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The Readings.

The Sermon

Prepared by Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

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

Each year, on this Sunday closest to Armistice Day, we gather to
remember those who gave their lives in two World Wars, and in the
many conflicts since.

We remember the courage of those who stood firm in the face of
tyranny, the pain of those who mourned, and the quiet endurance of
those who came home changed forever.

But remembrance is not only about looking back. It is also about
asking what the past – what those who suffered - asks of us today.
In our reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul exhorts us to
“Put on the whole armour of God.”

His words are not about glorifying war; they are about spiritual
resilience — about what it takes to live faithfully in a world that still
wrestles with division and evil.

Paul is writing to a community under pressure. He speaks of truth,
righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Spirit — not as weapons of
destruction, but as the protective armour of those who seek to do
good.

Each of these pieces of armour represents a virtue forged not in
battlefields of earth, but in the inner battlefields of the heart:
The belt of truth — honesty and integrity that hold everything else in
place.

The breastplate of righteousness — doing what is right, even when it
costs.

The shield of faith — trust in God when fear threatens to overwhelm.
The helmet of salvation — the confidence of knowing we are loved
and redeemed.

The sword of the Spirit — the Word of God, living and active, calling
us to peace and justice.

This is the armour of those who stand, not for conquest, but for
compassion.

We often think, rightly, of those who fought in the great theatres of
war – The Somme and Passchendaele, the beaches of Normandy, the
deserts of North Africa, the skies above Britain and Europe, the cold
seas of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

But today I want us also to remember those who were, here in the
UK, for too long, the forgotten warriors — those who served in the
Far East.

Men and women who fought in Burma, Malaya, Singapore, and the
Pacific Islands — many of whom endured captivity in conditions that
defy description.

For years after 1945, their stories were scarcely told. The focus was
on victory in Europe, on rebuilding. Yet in jungle heat and prison
camps, British and Commonwealth troops suffered, persevered, and
held fast.

Their battle was one of endurance — of faith, of hope, of sheer
human will to survive.

They knew, perhaps better than most, what Paul meant when he
said, “Stand firm.”

Among them was the Chindits — the long-range units who fought
behind enemy lines in Burma. Many of them never returned. And
there were the thousands taken prisoner after the fall of Singapore -

forced to work on the Burma railway, where cruelty and exhaustion
claimed so many lives. And then there were those like the runner
and Christian pastor Eric Liddle – of Chariots of Fire fame – who
spent time interned as civilians under brutal conditions.

One chaplain, the Reverend Eric Lomax, later wrote that faith in such
places was not a set of comforting words, but a flicker of light that
refused to be extinguished. “The war,” he said, “taught me the cost
of forgiveness, and the depth of love.”

And that takes us to our second reading, from John’s Gospel.
Jesus says:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I
have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that
someone lay down his life for his friends.”

These words have been engraved on memorials and spoken at
gravesides for generations. They are not about sentiment, but about
self-giving. They remind us that true love is costly - it involves giving
oneself for the good of others.

In wartime, that love took the form of sacrifice - lives given, families
broken, futures surrendered so that others might live in freedom.
But in peacetime, that same love calls to us to live lives of service, to
work for reconciliation, to resist hatred and injustice in all their
modern forms. The forces of nationalism and fascism that
precipitated the two world wars still survive today – even in our own
communities.

Christ’s love, the love He commands us to share, is not soft or easy.
It is love that takes up the cross.

It is love that refuses to let fear, bitterness or hatred have the last
word. This love is a kind of battle - one that continues in every
generation.

The two readings together give us a vision of Christian remembrance.
Ephesians tells us to stand strong - to be clothed in truth, justice, and
faith.

John reminds us what we are standing for - love.

On this day, as we wear poppies and observe silence, we do not
glorify war. We honour courage. We lament suffering. And we
commit ourselves anew to the hard work of peace.

Because remembrance is not simply nostalgia. It reminds us what
happened. And instructs us that it must not happen again.

Many of those who fought and returned carried invisible wounds.
Some could never speak of what they had seen. My own
Grandfather, who fought on the Somme, would never discuss it with
my mother; my Uncle, who experienced the slaughter of Monte
Cassino remained silent.

In their silence, too, there is remembrance — the cost of endurance,
the burden of memory.

