Snowdrops nod their graceful heads and songbirds tentatively start
singing; this year, the onset of spring seems even more poignant than
usual, with the hope that it is a harbinger of better days to come. The huge
interest in nature during this pandemic is an illustration of the human need
to reconnect with the natural world. While many aspects of life as we knew
it disappeared, nature showed us its constancy, in some instances even
thriving as human impacts were reduced. This has provided a much needed balm for the souls of many. Less time spent rushing around
resulted in more time to notice the world around us. The challenge now is
for people to relate their new-found (for some) interest in the environment
to the biodiversity and climate change crisis that faces the world and to
adapt their lifestyles accordingly. US President Biden’s actions should
provide a huge boost for the environment; additionally, companies
worldwide have the opportunity to adopt less wasteful and less polluting
practices as green technology improves. We can all help by supporting
sustainably run companies and avoiding unsustainable ones; then market
forces will direct the latter to cleaner practices.
Parish News
Lenten Reflections
Revd Ken is assisting the Archbishop and the Diocesan Communications
officer, Lynn Glanville, in arranging a series of short Lenten Reflections
entitled “Walking with Jesus in the wilderness”. It is envisaged that
the Archbishop will commence the series on Ash Wednesday and Diocesan
Readers will give daily reflections for the weekdays of Lent up to and
including Maundy Thursday. These will be shown on the Diocesan YouTube
channel which may be found at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJQH1IpNHCI2ue7S782OlFw
n addition, the Archbishop will be giving a talk each Sunday in Lent. On
Good Friday, the plan is to have reflections from seven perspectives
entitled “Living with Jesus Christ in the city of Jerusalem” based on
the narrative of the Passion.
Please consider accessing these reflections as part of your Lenten
discipline.
The Hub February
The Hub will remain closed until restrictions are eased.
Church Review
Lesley Rue organises the distribution of the Church Review. If you would
like your name to be added to the list of recipients, please let her know.
She is currently collecting the annual 2021 subscriptions of €40.
Eco-congregation Ireland
The Eco-congregation movement aims to encourage churches to celebrate
the gift of God’s creation, to recognise the interdependence of all creation,
and to care for it in their life and mission, and through the members’
personal lifestyles.
In Ireland, Eco-congregation has been developed in co-operation with the
four main churches, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist and Church
of Ireland. It offers three key components: Resources, designed to fit into
and enhance Church life and mission; Support, suggesting ways in which
churches may avail of local specialist help; and the Eco-congregation
award, affirming churches’ good environmental work and witness to the
local community.
Parishes are encouraged to increase their awareness of the deadly
challenge of climate change, and to develop projects and initiatives in
spiritual, practical and community focussed areas.
This is something in which all can be involved, to a greater or lesser extent
as they choose, but it is an important practical way in which to give thanks
to God for the wonders of His creation, and to make our Harvest
Thanksgiving a reality throughout the seasons.
Morning Prayer Epiphany 4 Sunday 31 January
Topic: Morning Prayer Epiphany 4
Time: Jan 31, 2021 11:00 AM Dublin
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86486039599
Meeting ID: 864 8603 9599
The service leaflet is available here: Killiskey MP Sunday Epiphany 4 31-01-21
or below here:
KILLISKEY PARISH
MORNING PRAYER FOR USE ON SUNDAY – 31 JANUARY 2021
THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
The Gathering of God’s People
THE GREETING
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all
and also with you.
SENTENCE OF SCRIPTURE
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 124: 8
Opening Hymn: CH514 “We cannot measure how you heal”
We cannot measure how you heal
or answer every sufferer’s prayer,
yet we believe your grace responds
where faith and doubt unite to care.
Your hands, though bloodied on the cross,
survive to hold and heal and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.
The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds,
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.
So some have come who need your help
and some have come to make amends,
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.
Lord, let your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain,
and make your broken people whole.
John L Bell (b. 1949)
and Graham Maule (1958-2019)
INTRODUCTION
We have come together in the name of Christ
to offer our praise and thanksgiving,
to hear and receive God’s holy word,
to seek the forgiveness of our sins,
and to pray for the needs of the world,
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may give ourselves to the service of God.
