The 1st Sunday of Lent 21st February 2021

Welcome! Please read down to the bottom

for Parish news & Announcements. Especially the bits about our Parish Register & Easter Vestry.

Happy are those whose transgression is forgivenWhose sin is covered Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquityAnd in whose spirit there is no deceit

Beloved in Christ, we come together to offer to Almighty God our worship and praise and thanksgiving, to confess our sins and to receive God's forgiveness, to hear his holy word proclaimed, to bring before him our needs and the needs of the world, and to pray that in the power of his Spirit we may serve him and know the greatness of his love.

Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.

Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. cf Psalm 51

The priest pronounces the absolution.Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life;through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Proclaiming and Receiving the Word - We stand together

O Lord, open our lipsand our mouth will proclaim your praise. God, make speed to save us.O Lord, make haste to help us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen. Praise the Lord.The Lord’s name be praised.

Psalm 25  To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;      O my God, in you I trust; ♦   let me not be put to shame;      let not my enemies triumph over me.  Let none who look to you be put to shame, ♦   but let the treacherous be shamed and frustrated.  Make me to know your ways, O Lord, ♦   and teach me your paths.  Lead me in your truth and teach me, ♦   for you are the God of my salvation;      for you have I hoped all the day long.  Remember, Lord, your compassion and love, ♦   for they are from everlasting.  Remember not the sins of my youth      or my transgressions, ♦   but think on me in your goodness, O Lord,      according to your steadfast love.  Gracious and upright is the Lord; ♦

   therefore shall he teach sinners in the way.  He will guide the humble in doing right ♦   and teach his way to the lowly.  All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth ♦   to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

The First lesson : 1 Peter 3: 18-22

For Christ also suffered* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for* a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

This is the Word of the LordThanks be to God

The Canticle :A Song of Humility - Hosea 6.1–6

1 Come, let us return to the Lord  who has torn us and will heal us.

2    God has stricken us  and will bind up our wounds.

3    After two days, he will revive us,  and on the third day will raise us up,    that we may live in his presence.

4    Let us strive to know the Lord;  his appearing is as sure as the sunrise.

5    He will come to us like the showers,  like the spring rains that water the earth.

6    ‘O Ephraim, how shall I deal with you?  How shall I deal with you, O Judah?

7    ‘Your love for me is like the morning mist,  like the dew that goes early away.

8    ‘Therefore, I have hewn them by the prophets,  and my judgement goes forth as the light.

9    ‘For loyalty is my desire and not sacrifice,  and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.’

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

The Second Lesson: Mark 1: 9-15

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice.Harden not your hearts. cf Psalm 95.3, 8Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved;* with you I am well pleased.’

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news* of God,* and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;* repent, and believe in the good news.’*

This is the Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon - Bishop Alan Abernethy

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord be with youand also with you.

Let us pray - we kneel together

Lord, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.

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.Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Show us your mercy, O Lord,and grant us your salvation. O Lord, save the Queenand grant her government wisdom. Let your ministers be clothed with righteousnessand let your servants shout for joy. O Lord, save your peopleand bless those whom you have chosen. Give peace in our time, O Lord,and let your glory be over all the earth. O God, make clean our hearts within usand renew us by your Holy Spirit.

The Collect for the 1st Sunday of Lent

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: Give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for use Daily in Lent

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everliving God,we give you thanks for bringing us safely to this day:Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger,and in all things guide us to know and do your will;through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Go before us, Lord, in all our doings, with your most gracious favour,and further us with your continual help;that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you,we may glorify your holy name,and finally by your mercy attain everlasting life;through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

We use this response

Lord in your mercyHear our prayer

We conclude our prayers…Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Christ give you grace to grow in holiness, to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him;And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen.

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

Parish Notices

For folks at home. Google St Gall’s Church to find our parish website. Put ‘St Gall’s Church' into YouTube and ‘Like’ and ‘Subscribe’ to the St Gall’s channel.

Our Church Office had reopened with our three volunteers. Through this next stage of lockdown they will be working from home. Nanette, Mary and Helen have been reaching out and getting in touch. Our office ministry in the coming weeks will be all about reaching out and getting in touch by phone. Would you like a chat? Or know someone who would? You can contact Nanette on 91459756. Would you like someone to be prayed for? Is there someone in your family who is ill or in need of prayer? Get in touch with the team and they will pray for them.

