Reading for Sunday 5th September – 14th after Trinity

Philemon 1-21

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker,  to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow-soldier,
 and to the church in your house:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God  because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith towards the Lord Jesus.

I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ.

I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty,  yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love - and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.

 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.

 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me.  I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.

 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel;  but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.

Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave,
 a beloved brother - especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

 If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.

Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.  Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Reading for Sunday 12th September – 15th after Trinity

1 Timothy 1.12-17

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service,  even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence.
 But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,  and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance,  that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the foremost.

But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life.

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading for Sunday 19th September – 16th after Trinity

1 Timothy 2.1-7

My dearly beloved, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,  for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.

This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour,  who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
 Christ Jesus, himself human,  who gave himself a ransom for all - this was attested at the right time.

For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
 

Reading for Sunday 26th September – Harvest Festival and Back to Church Sunday

1 Timothy 6.6-19

There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment;  for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it;  but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.

 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith,
 love, endurance, gentleness.

Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things,and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,  I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time - he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty,
 or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,  thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.