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Sunday 13 October 2019 Alternative 1 of 2 17th Sunday after Trinity Proper 23 Year C

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Almighty God,

you have made us for yourself,

and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:

pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,

and so bring us at last to your heavenly city

where we shall see you face to face;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Gracious God,

you call us to fullness of life:

deliver us from unbelief

and banish our anxieties

with the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Jeremiah 29.1, 4-7

29These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.4Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 66.1-11

1  Be joyful in God, all the earth; •
   sing the glory of his name;
      sing the glory of his praise.
2  Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! •
   Because of your great strength
      your enemies shall bow before you.
3  ‘All the earth shall worship you, •
   sing to you, sing praise to your name.’
4  Come now and behold the works of God, •
   how wonderful he is in his dealings with humankind.
5  He turned the sea into dry land;
      the river they passed through on foot; •
   there we rejoiced in him.
6  In his might he rules for ever;
      his eyes keep watch over the nations; •
   let no rebel rise up against him.
7  Bless our God, O you peoples; •
   make the voice of his praise to be heard,
8  Who holds our souls in life •
   and suffers not our feet to slip.
9  For you, O God, have proved us; •
   you have tried us as silver is tried.
10  You brought us into the snare; •
   you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.
11  You let enemies ride over our heads;
      we went through fire and water; •
   but you brought us out into a place of liberty.

2 Timothy 2.8-15

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11The saying is sure:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us; 
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
2 Kings 5.1-3, 7-15c

5Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. 2Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.’ 9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ 11But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went away in a rage. 13But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’ 14So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.’

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 111

1  Alleluia.
      I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, •
   in the company of the faithful and in the congregation.
2  The works of the Lord are great, •
   sought out by all who delight in them.
3  His work is full of majesty and honour •
   and his righteousness endures for ever.
4  He appointed a memorial for his marvellous deeds; •
   the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5  He gave food to those who feared him; •
   he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6  He showed his people the power of his works •
   in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7  The works of his hands are truth and justice; •
   all his commandments are sure.
8  They stand fast for ever and ever; •
   they are done in truth and equity.
9  He sent redemption to his people;
      he commanded his covenant for ever; •
   holy and awesome is his name.
10  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
      a good understanding have those who live by it; •
   his praise endures for ever.

2 Timothy 2.8-15

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11The saying is sure:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us; 
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Luke 17.11-19

11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village, ten lepersapproached him. Keeping their distance, 13they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ 14When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ 19Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us,

and make us continually to be given to all good works;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 6 October 2019 Alternative 1 of 3 16th Sunday after Trinity Proper 22 Year C

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Collect

O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear

the prayers of your people who call upon you;

and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do,

and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Lord of creation,

whose glory is around and within us:

open our eyes to your wonders,

that we may serve you with reverence

and know your peace at our lives’ end,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings

Continuous:

Lamentations 1.1-6

1

How lonely sits the city

   that once was full of people!

How like a widow she has become,

   she that was great among the nations!

She that was a princess among the provinces

   has become a vassal.

2 She weeps bitterly in the night,

   with tears on her cheeks;

among all her lovers

   she has no one to comfort her;

all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,

   they have become her enemies.

3 Judah has gone into exile with suffering

   and hard servitude;

she lives now among the nations,

   and finds no resting-place;

her pursuers have all overtaken her

   in the midst of her distress.

4 The roads to Zion mourn,

   for no one comes to the festivals;

all her gates are desolate,

   her priests groan;

her young girls grieve,

   and her lot is bitter.

5 Her foes have become the masters,

   her enemies prosper,

because the Lord has made her suffer

   for the multitude of her transgressions;

her children have gone away,

   captives before the foe.

6 From daughter Zion has departed

   all her majesty.

Her princes have become like stags

   that find no pasture;

they fled without strength

   before the pursuer.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Lamentations 3.19-26

19 The thought of my affliction and my homelessness

   is wormwood and gall!

20 My soul continually thinks of it

   and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I call to mind,

   and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,

   his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

   great is your faithfulness.

24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,

   ‘therefore I will hope in him.’

