The Parish of Berkswich
in the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield
Sung Eucharist for
17th Sunday after Trinity
Welcome to our worship this morning. We rejoice to sing in church again. If you are in church, unless exempt please continue to wear a mask when moving around the building or singing hymns. Sections in each of our buildings are reserved for those who wish to maintain strict social distancing – please respect those who have done so. Those at home, please do continue to sing loudly, you will still be muted!
The gathering
Today we recall that the Lord wants everyone to experience life-giving love, truth and justice, and so we come to hear God’s word and to worship.
Forgive us when our deeds ignore
your righteous rule of all the earth,
when our decisions harm the poor,
denying their eternal worth.
Forgive us when we turn aside
from what is honest, true and fair,
when dreams of pleasure, wealth and pride
supplant your clear commands to care.
Forgive us, Lord, our endless greed
for what was never truly ours,
when, driven more by want than need,
we harness this world's brutal powers.
Forgive us that we change the rules
by which the game of life is played,
and never learn to wield the tools
which could see joy and hope remade.
Forgive us, God! Our lives betray
our shallow, vague response to grace;
so help us walk your holy way,
to make your world a better place.
Martin Leckebusch (1962-)
The greeting
X In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord of glory be with you.
And also with you
The Act of Penitence
We turn to the God who brings healing and wholeness, asking that God will forgive our sins and help us to amend our lives.
For the times we have failed to welcome and love those who are not like us in some way.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
For the times we have turned a blind eye to unkindness, prejudice or abuse.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
For the times we have failed to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Words of forgiveness
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardonX and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The Gloria
Our virtual choir sing the Gloria.
The Collect for the day
Let us pray
Silence is kept
Almighty God, you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, 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 James 5:13-20
A reading from the letter of James
Christians are exhorted to praise God when cheerful, pray for one another in adversity, confess their sins and support each other in faith.
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel reading
The virtual choir sing the Alleluia
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark X
Glory to you, O Lord.
9:38-end
Jesus welcomes the supportive ministry of those outside the community, but warns that followers who cause others to reject Jesus should be removed.
John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. ‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. ‘For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily
Affirmation of faith
With our Christian sisters, brothers and siblings throughout the world, let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
The prayer of those who are righteous is powerful and effective, so we bring before the God who loves all of creation our concerns for the Church and the world.
At the end of each bidding the following response is used
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
At the end, on behalf of us all, the intercessor gathers our individual prayers together into one, by saying on our behalf
Just and loving God, we thank you that you hear us when we pray in faith. Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The liturgy of the sacrament
The Peace
The Lord of glory be with you.
And also with you
The Lord sends his Spirit of peace on those who work faithfully for the kingdom of God and calls us to be at peace with one another.
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
Father, accept all we bring before you this day. Guide us with your love and feed us at your table as you nourish the faith of the Church by the preaching of your apostles. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.
Eternal God, in the abundance of your love you have caused all things to be; from dust and spirit you have woven our humanity; in all our wanderings you never cease to call us to fullness of life. You gave us Jesus, son of Mary, the bread of life broken for the world; he fed us and feasted with us, he healed us and suffered for us; his dying and rising have set us free from the poverty of sin and the famine of death. Therefore, with all whom you have made, cherished and called, with all who hunger for your kingdom and will not rest until all your children are fed, with the broken saints and redeemed sinners of all the ages, we take up the song of your praise:
Our Virtual Choir will sing the Sanctus. The priest then continues the prayer, recalling the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper during which our Virtual Choir will sing our Memorial Acclamation – a response to what has been proclaimed in the Eucharistic prayer
At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer, the assent to the prayer by saying....
Amen!
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us offer our prayers to God with grateful and trusting hearts as we say together.
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.
Breaking of the bread
Lord, we died with you on the cross.
Now we are raised to new life.
We were buried in your tomb.
Now we share your resurrection.
Live in us,
that we may live in you
The priest breaks the consecrated bread as our virtual choir sing the Agnus Dei
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
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.
