St Clement Church All Saints & All Souls Community Service

 

 

Good morning to you all

Today we are remembering all those whose earthly life has passed                   whether they be the saints of old or those close to each one of us.        We have many memories of those near and dear to us. So, today, let us bring those memories to the fore. Let us remember the times shared, and if we shed a tear, so did our Lord.

My love to you all

Liz

 

As we worship together, in church or at home, we remember all those who have gone before us – the saints of old celebrated in churches and those who quietly lived their lives following in the steps of our Lord and Saviour. May we, as we journey through our earthly lives, endeavour to be faithful followers of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

We say together:

 

We meet as family in the presence of our heavenly Father.

We meet as brothers and sisters in Christ, accepting the responsibility this puts upon us – to love one another as You have loved us.

We meet as Your lights in this dark world, and pray that through our words and our lives others may be drawn into Your family, and accept You as their Saviour and Lord.

Amen

 

Hymn: 197 For all the Saints

 

We say together our Prayer of Penitence:

 

Lord God, we have sinned against you;

we have done evil in your sight.

We are sorry and repent.

Have mercy on us according to your love.

Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin.

Renew a right spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

The Collect for All Saints Sunday

 

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: grant us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those inexpressible joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; 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

 

Readings:

 

Isaiah 25. 6 – 9

Revelation 21. 1 – 6a

 

 

Hymn:  381 Jerusalem the Golden

 

Gospel: John 11. 32 -44

(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. 

Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)

 

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’

He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’

They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’

Jesus began to weep.

So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’

But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’

 

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb.

It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.’

Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’

So they took away the stone.

And Jesus looked upward and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’

When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’

The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth.

Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him and let him go.’

 

(This is the Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, O Christ)

 

Reflection

We have, all of us, mourned the loss of someone near and dear to us. It is, ironically, a fact of life. We, none of us, are going to go on for ever – well, not in this world.

Looking back over the passing of so many people in my life – I was fortunate, no one really close to me died until I was twenty, when my room-mate in college was tragically killed by a drunk driver. Then there have been family members, close friends and then Martin and most recently, my school friend of over 60 years, godmother to two of my children. Some were expected but, too many came without warning and I had no time to prepare myself for what was to come. But, thinking about it … even when I did know what was inevitable, it didn’t make it any easier - I didn’t cope any better.

Today we are celebrating All Saints Day and All Souls Day – remembering all those who have gone before us. Some have stories written about them and all the good works they did; some are celebrated in churches across the world; but most, are known only to a few or are long forgotten. But all, are important in God’s sight.

As I read today’s Gospel passage the word that stands out to me is the word ‘weeps.’ Jesus himself is in tears and not only him, Mary and Martha and all their friends and family are also in tears, because Lazarus has died. If only Jesus had been there to save him. Lazarus has been in a tomb for four days. Jesus’ arrival adds to everyone’s grieving. If only he’d come sooner, Lazarus wouldn’t have died.

Jesus sees them all weeping, and is greatly disturbed. And He weeps.            Jesus doesn’t wipe away their tears, or remind them of the promise in Isaiah. First, He weeps with them.                                                                                                  The Son of God weeps. Why? Jesus weeps because His friend is dead. He is sad. He is grieving. He may even feel a little guilty. He has put Mary and Martha – and Lazarus- through a lot, simply by delaying his arrival. It’s all part of the divine plan, but that doesn’t make it easy – for them, or for Him. And so, He weeps and by doing so, He gives us all who follow Him the permission and freedom to weep too, whenever, and wherever sadness finds us.

Is Jesus just weeping for Lazarus? I think there is more to it than that. He is weeping for all who have ever died. He is weeping that there is death in the world at all. I think He is weeping for our loved ones who have died, He is weeping, for all will suffer the cruel fate of death. He is weeping for everyone who has had to let go of someone they love. Death, after all, is the last great enemy, according to Scripture, and He has come to fight this enemy, and to defeat it. But first, He must weep.

Jesus may also be weeping because He knows the price He will have to pay to raise Lazarus. He knows that the defeat of the great enemy of death will come only at a great cost. He knows that the only way to defeat this great enemy is by His own sacrificial death. In fact, the raising of Lazarus is the miracle that tips the scales, and angers the religious leaders enough that they begin to get serious about their plot to kill Jesus.

Jesus isn’t afraid of death. He knows it won’t be permanent. But it will still be hard – for Him, for His mother, for His disciples, and for all who put their trust in Him. It will test them, like nothing else has.

Perhaps Jesus is also weeping for Lazarus and all that he will have to face after he is raised from the dead.

But, Jesus rising from the dead means that He has defeated the last great enemy, death. Not only that, Jesus has power over death for us too. He promises us that one day everyone will be raised from the dead.

So, on this day when we are remembering all those we have known and loved and who are no longer with us, it is fine to weep – our Lord did. We can take comfort that though they are not with us, they are safe and at peace with all those who have gone before and so shall we be.

Amen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

We say together in faith

 

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

 

Hymn: 475 Ye holy angels bright

 

Our Intercessions by Daphne Hawkins

 

Almighty God, our heavenly, Father you promised through your Son Jesus Christ to hear us when we pray in faith. Lord we humbly ask for your presence with us this morning in our little church.

We pray for Archbishop Justin and all bishops and priests who strive to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to a world so troubled and challenging.

 

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

 

Bless and guide King Charles and the royal family in the tasks they carry out promoting our heritage and traditions world-wide. Please give them health and strength to complete the daily tasks asked of them.

 

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

 

Lord, we ask your blessings on our families, friends, and all we share our daily lives with. May we never take for granted the beauty, peace and tranquillity of our county, our freedom of speech and to worship without fear of opposition.

 

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

 

Merciful Father, we pray for our broken world, your world, that we have tainted with hatred, violence, greed and evil. Daily, we pray for peace. We pray world leaders, governments and parliaments will come together to end war and conflict which is destroying towns and cities, bringing pain and suffering to innocent people and little children.

We are helpless to be heard by those in power. We can only pray for peace with heavy hearts.

 

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

 

We pray for Reverend Diane, Father David and Liz, our Reader, who lead us in prayer and praise. and add so much to our worship here at St Clement.

Lord, take care of them and give them strength and vision in their work and commitment to our church and our community.

 

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

 

Lord, we bring to you all who are in need of your helping hands; for those where life is sometimes difficult and hard to cope with, suffering in mind and spirit.

We pray for those we know of, and also anyone alone or unloved.

Ken and Reverend Diane, May, Susan, Lauren, Lynda, Terry and Dot, Margaret, Maureen, Pam and David, Barrie and Sandra, Michael and Patricia, Rob and Alison, Stella, Jeremy, William, Jane, Anita and Stephen, Callum and Elaine, Andy, Anne, Sue and Martin, Margaret and John, Dave and Jeanette and Jane.

 

Lord, you once suffered at the hands of men. Look in mercy on those who suffer at this time and bring them your healing love, strength and hope in the days ahead.

 

We pray for those whose earthly journey has ended. May you welcome them to find rest and peace with you in your eternal kingdom.

May they be reunited with those who have gone before and whose anniversary falls at this time.

Winifred Moor, Bobby Spooner, William John Rowe.

 

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

 

Lord God, many people throughout the world, your precious world, have turned their backs on your commandments, your vision for us to follow and have chosen a materialistic and selfish way of life; often denying our young people any knowledge of a Christian way of life; ignoring the wonders of nature and destroying our environment; enticing crime and wickedness to grow.

We ask you, dear Lord, to help us renew our Christian faith, recover our spiritual values, and return to the path of righteousness, remembering that your kingdom is measured not in wealth or power but in faithfulness and service. Amen

 

Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Andrw, St Allen, St Clement, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, we commit ourselves and all Christians to your unfailing love.

 

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

 

Gathering our prayers and praises into one,

Let us pray with confidence as our risen Lord 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.

 

Saints by Vima Sheard

 

The Saints of thy great Church, O Christ,

How vast their numbers be …

On holy page and ancient scroll

Their blessed names we see,

And from the painted window panes

They smile eternally.

 

Rope-girdled monk, and pallid maid,

And men who for Thy cross

Fought with the Saracen of old,

Counting their lives no loss …

Martyrs who rose through golden flames,

Free of the body’s dross.

 

Yet there be Saints uncanonised,

Unrecognised, unknown …

Here on the common roads of earth,

Oft times they walk alone;

Saints whom no soul hath ever praised,

Saints whom no church doth own.

 

Men who against their soul’s grim foes

Wage an unyielding fight;

Men of new creeds, and men of old,

Men of dark hue, and white,

Each pressing hard towards some far gleam

Of Thy celestial light.

 

Dwellers in places waste and lone,

Toilers upon the seas …

Mayhap they seldom pray high heaven,

Softly – on bended knees …

Yet in the roll-call of Thy Saints,

Dear Christ – remember these.

 

The Peace

 

God has called us to live in peace.

 

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

 

Hymn: 478 Ye watchers and ye holy ones

 

The Blessing

 

They left their mark on the earth for you, for us, for our children to come.                                                                                                                       Thank you, God, for the tremendous sacrifices made by those who have gone before us.

Bless the memories of your saints.

 

May the strength of God sustain us:

May the power of God preserve us;

May the hands of God protect us;

May the way of God direct us;

May the love of God go with us this day and forever.

 

Amen