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

   to the soul that seeks him.

26 It is good that one should wait quietly

   for the salvation of the Lord.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

or Psalm 137

1  By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, •

   when we remembered Zion.

2  As for our lyres, we hung them up •

   on the willows that grow in that land.

3  For there our captors asked for a song,

      our tormentors called for mirth: •

   ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’

4  How shall we sing the Lord’s song •

   in a strange land?

5  If I forget you, O Jerusalem, •

   let my right hand forget its skill.

6  Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth

      if I do not remember you, •

   if I set not Jerusalem above my highest joy.

7  Remember, O Lord, against the people of Edom

      the day of Jerusalem, •

   how they said, ‘Down with it, down with it,

      even to the ground.’

8  O daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, •

   happy the one who repays you

      for all you have done to us;

9  Who takes your little ones, •

   and dashes them against the rock.

[or Psalm 137.1-6]

1  By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, •

   when we remembered Zion.

2  As for our lyres, we hung them up •

   on the willows that grow in that land.

3  For there our captors asked for a song,

      our tormentors called for mirth: •

   ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’

4  How shall we sing the Lord’s song •

   in a strange land?

5  If I forget you, O Jerusalem, •

   let my right hand forget its skill.

6  Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth

      if I do not remember you, •

   if I set not Jerusalem above my highest joy.

2 Timothy 1.1-14

1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Related:

Habakkuk 1.1-4; Habakkuk 2.1-4

1

The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

   and you will not listen?

Or cry to you ‘Violence!’

   and you will not save?

3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing

   and look at trouble?

Destruction and violence are before me;

   strife and contention arise.

4 So the law becomes slack

   and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous—

   therefore judgement comes forth perverted.

2

I will stand at my watch-post,

   and station myself on the rampart;

I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,

   and what he will answer concerning my complaint.

2 Then the Lord answered me and said:

Write the vision;

   make it plain on tablets,

   so that a runner may read it.

3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time;

   it speaks of the end, and does not lie.

If it seems to tarry, wait for it;

   it will surely come, it will not delay.

4 Look at the proud!

   Their spirit is not right in them,

   but the righteous live by their faith.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Psalm 37.1-9

1  Fret not because of evildoers; •

   be not jealous of those who do wrong.

2  For they shall soon wither like grass •

   and like the green herb fade away.

3  Trust in the Lord and be doing good; •

   dwell in the land and be nourished with truth.

4  Let your delight be in the Lord •

   and he will give you your heart’s desire.

5  Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, •

   and he will bring it to pass.

6  He will make your righteousness as clear as the light •

   and your just dealing as the noonday.

7  Be still before the Lord and wait for him; •

   do not fret over those that prosper

      as they follow their evil schemes.

8  Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; •

   do not fret, lest you be moved to do evil.

9  For evildoers shall be cut off, •

   but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.

2 Timothy 1.1-14

1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

AllGlory to you, O Lord.

Luke 17.5-10

5 The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ 6The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.

7 ‘Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at once and take your place at the table”? 8Would you not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink”? 9Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” ’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

AllPraise to you, O Christ.

Post Communion

Almighty God,

you have taught us through your Son

that love is the fulfilling of the law:

grant that we may love you with our whole heart

and our neighbours as ourselves;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Monday 30 September 2019 Alternative 2 of 2 Michael and All Angels / Trinity 15 Year C

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Reading Notes: Use this provision if Michael and All Angels is transferred to Monday 30 September.

Collect

Everlasting God,

you have ordained and constituted the ministries of angels and mortals in a wonderful order:

grant that as your holy angels always serve you in heaven,

so, at your command,

they may help and defend us on earth;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Readings

Genesis 28.10-17

10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. 11He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. 12And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13And the Lord stood beside him and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ 16Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’ 17And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

or Revelation 12.7-12

7 And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,

‘Now have come the salvation and the power

   and the kingdom of our God

   and the authority of his Messiah,

for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,

   who accuses them day and night before our God.

11 But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

   and by the word of their testimony,

for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.

