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Sunday 25 August 2019 10th Sunday after Trinity Proper 16 Year C

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Let your merciful ears, O Lord,

be open to the prayers of your humble servants;

and that they may obtain their petitions

make them to ask such things as shall please you;

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 heaven and earth,

as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,

give us patience and courage never to lose hope,

but always to bring our prayers before you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Jeremiah 1.4-10

4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 
5 ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ 
6Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ 7But the Lord said to me,
‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you. 
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you, 

says the Lord.’ 
9Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
‘Now I have put my words in your mouth. 
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.’

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 71.1-6

1  In you, O Lord, do I seek refuge; •
   let me never be put to shame.
2  In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; •
   incline your ear to me and save me.
3  Be for me a stronghold to which I may ever resort; •
   send out to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
4  Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, •
   from the grasp of the evildoer and the oppressor.
5  For you are my hope, O Lord God, •
   my confidence, even from my youth.
6  Upon you have I leaned from my birth,
      when you drew me from my mother’s womb; •
   my praise shall be always of you.

Hebrews 12.18-end

18 You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20(For they could not endure the order that was given, ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.’ 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’) 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ 27This phrase ‘Yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Isaiah 58.9b-end

9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
   you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. 

If you remove the yoke from among you,
   the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, 
10 if you offer your food to the hungry
   and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
   and your gloom be like the noonday. 
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
   and satisfy your needs in parched places,
   and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
   like a spring of water,
   whose waters never fail. 
12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
   you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
   the restorer of streets to live in. 

13 If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,
   from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call the sabbath a delight
   and the holy day of the Lord honourable;
if you honour it, not going your own ways,
   serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs; 
14 then you shall take delight in the Lord,
   and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,
   for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 103.1-8

1  Bless the Lord, O my soul, •
   and all that is within me bless his holy name.
2  Bless the Lord, O my soul, •
   and forget not all his benefits;
3  Who forgives all your sins •
   and heals all your infirmities;
4  Who redeems your life from the Pit •
   and crowns you with faithful love and compassion;
5  Who satisfies you with good things, •
   so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
6  The Lord executes righteousness •
   and judgement for all who are oppressed.
7  He made his ways known to Moses •
   and his works to the children of Israel.
8  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, •
   slow to anger and of great kindness.

Hebrews 12.18-end

18 You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20(For they could not endure the order that was given, ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.’ 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’) 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ 27This phrase ‘Yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire. 

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 13.10-17

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.’ 15But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?’ 17When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

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

God of our pilgrimage,

you have willed that the gate of mercy

should stand open for those who trust in you:

look upon us with your favour

that we who follow the path of your will

may never wander from the way of life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 18 August 2019 9th Sunday after Trinity Proper 15 Year C

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Almighty God,

who sent your Holy Spirit

to be the life and light of your Church:

open our hearts to the riches of your grace,

that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit

in love and joy and peace;

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 Father,

revive your Church in our day,

and make her holy, strong and faithful,

for your glory’s sake

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Isaiah 5.1-7

5Let me sing for my beloved
   my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
   on a very fertile hill. 
2 He dug it and cleared it of stones,
   and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watch-tower in the midst of it,
   and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
   but it yielded wild grapes. 

3 And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
   and people of Judah,
judge between me
   and my vineyard. 
4 What more was there to do for my vineyard
   that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes,
   why did it yield wild grapes? 

5 And now I will tell you
   what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
   and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
   and it shall be trampled down. 
6 I will make it a waste;
   it shall not be pruned or hoed,
   and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
   that they rain no rain upon it. 

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
   is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
   are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice,
   but saw bloodshed;
righteousness,
   but heard a cry!

