Welcome our Sunday worship, whether you are gathering in person at St Paul’s or online.
We invite you to use the time before the Service begins for reflection.
Prelude : A selection of music performed by Dr Greg Caisley.
GATHERING THE COMMUNITY
A Minister welcomes everyone informally.
The Greeting
Minister Dear friends, we gather this morning on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
All May we dwell on this land with respect and peace.
Minister The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
All And also with you.
Minister Drawn from many backgrounds and experiences,
All God gathers us as one body.
Minister Bringing our whole selves before our Maker,
All God transforms us more and more into who we were created to be.
Minister We stand together as people loved by God,
All and who are called to love others in ordinary and extraordinary ways.
Minister Let us celebrate God’s majesty, and delight in the wonder of God’s love. Together we shall confess our sins and receive assurance that we are forgiven. As the scriptures are read we can allow God’s word to speak to us, and ponder its meaning for our lives. In our prayers, we give thanks for God’s goodness, we pray for others as well as for ourselves, and we offer our lives anew in Christ’s service. All this we do, because we believe in the presence among us of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and in the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Confession & Absolution Minister Love one another, for love is of God, and whoever loves is born of God and knows God. All Spirit of God, search our hearts. The minister then says Let us pause and, in silence, remember our need for God’s forgiveness. Silence is kept Let us confess our sins to God, as we say All Most merciful God, 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. Minister Merciful God, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Minister Almighty God, you have taught us through your Son that love fulfils the law. May we love you with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength, and may we love our neighbour as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All Amen
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
First Reading: A READING FROM THE BOOK OF GENESIS Gail Evans
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided." GENESIS 22:1-14
Reader This is the Word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Musical Interlude
THE GOSPEL Gail Evans
Reader +The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
All Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple - truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." MATTHEW 10:40-42
Reader The Gospel of Christ.
All Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Musical Interlude
HOMILY
A Time for Reflection will follow (including time with music).
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Minister Let us confess our faith as we say,
All 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.
INTERCESSIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS JACK WOOD
After the intercessions, a time for personal prayer follows, with a musical interlude
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Minister Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Saviour taught us,
All 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 forever. Amen.
THE DISMISSAL
Announcements are given
Minister May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, through the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with you always.
All Amen.
Minister Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
All Thanks be to God
If you would like to join us for a virtual coffee hour on Zoom, please go to https//zoom.us/j/240454925 Meeting ID 240 454 925