12 Rejoice then, you heavens

   and those who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

   for the devil has come down to you

with great wrath,

   because he knows that his time is short!’

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Psalm 103.19-end

19  The Lord has established his throne in heaven, •

   and his kingdom has dominion over all.

20  Bless the Lord, you angels of his, •

   you mighty ones who do his bidding

      and hearken to the voice of his word.

21  Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, •

   you ministers of his who do his will.

22  Bless the Lord, all you works of his,

      in all places of his dominion; •

   bless the Lord, O my soul.

Revelation 12.7-12

7 And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,

‘Now have come the salvation and the power

   and the kingdom of our God

   and the authority of his Messiah,

for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,

   who accuses them day and night before our God.

11 But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

   and by the word of their testimony,

for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.

12 Rejoice then, you heavens

   and those who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

   for the devil has come down to you

with great wrath,

   because he knows that his time is short!’

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

or Hebrews 1.5-end

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

‘You are my Son;

   today I have begotten you’?

Or again,

‘I will be his Father,

   and he will be my Son’?

6And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’

7Of the angels he says,

‘He makes his angels winds,

   and his servants flames of fire.’

8But of the Son he says,

‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever,

   and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you

   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’

10And,

‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,

   and the heavens are the work of your hands;

11 they will perish, but you remain;

   they will all wear out like clothing;

12 like a cloak you will roll them up,

   and like clothing they will be changed.

But you are the same,

   and your years will never end.’

13But to which of the angels has he ever said,

‘Sit at my right hand

   until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?

14Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

AllGlory to you, O Lord.

John 1.47-end

47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ 48Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ 49Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ 50Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ 51And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

AllPraise to you, O Christ.

Post Communion

Lord of heaven,

in this eucharist you have brought us near to an innumerable company of angels

and to the spirits of the saints made perfect:

as in this food of our earthly pilgrimage we have shared their fellowship,

so may we come to share their joy in heaven;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 22 September 2019 Alternative 1 of 2 14th Sunday after Trinity Proper 20 Year C

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Almighty God,

whose only Son has opened for us

a new and living way into your presence:

give us pure hearts and steadfast wills

to worship you in spirit and in truth;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Merciful God,

your Son came to save us

and bore our sins on the cross:

may we trust in your mercy

and know your love,

rejoicing in the righteousness

that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Jeremiah 8.18-9.1

18 My joy is gone, grief is upon me,
   my heart is sick. 
19 Hark, the cry of my poor people
   from far and wide in the land:
‘Is the Lord not in Zion?
   Is her King not in her?’
(‘Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
   with their foreign idols?’) 
20 ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
   and we are not saved.’ 
21 For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt,
   I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me. 

22 Is there no balm in Gilead?
   Is there no physician there?
Why then has the health of my poor people
   not been restored?

9O that my head were a spring of water,
   and my eyes a fountain of tears,
so that I might weep day and night
   for the slain of my poor people!

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 79.1-9

1  O God, the heathen have come into your heritage; •
   your holy temple have they defiled
      and made Jerusalem a heap of stones.
2  The dead bodies of your servants they have given
      to be food for the birds of the air, •
   and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the field.
3  Their blood have they shed like water
      on every side of Jerusalem, •
   and there was no one to bury them.
4  We have become the taunt of our neighbours, •
   the scorn and derision of those that are round about us.
5  Lord, how long will you be angry, for ever? •
   How long will your jealous fury blaze like fire?
6  Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you, •
   and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your name.
7  For they have devoured Jacob •
   and laid waste his dwelling place.
8  Remember not against us our former sins; •
   let your compassion make haste to meet us,
      for we are brought very low.
9  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; •
   deliver us, and wipe away our sins for your name’s sake.

1 Timothy 2.1-7

2First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 4who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For
there is one God;
   there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human, 
6   who gave himself a ransom for all
—this was attested at the right time. 7For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Amos 8.4-7

4 Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
   and bring to ruin the poor of the land, 
5 saying, ‘When will the new moon be over
   so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath,
   so that we may offer wheat for sale?
We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,
   and practise deceit with false balances, 
6 buying the poor for silver
   and the needy for a pair of sandals,
   and selling the sweepings of the wheat.’ 

