United Benefice of St.Mary, Higham Ferrers, and St. John, Chelveston
The United Benefice of St Mary the Virgin, Higham Ferrers with St John the Baptist, Chelveston-cum-Caldecott
Sunday 20th September 2026
Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
Aeropagus or Mars Hill in Athens
Areopagus or Mars Hill in Athens
Father Paul welcomes us to the final part of our summer series with St Paul’s missionary journey from Jerusalem to Rome and a welcome fanfare.
2 Praise the Lord! for He is glorious;
never shall His promise fail;
God hath made His saints victorious;
sin and death shall not prevail.
Praise the God of our salvation!
Hosts on high, His pow'r proclaim;
heav'n and earth and all creation,
laud and magnify His name.
A reading ACTS 28 : 11 - 30
After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they travelled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
HYMN
1 Praise the Lord! ye heav'ns, adore Him;
praise Him, angels in the height;
sun and moon, rejoice before Him,
praise Him, all ye stars of light.
Praise the Lord! for He hath spoken;
worlds His mighty voice obeyed;
laws which never shall be broken
for their guidance He hath made.
3 Worship, honour, glory, blessing,
Lord, we offer to thy name;
young and old, Thy praise expressing,
in glad homage bend the knee.
All the saints in heav'n adore Thee;
we would bow before Thy throne;
as Thine angels serve before Thee,
so on earth Thy will be done.
Words: Anon – Based on Palm 148
Tune: Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809
Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”
Paul welcomed to Rome
They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
“‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
Paul writing under house arrest
HYMN
Come, sing the praise of Jesus,
sing his love with hearts aflame,
sing his wondrous birth of Mary
when to save the world he came;
tell the life he lived for others,
and his mighty deeds proclaim,
for Jesus Christ is King:
Praise and glory be to Jesus,
praise and glory be to Jesus,
praise and glory be to Jesus,
for Jesus Christ is King!
When foes arose and slew him
he was victor in the fight;
over death and hell he triumphed
in his resurrection might;
he has raised our fallen manhood
and enthroned it in the height,
for Jesus Christ is King:
Refrain
There’s joy for all who serve him,
more than human tongue can say;
there is pardon for the sinner,
and the night is turned to day;
there is healing for our sorrows,
there is music all the way,
for Jesus Christ is King:
Refrain
We will witness to his beauty
and we spread his love abroad,
and we cleave the hosts of darkness
with the Spirit’s piercing sword;
we will lead the souls in prison
to the freedom of the Lord,
for Jesus Christ is King:
Refrain
© Mrs J Tyrrell
Jack C Winslow (1882-1974)
MEDITATION – A ROMAN HOLIDAY? - WITH UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Prayer and Blessing
HYMN
Go forth and tell! O church of God, awake!
God's saving news to all the nations take;
proclaim Christ Jesus, saviour, Lord, and king,
that all the world his worthy praise may sing.
Go forth and tell! God's love embraces all;
he will in grace respond to all who call:
how shall they call if they have never heard
the gracious invitation of his word?
Go forth and tell! O church of God, arise!
go in the strength which Christ your Lord supplies;
go till all nations his great name adore
and serve him, Lord and king for evermore
Words : James Seddon (1915 - 1983)
Tune: Walter Greatorex (1877 – 1940)
Material used in this service is copyright of its respective rights owners. Music and hymn words are reproduced under ONE LICENSE number A-633137, Church Copyright License 2148907 and Music Reproduction License 2216255. Material in this order of service is taken from Common Worship, copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000-2006 and is used here with permission. www.commonworship.com.
images by permission of www.christart.com