21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, 24th august 2025

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Opening Hymn 233 [3:11]

Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

.

℣ In the name of the Father, and of the Son,✠and of the Holy Spirit.

℟  Amen.

℣ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and communion of the Holy Spirit be  with you all.

℟  And with your spirit.

The Celebrant introduces the celebration.

℣  Lord have mercy.

℟  Lord have mercy.

℣  Christ have mercy.

℟  Christ have mercy.

℣   Lord have mercy.

℟  Lord have mercy.

℣ May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our  sins and bring us to everlasting life.

℟ Amen.

The Gloria

Glory! Glory! Glory to God! Glory! Glory! Glory to God!

Glory! Glory! Glory to God! Glory! Glory! Glory to God!

Glory to God in the heights of the heavens.

Peace to God’s people, all people on earth. R.

Son of the Father, all glory and worship;

praise and thanksgiving to you, Lamb of God. R.

You take away the sin of the world;

have mercy on us, receive our prayer. R.

Seated in pow’r at the right of the Father,

Jesus alone is the Lord, the Most High. R.

And with the Spirit of love everlasting,

reigning in glory for ever. Amen. R.

The Collect

O God, who cause the minds of the faithful

to unite in a single purpose,

grant your people to love what you command

and to desire what you promise,

that, amid the uncertainties of this world,

our hearts may be fixed on that place

where true gladness is found.

Through our lord Jesus Christ, your son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

℟  Amen

First Reading (Reference: Isaiah 66:18-21)

Theme: ‘They shall bring all your brothers from all the nations.’

A reading from the Prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord: ‘For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem,’ says the Lord, ‘just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites,’ says the Lord.

℣ The Word of the Lord. 

℟ Thanks be to God.   

R.  Go into all the world, proclaim the Good News.

O praise the Lord, all you nations;

acclaim him, all you peoples! R 

For his mercy has prevailed over us;

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. R

Second Reading  (Hebrews 12:5-7.11-13)

Theme: The Lord disciplines the one he loves.

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

Brothers and Sisters: Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

℣ The Word of the Lord. 

℟ Thanks be to God. 

Please stand for the Gospel Acclamation

Gospel Acclamation:

Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

Alleluia.

Gospel (Reference: Luke 13:22-30)

Theme: ‘People will come from east and west, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.’

℣   The Lord be with you

℟  And with your spirit.

℣   A reading ✠ from the holy Gospel according to Luke

℟ Glory to you, O Lord.

At that time: Jesus went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then he will answer you, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” But he will say, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’

℣ The Gospel of the Lord.

℟ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Please sit for the Address and then stand for the Creed 

and Prayer of the Faithful

The Creed

I believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,

born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, 

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

he suffered death and was buried,

and rose again on the third day

in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead

and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead

and the life of the world to come. Amen.  

The Prayer of the Faithful

V:  Hear us, O Lord

R and send us your Holy Spirit

Those in Need:

Fr Keith,  Pete Boyes, Diane Burrell, Valerie Clarke, Elle Deveson, Denise Edmunds, Emily Glass, Sue Korth, Pete Mac, Jen and Jez McAteer, Jo Rees-Davies, Karin Osta, Terry Roberts, Chris Swetman, Julie Swetman, Dorothy Valder, Alex, Christine, John, Rachel, Rita, Timothy

The Recent Departed:

Brenda Anscombe

Year’s Mind:

(24) Marie Sensier

(25) Philip Stiff

(26) Maud King, Kenneth Powell

(27) Angela Rowe, Tsitsi Ruwona

(28) Edward Rowe

(29) Maria Warter, Ethel Hume, Eliza Bradshaw, Terence Morley (Pr)

(30) Edith Stephens, Montague Underhill, Helen Panton, Justin Bewbury (Pr)

(31) Eric Bates (Pr), David Diamond (Pr), Diana, Princess of Wales

Offertory Hymn 778 [7:13]

We have a gospel to proclaim,
Good news for all throughout the earth;
The gospel of a Saviour’s name:
We sing his glory, tell his worth.

