Liturgy and Prayers - Sunday, 25 October 2020 – Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost, Year A (Proper 25).

Liturgy in one document: Pentecost 21A Liturgy in One Document

Opening sentence

The Lord says to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool’.  (Ps 110:1 NRSV)

 OR

God says to us:
‘I am the Lord your God’.  (Lev 19:16)

INVITATION TO CONFESSION

The congregation may be invited to confess their sins as follows.

Friends in Christ:
When the Lord said to his people,
‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’,
he gave us both a command and a promise.
We have not obeyed his command to live as holy people,
so let us come before our Father in heaven
to confess our sin
and to ask him to forgive us and keep us holy,
for the sake of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

OR

Friends in Christ:
Jesus said: ‘You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
And you shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
We have not fulfilled this commandment,
so let us come before our Father in heaven
to confess our sin
and to ask him to forgive us
for the sake of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer of the day - (Collect):

Traditional

O God, our refuge and strength,
the author of all godliness:
Be ready to hear
the devout prayers of your church;
and grant that what we ask in faith
we may fully obtain;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Modernised Traditional

Lord God, our refuge and strength,
and the source of all true devotion,
listen to the devout prayers of your church.
Let us fully obtain
what we pray for in faith.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alternative

(Let us pray for healing. [silence])
Almighty and merciful God,
your Son showed your love
by healing the sick and making them whole.
Look with compassion on our broken world,
and make us whole by his healing power,
so that we also may show your love to others.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

New

(Let us pray that we love God and our neighbour. [silence])
Thank you, everliving God,
for giving us your only Son.
Move us to love you with all our heart,
soul, mind, and strength,
and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alleluia Verse

Alleluia, alleluia.
(Jesus said: ) ‘Those who love me will keep my word,
and my Father will love them,
and we will come to them and make our home with them.’
Alleluia.

Prayer after the Gospel

This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Thank you, Jesus, for coming as Lord
and showing us God’s love.
Teach us to love God and our neighbour.
Amen.

Offering Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for sending your Son Jesus to us
and for all that he has brought us.
As you have loved us so much,
help us to love you more than anything else,
and our neighbour as ourselves,
and to live lives of service.
Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Prayer points

  • You may wish to add the following prayer point into the Prayer of the Church for this Sunday:

    Heavenly Father, bring healing and comfort for people around the world suffering from Coronavirus COVID-19. Speed their recovery and slow the spread of the virus. We thank you for the efforts of all those involved in treating, testing and caring for patients, and ask your protection over them as they go about their work. Give wisdom to governments around the world as they manage this outbreak. We ask for your peace when we are tempted to panic or become anxious about this disease. Help us to place our trust in you, knowing that our life is safely hidden in you and that you are the Lord of all creation. Enable us to show your love to others, sharing the hope we have in you, praying and caring for the sick and needy as best we can in the name of Christ. Amen.

    Prayers for Victoria

    On behalf of the people of Victoria and other areas facing outbreaks:

    • Jesus, be with the people of Victoria as they struggle with strict lock-down measures. We pray that these measures will help bring an end to the suffering of many. Bring comfort and relief to all those who are struggling with sudden changes to their lives, and protect all essential service workers.
    • Lord, we pray for the families of all those who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Envelope them in your love, and draw them close to you in their pain and loss.
    • Father God, protect all your children in [insert name/s of areas affected]. Help officials to locate and contain the outbreak, and restore health to those afflicted with coronavirus.

    For those in Victoria, and other areas facing outbreaks:

    • Heavenly Father, we flee to you in this time of crisis, seeking your protection and comfort. Grant us peace and calm in the midst of this storm, Lord, and help us to place our trust in you.
    • Lord God, thank you for health care workers and all those who place themselves in harm’s way to provide for our daily needs. Protect them as they go about their duties and give them rest and relief from the strain they carry.

  • The Lutheran World Federation has released the following prayer documents:

    Intercessory Prayer in the midst of the spread of COVID-19

     

Additional Prayer Points

LCA International Mission

Services with Holy Communion:

Preface

It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, holy Father,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(On this day)*
he overcame death by his resurrection
and opened up for us
the way to eternal life with you.
And so, with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of heaven,
we adore and praise your glorious name:

 * The words ‘on this day’ are used only on Sundays.

Communion Invitation

Jesus says: ‘I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

OR

Jesus says: ‘My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I in them.’
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

Prayer after Communion

See the service order for a standard post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows:

Almighty and merciful God,
you have given us the healing body of Christ
in the breaking of the bread.
Look with compassion on our broken world,
and make us whole by his healing power,
so that we also may show your love to others.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Dismissal

Go in peace. Love the Lord your God above all things, and love your neighbour as yourself.
Thanks be to God. 

OR  In the name of Christ. Amen.

 

Liturgical Resources