The Greeting
In the name of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
We are drawn together as God’s family,
from Whitkirk, Colton and beyond,
to offer praise and thanksgiving
to ask the forgiveness of our sins
to hear and receive God’s holy word
to pray for the needs of the world
and to seek God’s grace
that through the Son Jesus Christ
we may give ourselves to God’s service.
Based on the Opening Prayer for Morning Prayer from the Anglican Prayer Book of South Africa
Words of Welcome and Introduction
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 the 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.
Prayers of Penitence
In penitence for our sins let us turn to Christ,
that he may fill us with his new life.
Lord Jesus, you came that we might learn from you
and find rest for our souls.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you came that we might have abundant life.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you came that you might set us free.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
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 The Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Let us pray.
Silence is kept.
Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
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.
Amen.
Reading from the Bible
A reading from the book of Genesis.
Laban said to Jacob, ‘Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?’ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful.
Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, ‘I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.’ Laban said, ‘It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.’ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.’ So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) When morning came, it was Leah!
And Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?’ Laban said, ‘This is not done in our country – giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.’
Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.
Genesis 29:15-28
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
He who would valiant be
’gainst all disaster,
let him in constancy
follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.
Who so beset him round
with dismal stories,
do but themselves confound —
his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might,
though he with giants fight:
he will make good his right
to be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, thou dost defend
us with thy Spirit,
we know we at the end
shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labour night and day
to be a pilgrim.
Gospel
Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,
find a home with you;
through him give thanks to God.
Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus put before the crowd another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Preached by Lynne Pickersgill our Lay Reader.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Prayers of intercession
Written and led by Jean Bradley, and ending with…
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
Lord Jesus Christ,
you have come to us,
you are one with us,
Mary’s Son;
cleansing our souls from all their sin,
pouring your love and goodness in,
Jesus, our love for you we sing,
living Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you have come to us,
born as one of us,
Mary’s Son.
Led out to die on Calvary,
risen from death to set us free,
living Lord Jesus, help us see
you are Lord.
Lord, Jesus Christ,
I would come to you,
live my life for you,
Son of God.
All your commands I know are true,
your many gifts will make me new,
into my life your pow’r breaks through,
living Lord.
Closing Prayer and Responses
Let us pray
Silence is kept.
God of light and power and glory,
we rejoice in your light,
we live by your power,
we look for your glory.
Open our eyes to behold your presence,
that we may give ourselves to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We thank you, O God,
for you are gracious.
You have loved us from the beginning of time
and you remember us in times of trouble and of joy.
Your mercy endures for ever.
We thank you, O God,
for you came to us in Jesus Christ,
who has redeemed the world
and saves us from our sins.
Your mercy endures for ever.
We thank you, O God,
for you have sent your Holy Spirit,
who comforts us and leads us into all truth.
Your mercy endures for ever.
Amen.
Dear friends, seek for peace:
peace in your heart, peace in your spirit,
peace in your mind, peace in your home.
From ‘Traces of Glory’ by David Adam.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Hymn
God is love: let heav’n adore him;
God is love, let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth’s foundation,
he who spread the heav’ns above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is love, eternal love.
God is love: and he enfolds us,
all the world in one embrace;
with unfailing grasp he holds us,
ev’ry child of ev’ry race.
And when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow’s iron rod,
then we find that self-same aching
deep within the heart of God.
God is love; and though with blindness
sin afflicts the human soul,
God’s eternal loving-kindness
guides and heals and makes us whole.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o’er us final triumph gain;
God is love, so love for ever
o’er the universe must reign.
The Blessing
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
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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“All My Hope On God Is Founded”
Words © 1996 Oxford University Press
Music © Novello & Company Limited
Final verse arr Noel Rawsthorne, © Kevin Mayhew Publishers
“Living Lord”
© 1960 Josef Weinberger Ltd
“God Is Love: Let Heaven Adore Him”
Music © 1970 Oxford University Press
“Intermezzo”
© Novello & Company Limited
CCL licence: 668063