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St. Christopher’s Church, Hinchley WoodSunday 3rd April 2022 - Lent 5Welcome to St Christopher’s Church this morning, as we join in worshipboth in church and online from our homes. Today is the the fifth Sundayin Lent, the beginning of Passiontide, when we start to follow Jesus onhis journey to the cross.Please join in with the words in bold print.GATHERINGLord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray.Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth,through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.HYMN(552)O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;bow down before him, his glory proclaim;with gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,kneel and adore him: the Lord is his name.Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness:high on his heart he will bear it for thee,comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.Fear not to enter his courts in the slendernessof the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine:truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,these are the offerings to lay on his shrine.These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,he will accept for the name that is dear;mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

CONFESSIONGod shows his love for usin that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Let us then show our love for himby confessing our sins in penitence and faith.cf Romans 5.8Lord Jesus Christ,we confess we have failed you as did your first disciples.We ask for your mercy and your help.When we take our easerather than watch with you:Lord, forgive us.Christ have mercy.When we bestow a kiss of peaceyet nurse enmity in our hearts:Lord, forgive us.Christ have mercy.When we strike at those who hurt usrather than stretch out our hands to bless:Lord, forgive us.Christ have mercy.When we deny that we know youfor fear of the world and its scorn:Lord, forgive us.Christ have mercy.ABSOLUTIONMay the God of lovebring you back to himself,forgive you your sins,and assure you of his eternal lovein Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.2

COLLECTGracious Father,you gave up your Sonout of love for the world:lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion,that we may know eternal peacethrough the shedding of our Saviour’s blood,Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.OLD TESTAMENT READING(Isaiah 43: 16-21)A reading from the book of IsaiahLong ago the Lord made a road through the sea, a path through theswirling waters. He led a mighty army to destruction, an army of chariotsand horses. Down they fell, never to rise, snuffed out like the flame of alamp!But the Lord says, "Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on whathappened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It ishappening already - you can see it now! I will make a road through thewilderness and give you streams of water there. Even the wild animalswill honour me; jackals and ostriches will praise me when I make riversflow in the desert to give water to my chosen people. They are thepeople I made for myself, and they will sing my praises!"This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to GodHYMN(Sheet)Said Judas to Mary, "Now what will you dowith your ointment so rich and rare?""I'll pour it all over the feet of theLord, and I'll wipe it away with my hair,"she said, "I'll wipe it away with my hair.""Oh Mary, O Mary, O think of the poor. Thisointment, it could have been sold; and thinkof the blanket and think of the bread youcould buy with the silver and gold,"he said, " You could buy with silver and gold."3

"Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll think of the poor;tomorrow," she said, "not today; for dearerthan all of the poor in the world is mylove who is going away,"she said, " My love who is going away."Said Jesus to Mary, "Your love is so deeptoday, you may do as you will. Tomorrow,you say, I am going away, but my bodyI leave with you still."he said, " My body I leave with you still.""The poor of the world are my body," he said,"to the end of the world they shall be.The bread and the blanket you give to the pooryou'll know you have given to me.he said," You'll know you have given to me.""My body will hang from the cross of the world"Tomorrow," he said, "and today.And Martha and Mary will find me again andwash all the sorrow away,"he said," And wash all the sorrow away."Words & Music by Sydney Carter 1964 Stainer & BellGOSPEL ACCLAMATIONPraise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death,even death on a cross.Therefore God has highly exalted himand given him the name that is above every name.Philippians 2.8,9Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.4

GOSPEL(John 12: 1-18)Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to JohnGlory to you, O Lord.Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home ofLazarus, the man he had raised from death. They prepared a dinner forhim there, which Martha helped serve; Lazarus was one of those whowere sitting at the table with Jesus. Then Mary took a whole pint of avery expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus' feet, andwiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled thewhole house.One of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot - the one who was going to betrayhim - said, "Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred silver coinsand the money given to the poor?" He said this, not because he caredabout the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bagand would help himself from it. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone! Let herkeep what she has for the day of my burial. You will always have poorpeople with you, but you will not always have me."This is the Gospel of the LordPraise to you, O ChristTALKAFFIRMATION OF FAITHLet us affirm our faithin Jesus Christ the Son of God.Though he was divine,he did not cling to equality with God,but made himself nothing.Taking the form of a slave,he was born in human likeness.He humbled himself and was obedient to death,even the death of the cross.Therefore God has raised him on high,and given him the name above every name;that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,and every voice proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father. Amen.5

