The Last Sunday after Trinity 25th October 2020 9.00am Sung Eucharist

Celebrant: The Revd Jenny Wong Nam

Honorary Chaplain

Preacher: The Revd John Chynchen

Archbishop’s Chaplain for International Ministry

If you receive Holy Communion in any Christian tradition you are very welcome to receive at our altar. Information about St John’s Cathedral and its ministries can be found on the notice boards and the website (www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk).

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Gathering During the hymn the clergy process in. All STAND to sing:

Introit Hymn (NEH 377) 1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise. 2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. 3. To all life thou givest—to both great and small; In all life thou livest, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perish—but nought changeth thee. 4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight; All laud we would render: O help us to see ’Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

Tune: ST DENIO Adatped from a Welsh song set to a hymn in John Roberts’s Caniadau y Cyssegre 1839

Words: W. Chalmers Smith 1824-1908 The celebrant then greets the people In the name of the ✠ Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All Amen.

Greeting The Lord be with you All and also with you.

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All REMAIN STANDING and say Collect for Purity

All Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession The sun of righteousness has dawned with healing in his wings. Let us come to the light of Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

All SIT.

Friend of sinners, you bring hope in our despair, Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy.

Healer of the sick, you give strength in our weakness. Christ, have mercy. All Christ, have mercy.

Destroyer of evil, you bring life in our dying. Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy.

Absolution Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon ✠ and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen.

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All STAND. Gloria in Excelsis

The Salisbury Setting (Ian Hubbard & Neil Cocking)

All Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. All REMAIN STANDING.

Collect Let us pray: (Silence is kept.)

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All Amen.

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Liturgy of the Word All SIT.

First Reading 1 Thess. 2. 1-8 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

This is the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God. All STAND.

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During the Gradual Hymn, the Gospel book is carried to the lectern. All turn to face the Gospel.

Gradual Hymn (NEH 198) 1. The Church triumphant in thy love, Their mighty joys we know; They sing the Lamb in hymns above, And we in hymns below. 2. Thee in thy glorious realm they praise, And bow before thy throne; We in the kingdom of thy grace: The kingdoms are but one. 3. The holy to the holiest leads, From hence our spirits rise, And he that in thy statutes treads Shall meet thee in the skies.

Tune: EATINGTON William Croft 1678-1727 Words: Charles Wesley 1707-88

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Gospel Reading Matt. 22. 34-end (NRSV)

The acclamation heralding the Gospel reading is proclaimed. All Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Choir Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. You have the words of eternal life. All Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. The Lord be with you All and also with you. Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. All Glory to you, O Lord.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ‘What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’”? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

This is the Gospel of the Lord. All Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

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Following the sermon, All STAND. Creed

All We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again 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. We 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 worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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Prayers of Intercession The celebrant introduces the prayers by saying In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father. All SIT. The intercessor continues:

Almighty God, help us to love you with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our minds, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. With these commandments before us may we offer our thanksgivings and our intercessions for the Church and all peoples, both here in the Hong Kong and, throughout the world.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer.

Creator God, we pray for the peoples of the world that they may enjoy peace and justice whether they be poor or rich, great or small. We pray that those who use violence and terror to bring about their desires, and those who then so readily seek revenge following acts of terrorism, may instead pursue all that makes for peace.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer.

Father God, we thank you for our families and friends. We especially pray at this time for those friends and family from whom we are separated during this pandemic. We thank you for modern technology which enables us to hear and see them so easily and to keep in touch even though we are separated by great distances. We ask you to bless them and keep them safe in these troubled times.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer.

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Loving God, we thank you for your love and compassion for all who suffer in body, mind and spirit. We pray that your healing presence will calm our fears, ease our pain and bring light into the darkness of all who are sick. We ask that you be with us, and all who need your loving touch as we continue to live beneath the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer.

Merciful God, gather into your eternal kingdom all who have come to the end of this earthly life and rejoice to see you as you really are. We remember all whom we love but see no longer, and thank you for your constant love and faithfulness to us. [We remember especially…]

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer.

Gracious God, at the start of this new week, recognising your trust in us to live and preach the Gospel, make us always more ready to love you with all our heart and our neighbours as ourselves that your kingdom may grow in Hong Kong and throughout the world.

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer.

In a few moments of silence let us bring our own private prayers to the Father’s love. (Silence is kept)

Lord in your mercy All hear our prayer. The celebrant concludes the prayers with the following Collect: Be with us, Lord, in all our prayers, and direct our way toward the attainment of salvation, that among the changes and chances of this mortal life, we may always be defended by your gracious help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen.

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Liturgy of the Sacrament

Peace All STAND and the celebrant introduces the Peace: We are the body of Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Let us then pursue all that makes for peace and builds up our common life. The peace of the Lord be always with you All and also with you. The celebrant may say Let us offer one another a sign of peace. All may exchange a sign of peace.

The Offertory

Taking of the Bread and Wine All REMAIN STANDING. The altar is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it.

