All Age Communion

Sun 2nd January 2022
10:45 am

Holy Communion in the Season of Epiphany

Whether you are worshipping with us in the church building or from your home we hope you feel able to participate today.

To receive communion you will be invited to come forwards where the minister will intinct the wafer with the wine before placing it in in your hand. Please leave your face covering on as you move and clean your hands after receiving. Gluten free bread is available, and it is also possible to receive communion in your seat if you are unable to come forwards. Please speak to a steward before the service to indicate your wishes. For those at home you may wish to make your Spiritual Communion using the prayer that will be on the screen.

Children are an important part of our church family and we welcome the noise of infants into our midst.

Here at All Saints we are part of the Inclusive Church network and strive to be a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate. We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality. We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.

You are welcome here today. To stay in touch with us please leave your details with a steward or if worshipping on line use the comments to ask for contact details.

Once the service begins please join in with the words in bold type.

The Gathering

Processional Hymn The First Nowell

All stand to sing the hymn as the organ music begins and the ministers and servers process

The first Nowell the angel did say
was to Bethlehemn's shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Refrain:
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.

Then wise men from a country afar

looked up and saw a guiding star;

they travelled on by night and day

to reach the place where Jesus lay:

At Bethlehem they entered in,

on bended knee they worshipped him;

they offered there in his peresence

their gold and myrrh and frankincense.

Then let us all with one accord

sing prasies to our heavenly Lord;

for Christ has our salvation wrought

and with his blood our life has bought

The Greeting

In my head

In my heart

And all around us

Jesus is here

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us

and we beheld his glory

Additional words of welcome from the president may be given and the theme of the service introduced.

Prayers of Penitence

We use the Children’s Church sorry song.

For the things we have thougth

That we wish we'd not thought

We're sorry, we're sorry

We need a new start

For the things we have said

That we wish we'd not said

We're sorry, we're sorry

We need a new start

For the things we have done

That we wish we'd not done

We're sorry, we're sorry

We need a new start

We put a smile on our foreheads as we remind each other of the Good News that God always gives us a new start and then these words of forgivenss are said

May God of all healing and forgiveness

draw you to himself

and cleanse you from all your sins,

that you may behold the glory of his Son,

the Word made flesh,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Gloria in Excelsis

We stand to sing the ancient hymn of praise together

Glory to God, glory to God,

glory to the Father.

Glory to God, glory to God,

glory to the Father.

To him be glory for ever.

To him be glory for ever.

Alleluia, amen,

Alleluia, amen,

Alleluia, amen

Glory to God, glory to God,

Son of the Father.

Glory to God, glory to God,

Son of the Father.

To him be glory for ever.

To him be glory for ever.

Alleluia, amen,

Alleluia, amen,

Alleluia, amen

Glory to God, glory to God,

glory to the Spirit.

Glory to God, glory to God,

glory to the Spirit.

To him be glory for ever.

To him be glory for ever.

Alleluia, amen,

Alleluia, amen,

Alleluia, amen

The Collect

The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words ‘let us pray’. All remain standing for the period of silence and the collect - the special prayer for the day - and all respond

Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

Readings

We sit to listen to one of the readings appointed for the day.

2 Timothy 1.5-10

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

We stand and sing together Alleluia as the Gospel book is carried to the middle of the church and the congregation turn to face the reader.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Glory to you, O Lord.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

We sing a setting of Alleluia as the gospel is carried back. We sit after the preacher offers an introductory prayer.

Sermon

After the sermon there is a brief pause for reflection and then all stand to say the Affirmation of Faith, based on the Athanasian Creed.

Affirmation of Faith

We proclaim the Church's faith in Jesus Christ

We believe and declare that our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Son of God, is both divine and human.

God, of the being of the Father;

the only Son from before time began;

human from the being of his mother, born in the world;

fully God and fully human;

human in both mind and body.

As God he is equal to the Father,

as human he is less than the Father.

Although he is both divine and human

he is not two beings but one Christ.

One, not by turning God into flesh,

but by taking humanity into God;

truly one, not by mixing humanity with Godhead,

but by being one person.

For as mind and body form one human being

so the one Christ is both divine and human.

The Word became flesh and lived among us;

we have seen his glory,

the glory of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

Prayers of Intercession

All sit or kneel for the prayers, which are led by a member of the congregation. One of the following responses may be used or another response may be given.

Lord in your mercy or Lord hear us

hear our prayer. Lord graciously hear us

The prayers may conclude with these words:

Merciful Father,

accept these prayers

for the sake of your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament

The Peace

We stand. The president introduces the peace

Christ is our peace.

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.

The old has passed away: behold, everything has become new.

The peace of the Lord be always with you

and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace

We exchange a sign of peace from our seats.

Offertory Hymn Like a candle flame

During this hymn the altar table is prepared . The offertory plate is presented, symbolic of the financial gifts of the people and the president gives thanks for these. If you want to make a financial gift today you can do so before or after the service using cash or card.

Like a candle flame
Flickering small in our darkness
Uncreated light
Shines through infant eyes

God is with us, alleluia (Lower voices)
God is with us, alleluia (Higher voices)
Come to save us, alleluia (Lower voices)
Come to save us (Higher voices)
Alleluia! (All)

Stars and angels sing
Yet the earth sleeps in shadows
Can this tiny spark
Set a world on fire?

Yet his light shall shine
From our lives, Spirit blazing
As we touch the flame
Of his holy fire

Taking of the Bread and Wine

When the alter-table is prepared the president offers this prayer

Gracious God,

accept the offering of your Church,

the hearts of your people

joined in praise and thanksgiving,

in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord

Amen.

The president washes their hands symbolising our desire to come together at the Lord’s table with pure hearts and minds.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with you

And also with you

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.

The president praises God for His mighty acts and all respond by singing (to the tune of Infant Holy)

‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’

Sang the angels in the skies.

‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’

All creation now replies.

Blessed is the infant Saviour,

Blessed is the world’s redeemer.

Sing Hosanna to the king.

The prayer continues recalling the Last Supper and asking the Holy Spirit to be present with us in the bread and wine. The prayer ends:

...and now with the Blessed Mary and all your saints

we give you glory,

through Jesus Christ,

in the strength of the Spirit,

today and for ever.

Amen.

We kneel or sit and observe a period of silence.

The Lord’s Prayer

We say this prayer together, each in our own language. It may be led by a member of the congregation using one of the global languages that make up our intercultural community.

As our saviour taught us, so we 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.

Breaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life,

and that life is the light of the world.

God here among us,

light in the midst of us,

bring us to light and life.

While the ministers break the remaining consecrated bread and the communion assistants come to the front we sing together

‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’

Sang the angels in the skies.

‘Holy, holy, holy, holy,’

All creation now replies.

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy

Grant us peace Emmanuel

Giving of Communion

The president gives an invitation to communion.

God’s holy gifts

for God’s holy people

Jesus Christ is holy

Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The music group come forwards to receive communion first and then the stewards will invite the rest of the congregation to come forwards. Please wear your face covering as you move. The minister will intinct the wafer in the wine before placing it in your hand. If you would prefer to receive a blessing instead please keep your hands down at your side or cross them across your chest.

As we share communion the music group may sing or music will be played.

Prayer after Communion

A brief silence is kept. The president says the post communion prayer for the day before we say the following prayer together:

We thank you Lord,

that you have fed us in this sacrament,

united us with Christ,

and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet

prepared for all peoples.

Amen.

The Dismissal

Notices and publishing of the banns of marriage.

The Blessing

We stand for the president to give the blessing to which all respond.

Amen.

Final Hymn We three Kings of Orient are

We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.

Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of night,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign. [Refrain]

Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, all men raising,
worshiping him, God most high. [Refrain]

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]

Glorious now behold him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Heaven sing:, 'Alleluia,'
'Alleluia' the earth replies [Refrain]

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Please remain standing in your seats until the ministers have passed by and then sit to enjoy the music leaving when you are ready in a socially distanced manner.

Giving at All Saints

As a charity, we rely on occasional and regular donations to fund the work of the church and to ensure the upkeep of our historic building. If you would like to make a gift today, this can be done by cash or contactless payment or here

If All Saints is your church community please consider planning to give regularly as your own response to God through the Parish Giving Scheme. You can find out more how to do this here.

Thank you, from the Rector and Church Wardens.