As those in church receive, a hymn will be sung
You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd.
You, Lord, are both prince and slave.
You, peacemaker and sword-bringer
in the way you took and gave.
You, the everlasting instant;
you, whom we both scorn and crave.
Clothed in light upon the mountain,
stripped of might upon the cross,
shining in eternal glory,
harrowing hell to save the lost,
you, the everlasting instant;
you, who are our gift and cost.
You, who walk each day beside us,
sit in power at God’s side.
You, who preach a way that’s narrow,
have a love that reaches wide.
You, the everlasting instant;
you, who are our pilgrim guide.
Worthy is our earthly Jesus!
Worthy is our cosmic Christ!
Worthy your defeat and vict’ry
Worthy still your peace and strife.
You, the everlasting instant;
you, who are our death and life.
Sylvia G Dunstan (1955-1993)
Prayer after communion
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The dismissal
The kingdom of God is justice and joy;
For Jesus restores what sin would destroy.
God's power and glory in Jesus we know;
And here and hereafter the kingdom shall grow.
The kingdom of God is mercy and grace;
The captives are freed, the sinners find place,
The outcast are welcomed God's banquet to share;
And hope is awakened in place of despair.
The kingdom of God is challenge and choice:
Believe the good news, repent and rejoice!
God's love for us sinners brought Christ to his cross:
Our crisis of judgement for gain or for loss.
God's kingdom is come, the gift and the goal;
In Jesus begun, in heaven made whole.
The heirs of the kingdom shall answer his call;
And all things cry "Glory!" to God all in all.
Bryn Rees (1911-1983)
The Blessing
The Lord of glory be with you.
And also with you
May the Lord bless all who bring healing and wholeness, support those who are struggling
and forgive those who truly repent.
And the blessing of God almighty, theX Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen
Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.’
Mark 16.15
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Equipped to go out into our world, we leave in silence
Copyright acknowledgment: Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000, 2006
CCLI Streaming licence: 1169112 Copyright licence: 202876
in the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield
Sung Eucharist for
17th Sunday after Trinity
Welcome to our worship this morning. We rejoice to sing in church again. If you are in church, unless exempt please continue to wear a mask when moving around the building or singing hymns. Sections in each of our buildings are reserved for those who wish to maintain strict social distancing – please respect those who have done so. Those at home, please do continue to sing loudly, you will still be muted!
The gathering
Today we recall that the Lord wants everyone to experience life-giving love, truth and justice, and so we come to hear God’s word and to worship.
Forgive us when our deeds ignore
your righteous rule of all the earth,
when our decisions harm the poor,
denying their eternal worth.
Forgive us when we turn aside
from what is honest, true and fair,
when dreams of pleasure, wealth and pride
supplant your clear commands to care.
Forgive us, Lord, our endless greed
for what was never truly ours,
when, driven more by want than need,
we harness this world's brutal powers.
Forgive us that we change the rules
by which the game of life is played,
and never learn to wield the tools
which could see joy and hope remade.
Forgive us, God! Our lives betray
our shallow, vague response to grace;
so help us walk your holy way,
to make your world a better place.
Martin Leckebusch (1962-)
The greeting
X In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord of glory be with you.
And also with you
The Act of Penitence
We turn to the God who brings healing and wholeness, asking that God will forgive our sins and help us to amend our lives.
For the times we have failed to welcome and love those who are not like us in some way.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
For the times we have turned a blind eye to unkindness, prejudice or abuse.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
For the times we have failed to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Words of forgiveness
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardonX and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The Gloria
Our virtual choir sing the Gloria.
The Collect for the day
Let us pray
Silence is kept
Almighty God, you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, 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 James 5:13-20
A reading from the letter of James
Christians are exhorted to praise God when cheerful, pray for one another in adversity, confess their sins and support each other in faith.
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel reading
The virtual choir sing the Alleluia
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark X
Glory to you, O Lord.
