St Clement Church Community Twenty First Sunday after Trinity Service
Good morning to you all
Humility and service – not words we hear too often nowadays, do we? Recognition, power, self-interest – those are the words that seem to be the driving force of individuals, communities, and countries, with little thought for how those may adversely affect others.
This is why it’s a troubled world. It’s time to change this – starting with ourselves.
My love to you all
Liz
Let us be still for a moment as we draw near to worship God. Take just a few seconds to remind yourself why we are gathered together today.
Listen, God speaks even through the background noise of the world around us.
Lord God, in this short time together, open our ears and our eyes to see your vision for this place and our part within it.
Teach us, hear our prayers, and enable us for service wherever you might take us, to your praise and glory.
Amen
We say together:
Lord of all, as we gather to worship you, we ask for hearts open to your presence. Fill this place with your Spirit and our souls with your peace. Let every song, prayer, and word spoken glorify you and draw us closer in communion with you and each other.
Amen
Hymn: 238 New every morning
We say together our Prayer of Penitence:
Lord Jesus, who opened the eyes of the blind, healed the sick, forgave the sinful woman, and, after his denial, confirmed Peter in your love, hear my plea: forgive all my sins, renew me in your love, and grant that I may live in perfect communion with my brothers and sisters and so proclaim your salvation to all.
Amen
The Collect for the Twenty First Sunday after Trinity
Grant, we beseech you, merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen
Readings:
Isaiah 53. 4 - 12
Hebrews 5. 1 - 10
Hymn: 339 Be thou my vision
Gospel: Mark 10. 35 - 45
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’
And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’
And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’
But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’
They replied, ‘We are able.’
Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’
When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.
So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.
But it is no so among you; but whosoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.
For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
(This is the Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, O Christ)
Reflection
We have had a series of readings from the Gospel of Mark and they’re all linked, aren’t they? They all revolve around humility and service.
It was thinking back to ‘the humility of a child’ and todays ‘come to serve not be served,’ that made me suddenly think of my father. He was a very quiet, gentle man, but I now realise what a ‘humble servant’ of a man he was. Seeing his youngest sister die a terrible death at the age of twelve, (he was not impressed by the care given by the doctor) he vowed to become a doctor himself and come back to serve his home community. That’s all he wanted to do. The war intervened and he enlisted as a medic. He was attached to the Grenadier Guards and sent to North Africa where he was awarded the Military Cross by King George V1 for going into the front line so many times and saving so many lives. He didn’t understand why he should be given a medal of any kind, let alone such a prestigious one. The Grenadier Guards were then sent to Italy and were at the Battle of Monte Cassino where his dedication to an injured German saved his life – but that’s another story! After the war, he came back to Truro and served his community, first in the local hospitals and then as a GP. So, when years later, a letter arrived from Downing Street awarding him recognition for all he had done, he returned it with a note that said, ‘Thank you, but no thank you – I don’t need nor want this.’ He told no one. It was only when ‘the powers that be’ enquired of my mother – what did she think of the award, that the ‘cat was amongst the pigeons!’ Let’s say – she was not happy!
Success, achievement in anything in our world is all about recognition, isn’t it? But should it be? Not if humility and service are the key roots of our lives.
James and John still don’t understand, do they? They recognise His greatness, still think that the authority Jesus has exhibited in His ministry will lead to something huge like becoming king. If so, they want to be part of it. They want to be the ones who sit on His left and right.
Jesus quietly chastises them for their ignorance and once again explains that violence and death await Him in Jerusalem. This is His role, the nature of His kingship – He will die as an utterly despised and powerless ‘king.’ Mark’s Gospel emphasises that such rejection and death are inevitable and required because of who Jesus is, because of the boundary-breaking character of His ministry, and because those who wield power in the world will do all they can to protect themselves and their prerogatives from the implications of that ministry.
James and John affirm their willingness to endure suffering with Jesus but they really don’t know what they are saying. Jesus addresses their desire for power and prestige. He comments on the nature of human power – the kind of power that will soon crush Him in the political spectacle of His trial and execution – and on the meaning of His death. He puts His life and death, along with the lives and sufferings of His followers, in complete opposition to such expressions of power.
James and John are not the only disciples enticed by visions of a triumphant reign, for the rest of the Twelve are angry with the brothers’ for trying to outflank them in prominence. Jesus corrects their vision by pointing out the conventions of gentile (Roman) sociopolitical authorities as negative examples. They regularly ‘overpower’ and ‘tyrannize’ others. They rely on coercion and control to maintain their dominance.
In absolute contrast, greatness among Jesus’ followers is measured by their ability to live as servants and slaves, even if that life means suffering oppression at the hands of those who wield power.
“For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” – connects to Jesus’ previous words about service and enslavement, indicating that His death will be exemplary for such a way of living. His death will exemplify the violence and resistance His teaching and ministry elicit from those who hold power over society, and it will exemplify a radical renunciation of authority and privilege, as these things are normally constructed. What makes the renunciation so radical is the identity of the one who does it: Jesus, God’s own uniquely authorized agent.
At the same time, Jesus’ mention of a “ransom” indicates that His death will be more than just an inspiring example of a martyr’s tragic protest against an unjust system. The word in question indicates that His death does something; it secures a release. Jesus declares that God, through Jesus’ death, will free people from oppression and captivity to another power, restoring them to membership in the community that corresponds to God’s reign.
If we look at the world today and all that is going on, humility and service seem far from anyone’s agenda. A position of importance brings recognition and with that, power. Suddenly service of any kind, to one’s people, to the community, to each other is forgotten.
May we all remember our Lord’s words – ‘The Son of Man came not be served but to serve.’ – and may we too, be willing, in humility, to follow in His footsteps of service.
Amen
Our declaration of faith in God
Do you believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in all the world?
We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of our Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Hymn: 334 All people that on earth do dwell
Our Intercessions by Helen Dunbar
Even the Son of Man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
In humility and love, let us pray together to the God of our making and redeeming.
Dear Lord, look with mercy on your Church, with all our faults and failings, missed opportunities and misunderstandings, as we learn to be truly your body on earth.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our payer
We pray that all Christians may fulfil their vocation to be servants, caring for the needs of others, obedient to their Lord in all things and supportive to one another in worship, prayer and deepening faith.
Dear Lord, we pray for the leaders of nations, that those who govern and advise may seek out God’s will and the good of all in each crisis, dilemma and debate. for our government that they are able to make difficult decisions that will work for the benefit of the majority. We pray for fairness for all people and wisdom in how public money should be allocated and spent. Also, help us to do what we can to preserve our planet’s precious resources.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
Compassionate God, we pray for your Church here in St Clement and across our country. We pray for our clergy, for our own much loved Revd Diane and Ken, who are having a much-earned holiday in Wales, and we hope they will return rested and refreshed. We ask for your blessing on our Churchwarden and all who serve on the PCC. All who work in the Church to provide hospitality, visits, flowers and keep our place of worship looking good. Also, for those who assist, serve, read and pray.
We thank you for our families and friends, for all the joy and love they bring us.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
We pray for all those whose lives are in danger as a result of the troubles in the Middle East; the terrible suffering being endured by innocent people, many of them children, who are now homeless and hungry and have nowhere to call home. May this tragic situation soon be ended and peace return to these countries.
Help us to reach out to all who are in need of compassion and understanding. We pray for all those coping with stressful situations, whether in the workplace or at home, or in life generally and feeling the world is a dark and dreary place. Dear Lord, surround them with your love in their times of trouble and help them to reach a better place.
We pray for the grace to listen to one another and respond to one another’s needs; we pray for a spirit of co-operation and generosity in our homes and neighbourhoods.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
Bless and guide King Charles 111. Bless all the royal family and be their light and guide in all that they are called to be and do in life. Enfold them in your love now and always.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
We pray for the sick in our community; for all those in care homes or in hospital and people in need of special care and we ask your blessings on them. Comfort and heal all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. Give strength and skill to all doctors, nurses, care workers, volunteers and priests. We think of all those we know and those who have no one to pray for them for: 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, Jane.
We pray for all those known to us whose anniversary falls at this time, for Pat Brown, Terry Gill, William Wyatt and Henry Davies.
Lord, we pray for those nearing the end of their earthly life and we pray for their loved ones as they mourn their loss, whether recently or as an anniversary is remembered.
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.
Credo by Roy Neal
Mix a little shake of laughter in the doings of this day,
Scatter golden bits of sunshine as you plod along the way,
Stop to cheer a fellow human that’s a bit worse off than you –
Help him climb the pesky ladder that you find so hard to do;
Show by every daily motive, every thought and every deed –
You are one that folks can turn to when they find themselves in need;
Just forget the rugged places – make believe they’re slick and smooth;
When you spot the troubled faces, pull a grin and try to soothe;
Life’s a game – a mighty short one – play it gamely when you can –
Let the score book show the record that you measured up a MAN!
Pretty pomes and marble towers won’t avail you very much,
When you’ve passed – unless you’ve helped to lighten heavy loads and such;
Better far to have your neighbours say you were a cheerful chap,
Always kind and always helpful – if you’re that you’ll leave a gap;
You may scatter filthy lucre to your merry hearts content,
And forgotten be much sooner than some good-souled homeless gent;
Chances are that in the making of your sordid pile of cash,
In your handclasps you were faking, though you did show pep and dash;
Never mind about the fortune you made up your mind to pile –
But just live the GOLDEN RULE, lad, and your life will be worthwhile.
The Peace
We are all one in Christ Jesus.
We belong to Him through faith, heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Hymn: 413 Now thank we all our God
The Blessing
May God the Father
prepare your journey,
Jesus the Son
guide your footsteps,
the Spirit of Life
strengthen your body,
the Three in One
watch over you,
on every road
that you may follow.
Amen