St Clement Church Community Sunday Service
Good morning to you all as we celebrate our service, the 11th Sunday after Trinity. I shall be taking our Eucharist service in church using our usual service booklets, if you’re unable to be with us in person I hope you will join us in worship at home with this service of the Word.
May Christ’s love sustain you always.
With much love and prayers,
Rev Di and family xx
Let us pray;
Almighty God, you search us and know us: may we rely on your strength and rest on you in weakness, now and in all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds’
Our prayers of Penitence
Let us recognise those failings in us that undermine relationships, and cause hurt to others…..
We confess the failings that bring hurt and betrayal upon those who trust us. Lord, have mercy.
We confess the failings that cause love to grow cold, and attitudes to harden. Christ, have mercy.
We confess the failings that impede the way to forgiveness and reconciliation. Lord, have mercy.
May our almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon and forgiveness of all our failings, time for amendment of our lives and the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us pray our Collect for the 11th Sunday after Trinity
God of Glory, the end of our searching, help us to lay aside all that prevents us from seeking your kingdom, and to give all that we have to gain the pearl beyond all price, through our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Readings:
Proverbs 25. 6-7
Hebrews 13. 1-8, 15-16
Hymn; ‘Praise my soul the King of heaven’
Gospel: Luke 14. 1, 7-14
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.
But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’
He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours,
in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’
(This is the Gospel of the Lord. Response: ‘Praise to you, O, Christ’)
Reflection
I know I’ve told this story before but it’s one of my favourites……
Today’s gospel reading always reminds me of a conversation I had a few years ago with a colleague just after his return from holiday.
He’d been abroad, and on returning to the airport for the flight home, was told that it was overbooked. To compensate, he was offered a later flight that same day, upgraded to first class. ‘That was lucky’, I said, ‘to travel home in luxury,’ as I visualised such comfort.
Because if you book an economy ticket, have you ever noticed that when you board the plane you sometimes have to walk through the first class section? And you see those passengers already comfortable in their extra-wide reclining seats, sipping glasses of wine, or coffee served in real china cups.
Meanwhile, back in economy all you’ve got to look forward to is being scrunched into a tiny seat, handed a drink in a disposable mug whilst trying not to breathe too deeply nowadays because of Covid…..
And after about nine hours of such captivity, depending on your destination, you can’t help but begin to resent the passengers in first class, at ease in their recliners.
Well, the conversation with my colleague continued, and he told me, yes, he did enjoy the comfortable seating, the wine and food; it was indeed the lap of luxury.
But he then went on to say that he’d had to complain to the cabin staff because an economy class passenger had come into the first class section to use the toilet.
And it spoilt the rest of the flight for him because he felt he had to keep a watchful eye out in case the person came back and did it again!
‘Gosh! What next!’ I said, ‘It’s a good job you kept a look-out, or else he might have sat down in one of your seats and started eating and drinking with you!’
I was being sarcastic, but he replied, ‘Exactly, and when I complained afterwards to the airline, I got a free ticket for my next flight as compensation!’ My comment to him isn’t repeatable in church……
But the thought hadn’t occurred to him that he didn’t deserve to be in first class either. He hadn’t paid the proper rate for that seat, he hadn’t earned that seat, and he was only there by invitation from the company, whether as compensation or not.
And that, I think, is a picture of grace: being invited into a place we have no business being. By grace, we’re lavished with gifts that we didn’t pay for, and don’t deserve, and it’s only by the kindness of our Host that we’ve been allowed to enter and stay.
Unfortunately, after having become accustomed to grace, some people tend to take it for granted. Then they begin to think that they can determine who is and who isn’t allowed access to such grace, and develop an attitude of distinction.
And it’s that sort of thinking Jesus addresses in today’s gospel.
At the meal, Jesus notices human nature at work. As people begin to seat themselves, they naturally take the best seats available, first class, if you like. Of course they do, so do we if we get the chance. If we’re attending a concert or film where the seating is “General Admission” we always try to sit as front and as centre as possible. But what if there’s a seating plan and we’ve placed ourselves more front and more centre than we should have? What an embarrassment when we’re asked to move.
When Jesus told this story, I wonder if it hit the intended target, the Pharisees. They thought themselves to be the upper crust in God’s Kingdom. They were the most religious people they knew, and thought that if anyone deserved places of honour at God’s table, it was certainly them.
But Jesus says; “There’s other guests that are just as important as you. They might not look religious. They might not have all the right table manners. But I’ve invited them to the banquet as well.”
The implication to the modern church is a very subtle one, but it is very significant. Jesus doesn’t like pride of any kind, but religious pride is the worst of all.
When a church, like the Pharisees, believes that it has a special place in God’s family because of something it’s done, or the particular theology it embraces,
or the size of the congregation, it should remember that Jesus would say; “So what?” These other guests of mine are just as important.’
When Jesus had finished telling his parable to the guests, he turned his attention to the host and said, “Isn’t it interesting, that when you have a party you only invite people just like you?
You invite your relatives, and closest friends, and people whose parties you’ve already been to, a sort of a payback.” By implication, Jesus was saying “Shouldn’t you be inviting people from economy-class?” Shouldn’t you be inviting the poor, those who can’t repay you?
Because staying in a comfort zone, circulating with same-minded and same-placed people, causes isolation from those of different cultures or economic backgrounds. Martin Luther King once called Sunday mornings; ‘the most segregated time of the week.’
Now that’s not true here. I know members of this congregation reach out to those of different circles; and are aware that each person’s difference brings with it its own blessing.
But we have to remember that it’s easier to step out of a comfort zone when we know it’s always there return to, so perhaps it’s best not to go back to it at all.
Jesus demonstrated this his entire life. His ministry is full of one episode after another of not remaining in a comfort zone, and not trying to go back to one either. Repeatedly he takes the low seat and invites all sorts of unlikely types to be his guests, and finally, he takes the worst seat of all – on the cross.
Maybe religion comes in two kinds. One kind encourages us to stay in a well-defined, nice, safe place, where everything is predictable, nothing threatens, no one has to think. But this comfort zone isn’t an enabling place. It draws people in, true, it satisfies them on some level, but never leads them on to change, and never sends them forth.
It resembles taking the seat of honour at a feast. At last people are where they think they deserve to be, they consider themselves in with the in crowd, and pull up the drawbridge. Those who are different need not apply for entry.
The other kind of religion decides to step outside the comfort zone.
The safe place, the preferred seating, the predictable crowd isn’t enough. And the reason it’s not enough is a theological one: the true God, the God who is alive, won’t linger in the safe place long, but rather will keep appearing in the low places, among the unlikely.
The question is, and we should think on this one: Will we, the faithful, be there, to meet God in that low place?
In today's Gospel and in a hundred other ways, Jesus asks that we don’t trap ourselves, or his image, in a comfort zone like some kind of insect in amber.
His enemies never trapped him in that way, so certainly his friends should not.
Refusing to linger long in a comfort zone, no matter how first class and well appointed, but instead always looking for the low seat and making room for the unseemly guest, moving past safety to encounter unexpected challenge –this is what it means to follow Christ and live the life of faith.
Amen.
Hymn; ‘Let all the world in every corner sing’
Affirmation of our faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life,
the one for whom we exist.
We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature,
died for us and rose again.
We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world.
This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Intercessions this week are written by Liz Davies
Almighty and everlasting Lord, we offer You our praise and thanksgiving as we bow our heads and lay our prayers before You. You ask us to love and hold the needs of our neighbours as we would our own and so we bring to You our petitions on behalf of the Church and the world.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for our church here at St Clement and for Reverend Diane who gives so much to us and the wider community. Give her strength and peace and be with her and her family. We ask for your blessing on our work as we to continue to create a church community that welcomes the stranger, provides a refuge for those who feel threatened or alone and a place where everyone feels that they belong.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Lord, we pray for people of every race and belief, in every kind of need. We especially pray that there may be a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine. We bring before You those who live in fear because of their belief in You;
those whose lives are tormented because they are different; those who are struggling to survive in war-torn countries; those facing famine, homelessness, and isolation because of our neglect of Your creation and those in our communities who are struggling to manage as prices soar.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Lord, take control of our mouths and forgive us for careless, thoughtless and angry words used against our families, friends and neighbours. Let our words always bless You and others and may our actions speak of love for You. Help us to see each individual as uniquely made in your image and worthy of our love and respect. Show Your love through our lives in some small way today.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Gracious Lord, we pray for all who suffer in body, mind or spirit. We ask You to support all who give their strength, their skill and their stamina in the ministry of healing. May all in need feel your loving kindness and know that no matter what, they are never alone.
We especially remember today, Karen, Ken and Diane, Terry and Dot, Dave and Daphne, Annie and Terry, Ollie, Margaret, Brian, Maureen, Stephen, Lyn, Jan and Paul, and those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful Lord, we pray for those who have died this week, remembering especially the 9 year-old girl shot at her home in Liverpool on Monday. We pray for those who have gone before us to that place where flesh and spirit part.
May they rest in Your love and peace surrounded by the heavenly host and reunited with loved ones.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Most loving Lord, grant that the words we have heard during our time of worship may be grafted onto our hearts through your grace, that they may produce in us the fruits of a good life in praise and honour of Your Holy Name.
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 Jesus 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.
Hymn; ‘Tell out my soul.’
The Peace
We are the body of Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body. Let us then pursue all that makes for peace and build up our common life. May the peace of God be always with us. Amen.
Blessing
May God the Holy Trinity make us strong in faith and love, defend us on every side and guide us in truth and peace. And may the presence of God watch over us, the power of God protect us, those whom we love, and may we never forget that wherever we are, God is with us always.
Amen.