9:38-end
Jesus welcomes the supportive ministry of those outside the community, but warns that followers who cause others to reject Jesus should be removed.
John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. ‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. ‘For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily
Affirmation of faith
With our Christian sisters, brothers and siblings throughout the world, let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
The prayer of those who are righteous is powerful and effective, so we bring before the God who loves all of creation our concerns for the Church and the world.
At the end of each bidding the following response is used
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
At the end, on behalf of us all, the intercessor gathers our individual prayers together into one, by saying on our behalf
Just and loving God, we thank you that you hear us when we pray in faith. Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The liturgy of the sacrament
The Peace
The Lord of glory be with you.
And also with you
The Lord sends his Spirit of peace on those who work faithfully for the kingdom of God and calls us to be at peace with one another.
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
Father, accept all we bring before you this day. Guide us with your love and feed us at your table as you nourish the faith of the Church by the preaching of your apostles. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.
Eternal God, in the abundance of your love you have caused all things to be; from dust and spirit you have woven our humanity; in all our wanderings you never cease to call us to fullness of life. You gave us Jesus, son of Mary, the bread of life broken for the world; he fed us and feasted with us, he healed us and suffered for us; his dying and rising have set us free from the poverty of sin and the famine of death. Therefore, with all whom you have made, cherished and called, with all who hunger for your kingdom and will not rest until all your children are fed, with the broken saints and redeemed sinners of all the ages, we take up the song of your praise:
Our Virtual Choir will sing the Sanctus. The priest then continues the prayer, recalling the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper during which our Virtual Choir will sing our Memorial Acclamation – a response to what has been proclaimed in the Eucharistic prayer
At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer, the assent to the prayer by saying....
Amen!
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us offer our prayers to God with grateful and trusting hearts as we say together.
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.
Breaking of the bread
Lord, we died with you on the cross.
Now we are raised to new life.
We were buried in your tomb.
Now we share your resurrection.
Live in us,
that we may live in you
The priest breaks the consecrated bread as our virtual choir sing the Agnus Dei
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
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.
As those in church receive, a hymn will be sung
You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd.
You, Lord, are both prince and slave.
You, peacemaker and sword-bringer
in the way you took and gave.
You, the everlasting instant;
you, whom we both scorn and crave.
Clothed in light upon the mountain,
stripped of might upon the cross,
shining in eternal glory,
harrowing hell to save the lost,
you, the everlasting instant;
you, who are our gift and cost.
You, who walk each day beside us,
sit in power at God’s side.
You, who preach a way that’s narrow,
have a love that reaches wide.
You, the everlasting instant;
you, who are our pilgrim guide.
Worthy is our earthly Jesus!
Worthy is our cosmic Christ!
Worthy your defeat and vict’ry
Worthy still your peace and strife.
You, the everlasting instant;
you, who are our death and life.
Sylvia G Dunstan (1955-1993)
Prayer after communion
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The dismissal
The kingdom of God is justice and joy;
For Jesus restores what sin would destroy.
God's power and glory in Jesus we know;
And here and hereafter the kingdom shall grow.
The kingdom of God is mercy and grace;
The captives are freed, the sinners find place,
The outcast are welcomed God's banquet to share;
And hope is awakened in place of despair.
The kingdom of God is challenge and choice:
Believe the good news, repent and rejoice!
God's love for us sinners brought Christ to his cross:
Our crisis of judgement for gain or for loss.
God's kingdom is come, the gift and the goal;
In Jesus begun, in heaven made whole.
The heirs of the kingdom shall answer his call;
And all things cry "Glory!" to God all in all.
Bryn Rees (1911-1983)
The Blessing
The Lord of glory be with you.
And also with you
May the Lord bless all who bring healing and wholeness, support those who are struggling
and forgive those who truly repent.
And the blessing of God almighty, theX Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen
Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.’
Mark 16.15
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Equipped to go out into our world, we leave in silence
Copyright acknowledgment: Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000, 2006
CCLI Streaming licence: 1169112 Copyright licence: 202876
