First Sunday after Trinity

Sunday 14 June: First Sunday after Trinity

 

Today, we meet from our own homes, from 10.20 a.m. for a 10.30 a.m. start via Zoom meeting ID: 664-485-330. You’ll also need a password code, which you can get from Revd Andrew Dowsett in advance by calling or texting him on 07783-760-012.

 

The Greeting

In the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

The Lord be with you

and also with you.

 

We join in the Prayer of Preparation, acknowledging that God knows the desires of our hearts, including those that are temporarily on hold, and those that through the circumstances of our lives may never be fulfilled.

 

Almighty God,

to whom all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from whom no secrets are hidden:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

We join in singing a hymn.

 

We confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness.

 

God the Father forgives us in Christ and heals us by the Holy Spirit.

Let us therefore put away all anger and bitterness,

all slander and malice,

and confess our sins to God our redeemer.

 

Father, you come to meet us when we return to you:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Jesus, you died on the cross for our sins:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

 

Spirit, you give us life and peace:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Almighty God,

who forgives all who truly repent,

have mercy upon you,

pardon and deliver you from all your sins,

confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,

and keep you in life eternal;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

The Collect prayer for today, the first Sunday after Trinity:

God of truth,

help us to keep your law of love

and walk in ways of wisdom,

that we may find true life

in Jesus Christ your Son.

Amen.

 

We listen to God’s word to us.

 

Reading          Romans 5:1-8

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

 

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Psalm 100

 

O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth;

serve the Lord with gladness

and come before his presence with a song.

 

Know that the Lord is God;

it is he that has made us and we are his;

we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and bless his name.

 

For the Lord is gracious; his steadfast love is everlasting,

and his faithfulness endures from generation to generation.

 

Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now

and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

one God, who was, and who is, and who is to come,

the Almighty.

Alleluia.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

Gospel reading           Matthew 9:35-10:23

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’

10 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.

‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

 

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

We reflect together on what we have heard, in the context of our own shared lives.

 

 

We respond to God’s word, joining in this 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.

 

We pray for the Church and the world.

We pray for the coming of God’s kingdom.

Father, by your Spirit

bring in your kingdom.

 

You sent your Son to bring good news to the poor,

sight to the blind,

freedom to captives

and salvation to your people:

anoint us with your Spirit;

rouse us to work in his name.

Father, by your Spirit

bring in your kingdom.

 

Send us to bring help to the poor

and freedom to the oppressed.

Father, by your Spirit

bring in your kingdom.

 

Send us to tell the world

the good news of your healing love.

Father, by your Spirit

bring in your kingdom.

 

Send us to those who mourn,

to bring joy and gladness instead of grief.

Father, by your Spirit

bring in your kingdom.

 

Send us to proclaim that the time is here

for you to save your people.

Father, by your Spirit

bring in your kingdom.

 

God of mercy,

you know us and love us

and hear our prayer:

keep us in the eternal fellowship of

Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Amen.

 

Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom

in the words our Saviour taught us.

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.

 

We join in singing a hymn.

 

Our service concludes with the Blessing and Dismissal.

 

May God keep you in all your days.

May Christ shield you in all your ways.

May the Spirit bring you healing and peace.

May God the Holy Trinity drive all darkness from you

and pour upon you blessing and light.

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,

be with us all evermore.

Amen.

 

 

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000.

New Patterns for Worship, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2002.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2006.