Author: Revd. Karen Mitchell

Sunday

1st March 2026 The Second Sunday of Lent

Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession,
and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
First Reading
Genesis 12.1 –4a
A Reading from the Book of Genesis
Now the Lord said to Abram, Go
from your country and your kindred and your fathers house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he
departed from Haran
Psalm Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills; from
where is my help to come.
My help comes from the Lord, the
maker of heaven and earth.
He will not suffer your foot to
stumble; he who watches over
you will not sleep. Behold, he who
keeps watch over Israel shall
neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord himself watches over
you; the Lord is your shade at
your right hand, So that the sun
shall not strike you by day, neither
the moon by night.
The Lord shall keep you from all
evil; it is he who shall keep your
soul. The Lord shall keep watch
over your going out and your
coming in, from this time forth for
evermore.
Second Reading
Romans 4.1-5, 13-17
A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you the father of many nations)-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Gospel John 3.1–17
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God. Jesus answered him, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the
kingdom of God without being born from above. Nicodemus said to him, How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mothers womb and be born? Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, You must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus said to him,
How can these things be? Jesus answered him, Are you a teacher
of Israel, and yet you do not
understand these things? Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Post Communion
Almighty God, you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. mouth; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Services this week:
Sunday 1st March The Second Sunday of Lent
10am Sung Mass
Refreshments are available after this service, please do stay and join us.
Tuesday 3rd March
10am Requiem Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Joyce Maryon
10.30am - 12pm Tea & Toast
3pm Funeral of Joyce Maryon
Wednesday 4th March
7pm Lent Course—In His Hands, Holy Week Through Signs and Symbols
Thursday 5th March
12-2pm Soup and a Roll
Saturday 7th March
10am Stations of the Cross
Sunday 8th March The Third Sunday of Lent
10am Sung Mass
Refreshments are available after this service, please do stay and join us.
Your prayers are asked at this time for:
All those who are sick or in any kind of need
Those who have recently Departed:
Those whose anniversary of death occurs at about this time:
Notices
Fundraising: We currently have the 50/50 Raffle on a monthly basis, £1 per ticket (you can have as many tickets as you want), the prize money being split between the roof fund and the winning ticket number, the next draw will take place on Sunday 29th March
Porch Pantry: We are currently in desperate need of Tinned Fruit, Pasta, Microwave Rice, Jam, Cup a Soup, Biscuits.
The Easter Journey: We will once again be hosting the Easter Journey for schools this year from Monday 9th March 2026 to Friday 13th March 2026 (We already have two schools signed up), thank you to those who have volunteered to help and who attended the training session on Thursday 26th February, we now look forward to helping the children to learn and understand the importance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
The funeral of Joyce Maryon will take place here on Tuesday 3rd March at 3pm, please do come if you are able to support Fred and Joyce’s family. The usual 10am Tuesday morning service will be a Requiem Mass for Joyce. Family flowers only, donations to be made via the undertaker for Parkinsons. Fred and Family invite you to join them at The Fisherman Pub at 4.30pm.
Tea & Toast: We will be serving Tea (or coffee) and Toast (with jam or marmalade) from 10.30am on a Tuesday Morning, please do come and join us, and why not bring a friend as well.
Stevenage Day Sunday 14th June 12– 5pm– We are hoping to have a presence at Stevenage Day this year, so please save the date. In the next few weeks we will be asking for volunteers to sit on our stall at this event, to enable us to get ourselves out and about, as well as known within our community. We will need two volunteers for each hour between 12and 4pm, we will also need volunteers to help with the setting up and clearing down of the stall, please do consider so that we can show the community in which we serve how diverse, friendly and welcoming we truly are. Please do consider volunteering for this.
Lent Course: This year for Lent we will be looking at Holy Week Through Signs and Symbols, beginning on Wednesday 25th February until Wednesday 25th March at 7pm.
Dates For Your Diary 2026:
Sunday 1st March The Second Sunday of Lent 10.00 am Sung Mass followed by refreshments
Tuesday 3rd March 10am Requiem Mass for Joyce Maryon
10.30am Tea & Toast
3pm Funeral Service for Joyce Maryon
Wednesday 4th March 7pm Lent Course - In His Hands, Holy Week Through Signs and Symbols
Thursday 5th March 12-2pm Soup and a Roll
Saturday 7th March 10am Stations of the Cross
Sunday 8th March The Third Sunday of Lent 10.00 am Sung Mass followed by refreshments
Tuesday 10th March 10am Said Mass
10.30am Tea & Toast
Wednesday 11th March 7pm Lent Course - In His Hands, Holy Week Through Signs and Symbols
Thursday 5th March 12-2pm Soup and a Roll
Saturday 7th March 10am Stations of the Cross
Contact Us
Rector: Reverend Karen Mitchell Email: revd.karenmitchell@btinternet.com Tel: 07596 374372
Churchwardens: Mr Mike Wilson Email: mikw505050@gmail.com Mr Eric Walton Email: enricowalton@gmail.com
Treasurer: Ms Jennifer Higgins Email: jah039@gmail.com