Service for the 5th Sunday after Trinity – 17th July 2022

Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens.  Please note that the church has a POS facility. Drinking water is always available at the back of the church. Please stay for coffee in the garden after the liturgy.

 

Entrance Hymn  148   The God of Abram

 

Priest:    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

     All:         Amen

Priest:    The Lord be with you

     All:         And also with you

 

The priest then informally welcomes the people of God and leads us into Confession.

 

Asst: We run the race set before us, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Therefore let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, bringing them to Jesus in penitence and faith.  (A short period of stillness and silence)

 

All:  Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love, and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed, and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen.

 

Absolution: Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

Gloria:  Glory to God in the highest, peace to his people on earth. Glory to God in the highest, 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, have mercy on us, you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive, 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 as the priest prays the Collect of the Day) 

Almighty God, send down upon your Church the riches of your Spirit, and kindle in all who minister the gospel your countless gifts of grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

First Reading    (please sit)      Genesis 18, 1-10                                  (Nelly Paraskevopoulou)

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them and bowed down to the ground. He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them, and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.

                                   

Reader: This is the word of the Lord.

All:         Thanks be to God.

 

Psalm:    Hymn Book 529                           O taste and see that the Lord is good.

 

 Second Reading                 Colossians 1, 15-28                   (Olivier Rabby)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a minister of this gospel. I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its minister according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

                                

Reader: This is the word of the Lord.

All:         Thanks be to God.

 

Gospel Hymn       443   Rejoice the Lord is King

 

Gospel Reading        (turn towards the gospel book)

Asst:             Alleluia! Speak Lord, for your servant is listening. You have the words of eternal life.

All (sung):   Alleluia      

Asst:             The Lord be with you

All:                and also with you

Asst:      Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke            (Luke 10, 38-end)

All:         Glory to you, O Lord.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

At the end of the Gospel

Asst:        This is the gospel of the Lord

All:           Praise to you, O Christ. 

Sermon  (Please sit)  Most sermons are available on the website

 

Creed                 (Please stand)

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.

 

Intercessions:  (kneel or sit) Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer.  (Angelos Palioudakis)

 

Peace:  God is love and those who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

              The peace of the Lord be always with you.

All:        And also with you.

 

Offertory Hymn      440  Praise to the Lord   (The Collection will be taken) 

 

The Great Thanksgiving Prayer        (Please remain standing )

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 glory and honour be yours always and everywhere, mighty creator, ever-living God. We give you thanks and praise for your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who for love of our fallen race humbled himself, was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of your Spirit, and lived as one of us. In this mystery of the Word made flesh you have caused his light to shine in our hearts, to give knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. In him we see our God made visible and so are caught up in the love of the God we cannot see. 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, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

        Blessed, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

        Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

 

Priest: How wonderful the work of your hands, O Lord! As a mother tenderly gathers her children you embraced a people as your own. When they turned away and rebelled
your love remained steadfast.  From them you raised up Jesus our Saviour, born of Mary,
to be the living bread, in whom all our hungers are satisfied.  He offered his life for sinners
and with a love stronger than death he opened wide his arms on the cross. On the night before he died, he came to supper with his friends, and taking bread, he gave you thanks.
He broke it and gave it to them, saying: Take eat: this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me.

 

At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave you thanks, 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 you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Asst:        Christ is the bread of life

All:           When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.

Priest: Father, we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all on the cross: we remember his dying and rising in glory, and we rejoice that he prays for us at your right hand. Pour out your Holy Spirit as we bring before you these gifts of your creation; may they be for us the body and blood of your dear Son. As we eat and drink these holy things in your presence, form us in the likeness of Christ, and build us into a living temple to your glory. Remember Lord your Church in every land. Reveal her unity, guard her faith, and preserve her in peace with our Bishop Robert and all the congregations of this diocese; bring your church at the last with the Holy Mother of God, Paul, and all the saints to the vision of that eternal splendour for which you have created us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom and in whom, with all who stand before you earth and heaven, we worship you in songs of everlasting praise;

All: Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen.

 

The Lords Prayer. (to be prayed in whichever language you choose)

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 the risen 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

 

Invitation to Communion

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 the body and blood of Christ. If you wish you may receive a blessing. Please let the Sides-people guide you forward.

 

Communion Hymn:   305   Soul of my Saviour

 

Post Communion Prayer:  Let us pray     (please stand)

Priest: Grant, O Lord, we beseech you, the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance, that your church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

All. We thank you, Lord, that you have fed us in this sacrament, united us with Christ, and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet prepared for all peoples.  Amen.

 

Post Communion Hymn:   186  Tell out my soul

 

Blessing and Dismissal

Priest:       The peace of God…..

 

Deacon:    Go in peace to love and serve the Lord

All:             In the name of Christ. Amen.

 

Next week’s readings: (Trinity 6) Genesis 18, 20-32; Colossians 2, 6-15; Luke 11, 1-13

 

Fr. Leonard’s usual Day Off – Monday  (in emergencies contact Deacon Christine)

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

• Holy Communion: from the beginning of July we will begin to administer Holy Communion with the practices we had before the pandemic, so the chalice will be available to communicants. If you wish your bread to be intincted (dipped) in the wine, please indicate to Fr. Leonard and he will do this for you.
• 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
• Personal Note from Fr. Leonard: from the 1^st August I will be reducing my working days to reflect the fact that I am not receiving the salary from St. Paul’s from the end of July. So my normal working days will be Wednesday – Sunday. (I will of course be available as always for funerals).
• View our Website:   anglicanchurchathens.gr
• Or “Like” us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanAthens/
• Or ‘follow’ us on Twitter:       @AthensAnglican

 

 

Liturgical material C the Archbishops’ Council.