Readings and Prayers for January 10th 2021

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.

  A service of Morning Prayer can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiswrhvHFf0&feature=youtu.be and of Communion here   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtiLI6YWmy4&feature=youtu.be

 There is material for families and children at https://www.facebook.com/woodfieldchurcheschildrenswork/

 The Collect

Eternal Father, who at the baptism of Jesus

revealed him to be your Son, anointing him with the Holy Spirit:

grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,

that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen

Gospel: Mark 1:4-11

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’ ⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’

A suggestion: imagine yourself there at the River Jordan; look at the crowds and watch John in action as people are baptized in the river. Watch as Jesus joins those waiting to be baptized. What do you see? Then imagine that Jesus comes to you – what would you like to say to him? Ask him? What do you find him saying to you?

Prayers for today:

• Give thanks for your own baptism and hear Jesus saying ‘You are my child whom I love; with you I am well pleased’
• The people of America after this week’s events and for the President elect
• Our politicians faced with impossible decisions
• Those working to roll out vaccines
• All working in hospitals and care homes and essential services
• All those who do not know whether there will be a job for them, and business owners
• Those countries where there is huge poverty and lack of resources to deal with everyday life, let alone a pandemic
• For those we know who are ill or bereaved
• For the church and for all leaders in churches across the world that we show a way that is not dominated by fear and anxiety