Sunday 21st June
Whitewater BeneficeIntroduction
You may like to light a candle as a reminder that the love of God is like a light in our darkness. Welcome To WorshipWelcome to our worship as we are gathered in heart and spirit if not in physical proximity with one another. It is a reminder that the church is not the building but rather it is the people of God who are the church. Opening PrayerFaithful One, whose word is life: Throughout the month of June we are reflecting together on the Generosity of God towards us, in the readings, prayers and talk. We have a thematic prayer for the whole month: Generous June Thematic PrayerLoving Father, thank you for the signs of newness and change that we can observe in the story of Zacchaeus. Help us to be prepared to be open to the power if your Holy Spirit to bring about change in our attitudes and behaviour. May generosity, integrity and a spirit of righteousness be the hallmarks of our discipleship. HymnFor the beauty of the earth ConfessionLord God, our maker and our redeemer, Jesus, when we prefer not to be changed; Lord, when our attitudes are moulded by hardness of heart; AbsolutionMay Almighty God have mercy on us, CollectHeavenly Father, your love for us is beyond measure and you provide for our every need. Help us to offer you in worship a due proportion of our wealth, for all we are and have is rightly yours. We make our prayer in the precious name of Jesus, Lord and Saviour of creation The work of Community Money AdviceCommunity Money Advice provide training and support for organisations such as Junction 5 working out of Life Church in Hook offering free debt advice to local people. St John’s Church, Hook are giving financial support to Junction 5 as part of their outward giving in 2020.
Gospel Reading (Luke 18:35-19:10)35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ 38He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41‘What do you want me to do for you?’ 42Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.’ 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. 191Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ 9Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’ Talk - Bishop David - Generous June - ZacchaeusHymnFather I place into your hands Affirmation of FaithWe believe in God the Father, PrayersA Prayer for GivingHeavenly Father, give grace to us, the living stones who form your Church, to reflect prayerfully at this special time on our love for you and our neighbour. Make us mindful of the many gifts you bestow upon us. We ask that your Holy Spirit will inspire and direct us in our choice of giving, remembering that we are only giving back that which is truly yours. Strengthen us, Lord, to meet this challenge according to your will. Through Jesus Christ our Lord who has given all that we might live. Amen
Prayers of Intercession Lord, in your mercy,
Lord, in Zacchaeus we see how your call produced a new attitude to wealth and possessions; pour your love within us that we may experience a real closeness to you. Today we especially pray for those dealing with financial crisis and the work locally of Junction 5, including the management and administration team at Life Church; we pray for wisdom to make the right decisions, for the recruitment of a new adviser, for future funding, and for the team working well together to help those in need; and we pray for the work of Community Money Advice. Lord, in your mercy,
Lord, in Zacchaeus we see how Jesus produced a newness of life; work in the hearts of all in authority in our world that they may work for a more equal sharing of resources with those who are poor, hungry and destitute. Lord, in your mercy,
Lord, you teach us to bring your healing to the sick and suffering. We pray for those known to us, those in the Whitewater community, friends and family… Lord, in your mercy,
Lord, your Word teaches us to love your Church, the Body of Christ; make us generous in support of its mission and ministry. Lord, in your mercy,
Merciful Father The Lord's PrayerAs our Saviour taught us, so we pray, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, The PeaceWe are the body of Christ. The peace of the Lord be always with you. Amen.
Reflecting on Holy CommunionAt this time when we cannot gather to share Holy Communion with one another we take some time to reflect on what it means to each of us that Jesus gave his own life that we might live life in freedom.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 - 2623For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Eternal God, giver of love and power, Consider all that God has done for you, especially as you see this in Jesus. ‘Count your blessings’ and respond with appropriate generosity from your material wealth.
Giving to our Churches
See our giving page for more information about how you can give to our churches BlessingMay the Holy Spirit who gives gifts to all people, Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. HymnLove divine, all loves excelling
Copyright detailsThis service has been prepared from ‘Common Worship, Services and Prayers for the Church of England’ © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 and also 2012 (Eucharistic prayers with children present). Church House Publishing. |
Welcome to our online worship for Sunday 21st June - Trinity 2 - our theme is 'Generous June'. For more information on Generous June see 
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