Croeso! Bore da! Welcome to you all this Remembrance Sunday morning. Please do make yourself known to me if you are popping in or if I can help in any way.
+Yn enw'r Tad, a'r Mab, a'r Ysbryd Glan. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
Our opening hymn today is: O God our help in ages past,
Opening Prayer
God, our refuge and strength,
bring near the day when wars shall cease
and poverty and pain shall end,
that earth may know the peace of heaven
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father, all hearts are open to you.
No secrets are hidden from you.
Purify us with the love of your Holy Spirit
That we may love and worship you faithfully,
through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen
Lord, have mercy Lord, have Mercy Arglwydd, trugarha. Arglwydd, trugarha.
Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy Crist, trugarha. Crist, trugarha
Lord have mercy Lord, have mercy. Arglwydd, trugarha. Arglwydd, trugarha.
Heavenly Father,
we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and have failed to do
what we ought to have done.
We are sorry and truly repent.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ
who died for us, forgive us all that is past,
and lead us in his way
to walk as children of light. AMEN
May God our Father,
who by the Lord Jesus Christ
has reconciled the world to himself
and forgives the sins of all who truly repent,
pardon and deliver us from all our sins,
and grant us the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
The Gloria
Glory to God in the highest
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
Collect:
Psalm 70 NRSV
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! 2 Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me. 3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” 5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!
The Gospel of Christ according to St John
Glory to you. O Lord.
Matthew 25 1-13 NRSV
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids[a] took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.[b]2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids[c] got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids[d] came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.[e]
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily - Rev Canon Edwin Counsell
I’ve had lots of interesting things left on my doorstep over the years, but few have been
nicer than the sight that greeted me just this week, when someone left a small pebble,
painted with a poppy and a rainbow. It seemed so appropriate as we come to
Remembrance Sunday, with our poppies reminding us of the dreadful conflicts of
generations, while a rainbow hints of light and hope for the future, as we continue to
struggle with the ongoing pandemic.
People have been decorating pebbles and placing them around the communities of our
parish for a while. I’ve seen them in all sorts of places and, occasionally, some turn up
around our churches and churchyards. It’s a joyous feeling to discover one of these delicate
objects and see the work that someone has put into decorating it, followed by the care that
someone else has taken to place it. The habit of doing this started a couple of years ago and
has spread to many communities across the world and it’s formally known as the “The
Kindness Rock Project”. Some people collect the pebbles, but I feel strongly that anybody
who finds one should enjoy it for a moment, but then place it somewhere for another
person to discover. After all, if we experience a joyous moment of discovery, why shouldn’t
we share that with others?
In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus telling a parable of God’s Kingdom. He likens the
Kingdom to a wedding feast, where the people who finally come together for the
celebration are the ones who had done the preparation and the planning, and were ready
for all eventualities. Weddings always involve a lot of waiting; waiting for the bride to
arrive… waiting for the photographer to get all the best shots for the album… waiting for the meal… waiting for the speeches… and then waiting for them to finish! Yet the waiting is
worth it, just to catch a moment during the wedding when we catch a glimpse of two people
in love, who want to share their celebration with us.
We live in a world and in a generation where we have very little patience and we want
everything done in an instant. Even with the enforced change of pace that the lockdown of
the last 8 months has brought, we’re still restless. How many times have we heard people
complain that their internet speed is slow, or they’ve had to queue to get into a shop? The
journey towards God’s Kingdom can never be rushed because it’s a journey of discovery
that spans our lives, in this world and beyond. It will always involve some difficulty because
the search for God will always feel uncertain; yet every so often we come across a glimpse
of God’s presence, whether that’s in a moment of stillness, in another person’s words or
actions, or simply in the enormity or beauty of creation all around us.
Remembrance Sunday is a profound reminder of the carnage of the killing fields of northern
Europe in the First World War. Yet the silence that followed the deafening scream of
conflict, was illuminated by the red poppies that brought a defiant beauty that
overshadowed the ugliness of the battlefield.
