Here you can find resources for our liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are.
The readings for today and some of the prayers of our liturgy are on the downloadable pew sheet.
A challenge for our times: not only to serve the poor and excluded but to see them as honoured guests, regardless of how we are seen ourselves.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In church today, we welcome the Revd Rebekah Sims into our Ministry Team as a Deacon.
The Presentation
I present to you Rebekah, who is to serve among us as a Deacon. In the name of the Church, deacons care for those in need, serving God and the world after the pattern of Christ. To fulfil such a task is not in human power but depends upon the grace of God.
Rebekah, will you be among us as a deacon, serving Christ in this place and in the world? I will.
Will you, the people of God in this place, support Rebekah in her ministry as she serves among us?
We will.
Rebekah, may the Lord who has called you to this work, and given you the will to undertake it, also give you grace to perform it. Amen.
God is love and we are God’s children, there is no room for fear in love.
We love because God loved us first. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
Silence
God our Father, we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil.
For the sake of your Son who died for us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God, who is both power and love,
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by the Holy Spirit
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty and merciful God,
by whose grace alone your faithful people offer you service and praise:
grant that we may hasten without stumbling
towards the things that you promise;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.
It is better to be humble and be promoted than to be put in your place
Blessed are those who fear the Lord
Refrain: Light shines in the darkness for the upright.
Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord *
and have great delight in his commandments!
Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever.
Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.
For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
They will not be afraid of any evil rumours; *
their heart is right; they put their trust in the Lord.
Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see their desire upon their enemies.
They have given freely to the poor, *
and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honour.
The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
the desires of the wicked will perish.
Refrain: Light shines in the darkness for the upright.
Be hospitable, be content
Don’t take the places of honour; honour those instead who are poor and infirm
Hebrews 13: Jesus Christ: the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and for ever
In her sermon, Rebekah refers to a song by Carrie Newcomer called "Before and After".
Here is a link to a recording you can listen to.
We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord,
Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and was made human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,
the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
We meet in Christ's name.
Let us share his peace.
In church, we continue with the Liturgy of the Sacrament
Let us present our offerings to the Lord.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory,
the splendour and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own we give you.
Please join in the prayer Jesus himself taught us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Monday 29th August
Thursday 1st September
Sunday 4th September
Pentecost 13
online resources will be available on this website
Connect and reconnect with others throughout our diocese, and learn about and celebrate what is going on around the world among our partner dioceses. Bring a picnic lunch around 1.30 pm (teas and coffees will be provided).
From 2 pm there will be activities, and at the end of the afternoon, there will be tea.
The Gathering will close with Choral Evensong, from 4.45 until approximately 5.30 pm.
You might also be interested in how best to help people in crisis in Ukraine. The College of Bishops have highlighted these two organisations:
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal:
https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal
Among the DEC partners are Christian Aid, the British Red Cross, and Tearfund. The UK Government has pledged to match donations from the public to the DEC fund, pound-for-pound, up to £20 million.
The UK for UNHCR:
https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/where-help-is-needed/ukraine-situation/
