1st Sunday after Trinity

Welcome to our written service for the First Sunday after Trinity. Each Sunday you can join us from home for Prayers, Readings and music for that day.

We open today with a quote from the Bible as we hope and pray for peace around the world, for a world where everyone can live a safe and valued life.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid. John 14.27

Opening Hymn 410

My God, how wonderful thou art

The Collect

O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in you, mercifully accept our prayers and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in the keeping of your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Intercessions

Gracious Heavenly Father, in our readings for today we are reminded of the faith of Abraham, who left home on your instructions and risked all on a promise and hope reaching far beyond his location and lifetime. Grant us a small measure of that unshakeable hope that, trusting you, we may persist in our own personal faith journeys along our pilgrimage through life.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

We bring before you an earnest plea for help and spiritual support for the victims of the recent dam disaster in East Ukraine. With this petition, Lord, we also pray for the victims of all violent conflicts across our troubled world. We plead for world peace; a peace that enables and empowers an unwavering focus on the many other widespread humanitarian issues impacting all humankind.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for our Heads of State, Willem Alexander and Charles, and their governments. In this age of celebrity culture and media frenzy, grant that they may be given wisdom and direction towards sound government and meaningful priorities for the benefit of all their peoples.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Lord, help us to be mindful of the evidence for accelerating climate change. As we wonder at the beauty of our world on a warm, early summer day, grant that we may not lose sight of the responsibility of stewardship of our planet, however insignificant our personal contribution may seem to be.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Our diocese is made up of members from many nations, brought together by shared faith and life values. Bless, we pray the work of our leaders, Bishops Robert, and David, and their ordained and lay staff. We remember especially the Liturgy Officer and the Spirituality Advisor, with the team of Spiritual Directors. Help us, aided by their leadership and coordination, to be living examples of diversity, inclusivity, and equality. Thus, may we be guided to grow in the pilgrimage of faith, and in service to our surrounding communities.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

In our daily diocesan prayer cycle. today, we pray for the the members and witness of the Serbian Orthodox Church and for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Patriarch of Serbia. We also ask for your blessing on the autonomous (autocephalous) Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe and the Baltics.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Lord, we thank you for our Chaplain, Bruce, in his work and ministry. Help us to support him as he seeks to grow our chaplaincy in its outreach and service to the surrounding communities and beyond.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, in your earthly life you are recorded as continually responding to the needs for health recovery and healing encountered along the paths you travelled. In your mercy, have compassion upon our sick and infirm. Give us a strong sense of your presence with us. Grant healing and comfort to those on our chaplaincy prayer list, (especially…………), attending to their specific personal needs. Where we are unaware or may forget, we humbly ask you to remember.
And for any (….) that have departed from this mortal life, grant eternal rest, bringing comfort to the grieving families and friends they leave behind.
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Finally, for reflection:
Creator God, each of us displays different skills and characteristics in various functions of our daily lives, be it in work, family, or other capacity. Yet we remain as the same unique persons. In this vein, help us to reflect on the scripturally ascribed aspects of your nature as one God when we consider the doctrine of the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Grant that we may use such understanding in the daily development of our faith and prayer life.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers which we offer in the name of your Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Hymn 372

He who would valiant be

A Prayer for Healing

Take this body, Lord
with all its imperfections
and use it in your service.
May the aches and pains I feel
be the start of conversations
about a God who makes us whole.
May the struggles that I face
enable me to share with others
about a God who gives to all.
May the little I can offer
say more about your sacrifice
and less about my role.
Take this body, Lord
with all its imperfections
and use it in your service.

Amen.

.

Closing Prayers

Eternal God,
whose Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life:
grant us to walk in his way,
to rejoice in his truth,
and to share his risen life;
who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
Merciful Father,
you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd,
and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again:
keep us always under his protection,
and give us grace to follow in his steps;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.