Offertory Hymn (NEH 302)

1. O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray That all thy Church might be for ever one, Grant us at every Eucharist to say With longing heart and soul, ‘Thy will be done.’ Oh, may we all one Bread, one Body be, One through this Sacrament of unity. 2. For all thy Church, O Lord, we intercede; Make thou our sad divisions soon to cease; Draw us the nearer each to each, we plead, By drawing all to thee, O Prince of Peace; Thus may we all one Bread, one Body be, One through this Sacrament of unity.

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3. We pray thee too for wanderers from thy fold; O bring them back, good Shepherd of the sheep, Back to the faith which saints believed of old, Back to the Church which still that faith doth keep; Soon may we all one Bread, one Body be, One through this Sacrament of unity. 4. So, Lord, at length when sacraments shall cease, May we be one with all thy Church above, One with thy saints in one unbroken peace, One with thy saints in one unbounded love; More blessèd still, in peace and love to be One with the Trinity in Unity.

Tune: SONG 1 Orlando Gibbons 1583-1625 Words: William Harry Turton 1856-1938

The celebrant says the prayer at the preparation of the altar. Blessed be God, who feeds the hungry, who raises the poor, who fills our praise. All Blessed be God for ever.

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All REMAIN STANDING. Eucharistic Prayer G

The Lord be with you All and also with you. Lift up your hearts. All We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All It is right to give thanks and praise. Blessed are you, Lord God, our light and our salvation; to you be glory and praise for ever. From the beginning you have created all things and all your works echo the silent music of your praise. In the fullness of time you made us in your image, the crown of all creation. You give us breath and speech, that with angels and archangels and all the powers of heaven we may find a voice to sing your praise:

The Salisbury Setting (Ian Hubbard & Neil Cocking) All 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. How wonderful the work of your hands, O Lord. As a mother tenderly gathers her children, you embraced a people as your own. When they turned away and rebelled your love remained steadfast.

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From them you raised up Jesus our Saviour, born of Mary, to be the living bread, in whom all our hungers are satisfied. He offered his life for sinners, and with a love stronger than death he opened wide his arms on the cross. On the night before he died, he came to supper with his friends and, taking bread, he gave you thanks. He broke it and gave it to them, saying:

Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave you thanks, and said:

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.

Great is the mystery of faith: All Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again. Father, we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross; we remember his dying and rising in glory, and we rejoice that he intercedes for us at your right hand. Pour out your Holy Spirit as we bring before you these gifts of your creation; may they be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.

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As we eat and drink these holy things in your presence, form us in the likeness of Christ, and build us into a living temple to your glory. Remember, Lord, your Church in every land. Reveal her unity, guard her faith, and preserve her in peace. Bring us at the last with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St John the Evangelist, St Stephen, and all the saints to the vision of that eternal splendour for which you have created us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, by whom, with whom, and in whom, with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise: All Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen. All SIT.

Lord’s Prayer As our Saviour taught us, so we pray All Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those 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 for ever. Amen.

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Breaking of the Bread The celebrant breaks the consecrated bread. We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. All Though we are many, we are one body,

because we all share in one bread.

Agnus Dei The Salisbury Setting (Ian Hubbard & Neil Cocking)

All Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us. Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Giving of Communion The celebrant says the invitation to communion. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those who are called to his supper. All Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed. The celebrant and people receive communion. If you are baptized in any Christian tradition you are very welcome to receive Holy Communion at our altar. Words of the distribution are said and the communicant replies Amen. Those who are not baptized are welcome to come to the altar for a blessing. Please keep your arms crossed upon your breast as an indication. Four steps for taking Holy Communion: 1. Place one palm over the other and wait for the priest to put the Host on one’s palm; do not reach out to take the Host to avoid touching other surfaces by accident; 2. Once the Host is on one’s palm, a parishioner is to use the other hand that has not touched the Host to remove the loop of the mask from one of the ears, without touching either side of the mask; 3. Consume the Host on the clean hand while the other hand is still holding the ear loop; 4. Put the removed loop back around one’s ear and adjust the mask properly.

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During the distribution, the Choir sings: Communion Anthem Set me as a seal (René Clausen)

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, For love is strong as death. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.

Words: from Song of Solomon viii. 6-7

Communion Anthem

Laetabimur

Prayer after Communion The celebrant says Let us pray: Silence is kept. All SIT. God of all grace, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of his life and the word of his kingdom: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen.

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A Prayer of Thanksgiving is then said. All Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen. All SIT for

Notices

Dismissal Blessing

All STAND as the celebrant gives the blessing: The Lord be with you All and also with you. The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the ✠ Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. All Amen.

Dismissal After which, the deacon says Go in the peace of Christ. All Thanks be to God. The ministers and people depart.

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Recessional Hymn (NEH 392)

1. Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me. 2. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path; but now Lead thou me on. I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will: remember not past years. 3. So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will lead me on O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till The night is gone, And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

Tune: ALBERTA William H. Harris 1883-1973 Words: St John Henry Newman 1801-90

Organ Voluntary

Autumn Song from The Seasons, Op. 37a (Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky)

Copyright acknowledgement: This order of service has been prepared by the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Hong Kong from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000; and from New Patterns for Worship, material from which is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2002.