Service Sheet for Sunday 12th October 2025 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Processional: 374 (St. Peter) How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 98 (535 in the New English Hymnal)

Gradual: 324 (St. Matthew) Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old

Offertory: 378 (Bishopthorpe) Immortal love for ever full

Communion: 385 (St. Botolph) Jesu, the very thought of thee

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

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 second Book of Kings (5: 14-17)

Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now, please, accept a present from your servant.’

But Elisha replied, ‘As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing.’ Naaman pressed him to accept, but he refused.

Then Naaman said, ‘Since your answer is “No,” allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry, because your servant will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 98 (text at 535 in the New English Hymnal)

A reading from the second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy (2: 8-13)

Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it. Here is a saying that you can rely on:

If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.

If we disown him, then he will disown us.

We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful

for he cannot disown his own self.

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 Luke (17: 11-19)

Glory to you, O Lord.

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him,

‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back

praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

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

The setting of the Nicene Creed is on page 562 in the Hymnal.

——————————-

Lord, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and folow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP Collect: Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity).

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

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Wednesday 15th October: 10 a.m.; Low Mass

Sunday 19th October: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass

Harvest Festival: Saturday, 18th October (Kokotos Estate, Stamata)

There is a sign-up sheet in church for those who wish to attend: please also indicate thereon if you wish to travel with the coach.

The coach will depart from church at 10:00 a.m. and, after the

festivities, leave Stamata at 4:30 p.m. If you are able to contribute towards the food for the luncheon, please speak to Lynn Stavrou.

Dried goods and other imperishables will be collected for donation.

Christmas Bazaar: Sunday, 23rd November (Caravel Hotel)

Mission to Seafarers: collection for Christmas boxes for seafarers: details to be announced.

The Friends of St. Paul’s: please speak to Dimitris Ramantanoglou about becoming a Friend of St. Paul’s Church.

Study group & pilgrimage 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

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

Assistant Chaplain: Deacon Christine Saccali: 697 737 7655

Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling: 694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens                    www.anglicanchurchathens.gr

saintpaulsathens.bsky.social

Service Sheet for Sunday 5th October 2025 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrant The Rt. Rev’d Dr Robert Innes

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Processional: 495 (Benson) God is working his purpose out

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 95

Gradual: 431 (Hereford) O thou who camest from above

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

Communion: 280 (Schmucke Dich) Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness

Recessional: 392 (Sandon) Lead, kindly Light

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 Habakkuk (1: 2-3, 2: 2-4)

How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help while you will not listen; to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear and you will not save?

Why do you set injustice before me, why do you look on where there is tyranny? Outrage and violence, this is all I see, all is contention, and discord flourishes.

Then the Lord answered and said, ‘Write the vision down, inscribe it on tablets to be easily read, since this vision is for its own time only: eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive; if it comes slowly, wait, for come it will, without fail. See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights, but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 95: O, that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord; hail the rock who saves us.

Let us come before him, giving thanks,

with songs let us hail the Lord. (Response)

Come in; let us bow and bend low;

let us kneel before the God who made us: for he is our God and we

the people who belong to his pasture,

the flock that is led by his hand. (Response)

O that today you would listen to his voice!

‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the desert

when your fathers put me to the test;

when they tried me, though they saw my work.’ (Response)

A reading from the second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy (1: 6-8, 13-14) I am reminding you to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never

to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the

Good News, relying on the power of God.

Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

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 Luke (17: 5-10)

Glory to you, O Lord.

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this

mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.

‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and

have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I

eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with

you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’

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

The setting of the Nicene Creed is on page 562 in the Hymnal.

O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP Collect: Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity)

• Church Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments
• Wednesday 8th October: 10am Low Mass; Sunday 12th October: 10am Sung Mass
• Coffee Morning: Thurs. 9th October; 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (churchyard gardens)
• Harvest Festival: Saturday, 18th October (Kokotos Estate, Stamata) There is a sign-up sheet in church for those who wish to attend: please also indicate if you wish to travel with the coach.  The coach will depart from church at 10:00 a.m. and, after the festivities, leave Stamata at 4:30 p.m. If you are able to contribute towards the food for the luncheon, please speak to Lynn Stavrou.   Donations of Dried goods and other imperishables for the Harvest Festival will be gratefully received.
• Christmas Bazaar: Sunday, 23rd November (Caravel Hotel)
• Mission to Seafarers: collection for Christmas boxes for seafarers: details to be announced.
• The Friends of St. Paul’s: please speak to Dimitris Ramantanoglou about becoming a Friend of St. Paul’s Church.
• Study group & pilgrimage 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 SSC frbenjamindrury@gmail.com;

