Welcome: –
Call to Worship: –
(from Psalm 99: 1a, 2 to 5 and 8 &9)
The LORD is King in Heaven and on Earth, He is mighty and supreme over all the Nations.
Everyone will praise God’s great and majestic name. Holy is the LORD!
Mighty King, you love what is right, you have brought righteousness and fairness.
Let us kneel before the throne and worship our God. Holy is the LORD!
O LORD, you answered your people; you showed them that you are a God who forgives.
Let us gather to worship our God. The LORD our God is holy!
God’s holiness is shown in His sovereign power as Creator and Sustainer of all there is in Heaven and on Earth. God’s holiness is shown in His righteousness and love of justice. God’s holiness is shown in His grace and deep desire to be in communion with each individual. The God who judges sin is also the God who forgives the sinner. Our relationship with God rests on our acknowledgement that He is a holy and righteous God, and a gracious and forgiving God. Let us gather together with joyful confidence to worship and adore the God who loves us.
(Artur Weiser in The Psalms p641 to 644)
Prayer of Praise
(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 p565, 34 and 35, Opening Prayers p 134)
God of kindness and concern, your mercies to us are without end. If we go to the limits of Time or go to the edges of Space, we know that you will always be there with us.
In the joy and happiness of life or the darkness of despair and uncertainty, we can be certain that you will never leave us.
At the time you chose you revealed to all Humanity the message of your offer of grace and mercy freely available to all who submit to your will and purpose.
You are a God to be praised.
Jesus Christ, our Saviour, your love for us was so great that you sacrificed yourself for us. You willingly took upon yourself our sin and suffered for us.
We cannot in our lifetime express what this can mean to each of us.
We can only repeat our praises to you daily for setting us free from the bondage of sin and death.
May we, too, heed your teaching and guidance throughout our lives.
Spirit of truth and peace, you lead us in the right paths and correct our wanderings. You recall to us the promises of God’s peace that bring comfort and relief.
You bring to us an understanding of God’s Word that gives substance to our faith.
In the silences you refresh our souls and renew us for the coming day.
In the storms of life, you uphold us and support us so that we will not fall. We give to you our thanks.
We worship and adore you God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our desire is to be in your presence and experience your love.
Holy God, we declare our love for you and offer you our praise and worship, now and always. Amen.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Songs: ‘In Christ alone’
Stuart Townend
Prayer of Confession
In our negligence we leave a trail of destruction and death, in our wantonness we are using up more than our share with no thought as to what will be left for future generations. Lord, have mercy.
Gracious God, you have given us eyes to see and ears to hear, yet we are so often indifferent to the sight of the needy and to the calls of assistance from those with whom we live.
We avoid the oppressed and those who have been hurt by others. We are afraid to get involved and what it may cost us in time and effort. Lord, have mercy.
Gracious God, you have given us your Word of Life and the never-ending spring of living water for our souls, yet we are so often indifferent to the study of your Word.
We neglect our faith and offer but superficial worship or selfish prayers. We are like the lukewarm water that is spat out as neither nutritious not refreshing. Lord, have mercy.
Look with pity on us, gracious God, as we confess our sins. We repent and are sorry for our neglect, for the way we have departed from your will and your purpose for us.
Please give us the light by which we can be guided to live as you commanded and to follow in your steps. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Happy are those who come to God in humility and with a contrite heart, for God shows that He is a God who forgives. And, so, we have confidence in the declaration that God has answered our plea and that our sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer of illumination
O Lord, Heavenly Father, in whom is the fullness of light and wisdom,
enlighten our minds by your Holy Spirit,
and give us grace to receive your Word with reverence and humility,
without which no person can understand your truth.
To your glory we pray. Amen
John Calvin
(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/austria-liechtenstein-switzerland)
Bible Readings
29 When Moses went down from Mount Sinai carrying the Ten Commandments, his face
was shining because he had been speaking with the LORD; but he did not know it. 30 Aaron and all the people looked at Moses and saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him. 31 But Moses called them, and Aaron and all the Leaders of the Community went to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 After that, all the people of Israel gathered around him, and Moses gave them all the Laws that the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil.
34 Whenever Moses went into the Tent of the LORD’s Presence to speak to the LORD, he would take the veil off. When he came out, he would tell the people of Israel everything that he had been commanded to say, 35 and they would see that his face was shining. Then he would put the veil back on until the next time he went to speak with the LORD.