O Lord, open our lips,
and our mouth will proclaim your praise.
Let us worship the Lord.
All praise to his name.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
king of the nations,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
your name is proclaimed in all the world.
As the sun of righteousness dawns in our hearts
anoint our lips with the seal of your Spirit
that we may witness to your gospel
and sing your praise in all the earth.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
PENITENCE
The grace of God has dawned upon the world
through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
Let us turn to the Lord and renew our faith in his promises
by confessing our sins in penitence.
O God, our loving Father in heaven,
we confess that we have sinned against you;
we have broken your commandments;
we have often been selfish,
and we have not loved you as we should.
For these, and all our sins, forgive us, we pray:
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the Father of all mercies
cleanse you from your sins,
and restore you in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SENTENCES OF SCRIPTURE
Your word is a lantern to my feet
and a light upon our path. cf Psalm 119:105
O Lord, your word is everlasting:
it stands firm for ever in the heavens. cf Psalm 119: 89
Let us then receive the word of the Lord:
so may the light of your presence shine into our hearts.
Proclaiming and Receiving the Word
The First Reading: Deuteronomy 18: 15-20
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed
such a prophet. This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly
when you said: ‘If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will
die.’ Then the Lord replied to me: ‘They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a
prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who
shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet
shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other
gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—
that prophet shall die.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Psalm: Psalm 111
1 I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart : secretly among the faithful, and in the
congregation.
2 The works of the Lord are great : sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour : and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works; that they ought to be had in
remembrance.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him : he shall ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works : that he may give them the heritage of the
heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgement : all his commandments are true.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever : and are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption unto his people : he hath commanded his covenant for ever : holy and
reverend is his Name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : a good understanding have all they that do
thereafter; the praise of it endureth for ever.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 8: 1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ Knowledge puffs
up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary
knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists’, and that
‘there is no God but one.’ Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in
fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all
things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through
whom we exist.
It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols
until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak,
is defiled. ‘Food will not bring us close to God.’ We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if
we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.
For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their
conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge
those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your
family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause
of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn before the Gospel: Thanks & Praise 71 “Jesus Christ is waiting”
Jesus Christ is waiting,
waiting in the streets;
no one is his neighbour,
all alone he eats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I am lonely too.
Make me, friend or stranger,
fit to wait on you.
Jesus Christ is raging,
raging in the streets,
where injustice spirals
and real hope retreats.
Listen, Lord Jesus
I am angry too.
In the Kingdom’s causes
let me rage with you.
Jesus Christ is healing,
healing in the streets;
curing those who suffer,
touching those he greets.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I have pity too.
Let my care be active,
healing, just like you.
Jesus Christ is dancing,
dancing in the streets,
where each sign of hatred
he, with love, defeats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I should triumph too.
Where good conquers evil
let me dance with you.
Jesus Christ is calling,
calling in the streets,
”Who will join my journey?
I will guide their feet.”
Listen, Lord Jesus,
let my fears be few.
Walk one step before me;
I will follow you.
John L Bell (b. 1949)
and Graham Maule (1958-2019)
The Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 21-28
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were
astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then
there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us,
Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus
rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into
convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on
asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean
spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of
Galilee.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
THE SERMON
COLLECT OF THE WORD
God of compassion,
you have shown us in Christ,
that your love is never ending:
enable us both to love you with all our heart
and to love one another as Christ loved us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Response to God’s Word
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Let us worship the Saviour with joy
and make our prayer to our heavenly Father.
The magi came from the east to worship your Son:
Father, grant to Christians everywhere
the spirit of adoration …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
The infant Christ received gifts of gold, incense and myrrh:
Father, accept the offering of our hearts and minds …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
The kingdoms of this world have become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ:
Father, grant an abundance of peace to your world …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
The Holy Family lived in exile and in the shadow of death:
Father, look in mercy on all who are poor and powerless,
and all who suffer …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
Your Son shared the life of his home and family at Nazareth:
Father, protect in your love our neighbours,
our families and this community of which we are part …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
Silence is kept.
