The First Sunday in Lent
March 9, 2025
THE FATHER IS MY HOPE; THE SON IS MY REFUGE;
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS MY PROTECTION.
ALL HOLY TRINITY, GLORY TO THEE!
LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.
GETTING READY FOR SUNDAY: PREVIEW OF THE READINGS.
The Gospel lesson for the First Sunday in Lent tells the story of how it was that Jesus, following His baptism, was drven into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Lent is for us a kind of desert. We too will face our temptations and must overcome them at the point of our temptations. But what are these temptations? And how shall they be overcome? Today Christ shows us. In today’s Epistle lesson St. Paul provides us with a colour commentary for what that actually looks like in terms of day to day life.
THE LESSON : 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At the acceptable time I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
THE GOSPEL: Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’ Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’ Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
PARISH LIFE NOTES
FAMILY SERVICE takes place today with Faithquest children in church assisting with the liturgy.
RECTOR’S PRAYER RETREAT AND STUDY LEAVE: Revd. Claude will be away from the parish from March 7-19. For pastoral emergencies contact Deacon Susan Page.
2025 LENTEN MISSION with Rev’d. Howard Thorton will take place March 21-23 with addresses on Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 10.30 a.m. Please mark your calendars!
MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER continues this week with John McG, Simon, and John S officiating, and Revd. Dell Bornowski presiding at HOLY COMMUNION.
HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM SALE: March 29, 2-4pm. Please contact Katie or Alanna if you have educational materials or books to donate. We are also looking for a couple of volunteers to serve coffee and cake.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
- Morning Prayer at 8.30 a.m.
Wednesday
- Morning Prayer at 9.10 a.m.
- Holy Communion at 9.30 a.m. at 5.30 p.m.
- Evening Prayer at 5.30 p.m.