We continue our worship as we hear the words of Psalm 42
(Set to music by Samuel Wesley and sung by the Choir of St. John's
Elora, Toronto (4.34 mins)).
Our second reading comes from the New Testament from St Paul's
letter to the Colossians Chapter 1. Verses 1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our
brother,
To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the
love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you
in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth,
the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing
in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from
the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you
learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant. He is a faithful
minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your
love in the Spirit.
For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying
for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's
will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead
lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every
good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made
strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and
may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully
giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power
P. 4

---