Father, we rejoice in our fellowship
with the shepherds, the angels, the magi,
the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and all the faithful departed.
In your unfailing love for us and for all people,
hear and answer our prayers through your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Creator God,
who in the beginning
commanded the light to shine out of darkness:
We pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief,
shine into the hearts of all your people,
and reveal the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, we are bold to pray:
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.
Closing Hymn: CH513 “O Christ the Healer, we have come”
O Christ, the Healer, we have come
to pray for health, to plead for friends.
How can we fail to be restored,
when reached by love that never ends?
From every ailment flesh endures
our bodies clamour to be freed;
yet in our hearts we would confess
that wholeness is our deepest need.
How strong, O Lord, are our desires,
how weak our knowledge of ourselves!
Release in us those healing truths
unconscious pride resists or shelves.
In conflicts that destroy our health,
we diagnose the world’s disease;
our common life declares our ills:
is there no cure, O Christ, for these?
Grant that we all, made one in faith,
in your community may find
the wholeness that, enriching us,
shall reach and prosper humankind.
F Pratt Green (b. 1903)
Going out as God’s People
A THANKSGIVING
Blessed are you, Holy God,
creator, redeemer and life-giver;
you have spoken the world into being
and filled it with wonder and beauty.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Holy God,
for people of every language and culture
and for the rich variety you give to life.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Holy God,
for Jesus Christ our Saviour,
truly divine and truly human,
living and dying for us,
and going before us into heaven.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Holy God,
for your Spirit, the fire of love burning in our hearts,
bringing us to faith, and calling us to holiness
in the Church and in the world.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
We go into the world
to walk in God’s light,
to rejoice in God’s love
and to reflect God’s glory.
THE BLESSING
Christ the Son be manifest to you,
that your lives may be a light to the world:
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
THE DISMISSAL
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Evening Prayer Wednesday 27 January
Topic: Evening Prayer Wednesday 27 January
Time: Jan 27, 2021 07:30 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83459172796
Meeting ID: 834 5917 2796
The service leaflet is available here: Evening Prayer Wednesday 27 January 2021
or below here:
Wednesday 27 January 2021: Evening Prayer
SERVICE OF LIGHT
Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world,
The light no darkness can overcome.
Stay with us now, for it is evening,
And the day is almost over.
Let your light scatter the darkness,
And shine within your people here.
EVENING THANKSGIVING
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us sing our thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Creator of the universe,
from old you have led your people by night and day.
May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright,
for your Word and your presence are the light of our pathways,
and you are the light and life of all creation.
PENITENCE
Silence for meditation and private penitence
May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense,
and may your presence surround and fill us,
so that in union with all creation,
we might sing your praise and your love in our lives. Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD
A PSALM
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, ♦︎
a very present help in trouble;
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, ♦︎
and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea;
Though the waters rage and swell, ♦︎
and though the mountains quake at the towering seas.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, ♦︎
the holy place of the dwelling of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her;
therefore shall she not be removed; ♦︎
God shall help her at the break of day.
The nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken, ♦︎
but God utters his voice and the earth shall melt away.
The Lord of hosts is with us; ♦︎
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come and behold the works of the Lord, ♦︎
what destruction he has wrought upon the earth.
He makes wars to cease in all the world; ♦︎
he shatters the bow and snaps the spear
and burns the chariots in the fire.
‘Be still, and know that I am God; ♦︎
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.’
The Lord of hosts is with us; ♦︎
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Silence for meditation
Response
The light shines in the darkness…
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
A READING
Mark 3: 13-19a
He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed
twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to
have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);
James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of
Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of
Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot.
Silence for meditation
Response
The light shines in the darkness…
and the darkness has not overcome it.
ADDRESS
THE ANNUNCIATION Luke 1 : 26-28, 30-32, 38
An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her
“Rejoice, O highly favoured, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the
Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”
MAGNIFICAT The Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary Luke 1 : 46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness· of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
who has looked with favour on his lowly servant;
from this day all generations will call me blessed;
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
God has mercy on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
The Lord has shown strength· with his arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
God has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel.
to remember the promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
In peace, in peace, we pray to you:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For peace and salvation, we pray to you:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For peace between nations, for peace between peoples:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For us, who are gathered to worship and praise you:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For all of your servants who live out your gospel:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For all those who govern, that justice might guide them:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For all who labour in service to others:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
Grant weather that nourishes all of creation:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
Keep watch on our loved ones and keep us from danger:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
For all the beloved who rest in your mercy:
God of mercy, hold us in love.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Great and merciful God,
source and ground of all goodness and life,
give to your people the peace that passes all understanding,
and the will to live your gospel of mercy and justice,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
God, remember us in your love, and teach us to 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.
Save us from the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
THE ENDING
BLESSING
Let us bless our God:
Praise and thanks to you.
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of Love be our guide and path for all of our days.
Amen.
Epiphany 3 Service of the Word January 22nd
Topic: Epiphany 3 Service of the Word
Time: Jan 24, 2021 11:00 AM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86521257537
Meeting ID: 865 2125 7537
The service leaflet is available here: Killiskey SOW Epiphany 3 (Christian Unity) 24-01-21
or below here:
Killiskey Parish
Sunday 24th January 2021 @ 11.00am
Christian Unity Week
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Preparation
GREETING
Grace, mercy and peace
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all
and also with you.
OPENING PRAYER
Lord, you invite us to abide in you who are the vinedresser who cares for us with love.
You call on us to see the beauty of each branch united to the vine,
the beauty of each person.
And yet, too often the differences in others make us afraid.
We withdraw into ourselves. Our trust in you and one another is lost.
Come and direct our hearts toward you once again.
That as one family we may praise your name.
A LITANY OF PRAISE
You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We sing your praise in the midst of the world and among all peoples,
We sing your praise in the midst of creation and among all creatures.
You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We sing your praise among suffering and tears,
We sing your praise among promises and achievements.
You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We sing your praise in the places of conflict and misunderstanding;
We sing your praise in the places of encounter and reconciliation.
You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We sing your praise in the midst of rifts and divisions,
We sing your praise in the midst of life and death,
the birth of a new heaven and a new earth.
You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you! Amen.
Opening Hymn: 381 “God has spoken – by his prophets”
God has spoken – by his prophets,
spoken his unchanging word;
each from age to age proclaiming
God the one, the righteous Lord;
in the world’s despair and turmoil
one firm anchor still holds fast:
God is King, his throne eternal,
God the first and God the last.
God has spoken – by Christ Jesus,
Christ, the everlasting Son,
brightness of the Father’s glory,
with the Father, ever one:
spoken by the Word incarnate,
Life, before all time began,
Light of light to earth descending,
God revealed as Son of man.
God is speaking – by his Spirit
speaking to our hearts again;
in the age-long word declaring
God’s own message, now as then.
Through the rise and fall of nations
one sure faith is standing fast:
God abides, his word unchanging,
God the first and God the last.
George W Briggs (1875-1959)
based on Hebrews 1: 1-2
PENITENCE
We acknowledge before God that we have failed to be his living stones
and have built walls of division.
Silence
Gracious God,
the love of Christ compels us to seek forgiveness
for whenever we have failed to love,
for denouncing and falsely accusing one another,
for all forms of prejudice and discrimination against one another,
for perpetuating broken communion among our churches.,
for acts of religious intolerance in history and today,
for the times when we have isolated ourselves from our Christian sisters and brothers
and from the communities in which we live.
Lord, our God,
look upon this wall that we have built,
which separates us from you and from one another.
Forgive us our sins and heal us.
Help us to overcome all walls of division
and make us one in you. Amen.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
Renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A COLLECT FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Creator of the universe,
who made us different from one another in myriad ways we can see
and in more ways we shall never know,
yet made us all in your image;
fill our hearts with your love and our minds with your wisdom,
that we may truly become brothers and sisters of your only Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Ministry of the Word
Old Testament Reading: Jonah 3: 1-5, 10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great
city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh,
according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’
walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days
more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ And the people of Nineveh believed God; they
proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind
about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
The Psalm: Psalm 6: 5-12
5 Wait on God alone in stillness, O my soul; ♦︎
for in him is my hope.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, ♦︎
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
7 In God is my strength and my glory; ♦︎
God is my strong rock; in him is my refuge.
8 Put your trust in him always, my people; ♦︎
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
9 The peoples are but a breath,
the whole human race a deceit; ♦︎
on the scales they are altogether lighter than air.
10 Put no trust in oppression; in robbery take no empty pride; ♦︎
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
11 God spoke once, and twice have I heard the same, ♦︎
that power belongs to God.
12 Steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord, ♦︎
for you repay everyone according to their deeds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those
who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not
mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though
they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with
it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
Hymn before the Gospel: 528 “The Church’s one foundation”(vs 1, 2, 4 and 5)
The church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the word:
from heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he brought her,
and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation
Yet one o’er all the earth;
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
‘Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace for evermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blessed,
and the great Church victorious
shall be the Church at rest.
Yet she on earth has union
with God the Three-in-One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
like them the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.
Samuel J Stone (1839-1900) altd.
based on 1 Corinthians 3: 11 7 Ephesians 5: 25-27
The Gospel: Mark 1: 14-20
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and
saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the
good news.’
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net
into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you
fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little
farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the
nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired
men, and followed him.
SERMON
COLLECT OF THE WORD
Bountiful God,
through your Son you have called us to repent of our sin,
to believe the good news,
and to celebrate the coming of your kingdom:
teach us, like Christ’s first apostles,
to hear the call to discipleship,
and, forsaking old ways,
to proclaim the gospel of new life to a broken world;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Response
SCRIPTURAL AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
God of life,
you have created everyone in your image and likeness.
We sing your praise for the gift of our many cultures and traditions.
Grant us the courage to stand against injustice and prejudice.
God of peace, God of love, in you is our hope!
Merciful God,
you have shown us in Christ that we are one in you.
Teach us to use this gift in the world
so that believers of all faiths in every country may be able
to listen to each other and live in peace
God of peace, God of love, in you is our hope!
O Jesus,
you came into the world and shared fully in our humanity.
You know the hardships of life for people who suffer in so many different ways.
May the Spirit of compassion move us to share our time,
gifts and resources with all those in need.
God of peace, God of love, in you is our hope!
Holy Spirit,
you hear the fury of your wounded creation
and the cries of those already suffering from climate change.
Guide us toward new ways of living that are in harmony with all creation.
God of peace, God of love, in you is our hope!
Closing Hymn: 549 “Dear Lord and Father of mankind”
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 reverence, 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.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
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.
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!
John G Whittier (1807-92)
Going out as God’s People
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Let us sum up all our prayers and praises
in the words our Saviour Christ has taught us, saying:
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.
DISMISSAL
At the centre of the world is God,
in whom all our desires and longings find their meeting place.
As we move closer to God, so we draw closer to one another.
And the closer we come to one another . . .
the closer we come to God.
Will you pray and work that God may reign?
With God’s help, we will.
Throughout your day will you let the Word of God
breathe life into your work and play and rest?
With God’s help, we will.
Will you maintain inner silence in all things so as to dwell in Christ?
With God’s help, we will. Amen.
BLESSING
Be one, so that the world may believe!
Abide in God’s love, go into the world and bear the fruits of this love.
May the God of all creation,
fill us with all joy and all peace in faith,
so that we may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Evening Prayer January 20th 2021
Topic: Evening Prayer
Time: Jan 20, 2021 07:30 PM Dublin
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85769230184
Meeting ID: 857 6923 0184
Passcode: 310694
The service leaflet is attached here: WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY EVENING PRAYER
or below here:
WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY. EVENING PRAYER.
GREETING
Welcome in the name of Christ. God’s grace, mercy, and peace be with you.
And also with you.
PREPARATION
Through Christ let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God.
Let our lips proclaim his praise.
Let our prayers rise up before God like incense.
Let our lifted hands be like an evening sacrifice.
PENITENCE
The divisions brought about by human sin and pride are matters of great sorrow for us all. Therefore let us confess our sins, and ask for God’s forgiveness and guidance
Silence is kept
God be merciful and bless us, and make his face to shine upon us.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
May your ways be known on earth, your saving power to all nations.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
You, Lord, have made known your salvation, and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon and forgiveness of all our sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
VERSICLES AND RESPONSES
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouths shall proclaim your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
Praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
THE WORD OF GOD
A READING
St. Luke 18:15-17
People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. But Jesus called for them and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’
ADDRESS
ANTHEM
O nata lux
O nata lux de lumine, Jesu redemptor saeculi,
Dignare clemens supplicum laudes precesque sumere.
Qui carne quondam contegi dignatus es pro perditis
Nos membra confer effici Tui beati corporis.
O Light born of Light, Jesus, redeemer of the world,
mercifully deign to accept the praises and prayers of your suppliants.
O you who once deigned to be hidden in flesh on behalf of the lost,
grant us to be made members of your blessed body.
PRAISE
God is light.
In God there is no darkness.
If we live in the light,
as God is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another
and the fellowship of Christ, who redeems us from sin.
PRAYERS
We pray to the Lord: in faith we pray.
We pray to you our God.
Silence is kept
That the rest of this day may be holy, peace full and full of your presence; in faith we pray.
We pray to you our God.
That we may hear and respond to your call to peace and justice; in faith we pray
We pray to you our God.
That you will sustain the faith and hope of those who are lonely, oppressed and anxious; in faith we pray
We pray to you our God.
That you will strengthen us in your service, and fill our hearts with longing for your kingdom; in faith we pray
We pray to you our God.
God of mercy, you know us and love us and hear our prayer: keep us in the eternal fellowship of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
COLLECT
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SENDING OUT
Heavenly Father, we share together the blessing of your presence.
Give us in this life knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Morning Prayer Epiphany 2 16 January 2021
Topic: Morning Prayer Epiphany 2
Time: Jan 17, 2021 11:00 AM Dublin
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87809155994
Meeting ID: 878 0915 5994
The service leaflet is available here: Killiskey MP1 Epiphany 2 17-01-21
or below here:
Killiskey Parish
Sunday 17th January 2021 @ 11.00am
MORNING PRAYER 1
THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
Opening Hymn: CH624 “Speak, Lord, in the stillness”
Speak, Lord, in the stillness
speak your word to me;
help me now to listen
in expectancy.
Speak, O gracious Master,
in this quiet hour;
let me see your face, Lord,
feel your touch of power.
For the words you give me,
they are life indeed;
living bread from heaven,
now on my spirit feed.
Speak, your servant listens –
I await your word;
let me know your presence,
let your voice be heard!
Fill me with the knowledge
of your glorious will;
all your own good pleasure
in my life fulfil.
EM (Grimes) Crawford (1868-1927)
based on 1 Samuel 3: 9
SENTENCE OF SCRIPTURE
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1: 8, 9
Let us humbly confess our sins unto almighty God.
A GENERAL CONFESSION
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have
followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have
left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to
have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare
thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises
declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we
may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. 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.
O Lord, open thou our lips
and our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
A LESSON
from the Old Testament
1 Samuel 3: 1-10, 19
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the
lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’* and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called
me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel
got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called
Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli
perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall
say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant
is listening.’
As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
After the reading silence may be kept.
THE PSALM
Thanks & Praise 110: “O God, you search me and you know me” (Psalm 138)
O God, you search me and you know me.
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze.
When I walk or lie down, you are before me;
ever the maker and keeper of my days.
You know my resting and my rising.
You discern my purpose from afar,
and with love everlasting you besiege me:
in every moment of life or death, you are.
Before a word is on my tongue, Lord,
you have known its meaning through and through.
You are with me beyond my understanding:
God of my present, my past and future too.
Although your Spirit is upon me,
still I search for shelter from your light.
There is nowhere on earth I can escape you:
Even the darkness is radiant in your sight.
For you created me and shaped me,
gave me life within my mother’s womb.
For the wonder of who I am, I praise you:
Safe in your hands, all creation is made new.
Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)
based on Psalm 139
A LESSON
from the New Testament
1 Corinthians 6: 12-20
‘All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be
dominated by anything. ‘Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food’, and God will destroy both one and
the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord
and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take
the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a
prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, ‘The two shall be one flesh.’ But anyone united to the Lord
becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator
sins against the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you
have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
Hymn before the Gospel: CH581 “I, the Lord of sea and sky”
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I Am Lord,
Is It I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have born my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
my hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Daniel Schutte (b. 1974)
based on Isaiah 6: 8 and 1 Samuel 3
A LESSON
from the Gospels
John 1: 43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from
Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom
Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can
anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards
him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you
under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see
heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’
After the reading silence may be kept.
JUBILATE Psalm 100
1 O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands;
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
2 Be ye sure that the Lord he is God;
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving
and into his courts with praise:;
be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.
4 For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting,
and his truth endureth from generation to generation.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,: and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
is said
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYER
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon 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. Amen.
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us
and grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, guide and defend our rulers
and mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Endue thy ministers with righteousness
and make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people
and bless thine inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
O God, make clean our hearts within us
and take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
THE COLLECTS
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Almighty God,
in Christ you make all things new:
Transform the poverty of our nature
by the riches of your grace,
and in the renewal of our lives
make known your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE SECOND COLLECT For Peace
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose
service is perfect freedom; Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE THIRD COLLECT For Grace
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day:
Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE SERMON
INTERCESSIONS
In faith let us pray to God our Father,
his Son Jesus Christ,
and the Holy Spirit.
For the Church of God throughout the world,
let us invoke the Spirit.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For the leaders of the nations,
that they may establish and defend justice and peace,
let us pray for the wisdom of God.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For those who suffer oppression or violence,
let us invoke the power of the Deliverer.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
That the churches may discover again their visible unity
in the one baptism which incorporates them in Christ,
let us pray for the love of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
That the churches may attain communion
in the Eucharist around one table,
let us pray for the strength of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
That the churches may recognize each other’s ministries
in the service of their one Lord,
let us pray for the peace of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Into your hands, O Lord,
we commend all for whom we pray,
trusting in your mercy;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
PRAYERS
A Prayer for the President and all in authority
Almighty God, who rulest over the kingdoms of the world; We commend to thy merciful care the people of this land,
that being guarded by thy providence, they may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of this State and to
all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness,
that they may serve thy people faithfully to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for the Houses of the Oireachtas
Almighty God, source of all authority and wisdom: guide by your Spirit those who represent us in Dáil and Seanad.
As representatives of the people keep them humble, as legislators make them compassionate, and as politicians defend their integrity. So may the proceedings of the Oireachtas serve the truth and promote the common good. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the servant Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for the Clergy and People
Almighty and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels: Send down upon our Bishops and Clergy, and all
People committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and that they may truly please thee, pour upon
them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that
thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [* especially those for whom our prayers are desired]; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
Closing Hymn: CH584 “Jesus calls us! O’er the tumult”
Jesus calls us! O’er the tumult
of our life’s wild, restless sea
day by day his voice is sounding,
saying “Christian, follow me”:
as of old, apostles heard it
by the Galilean lake,
turned from home and toil and kindred,
leaving all for his dear sake.
Jesus calls us from the worship
of the vain world’s golden store,
from each idol that would keep us,
saying “Christian, love me more!”
In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love me more than these!”
Jesus calls us! By your mercies,
Saviour, may we hear your call,
give to you our hearts’ obedience,
serve and love you best of all.
Cecil Frances (Fanny) Alexander (1818-1895)
based on Matthew 4: 18-22;
Mark 1: 16-20; John 21: 15
A General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, We thine unworthy servants Do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
For all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation and
all the blessings of this life: But above all, for thine inestimable love In the redemption of the world by our Lord
Jesus Christ; For the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, That our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful,
And that we show forth thy praise, Not only with our lips but in our lives; By giving up ourselves to thy service,
And by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, To
whom with thee and the Holy Spirit Be all honour and glory, World without end. Amen.
A Prayer of Saint Chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all
evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13: 13