Service Sheet for Sunday 16th Marach 2025, Second Sunday of Lent

St Paul’s Anglican Church Athens

Diocese in Europe

Celebrant Fr. Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Entrance: 63 (St. Bernard) All ye who seek a comfort sure

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 27

Gradual: 64 (Abridge) Be thou my guardian and my guide

Offertory: 148 (Leoni) The God of Abraham Praise

Communion: 433 (Hanover) O worship the King, all glorious above

Recessional: 431 (Hereford) O Thou who camest from above

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 Genesis (15: 5-12, 17-18)

Taking Abram outside, the Lord said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can.’ ‘Such will be your descendants,’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.

‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chal- daeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year- old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off.

Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there ap- peared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:

‘To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River.’

 

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 27: The Lord is my light and my help

The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink? (Response)

O Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer.

Of you my heart has spoken: ‘Seek his face.’ (Response)

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;

Hide not your face

Dismiss not your servant in anger;

you have been my help. (Response)

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord! (Response)

 

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (3: 17 – 4: 1)

My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of some- thing they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfig- ure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.

So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Glory and praise to you, O Christ! From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard:

‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

 

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (9: 28-36)

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

(after the gospel reading) The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer; Lent II)

 

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

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Sun. 16th March: 6 p.m.; Choral Evensong; no refreshments

Weds. 19th March: 10 a.m.; Low Mass

Sun. 23rd March: 10 a.m.; Sung Mass (Lent III)

 

Walking Group and Study Group: details from Fr. Benjamin

 

Pilgrimage to Corinth (29th March (to be confirmed: details from Fr. Benjamin))

All completed electoral roll forms to be returned by Sunday, 23rd March.

Bishop’s Lent Appeal: Diocese in Europe and USPG (Anglican Mission Agen- cy) collaborative work with refugees in Europe. Particulars, and donation details, are to be found Here and on the Diocesan internet pages or the Diocesan Just Giving page.

 

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