The Churches of the Parish of Berkswich
in the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield
Sunday 25th October, 2020
Bible Sunday
Live-streamed Eucharist with Hymns sung at home
Today we especially rejoice to be gathered not only at home but also in church once more. Please note that current guidance does not permit the singing of hymns in the church building – those at home, please sing loudly for those in the church building who can’t (you will still be muted!).
The gathering
Today is Bible Sunday, when we give thanks for scripture and the ways it has been handed down to us. We rejoice that reading and hearing the Bible in our own languages helps us to understand God’s relationship with humankind and enables us to know God better.
Thou, whose almighty word
chaos and darkness heard,
and took their flight;
hear us, we humbly pray,
and where the gospel-day
sheds not its glorious ray,
let there be light.
Thou, who didst come to bring
on thy redeeming wing
healing and sight,
health to the sick in mind,
sight to the inly blind,
O now to all mankind
let there be light.
Spirit of truth and love,
life-giving, holy Dove,
speed forth thy flight;
move on the water's face,
bearing the lamp of grace,
and in earth's darkest place
let there be light.
Holy and blessèd Three,
glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, Love, Might;
boundless as ocean's tide
rolling in fullest pride,
through the earth far and wide
let there be light.
John Marriott (1780-1825)
The greeting
X In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Act of Penitence
Let us call to mind the greatness and mercy of God, and the ways in which we have fallen short of responding to God’s love.
Your word convicts us:
all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Your word commands us:
repent, and believe the good news.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Your word assures us:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Words of forgiveness
May the God of love and power forgive X
you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
nd raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Gloria
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect for the day
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that,
through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
The liturgy of the word
First reading Nehemiah 8.1-4a [5-6] 8-12
A reading from the prophet Nehemiah
Having rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah calls on Ezra to read the books of the Law to the assembled people, so that they may understand what God requires of them.
All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’ And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel reading
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew X
24:30-35
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus speaks of the signs of the approaching end time, reassuring his listeners that his words will remain when all else passes away.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily
Affirmation of faith
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 Ghost, 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 Ghost;
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
On this Bible Sunday, we give thanks for the word of God and for all those involved in bringing us the Bible in languages that we can understand.
Lord, hear us
Lord, graciously hear us.
at the end
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The liturgy of the sacrament
The Peace
May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
as you were called to be one body.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
All may exchange a sign of peace.
Offertory Prayer
Lord Jesus,
you nourish us at the table of your word
and the table of your sacrament;
as we feed on you, the bread of life,
may we daily grow into your likeness. Amen
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is indeed right and good,
our duty and our joy,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For he is your eternal and creative Word,
through whom all things came into being;
the Word made flesh who dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth.
He fulfils the Law and the Prophets,
dying for our sins and rising again
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He stands among us in his risen power,
opening to us his living word,
and making himself known in the breaking of the bread.
Therefore with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of heaven,
we proclaim your great and glorious name,
for ever praising you and saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
X Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
We praise and bless you, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord; and as we obey his command,
send your X Holy Spirit, that broken bread and wine outpoured
may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.
On the night before he died he had supper with his friends
and, taking bread, he praised you.
He broke the bread, gave it to them and said:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. X
When supper was ended he took the cup of wine.
Again he praised you, gave it to them and said:
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. X
So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did,
in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice
made once for all upon the cross.
Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation, we proclaim his death and resurrection
until he comes in glory.
Praise to you Lord Jesus:
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life:
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day
when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.
Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving arms
and bring us with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Thomas,
St Chad, all the saints to feast at your table in heaven.
Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father,
for ever and ever. X
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray in the words that Jesus taught his disciples:
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.
Breaking of the bread
The priest breaks the consecrated bread, saying
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.
An act of Spiritual Communion
Those at home, as they look on to the consecrated elements - the Body and Blood of Our Lord present in the Bread and Wine, are invited to say these words
In union, dear Father, with Christian
people throughout the world and across
the centuries gathered to make
Eucharist, hearing your holy Word and
receiving the Precious Body and Blood,
I offer you praise and thanksgiving.
Even though I am exiled from tasting
the Bread of Heaven and drinking the
Cup of Life I pray that you will unite me
with all the baptised and with your Son
who gave his life for us.
Come Lord Jesus, dwell in me and send
your Holy Spirit that I may be filled
with your presence.
Those in church are invited to receive communion in one kind only. When you remove your mask, please ensure you wash your hands before and after receiving. Please do not say Amen when the host is given to you. As people in church receive, an organ voluntary will play.
Prayer after communion
God of all grace,
your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry
with the bread of his life
and the word of his kingdom:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your true and living bread;
who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
Amen.
The dismissal
Holy wisdom, lamp of learning,
bless the light that reason lends.
Teach us judgment as we kindle
sparks of thought your Spirit sends.
Sanctify our search for knowledge
and the truth that sets us free.
Come, illumine mind and spirit
joined in deepest unity.
Vine of truth, in you we flourish;
by your grace we learn and grow.
May the Word of Christ among us
shape our life, your will to know.
Joined to Christ in living, dying,
may we help the Church convey
witness to the saving gospel,
bearing fruit of faith today.
Holy God, the hope of nations,
tune us to your righteous will,
as the symphony of ages
claims our best, our finest skill.
Shape our search for peace and justice
through prophetic deed and word.
Christ, conduct us set our rhythm,
that God’s praise be ever heard.
Ruth C Duck (b 1947)
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
May you give thanks for God’s word and those who bring it to you.
May you rejoice that the word endures,
even when heaven and earth pass away.
May you go out into the world, loving and forgiving each other
as God has loved and forgiven you.
And the blessing of God Almighty, X 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.
As one body in Christ, please may we meet as one body together in church soon, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Copyright acknowledgment (where not already indicated above):
Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000
CCLI Streaming licence: 1169112 Copyright licence: 202876