For us, remembering is more than looking back — it is about what
we do now.

To “put on the whole armour of God” today might mean speaking
truth when falsehoods are easy.

It might mean standing with the lonely or the displaced.

It might mean being peacemakers in our own communities, our
workplaces, our politics, our homes.

The same courage that was expressed in the trenches and jungles
can live on in acts of kindness, patience, and faithfulness.

The same love that led men and women to risk everything for others
can live on in how we treat the stranger and the refugee.

As we approach the two minutes’ silence today, let us do so in that
spirit:

not just to remember the fallen, but to commit ourselves to the
values they fought for — truth, justice, mercy, and peace.

To remember the forgotten warriors, and all who serve in conflicts
far from home, often without recognition.

To remember, too, that Christ Himself laid down His life — not for
one nation, but for all humanity — that love might overcome hatred,
and life triumph over death.

So, wear the armour of God with pride - not for battle, but for peace;
live by Christ’s commandment to love; and honour the memory of all
who gave their lives - by living ours with courage, compassion, and
hope for peace.

Amen.

The Prayers

Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict,
and ask that God may give us peace:

for the service personnel
who have died in the violence of war,
each one remembered by and known to God;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For those who love them in death as in life,
offering the distress of our grief
and the sadness of our loss;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For all members of the armed forces
who are in danger this day,
remembering family, friends
and all who pray for their safe return;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For civilians, children and adults
whose lives are disfigured by war or terror,
calling to mind in penitence
the anger and hatreds of humanity;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For peacemakers and peacekeepers,
who seek to keep this world secure and free;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

For all who bear the burden and privilege of leadership,
political, military and religious;
asking for gifts of wisdom and resolve
in the search for reconciliation and peace;
may God give peace.
God give peace.

O God of truth and justice,
we hold before you those whose memory we cherish,
and those whose names we will never know.
Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world,
and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm.
As we honour the past,
may we put our faith in your future;
for you are the source of life and hope,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

Ephesians 1.11-end

Luke 6.20-31

The Sermon

The Prayers

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

Watch this week's service on YouTube

Download the order of service here - 25 10 26 Bible Sunday Eucharist

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The Readings.

Romans 15.1-6

Luke 4.16-24

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Alison Wragg

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

 

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

2 Timothy 4.5-17

As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Do your best to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message.
At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

Luke 10.1-9

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Each week at the start of the Eucharist, this book is solemnly brought into
church - the book of the Gospels. Then solemnly carried into the centre of the
church for a reading from one of those gospels. It’s a high point in the service.
If you look at the cover you will see four symbols on it in gold reminding us
that there are four gospels. The symbols are for Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John. A winged man, a winged lion, a winged ox and an eagle.

Today we give thanks for one of those gospel writers, St Luke. St Luke, who
was, we learnt from that reading from the letter from St Paul to Timothy, a
companion of Paul on his travels. So at some point, Luke must have sat down
and written his account of the life of Jesus, his gospel.

Luke’s gospel is my favourite.

You may think that is an odd way to talk. Surely, the good news about Jesus
is the same whether in Luke's gospel or any of the others.

Well, yes and no. Yes, it's the same Jesus they are telling us about. But no,
they don't tell us exactly the same things in exactly the same way. The
gospels were written by four very different people with some different
interests.

The reason I like Luke's Gospel is because of things he tells us about which
none of the others do. And in doing so he gives us some different ways of
thinking about what it is to have faith.

For example, if Luke had never put pen to paper, we wouldn't know much
about Christ's birth. Mark doesn't mention it at all. Matthew tells us about
three wealthy visitors, the wise men. St John simply says, loftily, The Word
became flesh.

But Luke records how Christ was visited by simple, working men, shepherds,
from the fields around Bethlehem. Only Luke tells us that ordinary people like
you and me were the first visitors.

And then at the end of that story he adds a few words which are typically
Luke. Beautiful words that make you pause. After the shepherds have gone
with their talk of angels and heavenly voices saying this baby is the one so
long expected, he adds these words, 'But Mary kept all these things,
pondering them in her heart.'

Mary pondered. Luke seems to be saying: moments of ecstasy and high
religious emotion have their place; but we need to think about what they
might mean. We need to ponder.

