ST LAURENCE CHURCH CATFORD

Mass of Thanksgiving July 14th, 2001

At the entry of choir and clergy please stand to sing:

Let us with a gladsome mind,

praise the Lord, for he is kind:

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us blaze his name abroad,

for of gods he is the God:

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

He with all-commanding might

filled the new-made world with light:

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

He the golden-tressèd sun

caused all day his course to run:

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

And the hornèd moon at night

’mid her spangled sisters bright:

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

All things living he doth feed,

his full hand supplies their need:

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us, with a gladsome mind,

praise the Lord, for he is kind

for his mercies ay endure,

ever faithful, ever sure.

John Milton (1608-74)

May the goodness of the Lord be upon us, and give success to the work of our hands

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit

Amen.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

The priest welcomes the congregation and introduces the Mass.

PENITENTIAL RITE

My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against each other in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.

We are truly sorry 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 grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name.

Amen.

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 eternalthrough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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.

God our Father, you have placed all the powers of nature under the control of man and his work. May we bring the spirit of Christ to all our efforts and work with our brothers and sisters at our common task, establishing true love and guiding your creation to perfect fulfilment.

We ask this É

Please be seated for the readings

FIRST READING: PROVERBS 4: 5­13

5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

This is the word of the Lord

Thanks be to God.

Second Reading 1 John 4: 7-19

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

This is the word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Please stand to sing:

TELL out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord:

Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;

Tender to me the promise of his word;

In God my saviour shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name:

Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;

His mercy sure, from age to age the same;

His holy name, the Lord, the mighty one.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might:

Power and dominions lay their glory by;

Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,

The hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word:

Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord

To children’s children and for evermore.

Tim Dudley-Smith

Please remain standing for the Gospel, John 14: 5­18

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

Praise to you, O Christ

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you O Christ

Please sit for the sermon

After the sermon, please kneel or sit for the prayers of Intercession

Lord, in your mercy

All: hear our prayer.

And at the end:

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Please stand for the Peace

The president may introduce the Peace with a suitable sentence, and then says

The peace of the Lord be always with you

and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed be God for ever.

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 our spiritual drink.

Blessed be God for ever.

THE OFFERTORY HYMN:

ALL people that on earth do dwell,

Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;

Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell,

Come ye before him, and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed,

Without our aid he did us make;

We are his folk, he doth us feed,

And for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise,

Approach with joy his courts unto;

Praise, laud and bless his name always,

For it is seemly so to do.

For why? the Lord our God is good:

His mercy is for ever sure;

His truth at all times firmly stood,

And shall from age to age endure.

To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,

The God whom heaven and earth adore,

From men and from the Angel-host

Be praise and glory evermore. Amen.

Please remain standing for the Great Thanksgiving

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.

Father, we give you thanks and praise

through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word,

through whom you have created all things;

who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh;

as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin,

he lived on earth and went about among us;

he opened wide his arms for us on the cross;

he put an end to death by dying for us;

and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life;

so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people.

Therefore with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we proclaim your great and glorious name,

for ever praising you and saying:

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.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness;

grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit,

and according to your holy will,

these gifts of bread and wine

may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed,

took bread and gave you thanks;

he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take , eat; this is my body which is given for you;

do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper

he took the cup and gave you thanks;

he gave it to them, saying:

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.

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died:

Christ is risen:

Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross,

his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world;

rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,

and looking for his coming in glory,

we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.

As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,

we bring before you this bread and this cup

and we thank you for counting us worthy

to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people

and gather into one in your kingdom

all who share this one bread and one cup,

so that we, in the company of St Laurence, St Charles and all the saints,

may praise and glorify you for ever,

through Jesus Christ our Lord;

by whom, and with whom, and in whom,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

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.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,

because we all share in one bread.

As the bread is broken, please kneel. We sing:

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

grant us peace.

This is the Lamb of God

who takes away the sin of the world.

Blessed are those who are called to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,

but only say the word and I shall be healed.

All who are prepared and accustomed to receiving communion are invited to do so. In any case, all are welcome to the altar for a blessing if not for communion: please bow your head.

DURING COMMUNION:

Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.

Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, men renowned for their power.

Leaders of the people by their counsels and by their knowledge.

Such as found out musical tunes and recited verses in writing:

all these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of their times.

And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished as though they had never been.

Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore.

COMMUNION HYMN:

Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands

that holy things have taken;

let ears that now have heard thy songs

to clamour never waken.

Lord, may the tongues which ‘Holy’ sang

keep free from all deceiving;

the eyes which saw thy love be bright,

thy blessèd hope perceiving.

The feet that tread thy holy courts

from light do thou not banish;

the bodies by thy Body fed

with thy new life replenish.

Ascribed to Ephraim the Syrian (c 306-73)

Let everything you do or say be in the name of the Lord with thanksgiving to God.

Lord, hear the prayers of those who gather at your table of unity and love. By doing the work you have entrusted to us may be sustain our life on earth and build up your kingdom in faith.

BLESSING:

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessingÉ

Go in the peace of Christ

Thanks be to God.

NOW thank we all our God,

With hearts and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things hath done,

In whom his world rejoices;

Who from our mother’s arms

Hath blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love,

And still is ours to-day.

O may this bounteous God

Through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts

And blessèd peace to cheer us;

And keep us in his grace,

And guide us when perplexed,

And free us from all ills

In this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God

The Father now be given,

The Son and him who reigns

With them in highest heaven,

The One eternal God,

Whom heaven and earth adore;

For thus it was, is now,

And shall be evermore.

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