Greeting

Praise God! For the Lord our God the almighty reigns!

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory.

Happy are those who have been invited

to the wedding-feast of the Lamb.

Amen. Praise the Lord!

Hymn 461 For all thy saints O Lord Carlisle

God shows his love for us

in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Let us then show our love for him

by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Come, let us return to the Lord and say:

Lord our God,

in our sin we have avoided your call.

Our love for you is like a morning cloud,

like the dew that goes away early.

Have mercy on us;

deliver us from judgement;

bind up our wounds and revive us;

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May the God the Father

bring us back to himself,

forgive us our sins,

and assure us of his eternal love

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty Father,

whom truly to know is eternal life:

Teach us to know your Son Jesus Christ

as the way, the truth, and the life;

that we may follow the steps of your holy apostles

Philip and James,

and walk steadfastly in the way that leads to your glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:

In returning and rest you shall be saved;

   in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.

But you refused 16and said,

‘No! We will flee upon horses’—

   therefore you shall flee!

and, ‘We will ride upon swift steeds’—

   therefore your pursuers shall be swift!

A thousand shall flee at the threat of one,

   at the threat of five you shall flee,

until you are left

   like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,

   like a signal on a hill.

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you;

   therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.

For the Lord is a God of justice;

   blessed are all those who wait for him.

Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 30: 15-21

Psalm 119

1  Blessed are those whose way is pure, ♦︎

   who walk in the law of the Lord.

2  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies ♦︎

   and seek him with their whole heart,

3  Those who do no wickedness, ♦︎

   but walk in his ways.

4  You, O Lord, have charged ♦︎

   that we should diligently keep your commandments.

5  O that my ways were made so direct ♦︎

   that I might keep your statutes.

6  Then should I not be put to shame, ♦︎

   because I have regard for all your commandments.

7  I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, ♦︎

   when I have learned your righteous judgements.

8  I will keep your statutes; ♦︎

   O forsake me not utterly.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit;

        As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

A reading from the Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ephesians 1: 3-10

Hymn 636 May the mind of Christ my Saviour Stockton

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ, according to St John.

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14: 1-14

Let us declare our faith in God.

We believe in God the Father,

from whom every family

in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son,

who lives in our hearts through faith,

and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit,

who strengthens us

with power from on high.

We believe in one God;

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn 20 The King of love my shepherd is  Dominus regit me

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

We pray for the family of the Church,

for loving relationships,

and for the life of families around us.

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, born in poverty and soon a refugee,

be with families today who are poor

and live in hunger and want …

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, as you grew in wisdom and in favour with

God and the people

in the family of Joseph the carpenter,

bring wisdom and the presence of God

into the work and growth of families today …

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, as you blessed marriage in the wedding at Cana,

be with those preparing for marriage

and with those who come to the end of

their resources …

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, as you healed Peter’s mother-in-law,

bring healing to those in our families who are ill today …

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, when you were dying you called Mary and John to

care for one another.

Provide today for those who lose their families:

the bereaved and childless, orphans and widows …

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, as you ate breakfast on the beach

with your disciples

after you were raised from the dead,

bring the whole Church on earth and in heaven

into your risen presence to eat at the eternal banquet.

Jesus, Lord of love,

in your mercy, hear us,

accept our prayers

and be with us always.

Amen.

Lord, remember us in your kingdom,

as we pray in the words you gave 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.

To crown all things

there must be love,

to bind all together

and complete the whole.

Let the peace of Christ

rule in our hearts.

Concluding Prayer

Eternal God, we offer our thanks that through our earthly lives

you speak of your eternal life.

We rejoice in the wonder of creation,

the gift of human life

and the many blessings that our relationships bring.

Renew in us the fruits of your Holy Spirit;

that love, joy and peace may abound in our homes,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We pray together

Heavenly Father,

we offer you our souls and bodies,

our thoughts and words and deeds,

our love for one another.

Unite our wills in your will,

that we may grow together

in love and peace

all the days of our life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing

God the Holy Trinity

make you strong in faith and love,

defend you on every side,

and guide you in truth and peace;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Hymn 634 Blaenwern