Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury Pilgrims 13th c via Wikimedia

The Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: 2 Samuel 5.1-5,9-10

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, ‘Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

Psalm 48

Refrain: We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God.

Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, *in the city of our God.
His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, *the joy of all the earth.
On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, *stands the city of the great king.
In her palaces God has shown himself *to be a sure refuge. R
For behold, the kings of the earth assembled *and swept forward together.
They saw, and were dumbfounded; *dismayed, they fled in terror.
Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in labour, * as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.
As we had heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God: * God has established her for ever. R
We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, * in the midst of your temple.
As with your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; * your right hand is full of justice.
Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad, * because of your judgements, O Lord.
Walk about Zion and go round about her; count all her towers; * consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels,
That you may tell those who come after that such is our God for ever and ever. * It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.

Refrain: We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God.

Father of lights,
raise us with Christ to your eternal city,
that, with kings and nations,
we may wait in the midst of your temple
and see your glory for ever and ever.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 12.2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven –  whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows –  was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Gospel Reading: Mark 6.1-13

Jesus came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Jane Williams focuses on St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and you can read what she has to say here, by searching ‘speculation’ (p86). Similar points are made in ‘The Ministry of the Word’, extracted here.

Prayers of Intercession

¶The Church of Christ

Lord, help us to focus on the work you want us to do as the Body of Christ. Amongst all the excitement of moving forward in one part of the Communion, with concerns amongst many that we are departing from your word, we know that without our help you will not move; by ourselves we cannot move, but together with you, we can. *

Lord, our eyes turn to you as our guide for all eternity: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

Lord of grace, you have raised up the leaders of this world from among your people. Lend to all those in authority, we pray, the wisdom and the strength to deal with the problems faced by our planet, some of which seem impossible to solve. Give them imagination and courage to find solutions, and the ability to lead others into the future.

Lord, our eyes turn to you as our guide for all eternity: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶The local community

Lord, you sent out the twelve apostles on the mission of missions with nothing to sustain them beyond the hospitality of those they encountered on the path. Open now the hearts of all people to share what they have of your bountiful goodness, and make our communities places of welcome and willingness to build together for the generations yet unborn.

Lord, our eyes turn to you as our guide for all eternity: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶Those who suffer

Lord, come into our weakness with your power. We know that, when life seems most difficult and pain most present, hope can simply ebb away. We know that those who wait upon you renew their strength: when we reach the end of our own resources, give us the faith and confidence simply to let go, knowing that you will breathe into us new strength for the road ahead.

Lord, our eyes turn to you as our guide for all eternity: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶The communion of saints

Lord, give joy and peace to those whom we have loved who have now departed this life, and grant them joy and peace in your eternal kingdom. And be with all those who mourn their loss.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers…

Prayer after Communion

Grant, O Lord, we beseech you,
that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered
by your governance,
that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

* Words spoken by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, quoted by the new Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, in an interview (at 9.43 minutes). “By himself, God won’t. By ourselves, we can’t. But together with God, we can”.

^{Copyright acknowledgement: Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA  Some material  included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)}