The Greeting

As we come to worship and praise

Father God, we welcome you!

As we come together in friendship

Father God, we welcome you!

As we come to listen and learn

Father God, we welcome you!

As we bring our worries and problems

Father God, we welcome you!

Lord, we invite you into our church,

We invite you into our minds,

We invite you into our hearts.

Hymn 360 Luckington

Penitential Kyries

Father, you come to meet us when we return to you. Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, you died on the cross for our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Holy Spirit, you give us life and peace. Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Absolution

Almighty God,

who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you,

pardon and deliver you from all your sins,

confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,

and keep you in eternal life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Collect

Almighty God,

you have made us for yourself,

and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:

Teach us to offer ourselves to your service,

that here we may have your peace,

and in the world to come may see you face to face;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.. Amen.

A reading from the book of Proverbs.

A capable wife who can find?

   She is far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,

   and he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good, and not harm,

   all the days of her life.

She seeks wool and flax,

   and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant,

   she brings her food from far away.

She rises while it is still night

   and provides food for her household

   and tasks for her servant-girls.

She considers a field and buys it;

   with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength,

   and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

   Her lamp does not go out at night.

She puts her hands to the distaff,

   and her hands hold the spindle.

She opens her hand to the poor,

   and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid for her household when it snows,

   for all her household are clothed in crimson.

She makes herself coverings;

   her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the city gates,

   taking his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them;

   she supplies the merchant with sashes.

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

   and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

   and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household,

   and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her happy;

   her husband too, and he praises her:

‘Many women have done excellently,

   but you surpass them all.’

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,

   and let her works praise her in the city gates.

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Proverbs 31.10-31

Psalm, Beatus vir, qui non abiit (1)

1  Blessed are they who have not walked

      in the counsel of the wicked, •

   nor lingered in the way of sinners,

      nor sat in the assembly of the scornful.

2  Their delight is in the law of the Lord •

   and they meditate on his law day and night.

3  Like a tree planted by streams of water

      bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, •

   whatever they do, it shall prosper.

4  As for the wicked, it is not so with them; •

   they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

5  Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement, •

   nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous.

6  For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, •

 but the way of the wicked shall perish.

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 James.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

James 3: 13 – 4: 3, 7-8a

The Gradual Hymn 145 Day of praise

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

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.        Mark 9.30-37

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

What do we believe? (we say together)

We believe in God the Father, the source of all life, by whom every family in heaven and earth has been created.

We believe in God the Son, our friend and brother Jesus, who lives in our hearts through faith and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with his power, and makes Jesus known in the world.

We believe and trust in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn 695 Heathlands

We say our prayers

As brothers and sisters in one loving family, together let us pray to our heavenly Father:

Sometimes, Lord, we see praying for people as a duty, not a joy.  Then we read your word, and see how you prayed to the Father, not only for us but for those we reach through your word.  And that gives new life to our prayers.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of praying for others. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Lord, we thank you this morning that we are here as your family.  We thank you for the connection we feel with each other, and with you.  We pray for any who feel on the outside, that we will welcome them in.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of praying for others. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

We pray for people who have experienced life events that have separated them from you; for those who have had relationship breakdowns, for those who have lost loved ones to death, leaving emptiness or bitterness, or uncertainty.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of praying for others. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

We thank you for the times when others have prayed for us.  We think of people who feel they cannot pray, that they will have people to pray for them; of people who don’t think they have time to pray, that they may understand how vital prayer is.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of praying for others. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Thank you, God, that we belong to you, that we are connected to you and to each other, like leaves to a twig, like twigs to a branch, like branches to a tree.  You are our roots; we receive everything we need from you, and we thank you, Lord.

Merciful Father,

accept these our prayers

for the sake of your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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.

Hymn 630 Franconia

We pray together

Be with us Lord, as we go out into the world.

May the lips that have sung your praises

always speak the truth;

may the ears that have heard your Word

listen only to what is good;

and may our lives as well as our worship

be always pleasing in your sight,

for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Blessing

Lord, together today we have been blessed and strengthened in our connection, not only with each other but also with you.  Send us out now in your name, and in your power, to continue to live lives that are pleasing to you:

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

be with you and remain with you always. Amen.