ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY OCTOBER 18th

 

 

INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME - Pip Blackledge

 

OPENING HYMN

 

Through all the changing scenes of life,
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ.

 

O magnify the Lord with me,
With me exalt his name;
When in distress to him I called,
He to my rescue came.

 

O make but trial of his love,
Experience will decide
How blest are they, and only they,
Who in his truth confide.

 

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom we adore,
Be glory, as it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

 

COLLECT FOR PURITY Led by Jane Stevenson

 

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.

 

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

 

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.

 

CONFESSION

 

Almighty God, 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.

 

KYRIE from William Byrd's Mass for four voices

Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy

Lord have mercy

 

THE ABSOLUTION

God, who is both power and love, forgive us and free us from our sins, heal and strengthen us by your Spirit, and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

INTRODUCTION TO READING

 

READING -  2 Corinthians 9:6-15 read by Caroline Green

 

9:6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows

bountifully will also reap bountifully.

9:7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion,

for God loves a cheerful giver.

9:8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having

enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

9:9 As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

9:10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for

sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

9:11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to

God through us;

9:12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows

with many thanksgivings to God.

9:13 Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the

gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,

9:14 while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has

given you.

9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

 

HYMN

 

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

 

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

 

To all life thou givest--to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
Then wither and perish--but naught changeth thee.

 

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render; O help us to see
'Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Matthew

Glory to Christ our Saviour

 

GOSPEL - Matthew 22:15-22 Read by Richard Weetch

22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.
22:16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.
22:17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"
22:18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?
22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.
22:20 Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?"
22:21 They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."
22:22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

 

Give thanks to the Lord for his Glorious Gospel

Praise to Christ our Lord.

SERMON

 

ANTHEM "How Lovely are the messengers" from the Oratorio "ST Paul" by Felix Mendelssohn

How lovely are the Messengers that preach us the gospel of Peace.
To all the nations is gone forth the sound of their words.
To all the nations is gone forth the sound of their words,
Throughout all the lands their glad tidings.
How lovely are the Messengers that preach us the gospel of Peace.

Words Isaiah 52 v. 7

 

INTERCESSIONS led by John Wood

 

OFFERTORY HYMN

 

1 O Thou who camest from above,
The pure celestial fire to impart,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
On the mean altar of my heart

 

2 There let it for thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its source return
In humble prayer, and fervent praise.

 

3 Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
To work, and speak, and think for thee;
Still let me guard the holy fire,
And still stir up the gift in me.

 

4 Ready for all thy perfect will,
My acts of faith and love repeat,
Till death thy endless mercies seal,
And make my sacrifice complete

 

OFFERTORY

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 do we give you.

 

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

 

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.

 

Worship and praise belong to you, Almighty God,

in every place and at all times. All power is yours:

you created the heavens and established the earth;

you sustain in being all that is.

 

In Christ your Son, our life and yours

are brought together in a wonderful exchange.

He made his home among us

that we might forever dwell in you.

 

Through your Holy Spirit, you call us to new birth

in a creation restored by love.

 

As children of your redeeming purpose,

we offer you our praise,

with angels and archangels

and the whole company of heaven

singing the hymn of your unending glory:

 

SANCTUS AND BENEDICTUS (from Darke's Communion service in F)

Holy Holy Holy, Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of you glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

 

CONSECRATION PRAYER (please sit or kneel)

 

Glory and thanksgiving be to you, most loving creator,

for the gift of your son, born in human flesh.

He is the word existing beyond time,

both source and final purpose,

bringing to wholeness all that is made.

Obedient to your will, he died upon the cross.

By your power you raised him from the dead.

He broke the bonds of evil,

and set your people free

to be his body in the world.

 

On the night when he was given up to death,

knowing that his hour had come,

having loved his own, he loved them to the end.

At supper with his disciples

he took bread and offered you thanks.

He broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying,

‘Take, eat. This is my Body: it is broken for you.’

 

After supper, he took the cup,

he offered you thanks, and gave it to them saying:

‘Drink this, all of you.

This is my Blood of the new covenant;

it is poured out for you, and for all,

that sins may be forgiven.

Do this in remembrance of me.’

 

We now obey your Son’s command.

We recall his blessed passion and death,

his glorious resurrection and ascension;

and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.

Made one with him, we offer you these gifts

and with them ourselves,

a single, holy, living sacrifice.

 

Hear us, most merciful God,

and send your Holy Spirit upon us

and upon this bread and this wine,

that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,

they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,

and we may be kindled with the fire of your love

and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

 

Help us, who are baptised

into the fellowship of Christ’s Body,

to live and work to your praise and glory;

may we grow together in unity and love

until at last, in your new creation,

we enter into our heritage,

in the company of the Virgin Mary,

the apostles and prophets,

and of all our brothers and sisters

living and departed.

 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

with whom, and in whom,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all honour and glory be to you, Lord of all ages,

world without end. Amen.

 

THE FRACTION

The living bread is broken for the life of the world.

Lord, unite us in this sign.

 

LORD’S PRAYER

As our Saviour Christ has commanded and taught us,

we are bold to say;

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come; thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

 

AGNUS DEI - from Byrd's Mass for four voices

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world; grant us peace.

 

INVITATION

Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are we who are called to share in this supper.

Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

 

COMMUNION

 

THANKSGIVING AND SENDING OUT

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.

And his mercy endures for ever.

 

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Father, your steadfast purpose is the completion of all things in your son. May we who have received the pledges of the Kingdom, live by faith, walk in hope and be renewed by love, until the world reflects your Glory, and you are all in all; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

BLESSING to which we respond:

Amen.

 

DISMISSAL

Let us go in peace, to love and serve the Lord

In the name of Christ. Amen.

 

FINAL HYMN

 

1 Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!

 

 

2 Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The church with psalms must shout,
No door can keep them out;
But above all, the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!