For you became made like,
sisters and brothers,
the churches of God who are
in Judea
in Christ Jesus 

because you suffered the same things,
– you from your own people
– and them from the Jews.

who having killed the Lord Jesus
and the prophets
and having forced us out
and are not pleasing to God
and are opposed to all people
are hindering us speaking to the Gentiles
in order that they might be saved,
so that they always complete the full measure of their sins

The wrath came upon them,  at last.

Lord God,
your feed us with the living bread from heaven.
You renew our faith
increase our hope
and strengthen our love.
Teach us to hunger for Christ
who is the true and living bread
and live by every word that comes from your mouth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly: 
because receiving the word of God, heard from us,
you accepted it not as human words, but as it is truly, the word of God,
which is at work in you who believe.

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

For you remember, brothers and sisters, our work and hardship.

Night and day, working not to be a burden on any of you,
we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

You and God are witnesses, as to how holy, righteous, and blameless
we were
among you,
who believe.

Just as you know, we dealt with each one of you as a father deals with his own children: exhorting
and encouraging
and urging you to walk in a way worthy of God
who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

For we never came with a flattering word, 
  -as you know,
nor greedy, under a cover, 
   -as God is witness
nor seeking glory from people,
nor from you all
nor from others,
although we are able to weigh (on you) as Christ’s apostles.

But we became as little children amongst you, 
as a wet-nurse takes care of her own children.
In this way, caring so much for you
we take pleasure to share with 
not only the gospel of God
but also our own souls
because you became beloved to us.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
about our entrance to you,
that it has not been empty,
but having suffered previously
and been treated disgracefully,
as you know
in Philippi
we had courage in our God,
to speak to you
the gospel of God 
amongst much opposition.

For our appeal
is not from error nor impure motives nor from deceit
but as we have been approved by God
to be trusted with the gospel
so we have spoken
and not to please people
but God
who tests our hearts.

Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me
Be thou a smooth path below me
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
Today – tonight -forever
Amen.

St Columba

For from you the word of the Lord has rung out
    not only in Macedonian and Achaia
    but also in every place
–  your faith in God has rung out 
  so that we do not have a need to say anything (about it)

For they themselves report about us
of what sort of entrance we had with you
and how you turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God.
and to wait expectantly for his Son,
from the heavens, 
whom he raised from among  the dead people,
Jesus
who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great

And you all became our imitators, and imitators of the Lord,
– having received  the word in many tribulations with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
so that you all have become a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius

We always give thanks to God for you all mentioning you in our prayers…

..having known,
brothers and sisters
beloved by God,
your choosing,
-because our Gospel did not come to you
in word only,
but also in power
and in the Holy Spirit 
and in full conviction,
just as you know what kind of human being we were among you all, for you all.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

We always give thanks to God for you all
always mentioning you in our prayers:
constantly remembering:
Your work of faith,
  and the labour of love
  and the endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ 
-before God and our Father.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

Paul and Silvanas* and Timothy
to the church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you all 
and peace.

• Silas in Acts

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen