S† PAUL’S G R O W I N G I N T H E G R A C E O F J ESUS

L I V I N G I N T H E L O V E O F GOD F E A S T I N G I N T H E F E L L O W S H I P

O F T H E SP IRIT

S E V E N T H S U N D A Y A F T E R T R I N I T Y

Prelude Fanfare on WEBB Gordon Young

Call to Worship The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.

Gathering Hymn ST THOMAS

Stand up and bless the Lord you people of God’s choice;

stand up and bless the Lord of hosts with heart and soul and voice.

Though high above all praise, above all blessing high,

who would not fear God’s holy name, and laud and magnify?

O for the living flame from God’s own altar brought,

to touch our lips, our minds inspire, and wing to heaven our thought!

God is our strength and song, Who makes salvation ours;

then be God’s love in Christ proclaimed with all our ransomed powers.

Stand up and bless the Lord; the Lord your God adore;

stand up and bless His glorious Name; henceforth for evermore.

James Montgomery (1771-1854), alt.

[A candle is lit]

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Confession & Absolution Dear Friends in Christ, if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

[Silence is kept]

Renew us this day in the image of Your Love, renew us in the likeness of Your mercy, O God: in our pride and weakness, we have failed You, and we are truly sorry. Our hearts grieve that we have brought darkness and misery into the world. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us our sins. Illumine the dark corners of our lives with Your Spirit of Light, and kindle once more the flame of Your love in our hearts. Renew us in the image of Your Love, O God, renew us in the likeness of Your Mercy. AMEN

God eternal has lifted the canopy of night and beams of sunlight shower us with peace. The dews of heaven heal your wounds and wash the tears from your eyes. The burning light of Christ banish for ever the darkness from your souls. And the breath of the Holy Spirit

fill you anew with resurrection life that you may bask in the assurance of God’s peace. AMEN

Let us pray together: Christ as a light illumine and guide us; Christ as a shield o’ershadow us. Christ under us, Christ over us, Christ beside us, on our left and our right. This day be within and without us, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom we speak, and in the mouth of each who speaks to us. This day be within and without us, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ under us, Christ over us, Christ beside us, on our left and our right. AMEN

The Collect Prayer LORD of all power and might, Who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of Thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

The First Lesson – Romans 8: 26-39 read by Irene Flynn 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn within a large family. 30And those whom He predestined He also called; and those whom He called He also justified; and those whom He justified He also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not withhold His own Son, but gave Him

up for all of us, will He not with Him also give us everything else? 33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written,

‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Ecce, Deus

Surely, it is God who saves me; I will trust in Him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and He will be my Saviour. Therefore, you shall draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say, ‘Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name’; make His deeds known among the peoples; see that they remember that His Name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for He has done great things, and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. 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 Responsive Psalm – Psalm 128

1 Happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways.

2 You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.

4 Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

5 The LORD bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!

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

Hymn of Preparation MICHAEL

God, my hope on You is founded; You my faith and trust renew:

through all change and chance You guide me, only good and only true.’ God unknown, You alone

call my heart to be Your own.

Human pride and earthly glory, sword and crown, betray our trust;

though with care and toil we build them, tower and temple fall to dust. continued

But Your power, hour by hour, is my temple and my tower.

Daily does th’almighty Giver bounteous gifts on us bestow; God’s desire for us delights us, pleasure leads us where we go. Here at hand, love takes stand,

joy awaits God’s sure command.

God’s great goodness lasts forever, deepest wisdom, passing thought: splendour, light, and life attending,

beauty springing out of naught. Evermore from God’s store

new-born worlds rise and adore.

Still from earth to God eternal sacrifice of praise be done,

high above all praises praising for the gift of Christ the Son. Christ, You call one and all;

those who follow shall not fall.

Joachim Neander (1650-1680); tr. Robert Seymour Bridges (1844-1930), alt.

The Second Lesson – Matthew 13: 31-52

3He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’

33He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ 34Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable He told them nothing. 35This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet:

‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of

the world.’ 36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples approached Him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.’ 37He answered, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will collect out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! 44 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it

ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ 52And He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’

The word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

The Message – ‘More Than Conquerors’ The Revd Kris Michaelson

Hymn of Response PUER NOBIS NASCITUR

O love, how deep, how broad, how high, it fills the heart with ecstasy,

that God, the Son of God, should take our mortal form for mortals’ sake!

For us baptized, for us He bore

His holy fast and hungered sore, for us temptation sharp He knew;

for us the tempter overthrew.

For us by wickedness betrayed, scourged, mocked, in purple robe arrayed,

He bore the shameful cross and death, for us at length gave up His breath.

For us He rose from death again; for us He went on high to reign;

for us He sent His Spirit here, to guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

Latin (O amor quan, 15th cent); tr Benjamin Webb (1819-1885)

Prayers of the People led by Irene Flynn

The Lorica Litany

Let us clad ourselves in the Breastplate’s protection: This day, we shield ourselves with threefold power, invocation of the Trinity. Belief in the Threeness, profession of the Oneness, in union with the Creator.

This day, we shield ourselves with the power of Christ’s baptism, His hanging and burial, His rising again and His ascension, His descent for the last judgment.

This day, we shield ourselves with the loving power of the Cherubim, obedience of angels, service of archangels, hope of rising to our reward, prayer of the patriarchs, sayings of the prophets, teachings of the apostles, faith of confessors, deeds of righteous people.

This day, we shield ourselves with the power of heaven, light of the sun, brilliance of the moon, splendour of fire, speed of lightening, swiftness of wind, depths of sea, firmness of earth, hardness of rock.

This day, we shield ourselves with God’s power to direct us:

God’s strength to uphold us, God’s good sense to guide us, God’s ear to listen for us,

God’s speaking to speak for us, God’s hand to guard us, God’s path opening before us,

God’s shield to protect us, from the snares of demons, the inducements of our own vices,

the proclivities of human nature, and those who wish us evil,

We summon these powers to come between us and every cruel and merciless power that threatens our bodies and our souls.

Christ be our protection, this day: against violence, against illness, against despair, against disillusionment, so that we may come to our ultimate reward.

Christ be with us, Christ be before us, Christ be behind us, Christ be inside us, Christ be beneath us, Christ be above us, Christ on our right hand, and Christ on our left;

Christ when we lie down, Christ when we sit down, Christ when we rise up, Christ all around us, Christ in the heart of each who beholds us, Christ in every eye that sees us, and Christ in every ear that hears us.

This day, we shield ourselves with threefold power, invocation of the Trinity. Belief in the Threeness, profession of the Oneness, in union with the Creator.

The Lord is salvation; Christ is salvation; The Lord is salvation;

May Your salvation, O Lord, be always with us. AMEN

The Blessing May God the Father hold you in the palm of His hand and keep you from harm. May Jesus His Son walk by your side along the way. May His Holy Spirit of fire quicken your hearts and keep you faithful and true, and when the gates of death open before you, may you put your hand into the hand of our Lord and step with joy into the high court of heaven, and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you, and remain with you this day and always. AMEN

The Dismissal

That Your glory rises in the morning sun and sparkles off flowing waters,

That the glory of the everlasting world shines in this world growing from the ground and issuing forth in every creature,

That glory can be handled, seen and known in the matter of earth and human relationships

And in the most ordinary matters of daily life, assure us again this day, O God:

Father, Son and Holy Spirit; assure us again this day. AMEN

Sending Hymn DIADEMATA

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.

Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.

Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,

and hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave, and rose victorious in the strife

for those He came to save. His glories now we sing,

who died, and rose on high, who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways

from pole to pole, that wars may cease, absorbed in prayer and praise.

His reign shall know no end, and round His piercèd feet

fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,

rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.

All hail Redeemer hail! for thou hast died for me;

thy praise shall never, never fail through-out eternity.

Matthew Bridges (1800-1894) and Godfrey Thring (1823-1903) alt.

Postlude BLAENWERN William Penfro Rowlands (1860-1937)