7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 113

1  Alleluia.
      Give praise, you servants of the Lord, •
   O praise the name of the Lord.
2  Blessed be the name of the Lord, •
   from this time forth and for evermore.
3  From the rising of the sun to its setting •
   let the name of the Lord be praised.
4  The Lord is high above all nations •
   and his glory above the heavens.
5  Who is like the Lord our God,
      that has his throne so high, •
   yet humbles himself to behold
      the things of heaven and earth?
6  He raises the poor from the dust •
   and lifts the needy from the ashes,
7  To set them with princes, •
   with the princes of his people.
8  He gives the barren woman a place in the house •
   and makes her a joyful mother of children.
      Alleluia.

1 Timothy 2.1-7

2First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 4who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For
there is one God;
   there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human, 
6   who gave himself a ransom for all
—this was attested at the right time. 7For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Luke 16.1-13

16Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” 3Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.” 5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” 6He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.” 7Then he asked another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” 8And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

10 ‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion

Lord God, the source of truth and love,

keep us faithful to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,

united in prayer and the breaking of bread,

and one in joy and simplicity of heart,

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 15 September 2019 Alternative 1 of 2 13th Sunday after Trinity Proper 19 Year C

by

Almighty God,

who called your Church to bear witness

that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:

help us to proclaim the good news of your love,

that all who hear it may be drawn to you;

through him who was lifted up on the cross,

and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Almighty God,

you search us and know us:

may we rely on you in strength

and rest on you in weakness,

now and in all our days;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings

Continuous:

Jeremiah 4.11-12, 22-28

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert towards my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse— 12a wind too strong for that. Now it is I who speak in judgement against them.

22 ‘For my people are foolish,

   they do not know me;

they are stupid children,

   they have no understanding.

They are skilled in doing evil,

   but do not know how to do good.’

23 I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void;

   and to the heavens, and they had no light.

24 I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking,

   and all the hills moved to and fro.

25 I looked, and lo, there was no one at all,

   and all the birds of the air had fled.

26 I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert,

   and all its cities were laid in ruins

   before the Lord, before his fierce anger.

27 For thus says the Lord: The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

28 Because of this the earth shall mourn,

   and the heavens above grow black;

for I have spoken, I have purposed;

   I have not relented nor will I turn back.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Psalm 14

1  The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ •

   Corrupt are they, and abominable in their wickedness;

      there is no one that does good.

2  The Lord has looked down from heaven

      upon the children of earth, •

   to see if there is anyone who is wise

      and seeks after God.

3  But every one has turned back;

      all alike have become corrupt: •

   there is none that does good; no, not one.

4  Have they no knowledge, those evildoers, •

   who eat up my people as if they ate bread

      and do not call upon the Lord?

5  There shall they be in great fear; •

   for God is in the company of the righteous.

6  Though they would confound the counsel of the poor, •

   yet the Lord shall be their refuge.

7  O that Israel’s salvation would come out of Zion! •

   When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,

      then will Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

1 Timothy 1.12-17

12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. 17To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Related:

Exodus 32.7-14

7 The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ’ 9The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.’

11 But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ 14And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Psalm 51.1-11

1  Have mercy on me, O God, in your great goodness; •

   according to the abundance of your compassion

      blot out my offences.

2  Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness •

   and cleanse me from my sin.

3  For I acknowledge my faults •

   and my sin is ever before me.

4  Against you only have I sinned •

   and done what is evil in your sight,

5  So that you are justified in your sentence •

   and righteous in your judgement.

6  I have been wicked even from my birth, •

   a sinner when my mother conceived me.

7  Behold, you desire truth deep within me •

   and shall make me understand wisdom

      in the depths of my heart.

8  Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; •

   wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

9  Make me hear of joy and gladness, •

   that the bones you have broken may rejoice.

10  Turn your face from my sins •

   and blot out all my misdeeds.

11  Make me a clean heart, O God, •

   and renew a right spirit within me.

1 Timothy 1.12-17

12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. 17To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This is the word of the Lord.

AllThanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

AllGlory to you, O Lord.

Luke 15.1-10

15

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

3 So he told them this parable: 4‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

8 ‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

AllPraise to you, O Christ.

Post Communion

God our creator,

you feed your children with the true manna,

the living bread from heaven:

let this holy food sustain us through our earthly pilgrimage

until we come to that place where hunger and thirst are no more;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 8 September 2019 Alternative 1 of 2 12th Sunday after Trinity Proper 18 Year C

by
Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,

you are always more ready to hear than we to pray

and to give more than either we desire or deserve:

pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,

forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid

and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask

but through the merits and mediation

of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

God of constant mercy,

who sent your Son to save us:

remind us of your goodness,

increase your grace within us,

that our thankfulness may grow,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Jeremiah 18.1-11

18The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. 11Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 139.1-5, 12-18

1  O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; •
   you know my sitting down and my rising up;
      you discern my thoughts from afar.
2  You mark out my journeys and my resting place •
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
3  For there is not a word on my tongue, •
   but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
4  You encompass me behind and before •
   and lay your hand upon me.
5  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, •
   so high that I cannot attain it.
12  For you yourself created my inmost parts; •
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
13  I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; •
   marvellous are your works, my soul knows well.
14  My frame was not hidden from you, •
   when I was made in secret
      and woven in the depths of the earth.
15  Your eyes beheld my form, as yet unfinished; •
   already in your book were all my members written,
16  As day by day they were fashioned •
   when as yet there was none of them.
17  How deep are your counsels to me, O God! •
   How great is the sum of them!
18  If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, •
   and at the end, I am still in your presence.

[or Psalm 139.1-7]

1  O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; •
   you know my sitting down and my rising up;
      you discern my thoughts from afar.
2  You mark out my journeys and my resting place •
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
3  For there is not a word on my tongue, •
   but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
4  You encompass me behind and before •
   and lay your hand upon me.
5  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, •
   so high that I cannot attain it.
6  Where can I go then from your spirit? •
   Or where can I flee from your presence?
7  If I climb up to heaven, you are there; •
   if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

Philemon 1-21

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, 2to Apphia our sister,to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in your house:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God5because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith towards the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. 7I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

8 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 9yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed usefulboth to you and to me. 12I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. 15Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, 16no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Deuteronomy 30.15-end

15 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16If you obey the commandments of the Lord your Godthat I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.19I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 1

1  Blessed are they who have not walked
      in the counsel of the wicked, •
   nor lingered in the way of sinners,
      nor sat in the assembly of the scornful.
2  Their delight is in the law of the Lord •
   and they meditate on his law day and night.
3  Like a tree planted by streams of water
      bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, •
   whatever they do, it shall prosper.
4  As for the wicked, it is not so with them; •
   they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5  Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement, •
   nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous.
6  For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, •
   but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Philemon 1-21

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, 2to Apphia our sister,to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in your house:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God5because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith towards the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. 7I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

8 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 9yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed usefulboth to you and to me. 12I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. 15Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, 16no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Luke 14.25-33

25 Now large crowds were travelling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” 31Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion

God of all mercy,

in this eucharist you have set aside our sins

and given us your healing:

grant that we who are made whole in Christ

may bring that healing to this broken world,

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 1 September 2019 11th Sunday after Trinity Proper 17 Year C

by

O God, you declare your almighty power

most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:

mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,

that we, running the way of your commandments,

may receive your gracious promises,

and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

God of glory,

the end of our searching,

help us to lay aside

all that prevents us from seeking your kingdom,

and to give all that we have

to gain the pearl beyond all price,

through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Readings
Continuous:
Jeremiah 2.4-13

4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5Thus says the Lord:
What wrong did your ancestors find in me
   that they went far from me,
and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? 
6 They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord
   who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
   in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
   in a land that no one passes through,
   where no one lives?’ 
7 I brought you into a plentiful land
   to eat its fruits and its good things.
But when you entered you defiled my land,
   and made my heritage an abomination. 
8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
   Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me;
   the prophets prophesied by Baal,
   and went after things that do not profit. 

