Worship at Home in Epiphany
Safeguarding Sunday 19th January
The Gathering
Hymn
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe!
From the rising of the sun to its setting your name is proclaimed in all the world.
The Lord of glory be with you.
and also with you.
We will say to the Lord ‘You are my safe and strong place, my God, in whom I trust.’ (Psalm 91:2)
As we gather to worship today,
let us remember that we serve a God of love,
who calls us to love one another as he first loved us.
Prayers of Penitence
We come into God’s presence aware of past failures and seeking his forgiveness. We pray for all who have been abused and for the healing of minds and memories.
You made your church to be a place of safety and refuge, yet people have been hurt and harmed.
Lord, have mercy.
All Lord, have mercy
You call your church to be a voice for the voiceless and the oppressed, yet we have remained silent and not spoken out about injustice.
Christ, have mercy.
All Christ, have mercy
You send your church to be an example of love to the world, yet we have been selfish and not shown love to those who are hurting.
Lord, have mercy.
All Lord, have mercy
Priest Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ gave us the perfect example of love and compassion: forgive us our sins, open our eyes to your truth, open our hearts to your justice strengthen us to do your will, and make us, your church, a place of safety and refuge for all, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
The Gloria
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect
After a period of silent prayer, the Collect is said
Loving God, we pray that this church may be a place of welcome, security and compassion. Keep us watchful yet caring, trusting yet ready to question, that all who worship here may do so in safety and in the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Old Testament reading
Isaiah 41:8-13
But you, O Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
At the end of each reading the reader will say
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm
Psalm 36: 5-10
Refrain: With you, O God, is the well of life.
5 Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens ♦
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness stands like the strong mountains,
your justice like the great deep; ♦
you, Lord, shall save both man and beast. R
7 How precious is your loving mercy, O God! ♦
All mortal flesh shall take refuge
under the shadow of your wings.
8 They shall be satisfied with the abundance of your house; ♦
they shall drink from the river of your delights. R
9 For with you is the well of life ♦
and in your light shall we see light.
10 O continue your loving-kindness to those who know you ♦
and your righteousness to those who are true of heart. R
New Testament reading
Colossians 1: 9-14
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
At the end of each reading the reader will say
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
Gospel Reading
Gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria, gloria. Alleluia, alleluia!
Gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria, gloria. Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ was revealed in the flesh, proclaimed among the nations and believed in throughout the world.
Gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria, gloria. Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord be with you.
and also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Matthew 18:1-9
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
Priest Let us declare our faith in God
All We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.
Loving God, we lay before you the challenges that confront us at home, at work, in our communities and churches. May your Son, the Good Shepherd, guide and shape the life of your Church that all may find a welcome, secure in your presence.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Renew your Church in the love of truth and in passion for justice. Take from us all hypocrisy and deceit, and teach us to serve with humility and honesty those whose lives are broken.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Help us to cherish children and all in our community who are vulnerable, to protect them, and keep them safe. May this place rejoice to be a place where your love is celebrated with integrity.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bring into your healing presence all who have been damaged and diminished by abuse, or whose lives continue to be overshadowed by guilt or fear. May sorrows be shared and memories be healed.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
May those who have been damaged by abuse not simply survive, but flourish. May young and old discover your life-giving love, and delight in your gift of life, so that fun, laughter and joy overflow to your glory.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Lord God, hear our prayer for all in pain and vulnerability: dispel their darkness and loneliness with your everlasting light, so that they can recover their self-confidence and through your grace and mercy find their true selves again, healed and strengthened by your unconditional love in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those in need of God's healing and wholeness, for nothing is impossible for God. especially for Queenie, Val, Debbie L, Penelope, Henry, Tina, Alexander and Beth. Bring comfort to all who mourn, remembering those who have died recently, among them, Brendan Courtenay and Eleanor Hines, and those whose anniversary falls at this time.
At the end of the prayers
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Peace
Priest Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be called children of God. We meet in the name of Christ and share his peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
All and also with you.
Deacon Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Hymn
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord be with you
and also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
All honour and praise be yours always and everywhere,
mighty creator, ever-living God.
through Jesus Christ your only Son our Lord:
for at this time we celebrate your glory
made present in our midst.
In the coming of the Magi
the King of all the world was revealed to the nations.
In the waters of baptism Jesus was revealed as the Christ,
the Saviour sent to redeem us.
In the water made wine
the new creation was revealed at the wedding feast.
Poverty was turned into riches, sorrow into joy.
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:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness;
grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit,
and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine
may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;
who, in the same night that he was betrayed,
took bread and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper
he took the cup and gave you thanks;
he gave it to them, saying:
Drink this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross,
his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world;
rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,
and looking for his coming in glory,
we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.
As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,
we bring before you this bread and this cup
and we thank you for counting us worthy
to stand in your presence and serve you.
Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup,
so that we, in the company of Edmund and all the saints,
may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord;
by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Believing the promises of God,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share one bread.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.
Giving of Communion
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Blessed are those who are called to his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.
Prayer after Communion
Silence is kept. The post-communion prayer is said.
Lord, as we have been nourished by your word and gifts of grace, help us be people that demonstrate our faith through the way we love and care for one another. Help us have the courage to follow Christ’s example and to love as he first loved us, and give us strength as we work to make our church and our world a safe place for all.
Amen.
Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory. Amen.
The Blessing and Dismissal
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Closing Prayer
May the doors of this church be wide enough to receive all who come seeking God and fellowship.
May the doors of this church be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.
May the threshold of this church be no stumbling block to young or frail feet.
May the threshold of this church be too high to admit complacency and self-seeking.
May this church be, for all who enter, a safe place and the doorway to a richer life in Christ. Amen.
Christ the Son of God perfect in you the image of his glory
and gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
We have seen his glory, the glory revealed to all the nations.
Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
Adapted from Common Worship
Copyright: The Archbishop’s Council 2000