St Buryan Church

St Buryan TR19 6BA 

 

 

15Nov2020

All Services will be hosted via Lands End Churches Facebook page and led by Canon Vanda Perrett    https://www.facebook.com/LandsEndChurches

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Dear Friends,

A short note to say that this week in your post I am including a simple bible study which I have found really helpful and thought you may like it too. <Click here to download a copy>

Next week, 22nd Novemberis the last Sunday before Advent begins, Stir up Sunday – time to make your Christmas Pudding! In your mailing next week there will be an Advent wreath print, to colour in and use with some tealights if you don’t have your own Advent Wreath, and some lovely prayers to use with the wreath as you light your candles of the following 4 Sundays. So, you may want to look out some tealights ready. If you need some just get in touch with me and I shall get them to you in time for Advent Sunday.

I am also doing an Advent course over 3 sessions about the gospels of Luke, Matthew and John, with some questions to ponder. I will also include these over the coming weeks, and I hope you find them helpful.

With every blessing, Vanda

Rev'd Canon Vanda Perrett MA
Rector of the Land's End Benefice
The Rectory, Rectory Road, St Buryan, Penzance TR19 6BB
01736 810216
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Land’s End Benefice

2020 Kingdom Season Eucharist - 15th Nov 2020

Please join in with the words in bold. The bold with underlining is to mark the sections.

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.

Prayer of Preparation

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Invitation to Confession        

Christ the King, the light of the world has come to dispel the darkness of our hearts. In his light let us examine ourselves and confess our sins. Christ came in humility to share our lives: forgive our pride.
Lord, have mercy.       Lord, have mercy.

Christ came with good news for all people: forgive our silence.
Christ, have mercy.     Christ, have mercy.

Christ came in love to a world of suffering: forgive our self-centeredness.          
Lord, have mercy.      Lord, have mercy.

The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon and forgiveness of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Collect

Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life: grant that we, having this hope, may purify ourselves even as he is pure; that when he shall appear in power and great glory we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (25.14-30)         Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his disciples, 14‘The kingdom of heaven is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” 21His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” 23His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”

24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” 26But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.

29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”’

At the end the reader may say

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

Reflection

Often the stories Jesus tells us are just that, stories used to explain a point, or encourage us to think. This story of the man who divided his money between 3 servants, each given a descending amount of money to use wisely in his absence raises all sorts of questions if we try to take it literally. So don’t!

Instead try to ponder what gifts do you have?

Some things will be obvious, I can think of several people who would agree a certain St Buryan lady is extremely talented with her needles! Others will agree on the talent of the local artist. While others will want to point out the stunning beauty of someone’s garden.

The thing is that these people are like the first and second men, who took the “talents” – the money and invested it. They doubled it, in using their skills they brought not only joy and contentment to themselves but also to others.

Other folk have a great skill, and yet life circumstances means that they lack the time, or opportunity to practice their talent regularly. But when they do, they also bring great joy. I will spare the blushes of those I am thinking about for this!

Finally, there is the man whose fear was so great that he would rather hide the talent than risk using it. How I wonder are we like this man, choosing to listen to the voices in our heads that say “we cannot do this” or not grasping the courage to try to use our gift, our skill.

So often when taking a funeral service I hear folk talk about the deceased with some regret that although they were a great artist or musician, chef or swimmer, they rarely if ever found the time to do that thing that was their gift, their skill. What made them special, and unique was given to them by God as surely as the talents were given to the men in this story.

When we don’t make space and time to do the things that are a gift from God for us, then we are like the child in the stories of old who refused to unwrap gifts because the package was so pretty, and so never enjoyed the gift inside!

So how might you be able to use the skills you have over this period of lockdown, how might you feel if you were able to have a go at that thing you love doing, which makes you feel alive. Remember Irenaeus said “The Glory of God is a human being Fully Alive” Go and be the glory of God!

Prayers of Intercession

Father God, we join one another in demonstrating our faith in you. You have shown faith in us by sending your Son to be our Saviour. Give us the strength of faith to follow you without being diverted by the pressures and temptations of the world. Let the abundance of the life your Son has promised be centred on you, Lord, starting and ending with divine things and bringing the human things we live by and the things we want to rectify, into sharper focus. We pray for all people that they may hear and believe the word of God. Lord in Your Mercy      Hear Our Prayer.

We pray for our archbishops, our bishops, and clergy in our parishes as they lead our Church in its mission.  We pray for all sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ. We pray for the world and for peace and that fractured relationships between nations can be improved gradually over time with each new generation.
As we honour you, so may we respect and stand in awe of your creation, Lord.
We marvel at the mountains and the oceans, we find endless interest in the wildlife, and we give thanks for the sun and the rain. Help us not to underestimate the forces of nature or the ways in which we can damage nature by our actions.
God of forgiveness and justice, who gives us our daily bread; who watches over us, day and night; who knows our every need and every failing: grant us we pray, the gift to forgive others as you forgive us.   Lord in Your Mercy               Hear Our Prayer.        

We pray for the life of our communities and for all people in their daily life and work here as they work to adapt to new circumstances. We pray for the young and for our schoolchildren and all those who support them.
We pray for the elderly, those who may be lonely and those who fear the winter months. Wherever there is distress we ask, Lord, that your loving embrace brings comfort.
We give thanks for the comfort and unconditional friendship that pets bring.
Look with tender care on those who are sick in mind, body or spirit, remembering especially those in urgent need of our prayers who we bring into our minds now.
We give thanks for those who now rejoice in the fellowship of your saints; and we commend our loved ones whom we now mourn to your almighty love, that they too may rest in peace and rise in glory.    Lord in your mercy                Hear Our prayer

Lord God, Deal gently with our hopes and fears, nurture the people you would have us be and bring colour to our lives and dreams.
Smile on the work of our hands, fashion our vision for the future and fan the wind of change. Creator God, who makes all things new, challenge the drabness of our lives and transform our poverty into the riches of your grace. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

A prayer is said over the bread and wine

Blessed be God, by whose grace creation is renewed, by whose love heaven is opened, 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.

It is always right to give you thanks, God our Creator, loving and faithful, holy and strong. You made us and the whole universe, and filled your world with life.

You sent your Son to live among us, Jesus our Saviour, Mary’s child. He suffered on the cross; he died to save us from our sins; he rose in glory from the dead.

You send your Spirit to bring new life to the world and clothe us with power from on high. And so we join the angels to celebrate and say:

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.

Father, on the night before he died, Jesus shared a meal with his friends. He took the bread, and thanked you. He broke it, and gave it to them, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this to remember me.

After the meal, Jesus took the cup of wine. He thanked you, and gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood, the new promise of God’s unfailing love. Do this to remember me.

Great is the mystery of faith Jesus Christ has died. Jesus Christ is risen.  Jesus Christ will come again.

Father, as we bring this bread and wine, and remember his death and resurrection, send your Holy Spirit, that we who share these gifts may be fed by Christ’s body and his blood.

Pour your Spirit on us that we may love one another, work for the healing of the earth, and share the good news of Jesus, as we wait for his coming in glory. For honour and praise belong to you, Father, with Jesus your Son, and the Holy Spirit: one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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 Breaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life, and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us, light in the midst of us, bring us to light and life.

Giving of Communion

Christ is the true bread which has come down from heaven.
Lord, give us this bread always.

St. Alphonsus Liguori in the 18th century:

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

The priest receives the bread and wine on behalf of the community

Final Prayer and Blessing

God the Father, help us to hear the call of Christ the King and to follow in his service, whose kingdom has no end; for he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, one glory, Amen

A suitable blessing is given, and usually concludes with:

… and may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Live in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):
Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000

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