9 Therefore once more I accuse you, 

says the Lord,
   and I accuse your children’s children. 
10 Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
   send to Kedar and examine with care;
   see if there has ever been such a thing. 
11 Has a nation changed its gods,
   even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
   for something that does not profit. 
12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
   be shocked, be utterly desolate, 

says the Lord, 
13 for my people have committed two evils:
   they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
   and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
   that can hold no water. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 81.1, 10-end

1  Sing merrily to God our strength, •
   shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
10  ‘I am the Lord your God,
      who brought you up from the land of Egypt; •
   open your mouth wide and I shall fill it.’
11  But my people would not hear my voice •
   and Israel would not obey me.
12  So I sent them away in the stubbornness of their hearts, •
   and let them walk after their own counsels.
13  O that my people would listen to me, •
   that Israel would walk in my ways!
14  Then I should soon put down their enemies •
   and turn my hand against their adversaries.
15  Those who hate the Lord would be humbled before him, •
   and their punishment would last for ever.
16  But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat •
   and with honey from the rock would I satisfy them.

[or Psalm 81.1-11]

1  Sing merrily to God our strength, •
   shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2  Take up the song and sound the timbrel, •
   the tuneful lyre with the harp.
3  Blow the trumpet at the new moon, •
   as at the full moon, upon our solemn feast day.
4  For this is a statute for Israel, •
   a law of the God of Jacob,
5  The charge he laid on the people of Joseph, •
   when they came out of the land of Egypt.
6  I heard a voice I did not know, that said: •
   ‘I eased their shoulder from the burden;
      their hands were set free from bearing the load.
7  ‘You called upon me in trouble and I delivered you; •
   I answered you from the secret place of thunder
      and proved you at the waters of Meribah.
8  ‘Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: •
   O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9  ‘There shall be no strange god among you; •
   you shall not worship a foreign god.
10  ‘I am the Lord your God,
      who brought you up from the land of Egypt; •
   open your mouth wide and I shall fill it.’
11  But my people would not hear my voice •
   and Israel would not obey me.

Hebrews 13.1-8, 15-16

13Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.4Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ 6So we can say with confidence,
‘The Lord is my helper;
   I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?’

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. 15Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Ecclesiasticus 10.12-18

12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
   the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. 
13 For the beginning of pride is sin,
   and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
   and destroys them completely. 
14 The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
   and enthrones the lowly in their place. 
15 The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,
   and plants the humble in their place. 
16 The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
   and destroys them to the foundations of the earth. 
17 He removes some of them and destroys them,
   and erases the memory of them from the earth. 
18 Pride was not created for human beings,
   or violent anger for those born of women. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
or Proverbs 25.6-7

6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
   or stand in the place of the great; 
7 for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here’,
   than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. 

What your eyes have seen

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 112

1  Alleluia.
      Blessed are those who fear the Lord •
   and have great delight in his commandments.
2  Their descendants will be mighty in the land, •
   a generation of the faithful that will be blest.
3  Wealth and riches will be in their house, •
   and their righteousness endures for ever.
4  Light shines in the darkness for the upright; •
   gracious and full of compassion are the righteous.
5  It goes well with those who are generous in lending •
   and order their affairs with justice,
6  For they will never be shaken; •
   the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
7  They will not be afraid of any evil tidings; •
   their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8  Their heart is sustained and will not fear, •
   until they see the downfall of their foes.
9  They have given freely to the poor;
      their righteousness stands fast for ever; •
   their head will be exalted with honour.
10  The wicked shall see it and be angry;
      they shall gnash their teeth in despair; •
   the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Hebrews 13.1-8, 15-16

13Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.4Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ 6So we can say with confidence,
‘The Lord is my helper;
   I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?’

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. 15Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Luke 14.1, 7-14

14On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. 8‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

12 He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion

Lord of all mercy,

we your faithful people have celebrated that one true sacrifice

which takes away our sins and brings pardon and peace:

by our communion

keep us firm on the foundation of the gospel

and preserve us from all sin;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.