Bulletin and Readings for this week.

NOTICES

Welcome. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Today is the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord.
The funeral of Mrs Ethel Ojugbele will take place this Friday at Carpenders Park Cemetery. The funeral of Mr Ron Forbes will take place on Thursday 4th June at Lambeth Crematorium, Blackshaw Road, Tooting SW17 0BY.
Congratulations to those of our young people who have been offered places at University. Although unable to sit A Levels at this time these places have been offered based on course work. Hugo Webber and Ella Thomson have both been offered places. There will be others. Please let Fr Michael know so we can share the happiness and the glory!
St Michael's Nursery will reopen in our Church Hall from 1st June.
No Hub Drop In or Prayer Group for the foreseeable future. See Services and Events this week.
First Communion classes have been postponed. There will be no Baptisms, Weddings of Funerals in church until the crisis is over.
Please look out for each other. Keep in touch by email or telephone. And pray. If you wish to contact Fr Michael please do so in the morning. No afternoon or evening calls.
Live streaming of church services. It is good to worship, even at home and I am sure most of you know good (God) channels which encourage you in this. Fr Valmor is live streaming Mass on our behalf. You are welcome to join our 4pm telephone conference call worship together by contacting Fr Michael or Nicole Sutherland. Very simple to connect and no internet or smart phone requirements!
Tithing and Stewardship. Many thanks to all of you still giving your tithe in these difficult times. Although most church members give through the stewardship envelope scheme (which is very difficult while the church is closed and we are all encouraged to stay in our homes) it is still possible to give through the bank and we are being sustained by this at this time. If you would like to consider this as a possible the Parish Giving Scheme have launched a telephone service. The details of this are on the Tithing page of our website.

AHEAD:
Revision of the Electoral Roll and Annual Meetings. These have been postponed until later on in the year.
If you would like Fr Michael to keep you in touch by email please make sure he has your address. His address is: frmichaelmoorhead@gmail.com.

YOU MAY WISH TO PRAY FOR:
Sarah, our Bishop, Pete our Area Bishop, Fr Michael and Fr Valmor and all with ministerial responsibilities in our Church.
The NHS and all those working on the front line of caring for others. Those providing essential services especially those working on public transport and in care homes..
All those on our church membership roll, especially Shaun Lightbody, Aletha Lovell, Rebecca and Nelson Lule, Rene Lucian, Victoria Madlingozi.
Our Church School: John Keble Primary School; staff and children, and St Michael’s Nursery.
Local Hospitals: Central Middlesex and Willesden Centre for Health and Care; and Rosemary House.
Those in need: especially the lonely, the isolated and those anxious for their own health and the health of loved ones. We pray for the recently bereaved, especially Liz Ormerod, the families of Mrs Ethel Ojubele and Ron Forbes, for funeral directors and all those who conduct funerals.
We pray for all children and for a safe return to schooling.
We give thanks: for Jesus the healer and worker of miracles.
The sick: those on our Prayer Tree and specially Theresa Carew, Michael Romeo, Merle Parris, Fr Michael Moorhead, Eddie Brave, Chris Wilson, Eustace Ifill, Owen Duggan, Sylvia Roye, Beverley Smart, Carlton Cuff, and Leane St Louis Wilson.
In memory: Ethel Ojugbele, Ron Forbes and Caroline Blandford recently and Beryl Robinson, and all whose anniversaries fall this week.

FOR ENQUIRIES: concerning the Sacraments (baptism, marriage, communion, confirmation and confession) or pastoral matters talk to Fr Michael - morning calls only. We are not taking hall bookings at this time.
HEALING MINISTRY: We offer a confidential prayer line or contact Fr Michael by phone or email.
YOUNG PEOPLE: Our children’s activities have been suspended for now.

TODAY'S READINGS
THE FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD.
INTRODUCTORY SENTENCE: Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? alleluia! This Jesus, who have been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven, alleluia, alleluia!              .             Acts 1:11

OPENING PRAYER:
Risen Christ,
you have raised our human nature
to the throne of heaven:
help us to seek and serve you,
hat we may join you at the Father’s side,
where you reign with the Spirit in glory,
now and for ever.   Amen.

FIRST READING     Acts 1.1–11
The Acts of the Apostles begins with a reference to an earlier work of the author which is Luke’s gospel. These books are addressed to “Theophilus”, possibly an influential pagan. Just as Luke’s gospel ends with the Ascension so his Book of Acts begins with the same event.
The psalm, traditionally associated with Ascension Day, is one of the “Enthronement” psalms used to celebrate the Kingship of God in Temple worship. The psalm looks forward to the Universal Rule of God.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
                    In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’
So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God

RESPONSORIAL PSALM from Psalm 47
R. God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
1. All peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the earth. (R.)

2. God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
sing praise to our king, sing praise. (R.)

3. God is king of all the earth.
Sing praise with all you skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne. (R.)

SECOND READING Ephesians 1.15–23
The letter to the Ephesians, written by Paul in prison, is a great flowering of his spiritual genius. Christ, seated at the right hand of God, has been made supreme over all things both now and in the future. All this has been done for the Church, which is the Body of Christ.
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL Luke 24.44–53
The disciples’ last precious moments with Jesus before his ascension are recorded here. He continues to teach and encourage them until the very last moment. They joyfully return home to await the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus said to the disciples, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.