Discovering a small stone, painted with a poppy and a rainbow, that someone unknown
placed on my doorstep, made me pause for a moment and recognise the importance of
beauty in the current uncertainty of our lives. When Jesus told his disciples of the Kingdom
of God, he spoke of patience and preparation that that might lead to a glimpse of God’s
presence. The Kingdom is promised to us generously by God, and that can be understood
so much better when we become generous ourselves, in words and actions that speak of
God’s closeness.
I’ve been fortunate to enjoy my painted pebble over the last few days and, on this
Remembrance Sunday, I need to decide where to place it for the next stage of its journey. I
wonder, who will be the next person to enjoy it?
Intercessions and Lord's Prayer
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.
Lord God, we thank you that we can gather online this morning through the blog and online services in our Parish (ministry area.). Able to hear your Word and to praise you. We thank you for the fellowship we enjoy together and the encouragement we are able to offer one another.
We pray for those who make the technology work for us, for those involved with our website, Facebook, Zoom, email and phone to help keep us all connected with one another. We pray that we will continue to grow as Your church and to reach out to those who do not yet know you in their lives. May we be a living example of Jesus to all whom we meet.
Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our prayer
Merciful God, on this Remembrance Sunday, we remember those who have lost their lives as a result of war; young soldiers sent to far-away places, never to return, and civilians, young and old, caught in the crossfire of conflict. For those disfigured by war or terror, for those psychologically wounded by the horrors of war.
We pray for the dedicated service of our armed forces in all the generations, remembering especially those who still remain with us from the Second World War. We thank you for their testimony which reminds us of the tragedy of conflict. As we honour the sacrifices made, never forgetting the consequences of war, may we put our hope in the future.
Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer
God of Peace, we pray for those living under oppressive regimes, for the millions displaced from their homes, the communities struggling on with their daily lives under the shadow of war, fearing for their lives, and the lives of their children. We continue to pray for those in refugee camps, who seek safety in another country. Give wisdom to the leaders, in Europe especially, that agreement can be reached on how to cope with so many, in a way that is fair and achievable, and that does not lead refugees and migrants into danger and exploitation.
Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our prayer
Loving God, you rule over all of creation and your love has no limits. Remind us that you pour your blessing not upon armies but upon the poor and the meek, and the peacemakers. We remember those who campaign for peace, who boldly proclaim that there is a better way, and seek and encourage reconciliation and non-violent solutions to conflict. Bring healing to nations where there is unrest. We especially pray for those affected by terrorist attacks in France, Austria and other places. Inspire in us hope for a world where all can live in dignity and safety.
Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer
Faithful God, in these uncertain times of this pandemic and coming to the close of the firebreak, we have the assurance that our circumstances will never be bigger than our God. Guide our thoughts and our actions, to be the light in these dark times, as we look to the future with hope. We pray for those struggling with despair or depression, for whom this day will seem long and hard, for those struggling with loss of work, mounting debt or anxiety. We pray too for those suffering from this virus, for those undergoing investigations and treatment, and those who wait patiently for an operation. We give thanks for the amazing love and care shown by nurses, doctors and other carers. We ask that you will comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles.
Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our prayer
Heavenly Father, we commit to you all who have died, whatever the cause. We especially pray for those from our parish (Ministry Area) who have recently died. Be with all who are suffering the loss of a loved one. May those who have gone before us, rest in peace and rise in glory.
Everlasting God we pray for ourselves; as we start the week ahead. We ask that in all we do, we may we walk more closely with you at our side, safe in the knowledge that your fatherly love and care knows no bounds.
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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.
Our final hymn this morning is:
Concluding prayer
God of peace,
whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom
and restored the broken to wholeness of life:
look with compassion on the anguish of the world,
and by your healing power
make whole both people and nations;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and ever more. AMEN
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Ewch mewn tangnefedd i garu a gwasanaethu'r Arglwydd.
If you would like to donate £5 to the overall work of the 12 churches in the parish, please carefully text: GIVE5 to 70970. Thank you, diolch yn fawr.
Comments