Morning Service for Trinity 2 2024
HYMN King of glory, king of peace NEH 391/AMR 367 – Gwalchmai
1 King of glory, King of peace,
I will love thee;
And that love may never cease,
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
Thou hast heard me;
Thou didst note my working breast,
Thou hast spared me.
2 Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing thee,
And the cream of all my heart
I will bring thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
Thou didst clear me;
And alone, when they replied,
Thou didst hear me.
3 Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise thee;
In my heart, though not in heaven,
I can raise thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
To enrol thee:
E’en eternity’s too short
To extol thee.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
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
PRAYERS OF PENITENCE
We recall our Lord’s command to love and in a moment of silence we confess
the many ways we fail to keep his command:
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
May the God of love and power
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by his Spirit,
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE COLLECT
Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake, Amen.
FIRST READING – 1 Samuel 8.4-11 [12-15]
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD, and the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”
So Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers.
SECOND READING – 2 Corinthians 4.13 – 5.1
But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
HYMN – Thou whose almighty word – NEH466 – Moscow
1 THOU whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight;
Hear us, we humbly pray,
And where the gospel day
Sheds not its glorious ray
Let there be light.
2 Thou who didst come to bring
On thy redeeming wing
Healing and sight,
Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind,
O now to all mankind
Let there be light.
3 Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy Dove,
Speed forth thy flight;
Move on the water’s face,
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth’s darkest place
Let there be light.
4 Blessèd and holy Three,
Glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, Love, Might,
Boundless as ocean’s tide
Rolling in fullest pride,
Through the world far and wide
Let there be light.
GOSPEL – Mark 3.20-35
The crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
SERMON – Keith Atton
How to put the country right. Politicians are giving us their recipes. Let’s change things – that will do it, people cry out. Perhaps it is a wholesale change, a new political structure that is needed, such as having a king when we did not have one before, as in our reading from 1 Samuel. Or is it more simple – just a change of personnel in the existing structure? Or is it even more simple, but perhaps more difficult to achieve – right behaviour (I would say truly Christian behaviour) by as many as possible in their daily conduct and in their work?
One scandal I have been reflecting on has been that of the treatment of sub-postmasters, in particular because my father was one for many years, although he retired before the age of computer systems. To lose the post office franchise could make the shop not a viable concern; those who came in to the post office would often buy from the shop while they were there. This gave great power to those who conducted the triennial review, even if they only reduced the services that could be provided by that post office. The more dramatic events concerning sub postmasters, who were wrongly convicted, shows some at the highest levels in the post office were hiding evidence which should have been provided to the defence; the reputation of the institution was put before the claims of justice. Sadly, the churches too have sometimes hidden the truth in order to protect the institution, as the present safeguarding training for Licenced Lay Ministers, Clergy and others reminded me in dramatic fashion.
There have been other cases where the innocent have been found guilty and the guilty found innocent due to malpractice. I am thinking of IRA terrorist attacks in Birmingham and Guildford in the 1970s, where after many years those found guilty were absolved. I am thinking of those who murdered Stephen Lawrence many years ago. I suspect these very dramatic cases are not isolated incidents; indeed some 30 years ago I was convicted of careless driving when to do so magistrates had to assume the laws of physics had been suspended – the first thing my solicitor said was “You have to accept you will be found guilty, now let’s look at the evidence.”
Even in quite simple cases, there can be moral dilemmas. When I was in a deputy head Kent, in some areas there was 13+ selection – those not chosen remained behind in the school which all went to at the age of 11 and the chosen went on to the Grammar School. The decision was called guided parental choice and I gave the guidance and the parents had no choice; I never lost a case on appeal. Nor did I change my guidance under threat of physical assault. My problem was that the whole system made no sense to me; in the case I have just mentioned, the girl was top Grammar School material in English but low Secondary Modern material in science and anywhere in between in other subjects. I felt I was doing wrong to the pupils, all of whom had a variety of different talents. Afterwards, I felt in need of confessing what I had done even though I had done exactly what I was supposed to do. What should I have done? Later, as a headteacher, I found examples of irregularities, including financial ones, involving those who worked in the buildings department of the Local Authorities. Should I have broadcast these irregularities, which would have been easy to deny and, except in one case, I could not name names?
