www.standrewsclewer.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/standrewsclewer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st_andrews_clewer/ Churchwarden: Vacant Contact via email: office@clewerparish.org Safeguarding Policy: www.standrewsclewer.org/safeguarding-policy Safeguarding Officer: clewerparishsafeguarding@gmail.com |