The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Burton Latimer
Making the love of God known in our community & homes
Week commencing 28th June 2020
The Third Sunday after Trinity
Hello, everyone.
We have missed so many church celebrations this year: Holy Week, Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday and most recently Corpus Christi – the festival which gives thanks to God for Holy Communion. And, of course, we should have been celebrating Yvonne’s Ordination at Peterborough Cathedral today. That particular event will now take place in September, all being well. Bishop Donald has sent a message to us today, and we look forward to what he has to say.
I have been out and about in my garden again. One plant that has benefitted from the mild wet winter is the Passion Flower. This pretty climber grows vigorously and is inclined to self-seed all over the place wherever its golden fruits land.
My plant has white petals; some other species are purple. The plant was discovered in America by the Spanish and Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century.
The Jesuits named it Flos Passionis – Flower of the Five Wounds. It was a gift for their teaching on the Crucifixion.
The Passion Flower is full of symbolism. I start with the leaves which are palmate (like a hand) and each of the five sections like a spear.
The flower has 10 petals – the ten Disciples who fled (it does not include Judas or St John who stood by the cross. The very centre of the flower has three dark stigma which represent the three nails (wrists and feet held together), under them are 5 anthers – the five wounds of Jesus. Surrounding these is a nimbus or halo showing the divine glory of Jesus – also His Crown of Thorns. This has 72 filaments symbolising the 72 disciples that Jesus appointed to go out before Him. The Passion Flower tells us again of the saving grace of Jesus. May this flower and its symbolism give you help in the darkest days. May God bless you all and keep you safe through these uncertain times.
My love to you all, Ann
Daily Psalms
Sunday, 28th June – Psalm 89.1-4,15-18
Monday, 29th June – Psalm 71; 113
Tuesday, 30th June – Psalm 73
Wednesday 1st July – Psalm 77
Thursday, 2nd July – Psalm 78.1-39
Friday, 3rd July – Psalm 55
Saturday, 4thJuly – Psalm 76
Prayers
Almighty God, healer of the sick and strength of the weak, look with mercy on all those who suffer at this time. Bring healing to those who are sick, bring peace to those who are anxious, bring strength to those who care for them, and bring wisdom to our leaders that our whole society may journey together through this difficult time with determination and generosity, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Heavenly Father, we praise and worship you – your loving kindness and mercy is without end. Your faithfulness to us is unending. We praise you for your eternal love. We recognise before you, and thank you, for where your image is clear in us – where we radiate you in the way that we live. We are sorry for where we mar that image – with selfishness, unkindness, a lack of love, and ask for your forgiveness.
Amen
Lord God, we thank you for all you reveal in your creation so that our lives may be fruitful. Reveal your wisdom and strength among people everywhere so that death and destruction do not have their way, but your will, your love, your mercy shall prevail. Let our age learn that power belongs to you and not to men, and that you will at last fulfil all your promises of good. Your day of justice and holiness will break in, and all misery will be removed through your great mercy. Watch over us as you have done till this hour, and keep us safe during the night. Be present and carry out your will wherever there is misfortune. May your will be done on earth as in heaven. Amen.
Amen
Our Prayer List
In company with the other churches in the town, each week we pray for a different street: this week is Coppice Close
We remember those who are ill or need our prayers at this time, especially:
Ray Bunce, Lilly Mannion, Mick French, Sandra Bennett
We pray for the souls of those who have died:
We remember those whose anniversaries of death are at this time:
Julie Sharman, Michael Partridge, Roger Gibbs, Jack Cheatley
Collect
Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts
whereby we call you Father:
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought
to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
First Reading – Romans 6.12-23
12Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. 13No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
15What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
20When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. 22But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Gospel – Matthew 16.13-19
13When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ 14And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ 15He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ 16Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ 17And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ
Prayer after Communion
O God, whose beauty is beyond our imagining
and whose power we cannot comprehend:
show us your glory as far as we can grasp it,
and shield us from knowing more than we can bear
until we may look upon you without fear;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen
Hymn for today
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture burst on my sight,
angels descending, bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Refrain
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Refrain
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.