2 Corinthians 3 & 4:
9 The system which brings condemnation was glorious; how much more glorious is the activity which brings salvation! 10 We may say that because of the far brighter glory now, the glory that was so bright in the past is gone. 11 For if there was glory in that which lasted for a while, how much more glory is there in that which lasts forever! 12 Because we have this hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who had to put a veil over his face so that the people of Israel would not see the brightness fade and disappear.
18 All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.
1 God in His mercy has given us this work to do, and so we do not become discouraged. 2 We put aside all secret and shameful deeds; we do not act with deceit, nor do we falsify the Word of God. In the full light of truth we live in God’s sight and try to commend ourselves to everyone’s good conscience.
Hebrews 1:
3 Jesus reflects the brightness of God’s glory and is the exact likeness of God’s own being, sustaining the Universe with his powerful Word. After achieving forgiveness for the sins of Mankind, he sat down in Heaven at the right-hand side of God, the Supreme Power.
(Good News Bible)
This is the Word of God.
Praise to you Almighty God.
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi (Matthew) , sitting in his office. Jesus said to him,
“Follow me.”
28 Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Then Levi had a big feast in his house for Jesus, and among the guests was a large number of tax collectors and other people. 30 Some Pharisees and some Teachers of the Law who belonged to their group complained to Jesus’ Disciples.
“Why do you eat and drink with Tax Collectors and other outcasts?”, they asked.
31 Jesus answered them,
“People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call respectable people to repent, but outcasts.”
Luke 9:
28 Jesus took Peter, John and James with him and went up a hill to pray. 29 While he was praying, his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white.
30 Suddenly, two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in Heavenly glory and talked with Jesus about the way in which he would soon fulfill God’s purpose by dying in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were sound asleep, but they woke up and saw Jesus’ glory and the two men who were standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him,
“Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eljah.” (He did not really know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow; and the Disciples were afraid as the cloud came over them. 35 A voice said from the cloud,
“This is my Son, whom I have chosen – listen to him.” (Isaiah 42: 1, Luke 3: 22, 2 Peter 1: 17 & 18, 1 John 1: 1 to 4)
(Good News Bible)
This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn: ‘Author of faith, eternal word’
(TiS565 AHB473 MHB362)
The words are printed below:
Verse 1 of 6
Author of faith, eternal Word,
whose Spirit breathes the active flame;
faith, like its finisher and Lord,
today as yesterday the same:
Verse 2 of 6
To you our humble hearts aspire,
and ask the gift unspeakable;
increase in us the kindled fire,
in us the work of faith fulfill.
Verse 3 of 6
By faith we know you strong to save;
your saving presence let us know;
what e’er we hope, by faith we have,
future and past are present now.
Verse 4 of 6
To us who in your name believe
eternal life with you is given;
into ourselves we all receive,
pardon, and happiness, and Heaven.
Verse 5 of 6
The things unknown to feeble sense,
unseen by reason’s glimmering ray,
with strong, commanding evidence
their Heavenly origin display.
Verse 6 of 6
Faith lends its realizing light,
the clouds disperse, the shadows fly;
the Invisible appears in sight,
and God is seen by mortal eye.
Charles Wesley
Sermon
Matthew
Luke records a time when, as Jesus was walking along the quayside of Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Matthew, “sitting in his office” (GNB) (Luke 5: 27) . [This incident is also recorded in Matthew 9: 9 to 13, where he is listed as Matthew, & in Mark 2: 13 to 17, where he is listed as Levi, as Luke also does in his account of this incident.] In all three Gospel accounts Matthew is described as a “publican”, with the Greek word that is used, being the generic term ‘telones’, meaning “a collector of public revenue” (Strong’s NT5057) . The “office” or “booth” in which he is sitting, again, is a generic Greek word, ‘telonion’, which means, quite logically, “a tax gather’s place of business” (Strong’s NT5058) .
Matthew’s place of business was beside the Capernaum quayside and in proximity to “the major international road that went west from Damascus through Capernaum to the Mediterranean Coast and then south to Egypt” [referred to by the Prophet Isaiah as ‘the way to the Sea’ (Isaiah 9: 1) , which is quoted by Matthew in his Gospel (Matthew 4: 12 to 15) ] (Walter Wessel and William Lane in Study Note in the NIV Study Bible p1524, Walter Wessel in Mark The Expositor’s Bible Commentary p34) With this understanding, Commentators have determined that Matthew was not collecting taxes, as determined for each income earner by the last Roman census, but custom duties and tolls on the goods recently brought into Galilee via land or sea from lands to the east and north, and in transit through Galilee. (Craig Keener in The Gospel of Matthew p293, Craig Keener in Mark in The IVP Bible Background Commentary to the New Testament p140, Eugene Boring in Mark A Commentary p80) Hence the original version of the King James Bible reads that Matthew was sitting in “the receipt of customs” (Matthew 9: 9, Mark 2: 14 & Luke 5: 27) , and not in a generic ‘tax office’.
