The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Burton Latimer
Making the love of God known in our community & homes
Week commencing 12th July 2020
The Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Dear friends
We haven’t had much choice since 23rd March but in essence do you prefer to watch via a screen of some sort or would you much rather be THERE – sporting fixture, exhibition, shopping centre, school or college and not least church?
In the things we believe in and do in our lives, if we are able and fairly mobile, do we prefer to observe and avoid getting involved (we might have had or heard about a past experience, be worried about what our relatives will say) or do we prefer to PARTICIPATE.
The Christian Church (in fact Jesus) provides for us the Eucharist (Holy Communion) a form of worship which he commanded us to DO so that we may meet him, each other and be regularly ‘refuelled’ to continue in the role of Christians to represent him in the world and usher in God’s Kingdom.
In our parish, instead, as some have done, of substituting Holy Communion with a hymn, prayer and reflection ‘sandwich’ (not that there is anything wrong with that) we have been for 16 Sundays unable to use St Mary’s church but have had Jez, Tom and others making available a ‘spiritual communion’ in our own homes with our own offering of bread and wine. There is a real difference between a ‘collection’ and an ‘offering’. Offertory processions in which the bread and wine are, as in St Mary’s and many other churches, brought to the altar symbolising our laying before God the very best that we have and are willing to give back to him. A priest is chosen to preside over the family meal of the Christian family as we worship together each week but each one of us is participating in praising God for Jesus and for what he has done and does do for us and reaffirming our daily response in his service and that of all mankind.
So (as we must still pop in somewhere): Engage, celebrate and enjoy!
Blessings, Roger.
Daily Psalms
Sunday, 12th July – Psalm 65
Monday, 13th July – Psalm 98
Tuesday, 14th July – Psalm 106
Wednesday 15th July – Psalm 111
Thursday, 16th July – Psalm 115
Friday, 17th July – Psalm 139
Saturday, 18th July – Psalm 121
Prayers
Heavenly Father, we pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who acknowledge your presence and power in their lives. We pray for those who are laughed at or victimised because of their faith in you. We pray that you will give us strength to be true to our faith when it is questioned or belittled. We pray for our church and our community and for a renewal of our vision and dedication to the work you have called us to do.
Amen.
God of compassion, we pray for all those who are suffering with anxiety, stress, grief or pain and illness. We pray to you for those we know and love, that your healing power will flow into their lives bringing wholeness of body, mind and spirit. Grant us strength in our weakness, comfort in our sorrow, peace of mind in our anxiety and stress and the renewed hope for life which only your presence and power can bring.
Amen
We thank you, Heavenly Father, for the work our team is doing in bringing us the online services. They have brought a great deal of pleasure to so many people and have helped us feel closer together. Dear Lord, it is wonderful that we are now able to have services in church again, albeit it in a very different way and with limited numbers, but we pray that things will soon return to normal (whatever that will be) and that we can all be together in Your house once more. We ask this is Jesus’ name
Amen
Our Prayer List
In company with the other churches in the town, each week we pray for a different street: this week is Cornfield Way
We give thanks that the operation on Charlotte’s spine went well and that Becky has safely delivered her twin girls. We thank you that Maisy Newman has returned home and is making progress, following her accident last week.
We remember those who are ill or need our prayers at this time, especially:
Ray Bunce, Lilly Mannion, Mick French, Sandra Bennett, Yvonne Desroches,
Joyce Lucas
We pray for the souls of those who have died:
Milly Flude
We remember those whose anniversaries of death are at this time:
Jack Smith, John Smith
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
First Reading
Romans 8.1-11
1There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law – indeed it cannot, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Gospel
Matthew 13.1-9,18-23
1Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. 2Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9Let anyone with ears listen!
18Hear then the parable of the sower. 19When 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. 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21yet 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. 22As 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. 23But 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.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ
Prayer after Communion
Grant, O Lord, we beseech you,
that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered
by your governance,
that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Hymn for today
1) Praise, my soul, the King of heaven!
To his feet thy tribute bring:
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
who like me his praise should sing?
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise the everlasting King!
2) Praise him for his grace and favour
to our fathers in distress,
praise him still the same as ever,
slow to chide and swift to bless.
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise him! Praise him!
Glorious in his faithfulness!
Contact details:
The Rector: The Revd Jez Safford, The Rectory, Preston Court, Burton Latimer,
NN15 5LR. Telephone: 01536 723810.Email: jez.safford766@gmail.com.
Assistant Curate: The Revd Tom Houston, 3 Virginia Crescent, Burton Latimer,
NN15 5GB. Telephone: 01536 685664. Email: houston89@hotmail.co.uk
Safeguarding Officer: Lucy Lorentzen, 3 Clipson Close, Burton Latimer,
NN15 5GH. Telephone: 07944597181. Email: lucy@lorentzen.co.uk
Website: www.stmarysburtonlatimer.co.uk or visit us on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stmarysburtonlatimer.co.uk
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000.
© St Mary the Virgin Burton Latimer, 2011.
CCL Licence No. 480320
Internet Order of Service for use at home.
Welcome
Lighting of the candle(s)
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.
All Amen.
The Collect
The minister prays the collect on your weekly sheet
All Amen.
Reading
Please see the weekly sheet.
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Reflection
Invitation to Confession
The minister
You then, who truly and earnestly repent of your sins,
and are in love and charity with your neighbours,
and intend to lead a new life,
following the commandments of God,
and walking from this day forward in his holy ways:
draw near with faith,
and take this holy sacrament to your comfort;
and make your humble confession to almighty God.
Confession
All Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love,
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed,
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light.
Amen
Absolution
The minister says
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who in his great mercy
has promised forgiveness of sins
to all those who with heartfelt repentance and true faith turn to him:
have mercy on you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Please refer to the weekly sheet
Eucharist Prayer
Have your bread a wine ready
The Lord be with you
All and also with you.
Father, on the night before he died,
Jesus shared a meal with his friends.
He took the bread, and thanked you.
He broke it, and gave it to them, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this to remember me.
After the meal, Jesus took the cup of wine.
He thanked you, and gave it to them, saying:
Drink this, all of you.
This is my blood,
the new promise of God’s unfailing love.
Do this to remember me.
Jesus Christ has died.
All Jesus Christ has died.
Jesus Christ is risen.
All Jesus Christ is risen.
Jesus Christ will come again.
All Jesus Christ will come again.
Father, as we bring this bread and wine,
and remember his death and resurrection,
send your Holy Spirit,
that we who share these gifts, though apart but together now in you,
may be fed by Christ’s body and his blood.
Pour your Spirit on us
that we may love one another,
work for the healing of the earth,
and share the good news of Jesus,
as we wait for his coming in glory.
For honour and praise belong to you, Father,
with Jesus your Son, and the Holy Spirit:
one God, for ever and ever.
All Amen
We take communion.
Prayer after Communion
Post communion prayer available on your sheet
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
All 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.
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 among you and remain with you always.
All Amen.