The Gathering
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.
Introductory Prayer
God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.
We meet in the presence of God;
We commit ourselves to work
in penitence and faith
for reconciliation between the nations,
that all people may, together,
live in freedom, justice and peace.
We pray for all
who in bereavement, disability and pain
continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror.
We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow
those whose lives, in world wars
and conflicts past and present
have been given and taken away
thinking in particular today of those in our own Parish
and remembered on the plaques on the wall of Holy Cross Church.
Prayers of Penitence
Let us confess to God
the sins and shortcomings of the world;
its pride, its selfishness, its greed;
its evil divisions and hatreds.
Let us confess our share in what is wrong,
and our failure to seek and establish that peace
which God wills for his children.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy, forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy
And walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.
Absolution
We pray together :
God our refuge and strength,
bring near the day
when wars shall cease
and poverty and pain shall end,
that earth may know
the peace of heaven
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Old and New Testament Readings
The old and new testament readings can be found here.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark which can be found here
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The 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 and the Son,
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.
Prayers
Prayers will include responses as led, and are on-line here
The following response may be used:
May God give peace:
God give peace
And at the end:
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Peace
Christ is our peace.
He has reconciled us to God in one body by the cross.
We meet in his name and share his peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Offertory Hymn
Offertory Prayer
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour, and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you,
and of your own do we give you.
Preparation of the Table
Be present, be present,
Lord Jesus Christ,
our risen high priest;
make yourself known in the breaking of bread.
Amen.
The altar is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Lord of life,
creator of heaven and earth,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
For through his death on the cross,
your Son Jesus Christ has broken the power of evil,
and by his glorious resurrection
has opened for us the gate of life eternal.
In him you seek the lost, restoring those whose lives
have been shattered and torn apart.
In the fullness of time, he will gather all things to himself,
enfolding us and all who have died in war
in his undying love.
And so we pray that we who have set our hope on Christ
may come to the peace of heaven,
there, with angels and archangels,
to sing your praise for ever.
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and God of might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. (x2)
Blessed is he, blessed is he,
blessed is he who comes in the name,
he who comes in the name of the Lord
hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. (x2)
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 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.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Breaking of the Bread
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.
Jesus Lamb of God,
Jesus Lamb of God,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us. (Repeat section)
Jesus Lamb of God,
Jesus Lamb of God,
you take away the sins of the world,
grant us your peace,
grant us your peace.
Giving of Communion
Jesus said:
Gather up the fragments that nothing may be lost.
Lord, feed us with the bread of heaven.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, in this Eucharist which we have shared,
you have spoken your word of life
and nourished us with the mysteries of Christ’s body and blood;
bring us with all who have died in combat or through the injuries of war,
to know the joys of heaven.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lived and died
and was raised to newness of life,
to whom be glory in every age and for eternity. Amen.
Give rest, O Christ, to your servants with your saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more,
neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Amen.
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
Closing Hymn
Act of Commitment
Let us commit ourselves to responsible living and faithful service.
Let us pledge ourselves anew to the service of God
and our fellow men and women:
that we may help, encourage and comfort others,
and support those working for the relief of the needy
and for the peace and welfare of the nations.
Lord God our Father,
we pledge ourselves to serve you and all mankind
in the cause of peace, for the relief of want and suffering,
and for the praise of your name.
Guide us by your Spirit;
give us wisdom; give us courage; give us hope;
and keep us faithful now and always.
Amen
Blessing and Dismissal
God grant to the living, grace,
to the departed, rest,
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth and all people,
unity, peace and concord,
and to us and all God’s servants,
life everlasting;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Go in peace to love your neighbour.
Go in power to work for reconciliation.
Go in hope to proclaim the resurrection.
Thanks be to God.
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000