Sermon preached via Live Zoom to Crete on Sundsay 12th July 2026 – Matthew 13, 1-9, 18-23

Revd Leonard Doolan

Around the end of June and beginning of July the Church universal is usually very busy with ordinations of deacons and priests, and newly ordained priests presiding at the Holy Liturgy for the first time. It can seem a bit ‘clergy heavy’ so we have to keep a keen eye on the whole people of God, ordained and lay together. Whichever we are, our primary calling to be Christ-like is an awesome calling.

At the first Mass of a young priest, the great priest-scholar Austin Farrer, in a sermon called Walking Sacraments, reminds everyone present that we are ‘pygmies in giants’ armour’. Juest imagine you and I are called to be ‘mini-me’s’ of Christ! Gulp!

I wonder how many of you know what a Hirax is? It is a funny little creature that you find in parts of north and east Africa. Strangely enough you also find them around the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Hiraxes are a little bigger than guinea pigs, have special padded feet that allow them to climb on rocks and they are very good at jumping. They entertain tourists and pilgrims effectively when they visit Galilee. So far you might think I’m making it up, but the best is yet to come. Although this little mammal is like a large guinea pig the nearest animal to it genetically in the animal kingdom is the elephant. There you are – now you are convinced I’m telling you a pack of lies.

Well, actually I’m not. The hirax is related to the elephant, and if you ever visit Galilee, you’ll see them. It seems bizarre that something so small can be related to one of the biggest animals on earth.

In this section of St. Matthew’s gospel Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God. What a huge reality the Kingdom of God must be – greater than we can imagine, understand, accept and explain – too big for us mere mortals. Yet Jesus tells us about it plainly and clearly in a way that we can relate to. Forget the big stuff. Focus!

To help us focus, our Lord uses parables to explain the nature, the qualities, the substance of the Kingdom; small examples to give us an insight into how we should be related to God, his Kingdom, and with each other.  These are as the hyrax is to the elephant – different in scale, but related in identity.

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Service Sheet for Sunday 12th July, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Sung Mass for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Processional: 338 (Evelyns) At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 65

Gradual: 370 (Falcon Street) Help us, O Lord, to learn

Offertory: 440 (Lobe den Herren) Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Communion: 399 (Rochester) Light of the lonely pilgrim’s heart

Recessional: 235 (Song 34) Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go

All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

The Mass setting is Sir James Macmillan’s ‘St. Anne’s Mass’

A reading from the Prophet Isaiah (55: 10-11)

Thus says the Lord: ‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heav­ens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and

giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so

the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 65: Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop.

You care for the earth, give it water, you fill it with riches.

Your river in heaven brims over

to provide its grain. (Response)

And thus you provide for the earth;

you drench its furrows;

you level it, soften it with showers; you bless its growth. (Response)

You crown the year with your goodness.

Abundance flows in your steps,

in the pastures of the wilderness it flows. (Response)

The hills are girded with joy,

the meadows covered with flocks, the valleys are decked with wheat.

They shout for joy, yes, they sing. (Response)

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (8: 18-23)

I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons. It was not for any fault on the part of

creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still retains the hope of being freed, like us, from its

slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of God. From the beginning till now the entire creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth; and not only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly

as we wait for our bodies to be set free.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listen­ing: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (13: 1-23)

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gath-

ered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.

He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others

fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came

up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away.

Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Oth­ers fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

Then the disciples went up to him and asked, ‘Why do you talk to them in parables?’ ‘Because’ he replied, ‘the mysteries of the kingdom of heav­en are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them. For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from an­yone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled:

You will listen and listen again, but not understand, see and see again, but not perceive. For the heart of this nation has grown coarse, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, for fear they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed by me.

‘But happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.

‘You, therefore, are to hear the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the man who received the seed on the edge of the path. The one who received it on patches of rock is the man who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. But he has no root in him, he does not last; let some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, and he falls away at once.

The one who received the seed in thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the lure of riches choke the word and so he produces nothing.  And the one who received the seed in rich soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; he is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.’ The Gospel of the Lord: praise to you, O Christ.

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Sermon for Sunday 5th July 2026 – Mark 6: 53

Preacher: Fr Benjamin Drury – St Paul’s Athens

Saint Mark’s Gospel today, together with the Book of Wisdom, invites us to look honestly at our hearts and souls.

In the ritual practices of the Pharisees, we see what may seem to us a strange and unfamiliar preoccupation with purity. They observed many careful outward rules so that they would not be defiled: not by what they ate or drank, not by what they touched, and not by those with whom they kept company.

Many of these careful rules were once connected with hygiene and devotion. Seen in another light, however, they may remind us of some of the more unusual regulations introduced during Covid.

They are set before us as a contrast with what truly defiles a person. What really damages the soul is not something external, but what is within and then comes out. This accords with the Book of Wisdom: “God is witness of their inmost feelings, and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues.”

