Service for the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany – 15th January 2023
Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens. God’s blessings for you in 2023.
We now have a POS facility so payments can be made to the church via your bank card. The presiding priest and preacher is The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan. The deacon is Deacon ChrisSaccali. Follow the service sheet online – wifi password gu5uX8mmtgb8egak
[Minister: We will go unto the altar of God
All: Even unto the God of our Joy and gladness
Minister: Our help is in the name of the Lord
All: Who has made heaven and earth.
Minister: O Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
All: Let the whole earth stand in awe of him]
Entrance Hymn 148 (omit all * verses) The God of Abraham praise
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Lord be with you.
All: and also with you
The priest then welcomes the people of God and then the deacon leads us into Confession.
Silence
Assistant: God be gracious to us and bless us, and make his face to shine upon us:
Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison
Assistant: May your ways be known on earth, your saving power among the nations.
Christe eleison
All: Christe eleison
Assistant: Lord, you have made known your salvation, and reveal your justice in the sight of the
Nations. Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison
Absolution we hear the words of God’s forgiveness to those who are truly penitent
Gloria: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth, Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Collect: Let us pray (remain standing)
Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end; bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading (please sit) Isaiah 49, 1-7 (Reader: Jane Mandalios)
Listen to me, O coastlands; pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before Iwas born; while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord and my reward with my God.” And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall see and stand up; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Reader: This is the word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm Green Book 539 This is the day of the Lord; we rejoice and are glad.
Second Reading 1 Cor 1, 1-9 (Reader: Virginia Stevens)
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the partnership of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reader: This is the word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Gospel Hymn 480 In Christ there is no East or West
Gospel Reading
Deacon: Alleluia. There is one body and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all. Alleluia.
All: Alleluia! (sung)
Deacon: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
Deacon: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John (John 1, 29-42)
All: Glory to you, O Lord
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Chosen One.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
Deacon: This is the gospel of the Lord
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon: please sit (sermons appear on our website in printed and recorded versions)
Nicene Creed (please stand to declare our historic faith)
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father: through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Intercession: Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer (Intercessor: Virginia Stevens)
The Peace: (please stand)
Our Saviour Christ is the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. The Peace of the Lord be always with you. The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: and also with you
Offertory 297 Lord Jesus Christ (The Collection will be taken)
The bread and wine are placed on the table; signs of our work, our lives, our total giving of ourselves to God.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer. Fruit of the field and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God for ever!
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer. Fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become for us the cup of salvation.
All: Blessed be God for ever!
The Great Thanksgiving Prayer (please remain standing for this)
Priest: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
Priest: Lift up your hearts
All: We lift them to the Lord
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
All: It is right to give thanks and praise
Priest: All honour and praise be yours always and everywhere, mighty Creator, ever-living God,
through Jesus Christ your only Son our Lord: for at this time we celebrate your glory made present in our midst. In the coming of the Magi the King of all the world was revealed to the nations. In the waters of baptism Jesus was revealed as the Christ, the Saviour sent to redeem us. In the water made wine the new creation was revealed at the wedding feast. Poverty was turned to riches, sorrow into joy. Therefore with all the angels of heaven we lift our voices to proclaim the glory of your name and sing our joyful hymn of praise.
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might Heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Priest: We praise and bless you loving Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; and as we obey his command, send your Holy Spirit, that broken bread and wine outpoured may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son. On the night before he died he had supper with his friends and, taking bread, he praised you. He broke the bread, gave it to them and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
When supper was ended he took the cup of wine. Again he praised you, gave it to them and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as your drink it, in remembrance of me.
So Father, we remember all that Jesus did, in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross. Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation, we proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.
Deacon: Great is the mystery of faith
All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Priest: Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth. Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving arms and bring us with the Holy Mother of God, Paul and all the saints to feast at your table in heaven. Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father, for ever and ever. All: Amen
The Lord’s Prayer: (to be prayed in your own language)
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.
Priest: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ
All: Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.
Sung: Jesus lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world
Grant us peace, grant us peace.
Priest: Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; happy are
those who are called to his supper.
All: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed
All baptized Christians may come forward to receive Holy Communion. If you wish you may receive a blessing. Please let the Sidespeople guide you forward.
Communion Hymn: 304 Once only once
Post Communion Prayer: Let us pray (please stand)
Priest: God of glory, you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life: fill us with your Holy Spirit that through us the light of your glory may shine in all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All: Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen
Post Communion Hymn 377 immortal, invisible, God only wise
Priest: Christ the Son of God perfect in you the image of his glory and gladden your hearts
with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing…
Deacon: Go in the peace of Christ
All: Thanks be to God.
Fr. Leonard’s usual Day Off – Monday and Tuesday. Home tel : 210 72 14 906; email anglican@otenet.gr
Deacon Chris: 22950 53164: Day off – Friday
Swedish Church: contact Fr. Bjorn on 694 607 2428
Notices:
- The new church history and guide book ‘OPENING the DOORS’ is now available at the cost of €10,00.
- A POS is available so you can make your Sunday donation by card
- Join the online Prayer Group each Tuesday morning at 09.00 – see website for the Zoom link.
- Community Connect Coffee Mornings – now on Thursdays 11.00-13.00. January 12th; February 9th; March 9th; April 13th; May 11th; June 8th; July 13th. Contact Anne Dedes if you need information.
- Look out for dates for the Quiz Nights through the year.
- View our Website: anglicanchurchathens.gr
- Or “Like” us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanAthens/
- Or ‘follow’ us on Twitter: @AthensAnglican
- E-Mag is available on the website.
Liturgical material © the Archbishops’ Council
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