The Gathering
Welcome in the name of Christ.
God’s grace, mercy and peace
be with you
and also with you.
Words of welcome and introduction
Hymn
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
O loving wisdom of our God!
when all was sin and shame,
a second Adam to the fight
and to the rescue came.
O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
which did in Adam fail,
should strive afresh against the foe,
should strive and should prevail.
And that a higher gift than grace
should flesh and blood refine,
God’s presence and his very self,
and essence all divine.
And in the garden secretly,
and on the cross on high,
should teach his brethren, and inspire
to suffer and to die.
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
Prayers of Penitence
Dear friends,
as we prepare to celebrate the mystery of God’s love,
revealed in Word and Sacrament,
let us call to mind our need for healing and forgiveness
as we confess our sins.
Silence is kept.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you
and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name.
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.
Gloria in Excelsis
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, a specially composed prayer for the day is introduced with the words:
Let us pray.
Silence is kept.
O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide
we may so pass through things temporal
that we lose not our hold on things eternal;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
We listen to readings from the Bible.
A reading from the Book of Genesis
The servant whom Abraham had sent said to Laban: ‘I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.”
I came today to the spring, and said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,’ who will say to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels also’ – let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.”
Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, “Please let me drink.” She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, “Drink, and I will also water your camels.” So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms.
Then I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.
Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’
And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, ‘May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of their foes.’ Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Genesis 24: 34 – 38, 42 – 49, 58 – end
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper rev’rence praise,
in deeper rev’rence praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word,
rise up and follow thee.
rise up and follow thee.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!
Interpreted by love!
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace,
the beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm!
O still small voice of calm!
The Gospel
Alleluia, alleluia.
We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
cf Matthew 4:4
Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
Glory to you, O Lord.
At that time Jesus said, ‘To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.
I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
Matthew 11: 16 – 19, 25 – end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The Sermon
The Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The Prayers of Intercession
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. Let us pray.
As we gather today in spirit to speak the praise of the Lord and to bless his holy name, we pray for the Church throughout the world. We pray this week for the United Church of Pakistan, and The Most Revd Humphrey Peters, Bishop of Peshawar & Moderator of the Church of Pakistan.
In our own diocese we pray for all who have a special calling to serve God, and especially for Bishop Stephen Cottrell as he prepares to be confirmed as the new Archbishop of York on Thursday. Lord, we give you thanks for the faithful ministry and leadership of John Sentamu, and we ask your blessing upon his successor Stephen. Bless and guide all in the Northern Province of the Church of England as we explore worship and spirituality in a changed and changing world.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer
Almighty God, your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. We pray for all kingdoms and nations on earth. Imbue all ministers and leaders with righteousness and justice, that they might make decisions for the good of all whom they serve.
We give thanks that we can hold our leaders to account for their actions; we pray for people in places where this is not possible; for those who can be imprisoned for speaking their minds. We pray for the people of Hong Kong, as their rights and status within China are being contested. May a peaceful resolution be reached that is acceptable to all.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer
Son of Man, who preached in the streets the good news of the Kingdom of God, we pray to you for our community in Colton and Whitkirk, and this week for the residents of Detroit Drive. May everyone who shares our streets feel your blessing in their lives.
We pray for everyone who is working to gradually reopen businesses, community services, and places of worship; guide those in positions of responsibility to make decisions which prioritise safety and care over all else, and support those who are not yet in a position to reopen. We pray too for those facing redundancy and unemployment – may they find hope in your promise amidst the despair of the world.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer
The Lord is near to all who call on him. We lay at your feet all our heavy burdens. During this time of pandemic, we pray for all who are suffering with Coronavirus, and all who are working to cure them. We pray too for those whose treatments for other ailments have been postponed or interrupted as a result; and particularly this week for cancer charities whose fundraising activities have been curtailed.
And from our parish, we pray for:
George Brown
Ginny Camponi
Tom Heaphy
Jennifer Moad
Lord, uphold all who are falling, and raise up all who are bowed down.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. Turn our sorrow into dancing and our mourning into joyful songs of praise. We hold before you all who have died, in grateful thanks for their lives. This week we remember
Helen Almond
Pam Wood
Audrey Holland
who have recently died; and on the anniversary of their deaths we remember
Stephen Noble
Harry Rutherford Snr
Restore in your image and glory all who have entered into your rest, and guide and comfort all who are preparing to.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen
The Peace
We are all one in Christ Jesus.
We belong to him through faith,
heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Hymn
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
O Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
O Master, grant that I may never seek…
Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving of ourselves that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
The bread and wine are brought to the altar and this prayer is said.
Blessed be God,
by whose grace creation is renewed,
by whose love heaven is opening,
by whose mercy we offer our sacrifice of praise.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
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.
You are worthy of our thanks and praise,
Lord God of truth,
for by the breath of your mouth
you have spoken your word,
and all things have come into being.
You fashioned us in your image
and placed us in the garden of your delight.
Though we chose the path of rebellion
you would not abandon your own.
Again and again you drew us into your covenant of grace.
You gave your people the law and taught us by your prophets
to look for your reign of justice, mercy and peace.
As we watch for the signs of your kingdom on earth,
we echo the song of the angels in heaven,
evermore praising you and singing:
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 God, you are the most holy one,
enthroned in splendour and light,
yet in the coming of your Son Jesus Christ
you reveal the power of your love
made perfect in our human weakness.
Amen. Lord, we believe.
Embracing our humanity,
Jesus showed us the way of salvation;
loving us to the end,
he gave himself to death for us;
dying for his own,
he set us free from the bonds of sin,
that we might rise and reign with him in glory.
Amen. Lord, we believe.
On the night he gave up himself for us all
he 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.
Amen. Lord, we believe.
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.
Amen. Lord, we believe.
Therefore we proclaim the death that he suffered on the cross,
we celebrate his resurrection, his bursting from the tomb,
we rejoice that he reigns at your right hand on high
and we long for his coming in glory.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
As we recall the one, perfect sacrifice of our redemption,
Father, by your Holy Spirit let these gifts of your creation
be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;
form us into the likeness of Christ
and make us a perfect offering in your sight.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Look with favour on your people
and in your mercy hear the cry of our hearts.
Bless the earth,
heal the sick,
let the oppressed go free
and fill your Church with power from on high.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Gather your people from the ends of the earth
to feast with Blessed Mary, St Peter and St. Paul and all your saints
at the table in your kingdom,
where the new creation is brought to perfection
in 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.
Silence is kept.
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has 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.
The president breaks the consecrated bread.
Every time we eat this bread
and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death
until he comes.
Invitation to Communion
God’s holy gifts
for God’s holy people.
Jesus Christ is holy,
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
After all present have received the sacrament and the aumbry replenished the Post Communion Prayer is said.
Eternal God,
comfort of the afflicted and healer of the broken,
you have fed us at the table of life and hope:
teach us the ways of gentleness and peace,
that all the world may acknowledge the kingdom of your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Hymn
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
endless is the vict’ry, thou o’er death hast won;
angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom.
Let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing,
for her Lord now liveth; death hast lost its sting:
Thine be the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of Life;
life is naught without thee: aid us in our strife.
Make us more than conqu’rors through thy deathless love;
bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
The Blessing and Dismissal
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,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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 #
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/notices-email.
“Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace”
Words and music by Sebastian Temple
arr. Norman Warrne
© 1967 OCP Publications, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213, USA
“Prelude on ‘Londonderry Air’”
arr. Noel Rawsthorne
Published by Kevin Mayhew
© 1991
CCL licence: 668063