SAINT MAXENTIUS WORSHIP AT HOME SUNDAY 21st NOVEMBER CHRIST THE KING

Here below we have an outline of our service for you to follow at home if you can’t be with us. Choose a quiet reflective space and to make it more meaningful have a cross, bible and candle to make your sacred space.

INTRODUCTION

Good morning everyone I hope you are well. Last week’s remembrance services went really well and the children from Year 3 did very well, the poppy wreaths were laid and we had a lot of people who came to take part, thank you to all and Rev Hannah for taking the service and co-ordinating the event.

Today we have a busy day and I am delighted to announce that 21 of our young people are being admitted to Holy Communion during the service this morning, we wish them well and pray that this will just be the beginning of their spiritual journey. This afternoon we have 7 of our older students being confirmed by Bishop Mark at St. Peter’s Belmont and I hope that many will join us there to give them support and encouragement.

Next week on the 28^th November we will be holding a service of remembrance for all our loved ones who have passed away, please let us know if you are coming and let us know the name of your loved one so that they may be included in the service.

Intercessions today are by Chris Sutcliffe and the reflection by Rev Hannah, thank you to them.

Jan B.

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

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 forever. Amen.

PRAYER OF PENITENCE

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. We have not loved our neighbour 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.

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 sins of the world: have mercy upon 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.

THE COLLECT

Eternal Father, whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven that he might rule over all things as Lord and King: keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

THE NEW TESTAMENT READING

REVELATION 1:4b-8

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

THE GOSPEL

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you O Lord

JOHN 18:33-37
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

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

REFLECTION

I know one of the things I always value in life is when in the midst of confusion, someone emerges as being ‘in charge’. Someone who is able to take the reins and say “don’t worry, follow me, I know what is going on and I will lead”. A classic example of this in my experience of working in schools would be an unexpected fire alarm. Is it a drill? Is it real? In the midst of the questions, we’re happy for someone to come along and clarify what the next step is. Be it a confident “it’s a drill, go about your day” or the more urgent “Not a drill, we need to evacuate, follow me” in either circumstance, there would be relief to know that someone has taken charge.

This Sunday we celebrate Christ the King. We acknowledge that in a world full of alarms and notifications and confusion over the next step or the direction of travel, Christ is King. It’s a bold assertion that Christ is in charge of this world, but it’s an assertion that the church is willing to make.

In the Gospel passage today we read of the encounter between Jesus and Pilate. In the context it was written, Pilate had a job to ensure that the rule of the Roman Emperor Tiberius was absolute, that nobody would challenge his authority. Roman citizens lived in the comfort of knowing that they were safe with someone in charge, but subjects such as the Jews in occupied lands lived in fear of reprisals if they challenged his authority. As Pilate probes Jesus to find out if Tiberius’s rule is under threat, he finds that Jesus doesn’t want to talk about worldly kingdoms and empires, but truth. Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, and his death is not the end of Jesus’ kingship, but the gateway and inauguration of it instead.

In amongst the chaos of our world today, we won’t find an emperor ruling in the same way as Tiberius did, what we find instead is an invitation and opportunity for us to place Christ as King in our lives. As the church makes this bold assertion annually, we can rest in the knowledge and security that there is someone in charge: Christ the King.

Rev Hannah

THE CREED

Do you believe and trust in God the Father? I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son, Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, his 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 and is seated at the right hand of the Father, he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit? 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.

INTERCESSIONS

Here we pray for the church, for the world, those in need and those who have died, you can follow your own prayers or these below on today’s theme.

Jesus Christ is the everlasting King whose kingdom is not of this world, but grows in the hearts of his people and lasts for ever. As children of the kingdom, Let us make our prayers to the eternal God who loves us. We pray for your kingdom to come in the worldwide communities of those who believe in Jesus Christ – Particularly in those areas where people are persecuted for their beliefs