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 80.1-2, 9-end

1  Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, •
   you that led Joseph like a flock;
2  Shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, •
   before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
9  You brought a vine out of Egypt; •
   you drove out the nations and planted it.
10  You made room around it, •
   and when it had taken root, it filled the land.
11  The hills were covered with its shadow •
   and the cedars of God by its boughs.
12  It stretched out its branches to the Sea •
   and its tendrils to the River.
13  Why then have you broken down its wall, •
   so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
14  The wild boar out of the wood tears it off, •
   and all the insects of the field devour it.
15  Turn again, O God of hosts, •
   look down from heaven and behold;
16  Cherish this vine which your right hand has planted, •
   and the branch that you made so strong for yourself.
17  Let those who burnt it with fire, who cut it down, •
   perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
18  Let your hand be upon the man at your right hand, •
   the son of man you made so strong for yourself.
19  And so will we not go back from you; •
   give us life, and we shall call upon your name.
20  Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; •
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

[or Psalm 80.9-end]

9  You brought a vine out of Egypt; •
   you drove out the nations and planted it.
10  You made room around it, •
   and when it had taken root, it filled the land.
11  The hills were covered with its shadow •
   and the cedars of God by its boughs.
12  It stretched out its branches to the Sea •
   and its tendrils to the River.
13  Why then have you broken down its wall, •
   so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
14  The wild boar out of the wood tears it off, •
   and all the insects of the field devour it.
15  Turn again, O God of hosts, •
   look down from heaven and behold;
16  Cherish this vine which your right hand has planted, •
   and the branch that you made so strong for yourself.
17  Let those who burnt it with fire, who cut it down, •
   perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
18  Let your hand be upon the man at your right hand, •
   the son of man you made so strong for yourself.
19  And so will we not go back from you; •
   give us life, and we shall call upon your name.
20  Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; •
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Hebrews 11.29-12.2

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.

12Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Jeremiah 23.23-29

23 Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? 24Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. 25I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? 27They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. 28Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. 29Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 82

1  God has taken his stand in the council of heaven; •
   in the midst of the gods he gives judgement:
2  ‘How long will you judge unjustly •
   and show such favour to the wicked?
3  ‘You were to judge the weak and the orphan; •
   defend the right of the humble and needy;
4  ‘Rescue the weak and the poor; •
   deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5  ‘They have no knowledge or wisdom;
      they walk on still in darkness: •
   all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6  ‘Therefore I say that though you are gods •
   and all of you children of the Most High,
7  ‘Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals •
   and fall like one of their princes.’
8  Arise, O God and judge the earth, •
   for it is you that shall take all nations for your possession.

Hebrews 11.29-12.2

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.

12Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of 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 12.49-56

49 ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided:
father against son
   and son against father,
mother against daughter
   and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
   and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’

54 He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

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

Holy Father,

who gathered us here around the table of your Son

to share this meal with the whole household of God:

in that new world where you reveal the fullness of your peace,

gather people of every race and language to share in the eternal banquet of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Feast day of falling sleep of Mary August 15

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Collect

Almighty God,

who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary

and chose her to be the mother of your only Son:

grant that we who are redeemed by his blood

may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom;

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
Isaiah 61.10-end

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
   my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
   he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
   and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 
11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
   and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
   to spring up before all the nations. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
or Revelation 11.19-12.6, 10

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. 

12A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. 3Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. 5And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; 6and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

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.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 45.10-end

10  Hear, O daughter; consider and incline your ear; •
   forget your own people and your father’s house.
11  So shall the king have pleasure in your beauty; •
   he is your lord, so do him honour.
12  The people of Tyre shall bring you gifts; •
   the richest of the people shall seek your favour.
13  The king’s daughter is all glorious within; •
   her clothing is embroidered cloth of gold.
14  She shall be brought to the king in raiment of needlework; •
   after her the virgins that are her companions.
15  With joy and gladness shall they be brought •
   and enter into the palace of the king.
16  ‘Instead of your fathers you shall have sons, •
   whom you shall make princes over all the land.
17  ‘I will make your name to be remembered through all generations; •
   therefore shall the peoples praise you for ever and ever.’

Galatians 4.4-7

4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ 7So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through 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 1.46-55

46 And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 
47   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 
48 for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name. 
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation. 
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly; 
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty. 
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy, 
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
White
Invitation to Confession

We have done what was wrong in the Lord’s sight

and chosen what displeased him.

Yet as a mother comforts her child,

so shall the Lord himself comfort us.

So let us come to him who knows our every deed and thought.

