St Catherine & St James’ ChurchService of the Word Sunday 30 April 2023St Philip & St James (1 May 2023)

We gather today, expecting to meet with God.
Holy Spirit, come.
We might hear God’s voice in thunder and majesty.
Holy Spirit, come.
We might observe God’s power, in flames of fire.
Holy Spirit, come.
We might discern God’s presence in visions and signs.
Holy Spirit, come.
We might catch a glimpse of God’s glory.
Holy Spirit, come.
Hymn 52 Ratisbon
We say sorry for the things we have done wrong
O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who
trust in him. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
The Lord ransoms the lives of his servants and none who trust
in him will be destroyed. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have
mercy.
Come my children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the
Lord. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
May the God of love forgive us, lift our burdens from us, heal
and strengthen us by his spirit; that we may journey in love to

live our lives freely and lightly, through our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Collect
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 and 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. Isaiah 30: 15-21
Thanks be to God.
Psalm Beati immaculati (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 Christbefore 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 6 St Denio
Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ, according to St John.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said ‘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
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 493 Hyfrydol

An Orthodox Litany of Intercession
For the peace that comes from above, for the loving-kindness
of God, and for the salvation of our souls,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the peace of the world and for the unity of all Christian
people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For Michael our Archbishop, and all other clergy and lay ministers,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For our President, Michael D. Higgins,
and for all the leaders of the nations,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For this city, for the communities of which we are a part,
and for all who live in them,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the good earth which God has given us,
and for the wisdom and will to conserve it,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who travel, on land, on water, or in the air,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans,
and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For all those who have asked us to remember them in prayer,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed

and the destitute, for prisoners and captives,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who have died in hope of resurrection, and all who have
died recently, suddenly or violently, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In communion the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and all saints, we commend ourselves, and one another,
and our whole life, to you, Lord God.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
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 605 (and collection) (omit v 4) Kelvingrove
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:
so may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always. Amen.