Author: Revd. Karen Mitchell

Sunday

19th April 2026 Third Sunday of Easter

Collect
Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and 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.
First Reading
Acts 2.14a, 36 –41
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, Brothers, what should we do? Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him. And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this corrupt generation. So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.
Psalm Psalm 116. 1-7
I love the Lord, for he has heard the voice of my supplication; because he inclined his ear to me on the day I called to him.
The snares of death encompassed me; the pains of hell took hold of me; by grief and sorrow was I held.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beg you, deliver my soul.
Gracious is the Lord and righteous;
our God is full of compassion. The Lord watches over the simple; I was brought very low and he saved me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul,
for the Lord has been gracious to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling.
Second Reading
1 Peter 1.17-23
A Reading from the First Letter of Peter.
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
Gospel Luke 24.13–35
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, What are you discussing with each other while you walk along? They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days? He asked them, What things? They replied, The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning,
and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.
Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him. Then he said to them, Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over. So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?
That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon! Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Post Communion
Living God, your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: open the eyes of our faith,
that we may see him in all his redeeming work; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

Services this week:
Sunday 19th April The Third Sunday of Easter
10am Sung Mass
Refreshments are available after this service, please do stay and join us.
Tuesday 21st April
10am Said Mass
10.30am - 12pm Tea & Toast
Thursday 23rd April
12-2pm Soup and a Roll
Sunday 26th April The Fourth Sunday of Easter
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 26th April
Porch Pantry: We are currently in desperate need of Tissues, Microwave Rice, Pot Noodles, Soap, Tuna, Jam, Tinned Tomatoes.
Electoral Roll - It is that time of year when we need to update the electoral roll if you wish to be added to the roll of if your details have changed in the last year, then please contact Liz Carvell. The revision will take place between 29th March - 19th April.
Easter Flowers: If you would like to make a contribution towards flowers for Easter, please put your donation in the tin on the table at the back.
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 will have a presence at Stevenage Day this year, so please save the date. Thank you to those who have volunteered to sit on our stall at this event between 12-4pm, to enable us to get ourselves out and about, as well as known within our community, and to those who have volunteered to help with the setting up and clearing down of the stall, we still have a few vacancies, please do consider volunteering so that we can show the community in which we serve how diverse, friendly and welcoming we truly are.
Dates For Your Diary 2026:
Sunday 19th April The Third Sunday of Easter
10.00am Sung Mass
Tuesday 21st April 10.00am Said Mass
10.30am Tea & Toast
Thursday 23rd April 12 - 2pm Soup and a Roll
Sunday 26th April The Fourth Sunday of Easter
10.00am Sung Mass
Tuesday 28th April 10.00am Said Mass
10.30am Tea & Toast
Wednesday 29th April 7pm Lectio Divina
Thursday 30th April 12 - 2pm Soup and a Roll
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