Why is this important?
Eugene Boring, in his Commentary on Mark, writes,
“(Mathew) does not hear Jesus’ teaching, and his call takes place not because he has evaluated and been convinced by Jesus’ message, but as the direct result of Jesus’ powerful words. (Matthew) had not taken any initiative and was not seeking Jesus.” (Eugene Boring in Mark A Commentary p80)
I consider that that is an incorrect assessment of the calling of Matthew. I think that, aside from people who were healed of ‘demonic possession’, the stimulus for the response to Jesus by anyone mentioned in the New Testament Gospels is that they had first heard Jesus teach or that they had heard about what he had been teaching.
In my sermon on Sunday 9th February, I stated,
So, when Jesus called Simon and Andrew, and James and John, to leave behind their homes and all that was familiar, to become “fishers of men”, their meeting was not a spontaneous one between unknown persons as it is sometimes conceived. Jesus knew them and had lived with them. They knew Jesus and had heard the “news about Jesus that had spread throughout the territory of Galilee”. (Luke 4: 14)
In the account in John’s Gospel of Jesus calling Nathanael to follow him, Nathanael responded because Jesus had first spoken with him. (John 1: 43 – 51)
Zacchaeus sought to catch a glimpse of Jesus because he had heard of his teaching, and of his acceptance of all people. (Luke 19: 1 – 9)
Blind Bartimaeus called out to Jesus for mercy, calling Jesus “Son of David”, based upon the insight that Bartimaeus had obtained from listening to those who were discussing the teaching and acts of Jesus. (Mark 10: 46 – 52)
The Roman Centurian who begged Jesus to heal his servant did so because of his faith that Jesus would do this, based on what he had heard of the compassion and power of Jesus to heal. (Matthew 8: 5 – 13)
The common element in all of these accounts is that the person had heard of the teaching of Jesus, either first-hand from being present with Jesus, or second-hand, from listening to or from discussing with others the teachings of Jesus.
I believe that there was no difference with the call to Matthew by Jesus to follow him. But from where did Matthew hear of the teaching of Jesus?
Craig Keener in his Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, writes,
“Matthew’s office would have made him locally prominent” (Craig Keener in The Gospel of Matthew p293)
It is on that understanding that Henry Morton was pondering the call of Matthew as he wandered around the ruins of Capernaum during his visit to Galilee in around 1934. And he writes,
“One imagines that Matthew, if his post was on the quayside at Capernaum, had many an opportunity of seeing Jesus as he arrived or departed.” (Henry Morton in In the Steps of the Master p225) And, in addition, Matthew would have had many an opportunity to hear the comments by people of the revelations they obtained from the teaching and miracles of Jesus.
Henry Morton then quotes from a book titled The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, by a Dr Edersheim, who writes, (and I will quote it in length because it adds such an enlightening understanding of what took place),
“We take it, long before that eventful day that forever decided his life, Matthew had, in his heart, become a disciple of Jesus (based upon what he had heard and seen of Jesus). Only he dared not, could not, have hoped for personal recognition – far less for call to discipleship (because of the social stigma of his occupation). But when it came, and Jesus fixed on him that look of love which searched the inmost deep of the soul, and made him the true Fisher of men, it needed not a moment’s thought or consideration. When Jesus said it, ‘Follow me.’, the past seemed all swallowed up in the present heaven of bliss. (Matthew) said not a word, for his soul was in the speechless surprise of unexpected love and grace; but he rose up, left the custom-house, and followed (Jesus).” (Henry Morton in In the Steps of the Master p226)
A second thought that we need to keep in mind is,
In what way was Matthew reflecting the actions of Jesus?
For Matthew did do this, but first, we need to clarify one aspect of the nature of Jesus.
