GATHERING THE COMMUNITY
Prelude a selection of Music will be played.
The Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. And also with you.
Collect of the Day
Lord God our redeemer, who heard the cry of your people and sent your servant Moses to lead them but of slavery, free us from the tyranny of sin and death, and by the leading of your Spirit bring us to our promised land; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Let us prepare ourselves for the Word of God as it comes to us in the reading of Holy Scriptures.
Our hearts and minds are open.
First Reading
Reader Our first reading is from the Book of Deuteronomy
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord's command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Bethpeor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. DEUTERONOMY 34:1-12
Reader Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
All Thanks be to God.
Musical interlude
Second Reading
Reader A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. 1 THESSALONIANS 2:1-8
Reader Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
All Thanks be to God.
Musical interlude
The Gospel
Reader The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Reader +The Holy Gospel of Jesus the Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: "What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." He said to them, "How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet"'? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?" No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. MATTHEW 22:34-46
Reader The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Sermon
Affirming Our Faith (Apostles’ Creed)
Let us give voice to our convictions and substance to our hopes.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He 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, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 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
Confession and Absolution
My friends, not out of dread and fear but believing that God is faithful to forgive, let us rid ourselves of what we need to carry no longer.
Silence is kept.
Most merciful God, All we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy upon you, +pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Peace
The Celebrant may use some appropriate introductory words.
The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST
The Celebrant prepares the Table while Music is played.
Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray
The community prays in silence.
God of constant love, you have guided your people in all times and ages. May we who offer you our praise today always be ready to follow where you lead; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God our Creator.
It is right to give our thanks and praise
We give you thanks and praise, almighty God, for the gift of a world full of wonder, and for our life which comes from you. By your power you sustain the universe.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
You created us to love you with all our heart, and to love each other as ourselves, but we rebel against you by the evil that we do. In Jesus, your Son, you bring healing to our world and gather us into one great family. Therefore, with all who serve you on earth and in heaven, we praise your wonderful name, as we say,
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
We give you thanks and praise, loving Father, because in sending Jesus, your Son, to us you showed us how much you love us. He cares for the poor and the hungry. He suffers with the sick and the rejected. Betrayed and forsaken, he did not strike back but overcame hatred with love. On the cross he defeated the power of sin and death. By raising him from the dead you show us the power of your love to bring new life to all your people.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
On the night before he gave up his life for us, Jesus, at supper with his friends, took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which is given for you.”
After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, said the blessing, gave it to his friends, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which is shed for you and for many, so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.”
Glory to you for ever and ever.
Gracious God, with this bread and wine we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, and we offer ourselves to you in him. Send your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts, that we may know the presence of Jesus in the breaking of bread, and share in the life of the family of your children.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
Father, you call us to be your servants; fill us with the courage and love of Jesus, that all the world may gather in joy at the table of your kingdom. We sing your praise, almighty Father, through Jesus, our Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
Glory to you for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, let us 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, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated bread.
Be present, be present, Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen;
make yourself known in the breaking of bread.
The Invitation
This is the table, not of the righteous, but of the poor in spirit. It is made ready for those who love God and who want to love God more. So come, you who have much faith and you who have little, You who have been here often and you who have not been for a long time or ever before, You who have tried to follow and all of us who have failed. Come, not because the Church invites you; It is Christ who invites you to be known and fed here. The gifts of God for the people of God
Thanks be to God.
The Communion
Music will be played during the distribution.
THE CONCLUDING RITE
Post Communion Prayer
Let us pray.
The community prays in silence.
God our guide, All you have fed us with bread from heaven as you fed the people of Israel. May we who have been inwardly nourished be ready to follow you all our days; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Glory to God, All whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
Announcements
The Blessing
Now go in peace do what God wills, follow where Christ calls pray; for the gifts of the Spirit; and may the blessing of God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer rest on and remain with you now and always.
Amen.
The Dismissal
Celebrant Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Musical voluntary