(or)

Born of a woman, born under the law,

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sin:

let us come to him that he may heal us and set us free:

Kyrie Confession

Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of Peace:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are Son of God and Son of Mary:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are Word made flesh and splendour of the Father;

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,

who stooped to raise fallen humanity

through the child-bearing of blessed Mary:

grant that we, who have seen your glory

revealed in our human nature

and your love made perfect in our weakness,

may daily be renewed in your image

and conformed to the pattern of your Son

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Lectionary

Genesis 3.8-15,20; Isaiah 7.10-14; Micah 5.1-4

Psalms 45.10-17; 113; 131

Acts 1.12-14; Romans 8.18-30; Galatians 4.4-7

Luke 1.26-38 or 1.39-47; John 19.25-27

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia.

My soul magnifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

Luke 1.46,47

Alleluia.

(or)

Alleluia, alleluia.

My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for he has looked with favour on

the lowliness of his servant.

Luke 1.47,48

Alleluia.

(or)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Greetings, favoured one. The Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

cf Luke 1.28,42

Alleluia.

(or)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

cf Luke 1.28,42

Alleluia.

Intercession

As we pray to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

we say with Mary:

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

Your prophet of old foretold a day when a virgin would conceive

and bear a son who would be called God-with-us.

Help us to look forward to your deliverance

and to seek the fullness of your kingdom.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

Your angel declared to Mary that she was to be

the mother of the Saviour.

Help [… and] every Christian person to be open to your word

and obedient to your will.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

Mary rejoiced with Elizabeth and sang your praise,

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.’

Help us to live joyful lives that sing your praise.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

Mary bore a son of David’s line,

a king whose reign would never end.

Bless [… and] all the nations of the world with Christ’s gift of peace.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

The child Jesus grew in wisdom and stature

in the home of Mary and Joseph.

Strengthen our homes and families,

and keep under your protection [… and] all those whom we love.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

At the foot of the cross of Christ stood his mother,

and from the cross she received his lifeless body in her arms.

Give comfort and healing to [… and] all who suffer

and all who watch the suffering of those they love.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

The apostle John saw a vision of a woman in heaven,

robed with the sun.

Bring us with [… and] all those who have died in the faith of Christ

to share the joy of heaven with Mary and all the saints.

Lord, have mercy on those who fear you.

Holy is your name.

Almighty and everlasting God,

your handmaid Mary magnified your name

and rejoiced in your saving love:

trusting in that same love,

we ask all these our prayers

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Introduction to the Peace

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,

and his name shall be called the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9.6

Prayer at the Preparation of the Table

God our Father,

your handmaid Mary fed your Son at her virgin breast.

Nourish us at this table with the bread of heaven

and the cup of salvation.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Preface

And now we give you thanks

because, by the power of the Holy Spirit,

he took our nature upon him

and was born of the Virgin Mary his mother,

that being himself without sin,

he might make us clean from all sin.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because in choosing the blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of your Son

you have exalted the humble and meek.

Your angel hailed her as most highly favoured;

with all generations we call her blessed

and with her we rejoice and magnify your holy name.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

that he is your eternal Son, the King of glory.

When he took our flesh to set us free

he did not abhor the Virgin’s womb.

Seated at your right hand in glory,

he will come to be our judge

and to bring us with the saints to glory everlasting.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because he shared our life in human form

from the warmth of Mary’s womb

to the stillness of the grave.

Extended Preface

It is indeed right and good,

our duty and our salvation,

almighty Father, ever-living God,

to proclaim the wonders you have worked in all your saints,

and on the feast of Mary, ever blessed,

to echo her praise of your loving kindness.

For you have truly done great things

and holy is your name,

and your mercy is on those who fear you

in every generation.

When you looked with favour on your lowly servant

you remembered your promise of mercy

and gave the world through her

your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Through him the hosts of heaven adore you

and rejoice in your presence for ever.

May our voices join with theirs

in the triumphant hymn of praise:

(or)

It is indeed right and good,

our duty and our salvation,

almighty Father, ever-living God,

to give you thanks and praise

for the work of your grace in the Blessed Virgin Mary.

For by the overshadowing of your Holy Spirit

she conceived and bore the Word made flesh.

At the cross she kept her vigil,

and saw the saving work of your Son brought to its perfection.

She rejoiced in his resurrection,

and joining her prayers with those of the apostles,

was filled with the gift of your promised Spirit.

In her you show us the greatness of your love,

and the wonderful purpose you intend for all your children.