Home tel.: 210 72 14 906

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

Assistant Chaplain: Deacon Christine Saccali: 697 737 7655

Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling: 694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens                    www.anglicanchurchathens.gr

saintpaulsathens.bsky.social

Sevice Sheet for Sunday 28th September 2025 – 26th Sunday in Ordinary time

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Processional: 190 (Coelites Plaudant) , Christ the fair glory of the holy angels

Responsorial Psalm:  Ps 146

Gradual: 481 (Vienna), Jesus Lord we look to thee

Offertory: 406 (Melita): O Christ the Lord, O Christ the King

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

Recessional: 377 (St Denio),  Immortal Invisible, God only Wise

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 Amos (6: 1, 4-7)

The almighty Lord says this:

Woe to those ensconced so snugly in Zion and to those who feel so safe on the mountain of Samaria, those famous men of this first of nations to whom the House of Israel goes as client. Lying on ivory beds and sprawling on their divans, they dine on lambs from the flock, and stall-fattened veal; they bawl to the sound of the harp, they invent new instruments of music like David, they drink wine by the bowlful, and use the finest oil for anointing themselves, but about the ruin of Joseph they do not care at all. That is why they will be the first to be exiled; the sprawlers’ revelry is over.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 146: My soul, give praise to the Lord.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,

who is just to those who are oppressed.

It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

the Lord, who sets prisoners free. (Response)

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down.

It is the Lord who loves the just,

the Lord, who protects the stranger. (Response)

The Lord upholds the widow and orphan

but thwarts the path of the wicked.

The Lord will reign for ever,

Zion’s God, from age to age. (Response)

A reading from the first Letter of St. Paul to Timothy (6: 11-16)

As a man dedicated to God, you must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses. Now, before God the source of all life and before Christ, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I put to you the duty of doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures, until the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who at the due time will be revealed by God, the blessed and only Ruler of all, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal, whose home is in inaccessible light, whom no man has seen and no man is able to see: to him be honour and everlasting power. Amen.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

READ MORE

Sermon for Sunday 21st September 2025 – Feast of St Matthew: READINGS 2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-6, MATT 9:9-13

Deacon Chris Saccali -St Paul’s Athens

ST MATTHEW’S BACK TO BASICS

May God be on my lips and in all our hearts AMEN

Happy Feast of St Matthew – Apostle, Writer and Evangelist. We will come back to those attributes later. He is generally depicted in icons with a writing implement and his gospel is long and very organised into sections. It was written definitely later than Mark even though it is first of the four gospels in the bible. Less definite is his identity and we are not going to delve into that here. Chapter 9 describes his call and mission as well as his Jewish background and profession of tax collector which had a decisive influence on his writing and aims.

I have had connections to various churches in UK who were named St Matthew’s and they are all very different. Perhaps you have connections to Matthew or you know someone of that name? Let me start with St Matthew’s, Smethwick in a multicultural part of Birmingham where my late friend Reverend Pamela  ( Pam), who led some services here a while back, was vicar for about ten years. There was also a school attached to the parish and next to the church. They are now celebrating their 170 anniversary what different times that church must have been through with their priests and faithful.

Then while I was serving on Bishop’s Council as part of Diocesan Synod for many years we would worship at St Matthew’s Westminster which was high church and very different to what I was used to and brought up in which is middle of the road. For many years the Service of the Friends of the Diocese was held there in conjunction with the timing of Bishop’s Council in October. There are adjoining meeting rooms and once I even stayed in a room in St Matthew’s vicarage which they let out.

Thirdly, I follow online St Matthew’s Burnley in the north of England  in whose parish I did a placement at the local hospice. I was supervised by the hospice Chaplain who was Methodist and also had connections with Alex Frost , a former manager of Argos the retail chain and now vicar of St Matthew’s. He is known for social justice campaigns especially for vocations to the clergy for working class and a campaign against the drug ketamine  being used by people. All this has landed him on General Synod  and he has written a book from Argos to Altar. He also has a podcast called, wait for it God Cast. Again a very different setting. Let us pray for them all and those churches which are celebrating their patronal festival today.

