Sunday 7th June 2020
Trinity Sunday
All Creatures Of Our God And King
The Collects for the day
Almighty and everlasting God,
you have given us your servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith,
to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity
and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity:
keep us steadfast in this faith,
that we may evermore be defended from all adversities;
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.
Holy God,
faithful and unchanging:
enlarge our minds with the knowledge of your truth,
and draw us more deeply into the mystery of your love,
that we may truly worship you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Almighty and everlasting God,
you have given us your servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith,
to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity
and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity:
keep us steadfast in this faith,
that we may evermore be defended from all adversities;
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.
Holy God,
faithful and unchanging:
enlarge our minds with the knowledge of your truth,
and draw us more deeply into the mystery of your love,
that we may truly worship you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Fight The Good Fight
Isaiah 40: 12-17, 27-end
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,
or as his counsellor has instructed him?
Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,
and who taught him the path of justice?
Who taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as dust on the scales;
see, he takes up the isles like fine dust.
Lebanon would not provide fuel enough,
nor are its animals enough for a burnt-offering.
All the nations are as nothing before him;
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God’?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,
or as his counsellor has instructed him?
Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,
and who taught him the path of justice?
Who taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as dust on the scales;
see, he takes up the isles like fine dust.
Lebanon would not provide fuel enough,
nor are its animals enough for a burnt-offering.
All the nations are as nothing before him;
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God’?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
Matthew 28, 16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Holy, holy, holy. (Franz Schubert)
From the Vicar:
The Gospel today from Matthew 28: 16-20
I wonder if during the lock down have you read more books than ever before or have you just watched Netflix? I have several favourite books that I have read many times in the past few years, one is 'I heard the owl call my name' (author Margaret Craven) - a story of a young priest serving Native American Indians. Another favourite is a book called 'The shadow of the Galilean' (author Gerd Theissen) - a story of a young traveller who is always a couple of day behind Christ and so encounters people who have met Christ and then sees Christ's impact on their lives. Another favourite is 'Animal farm' (author George Orwell) the story of how the animals on a farm rise up and overthrow the owners. I remember the classic line all animals are equal but some are more equal than others and yet the story clearly shows us that's not true.
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, it can be difficult to explain the relationship of the Trinity and so here I won't even try, but I will try and show us what we can learn from the Trinity. This week on Corrie one of the actresses was wearing very loud yellow earrings with a perfect triangle design in the middle of them. The triangle stood out so clear, perfect unity on all three side, no greater or lesser all equal. So for me the Trinity points us to joining them in all being equal none claiming greater importance than the other.
We as a church are called to resemble them to hold them as a target to aim for, none of us wanting anything for ourselves but always wanting what's right for the community, a desire to serve rather than be served. Can there ever be a greater reflection of the Trinity than when we work in harmony together?
Maybe you have a favourite book that you have read and want to recommend? Maybe when we get back together we can put together a list of books we found fun, encouraging and maybe even thought provoking.
Take care, keep safe and I pray as always we will be together soon,
As always, your friend and priest,
Padre Fran
The Gospel today from Matthew 28: 16-20
I wonder if during the lock down have you read more books than ever before or have you just watched Netflix? I have several favourite books that I have read many times in the past few years, one is 'I heard the owl call my name' (author Margaret Craven) - a story of a young priest serving Native American Indians. Another favourite is a book called 'The shadow of the Galilean' (author Gerd Theissen) - a story of a young traveller who is always a couple of day behind Christ and so encounters people who have met Christ and then sees Christ's impact on their lives. Another favourite is 'Animal farm' (author George Orwell) the story of how the animals on a farm rise up and overthrow the owners. I remember the classic line all animals are equal but some are more equal than others and yet the story clearly shows us that's not true.
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, it can be difficult to explain the relationship of the Trinity and so here I won't even try, but I will try and show us what we can learn from the Trinity. This week on Corrie one of the actresses was wearing very loud yellow earrings with a perfect triangle design in the middle of them. The triangle stood out so clear, perfect unity on all three side, no greater or lesser all equal. So for me the Trinity points us to joining them in all being equal none claiming greater importance than the other.
We as a church are called to resemble them to hold them as a target to aim for, none of us wanting anything for ourselves but always wanting what's right for the community, a desire to serve rather than be served. Can there ever be a greater reflection of the Trinity than when we work in harmony together?
Maybe you have a favourite book that you have read and want to recommend? Maybe when we get back together we can put together a list of books we found fun, encouraging and maybe even thought provoking.
Take care, keep safe and I pray as always we will be together soon,
As always, your friend and priest,
Padre Fran
Closing Prayer
Almighty and eternal God,
you have revealed yourself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
and live and reign in the perfect unity of love:
hold us firm in this faith,
that we may know you in all your ways
and evermore rejoice in your eternal glory,
who are three Persons yet one God,
now and for ever.
Almighty and eternal God,
you have revealed yourself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
and live and reign in the perfect unity of love:
hold us firm in this faith,
that we may know you in all your ways
and evermore rejoice in your eternal glory,
who are three Persons yet one God,
now and for ever.
