Holy Communion
Holy Communion in the Season of Epiphany
Whether you are worshipping with us in the church building or from your home we hope you feel able to participate today.
To receive communion you will be invited to come forwards where the minister will intinct the wafer with the wine before placing it in in your hand. Please leave your face covering on as you move and clean your hands after receiving. Gluten free bread is available, and it is also possible to receive communion in your seat if you are unable to come forwards. Please speak to a steward before the service to indicate your wishes. For those at home you may wish to make your Spiritual Communion using the prayer that will be on the screen.
Children are an important part of our church family and we welcome the noise of infants into our midst. If young ones need more space to play or settle there is a parent led crèche available in the room at the front of church where the service can be heard through a speaker. When it not an All Age Communion service Children’s Church meets in Fearon Hall for those who wish to join in. The children will re-join the adults in time for the distribution of communion.
Our service is live streamed so those at home can join us in worship. If you would prefer to not be seen on camera please speak to a steward who will ensure you are seated appropriately.
Here at All Saints we are part of the Inclusive Church network and strive to be a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate. We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.
We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.
You are welcome here today. To stay in touch with us please leave your details with a steward or if worshipping on line use the comments to ask for contact details.
Once the service begins please join in with the words in bold type.
The Gathering
Processional Hymn
All stand to sing the hymn as the organ music begins and the ministers and servers process
Let us build a house where love can dwell
and all can safely live,
a place where saints and children tell
how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes and dreams and visions,
rock of faith and vault of grace;
here the love of Christ shall end divisions:
All are welcome,
all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
Let us build a house where hands will reach
beyond the wood and stone
to heal and strengthen, serve and teach,
and live the Word they've known.
Here the outcast and the stranger
bear the image of God's face;
let us bring an end to fear and danger:
All are welcome,
all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
Let us build a house where all are named,
their songs and visions heard
and loved and treasured, taught and claimed
as words within the Word.
Built of tears and cries and laughter,
prayers of faith and songs of grace,
let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:
All are welcome,
all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
The Greeting
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you.
and also with you.
The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us
and we beheld his glory.
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.
The grace of God has dawned upon the world
through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
Let us confess our sins.
Lord, Jesus, illuminate the darkness in our hearts:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy
Lord, Jesus, open our eyes to your saving love:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, unstop our ears to hear your living word:
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy.
The choir may sing a setting of the Kyrie or a short silence is kept before the president says the prayer of absolution.
May God of all healing and forgiveness
draw you to himself
and cleanse you from all your sins,
that you may behold the glory of his Son,
the Word made flesh,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Gloria in Excelsis
We stand to sing the ancient hymn of praise together
Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Father.
Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Father.
To him be glory for ever.
To him be glory for ever.
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen
Glory to God, glory to God,
Son of the Father.
Glory to God, glory to God,
Son of the Father.
To him be glory for ever.
To him be glory for ever.
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen
Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Spirit.
Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Spirit.
To him be glory for ever.
To him be glory for ever.
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen,
Alleluia, amen
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.
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
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
Readings
We sit to listen to one or two readings appointed for the day. At the end of each the following is said:
The first reading comes from Zephaniah 3.14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The second reading comes from 1 Timothy 4.1-6, 9-10
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer. If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading Mark 1.29-31
We stand and sing together Alleluia as the Gospel book is carried to the middle of the church and the congregation turn to face the reader.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
Glory to you, O Lord.
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
We sing a setting of 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 or the choir or music group may sing an anthem, then all stand to say the Affirmation of Faith, based on the Athanasian Creed.
Affirmation of Faith
We proclaim the Church's faith in Jesus Christ
We believe and declare that our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, is both divine and human.
God, of the being of the Father;
the only Son from before time began;
human from the being of his mother, born in the world;
fully God and fully human;
human in both mind and body.
As God he is equal to the Father,
as human he is less than the Father.
Although he is both divine and human
he is not two beings but one Christ.
One, not by turning God into flesh,
but by taking humanity into God;
truly one, not by mixing humanity with Godhead,
but by being one person.