Therefore we join our voice with hers,

and all the company of heaven,

as they sing with joy the hymn of your glory:

(or)

All glory and honour be yours always and everywhere,

mighty creator, ever-living God.

We give you thanks and praise for your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ,

who for love of our fallen race humbled himself,

was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of your Spirit,

and lived as one of us.

In this mystery of the Word made flesh

you have caused his light to shine in our hearts,

to give knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

In him we see our God made visible

and so are caught up in the love of the God we cannot see.

Therefore with all the angels of heaven

we lift our voices to proclaim the glory of your name

and sing our joyful hymn of praise:

See also the Extended Preface for the Annunciation (here).

Post Communion

God most high,

whose handmaid bore the Word made flesh:

we thank you that in this sacrament of our redemption

you visit us with your Holy Spirit

and overshadow us by your power;

strengthen us to walk with Mary the joyful path of obedience

and so to bring forth the fruits of holiness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

Christ the Son of God, born of Mary,

fill you with his grace to trust his promises and obey his will;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

(or)

May the love of the Holy Family surround you.

May the joy that was Mary’s refresh you.

May the faithfulness that was Joseph’s encourage you.

May the peace of the Christ-child fill your lives.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

(or)

May the Father,

who has loved the eternal Son

from before the foundation of the world,

shed that love upon you his children.

Amen.

May Christ,

who by his incarnation gathered into one

things earthly and heavenly,

fill you with joy and peace.

Amen.

May the Holy Spirit,

by whose overshadowing Mary became the God-bearer,

give you grace to carry the good news of Christ.

Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

(or)

When the Word became flesh

earth was joined to heaven in the womb of Mary:

may the love and obedience of Mary be your example.

Amen.

May the peace of Christ

rule in your hearts and homes.

Amen.

May you be filled with the joy of the Spirit

and the gifts of your eternal home.

Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Acclamation

Blessed is she who had faith

that the Lord’s promise would be fulfilled.

All generations shall call her blessed.

So tenderly has he looked upon his servant.

All generations shall call her blessed.

Blessed is she among women and blessed is the fruit of her womb.

All generations shall call her blessed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Holy is his name.

All generations shall call her blessed.

Short Passages of Scripture

Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord;

let it be to me according to your word.’

Luke 1.38

Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.

Luke 1.45

Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2.19

Jesus said,

‘Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’

Luke 11.28

Common Worship: Festivals, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2008 and published by Church House Publishing

Post Communion

God most high,

whose handmaid bore the Word made flesh:

we thank you that in this sacrament of our redemption

you visit us with your Holy Spirit

and overshadow us by your power;

strengthen us to walk with Mary the joyful path of obedience

and so to bring forth the fruits of holiness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Sunday 11 August 2019 8th Sunday after Trinity Proper 14 Year C

by
Collect

Almighty Lord and everlasting God,

we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies

in the ways of your laws and the works of your commandments;

that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever,

we may be preserved in body and soul;

through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Lord God,

your Son left the riches of heaven

and became poor for our sake:

when we prosper save us from pride,

when we are needy save us from despair,

that we may trust in you alone;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Isaiah 1.1, 10-20

1The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
   you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the teaching of our God,
   you people of Gomorrah! 
11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
   says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt-offerings of rams
   and the fat of fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
   or of lambs, or of goats. 

12 When you come to appear before me,
   who asked this from your hand?
   Trample my courts no more; 
13 bringing offerings is futile;
   incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation—
   I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. 
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals
   my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me,
   I am weary of bearing them. 
15 When you stretch out your hands,
   I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
   I will not listen;
   your hands are full of blood. 
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
   remove the evil of your doings
   from before my eyes;
cease to do evil, 
17   learn to do good;
seek justice,
   rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
   plead for the widow. 

18 Come now, let us argue it out,
   says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
   they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson,
   they shall become like wool. 
19 If you are willing and obedient,
   you shall eat the good of the land; 
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
   you shall be devoured by the sword;
   for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 50.1-8, 23-end

1  The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken •
   and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2  Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth; •
   our God comes and will not keep silence.
3  Consuming fire goes out before him •
   and a mighty tempest stirs about him.
4  He calls the heaven above, •
   and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5  ‘Gather to me my faithful, •
   who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.’
6  Let the heavens declare his righteousness, •
   for God himself is judge.
7  Hear, O my people, and I will speak: •
   ‘I will testify against you, O Israel;
      for I am God, your God.
8  ‘I will not reprove you for your sacrifices, •
   for your burnt offerings are always before me.
23  ‘You that forget God, consider this well, •
   lest I tear you apart and there is none to deliver you.
24  ‘Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me •
   and to those who keep my way
      will I show the salvation of God.’