This is something Mary often does and Luke clearly believes its important
because he returns to it again at the end of another lovely story that you will
only find in his gospel.

It's the incident when Jesus is twelve. His parents take him from their home in
Nazareth to the capital city, to Jerusalem, to the Temple. It's something they
do every year with their wider family and neighbours. The whole village
makes the trip, all looking after one another's children as they travel.
But on the return journey, Jesus lags behind in the Temple and his parents,
supposing that he is somewhere in the crowd, don't realise he's missing until
the end of the day. Anxiously they return to Jerusalem and find him in the
Temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. And Jesus says
to his parents that they should not be surprised that he was doing this in his
Father's house.

Then Luke says again: 'And his mother kept all these things in her heart.'

'And his mother kept all these things in her heart.'

We are living at a time when faith is hard pressed and some Christians think
the way forward has to be by frenetic activity and exuberant worship. I'm sure
each has its place. But let's not lose sight of what Luke is telling us in these
little snapshots in his gospel.

There has to be a time for just sitting still and thinking. Bringing together what
we have prayed and sung in church with what we have experienced in daily
life. What is God saying to us through all of this.

We need quiet time when we can – as we say these days – process things. In
other words, to do what Luke tells us Mary did.

Like Mary, we must find moments when we too can take what we have heard
and what has moved us, and ponder it in our heart. This too is how we build
up our faith.

The Prayers

Encouraged by our fellowship with the apostles and evangelists,
let us make our prayers to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, your Son called the saints to leave the past behind
them and to follow him as his disciples in the way of the cross. Look
with mercy upon those whom he calls today, marks with the cross
and makes his disciples within the Church.
We pray especially for the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah,
and for General Synod, that it may make decisions for the benefit of all.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son told his disciples not to be afraid and at Easter breathed on
them his gift of peace. Look with mercy upon the world into which
he sent them out, and give it that peace for which it longs.
We pray for Ukraine and Israel/Palestine.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son formed around him a company who were no longer
servants but friends, and he called all those who obeyed him his
brother and sister and mother. Look with mercy upon our families
and our friends and upon the communities in which we share.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son sent out disciples to preach and heal the sick. Look with
mercy on all those who yearn to hear the good news of salvation,
and renew among your people the gifts of healing.
In a few moments of silence we pray for all those known to us.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son promised to those who followed him that they would sit
on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and would share the
banquet of the kingdom. According to your promise, look with
mercy on those who have walked with Christ in this life and now
have passed through death.
In silence we give thanks for those from our own lives.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

 

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

2 Timothy 2.8-15

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he will also deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

 

Luke 17.11-19

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon James Wilson.

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

In our prayers for today, let us give thanks for Jesus, for all the wonderful deeds that he performed.

We thank God for our new archbishop, Sarah Mullally, who we now know has been appointed. We thank God for Maryam who has recently joined our congregation, and we are very happy that she has chosen St Mary’s to be baptised, and we pray that she will remain an integral part of our congregation.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We give thanks for the Ceasefire in Gaza, and pray for continuing peace between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are sick at present, and pray that they will soon recover.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who have died recently and for all who mourn their loss.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for ourselves as we continue our lives through the coming week.
Merciful Father
Accept these prayers for the sake of your son
Our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen

 

 

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings

Philippians 4.4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you

 

John 6.25-35

When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”
Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

 

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

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

Today, we have a ‘giving centre’ to our service where we give
supplies to the Archer Project, before we receive Christ’s body and
blood in the Eucharist.

We are reminded by the juxtaposition of these acts of service and
sacrament that Harvest is a moment to pause, give thanks, and
reflect on how God feeds and sustains us - not just through food and
the air and water we need to survive, but through Christ Himself.
Our readings from Philippians and John’s Gospel remind us that
harvest is not just about barns, bread and beans, but is also about
the deeper harvest of the spirit.

Paul, writing to the Philippians, is astonishingly upbeat. “Rejoice in
the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” This isn’t the voice of
someone with a full belly and a healthy larder. Paul is writing from
prison. He has known hunger, scarcity, rejection - but he insists that
joy is possible, even necessary.