READ MORE

Service Sheet for Sunday 21st September 2025 – Feast of St Matthew – Choral Matins

Preacher Deacon Christine Saccali

Welcome to our Liturgy of Choral Mattins
Entrance: 214 (Deus Tuorum Militum) Let the round world with songs rejoice
Psalmody: Psalm 119: 65-72 (pp. 283-284 in the Prayer Book)
First Canticle: (Sheet) (Grosser Gott) Holy God, we praise thy name

Second Canticle: 334 (Old Hundredth) All people that on earth do dwell

Hymn: 189 (Illsley) He sat to watch o’er customs paid
Final: 215 (Harts) Captains of the saintly band
All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.
Please remember that the chaplaincy in Athens neither receives no funding from the British Government nor from the Church of
England. All donations are, therefore, very gratefully received.

First Lesson: 2 Corinthians 4: 1-6
1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose
heart. 2 We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we
refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the
open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every
man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is
veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the
god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep
them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who
is the like- ness of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is
the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in
our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Christ.
The text for the Te Deum [in a metrical paraphrase] is overleaf
Second Lesson: St. Matthew 9: 9-13
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sit-
ting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose
and followed him.
10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors
and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why
does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But
when he
heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician,
but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire
mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but
sinners.”
The homily follows the second lesson. Then the second canticle
(Jubi- late Deo) is sung in a metrical paraphrase, followed by the
Apostles’ Creed on page 12 of the Prayer Book.

1. Holy God, we praise thy name!
Lord of all, we bow before thee!
All on Earth thy sceptre claim,
All in Heav’n above adore thee;
Infinite thy vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign.
2. Hark! the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising!
Cherubim and seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising,
Fill the heav’ns with sweet accord;
Holy, holy, holy, Lord!
3. Lo! the apostolic train
Join thy sacred name to hallow!
Prophets swell the loud refrain,
And the white-robed martyrs
follow,
And from morn to set of sun,
Through the Church the song
goes on.
4. Holy Father, holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name thee,
Though in essence only one,
Undivided God we claim thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.
5. Thou art King of glory, Christ!
Son of God, yet born of Mary;
For us sinners sacrificed,
And to death a tributary;
First to break the bars of death,
Thou hast opened Heav’n to
faith.
6.From thy high celestial home,
Judge of all, again returning,
We believe that thou shalt come
On the dreadful doomsday morning,
When thy voice shall shake the
earth,
And the startled dead come forth.
7. Spare thy people, Lord, we
pray,
By a thousand snares surrounded;
Keep us without sin today;
Never let us be confounded!
Lo! I put my trust in thee;
Never, Lord, abandon me.
This metrical setting of the Te-Deum is a translation by C. A.
Walworth (d. 1900) of the paraphrase by Ignace Franz (d. 1790)

Collect of the Day:
O Almighty God, who by thy
blessed Son didst call Matthew
from the receipt of custom to be
an Apostle and Evangelist: Grant
us grace to forsake all covetous
desires and inordinate love of
riches, and to follow the same thy
Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without
end. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou
dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer
Collect: Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity)
Church Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments
Wednesday 24th September: 10 a.m.; Morning Prayer (BCP)
Sun. 28th September: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass
Study group & pilgrimage walking group: details from Fr. Benjamin
Harvest Festival: Saturday, 18th October (Kokotos Estate, Stamata)
There is a sign-up sheet in church for those who wish to attend:
please also indicate thereon if you wish to travel with the coach.
Contributions towards the food are needed. Please speak to Lynn
Stavrou.
Christmas Bazaar: Sunday, 23rd November (Caravel Hotel)
Volunteers sought: please speak to either of the churchwardens.
The Friends of St. Paul’s: please speak to Dimitris Ramantanoglou
about becoming a Friend of St. Paul’s Church.
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
saintpaulsathens.bsky.social

Sermon preached on Sunday 14th September 2025 – The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

I invite you to exercise your olfactory function this morning. Don’t worry it means ‘smelling’. For a moment just close your eyes and try to imagine your are moving your hand slowly, gently, through the bright green leaves of a basil plant. Try to recapture that wonderful deep scent that wafts from the leaves, filling the air around you with freshness and sweet pungency. Walking away you smell your fingers where the scent of the basil lingers longer. The amazing affect of the king of herbs, basil.