There’s a story, which may even be true, of a nineteenth century clergyman’s four year old son, who tried to copy his father in giving a sermon. He stood on a chair – his pulpit – and declared “People be good.” I am afraid my sermon sounds a bit/a lot like this. I am not suggesting we need the maximum number of good deeds to get into heaven, although as a Methodist schoolboy I did believe that. If all is not as it should be, at least we are reminded of our hope as Christians in the reading from Corinthians. Our hope for this world seems to me to be that we and a multitude of others will try our best to follow the teaching and example of Jesus. And then, as our gospel reading makes clear, those who follow the way of Jesus, are members of the family, close to Jesus Christ. Despite present troubles there is a sure ground for hope.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the scriptures;
he was buried; he was raised to life on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers,
and to all the apostles: this we have received,
and this we believe. Amen. 1 Corinthians 15.3-7
HYMN – O worship the king NEH433/AMR 167 – Hanover
1 O WORSHIP the King
All glorious above;
O gratefully sing
His power and his love:
Our Shield and Defender,
The Ancient of days,
Pavilioned in splendour,
And girded with praise.
2 O tell of his might,
O sing of his grace,
Whose robe is the light,
Whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath
The deep thunder-clouds form,
And dark is his path
On the wings of the storm.
3 This earth, with its store
Of wonders untold,
Almighty, thy power
Hath founded of old:
Hath stablished it fast
By a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast,
Like a mantle, the sea.
6 O measureless Might,
Ineffable Love,
While angels delight
To hymn thee above,
Thy humbler creation,
Though feeble their lays,
With true adoration
Shall sing to thy praise.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION – Sheila Forbes
Let us pray with thankful hearts for the blessings of this week: the small acts of generosity, the encouraging words of understanding – all of which reflect our love for one another.
Father, this week we have honoured the men and women involved in the D Day landings. Their bravery, their adherence to duty and the sacrifice which this demanded have been humbling to witness. This was a war waged against a belief in racial superiority and its ensuing right to rule. Now eighty years on, we pray for all those caught up in conflict born of hatred of another race and the ambition to rule: Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Yemen, Syri, Myanmar… We pray for leaders to come forward who have the courage to proclaim a vision of collective good, thriving in a nation at peace with its neighbours.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
Father, we pray for leaders involved in our elections. They are grappling with the relentless scrutiny of the media, alert to every utterance, and the never-ending demand to triumph verbally over opponents. These are people with different perspectives but who want to work for their country. Give them the courage to be completely honest and open. May they be brave enough to speak the truth about the measures they need to take once in power.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
Father, change looms constantly on our horizon: new schools, new teachers, an interregnum, age and illness. As we face such challenges, fearful of what they may bring – help us to recognise those gifts inherent within each of us which change cannot take away. Help us to see beyond the fear which blinds us to potential and possibilities.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
Father, poor health is hard and can be cheerless. We ask that you bring the comfort of your consoling presence to all struggling in mind, body and soul. In a moment of quiet, we bring to you those whom we know to be in pain, those battling with depression and those who watch and wait through the day and the dark hours of the night. Father bring them your peace, which passeth all understanding.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father, we pray for those who have died and we entrust to your safe keeping the friends and family whom we have loved, no longer see but sorely miss. In this parish we remember Eric Caldwell, Kath West and Pat Arnold.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
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.
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
The Lord God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
the holy and undivided Trinity,
guard you, save you,
and bring you to that heavenly city,
where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
HYMN All my hope on God is founded NEH 333 – Michael
1 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.
2 Pride of man 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 Still from man 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.