What defiles us, what is truly evil, is what lies within: evil intentions and all those things listed in Mark’s Gospel.

Christ is often referred to as Wisdom, or as the Wisdom of God. With this in mind, we may hear the Book of Wisdom’s warning more deeply:

“Wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul,

or dwell in a body enslaved to sin.”

Think of Holman Hunt’s famous painting of Christ knocking at the door: “Lo, I stand at the door and knock.” Christ enters the heart and soul at our invitation, through our free will and our cooperation with him.

We therefore need to learn how to discipline our spirit so that we may welcome him in.

As the Book of Wisdom says:

“For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit,

and will leave foolish thoughts behind,

and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness.”

Of course, we need God’s help to cleanse and heal our souls, and to form us into the likeness of Christ. Yet the responsibility also lies with us. It is our task to respond to the call of God. As he has invited us to his heavenly banquet, so we invite him to the humble altar of our hearts.

Mark’s Gospel speaks of what defiles. In more modern English, perhaps we might say: that which damages the soul.

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Service Sheet for Sunday 5th July,fifty Sunday after Trinity, Choral Mattins

Choral Mattins for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Entrance: 478 (Lasst uns Erfreuen) Ye watchers and ye holy ones

Office: 149 (Coelites Plaudant) Father, we praise thee, now the night is over

Psalmody: Ps. 24, 25, 26 (page 166-169 in the Prayer Book)

Hymn: 470 (Oriel) To the name that brings salvation

Final: 437 (Austria) Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him

All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

The order for Morning Prayer begins at page 5 in the Shorter Prayer Book.

Here begins the first chapter of the Book of Wisdom

Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord with uprightness,

and seek him with sincerity of heart;

because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.

For perverse thoughts separate men from God,

and when his power is tested, it convicts the foolish; because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul,

nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin.

For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit, and will rise and depart from foolish thoughts,

and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness.

For wisdom is a kindly spirit

and will not free a blasphemer from the guilt of his words; because God is witness of his inmost feelings,

and a true observer of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue. Because the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world,

and that which holds all things together knows what is said;

therefore no one who utters unrighteous things will escape notice, and justice, when it punishes, will not pass him by.

For inquiry will be made into the counsels of an ungodly man, and a report of his words will come to the Lord,

to convict him of his lawless deeds;

because a jealous ear hears all things,

and the sound of murmurings does not go unheard. Beware then of useless murmuring,

and keep your tongue from slander;

because no secret word is without result, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.

Do not invite death by the error of your life,

nor bring on destruction by the works of your hands; because God did not make death,

and he does not delight in the death of the living. For he created all things that they might exist,

and the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them;

and the dominion of Hades is not on earth. For righteousness is immortal.

But ungodly men by their words and deeds summoned death; considering him a friend, they pined away,

and they made a covenant with him,

because they are fit to belong to his party.

Here ends the first lesson

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Sermon preached on Sunday 28th June 2026 – Feast of SS Peter and Paul

Preacher: Deacon Christine Saccali

PETER AND PAUL  YEAR A  28/06/26

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit AMEN

Do you remember that nursery rhyme Two little dickey birds sitting on the wall, One named Peter, One named Paul? I certainly do from my nana sticking stamp edging ( those were the days ) on two of her fingers as she hid them only to fly them back. I did the same as much as I could with my granddaughter.

Now I am going to tell you a true story of Peter and Paul here in Athens. I am referring, of course, to the Anglican churches in the city. I wonder if you can see any evidence of  a mention of St Peter’s?  Anyone?  There is the plaque dedicated to  Stephen Saunders gunned down over 25 years ago churchwarden of St Peter’s what a time that was for the congregations, the Embassy and of course his family and friends plus the wider and international community.

St Peter’s was set up in the eighties to the north in Kifissia when there were many expats and foreign companies in the area. It flourished. That also seems a distant memory now for by the millennium many multinationals had left along with their employees to cheaper European countries to invest and work in. The northern church used to meet in St Catherine’s school until it was closed down about 12 years ago when it was decided to concentrate all our efforts in the centre at St Paul’s.

My vocation emerged from that small group and the wider community in Kifissia first as Reader then with discernment towards ordination and the diaconate. Community Connect was born as outreach in about 2009 and that also flourished and met in several venues in Kifissia a hotel, a taverna and lastly Loida Home for the Elderly until COVID put a stop to that. However, Community Connect Athens is still flourishing and the community of former members of St Peter’s is still a caring one- dwindling and not all able to physically attend church but they still contribute to life at St Paul’s in various ways. We have fond memories of Sherry our former Reader now residing in the very same Loida and being well cared for.

I was ordained ten years ago at Petertide here in St Paul’s and as we pray for those being ordained this Petertide in the steps of the first Apostle We give thanks for the two churches of Peter and Paul here in Athens, forever intertwined and for all who attended and built them up. We think of Christine Kypriotou whose funeral was held here last week and who loved St Paul’s.