“While he was praying, his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white.” (Luke 9: 29)
And, just as importantly, Luke records for us the Word of God coming on that occasion to confirm the obedience of Jesus in his intention to undertake his task to be the Redeemer of Humanity, as God had also indicated at the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3: 22) ,
“A voice said from the cloud,
“This is my Son, whom I have chosen – listen to him.” (Luke 9: 35)
And tied in with this is the understanding that Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy of the Lord’s Servant who would bring “light to the Nations”. (Isaiah 42: 1 8)
And, we need to note that, separately, both Peter and John testified to the veracity of the Gospel accounts of The Transfiguration of Jesus. (Peter 1: 17 & 18, 1 John 1: 1 to 4)
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews brings out the significance of this occasion when they write,
“Jesus reflects the brightness of God’s glory and is the exact likeness of God’s own being, sustaining the Universe with his powerful Word.” (Hebrews 1: 3)
This is of importance, because it highlights one aspect of Biblical accounts.
Dazzling light delineates God’s presence and God’s angelic witnesses.
The Prophet Ezekiel records a vision of God,
“sitting on the throne was a figure that looked like a man. The figure seemed to be shining like bronze in the middle of a fire. This was the dazzling light which shows the presence of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 1: 26 – 28)
The Prophet Daniel records a vision of God,
“One who had been living forever sat down on one of the thrones. His clothes were white as snow, and his hair was like pure wool. His throne, mounted on fiery wheels, was blazing with fire.” (Daniel 7: 9)
And Daniel records a vision of an angel,
“I looked up and saw someone who was wearing linen clothes and a belt of fine gold. His body shone like a jewel. His face was as bright as a flash of lightning, and his eyes blazed like fire.” (Daniel 10: 5 & 6)
Matthew records the appearance of the angel who rolled away the stone that had sealed the tomb of Jesus,
“an angel of the Lord came down from Heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.” (Matthew 28: 2 & 3)
Luke records the appearance of two angels who the women met when they went to the tomb of Jesus,
“They stood there puzzled about the stone that had been rolled away, when two men in bright shining clothes stood by them.” (Luke 24: 4)
Luke also records the appearance of Jesus before Saul,
“As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him.” (Acts 9: 3)
These are ‘straightforward’ accounts of the appearance of God and Jesus and angels, if you could call such appearances ‘straightforward’. But the account of the shining face of Moses introduces another element. We read that whenever Moses had been talking face-to-face with God, either on the top of Mount Sinai, or when he had sought to worship God or to consult with God in the Tent of the LORD’s Presence, in which was kept the Ark of the Covenant, his face “shone”. (Exodus 34: 30 & 35) Brevard Childs, in his Commentary, describes this as a “divine glow” (Brevard Childs in Exodus p609) Alan Cole, in his Commentary, writes that “’shot forth beams’ would be the better translation (than shone)” (Alan Cole in Exodus An Introduction and Commentary p233)
Terence Fretheim, in his Commentary, writes of two aspects of this shining of the face of Moses. He writes that “Moses (was) not simply a speaker for the Word of God, in some sense he embodies that Word. .. Moses’ shining face is the vision of the face of God which is available to the whole community of faith, (the people of God).” Secondly, he writes that “the shining evokes an understanding of the Word of God that is living and active, (generously) present among the (God’s) people for their good”. (Terence Fretheim in Exodus A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching p311 & 312)
Firstly, Paul states that “Hebrew and Gentile Christians alike, (either) prominent or obscure, have the privilege of looking upon the glory of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4: 6) (Norman Hillyer in 2 Corinthians in the New Bible Commentary p1078, Randolph Tasker in 2 Corinthians An Introduction and Commentary p67 & 70)
Secondly, Paul writes that, just as Moses reflected the glory of God from being in His presence, so too,
“All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces.” (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
William Barclay writes,
“what Paul means is that, if we gaze at Christ, we, in the end, (will) reflect him. His image, his reflection (will) appear in our lives.” (William Barclay in Letters to Corinthians The Daily Study Bible p216)
William Barclay continues in his Commentary saying,
“If we contemplate God, if we walk looking unto Jesus Christ, if we fasten our eyes upon him, (as a consequence) it is (in) the glory of the Christian life (that) we (will) come to reflect him.” (William Barclay in Letters to Corinthians The Daily Study Bible p216)
It is this that I see in the actions of Matthew upon his call by Jesus to “follow”.
