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.
AM584 All my hope on God is founded
All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Human pride and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple, fall to dust.
But God's power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
God's great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
new-born worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth th' Almighty giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
Still from earth to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
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: Ecclesiastes 1.2, 12-14; 2, 18-23
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
12 I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, 13 applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. 14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
18 I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me 19 —and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labours under the sun, 21 because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? 23 For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Second Reading: Colossians 3.1-11
3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
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 12.13-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ 14 But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ 15 And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ 16 Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” 18 Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 20 But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’
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.
AM787 Take my life and let it be
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it thine:
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart: it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure-store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
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.
AM455 My God, and is thy table spread
My God, and is thy table spread,
and doth thy cup with love o'erflow?
Thither be all thy children led,
and let them all thy sweetness know.
Hail, sacred feast which Jesus makes,
rich banquet of his flesh and blood!
Thrice happy he who here partakes
that sacred stream, that heavenly food.
Why are its bounties all in vain
before unwilling hearts displayed?
Was not for them the Victim slain?
Are they forbid the children's bread?
O let thy table honoured be,
and furnished well with joyful guests;
and may each soul salvation see,
that here its sacred pledges tastes.
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.
AM739 Now thank we all our God
Now thank we all our God
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mother's arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessèd peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
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.