Service for the 9th Sunday after Trinity – 1st August 2021, St Paul’s Athens

Fr. Leonard will lead the worship and preach. Deacon Christine will assist.   Before our worship begins the organ will play.

 

Opening Hymn: 368  Guide me O thou great Redeemer

 

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 Deacon invites us into a short time of silence and stillness

 

Deacon:             Your raise the dead to life in the spirit.

Kyrie eleison              All: Kyrie eleison

     Deacon:             You bring pardon and peace to the broken in spirit.

                                 Christe eleison          All: Christe eleison

Deacon:             You make one by your Spirit the torn and divided.

                                 Kyrie eleison             All:  Kyrie eleison

 

Priest:   Almighty God, who forgives all those 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.

 

Glory to God in the heaven above, peace to his friends on earth.

Lord God of hosts, and our heavenly King, Father and mighty God.

We worship you, we give you thanks, praise to your holy name.

‘Glory to God’ heaven declares ‘Glory’ creation sings.

Refrain:  Glory to God in the heaven above, peace to his friends on earth.

                God, ever three, yet eternally one, glorious Trinity.

 

Son of the Father, and Lord of us all, holy eternal Lamb,

Christ, who has carried the sin of the world, mercy on us, we pray.

Jesus our God, Saviour and Judge, answer us when we cry;

Seated on high, reigning with God, hear and receive our prayer.  Refrain.

 

You, Jesus Christ, are the Lord, the Most High, you are the Holy One.

You, only you, with the Spirit divine, reign in the Father’s love.

Blessed are you, Father and Son, Spirit of grace and truth;

Myst’ry profound, veiled yet revealed, hidden in depths of light.  Refrain

 

Collect:  Let us pray     (Collect of the Day) 

Gracious Father, revive your Church in our day, and make her holy, strong, and faithful, for your glory’s sake in Jesus Christ our Lord.  All:  Amen.

First Reading   please sit                                                    Exodus 16, 2-4, 9-15       

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

 

Reader:  This is the Word of the Lord

All:           Thanks be to God

 

Second Reading                                                          Ephesians 4, 1-16

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

Reader:                  This is the word of the Lord.

All:                           Thanks be to God.

 

Sung:                      Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia     The gospel book is brought from the altar

                                Please STAND

 

Deacon:                 Alleluia, alleluia. Speak Lord for your servant is listening. You have the

words of eternal life.

All:                          Alleluia

Deacon:                 The Lord be with you

All:                          and also with you

Deacon:                 Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John (6, 24-35)

All:                          Glory to you, O Lord

So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Deacon:                  This is the gospel of Christ

All:                           Praise to you, O Christ.

 

Sermon                   Fr. Leonard

 

Creed 

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;   All:  hear our prayer             

 

Peace:     The kingdom of God is a Kingdom of love, joy, and peace..

                 The peace of the Lord be always with you.

All:           And also with you. Alleluia.

 

As the table is prepared with bread and wine, the collection will be taken. The organ will play for a few minutes.

 

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 bread of life.

All:       Blessed be God for ever.

 

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:  Blessed are you, Lord God

our light and our salvation:

to you be glory and praise for ever.

From the beginning you have created all things

and all your works echo the silent music of your praise.

In the fullness of time you made us in your image,

the crown of all creation.

You give us breath and speech, that with angels and archangels

and all the powers of heaven

we may find a voice to sing your 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 is he who comes, 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.

Deacon:  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 people 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 Lord’s Prayer:  (to be prayed in whichever language you chose)

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.

 

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 receive the Holy Communion.  Communion: the organ will play during the distribution of Holy Communion

 

Prayers after Communion

Priest:         Lord God, whose Son is the true vine and the source of life, ever giving of himself that the world may live; may we so receive within ourselves the power of his death and passion that, in his saving cup, we may share his glory and be made perfect in his love; for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.    All: Amen.

 

All:              Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name: through Christ our Lord. Amen

 

Hymn:        272  All for Jesus

 

Blessing and sending out

Priest:        The Lord be with you

All:              and also with you

Priest:         Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

All:              Amen

Deacon:     Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:              In the name of Christ. Amen.         

 

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  (Swedish Sunday Mass at St. Paul’s at 12 Noon)

 

The Anglican Church in Greece (including St. Paul’s) is self-financing, and receives no income other than from the generosity of those who worship here. We are a legal body and we pay tax. Our tax number is 997073090. If you wish to donate direct to our bank (IBAN) the account with Piraeus Bank is:  The Anglican Church in Greece, St. Paul’s Athens  GR 820172 0500 0050 5008 6327 479  Swift code is  PIRB GRAA