For as mind and body form one human being
so the one Christ is both divine and human.
The Word became flesh and lived among us;
we have seen his glory,
the glory of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
Prayers of Intercession
All sit or kneel for the prayers, which are led by a member of the congregation. One of the following responses may be used or another response may be given.
Lord in your mercy or Lord hear us
hear our prayer. 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
Christ is our peace.
If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.
The old has passed away: behold, everything has become new.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace
We exchange a sign of peace from our seats.
Offertory Hymn
During this hymn 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. If you want to make a financial gift today you can do so before or after the service using cash or card.
We cannot measure how you heal
or answer every sufferer’s prayer,
yet we believe your grace responds
where faith and doubt unite to care.
Your hands, though bloodied on the cross,
survive to hold and heal and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.
The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.
So some have come who need your help
and some have come to make amends
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.
Lord, let Your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain
and make your broken people whole.
Taking of the Bread and Wine
When the altar-table is prepared the president offers this prayer
Gracious God,
accept the offering of your Church,
the hearts of your people
joined in praise and thanksgiving,
in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord
Amen.
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 (to the tune of Infant Holy)
‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’
Sang the angels in the skies.
‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’
All creation now replies.
Blessed is the infant Saviour,
Blessed is the world’s redeemer.
Sing Hosanna to the king.
Sing Hosanna to the king.
The prayer continues recalling the Last Supper and asking the Holy Spirit to be present with us in the bread and wine.
The following response is used
Praise to you Lord Jesus
Dying you destroyed our death,
Rising you restored our life:
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
The prayer will have one of the following endings:
by whom and with whom and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father;
for ever and ever.
Amen
OR
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.
Amen
OR
We worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours 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.
Breaking of the Bread
We break the bread of life,
and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us,
light in the midst of us,
bring us to light and life.
While the ministers break the remaining consecrated bread and the communion assistants come to the front we sing together
‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’
Sang the angels in the skies.
‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’
All creation now replies.
Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy
Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy
Grant us peace Emmanuel
Grant us peace Emmanuel
Giving of Communion
The president gives an invitation to communion.
God’s holy gifts
for God’s holy people
Jesus Christ is holy
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The choir come forwards to receive communion first and then the stewards will invite the rest of the congregation to come forwards. Please wear your face covering as you move. The minister will intinct the wafer in the wine before placing it in your hand. If you would prefer to receive a blessing instead please keep your hands down at your side or cross them across your chest.
As we share communion the choir or music group may sing an anthem or music will be played.
Prayer after Communion
A brief silence is kept. The president says the post communion prayer for the day before we say the following prayer together:
We thank you Lord,
that you have fed us in this sacrament,
united us with Christ,
and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet
prepared for all peoples.
Amen.
The Dismissal
Notices and publishing of the banns of marriage.
The Blessing
We stand for the president to give the blessing to which all respond.
Amen.
Final Hymn
O Christ, the Healer, we have come
to pray for health, to plead for friends.
How can we fail to be restored,
when reached by love that never ends?
From every ailment flesh endures
our bodies clamour to be freed;
yet in our hearts we would confess
that wholeness is our deepest need.
How strong, O Lord, are our desires,
how weak our knowledge of ourselves!
Release in us those healing truths
unconscious pride resists or shelves.
In conflicts that destroy our health,
we diagnose the world's disease;
our common life declares our ills:
is there no cure, O Christ, for these?
Grant that we all, made one in faith,
in your community may find
the wholeness that, enriching us,
shall reach the whole of humankind.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Please remain standing in your seats until the ministers have passed by and then sit to enjoy the music leaving when you are ready in a socially distanced manner.
Giving at All Saints
As a charity, we rely on occasional and regular donations to fund the work of the church and to ensure the upkeep of our historic building. If you would like to make a gift today, this can be done by cash or contactless payment or here
If All Saints is your church community please consider planning to give regularly as your own response to God through the Parish Giving Scheme. You can find out more how to do this here.
Thank you, from the Rector and Church Wardens.