He doesn’t say, “Rejoice because everything is going well.” He
doesn’t say, “Rejoice because you’ve got enough food for the
winter.” He says, “Rejoice in the Lord.” The joy he describes is not
tied to circumstances, but to God’s unchanging presence with us.
That is a lesson Harvest Festival still teaches us. We should be
grateful for the food before us, and the essentials of our lives. These
physical gifts, from God’s creation, also remind us that there is a
giver of the gifts, who has more, much more, to give.

Paul goes on: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God.”

This is … hard. Manchester, Gaza, Ukraine, the return of the threat
of fascism here in the UK, the rise of an authoritarian and corrupt
regime in the US, the constant drip - no, flood - of darkness and
anger in our news and social media feeds.

Even the process of growing food is affected, Climate change,
pollinators under threat, the risk to food supplies caused by war and
civil unrest, let alone the traditional problems of pests and inclement
weather are making things more and more uncertain.

To be honest, if we’re not a bit anxious, and probably a bit angry,
we’re not really paying attention.

Paul tells us that the antidote to worry is prayer laced with
thanksgiving. Gratitude does indeed change us. It shifts our vision
from what we lack to what we’ve been given. It doesn’t deny
hardship—but it places hardship in the larger context of God’s
abundance.

And notice the promise: “The peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds.” This peace is not
the absence of struggle, but the assurance that God’s presence is
with us in it. That’s a harvest of the Spirit that no physical drought or
angry, hate-filled floods of social media can destroy.

And so we turn to John’s Gospel. The crowds come looking for Jesus
after the feeding of the five thousand. And Jesus confronts them:
“You are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because
you ate your fill of the loaves.”

In other words, “You’re here because of the free lunch.” They want
another miracle meal. But Jesus redirects them: “Do not work for the
food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.”
It’s a challenge for us at harvest. We give thanks for the food that
sustains our bodies - but it rots, despite our best efforts to keep it
fresh. And its benefits are short-lived. We eat today, and tomorrow
we are hungry again.

The greater harvest is found in Christ: “I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes
in me will never be thirsty.”

Harvest is both physical and spiritual. We give thanks for the food
and resources that sustain us. But the harvest of grain and grape
come together in the Eucharistic Sacrament to become signs of the
Bread of Life. In the humanity and example of Christ, God gives a gift
to meet the deepest hunger of our hearts - the hunger for meaning,
love, forgiveness, hope.

Paul finishes his passage with a call to attentiveness: “Whatever is
true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable…think about these
things.”

What do we think about most? The news and social media ‘doom
scroll’, with its endless diet of fear and anger? The constant urge to
consume more, to measure ourselves by how much of the world’s
resources we swallow up?

Paul calls us to fill our minds with what nourishes. At harvest, this is
an invitation to see the world differently. To notice beauty, not the
ugliness of our greed. To remember justice, not to believe that
‘might is right’. To savour kindness, not be blindly hateful. To let our
imaginations be fed by God’s goodness, not starved by the world’s
anxieties and ephemeral priorities.

In other words: Let our minds themselves become fertile soil where
the gifts of the Spirit, and God’s peace, may take root and grow.
What does this mean for us today? Three simple takeaways:

First, gratitude. Let’s make thanksgiving a habit, not just a festival.
When we eat, let us pause to thank God for the food before us, and
for the unseen hands that prepared it - farmers, lorry drivers, shop
and factory workers. Gratitude makes us humble, and it opens us to
joy.

Second, generosity. A true harvest is never kept for ourselves. The
barns are meant to be opened, the baskets shared. Food banks today
are a reminder that while some live with plenty, others live with
empty cupboards. Our thanksgiving is hollow unless it leads to
sharing.

Third, put Christ front and centre. We do not live by bread alone. As
we receive the bread of the Eucharist, we remember that Christ is
our true nourishment. Harvest points us to Him - the one who feeds
our deepest hunger, who turns our anxiety into peace, and who is
the bread that endures to eternal life.

Harvest is a time of rejoicing of the world’s bounty, of preparation
for the coming winter; a hinge-point in the year. But deep meaning is
found in today’s readings. Paul reminds us to rejoice, to be thankful,
to think on what is good. John reminds us that beyond loaves and
fishes stands the one who is the Bread of Life.

So let us rejoice - not just in our food and our world, but in the God
who gives them.

Let us be thankful - not just in prayer today, but in habits of gratitude
that shape our daily living.

And let us turn again to Christ, who feeds us not just for today, but
for eternity, and show gratitude for the gifts of the spirit by using
them in our daily lives.
Amen.

 

 

 

The Prayers

Let us offer our prayers to God for the life of the world
and for all God’s people in their daily life and work.

God, the beginning and end of all things,
in your providence and care
you watch unceasingly over all creation;
we offer our prayers
that in us and in all your people your will may be done,
according to your wise and loving purpose in Christ our Lord.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for all through whom we receive sustenance and life;
for farmers and agricultural workers,
for packers, distributors and company boards;
as you have so ordered our life that we depend upon each other,
enable us by your grace to seek the well-being of others before our own.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for all engaged in research to safeguard crops against disease,
and to produce abundant life among those who hunger
and whose lives are at risk.
Prosper the work of their hands
and the searching of their minds,
that their labour may be for the welfare of all.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for governments and aid agencies,
and those areas of the world where there is disaster, drought and starvation.
By the grace of your Spirit,
touch our hearts
and the hearts of all who live in comfortable plenty,
and make us wise stewards of your gifts.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for those who are ill,
remembering those in hospital and nursing homes
and all who are known to us.
We pray for all who care for them.
Give skill and understanding
to all who work for their well-being.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We remember those who have died,
whom we entrust to your eternal love
in the hope of resurrection to new life.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We offer ourselves to your service,
asking that by the Spirit at work in us
others may receive a rich harvest of love and joy and peace.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

Merciful Father:
Accept these prayers
For the sake you Son
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

 

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2000 The Archbishops' Council

 

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The Readings.

Revelation 12.7-12

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
‘Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah,*
for the accuser of our comrades* has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.
Rejoice then, you heavens
and those who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you
with great wrath,
because he knows that his time is short!’

 

John 1.47-end

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Associate Priest.

 

The Prayers

Prepared by Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

 

 

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

Proverbs 3. 13 - 18

Happy are those who find wisdom,
and those who get understanding,
for her income is better than silver,
and her revenue better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.

Matthew 9. 9 - 13

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

I thought I might write a book. For Christians. It would need a snappy title, but
the subtitle would be: The ten texts that every Christian ought to know.

The ten texts that every Christian ought to know.

I would be making the point that none of us can hold the entire bible in our
minds all the time. I have read passages of scripture almost every day for the
whole of my working life, but not every word sticks, and some words don’t
seem especially helpful these days.

There are verses in Leviticus, for instance, about how to deal with magicians
and wizards, and whether tattoos are a good idea. I don’t need to fill my head
with that. (Tattoos, by the way, are thought to be a bad idea.)

But some verses we do need to know because they should be playing a key
part in forming our faith and guiding our conduct. We should return to them
again and again to keep ourselves spiritually sound.

So ten texts that every Christian ought to know.

Why ten? Well, it’s a bit arbitrary; but it’s about that number that we can
consistently keep in mind.

Among the ten would this from the gospel according to St John: For God
sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him.

That is so important.

For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him.

We Christians have often forgotten that verse. We have much preferred to
condemn, than think about what it might mean for the world to be saved
through Christ.

I’ll just give you one shocking example from my last job as a vicar.

In my parish in Kendal there was an old people’s home. My curate and I took
services there. What we didn’t know was that in the 1960s and before, it had
been a mother and baby home, run by the diocese. St Monica’s.

Unmarried girls were sent there to have their babies, which were then taken
from them, whether they wanted that or not, and given to childless couples.
In recent years all this has been revealed and a few of the mothers who are
still alive have told their story. How their families disowned them and Church
and society condemned them. They were made to feel ashamed, treated
harshly in St Monica’s and forced to work long hours every day. And, truly
shocking, if babies became sick, they were not sent to hospital but treated by
unqualified staff. Some died and they lie buried in unmarked graves in the
grounds.

We see this now as a scandal. But in those years, Church and society had let
slip that crucial text in John’s gospel. That Christ came not to condemn but to
save. Church and society wanted to condemn these mothers for having
babies out of wedlock. And it did. But in doing so, did nothing for the young
women and a great deal of harm to many babies.

In today’s gospel we read how this idea that Christ came not to condemn but
to save worked itself out in one particular way in the ministry of Christ himself.
At the time of Jesus the religious, especially the rather self-righteous
religious, were quick to condemn those they disapproved of – tax collectors,
like Matthew, who made a living gathering taxes for the Roman authorities,
and sinners. We are not told what way of life or behaviour made people
sinners in some peoples eyes. But as with those unmarried mothers in
Kendal, we can imagine how they were made to feel ashamed and to suffer.

But Christ comes not to condemn but to save, because he knows, as we
admit at the start of every service when we make our confession, that all of us
have fallen short of the glory of God.

In that sense we all need saving. And that should make us more
compassionate towards others who in other ways fall short.

As the hymn says:

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea.
But we make his love too narrow
by false limits of our own;
and we magnify his strictness
with a zeal he will not own.

For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him.

We must go and do likewise.

 

The Prayers

Encouraged by our fellowship with all the saints,
let us make our prayers to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, your Son called the saints to leave the past behind them
and to follow him as his disciples in the way of the cross.
Look with mercy upon those whom he calls today, marks with the cross
and makes his disciples within the Church.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son told his disciples not to be afraid and at Easter breathed on
them his gift of peace. Look with mercy upon the world into which
he sent them out, and give it that peace for which it longs.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son formed around him a company who were no longer
servants but friends, and he called all those who obeyed him his
brother and sister and mother. Look with mercy upon our families
and our friends and upon the communities in which we share.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son sent out disciples to preach and heal the sick. Look with
mercy on all those who yearn to hear the good news of salvation,
and renew among your people the gifts of healing.
We pray for Lucy and Paul’s grandson and family.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son promised to those who followed him that they would sit
on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and would share the
banquet of the kingdom. According to your promise, look with
mercy on those who have walked with Christ in this life and now
have passed through death.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Almighty God,
Grant that your Church
may faithfully hold and make known
the faith that has come to us through the apostles,
that with them and all your saints
we may inherit the glories of eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

Numbers 21.4-9

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

John 3.13-17

No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “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. “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.

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon James Wilson.

 

The Prayers

Let us pray to the Father through his Son,
who suffered on the cross for the world’s redemption.

Fill with your Spirit Christ’s broken body, the Church.
Give to people everywhere a deep longing
to take up the cross and to understand its mysterious glory.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Bless those who lead the Church’s worship.
In the preaching of the word
and the celebration of the sacraments,
draw your people close to you.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Give your grace to those who preach your word to the nations.
Help us to witness to the faith we have received
by our words and in our deeds,
and daily conform us more and more to Christ,
that we may glory in his cross.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Look in your mercy upon the world you loved so much
that you sent your Son to suffer and to die.
Strengthen those who work to share
the reconciliation won at such a cost upon the cross.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Bring healing by the wounds of Christ
to all who are weighed down by pain and injustice.
Help the lonely and the betrayed, the suffering and the dying,
to find strength in the companionship of Jesus,
and in his passion to know their salvation.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Welcome into paradise all who have left this world in your friendship.
According to your promises,
bring them with all your saints
to share in the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy on us.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

Isaiah 61.10-end

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.

Luke 1. 46-55

‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Dr Beth Keith. 

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.

We give you thanks for the gift of Mary, after whom this church is named, and thank you
for giving her to us to give birth to your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We give thanks for
all the people who passed through this church yesterday for the Horticultural show, and
hope we may see some of them again, once they have seen how beautiful the church is.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the church worldwide, that all who call themselves Christians may serve you
as best they can, and serve your people in whatever way they can. We pray for our
diocese, our bishops and all who serve you in whatever capacity. We thank you for our
partner churches, St John’s and St Mark’s, that we may grow ever closer in our
partnership.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our city of Sheffield. We give you thanks for Walkley, for all the organisations
in our area, our schools and teachers, and ask your blessing on St Mary’s School, as they
start the new school year. We ask your blessing on all the students soon to return to our
city.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for Katherine baptised today, and for Alison who was licensed last Monday. May
we as a congregation always give them the support they need.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, and remember in our prayers all who work in the
National Health Service and carers. We pray they may always be strengthened to carry
out the tasks they need to undertake. We pray for all known to us in special need of your
saving grace….
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We remember before you all who have died recently, and those we have loved and known.
We pray for all who are with your in your tender care.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, John and Mark and all your saints, we commend
ourselves and all creation to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council