Liturgy and Prayers - Sunday, 4 September 2022 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C (Proper 18) – Father’s Day

Liturgy in one document: Liturgy in One Document, Proper 18C

Opening sentence

Return now everyone from your evil way,
and make your ways and your doings good.  (Jer 18:11c NKJV alt)

OR
The Lord has set before you life and death, blessings and curses.
Choose life so that you may live.  (Deut 30:19 NRSV alt)

Prayer of the day - (Collect):

Traditional

O Lord, let your continual pity
cleanse and defend your church;
and because it cannot continue in safety without you,
preserve it forever by your help and goodness;
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, in your constant mercy
cleanse and defend your church.
Guide it forever by your goodness
because it cannot remain safe without you.
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 guidance. [silence])
Guide and rule your church forever, Lord,
so that we may walk warily in times of quiet
and boldly in times of trouble.
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 follow Jesus. [silence])
Jesus, our light and life,
make us ready
to turn away from everything else
that claims our allegiance,
and follow you as our only Saviour.
For you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Traditional

ADDITIONAL COLLECT FOR FATHER’S DAY

The following collect is not intended to replace the prayer of the day. However, it may be prayed immediately after the prayer of the day, at a special service for fathers, or at another appropriate time during the service.

Gracious Father,
every family in heaven and on earth
receives its true name from you.
We thank you for our fathers
and for the gift of fatherhood.
Help fathers not to be harsh with their children
and provoke them to anger,
but to bring them up in the training and instruction
of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Modernised Traditional

Alternative

New

Alleluia Verse

Alleluia, alleluia.
(Jesus said:) ‘Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me
cannot be my disciple.’
Alleluia.

Prayer after the Gospel

This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving up everything for us.
Help us to love you more than anything else,
and to follow you to the end.
Amen.

Offering Prayer

Help us, Lord,
to commit our lives to you,
and willingly to offer ourselves and our possessions
for your purposes.
Amen.

BLESSING AFTER THE OFFERING

A blessing of fathers may be considered, but be sensitive not to cause offence; for example, there may be men who desire to be fathers and can’t be, or men who have recently lost a child. The following procedure could be used, or blessings could be held in the church after the service for those who wish to remain behind.

After the offering has been presented, the pastor may ask all who are fathers to come forward (or, in larger congregations, to rise), and the following prayer and blessing may be said.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Let us pray for these fathers.

We give you thanks, heavenly Father,
that you bless all people and provide for them.
As you blessed Adam and made him the father of all people,
bless these fathers in their life and work.
Give them health and strength for their tasks,
protection from all danger,
and success in all that they undertake,
so that they may receive your good gifts
and use them for the benefit of their families.
Give them joy in their work and in their family life,
and let them rejoice with you
in what you have created and given for their enjoyment.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

May the God of our father Abraham
be your fountain of life to bless + you
and give you health and happiness,
so that you may be a blessing to your family
and to all who are in your care.
Amen.

May Jesus, the Father’s only Son, be your rock
to give you strength and health and peace,
so that you may be a rock for your family.
Amen.

May the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life,
protect you from all the powers of darkness
and give you joy in being a father to your children.
Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Prayer points

  • Alternative Prayer of the Church (incorporating Father’s Day and reflecting the (b) readings)

    ADDITIONAL PRAYERS FOR FATHER’S DAY

    Whether or not there is a blessing for fathers, fatherhood and fathers should be remembered in prayers and thanksgiving. One of the following petitions may be included in the prayer of the church.

    Every family in heaven and on earth
    receives its true name from you.
    We thank you for our fathers
    and for the gift of fatherhood.
    Help fathers not to be harsh with their children
    and provoke them to anger,
    but to bring them up in the training and instruction
    of your Son, Jesus Christ.

    OR

    God our Father, we pray for all fathers:
    for new fathers, coming to terms with both the joys and demands of fatherhood;
    for those who are uncertain or confused about their role as fathers;
    for those whose work keeps them from spending time with their children;
    for those who are afraid of the responsibilities of parenting;
    for those who are unable to provide for their children through unemployment or sickness;
    for those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities;
    for those who are violent or unloving towards their children;
    for those whose own fathers abused them or failed to love them;
    for those who are separated from their children by marriage breakdown, divorce or death;
    for those who care for the children of others;
    for those whose desire to be a father has not been fulfilled;
    and for those whose children have rejected their love.
    Bless all fathers, so that their love may be tender and strong,
    and that they may lead their children to know and do what is good,
    living not for themselves, but for God and for others.

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.’ Come, for
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.’
Come, for everything is ready.
OR
This cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks is a communion in
the blood of Christ. This bread that we break is a communion in the body
of Christ. Come, for everything is ready.

Prayer after Communion

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

Jesus, our light and life,
thank you for strengthening us in this sacrament.
Make us ready
to turn away from everything else
that claims our allegiance,
and follow you as our only Saviour.
For you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Dismissal

Go in peace. Love and obey the Lord.
Thanks be to God. 

OR  In the name of Christ. Amen.