10.00 am Parish Sung Eucharist

What’s my line?

I think we can all have some empathy with Nicodemus. After all it must be baffling to be on the receiving end of all these riddles. I don’t think St John intends to me unkind in using him as a ‘fall-guy’ for the Pharisees and the religious establishment which seeks to do away with Jesus. He appears twice more in benign roles and participates in a respectful and generous way after the Crucifixion. Maybe had had been born a second time, from above, after all.

Tearing up the rule book or instruction-manual is a radical act. Where do we go for guidance? It’s our faith in God and obedient response to God’s word when God speaks to us, which is one way of describing our conscience or our psyche. However, we’re not Abram/Abraham or St Paul.

Those of you who have been in plays will know the panic that can set in during the technical and dress runs when there are no scripts, let alone on the opening night. There is the comfort of the prompt who can get us back on track. However, life is not the reiteration of a fixed script, and is more like an improvisation which is underpinned by some principles with generosity built in. If we forget these, for whatever reason, our prompt comes from prayer, and thus from above. Fr A

Image Christus und Nicodemus, by Fritz von Uhde (1848–1911) 

THE GATHERING

Hymn

1 The God of Abraham praise
who reigns enthroned above,
Ancient of everlasting Days,
and God of love:
To him uplift the voice,
At whose supreme command
From earth we rise and seek the joys
At his right hand.

2 There dwells the Lord our King,
the Lord our Righteousness,
triumphant o'er the world of sin,
the Prince of Peace:
on Sion's sacred height
his kingdom he maintains,
and glorious with his saints in light
for ever reigns.

3 The God who reigns on high
the great archangels sing,
and 'Holy, Holy, Holy.' cry,
'almighty King,
who was, and is the same,
and evermore shall be:
eternal Father, great I AM,
we worship thee.'

4 The whole triumphant host
give thanks to God on high;
'hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost',
they ever cry:
hail, Abraham's God, and mine,
(I join the heavenly lays)
all might and majesty are thine,
and endless praise.
Yigaddel Elohim chay weyishtabach
Daniel Ben Judah (fl 14th century), Thomas Olivers (1725-1799

In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

The Greeting

The president greets the people

Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you.
and also with you.

Prayer of Preparation

This prayer may be said

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.

Invitation to Confession

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart God will not despise.
Let us come to the Lord, who is full of compassion,
and acknowledge our transgressions in penitence and faith.

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.

The president says

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.

Collect

Almighty God,
you show to those who are in error the light of your truth,
that they may return to the
way of righteousness:
grant to all those who are admitted
into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,
that they may reject those things
that are contrary to their profession,
and follow all such things as are
agreeable to the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

Genesis 12.1-4a

12Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God

Romans 4.1-5, 13-17

4What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh?2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.3For what does the scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.’4Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.5But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

13For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.14If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.15For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

16For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,17as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

As you are able, please stand

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory
The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice.
Harden not your hearts
cf Psalm 95.3,8.

The Lord be with you
And also with you

The Gospel is announced

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to John
Glory to you, O Lord.

3Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’3Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’4Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’5Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.7Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.”8The windblows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’9Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’10Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

11‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3.1-17

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

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 for 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.

Cycle of Prayer

With confidence and trust let us pray to the Father for the one holy catholic and apostolic Church and our world.

Our bishops: David, Mark and Mark
The Anglican Communion
Church of the Province of South East Asia
Porvoo Communion
The Diocese of Chelmsford:
The Church of Sweden: Diocese of Karlstad
Schools and Colleges
All Saints; St Wilfrid’s; Briscoe Lane Academy; Christ the King; Co-op Academy Broadhurst;
Oldham Blue Coat; Trinity High School;
Hopwood Hall College; St Ambrose College
Parish
Schools, Residential and Care Homes, Care Workers, Factories, Shops, Supermarkets, Undertakers, Security Services, Sports Facilities.
Book of Remembrance
Sarah Etchells; David Attenborough; Elsie Harris; Minnie Alcock; Jessie Bell; Elsie Harding;
Annie Hayes.

THE LITURGY OF THE SACRAMENT

The Peace

Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us access to his grace.
Romans 5.1,2

The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

God of wisdom,
may the light of your eternal Word,
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
lead us in holiness and guide us to glory;
we ask this in his name.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The president says

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

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The president recalls the Last Supper,
and one of these four acclamations may be used

[Great is the mystery of faith:]

Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

The Prayer continues and leads into the doxology, to which all respond boldly

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with confidence as our
Saviour has taught us

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.

The Agnus Dei

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.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.

Lord I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word and shall be healed

Giving of Communion

Music after the Distribution of Communion

God so loved the world Bob Chilcott (b.1955)

God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life
John 3.16

Post Communion Prayers

Almighty God,
you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves:
keep us both outwardly in our bodies,
and inwardly in our souls;
that we may be defended from all adversities
which may happen to the body,
and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your
Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
In the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
Amen.

Notices may be shared

Hymn

At the name of Jesus
every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him
King of Glory now:
'tis the Father's pleasure
we should call him Lord,
who from the beginning
was the mighty Word:

Humbled for a season,
to receive a name
from the lips of sinners
unto whom he came,
faithfully he bore it
spotless to the last,
brought it back victorious
when from death he passed.

Bore it up triumphant
with its human light,
thro' all ranks of creatures
to the central height,
to the throne of Godhead,
to the Father's breast,
filled it with the glory
of that perfect rest.

In your hearts enthrone him;
there let him subdue
all that is not holy,
all that is not true;
crown him as your captain
in temptation's hour;
let his will enfold you
in its light and pow'r.

Brothers, this Lord Jesus
shall return again
in his Father's glory,
with his angel train;
for all wreaths of empire
meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him
King of glory now.
Caroline Maria Noel (1817-1877)

Blessing and Dismissal

Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.