6Sep2020 Service

Click here to download the Spoken Service of the Word - Sun 6Sep2020

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Land’s End Benefice

6^th Sept 2020

Ordinary Time Eucharist

Please join in with the words in bold. The bold with underlining is to mark the sections. You may remain seated throughout or sit or kneel or stand when we usually do so in church.

The Greeting

The president greets the people

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

Brothers and sisters, as we prepare to celebrate, let us call to mind our sins.

God our Father, full of grace and truth, we confess that we have sinned against you and our neighbour. We have wounded your love and marred your image in us. Restore us for the sake of your Son, and bring us to heavenly joy, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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

Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the cross, and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 18.(15-17) 18-20. Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus spoke to his disciples. ¹⁸Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’

At the end the reader may say

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

Reflection

Love is the fulfilling of the law. What a great statement. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Not the law as in police and justices and magistrates, rather it is the law of God. We know that the Jewish nation were a people of the Law – they had a strict discipline and none greater than the rules around hospitality. Welcoming the stranger as if they were God is a basis of their faith.

Jesus says the greatest commandments are these: Love the Lord your God with all that you have; your heart, mind, body and soul, and your neighbour too – love them as you love yourself. It is in this context that we need to read Matthew 18:18-20. Whether you bind up or loose will be bound or loosened in heaven too. Rather a challenging thing to remember when we hold onto grudges and gripes!

Remember that Romans say this “⁸Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ ¹⁰Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Walking in the way of Christ is walking a chosen path, making a deliberate choice to embrace freedom and accept forgiveness for your wrongdoing. Walking the way of Christ is recognising that we need help to live the right way, to live at peace with ourselves and others. Walking in the way of Christ is claiming your place as a child of God, believing that you are loved and lovable too, that God the creator of all things chose to create you. And in you God is well pleased.

FABULOUS! This is Good News!

BUT … with the rights we are given, the right to be known as God’s child, the rights through the grace of God to be forgiven, the right to worship without fear and retribution come some responsibilities too. We must embrace with the same eagerness we grasp at the forgiveness and love of God, the requirement to love. Love without asking if the person is worthy or what they can give us, love God without expecting God to solve all your problems, love without restraint or fear of being made a fool or looking silly.

If we are to love in this reckless, selfless and abandoned way it will be costly. Costly as we will be seen as foolish, as naïve and as unworldly. But we should be carriers of the grace of God, instruments of God’s love and peace, and people of the other world, the Kingdom world where the only rule is love. But remember Matthew, what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven and what we bind on earth is bound in heaven. There is no clause that says that this is only directed to others. When we refuse to love, refuse to forgive, refuse to give another chance then who are we binding in heaven if not ourselves? When we cheat others, when we choose to live in such a way as our neighbour in this nation or another suffers, are we not binding ourselves?

If we want to wholly embrace God and the love that is offered, these aspects of worldly life must end, we must train ourselves as ready for the Kingdom living. Surely to live in the Kingdom may seem rather strange and challenging unless we start practicing now? If Love is the fulfilling of the Law, then I pray that if I bind anything on this earth it will be bound by love, held by love and loosed by love too.

Prayers of Intercession by Fiona Vinnicombe

Father God, may our closeness to family and friends make us never shut others out, but always welcome others. Encourage us in outgoing hospitality and keep us from becoming possessive with those we love. We ask this even at this time of social distancing so that we continue to reach out to all in our church and wider community. Lord in your mercy …hear our prayer

Creator God, increase in us love, not only for the victims but for the perpetrators of evil and violence in our world; for all governments which run on corruption and fear. We pray for a change of heart and attitude, an awakening to a better way of living, and the courage to reject wrong principles. We pray too for all those who are researching the Covid-19 Pandemic asking that they be successful in finding a way forward for all humanity. Lord in your mercy …hear our prayer

Loving God, we pray for all those returning to school this week. The pupils and the teachers. Walk with them so that they feel safe whilst they still enjoy meeting old and new friends. Keep them brave when they are worried, show them all how to learn from everyone around them, and help them to do their very best. Lord in your mercy …hear our prayer

Lord God, whose Son, Jesus Christ, understood people's fear and pain, we pray for those who are ill or in hospital; surround the frightened with your tenderness; give strength to those in pain; hold the weak in your arms of love and give hope and patience to those who are recovering. Lord in your mercy …hear our prayer

Merciful God, we pray for anyone we know who has recently died and for those remembering anyone whose anniversary of their departing is this week. Lord in your mercy …hear our prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the source of life and the fountain-spring of love. Help me to carry out Your will for my life and may I love as Christ loves, I pray that I would do no wrong, in thought, word or deed, to my family, friends or neighbours. And help me to show the love of Christ to all with whom I come in contact today. Lord in your mercy …hear our prayer

God of the ages, you are the beginning of our journey and our strength as we pause along the way. Hold us by the hand as we grow, show us where to seek you, and guide our steps that we may find you. Give us devoted hearts that we may love you, and your peace when we reach our journey's end. Thank you for helping us to pray; deepen our loving so that as we pray through this coming week we may do it with your heart of compassion. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Concluding with 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 Peace

Words of introduction to the peace are used concluding with:

The peace of the Lord be always with you

And also with you.

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

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

Faithful God, in baptism you have adopted us as your children,
made us members of the body of Christ and chosen us as inheritors of your kingdom: we thank you that in this Eucharist you renew your promises within us, empower us by your Spirit to witness and to serve, and send us out as disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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.

Lord our God,

Amid the uncertainties of our human life,

May we pause and draw strength from you,

Trusting in your faithful love,

We ask through Jesus, your Son our Lord. Amen

The Celtic Primer