June 28, 2020
This is our first Sunday for many weeks when the church is open for people to come to worship together physically. We’re thankful for those people who are able to meet together and for those who are still worhipping at home.
Follow the service on this page, using the + and – buttons to open and close the sections. If you prefer, download the PDF of the service booklet at the link below.
Introductory rites
Greeting
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Penitential Act
Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Silence
Lord Jesus, you have shown us the way to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you have given us the consolation of the truth:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd, leading us into everlasting life:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy.
The presider says:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Collect
Let us pray.
All-powerful God,
in Jesus Christ you turned death into life,
and defeat into victory:
increase our faith and trust in him,
that we may triumph over evil,
in the strength of the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
Psalm - Psalm 13
1 How long, O Lord, will you so utterly forget me:
how long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I suffer anguish in my soul, *
and be so grieved in my heart day and night:
how long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look upon me, O Lord my God, and answer me:
lighten my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4 Lest my enemy say ‘I have prevailed’:
lest my foes exult at my overthrow.
5 Yet I put my trust in your unfailing love:
O let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
6 And I will make my song to the Lord:
because he deals so bountifully with me.
Second Reading - Romans 6.12-23
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.
Gospel - Matthew 10.40-42
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to the twelve: ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
For the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
“Jesus’ words resound in our hearts: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35), as, likewise, the central commandment he left us: to love God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind, but together with love of neighbour (cf. Mt 22:37-39).
Inspired by Matthew 25:32-46, the Church teaches that there are seven corporal acts of mercy, one of which is to welcome the stranger, and to offer hospitality. This medieval stained glass detail is from a 15th-century series in All Saint’s church, North Street in York.
Fr Lawrence Lew, OP
Prayers of the people
So here we are meeting together again in our church after many weeks away, seeing familiar faces, nodding and smiling at each other, no hugs or handshakes and staying distanced from each other, but enjoying the sense of being together. As we take a moment to settle into our prayer, let’s look around again and see the people who are not here physically, who are worshipping at home and remember that, though we are two congregations, separated by space and time, we are connected and one in Christ.
Let’s pray
God of hope and love,
you invite us to hold the needs of our sisters and brothers
as dear to us as our own needs,
loving our neighbours as ourselves.
We pray for the people of the world
in this time of COVID uncertainty,
knowing that while it took three months to record the first million cases, it has only taken nine days to record the second million,
knowing that while in our community we do not feel the shadow of disease as much as many other communities do, there are many millions of people living in refugee camps, in sprawling slums, in places where medical help is scarce, who are at the forefront of suffering.
We pray for the leaders of all countries and communities
especially for those leaders who are making critical decisions about how to protect their people
and we pray for people everywhere who are suffering from the disease, or living in fearful and threatened circumstances.
In your mercy
Hear our prayer
God of strength and purpose,
you call us to loyalty and service beyond all earthly claim,
as people who have been raised from death to life.
We pray for the church
giving thanks for the dedication and creativity that has helped so many congregations shine a light into the darkness.
We ask for your guidance as we learn a new way of living and being in a new world
ask for your continuing support, strength and shelter as we seek new ways to minister to our own congregation and to those who turn to us.
We pray for the church throughout the world, that your people may find ways to continue to share love and hope in your name.
In your mercy
Hear our prayer
God of mercy and healing, who hears the cries of those in need,
you call us to help all who are troubled, that they may know peace, comfort, and courage.
We pray for those who are in need
remembering that while the news of the world focuses on COVID, there are many who are suffering
because of illness, sorrow, grief, lack of comfort, physical or spiritual
because they live in war torn places, or have had to flee them
because they suffer in famine, flood or other natural disasters.
We bring those who suffer before you, offering our prayers for healing and asking for your guidance in ways we can offer practical help.
And we take some moments to bring to you prayers for those people we hold in our own hearts.
In your mercy
Hear our prayer
God of dreams and visions, who has given us hope and broadened our horizons
you call us to continue discovering the meaning of your covenant with us.
We are thankful for those who have gone before us, helping us to understand and seek your love,
particularly this week, for the lives and witness of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
We pray for all those who have died especially thinking of our many friends and members of our families who have gone before us. Grant them an everlasting home with your Son.
