The Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you
and also with you.
We come from scattered lives to meet with God.
Let us recognize his presence with us.
Silence is kept.
As God’s people we have gathered:
let us worship him together.
Words of Welcome and Introduction
Hymn
All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
him serve with fear, his praise forth tell,
come ye before him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed,
without our aid he did us make;
we are his folk, he doth us feed,
and for his sheep he doth us take.
O enter then his gates with praise,
approach with joy his courts unto;
praise, laud, and bless his name always,
for it is seemly so to do.
For why? the Lord our God is good:
his mercy is for ever sure;
his truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.
Prayers of Penitence
What God has prepared for those who love him, he has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything. Therefore, let us in penitence open our hearts to the Lord, who has prepared good things for those who love him.
cf 1 Corinthians 2.9
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Collect
For Trinity 1
Let us pray.
God of truth,
help us to keep your law of love
and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life
in Jesus Christ your Son.
Amen.
Reading(s) from the Bible
A reading from the book of Genesis.
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He 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. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let 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.’
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then 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.
They said to Abraham, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then 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. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’
The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’
But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’
The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him.
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’ And she said, ‘Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’
Genesis 18: 1 – 15, 21: 1 – 7
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
For the fruits of his creation,
thanks be to God;
for his gifts to ev’ry nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour,
God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God’s will is done;
in our world-wide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.
For the harvests of his Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
Gospel
Alleluia, alleluia.
We do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia.
cf Matthew 4.4
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’
Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food.
Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.
Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.
See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles.
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.’
Matthew 9:35-10.8,9-23
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
An Affirmation of Faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
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
Written by Tony Bond
As the world continues to battle against the COVID-19 virus we pray for all Christian communities united in adversity.
Today we pray for the Church in the Province of Myanmar it’s bishop and people
Lord give them a strong faith to face the difficulties of life in their country
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
We pray for our National Health Service – Lord give the frontline workers the mental strength to continue to put their own lives at risk day by day as they work hard to save the lives of others
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
Our prayers and thanks go to all carers who make a difference to the lives of others every day – we also pray for the other essential service workers – may their tireless work be an example to us all that we too may think about the support we give to our families – friends and neighbours
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
We pray for our cathedrals and churches and look forward to a return to worship together – The Archbishop of York John Sentamu retired this week and our prayers go with him for a healthy retirement remembering all he has brought to this office
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
In our parish we pray for the opening of our schools as the teachers prepare for a very different way of organising their school – we thank all making it possible for us to take part in the worship at St Mary’s through the internet –we pray for our families and friends and the residents of High Bank Close that they all keep safe in these difficult times
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
We pray for all who are weighed down with sickness of mind body or spirit – Our prayers are asked for:
Pam Wood
George Brown
Ginny Camponi
Tom Heaphy,
Jennifer Moad
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
In our Fathers house there are many rooms – we pray for all who share its shelter –
Those who have died recently:
Gerald Morton
Gerald Heilds
Dorothy Hayes
And on the anniversary of their death:
Kathleen Allinson
Lord in Your Mercy
hear our prayer
United with the Church across the world, let us pray with confidence using the words our Saviour taught us:
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.
Hymn
Angel-voices, ever singing
round thy throne of light,
angel-harps, for ever ringing,
rest not day or night;
thousands only live to bless thee,
and confess thee
Lord of might.
Yea, we know that thou rejoicest
o’er each work of thine;
thou didst ears and hand and voices
for thy praise design;
craftsman’s art and music’s measure
for thy pleasure
all combine.
Honour, glory, might and merit
thine shall ever be,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
blessèd Trinity.
Of the best that thou hast given
earth and heaven
render thee.
Closing Prayer and Responses
Loving God, you meant us to live as brothers and sisters.
Take from us all hatred, suspicion, fear and distrust,
and draw us into closer fellowship one with another.
Show us how to use the freedom you have given us
for the establishment of your kingdom;
and make us instruments of your peace in our homes,
our neighbourhood,
our country and the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The love of God has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
We dwell in him and he in us.
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him,
and speak of all his marvellous works.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was and is and is to come.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Hymn
All my hope on God is founded
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tow’r and temple, fall to dust.
But God’s pow’r,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tow’r.
God’s great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
new-born worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth th’almighty giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
The Blessing
May God, who in Christ gives us a spring of water welling
up to eternal life, perfect in you the image of his glory;
and the blessing of God Almighty
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
rest upon you, your homes and those whom you love
this day and always.
Amen.
We go into the world
to walk in God’s light,
to rejoice in God’s love
and to reflect God’s glory.
Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Please join us for a drink and a chat after the service in our virtual meeting space.
whitkirkchurch.org.uk/meet/coffee
or join by phone
Call: 020 3957 2953
PIN: 584 274 869 #
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