WORSHIP AT HOME The 5th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

also Disability Sunday and Sea Sunday

(this service is designed to be followed slowly with as many pauses as you wish

and the hymns may be sung or read as meditation or poetry)

‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh’

Hymn:

Eternal Father, strong to save,Whose arm does bind the restless wave,Who bids the mighty ocean deepIts own appointed limits keep;O hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea.

2 O Saviour, whose almighty wordThe winds and waves submissive heard,Who walked upon the foaming deep,

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And calm amid the rage did sleep;O hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea.

3 O Holy Spirit, who did broodUpon the waters dark and rude,And bid their angry tumult cease,And give for wild confusion peace;O hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea.

4 O Trinity of love and pow'r,Your children shield in danger's hour;From rock and tempest, fire, and foe,Protect them where-so-e'er they go;Thus, evermore shall rise to TheeGlad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, trusting in God’s eternal grace and forgiveness:

ConfessionMy God, for love of youI desire to hate and forsake all sinsby which I have ever displeased you;and I resolve by the help of your graceto commit them no more;and to avoid all opportunities of sin.Help me to do this,through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Absolution:

The Lord enrich you with his grace, and nourish you with his blessing;the Lord defend you in trouble and 2

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keep you from all evil;the Lord accept your prayers,and absolve you from your offences,for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.All   Amen.

The Gloria:Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world:have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One,you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect

Almighty God, send down upon your Church the riches of your Spirit, and kindle in all who minister the gospel your countless gifts of grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Gospel Reading   Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!""Hear then the parable of the sower:When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

Reflection4

Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea... while the whole crowd stood on the beach... and he told them what to us is the well-known story of the sower and the seed in which the seed, representing ‘the word’, is variously:

lost immediately in the blizzard of life’s busy-ness received positively then laid aside when the

pressure of life’s demanding routines takes over overtaken by all the important distractions of life -

or heard, taken to heart and results in positive

outcomes.

This story itself is also received in different ways by different people. To some, the first three categories refer to the difficulties they themselves have in receiving the word. This can lead to misplaced feelings of guilt. Others see themselves as being represented by the final (‘good’) category. This can lead to unhelpful feelings of pride or complacency. But Jesus doesn’t intend to induce guilt - and pride was one thing he certainly didn’t want his followers to be swallowed up by. His words are full of understanding and compassion for all of us whose lives are overshadowed by the blizzard of busy-ness, pressure of routine, trying to prioritise demanding decisions, not to mention the existential questions raised by the virus pandemic. Today, ‘going out of the house’ and ‘the whole crowd standing on the beach’ are phrases that have very different resonances in light of the Covid-19 crisis. They too can induce different and powerful emotions - anxiety, panic, anger, condemnation... but Jesus’ message to his original hearers and to us today is the same: the seed, representing ‘the word’ is of course the inclusive 5

unconditional love that is always there for all people in every generation.

For those of us who desire to follow Christ ‘hearing the word and understanding it’ brings with it the invitation to let this love permeate our whole being, growing more and more, bringing healing to our spirits, our attitudes, our relationships, even our minds and bodies. So the work of the sower is accomplished: as we nurture this love in us and it grows in and through us, we ourselves become sowers of the seed.

The Creed:

Though he was divine, he did not cling to equality with God,but made himself nothing. Taking the form of a slave,he was born in human likeness. He humbled himselfand was obedient to death, even the death of the cross.Therefore, God has raised him on high, and given him the name above every name: that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bow, and every voice proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Prayers

Let us pray to God the Father,who has reconciled all things to himself in Christ:

For peace among the nations,that God may rid the world of violenceand let peoples grow in justice and harmony …;

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For those who serve in public office,that they may work for the common good …;

For Christian people everywhere, that we may joyfully proclaim and live our faith in Jesus Christ …;

For those who work at sea.Be with them in fair weather and foul,in danger or distress.Strengthen them when weary,lift them up when downand comfort them when far from their loved ones.In this life, bring them safely to shoreand, in the life to come,welcome them to your kingdom...;For those who suffer from hunger, sickness orloneliness, and especially all who suffer from disability;that the presence of Christ may bring them health and wholeness and joy...;

Let us commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray,to the mercy and protection of God.

Merciful Father, accept these prayersfor the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

The Lord’s PrayerOur 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 and 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

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Hymn:

Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour,first begotten from the dead,thou alone, our strong defender,liftest up thy people's head.Jesus, true and living bread!

2. Here our humblest homage pay we;here in loving reverence bow;here for faith's discernment pray we,lest we fail to know thee now.thou art here: we ask not how.

3. Though the lowliest form doth veilthee as of old in Bethlehem,here as there thine angels hail thee,branch and flower of Jesse's stem.Hallelujah, we in worship join with them.

4. Paschal Lamb, thine offering finishedonce for all when thou wast slain,in its fullness undiminishedshall forevermore remain,cleansing souls from every stain.

5. Life-imparting heavenly manna,stricken rock with streaming side,heaven and earth with loud hosannaworship thee, the Lamb who died.risen, ascended, glorified!

The Peace:

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Peace to you from God our heavenly Father.Peace from his Son Jesus Christ who is our peace.The peace of the triune God be always with you Peace from the Holy Spirit, the life-giver.

Closing Prayer :

Lord, grant me the wisdom to see the good in each person I meet. Grant me the empathy to understand their life situation and respect them enough to extend loving support, while sharing God's love with dignity. Allow me, Lord, to recognize opportunities to stand with others, friend to friend. Amen.

The Blessing

The Peace of God which passes all understanding keep your

hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his

Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty,

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you all, now and always. Amen.

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Be at peace in loving and serving the Lord.

Thanks be to God!

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