Tell of his birth at Bethlehem,
Not in a royal house or hall
But in a stable dark and dim:
The Word made flesh, a light for all.

Tell of his death at Calvary,
Hated by those he came to save;
In lonely suffering on the cross
For all he loved, his life he gave.

Tell of that glorious Easter morn:
Empty the tomb, for he was free;
He broke the power of death and hell
That we might share his victory.

Tell of his reign at God’s right hand
By all creation glorified;
He sends his Spirit on his church
To live for him, the Lamb who died.

Now we rejoice to name him King:
Jesus is Lord of all the earth;
This gospel-message we proclaim:
We sing his glory, tell his worth.

℣ Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

℟ May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

The Prayer over the Gifts

℟ Amen

℣ The Lord be with you

℟. And with your spirit.

℣ Lift up your hearts

℟ We lift them up to the Lord

℣ Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

℟ It is right and just.

The Proper Preface

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might;

Heaven and earth are full of your glory,

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

Blessèd, Blessèd, Blessèd is he, Who comes in the name of the Lord:

Glory and peace in the highest heavens,

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

The Eucharistic Prayer

V:  The mystery of faith.

Jesus, Mary’s son, word made flesh,

Dying you destroyed our death.

Rising again you restored our life.

Jesus heavn’ly King come again in glory 

The Eucharistic Prayer

Glory, honour might and pow’r

Are yours Almighty Father;

Heaven and earth unite in one voice to sing, sing, sing your praise. 

Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

℣ Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,

graciously grant peace in our days,

that, by the help of your mercy,

we may be always free from sin

and safe from all distress,

as we await the blessed hope

and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

℟ For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.

℣ Lord Jesus Christ,

who said to your Apostles:

Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,

look not on our sins,

but on the faith of your Church,

and graciously grant her peace and unity

in accordance with your will.

Who live and reign for ever and ever.. 

℟ Amen.

℣ The peace of the Lord be with you always.

℟ And with your spirit. 

℣ Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

The Agnus Dei

The Agnus Dei

Jesus, Lamb of God, bearer of our sin; Jesus, Saviour:

Hear our prayer, hear our prayer; through this bread and wine we share may we be your sign of peace everywhere.

Jesus, Lamb of God, bearer of our pain; Jesus healer: R.

Jesus , Lamb of God, broken as our bread, here among us: R.

℣✠ Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are  those called to the supper of the Lamb.

℟ Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Please be guided to Communion by the Stewards 

Communion  Antiphon : Let us Love in Deed and Truth 

The Post Communion Prayer

Post Communion HymnNEH 449 [6:12

Soldiers of Christ, arise,
and put your armour on,
strong in the strength which God supplies
thro' his eternal Son.

Strong in the Lord of hosts,
and in his mighty pow'r,
who in the strength of Jesus trusts
is more than conqueror.

Stand then in his great might,
with all his strength endued;
but take, to arm you for the fight,
the panoply of God.

Leave no unguarded place,
no weakness of the soul;
take ev'ry virtue, ev'ry grace,
and fortify the whole.

To keep your armour bright,
attend with constant care;
still walking in your Captain's sight,
and watching unto prayer.

From strength to strength go on;
wrestle and fight and pray;
tread all the pow'rs of darkness down,
and win the well-fought day.

℣ The Lord be with you

℟ And with your spirit.

℣   And may the blessing of God Almighty, the  Father ✠ and of the Son and of the Holy   Spirit, come down upon you and remain with you for ever.  

℟ Amen

℣ Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord  

℟ Thanks be to God.

The Angelus

℣   The Angel of the Lord brought the tidings to Mary

℟  And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessèd art thou among women, 

and blessèd is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

℣  Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

℟  Be it unto me according to thy Word.

Hail Mary….

℣.  And the word was made flesh.

℟  And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary….

℣ Pray for us, Holy Mother of God.

℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of  Christ.

Collect.