[or Psalm 50.1-7]

1  The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken •
   and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2  Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth; •
   our God comes and will not keep silence.
3  Consuming fire goes out before him •
   and a mighty tempest stirs about him.
4  He calls the heaven above, •
   and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5  ‘Gather to me my faithful, •
   who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.’
6  Let the heavens declare his righteousness, •
   for God himself is judge.
7  Hear, O my people, and I will speak: •
   ‘I will testify against you, O Israel;
      for I am God, your God.

Hebrews 11.1-3, 8-16

11Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2Indeed, by faithour ancestors received approval. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’

13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Genesis 15.1-6

15After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ 2But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ 3And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ 4But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ 5He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ 6And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 33.12-end

12  Happy the nation whose God is the Lord •
   and the people he has chosen for his own.
13  The Lord looks down from heaven •
   and beholds all the children of earth.
14  From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze •
   on all who dwell on the earth.
15  He fashions all the hearts of them •
   and understands all their works.
16  No king is saved by the might of his host; •
   no warrior delivered by his great strength.
17  A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; •
   for all its strength it cannot save.
18  Behold, the eye of the Lord
      is upon those who fear him, •
   on those who wait in hope for his steadfast love,
19  To deliver their soul from death •
   and to feed them in time of famine.
20  Our soul waits longingly for the Lord; •
   he is our help and our shield.
21  Indeed, our heart rejoices in him; •
   in his holy name have we put our trust.
22  Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, •
   as we have set our hope on you.

[or Psalm 33.12-21]

12  Happy the nation whose God is the Lord •
   and the people he has chosen for his own.
13  The Lord looks down from heaven •
   and beholds all the children of earth.
14  From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze •
   on all who dwell on the earth.
15  He fashions all the hearts of them •
   and understands all their works.
16  No king is saved by the might of his host; •
   no warrior delivered by his great strength.
17  A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; •
   for all its strength it cannot save.
18  Behold, the eye of the Lord
      is upon those who fear him, •
   on those who wait in hope for his steadfast love,
19  To deliver their soul from death •
   and to feed them in time of famine.
20  Our soul waits longingly for the Lord; •
   he is our help and our shield.
21  Indeed, our heart rejoices in him; •
   in his holy name have we put our trust.

Hebrews 11.1-3, 8-16

11Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2Indeed, by faithour ancestors received approval. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’

13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

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 12.32-40

32 ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35 ‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 ‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

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

Strengthen for service, Lord,

the hands that have taken holy things;

may the ears which have heard your word be deaf to clamour and dispute;

may the tongues which have sung your praise be free from deceit;

may the eyes which have seen the tokens of your love shine with the light of hope;

and may the bodies which have been fed with your body be refreshed with the fullness of your life;

glory to you for ever.

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Sunday 28 July 2019 6th Sunday after Trinity Proper 12 Year C

by

Merciful God,

you have prepared for those who love you

such good things as pass our understanding:

pour into our hearts such love toward you

that we, loving you in all things and above all things,

may obtain your promises,

which exceed all that we can desire;

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

Creator God,

you made us all in your image:

may we discern you in all that we see,

and serve you in all that we do;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Hosea 1.2-10

2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.’ 3So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

4 And the Lord said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’

6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. 7But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.’

8 When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9Then the Lord said, ‘Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.’

10 Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people’, it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 85

1  Lord, you were gracious to your land; •
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2  You forgave the offence of your people •
   and covered all their sins.
3  You laid aside all your fury •
   and turned from your wrathful indignation.
4  Restore us again, O God our Saviour, •
   and let your anger cease from us.
5  Will you be displeased with us for ever? •
   Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?
6  Will you not give us life again, •
   that your people may rejoice in you?
7  Show us your mercy, O Lord, •
   and grant us your salvation.
8  I will listen to what the Lord God will say, •
   for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful,
      that they turn not again to folly.
9  Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, •
   that his glory may dwell in our land.
10  Mercy and truth are met together, •
   righteousness and peace have kissed each other;
11  Truth shall spring up from the earth •
   and righteousness look down from heaven.
12  The Lord will indeed give all that is good, •
   and our land will yield its increase.
13  Righteousness shall go before him •
   and direct his steps in the way.