I’m calling it the king of herbs, because basil in Greek – vasilikos – means royal.

In my front garden on the island of Aegina I have a basil plant the size of a bush. I know I don’t have long legs, but when I stand beside the bush, in its elegantly shaped terra cotta pot, it stands higher than my shoulder.  Lynne and I have sent photographs of it to friends, and it has been praised from as far away as Connecticut. I will try to put the picture on the church website and Facebook. Basil, the royal herb! I’ll return to the basil in a few minutes.

One of my dear friends, who sadly passed to eternal rest some years ago, at far too early an age, was a monk at a Benedictine Abbey, and a very fine cantor, and an outstanding Guestmaster to those visiting the abbey for spiritual rebooting.

I recall disagreeing with him only once. Our disagreement was about the feast that the universal church celebrates on this day, September 14^th, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Fr. Norbert argued that there was no place for this feast day, and that it detracted from the emphasis of the cross on Good or Great Friday. For him that’s the day of the Holy Cross

I didn’t agree. Of course the Cross has its central place on Good Friday, it is the ‘crux’ of that day’s salvation event. However Good Friday is so loaded with emotion for Christians, with so many layers of conflicting feelings, devotional meditations and powerful symbolism it can feel overwhelming. On Good Friday too, the preacher has a great responsibility in attempts to share with the faithful some worthy thoughts on what it is that Christ has done for us, wrestling with the often conflicting theories of Atonement – that’s a word that refers to the purpose and outcome of Christ’s death – ransom, victory, satisfaction, penal substitution, governmental, scapegoat. How can the preacher do justice to what God is doing in Christ on that day, and how can God’s action be reduced to a theory – whichever one suits your theological aptitude best?

So much to say, to do, to contemplate – and then there are those who revel in the pain and the suffering side of the Crucifixion. My goodness the options are endless.

READ MORE

Sermon for the Sunday 14th September 2025 – The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

Service sheet for the 14thSeptember 2025 – THe Exaltation of the Holy Cross

:

Celebrant: Revd. Fr Leonard Doolan

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Processional: 390 (Truro) Jesus, where’er thy people meet

Responsorial Psalm: Ps.78

Gradual: 379 (Stuttgart) In the Cross of Christ I glory

Offertory: Sheet (Crucifer) Lift high the Cross, the Love of Christ proclaim

Communion: 91 (Batty) Sweet the moments, rich in blessing

Recessional: 435 (St Gertrude) Onward Christian Soldiers

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 Numbers (21: 4-9)

On the way through the wilderness the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.’

At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, ‘Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 78: Never forget the deeds of the Lord

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (2: 6-11)

His state was divine, yet Christ Jesus did not cling to his equality

with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet,

even to accepting death, death on a cross.

But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that

every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you;

because by your cross you have redeemed the world. Alleluia!

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (3: 13-17)

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to Nicodemus: ‘No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven; and the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn

the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.’

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

The setting of the Nicene Creed is on page 562 in the Hymnal.

Offertory Hymn: Lift high the Cross (Crucifer)

• (& Refrain) Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore his sacred
• Come, let us follow where our Captain trod,

Our King victorious, Christ the Son of God. Refrain

3. Led on their way by this triumphant sign,

The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine. Refrain

4. Each new-born soldier of the Crucified

Bears on his brow the seal of him who died. Refrain

5. This is the sign which Satan’s legions fear

And angels veil their faces to to revere. Refrain

6. Saved by this Cross whereon their Lord was slain, The sons of Adam their lost home Refrain
7. O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,

As thou has promised, draw us unto thee. Refrain

3. Let every race and every language tell

Of him who saves our souls from death and hell. Refrain

4. From the farthest regions let them homage bring, And on his Cross adore their Saviour Refrain
5. Set up thy throne, that earth’s despair may cease Beneath the shadow of its healing Refrain
6. For thy blest Cross which doth for all atone

Creation’s praises rise before thy throne. Refrain

Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service:

Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises;

through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer Collect: Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity)

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

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Wednesday 17th September: 10 a.m.; Morning Prayer Sunday 21st September: 10 a.m.; Choral Mattins

Wednesday 24th September: 10 a.m.; Morning Prayer

Study group & pilgrimage walking group: details from Fr. Benjamin

Harvest Festival: Saturday, 18th October (Kokotos Estate, Stamata)

There is a sign-up sheet in church for those who wish to attend: please also indicate thereon if you wish to travel with the coach.

