The Parishes of Clent and Hagley
Holy Communion
17 March - Lent 5 - St John’s
Call to Worship and Opening Prayers
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
In today’s Gospel
Greeks come to Philip and say,
‘We would like to see Jesus.’
O God, we come before you,
knowing that you welcome us.
Help us to be like you in the welcome we extend to others;
that this may be a place where
all are included,
and accepted with your love.
Amen.
In today’s Gospel
Jesus turns his face towards Jerusalem,
and prepares himself for trials and agony,
for crucifixion and death.
God of awe and wonder,
help us
on this the first day of Passiontide,
to turn our hearts towards you,
that we may be part of Jesus’ story,
forever mindful of his sacrifice,
and forever grateful for your love.
Amen.
Opening Hymn NH 324 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Asking for God’s forgiveness
God of mercy and compassion,
we look to you to forgive our frailty and our weakness.
For the times we have not always understood
what you strive to teach us,
forgive us and help us.
For the times we have not always been as bold in our witness
as we could have been,
forgive us and help us.
For the times we have not always stood by our faith,
or reflected your love in our lives,
forgive us and help us.
Strengthen us for your service,
in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
May the God of love
bring you back to himself,
forgive you your sins,
and assure you of his eternal love
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Praise and Thanksgiving
Yours, Lord, were the arms stretched wide on the cross,
a welcome to all in the midst of your agony.
Yours were the arms spread in blessing after the resurrection.
Crucified and risen Lord,
we adore you in your pain and in your victory,
your welcome ever the same,
gathering us to you and blessing us,
enfolding us in your loving embrace.
Amen.
We praise you, Jesus,
that you called your disciples to go forward with you
on the way to the cross –
and that since you first walked that road
countless others have followed you.
In all that we do as your disciples,
save us from false familiarity with your journey.
May we never presume to step into your shoes,
but make us small enough to fit our own,
and to walk in love and wonder behind you.
Amen.
The Iona Community
A Collect
Gracious Father,
you gave up your Son
out of love for the world:
lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion,
that we may know eternal peace
through the shedding of our Saviour’s blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Lenten Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
An Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 31.31-34
A New Testament Reading Hebrews 5.5-10
Gradual Hymn NH 133 How deep the Father’s love for us
A Gospel Reading John 12.20-33
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
Glory to you, O Lord.
At end:
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ.
A Reflection
An Affirmation of Faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Intercessions
The Peace
Jesus says:
‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
We convey an expression of peace to one another.
Offertory Hymn AM 67 When I survey the wondrous cross
Prayers at the preparation of the table
God of mercy and compassion,
your Word calls us home to faith and love;
accept all we offer you this day,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
through your goodness we have this bread to set before you,
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 set before you,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become for us the cup of salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Eucharistic Prayer and Communion
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.
It is indeed right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For as the time of his passion and resurrection draws near
the whole world is called to acknowledge his hidden majesty.
The power of the life-giving cross
reveals the judgement that has come upon the world
and the triumph of Christ crucified.
He is the victim who dies no more,
the Lamb once slain, who lives for ever,
our advocate in heaven to plead our cause,
exalting us there to join with angels and archangels,
for ever praising you and singing:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.
Holy is the Lord God almighty!
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.
Holy is the Lord God almighty!
Who was and is, and is to come;
holy, holy, holy is the Lord.
Blessed, blessed, blest is he who comes,
Blest is he who comes in the Lord’s name.
Blessed, blessed, blest is he who comes,
blest is he who comes in the Lord’s name.
Hosanna in the heights of heav’n.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.
We praise and bless you, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord;
and as we obey his command
send your Holy Spirit, that broken bread and wine outpoured
may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.
On the night before he died he had supper with his friends
and, taking bread, he praised you.
He broke the bread, gave it to them and said:
take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
When supper was ended he took the cup of wine.
Again he praised you, gave it to them 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.
So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did,
in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice
made once for all upon the cross.
Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation,
we proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.
Jesus Christ is Lord:
Lord, by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.
You are the Saviour of the world.
Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day
when your kingdom comes
and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.
Look with favour on your people,
gather us in your loving arms
and bring us with all the saints to feast at your table in heaven.
Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Lord Jesus, remember us in your kingdom
and teach us to pray.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
The 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.
The Repton Agnus
O Lamb of God, come cleanse our hearts
and take our sin away.
O Lamb of God, your grace impart,
and let our guilty fear depart,
have mercy, Lord, we pray,
have mercy, Lord, we pray.
O Lamb of God, our lives restore,
our guilty souls release.
Into our lives your Spirit pour
and let us live for evermore
in perfect heavenly peace,
in perfect heavenly peace.
The Invitation
Jesus is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy 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.
Everyone is invited to receive communion or a blessing.
Communion Hymn NH 306 Such love
Choir O Saviour of the world - John Goss
Closing Prayers and Blessing
Jesus our friend and Saviour,
we thank you for giving your all
to include us in your love.
Help us to follow your example,
and to take up our cross and follow you.
May we be ready to receive and welcome all who come to us,
so that they too may see you.
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.
Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Closing Hymn AM 58 The royal banners forward go
Dismissal
We go in the name of Jesus Christ.
In times of joy and sorrow,
when all is well with us,
and when nothing goes right,
we will follow the cross
and proclaim the resurrection.
We go in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Some material included in this service is copyright:
© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000
Some material is Copyright
© Roots for Churches Limited
Hymns and songs are reproduced under CCLI no. 742099
Please stand for the Eucharistic Prayer if you can - but if you would rather sit, then please do so.
May the blessing of God the Father,
who made from one every nation that occupies the earth;
of God the Son who bought us for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation;
and of God the Spirit who brings us together in unity,
be with us and remain with us always.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen
Some material included in this service is copyright:
© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000
Some material is Copyright
© Roots for Churches Limited
Hymns and songs are reproduced under CCLI numbers:
742099 (St John’s)
493867 (St Leonard’s)
154120 (St Saviour’s)
Worship for 17th March 2024
Café Church
Call to worship and Opening Prayer
Come, let us worship the God who loves every single different
one of us, whoever and wherever we are, and invites us all into
a covenant relationship based on love.
Amen
You, Lord God, are with us as we come to worship you.
You have promised us so much
and your call to us has brought us here.
Accept our worship, our words and thoughts,
our confessions and our promises;
for you are ours and we are yours, this and every day.
Amen.
Faithful God,
we are sorry for the times
when we walk away from you,
and do our own thing.
Thank you that you promise
to remember our sins no more,
and to be with us always.
Amen.
Hymn: 337 - I, the Lord of Sean and Sky (Here I am)
Activity– Covenants
Prayer of praise and thanksgiving
We sing praises to God:
For the richness and variety of life…
Thanks be to God.
For the diversity of creation, earth, sea and sky…
Thanks be to God.
For a multitude of animals, birds and fish in the seas…
Thanks be to God.
For water to drink and quench our thirst…
Thanks be to God.
For crops to grow and food to eat…
Thanks be to God.
For ancestors, family, friends and neighbours, near and far…
Thanks be to God.
For hands that have guided us and pointed the way for us…
Thanks be to God.
For promises given and kept and beyond measure…
Thanks be to God.
For the suffering and passion of Jesus for our sakes…
Thanks be to God.
For the love of God within our hearts…
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Hymn: 831 - Who put the colours in the rainbow?
Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to[a] them,”
declares the Lord.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Reflection
Action prayer time – hearts
The Blessing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNk_xCa7zaQ
Hymn – Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Thank you, God, for each and every one of your amazing people, every one of them unique.
We go out joyful, knowing that your love is always there for us and reaches to every place and part of the whole world, and all the millions and billions of people, in every generation.
May that inspire and encourage us to be loving to all whom we meet in our day-to-day living.
Amen.