We meet in the presence of God who knows our needs, hears our cries, feels our pain, and heals our wounds. Opening
Hymn
Loving Lord, fill us with your life-giving, joy-giving, peace-giving presence, that we may praise you now with our lips and all the day long with our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.' We long for the fire of God's cleansing to touch our unclean lips, for our guilt to be removed and our sin wiped out. So we meet Father, Son and Holy Spirit with repentance in our hearts. cf Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 Lord, where have we left you? Somewhere far away, Remote and in the manger, A stranger, still in hay?
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Lord Jesus Christ, we confess we have failed you as did your first disciples. We ask for your mercy and your help. Our selfishness betrays you: Lord, forgive us. Christ have mercy. We fail to share the pain of your suffering: Lord, forgive us. Christ have mercy. We run away from those who abuse you: Lord, forgive us. Christ have mercy. We are afraid of being known to belong to you: Lord, forgive us. Christ have mercy. The Lord enrich you with his grace, and nourish you with his blessing; the Lord defend you in trouble and keep you from all evil; the Lord accept your prayers, and absolve you from your offences, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen. The Collect The Collect is said, and all respond Amen. Readings At the end of each reading the reader will say This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Lord, where have we left you? Somewhere lost to light, Submerged in doubt or dreaming, And seeming out of sight. Gospel Reading Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to N. Glory to you, O Lord. At the end This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. Sermon
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We believe in God the Father, God almighty, by whose plan earth and heaven sprang to being, all created things began. We believe in Christ the Saviour, Son of God in human frame, virgin-born, the child of Mary upon whom the Spirit came. Christ, who on the cross forsaken, like a lamb to slaughter led, suffered under Pontius Pilate, he descended to the dead. We believe in Jesus risen, heaven’s king to rule and reign, to the Father’s side ascended till as judge he comes again. We believe in God the Spirit; in one Church, below, above: saints of God in one communion, one in holiness and love. So by faith, our sins forgiven, Christ our Saviour, Lord and friend, we shall rise with him in glory to the life that knows no end Lord, where have we left you? Somewhere all can view, Well polished and presented, Undented and untrue? Prayers of Intercession We pray to the Lord for the courage to give ourselves to him this Lent. Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer. Give us the courage to look beyond ourselves to mission in your world. We pray for our bishops and … May the blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus bring forgiveness to your people and help us to face the cost of proclaiming salvation. Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer.
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Give us the courage to give up war, bitterness and hatred, and to seek peace. We pray for…] May the shoulders of the risen Jesus, once scourged by soldiers, bear the burden of political and military conflict in our world. Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer. Give us the courage to give up quarrels, strife and jealousy in our families, neighbourhoods and communities. We pray for… May the presence of the risen Jesus, his body once broken and now made whole, bring peace and direction as we live with one another. Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer. Give us the courage to live for others, giving time, care and comfort to the sick and those in need. We pray for… May the wounded hands of Jesus bring his healing, and the light of his presence fill their lives. Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer. Give us the courage to give up our fear of death and to rejoice with those who have died in faith. Especially we hold … in our minds. May the risen Lord Jesus, whose feet were once nailed to the cross, walk alongside the dying and bereaved, and lead them and all your Church, through death to the gate of glory. Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer, here and in eternity. Amen. Lord, where have we left you? Somewhere out of range? Divorced from thoughts that matter, That shatter, cheat or change?
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The Peace Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us access to his grace. cf Romans 5.1 The peace of the Lord be always with you and also with you. Let us offer one another a sign of peace. Hymn Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own do we give you. 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 thanks and praise. Blessed are you, Lord our God: through your Son Jesus Christ you have known our pain and show us your mercy. Surely he has borne our griefs; he has carried our sorrows. Surely he has borne our griefs; he has carried our sorrows. He was despised, he was rejected; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Surely he has borne our griefs; he has carried our sorrows. He was pierced for our sins, bruised for no fault but ours. Surely he has borne our griefs; he has carried our sorrows. His punishment has bought our peace, and by his wounds we are healed. Surely he has borne our griefs; he has carried our sorrows.
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We had all strayed like sheep, but the Lord has laid on him the guilt of us all. Surely he has borne our griefs; he has carried our sorrows. So, with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, we praise you for ever, singing:
cf Isaiah 53
Holy, most holy, all holy the Lord, In power and wisdom, forever adored. The earth and the heavens are full of your love, Our joyful hosannas re-echo above. Blessed, most blessed, all blessed is he, Whose life makes us whole, and whose death sets us free. Who comes in the name of the father of light, Let endless hosannas resound in the height. Accept our praises, heavenly Father, through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and as we follow his example and obey his command, grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit these gifts of bread and wine may be to us his body and his blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, 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. 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. Therefore, heavenly Father, we remember his offering of himself made once for all upon the cross; we proclaim his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; we look for the coming of your kingdom, and with this bread and this cup we make the memorial of Christ your Son our Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus: Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life: Lord Jesus, come in glory. Accept through him, our great high priest, this our sacrifice of thanks and praise, and as we eat and drink these holy gifts in the presence of your divine majesty, renew us by your Spirit, inspire us with your love and unite us in the body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise:
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Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen. As our Saviour taught us, so we pray Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread. O lamb of God come cleanse our hearts and take our sins away. O lamb of God your grace impart, and let our guilty fear depart, Have mercy, lord we pray, Have mercy lord we pray. O lamb of God, our lives restore, Our guilty souls release, Into our lives your spirit pour And let us live for ever more, In perfect heavenly peace, In perfect heavenly peace. Giving of Communion Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those who are called to his supper. Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed. All are invited to receive communion. If you do not wish to receive communion but would like a blessing please bring this book with you so that we know.
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During Communion we sing: Lord, you never leave us, Though you're left behind, To where you call and need us, Now lead us and our kind. Prayer after Communion Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Final
Hymn
May God the Father, who does not despise the broken spirit, give to you a contrite heart. Amen. May Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, heal you by his wounds. Amen. May the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth, speak to you words of pardon and peace. Amen. 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 peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen. All Images © either FaithClipart.com, ChurchillClipArt CCL Licence 252297 Liturgy© The Archbishops’ Council 2000-2006. Other aspects of this sheet are is covered by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/uk/
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