Preparing for worship
If you are attending a communion service in the churchyard, please use this service and reflection as preparation before you set out, finishing with the hymn before the Peace. If you are worshipping at home, then carry on with the sharing of bread – you’ll need a table, set with a piece of bread and a glass of wine or juice, and a cross and lit candle.
HYMN (said or sung)
This is the day, this is the day,
that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made,
we will rejoice, we will rejoice,
and be glad in it and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day,
that the Lord has made.
This is the day when he rose again…
This is the day when the Spirit came …
Though each in our homes, we are together with all our sisters and brothers in the faith,
as we worship and give thanks. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
PREPARATION
We say Psalm 124, the Song of Deliverance, printed on the front of the pewsheet
PRAYERS OF PENITENCE
Come, let us return to the Lord, for he will heal us, bind up our wounds and raise us up.
After a moment of quiet reflection, we confess our sins to God with this prayer;
God of compassion and mercy, in our sin we have avoided your call.
Our love for you is like a morning mist, like the dew that goes away early.
Have mercy on us;
deliver us from our indifference;
bind up our wounds and revive us;
in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
THE ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
God of love,
you forgive us and free us from our sins,
you heal and strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen
We say a version of the “Te Deum” from Janet Morley
We long for you, O God,
we confess our deep desire for you.
For the heavens are arrayed
with your inexpressible beauty.
You, O Christ, are the source of all our yearning:
you are our path to glory.
Bearing our sweet and humble flesh,
fruit of a woman’s womb,
you were made and moulded as we are.
Spirit of discernment, integrity and fire:
breathe on our fearfulness,
rekindle our truthfulness,
and sing through our speechlessness;
that we may refuse what is evil,
and be taken up with praise.
Merciful Creator, of infinite tenderness;
Wounded Redeemer, in whom we are reclaimed;
Comforter of fire, who leads us into truth;
we offer you our praise.
THE COLLECT and the two readings for today are printed on the pewsheet
The first scripture reading. Acts 12.1-11
At the end, there may be a short period of silence followed by this response:
For the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
HYMN (said or sung)
May the mind of Christ, my Saviour,
live in me from day to day,
by his love and power controlling all I do and say.
May the Word of God dwell richly
in my heart from hour to hour,
so that all may see I triumph only through his power.
May the peace of God my Father
rule my life in everything,
that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me
as the waters fill the sea;
him exalting, self effacing: this is victory.
May I run the race before me,
strong and brave to face the foe,
looking only unto Jesus as I onward go.
THE GOSPEL Matthew 16.13-19
Alleluia! God has given us a place with the saints in glory
through the immeasurable power of his love. Alleluia!
The Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
At the end
for the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
REFLECTION (on the website, attached to the email or, if printed, at the end)
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us affirm our faith in God.
We believe in God the Composer and Creator,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth receives its motion and being.
We believe in God the Word incarnate,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with that perfect love which casts out fear.
We believe in God the Spirit of wisdom,
who strengthens us with power from on high.
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
now and through all the ages of ages. Amen
SIMPLE PRAYERS
In peace, let us pray to the Lord. For the renewing hope that God alone can give ….
Silence
Lord, hear and have mercy. Lord, hear and have mercy.
For the whole world in turmoil, and for all who live in fear ….
Silence
Lord, hear and have mercy. Lord, hear and have mercy.
For our beautiful church building, rejoicing that it may soon echo with praise once more ….
Silence
Lord, hear and have mercy. Lord, hear and have mercy.
For those who are ill, and all of us in our need, gracious Lord ….
Silence
Lord, hear and have mercy. Lord, hear and have mercy.
For ourselves and our loved ones, for Fiona and all who have died ….
Silence
Lord, hear and have mercy. Lord, hear and have mercy.
HYMN
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?
He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
(Finish here if you are coming to communion)
THE PEACE
Alleluia! We are one family with all God’s saints, through Christ who came to bring peace to those near and far.
Alleluia! May the peace of the Lord be always with us.
and with all our sisters and brothers, near and far. Alleluia!
We share a sign of peace with all people of faith throughout the world, by clasping our hands together and bowing our heads saying the word “Shalom”, peace.
SHARING THE FEAST
We give you thanks and praise, Creator God, for the gift of life and a world full of wonder.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
We give you thanks and praise, Servant King, you bring healing to our world and gather us in one.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
We give you thanks and praise, Spirit of Truth, you complete us and transform our poverty by your grace.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
Take and eat a piece of the bread. If you are with another, give the bread to each other. As you give and receive the bread, say this prayer:
As we break this bread, and as we share it, we thank you, God, that you give us this day our daily bread.
For the food which delights and nourishes us and for the companionship that sustains us as your people.
Drink a sip of the wine or juice. If you are with another, give the wine to each other. As you give and receive the wine, say this prayer:
We thank you for drink to quench our thirst and for the Living Water with which you surprise and enrich and transform our lives.
We give thanks for this feast at which all can share, though separated now. A foretaste of the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
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.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
HYMN said or sung
A new commandment I give unto you,
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
By this shall all know
that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another.
By this shall all know
that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another.
BLESSING
May God give us grace to follow Peter and Paul and all his saints in courage,
steadfastness and love, and may we abide in Christ and he in us, this day and always.
DISMISSAL
Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we do not lose hope, and we step out boldly in faith. Alleluia!
Let us go in the peace of Christ
Thanks be to God, Alleluia!