Peter has always been my favourite disciple because he is loyal, impetuous and blurts out exactly what he is thinking and is on his heart. You are the Messiah. Brave yet foolish. Wobbly as he tries to walk on water and yet firm as Petros the Rock on which the church is built. He holds the Keys to the Kingdom.

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Service Sheet for Sunday 28th June – Feasts of St Peter & Paul

Celebrant: Fr. Benjamin Drury

Sung Mass for Saint and Saint Paul

Processional: 213 (Gonfalon Royal) The eternal gifts of Christ the King

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 34

Gradual: 172 (Gopsal) Thou art the Christ, O Lord

Offertory: 171 (Annue Christe) With golden splendour and with roseate hues

Communion: 276 (Bread of Heaven) Bread of heaven, on thee we feed

Recessional: 215 (Harts) Captains of the saintly band

All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

The Mass setting is Sir James Macmillan’s ‘St. Anne’s Mass’

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (12: 1-11)

King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.

On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ –and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality;

he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 34: From all my terrors the Lord set me free

I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips;

in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.

The humble shall hear and be glad. (Response)

Glorify the Lord with me.

Together let us praise his name.

I sought the Lord and he answered me;

from all my terrors he set me free. (Response)

Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed.

This poor man called, the Lord heard him

and rescued him from all his distress. (Response)

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who revere him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

He is happy who seeks refuge in him. (Response

A reading from the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy (4: 6-8, 17-18)

My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.

The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue  me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heaven­ly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. Alleluia!

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (16: 13-19)

Glory to you, O Lord.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’

And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that re-

vealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates

of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord: praise to you, O Christ.

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Audio Sermon preached at a Zoom service with the congregation of Skopje in the Republic of N. Macedonia. Service is for the 4 th Sunday of Pentecost

Readings: Gen 21, 8-21; Rom 6, 1-11; Matt 10, 24-39

Preacher: Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan

Sermon preached at a Zoom service with the congregation of Skopje in the Republic of N. Macedonia. Service is for the 4 th Sunday of Pentecost

Preacher: Revd. Canon Leonarad Doolan

Readings: Gen 21, 8-21; Rom 6, 1-11; Matt 10, 24-39

‘What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.’ Matthew 10, 27

It has always been a fascination of scholars and faithful enquirers  to know what any ‘secret teaching’ of Jesus might be. Such speculation has led at various times to turbulent relationships within the history of the Church – especially with that heretical group known as the Gnostics. They are even referred to in the New Testament – the people who claim to have some special mystical ‘gnosis’, knowledge, ( handed on secretly from Christ.) 1 Timothy 6, 20-21

I suppose it is fair enough to ask the question what else did Jesus say and do that is not recorded in any of the four gospels? We are curious, inquisitive searchers of material.

The words I quoted from the gospel of Matthew are set within a passage that is not so easy to understand. Even a bald man like me is glad to know that God knows even the hairs of my head! However, also in this passage we hear of challenging messages – I have not come to bring peace but a sword; those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10, 39)

Messages like this are generally considered as a group as the ‘hard sayings’ of Jesus. Gentle Jesus, meek and mild is hardly the image conjured up when he tells us about the disintegration between blood relatives and relatives through marriage caused by the blade of his sharp message – though in reality we can make a pretty good job of this ourselves, without any outside influences.

Set alongside the gospel reading, the OT and NT readings are not easily digestible either. So the preacher has a job in hand to try and interpret all of this. Or the preacher might try to avoid doing so. Let’s see how it goes.

‘What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.’

When I hear this my mind travels to Jerusalem, and to the pilgrimages I led as a parish priest. On the itinerary there is always a visit to the Eleona Church on the Mount of Olives, and is one of the 4^th century basilica churches founded by Empress St. Helena, mother of the Emperor St. Constantine.

It is also called the Pater Noster Church, the Our Father Church. In a small cave there is the site believed to be where Christ responded to the request of his disciples, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’. In this small underground cavern, seated with his 12 disciples, Christ then proceeds to tell them, in the quiet secrecy of the place, the words we know as the Lord’s Prayer.

It seems to me that never was such a great example of bringing into the light something Christ said in the darkness, and now it is proclaimed on the rooftops. Never was there a prayer that more identifies the world’s Christians, as followers of the One Lord. Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants –  whether Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist, or whatever, say this prayer.

What I always loved at this holy site is the stones set around the outer wall of the compound, on which is carved the words of the Lord’s Prayer in dozens of languages – including, believe it or not, Doric, which is a Scottish dialect from the NE of Scotland.

Oor Faither in heiven, hallowt be Thy name. Doric speaking Scots must be thrilled about this- however few they are. I actually knew a man from Cullen in Aberdeenshire who spoke Doric.