We are supporting Storehouse North Down. You can make an online donation to help their work with local families in need at www.storehousenorthdown.com/donate

Wander and wonder with #Connect4Creation The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal for World Aid and Development is encouraging parishes across the island to take part in its #Connect4Creation project for Lent 2021.  This initiative helps members of the Church to connect with God, who is in our midst, and with their surroundings and the natural world.

#Connect4Creation provides activities for taking time to learn about the wonder of bees, doing simple actions to support them, and getting involved in supporting communities and bees across the world.

Christian Aid, a Bishops’ Appeal partner agency, is working in communities in Zimbabwe where bee–hives form a crucial part of complex, flourishing ecosystem that contains bees, crops, woodlands and people – each needing to play their part for the flourishing of the whole.  The resource has also been put together with help from Eco–Congregation Ireland and Muddy Church.

Locally, parishioners can plant flowers to increase the number of habitats for pollinators, make bee hotels, and explore their local areas, using specially designed Muddy Bee Trail prompt cards full of interesting facts and Bible verses to help you wander and wonder this Lent.

Actions that can help to focus on global issues include fundraising (it costs around €67/£60 to fund the building of a bee–hive in Zimbabwe), prayer, and creating crafts, a bee trail, or honeycomb crunchie bars, which can help as a fundraiser too.  Donations can be saved up and sent in after the end of Lent – see www.bishopsappeal.ireland.anglican.org/give for options for bank details and how to increase the value of what you give through Gift Aid or charitable tax relief.

Have a great time exploring God’s creation over these next few weeks as spring starts and the days get longer.  And feel free to share how you’re getting on with the hashtag #Connect4Creation.

Click here for the #Connect4Creation Lenten Focus resource here

Click here for the #Connect4Creation Muddy Bee Trail and QR codes

Bishops’ AppealBishops’ Appeal is the Church of Ireland’s World Aid and Development Programme. It was set up by the Bishops of the Church in response to the commands in the Bible to bring good news to the poor and relief to the suffering.

Introducing a Lent series from Bishop David McClay

This Lent, please join Bishop David for a series of 40 daily reflections in Nehemiah. We’ll be sharing a short film every day from Ash Wednesday 17

February, to Palm Sunday 28 March. In this introduction, Bishop David explains why he has named the series, “Hand me a trowel”. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYtv8A9ntXo&feature=youtu.be

A LITURGY FOR SELF EXAMINATION AND PENITENCE IN THE TIME OF LENT

Let us now call to mind our sin and the infinite mercy of God.

God the Father,

All   have mercy on us.

God the Son,

All   have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,

All   have mercy on us.

Trinity of love,

All   have mercy on us.

All   Most merciful God,

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

we confess that we have sinned

in thought, word and deed.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.

We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.

We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

All   Lord, have mercy.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.

We have not been true to the mind of Christ.

We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

All   Lord, have mercy.

We confess to you, Lord …

all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy and impatience of our lives.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Our anger at our own frustration

and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts

and our dishonesty in daily life and work.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Our negligence in prayer and worship

and our failure to commend the faith that is in us.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Accept our repentance, Lord …

for the wrongs we have done,

for our blindness to human need and suffering,

and our indifference to injustice and cruelty.

All   Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgements,

for uncharitable thoughts towards our neighbours

and for our prejudice and contempt towards those who differ from us.

All   Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation

and our lack of concern for those who come after us.

All   Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us.

All   Favourably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

All   that we may show your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,

All   bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Silence is kept.

All   We have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.

In your mercy forgive what we have been,

help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;

that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen.

Give us true repentance; forgive us our sins of negligence and ignorance

and our deliberate sins; and grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit

to amend our lives according to your holy word.

Holy God,

holy and strong,

holy and immortal,

have mercy upon us.

Silence is kept.

Make our hearts clean, O God;

and renew a right spirit within us.

Silence

Father eternal, giver of light and grace,

we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,

in what we have thought,

in what we have said and done,

through ignorance, through weakness,

through our own deliberate fault.

We have wounded your love,

and marred your image in us.

We are sorry and ashamed,

and repent of all our sins.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

who died for us,

forgive us all that is past;

and lead us out from darkness

to walk as children of light. Amen.

God our Father, the strength of all who put their trust in you,

mercifully accept our prayers; and because, in our weakness,

we can do nothing good without you, grant us the help of your grace,

that in keeping your commandments we may please you, both in will and deed;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

Glory to you, O Lord.

Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. Luke 15.4-7

This is the Gospel of the Lord. 

Praise to you, O Christ.

May Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, heal you by his wounds.

Amen.