INTERCESSIONSBetween the prayers we sayLord, in your mercyhear our prayer.At the end of the prayers we sayMerciful God,accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,our Saviour Jesus Christ. AmenTHE PEACEChrist is our peace.He has reconciled us to Godin one body by the cross.We meet in his name and share his peace.The peace of the Lord be always with you.And also with you.We offer one another a sign of peaceHYMN(662)There's a wideness in God's mercy,like the wideness of the sea;there's a kindness in his justicewhich is more than liberty.There is no place where earth's sorrowsare more felt than up in heav’n:there is no place where earth's failingshave such kindly judgement giv’n.But we make his love too narrowby false limits of our own;and we magnify his strictnesswith a zeal he will not own.There is plentiful redemptionin the blood that has been shed,there is joy for all the membersin the sorrows of the Head.6

For the love of God is broaderthan the scope of human mind,and the heart of the Eternalis most wonderfully kind.If our love were but more simple,we should take him at his word;and our hearts would find assurancein the promise of the Lord.PREPARATION OF THE TABLEJesus, true vine and bread of life,ever giving yourself that the world might live,let us share your death and passion:make us perfect in your love.Amen.EUCHARISTIC PRAYERThe Lord is hereGod’s Spirit is with usLift up your heartsWe lift them to the LordLet us give thanks to the Lord our GodIt is right to give thanks and praiseIt is indeed right and just, our duty and our salvation,always and everywhere to give you thanks,holy Father, almighty and eternal God,through Jesus Christ our Lord.For as the time of his passion and resurrection draws nearthe whole world is called to acknowledge his hidden majesty.The power of the life-giving crossreveals the judgement that has come upon the worldand the triumph of Christ crucified.He is the victim who dies no more,the Lamb once slain, who lives for ever,our advocate in heaven to plead our cause,exalting us there to join with angels and archangels,for ever praising you and saying:7

Holy, holy, holy Lord,God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness;grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit,and according to your holy will,these gifts of bread and winemay be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;who, in the same night that he was betrayed,took bread and gave you thanks;he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;do this in remembrance of me.In the same way, after supperhe took the cup and gave you thanks;he gave it to them, saying:Drink this, all of you;this is my blood of the new covenant,which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.Do this, as often as you drink it,in remembrance of me.Christ is the bread of lifeWhen we eat this bread and drink this cup,we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,until you come in glory.And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross,his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world;rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,and looking for his coming in glory,we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,we bring before you this bread and this cupand we thank you for counting us worthyto stand in your presence and serve you.8

Send the Holy Spirit on your peopleand gather into one in your kingdomall who share this one bread and one cup,so that we, in the company of [N and] all the saints,may praise and glorify you for ever,through Jesus Christ our Lord;by whom, and with whom, and in whom,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father,for ever and ever.AmenTHE LORD’S PRAYERAs our Saviour taught us, so we pray:Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdomcome, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgivethose who sin against us.Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.Amen.DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNIONWe break this breadto share in the body of Christ.Though we are many, we are one body,because we all share in one bread.Jesus is the Lamb of Godwho takes away the sin of the world.Blessed are those who are called to his supper.Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,but only say the word, and I shall be healed.9

If you wish to receive Holy Communion, please stand as you are ableThe body of ChristAmenHoly Communion is distributed to those in the ChurchPrayer of Spiritual Communion (for those worshipping at home)Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits you have given me, forall the pains and insults you have borne for me. Since I cannot now receiveyou sacramentally, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. O most mercifulredeemer, friend and brother, may I know you more clearly, love you moredearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.COMMUNION HYMN (921)Adoramus te Domine(We worship you, O Lord)Text & Music Ateliers et Presses de TaizéPRAYER AFTER COMMUNIONLord Jesus Christ,you have taught usthat what we do for the least of our brothers and sisterswe do also for you:give us the will to be the servant of othersas you were the servant of all,and gave up your life and died for us,but are alive and reign, now and for ever.AmenNOTICES10