[or Psalm 85.1-7]

1  Lord, you were gracious to your land; •
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2  You forgave the offence of your people •
   and covered all their sins.
3  You laid aside all your fury •
   and turned from your wrathful indignation.
4  Restore us again, O God our Saviour, •
   and let your anger cease from us.
5  Will you be displeased with us for ever? •
   Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?
6  Will you not give us life again, •
   that your people may rejoice in you?
7  Show us your mercy, O Lord, •
   and grant us your salvation.

Colossians 2.6-15 [16-19]

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;12when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.[

16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.]

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Genesis 18.20-32

20Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! 21I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’

22 So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ 26And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ 27Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ 29Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ 30Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ 31He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ 32Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 138

1  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; •
   before the gods will I sing praise to you.
2  I will bow down towards your holy temple and praise your name,
      because of your love and faithfulness; •
   for you have glorified your name
      and your word above all things.
3  In the day that I called to you, you answered me; •
   you put new strength in my soul.
4  All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, •
   for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5  They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, •
   that great is the glory of the Lord.
6  Though the Lord be high, he watches over the lowly; •
   as for the proud, he regards them from afar.
7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
      you will preserve me; •
   you will stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
      your right hand will save me.
8  The Lord shall make good his purpose for me; •
   your loving-kindness, O Lord, endures for ever;
      forsake not the work of your hands.

Colossians 2.6-15 [16-19]

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;12when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.[

16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from 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 11.1-13

11He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’2He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come. 
3   Give us each day our daily bread. 
4   And forgive us our sins,
     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’

5 And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” 7And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

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

God of our pilgrimage,

you have led us to the living water:

refresh and sustain us

as we go forward on our journey,

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Leave a comment

Sunday 28 July 2019 6th Sunday after Trinity Proper 12 Year C

by

Merciful God,

you have prepared for those who love you

such good things as pass our understanding:

pour into our hearts such love toward you

that we, loving you in all things and above all things,

may obtain your promises,

which exceed all that we can desire;

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

Creator God,

you made us all in your image:

may we discern you in all that we see,

and serve you in all that we do;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Hosea 1.2-10

2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.’ 3So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

4 And the Lord said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’

6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. 7But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.’

8 When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9Then the Lord said, ‘Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.’

10 Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people’, it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 85

1  Lord, you were gracious to your land; •
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2  You forgave the offence of your people •
   and covered all their sins.
3  You laid aside all your fury •
   and turned from your wrathful indignation.
4  Restore us again, O God our Saviour, •
   and let your anger cease from us.
5  Will you be displeased with us for ever? •
   Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?
6  Will you not give us life again, •
   that your people may rejoice in you?
7  Show us your mercy, O Lord, •
   and grant us your salvation.
8  I will listen to what the Lord God will say, •
   for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful,
      that they turn not again to folly.
9  Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, •
   that his glory may dwell in our land.
10  Mercy and truth are met together, •
   righteousness and peace have kissed each other;
11  Truth shall spring up from the earth •
   and righteousness look down from heaven.
12  The Lord will indeed give all that is good, •
   and our land will yield its increase.
13  Righteousness shall go before him •
   and direct his steps in the way.

[or Psalm 85.1-7]

1  Lord, you were gracious to your land; •
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2  You forgave the offence of your people •
   and covered all their sins.
3  You laid aside all your fury •
   and turned from your wrathful indignation.
4  Restore us again, O God our Saviour, •
   and let your anger cease from us.
5  Will you be displeased with us for ever? •
   Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?
6  Will you not give us life again, •
   that your people may rejoice in you?
7  Show us your mercy, O Lord, •
   and grant us your salvation.

Colossians 2.6-15 [16-19]

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;12when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.[

16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.]

