This morning’s setting is by Philip Matthias (Tis 757), and the motet is Kenneth Leighton’s “Drop, Drop Slow Tears”. Please stand when the bells ring. Introit Rejoice ye with Jerusalem; and be ye glad for her, all ye that delight in her: exult and sing for joy with her, all ye that in sadness mourn for her: that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations. I was glad when they said unto me: we will go into the house of the Lord. Glory be. Hymn 139 O love of God, how strong and true † Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins, whose mercy endures for ever. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. 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. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ Jesus said: ‘This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbour as yourself. Silence is kept Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, confident in God’s forgiveness. Merciful God, our maker and our judge, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, and in what we have failed to do: we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves; we repent, and are sorry for all our sins. Father, forgive us. Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. † Almighty God who has promised forgiveness to all who turn to him in faith; pardon you and set you free from all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, Have mercy on us. Let us pray. Silence is kept The Collect Everlasting God in whom we live and move and have our being, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you: give us purity of heart and strength of purpose, that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing your will, no weakness prevent us from doing it; that in your light we may see light, and in your service find perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Bountiful God, give to this parish a faithful pastor who will faithfully speak your word and minister your sacraments; an encourager who will equip your people for ministry and enable us to fulfil our calling. Give to those who will choose, wisdom, discernment and patience, and to us give warm and generous hearts, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen. THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. For the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God! The Psalm: 107: 1-3, 17-22 Thus will say the Lord’s redeemed, those redeemed from the hand of the foe and gathered from far off lands, from east and west, north and south. R. They wandered for years in the desert, no dwelling place could they find, they were hungry and craving with thirst, their soul was fainting within them. R. Some sailed to the sea in ships to trade on the mighty waters. These men have seen the Lord’s deeds, the wonders God does in the deep. R. God spoke and commanded the storm, tossing the waves of the sea; to the heavens they rose and fell back. Their courage gave way in distress. R. When they cried to the Lord in their need, God rescued them from their distress; God stilled the storm to a whisper; all the waves of the sea were hushed. R. They rejoiced because of the calm, God led them to a safe haven. Let them thank the Lord for such love, the wonders God does for us all. R. Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Thanks be to God! Gospel Acclamation Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! God so Loved the world so much, he gave us his only son, that all that believe in him might have eternal life. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory Please stand for the reading of the Gospel, as a sign of turning to God. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Hear the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. † Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel: John 3:14-21 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’ For the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. The Sermon Silence Let us stand and affirm the faith of the Church. 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 became truly human. 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 THE PEOPLE Prayers are offered for the world and for the Church. All sit or kneel. Please join in the response nominated. Today we include in our prayers especially: Today we include in our prayers especially: Jennifer, Helen, Sue, Noel, Mavis, Rosemary, Jonathan, Bernard, Josie, Christie & family, Des & Jane, Margaret, Gordon, Paul, and Lil. Today we give thanks for those whose anniversary of death occurs around this time: Ida Foenander, Geoffrey Wilfred Wieland, David Creed, Evelyn Fisher, Thora Cooper, Joan Hill, Keith Dempster, Diana Doige. THE GREETING OF PEACE All stand. We greet one another with a sign of peace. The table is laid. A collection will be taken to support the work of the church. You can also use the QR code at the end of this booklet. We are the Body of Christ. His Spirit is with us. The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you. Offertory Antiphon O Praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious; O sing praises unto his name, for it is lovely; whatsoever the Lord pleased, that he did in heaven and in earth. Hymn 211 Jesus, lover of my soul Prayer Over the Gifts Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given, and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life. Blessed be God for ever. Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink. Blessed be God for ever. THANKSGIVING PRAYER Please feel comfortable to sit as required The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. ...... 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. ....... Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. ....... Blessing and honour and glory and power, are Yours for ever and ever. Amen. As our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are confident to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by 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. Amen. THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD AND THE COMMUNION We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. We who are many are one body. For we all share in the one bread. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us your peace. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper. O Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed. The sacrament is given with these words The body of Christ. The bread of Heaven Amen. and The Blood of Christ the cup of salvation. Amen. During Communion The Lord spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed mine eyes, and I went and washed, and I received sight and believed in God. THE SENDING OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE All stand The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. Bountiful God, at this table you graciously feed us with the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation. May we who have reached out our hands to receive this sacrament be strengthened in your service; we who have sung your praises tell of your glory and truth in our lives; we who have seen the greatness of your love see you face to face in your kingdom and come to worship you will all your saints for ever. Most loving God, you send us into the world you love. Give us grace to go thankfully with joy and courage in the power of your Spirit. Amen. Notices Hymn 211 The Blessing .... Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen. The Ministers acknowledge the altar and leave towards the rear of the church. Please join us for tea and coffee in the Rutherford Room if your schedule permits. Our service here is ended. Our service in the world begins!
