Holy Communion
Welcome
Today we gather for the service of Holy Communion. It is sometimes known as ‘The Lord’s Supper,’ ‘The Eucharist,’ or simply as ‘Mass’ but whatever name is used it is the central act of worship for the Christian Community.
If you are a visitor here today we hope you feel at home. The welcome team, wearing rainbow lanyards, will be happy to help you. Please introduce yourself. If you receive communion in any church you are welcome to receive the bread and wine here. If you need a gluten free wafer or wish to receive communion in your seat please let one of the welcome team know.
Here at All Saints we are part of the Inclusive Church network seeking to be a place which does not discriminate, on any level on grounds of economic power, gender, mental health, physical ability, race or sexuality. Pick up a leaflet to find out more.
Children are welcome in church and we understand that they do not always find it easy to be quiet! If you need to move around to settle a baby please do so. In school term time toddlers and primary school aged children have a group called Little Saints who meet in the Trinity Room during the first part of the service. In the school holidays a parent-led creche is available.
Prayer and anointing is offered immediately after the service, usually in the Burton Chapel. Please respect the privacy of those receiving prayer. If you would like particular people or places to be remembered in our prayers both on Sunday and throughout the week please write your requests in the intercession book.
Most Sundays, refreshments are served after the service.
Before the service begins there is an informal welcome. Children are welcome to go to the back of church to join with the procession. Once the service begins please join in with the words in bold type.
The Gathering
The choir may sing an Introit, a piece of choral music reflecting the theme of the service.
Processional Hymn
All stand to sing the hymn as the organ music begins.
God is here! As we his people meet to offer praise and prayer
God is here! As we his people
meet to offer praise and prayer,
may we find in fuller measure
what it is in Christ we share.
Here, as in the world around us,
all our varied skills and arts
wait the coming of his Spirit
into open minds and hearts.
Here are symbols to remind us
of our lifelong need of grace;
here are table, font and pulpit;
here the cross has central place.
Here in honesty of preaching,
here in silence, as in speech,
here, in newness and renewal,
God the Spirit comes to each.
Here our children find a welcome
in the Shepherd's flock and fold,
here, as bread and wine are taken,
Christ sustains us as of old.
Here the servants of the Servant
seek in worship to explore
what it means in daily living
to believe and to adore.
Lord of all, of Church and Kingdom,
in an age of change and doubt,
keep us faithful to the gospel,
help us work your purpose out.
Here, in this day's dedication,
all we have to give, receive:
we, who cannot live without you,
we adore you! We believe!
The Greeting
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you.
and also with you.
Additional words of welcome from the president may be given and the theme of the service introduced.
Prayers of Penitence
The deacon or lay assistant invites us to confess our sins using this prayer or the responses that follow.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
OR
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
The president says words of forgiveness in a prayer of absolution.
Amen.
Gloria in Excelsis
We stand to sing the ancient hymn of praise together.
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words ‘let us pray’. All remain standing for the period of silence and the collect - the special prayer for the day - and all respond.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Readings
We sit to listen to one or two readings appointed for the day. At the end of each the following is said:
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
First Reading: Genesis 15.1-6
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ 2 But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ 3 And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ 4 But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ 5 He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ 6 And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Second Reading: Hebrews 11.1-3, 8-16
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’
13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
We stand and sing together Alleluia as the Gospel book is carried to the middle of the church and the congregation turns to face the reader.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Gospel Reading: Luke 12.32-40
32 ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35 ‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 ‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’
The Gospel for the day is proclaimed.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
We sing Alleluia as the gospel is carried back. We sit after the preacher offers an introductory prayer.
Sermon
After the sermon there is a brief pause for reflection and then all stand to say the words of the Creed or an Affirmation of Faith.
The Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
OR
Affirmation of Faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
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
All sit or kneel for the prayers, which are led by a member of the congregation, usually from the back of the church. One of the following responses may be used or another response may be given.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
or
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
The prayers may conclude with these words:
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Peace
We stand. The president introduces the peace with some appropriate words.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace
Members of the congregation greet their neighbours by saying ‘peace be with you’ to one another as they shake hands.
Offertory Hymn
During this hymn bread and wine are brought forward and the altar-table is prepared. The offertory plate is presented, symbolic of the financial gifts of the people, and the president gives thanks for these.
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might;
be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright Sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.
Taking of the Bread and Wine
When the altar-table is prepared the president offers this prayer.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
through your goodness we have this bread to set before you,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life.
Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
through your goodness we have this wine to set before you,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become for us the cup of salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
The president washes their hands symbolising our desire to come together at the Lord’s table with pure hearts and minds.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord be with you
And also with you
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.
The president praises God for His mighty acts and all respond by singing.
Have faith in God, my heart
Have faith in God, my heart,
trust and be unafraid;
God will fulfil in every part
each promise he has made.
Have faith in God, my mind,
though oft thy light burns low;
God's mercy holds a wiser plan
than thou canst fully know.
Have faith in God, my soul,
his cross for ever stands;
and neither life nor death can pluck
his children from his hands.
Lord Jesus, make me whole;
grant me no resting place,
until I rest, heart, mind, and soul,
the captive of thy grace.
The president recalls the Last Supper and then this acclamation is used.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
The prayer continues leading into the final words of praise. We all join in with the Amen which may be sung.
. . . in songs of everlasting praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever. .Amen.
OR
. . . for ever and ever. Amen
We kneel or sit and observe a period of silence.
The Lord’s Prayer
We say this prayer together, each in our own language. It may be led by a member of the congregation using one of the global languages that make up our intercultural community.
As our saviour taught us, so we 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
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.
Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not,
as thou hast been thou for ever wilt be.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided,
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!Giving at All Saints
There is no charge for coming to church, everyone is welcome . However, as a charity, we rely on the generosity of both occasional and regular givers to fund the mission and ministry of the church and to ensure the upkeep of our historic
building.
If you are visiting and wish to make a donation please place your gift in the
offertory plate at the back of the church either before or after the service,
making use of the gift aid envelopes in the pews. If possible please complete the personal details so that we can claim the Gift Aid.
If you are a regular worshipper here please consider planning to give
regularly, as you are able, as your own response to God. A weekly or
monthly gift helps us to plan our work. You can give through your bank via the Parish Giving Scheme or the weekly envelope scheme is a good choice for those giving by cash or cheque. Further information is available from the welcome team.
Whatever gift you give, however large or small will be gratefully received.
Thank you, from the Rector and Church Wardens.