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Related:
Genesis 18.20-32

20Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! 21I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’

22 So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ 26And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ 27Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ 29Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ 30Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ 31He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ 32Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 138

1  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; •
   before the gods will I sing praise to you.
2  I will bow down towards your holy temple and praise your name,
      because of your love and faithfulness; •
   for you have glorified your name
      and your word above all things.
3  In the day that I called to you, you answered me; •
   you put new strength in my soul.
4  All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, •
   for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5  They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, •
   that great is the glory of the Lord.
6  Though the Lord be high, he watches over the lowly; •
   as for the proud, he regards them from afar.
7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
      you will preserve me; •
   you will stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
      your right hand will save me.
8  The Lord shall make good his purpose for me; •
   your loving-kindness, O Lord, endures for ever;
      forsake not the work of your hands.

Colossians 2.6-15 [16-19]

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;12when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.[

16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from 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 11.1-13

11He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’2He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come. 
3   Give us each day our daily bread. 
4   And forgive us our sins,
     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’

5 And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” 7And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

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

God of our pilgrimage,

you have led us to the living water:

refresh and sustain us

as we go forward on our journey,

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Leave a comment

Sunday 21 July 2019 5th Sunday after Trinity Proper 11 Year C

by

Almighty and everlasting God,

by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified:

hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,

that in their vocation and ministry

they may serve you in holiness and truth

to the glory of your name;

through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Almighty God,

send down upon your Church

the riches of your Spirit,

and kindle in all who minister the gospel

your countless gifts of grace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings
Continuous:
Amos 8.1-12

8This is what the Lord God showed me—a basket of summer fruit. 2He said, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A basket of summer fruit.’ Then the Lord said to me,
‘The end has come upon my people Israel;
   I will never again pass them by. 
3 The songs of the temple shall become wailings on that day,’ 

says the Lord God;
‘the dead bodies shall be many,
   cast out in every place. Be silent!’ 

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. 
8 Shall not the land tremble on this account,
   and everyone mourn who lives in it,
and all of it rise like the Nile,
   and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt? 

9 On that day, says the Lord God,
   I will make the sun go down at noon,
   and darken the earth in broad daylight. 
10 I will turn your feasts into mourning,
   and all your songs into lamentation;
I will bring sackcloth on all loins,
   and baldness on every head;
I will make it like the mourning for an only son,
   and the end of it like a bitter day. 

11 The time is surely coming, says the Lord God,
   when I will send a famine on the land;
not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water,
   but of hearing the words of the Lord. 
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
   and from north to east;
they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
   but they shall not find it. 

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Psalm 52

1  Why do you glory in evil, you tyrant, •
   while the goodness of God endures continually?
2  You plot destruction, you deceiver; •
   your tongue is like a sharpened razor.
3  You love evil rather than good, •
   falsehood rather than the word of truth.
4  You love all words that hurt, •
   O you deceitful tongue.
5  Therefore God shall utterly bring you down; •
   he shall take you and pluck you out of your tent
      and root you out of the land of the living.
6  The righteous shall see this and tremble; •
   they shall laugh you to scorn, and say:
7  ‘This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, •
   but trusted in great riches and relied upon wickedness.’
8  But I am like a spreading olive tree in the house of God; •
   I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.
9  I will always give thanks to you for what you have done; •
   I will hope in your name,
      for your faithful ones delight in it.

Colossians 1.15-28

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for inhim all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,22he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— 23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Related:
Genesis 18.1-10a

18The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. 4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ 6And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ 7Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

9 They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’10Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Psalm 15

1  Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? •
   Who may rest upon your holy hill?
2  Whoever leads an uncorrupt life •
   and does the thing that is right;
3  Who speaks the truth from the heart •
   and bears no deceit on the tongue;
4  Who does no evil to a friend •
   and pours no scorn on a neighbour;
5  In whose sight the wicked are not esteemed, •
   but who honours those who fear the Lord.
6  Whoever has sworn to a neighbour •
   and never goes back on that word;
7  Who does not lend money in hope of gain, •
   nor takes a bribe against the innocent;
8  Whoever does these things •
   shall never fall.

Colossians 1.15-28

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for inhim all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,22he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— 23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

This is the word of the Lord.
All thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
All Glory to you, O Lord.
Luke 10.38-end

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ 41But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

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

Grant, O Lord, we beseech you,

that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance,

that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen