St Clement Church
All Saints & All Souls Sunday Community Service
Good morning
As a child, I thought all saints were people who had died and had stories written about them.
Now – well … if a saint is someone who loves and dedicates their life to serving our Lord and those around them … they are not all dead, are they?
My love to you all
Liz
Heavenly Father, we gather to worship you with grateful hearts. Fill this place with your Spirit and our souls with your peace. Guide our hearts, minds, and actions to honour you in all we do today.
Amen
We say together:
Here we are Lord; your people, your Church meeting together in your presence.
We welcome each other and we welcome you.
Make yourself known to us in new ways through our worship, our prayers, and our understanding of your Word today.
Amen
Hymn: 197 For all the Saints who from their labours rest
Prayer of Confession
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
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:
Revelation7. 9 - 17
1 John 3. 1 - 3
Hymn: 231 Who are these, like stars appearing
Gospel: Matthew 5. 1 - 12
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and he taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who went before you.’
(This is the Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, O Christ)
Reflection
‘Blessed’ – Jesus says that word nine times in today’s gospel reading.
We often talk about ourselves and others as being blessed. “I’m blessed.” She’s blessed.” “We’re really blessed.”
But, I wonder, what do we mean when we use the word, blessed?
What does it really mean to be blessed? When you tell another that you are blessed what do you mean by that? When you hear someone else say, “I’m really blessed,” how do you understand that?
I ask this because I think what we mean when we talk about being blessed is often not what Jesus means when He talks about us being blessed.
Take a moment and think of one thing that points to or indicates your blessedness.
What did you think of?
When people talk about being blessed, they often refer to good health, healing from a sickness, well-being, wealth, some good fortune, success, getting through a difficult time, family, love, friendship, receiving support from another, getting something they wanted, things going their way. That’s often how I have thought about it too. They’re certainly good things and I want them for you and myself but is that really what it means to be blessed?
Maybe it’s better than that.
When I asked you to think of something that points to or indicates your blessedness, I wonder how many of you named one of the beatitudes in today’s gospel?
Anybody? Nobody? I’m not surprised if it is nobody because they’re not really at the top of our lists, are they?
The question is not a test, criticism, or judgement but as a wondering that maybe we don’t really get what it means to be blessed.
I suspect that most of us think of blessedness as some sort of reward from God. We’re lucky or fortunate in contrast to someone who is not. We’ve received a particular benefit. Maybe our prayer is answered as we wanted. Maybe we even think we do things right as opposed to someone who does them wrong, or times when we do things wrong. Maybe we think that to be blessed means we’ve been chosen, picked, favoured, benefitted.
What if it’s not unique or particular to certain individuals? What if there are no prerequisites or qualifications to be blessed? What if blessedness isn’t exclusive to some but inclusive of all?
This idea may well play havoc with our idea of being blessed. We may well think ‘I am special, God has seen me and done something special for me.’ But, we’re already blessed. It’s not something you get, earn, acquire or receive. It’s something you are. It’s something you and I are already. We are blessed. It was given us by the creator at our creation and there’s nothing we can do to be more blessed, and nothing we can do to lose our blessedness.
It isn’t about those who are blessed and those who are not blessed. The distinction is between those who know they are blessed and those who have not yet recognised their blessedness.
Take being poor in spirit, for example. Being poor in spirit is not the blessing and it’s not the prerequisite to receive a blessing. It’s the manifestation or expression of one who recognises his or her blessedness. It’s the way we live when we already know and trust that we are blessed. And so it is, with all the beatitudes.
When we recognise and live from our blessedness, the beatitudes follow naturally. We don’t have to go out and do them. We can’t help but do them. It’s who we are at our best, at our deepest, and when we are most truly ourselves.
Years ago, Martin and I went to Egypt and we were taken in a horse drawn carriage through a local market area with all sorts of shops. It was obviously where the locals shopped because there weren’t any other people looking like us.
We passed this one shop with racks of bread on the sidewalk. Some men were cooking and there was a boy of about ten helping. He was putting bread on the racks. As we passed by, Martin took a photograph and when he did that, the boy started chasing the carriage. ‘Oh help,’ I thought, ‘he didn’t like that and something’s not right.’ (We’d had several negative experiences In Kenya when Martin had taken photographs of people.)
The boy caught up with the carriage. He reached out his hand and gave Martin a hot pitta. It was the best pitta we’ve ever tasted. Then he ran back to the shop. If you were to look at that place there was nothing about it that looked blessed. It was poor, dirty, and makeshift. But that boy, I think, knew his own blessedness and he couldn’t do anything but share his pitta. He didn’t do it to get something or to prove something. He did it because that’s just who he is and he knows himself to be blessed.
Blessed are those who share their pitta, for they are the bread of life.
What would it be like for you and me today to go out and share our pitta? Not to prove something and not to get something, but to acknowledge something.
What would it take and look like for us to say, “I’m blessed, here’s my pitta,” and then go on about our lives?
Amen
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
Hymn: 478 Ye watchers and ye holy ones
Our Intercessions
Let us pray in communion with all the saints on earth and in heaven, with the martyrs and the faithful in all ages.
Ever - living God, we are gathered as your family to praise your name and honour your holy ones. Rejoicing in your love for each one of us, we turn to you to hear and answer our prayers and the prayers which the saints offer on our behalf.
God of all saints we ask that we be a holy Church, a praying Church, a giving Church, a serving Church. May the saints in heaven be an example for us all so that we may serve God in the way he wishes.
Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer
God of Peace, we pray that those in authority may follow the example of the saints who worked for peace and love. Guide the leaders of all nations that justice may prevail throughout the world. Let not the needy be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Make us instruments of your peace and let your glory be over all the earth.
Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer
God of Justice, keep us from being pre-occupied with money and worldly goods, and with trying to increase them at the expense of justice. Help us not to be ruthless with one another, and to eliminate the discord and violence that exists around us. Let us not be impatient under our own burdens and unconcerned about the burdens of others. Make us thirst for you and actively spread your influence in our private lives and in society. Grant that we may be quick to forgive and slow to condemn. Help us to make peace in our families, in our country and in the world.
Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer
God of Communities, we pray for our community here in the Truro and St Clement area; for our church and its congregation. Enable us to do your will. Make us vulnerable that we may speak with calm humility. Make us outward looking that we may care deeply and make us a community of peacemakers and bridge builders.
God of fellowship, we pray for our families and friends, that you will be to them, all that they most deeply need. We thank you for the fellowship of your people here. May we as a family of your people be rooted and established in your love and come to know the extent of your grace as you dwell in us.
Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer
God of Healing, we bring to you those whose lives are darkened by pain, fear, or weariness. Come to their aid; help them to bear what must be carried, and take from them all resentment and bitterness, replacing it with an abundance of peace. We remember all those who are housebound and lonely. We pray for all those who selflessly minister to the needs of others.
We especially bring before you: Reverend Diane, Ken, Brian, May, Susan, Tony, Jan, Lynda, Dot, Maureen, Pam and David, Sandra, Roger and Helen, Michael and Patricia, Rob and Alison, Mary, Jeremy, Anita and Stephen, Callum and Elaine, Sue and Martin, Margaret and John, Coral and Paul, Barbara, Simone, Felicity, Dinah, Daphne and David, David and Jeanette, Stanley, Carol, John and in a moment of silence, all those who are known to us personally and those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer
We remember all those who have died in the faith of Christ, remembering Dr Barry Pettit. Please God, surround them with your loving arms and grant them peace and everlasting joy in your heavenly kingdom.
God of Compassion, bring healing and hope to those who grieve. We bring before you all those who have gone before us, both recently and across the years. May we always be aware of your compassion which calms our troubled hearts and shelters our anxious souls.
We pray for all those whose anniversary falls at this time: John Stribley and Winifred Moor
Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer
God of Eternity, we thank you for all the saints – those recognised by the Church and those known only to a few, and to you. We give thanks for their example and that they are now in your heaven with you. In your mercy may all who have died know your lasting peace.
Lord, as we go from church today, May the light of God shine on us, May the love of God shine in us, May the light of the Spirit shine through us.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Clement, St Andrew, and St Allen
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
We say together:
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
The Saints of God by Michael P. Johnson
The saints of old from labours rest
Secure, in Christ the King
Believed by faith they’d rise so blessed
Life’s endless song to sing
Their race of truth, in Jesus won
Through grace, no more to die
Supreme to reign with Christ God’s Son
And ride the Wind on high
Today! The church must understand
To walk through Heaven’s door
Needs first to serve; in Jesus’ hand
Like those who’ve gone before
To keep ourselves from darkest hell
We must be born again
The Holy Ghost who’s come to dwell
Inside must surely reign
Not one of us can stand-alone
Who tries, will always fail
All generations judge their own
Where many land in jail
But in God’s house, will judgement start
Through gifts the saints receive
Through Heaven’s Flame within the heart
He’ll purge till souls believe
God’s saints are saints who heed his call
No matter who we were!
When change has taught us not to fall
And nothing can deter
With those of old who’ve served the Lord
The new; that seek His face
Both side by side, in one accord
We’ll reached Love’s Promised Place …
The Peace
Jesus said: ‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you are to love one another.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Hymn: 381 Jerusalem the golden
The Blessing
In darkness and in light, in trouble and in joy, help us, heavenly Father, to trust your love, to serve your purpose, and to praise your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen