The Eucharist Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity President: The Reverend Canon Dr Josephine Houghton Canon Precentor Deacon and Preacher: The Very Reverend Matt Thompson Dean of Birmingham Sunday 6 September 2020 Order of Service The Gathering Please stand, as you are able In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All Amen. The Greeting The Lord be with you All and also with you. Words of welcome may be said Prayer of Preparation We remain standing President Almighty God, All to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Confession We are called to repentance Deacon My brothers and sisters, as we prepare to celebrate the presence of Christ in word and sacrament, let us call to mind and confess our sins. We keep silence Deacon Almighty God, our heavenly Father, All we have sinned against you, through our own fault, in thought, and word, and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are heartily sorry, and repent of all our sins. For your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen. Absolution We receive words of forgiveness President Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen. The Gloria President Glory to God in the highest, All and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. The Collect We remain standing President Let us pray. Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us to proclaim the good news of your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the cross, and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All Amen. The Liturgy of the Word First Reading Ezekiel 33.7–11 We sit for the Bible reading A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel The word of the Lord came to me: So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked ones, you shall surely die’, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life. Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? This is the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God. Anthem We hear music recorded remotely by the cathedral choir; the music will also be made available via the cathedral website, www.birminghamcathedral.com O nata lux de lumine, O Light born of Light, Jesu Redemptor saeculi, mercifully deign to accept dignare clemens supplicum the prayers and praises of laudes preces que sumere. your supplicants. Qui carne quondam contegi You who once did deign dignatus es pro perditis, to be clothed in flesh for sinners, nos membra confer effici let us be made members tui beati corporis. of your blessed body. Office hymn for the Feast of the Transfiguration; music: Thomas Tallis (1505–85) Gospel Reading Matthew 18.15–20 We stand Deacon The Lord be with you All and also with you. Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. All Glory to you, O Lord. Jesus spoke to his disciples. ‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord. All Praise to you, O Christ. Sermon The preacher is the Very Reverend Matt Thompson We sit for the sermon, after which there will be a period of silence The Prayers of Intercession We sit or kneel Let us pray. One of these responses may be used Lord, in your mercy (or) Lord, hear us. All hear our prayer. Lord, graciously hear us. And at the end Merciful Father All accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Liturgy of the Sacrament The Peace We stand Christ is our peace. He has reconciled us to God in one body by the cross. We meet in his name and share his peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you All and also with you. We remain in our places If you prefer to sit whilst the altar is prepared, please do so, and then stand as you are able as the following prayer begins Prayer at the Preparation of the Table Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All All things come from you, and of your own do we give you. The Eucharistic Prayer The Lord be with you All and also with you. Lift up your hearts. All We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All It is right to give thanks and praise. Father, you made the world and love your creation. You gave your Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour. His dying and rising have set us free from sin and death. And so we gladly thank you, with saints and angels praising you, and saying: All Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. We praise and bless you, loving Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; and as we obey his command, send your Holy Spirit, that broken bread and wine outpoured may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son. On the night before he died he had supper with his friends and, taking bread, he praised you. He broke the bread, gave it to them and said: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. When supper was ended he took the cup of wine. Again he praised you, gave it to them and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did, in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross. Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation, we proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory. Deacon Great is the mystery of faith: All Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again. Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth. Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving arms and bring us with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Philip and all the saints to feast at your table in heaven.