God’s love has been poured into our hearts,
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5.5
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
A poem: A Song of Triumph (Venite)
O come, let us sing out to the Lord:
let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his face with thanksgiving:
and cry out to him joyfully in psalms.
For the Lord is a great God:
and a great king above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth:
and the peaks of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his and he made it:
his hands moulded dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down:
and kneel before the Lord our maker.
For he is the Lord our God:
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Today if only you would hear his voice:
‘Do not harden your hearts as Israel did in the wilderness;
‘When your forebears tested me:
put me to proof though they had seen my works.
‘Forty years long I loathed that generation and said:
“It is a people who err in their hearts,
for they have not known my ways’;
‘Of whom I swore in my wrath:
“They shall never enter my rest.”‘
The opening prayer
By night and by day we worship the Lord; let us pray with one heart and mind.
We remember God’s presence and pause in silence.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.
The readings
Psalm 16
Preserve me, O God, for in you have I taken refuge;
I have said to the Lord, ‘You are my lord, all my good depends on you.’
All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,
upon those who are noble in heart.
Though the idols are legion that many run after,
their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
neither make mention of their names upon my lips.
The Lord himself is my portion and my cup;
in your hands alone is my fortune.
My share has fallen in a fair land;
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel,
and in the night watches he instructs my heart.
I have set the Lord always before me;
he is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
Wherefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices;
my flesh also shall rest secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Death,
nor suffer your faithful one to see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life; in your presence is the fullness of joy
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
1 Timothy 1.1-2, 12-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope,
To Timothy, my loyal child in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Luke 6.39-42
He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
This week’s prayer:
O God,
you know us to be set in the midst
of so many and so great dangers
that by reason of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
grant to us such strength and protection
as may support us in all dangers
and carry us through all temptations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We thank God for what we have and pray for what we need.
Today we pray for ourselves, that God would give us compassionate hearts for those who suffer poverty. In our local church, we ask God to grow in love and honour for older people, valuing their contribution to the life of our church. In our world, we pray for the leader of the government in our nation and all who serve to make laws for our country. We remember before God those who have asked for our prayers, or who are in need of them.
A prayer for the day
O King enthroned on high,
Comforter and Spirit of truth,
you that are in all places and fill all things,
the treasury of blessings and the giver of life,
come and dwell with us,
cleanse us from every stain and save our souls, O gracious one.
Amen
The Lord be with us
now and forever.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Philippians 4.7