THE PARISH CHURCHES of
NORTH MARSTON and GRANBOROUGH
SERMON FOR THIS WEEK
Sunday 13th September 2026
TRINITY 15
"Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:14)
Sermon for Sunday 13th September 2026, Trinity 15
By Rev Janet Bayly
First Reading
Psalm 104.10-12
He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11
They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12
The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
Gospel Reading
John 4:7-15; 39-42
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
Many Samaritans Believe
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
TALK
Our theme for the Season of Creation is water - a very appropriate subject after our rather dry summer. As we know that water is vital for life, whether it’s plants or animals - Crops or humans. We can only survive a few days without water because amazingly 60% of our body is water. It has been a struggle this year keeping our vegetables and flowers going this summer, so it was a great joy to see the wonderful array of produce at the Granborough produce show last Saturday. I did notice that the courgettes like ours were a bit small! That is our local situation, but of course across the country and across the world, wild fires and droughts devastating , floods and mudslides are a stark reminder of climate change and our individual and corporate need to be water aware and to conserve it as much as possible.
The reading from Psalm 104 gives us a wonderful picture of God’s generous provision in nature. The mountains and hills, the sunshine and wind, and water cascading down quenching the thirst of the wild animals and birds. This reading reminds me of our holidays in Norway. The predominant scenery on the west side of the country is trees, rocks and water. But there, as in many countries, the water is put to work to generate electricity. And the last sentence in today’s reading is like a pat on God’s back - the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. Thank you God.
The reading from St John’s gospel takes up almost the whole chapter 4 and so it appears that John thought that Jesus’ interaction with the woman by the well in Samaria, was worthy of a careful record. It’s thought that John the apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of James wrote this gospel. He was one of Jesus’s inner circle and an eye witness to Jesus’ ministry. And so we can trust his account. John chapter 4 is a fascinating and challenging story of a Samaritan woman on her own drawing water at a time when no one would be around in the middle of the day. All the other women would have come early in the cool of the morning, so we realise that she was ostracised and frowned upon by the community because of her life style.. And yet Jesus spoke with her and they had quite a talk about water, but actually the discussion was really about salvation. Jesus was offering her living water and despite the negative attitudes of her neighbours, she became an ambassador and evangelist telling them about Jesus. Intrigued they invited Jesus to stay and talk with them, and many became believers firstly through the woman’s testimony but then believing for themselves. The simple act of drawing water for cooking and cleaning became a transforming event in the lives of the woman and many others.
Water is essential to life for everyone, but we know that in many countries water is not freely available and if it is, it can be dirty and polluted giving rise to disease and even death. Water aid is a specific charity which was founded in 1981 by members of the UK water industry. Their aim was and is simple - to provide clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene for those who did not have them. So Water aid is about working with communities in Africa, Asia and Sth America to provide wells and education about water. Over the years Jennifer and her team have raised awareness of this charity and over the past 16 years they have raised an amazing £5038. 45p at the Palm Sunday breakfasts. This money will have helped to build many wells . Thank you Jennifer and team for your vision and putting words and prayers into action
. We are so fortunate to turn on the tap and out comes pure clean water on which we depend daily. Maybe this year we have had a bit of a wake up call so that we need to be more grateful, more caring and more sparing, thinking of the future of our planet and its resources.
Recently I visited someone in hospital and outside the ward was a big white board where anyone could write an inspiring or encouraging message. Here are a few. Let the sunshine warm your hearts and let your smile make someone’s day. Remember one thing. Each and everyone of us is making a difference. And lastly one which touches on our theme of water reminding us that we need rain. Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.
Let us pray Creator God, lord of the seasons, we thank you for our beautiful planet and particularly for your provision of rain to fill the rivers and oceans. May we never take water for granted and may we strive to provide clean water for all your people. Amen
Intercessions for the Season of Creation
By Aly Perrett
Loving God, as we celebrate the Season of Creation, we thank you for the gift of water. No wonder you are known as the fountain of life and your spirit in us as a living stream. No wonder we are said to thirst for life, for love, for goodness, and for the sacred. No wonder we speak of you as our source. So we thank you for the gift of water, the water of life.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Loving God, we continue to pray for all those affected by the floods in Nepal and Tibet. Be near to those who mourn the loss of loved ones, and to all who still wait in uncertainty for news of family and friends. Grant courage and resilience to those facing uncertainty, and fearing the days ahead. We pray that you hold close those whose homes, livelihoods and communities have been swept away, and all who are shocked, displaced or afraid.
We pray that you strengthen agencies which are providing support to those affected by the floods: governments around the world, charities such as Water Aid, the emergency services, local communities, churches and all the many, many individuals who are offering care in the midst of the crisis. Give them all the endurance, resilience and compassion they need. We pray especially for those who sacrificially help others whilst also coping with their own losses.
Lord, as we witness the growing fragility of creation, renew our commitment to care for one another and to respect and protect the earth of which we are a part.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Loving Father, mindful of the summer of heatwaves and drought that has been endured across Europe and beyond, we pray for water for those who lack it. We ask for water for all people to drink and to use in their everyday lives. We pray for our farming community; for all who work so hard to produce our food and care for our precious land. Father, at this time of turbulence and change and with the long-term impact of severe weather there are some who are bewildered as they fear for their future. Guide all who farm to cherish your creation in their endeavour to produce healthy food. We pray for every farming family as they consider the options available; may each business discern the way forward to a viable and fulfilling future.
We pray for policy makers that they may bring clarity of policy and direction, enabling food security and ecological balance. We give thanks for all involved in the safe production and distribution of food and pray that all, including farmers and growers, receive a fair reward for their labour. Lord, we pray that all who consume their produce, including ourselves, may value and appreciate the sacredness of food and the effort and commitment involved in bringing it to our table.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, in a moment of quietness, we think of all those we know, in our families, our village, and beyond, who need your loving support at this time.
Loving father, you are the fountain of life and the giver of living water. When our souls feel dry, weary, or burdened, you are the only one who truly satisfies our thirst.
We pray that you refresh every dry place in our hearts today. Wash us clean, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and let your living water flow freely through us, so that our lives become wellsprings of our peace, joy, and love to those around us.
Merciful Father, Accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen