Service for Sunday 17th November (Two sundays before Advent)

St Paul’s Anglican Church Athens

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Entrance: 431 (Hereford) O Thou who camest from above

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 16

Gradual: 9 (Helmsley) Lo! he comes with clouds descending

Offertory: 252 (St. Clement) The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended; Communion: 307 (Divine Mysteries) Sweet sacrament divine; Recessional: 149 (Coelites Plaudant) Father, we praise thee, now the night is over

 

All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

 

Please remember that the chaplaincy in Athens neither receives funding from the British Government nor from the Church of

England. All donations are, therefore, very gratefully received.

 

A Reading from the Book of Daniel (Daniel 12: 1-3)

 

‘At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.’

 

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

 

Resp. Psalm: Psalm 16: Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you

 O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup,

it is you yourself who are my prize.

I keep you, Lord, ever in my sight,

since you are at my right hand, I shall stand firm. (Response)

 

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay. (Response)

 

You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever. (Response)

 

A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (10: 11-14, 18)

All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for

sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

 

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

 

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark (13: 24-32)

Glory to you O Lord

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the

stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in

the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the an- gels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.

‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple

and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will

pass away, but my words will not pass away.

‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’

 

(after the Gospel reading):

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

O God, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen

 

Church Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Weds. 20th November.: 10 a.m. Low Mass

Sun. 24th November.: 10 a.m. Sung Mass (Christ the King)

 

Choral Evensong: Sundays 24th Nov.; 22nd Dec. (6:00 p.m.) Coffee Mornings: 12th December (10:30 a.m.)

Christmas Bazaar: 1st December (Advent Sunday) (War Museum): details from churchwarden Lynn Stavrou. Church open to receive donations (books, clothes, household items &c.) from the 26th November until Saturday the 30th.

 

Study Group: details from Fr. Benjamin

Walking Group: details from Fr. Benjamin

 

Donate electronically by scanning the QR code;

the Church does not receive any

funding from the Church of England

or the British Government and is reliant

on the goodwill of congregants and visitors.

We thank you for your support.

 

Priest Chaplain: Fr. Benjamin Drury frbenjamindrury@gmail.com;

Home tel.: 210 72 14 906

Deacon Christine Saccali : (Day Off: Friday)         697 737 7655

anglican@otenet.gr (Church e-mail address)

Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling 694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens                   www.anglicanchurchathens.gr