Firstly, we read that Matthew “left everything” to follow Jesus. (Luke 5: 28)
John Carroll, in his Commentary, notes that Matthew would have become quite wealthy from his occupation as a collector of custom duties and tolls. But he willingly gave up all of this to become a follower of Jesus. The fishermen among the 12 Disciples could go back to fishing, and John, in his Gospel does write of seven of the Disciples going back to fishing after the resurrection of Jesus. (John 21: 1 – 11) However, there would never have been the opportunity for Matthew to return to being a collector of custom duties and tolls. Such was the cost for him to become a Disciple of Jesus. (John Carroll in Luke A Commentary p133)
Secondly, we read that “(Matthew) had a big feast in his house”. (Luke 5: 29a) John Carroll describes this meal as a “joyous celebration, a fitting response to a life changed because of an unexpected invitation into the company of Jesus”. (John Carroll in Luke A Commentary p133)
And, on one level, this is what it was. But we read that Matthew invited to his feast “a large number of tax collectors and other people”. (Luke 5: 29b) It is crucial to understand the intent of Matthew, for he didn’t invite his guests along just to have a celebratory meal with him before he ventured into parts unknown. He invited “tax collectors”, acclaimed as sinners, not just by the Jewish religious elite but by most of the Jewish population themselves. And he also invited what Luke classes as “others”. The Greek word that is used is ‘allos’ (Strong’s NT243) , which simply reads as “others”. There is nothing to indicate that these were also classed as sinners by the general population, but we need to take into consideration that these “others” were quite content to be seen in and to dine in the company of these sinful tax collectors. So, there is every indication that these others were also classed as ‘outcasts’ or ‘undesirables’.
What was Matthew doing inviting such people into his house and dining with them? For in doing so he incurred the harsh criticism of “some Pharisees and Teachers of the Law” who observed this occasion. (Luke 5: 30) But we see a clear intent, for Matthew had experienced the acceptance and mercy of Almighty God, through the actions of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Matthew had experienced forgiveness of repented sins and the promise of rich fellowship with God, through the actions of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Would not have Matthew sought the same for his friends, each of whom could testify to being treated as sinful outcasts by Jewish society? Would not have Matthew sought for his friends and acquaintances to have the same opportunity to listen to the teaching of Jesus, and to have the same opportunity as he had to respond to a call by Jesus to “follow him”?
Graham Swift writes that “(Matthew’s) first missionary act was to entertain Jesus in his house and invite his colleagues and acquaintances to meet Jesus”. (Graham Swift in Mark in the New Bible Commentary p857) And the reply of Jesus to the complaint by the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law, that he was there in the guise of a doctor treating the sick, calling “outcasts to repent” and to make a commitment to a life of trust and obedience to God, as Matthew had done upon receiving his call to follow Jesus, indicated his confirmation of the rightness of what Matthew was doing.
In this act by Matthew showing his compassion and concern for their physical welfare and for the welfare of their souls, the companions and acquaintances of Matthew would have seen reflected in this vast change in his life the glory of God and the possibility of such a change for themselves. In holding his feast as he did, Matthew was reflecting the very approach of Jesus to those whom Society rejects but whom God accepts.
Are we as joyous as was Matthew in celebrating our reconciliation with God and God’s offer of close fellowship? Are we as eager as was Matthew to invite our companions and acquaintances to ‘dine’ with Jesus, to listen to his life-giving words, and to be given the opportunity to respond to his call to “follow him”? I will leave you with this poem.
“Drink deep of God’s goodness, His faithfulness too,
leave no room for doubting and fear;
His Word is the water of life pure and true,
refreshing and cooling and clear.”
(by Clair Hess in Our Daily Bread 18 December 2008)
Offering
Offering Prayer
God of goodness, please accept these offerings that we bring to you. In your wisdom guide its use for your Kingdom. Through your Holy Spirit, please direct and enable us, in all we do, to be a light for you in the World in which we live. Amen.
Prayers for Others
Transform our eyes to see the light of your glory.
Transform our hearts to feel the goodness of your presence.
Transform our minds to understand a fraction of your will.
Transform our World to recognize the ties that bind us to one another.
Holy one, you sent Christ, your son, your beloved, to show us that we, too, are your children.
Make us know, O God, that our worth does not come from our work. Our performance on tests or tasks or job interviews do not determine our value.
Our worth, our identity, our very being, comes from you, O God of grace.
In your image, we are created. In your grace, we are redeemed. In your community, we are loved. In your Spirit, we are called.
As the disciples were, O God, we are soften overcome by fear, anxiety, grief, or sadness.
Pour your healing into our wounds. Breathe your goodness into our doubts. Touch us, heal us, and bring us peace.
Give us the hope and faith, to look and up and see your presence around us.
Give us the strength to know that we are not alone.
Bring rest and refreshment when we’re exhausted; hope and faith when we’re despondent and doubt you;
and the assurance of your love and forgiveness when we’re overwhelmed by our own weaknesses and failures.
God who meets us in the broken places, shine the light of Christ deep into our lives,
so we may carry that light into dark places and point to the One whose brokenness is our salvation. Amen
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘How good, Lord, to be here’
(AHB390 TiS234)
Joseph Robinson
Sacrament of Communion
(following Uniting in Worship 2 p162 to p222)
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
The Invitation
Christ, our Lord, invites to his Table all who love him, all who earnestly repent of their sin and who seek to live in peace with one another.
Prayer of Approach
Lord God, we come to your Table, trusting in your mercy and not in any goodness of our own. We are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs under your table, but it is your nature always to have mercy, and on that we depend. So, feed us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your son, that we may for ever live in him and he in us. Amen.
Narrative of the Institution of the Lord’s Supper
Hear the words of the institution of this Sacrament as recorded by the Apostle Paul:
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new Covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, for the remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’” (1 Corinthians 11: 23 to 26)
And, so, according to our Saviour’s command, we set this bread and this cup apart for the Holy Supper to which he calls us, and we come to God with our prayers of thanksgiving.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
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 our thanks and praise.
With all we are, we give you glory, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the one and holy God, Sovereign of all Time and Space. We thank you for this wide red land, for its rugged beauty, for its changing seasons, for its diverse people, and for all that lives upon this fragile Planet. You have called us to be the Church in this place, to give voice to every creature under Heaven. We rejoice with all that you have made, as we join the company of Heaven in their song:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and Earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed be the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
We thank you that you called a covenant people to be the light to the Nations. Through Moses you taught us to love your Law, and, in the Prophets, you cried out for justice. In the fullness of your mercy, you became one with us in Jesus Christ, who gave himself up for us on the cross. You make us alive together with him, that we may rejoice in his presence and share his peace. By water and the Spirit, you open the Kingdom to all who believe, and welcome us to your Table: for by grace we are saved through faith. With this bread and this cup we do as our Saviour commands: we celebrate the redemption he has won for us.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Pour out the Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and the cup, that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ. Make us one with him, one with each other, and one in ministry in the World, until at last we feast with him in the Kingdom. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, in your holy Church, all honour and glory are yours, Father Almighty, now and for ever.
Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on Earth as it is 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.
Breaking of the Bread
The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The cup we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Lamb of God
Jesus, Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins,
Have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the World,
Grant us peace.
The Distribution
Receive this Holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and feed upon him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
(after all have received the bread)
The body of Christ keep you in eternal life.
(after all have received the juice)
The blood of Christ keep you in eternal life.
Prayer after Communion
Blessed be God who calls us together.
Praise to God who makes us one People.
Blessed be God who has forgiven our sins.
Praise to God who gives us hope and freedom.
Blessed be God whose Word is proclaimed.
Praise to God who is revealed as the One who loves.
Blessed be God who alone has called us.
Therefore, we offer to God all that we are and all that we shall become.
Accept, O God, our sacrifice of praise.
Accept our thanks for we have seen the greatness of your love. Amen.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn: ‘Yet not I, but through Christ in me’
Jonny Robinson Rich Thompson Michael Farren
Benediction
“Show me the way, Lord,
let my light shine,
as an example to all Humankind,
help them to see
the patterns of Thee
shining so brightly lived out in me.”
(by Neuer from Our Daily Bread 1 February 2008)
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Benediction Song
‘Brightly beams our Father’s mercy’ (Let the lower Lights be Burning)
MHB582 and Pitcairn Hymns and Norfolk Favourites No.2
[This song is being sung to the tune Omni Die.]
[This YouTube clip has piano music only – there is no introduction, but as the music covers three verses, listen to the music for the first verse as an introduction and then sing two verses.]
Verse 1 of 2
Dark the night of sin has settled,
loud the angry billows roar,
brightly beams our Father’s mercy
from his lighthouse ever more.
Verse 2 of 2
With the Saviour as your pilot
you have conquered wind and wave,
let his brightness shining through you
be a beacon light to save.
Philip Bliss
Service for Sunday 29th September which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Sunday 4th June 2023, which included communion, and was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Sunday 11th June 2023, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 