In your mercy
Hear our prayer
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.
Greeting of Peace
We are the body of Christ.
God’s Spirit is with us.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Prayer over the offerings
Living God,
receive all we offer you this day.
Grant that hearing your word and responding to your Spirit,
we may share in your divine life.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
The Eucharistic prayer
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
We give you thanks and praise, almighty God,
through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,
our Saviour and Redeemer.
He is your living Word,
through whom you have created all things.
You sent him from heaven to take our flesh:
born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
he was revealed as your Son.
He lived and died as one of us,
to reconcile us to you,
the God and Father of all.
In fulfilment of your will
he stretched out his hands in suffering,
to bring release to those who place their hope in you;
and so he won for you a holy people.
He chose to bear our griefs and sorrows,
and to give up his life on the cross,
that he might break the chains of evil and death,
and banish the darkness of sin and despair.
By his resurrection
he brings us into the light of your presence.
Now with all creation we raise our voices
to proclaim the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy and gracious God,
accept our sacrifice of praise,
through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ;
who on the night he was handed over
to suffering and death,
took bread and gave you thanks,
saying to his disciples, ‘Take, and eat:
this is my body which will be given for you.’
In the same way he took the cup,
saying, ‘This is my blood which will be shed for you.
When you do this, you do it in memory of me.’
In remembrance of his death and resurrection,
with this bread and this cup,
we give you thanks that you have counted us worthy
|to stand in your presence and serve you.
Send your Holy Spirit upon the celebration of your Church:
gather into one all who share in these holy mysteries,
filling them with your Spirit and confirming them in the truth,
that together we may praise you and give you glory
through Jesus your servant.
All glory and honour are yours,
Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit, in the holy Church,
now and for ever. Amen.
The Communion rite
The breaking of the bread
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body,
for we all share in the one bread.
While the bread is broken Agnus Dei is sung –
Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.
Act of Spiritual Communion - St Alphonsus Liguori
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
Leonard Cohen – Story of Isaac
| The door it opened slowly, My father he came in, I was nine years old. And he stood so tall above me, His blue eyes they were shining And his voice was very cold. He said, “I’ve had a vision And you know I’m strong and holy, I must do what I’ve been told.” So he started up the mountain, I was running, he was walking, And his axe was made of gold. | Well, the trees they got much smaller, The lake a lady’s mirror, We stopped to drink some wine. Then he threw the bottle over. I heard it break a minute later And he put his hand on mine. Thought I saw an eagle But it might have been a vulture, I never could decide. Then my father built an altar, He looked once behind his shoulder, I guess he knew I’d never hide. |
| You who build these altars now To sacrifice our children, You must not do it anymore. A scheme is not a vision And you never ever have been tempted By a demon or a god. You who stand above them now, Your hatchets blunt and bloody, You were not there before, When I lay upon this mountain And my father’s hand was trembling With the beauty, I mean the beauty of the word. | And if you call me brother now, Forgive me but I must inquire, “just according to whose plan?” When it all comes down to dust I will kill you if I must, I will help you if I can. When it all comes down to dust I will help you if I must, I will kill you if I can. And shame upon our uniform, Man of peace or man of war, The peacock spreads his fan. |
Prayer after communion
Almighty and eternal God,
may we who have received this eucharist
worship you in all we do,
and proclaim the glory of your majesty.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Hymn - By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered - Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) tr. Fred Pratt Green and Keith Clements
By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered
and confidently waiting, come what may,
we know that God is with us night and morning,
and never fails to meet us each new day.
And when the cup you give is filled to brimming
with bitter suffering, hard to understand,
we take it gladly, trusting though with trembling,
out of so good and so beloved a hand.
If once again, in this mixed world, you give us
the joy we had, the brightness of your sun,
we shall recall what we have learned through sorrow,
and dedicate our lives to you alone.
Concluding rites
Blessing and Dismissal
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
As we go to morning tea this morning we are reminded that there will be no hospitality in the church hall for the time being, so all of us head our separate ways – I know I’m looking for a coffee.
And a reminder that as from next week, for the month of July we will be having a shortened blog post for the service. There are exciting plans for future direction of blog posts, so keep in touch with the blog and let us know what you think.
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