Christmas Bazaar: Sunday, 23rd November (Caravel Hotel)

Volunteers sought: please speak to either of the churchwardens

The Friends of St. Paul’s: please speak to Dimitris Ramantanoglou about becoming a Friend of St. Paul’s Church.

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

saintpaulsathens.bsky.social

Service Sheet for Sunday 7th September 2025 – Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Processional: 76 (Breslau) Take up thy cross, the Saviour said

Responsorial Psalm: Ps.90

Gradual: 386 (St. Botolph) O Jesu, King most wonderful

Offertory: 333 (Michael) All my hope on God is founded

Communion: 288 (Diva Servatrix) God everlasting, wonderful and holy

Recessional: 420 (Wolvercote) O Jesus, I have promised

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 Wisdom (9: 13-18)

What man indeed can know the intentions of God? Who can divine the will of the Lord?

The reasonings of mortals are unsure and our intentions unstable;

for a perishable body presses down the soul,

and this tent of clay weighs down the teeming mind. It is hard enough for us to work out what is on earth, laborious to know what lies within our reach;

who, then, can discover what is in the heavens?

As for your intention, who could have learnt it, had you not granted Wisdom

and sent your holy spirit from above?

Thus have the paths of those on earth been straightened and men been taught what pleases you,

and saved, by Wisdom.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 90: O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to Philemon (9-10, 12-17)

This is Paul writing, an old man now and, what is more, still a pris- oner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. I am sending him back to you, and with him – I could say – a part of my own self. I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have

been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the Good News has brought me. However, I did not want to do an-

ything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous. I know you have been de-

prived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever, not as a slave any more, but something much bet- ter than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord. So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! I call you friends, says the Lord, because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father. Alleluia! The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (14: 25-33)

Glory to you, O Lord.

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and

spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too,

he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had

enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and

then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider

whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

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

The setting of the Nicene Creed is on page 562 in the New English Hymnal.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we

desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy; forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but

through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer Collect: Twelfth Sunday after Trinity)

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

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Monday 8th September: 7 p.m.; Low Mass (Nativity of the B.V.M.)

Wednesday 10th September: 10 a.m.; Low Mass

Sun. 14th September: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass: Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Wednesday 17th September: 10 a.m.; Morning Prayer (BCP)

Coffee Morning: Thursday, 11th September (10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

Study group & pilgrimage walking group: details from Fr. Benjamin

Harvest Festival: Saturday, 18th October (Kokotos Estate, Stamata)

Christmas Bazaar: Sunday, 23rd November (Caravel Hotel)

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.

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

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

Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling  694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens                   www.anglicanchurchathens.gr

Service Sheet for Sunday 31st August 2025 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrant Fr Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Processional: 373 (Coe Fen) How shall I sing that majesty

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 68

Offertory: 310 (Offertorium) We hail thy presence glorious

Communion: 383 (Aberystwyth) Jesu, Lover of my soul

Recessional: 381 (Ewing) Jerusalem the golden

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 Ecclesiasticus (3: 19-21, 30-31)

My son, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.

The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble.

There is no cure for the proud man’s malady, since an evil growth has taken root in him.

The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 68: In your goodness, O God, you pre- pared a home for the poor

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (12: 18-19, 22-24a)

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the Supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, says the Lord, for I am gentle and humble in heart. Alleluia!

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (14: 1, 7-14)

Glory to you, O Lord.

On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a

wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

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

The setting of the Nicene Creed is on page 562 in the New English Hymnal

O God, who declarest thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer Collect: Eleventh Sunday after Trinity)

…………………………

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

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Wednesday 3rd September: 10 a.m.; Low Mass

Sunday 7th September: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass

Wednesday 10th September: 10 a.m.; Low Mass

Sun. 14th September: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass: Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Coffee Morning: Thursday, 11th September (10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

Study group & pilgrimage walking group: details from Fr. Benjamin

Harvest Festival: Saturday, 18th October (Kokotos Estate, Stamata)

Christmas Bazaar: Sunday, 23rd November (Caravel Hotel)

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

Church e-mail address anglican@otenet.gr

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

Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling  694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens                    www.anglicanchurchathens.gr