To scripture – Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah. You will recall that the story tells us that Sarah was barren and elderly, and by God’s miracle Abraham is told that she will have a child. Abraham scoffs at the idea, but it is fulfilled, and Isaac is the fruit of her womb. But Abraham had a son already – the child was the offspring of a slave girl called Hagar. Potentially this creates problems and awkwardness. Such situations often do even in our own time – especially at the reading of Last Wills and Testaments. The scriptures don’t seem to treat this

reality as if it were an issue. We should remember that the Abrahamic period predates the injunctions towards monogamy, so culturally Abraham was not really doing anything controversial.

Anyway the result is that Isaac has to be the favoured one as he is the issue of Sarah – and as a result of the promise that God has made with Abraham to be the father of many nations. Hagar and her son are given provisions and sent on their way to live eventually in the wilderness of Paran.

This son’s name is none other than Ishmael, who gives his name to the Ishmaelites. I don’t need to tell you that it is through Ishmael that Muslims claim their descent from Abraham. Some of you may know much more about this than I do – but you can imagine it is part of the historic conflict.

St. Paul uses some of this material as he argues the case between the religion he departed from and the faith he now espouses – his faith in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

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Service Sheet for Sunday 21st June 2026 – 4th Sunday after Trinity

Celebrant: Fr Benjamin Drury

Sung Mass for the twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Processional: 433 (Hanover) O worship the King

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 69

Gradual: 272 (All for Jesus) All for Jesus! All for Jesus!

Offertory: 439 (Gerontius) Praise to the holiest in the height

Communion: 472 (Contemplation) When all thy mercies, O my God

Recessional: 498 (Everton) Son of God, eternal Saviour

All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

The Mass setting is Sir James Macmillan’s ‘St. Anne’s Mass’

A reading from the Book of Exodus (19: 2-6)

Jeremiah said: I hear so many disparaging me, ‘“Terror from every side!” Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All those who used to

be my friends watched for my downfall, ‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!’ But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mas­tered, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable dis-

grace will be theirs. But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the venge-

ance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.

Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 69: In your great love, answer me, O Lord

It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face,

that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons.

I burn with zeal for your house

and taunts against you fall on me. (Response)

This is my prayer to you,

my prayer for your favour.

In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails:

Lord, answer, for your love is kind;

in your compassion, turn towards me. (Response)

The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive;

for the Lord listens to the needy

and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

Let the heavens and the earth give him praise,

the sea and all its living creatures. (Response)

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (5: 12-15)

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death,

and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considera­bly outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming

through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! The Spirit of truth will be my witness; and you too will be my witnesses. Alleluia!

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (10: 26-33)

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For

everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything

now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-

tops.

‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell.

Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord: praise to you, O Christ

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Service Sheet for Sunday 14th June, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Sung Mass for the eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Processional: 408 (Blaenwern) Love divine, all loves excelling

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 100

Gradual: 482 (Gott Sei Dank) Spread, O spread, thou mighty word

Offertory: 214 (Deus Tuorum Militum) Let the round world with songs rejoice

Communion: 387 (Quem Pastores) Jesus, good above all other

Recessional: 431 (Hereford) O thou who camest from above All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

The Mass setting is Sir James Macmillan’s ‘St. Anne’s Mass’

A reading from the Book of Exodus (19: 2-6)

From Rephidim the sons of Israel set out again; and when they reached the wilderness of Sinai, there in the wilderness they

pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp.

Moses then went up to God, and the Lord called to him from

the mountain, saying, ‘Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, “You yourselves have seen what I did with

the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.”’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 100: We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing for joy. (Response)

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

He made us, we belong to him,

we are his people, the sheep of his flock. (Response)

Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love.

He is faithful from age to age. (Response)

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (5: 6-11)

We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die –but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies;

now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being

saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been rec­onciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me. Alleluia! The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (9: 36-10-8)

Glory to you, O Lord.

When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so

ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee,

and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Mat­thew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows:

‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Isra­el. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close

at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

The Gospel of the Lord: praise to you, O Christ

O Lord, who never failest to help and govern them who thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love: Keep us, we beseech thee,

under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.(BCP Collect: Second Sunday after Trinity)

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

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Sunday 14th June: 6 p.m.; Choral Evensong (S. Cantorum S. Pauli)

Wednesday 17th June: 10 a.m.; Low Mass Sunday 21st June: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass

Study group & walking group: details from Father Benjamin.

Short prayer booklets (Prime and Compline) are available, please speak to Oliver Knight

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.

Senior Chaplain: Fr. Benjamin Drury SSC

frbenjamindrury@gmail.com; Home tel.: 210 72 14 906

anglican@otenet.gr

Assistant Chaplain: Deacon Christine Saccali: 697 737 7655 Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling: 694 6072428

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