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ST LEONARD’S CHURCH, PENWORTHAM

We come from scattered lives to meet with God. Let us recognise His presence with us

As God’s people we have gathered Let us worship Him together

In the name of the Father And of the Son And of the Holy Spirit Amen

The Lord be with you And also with you

Hymn God is our strength and refuge, our present help in trouble;

And we therefore will not fear, though the earth should change! Though mountains shake and tremble, though swirling floods are raging,

God the lord of hosts is with us evermore!

There is a flowing river, within God’s holy city; God is in the midst of her – she shall not be moved!

God’s help is swiftly given, thrones vanish at his presence – God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

Come, see the works of our maker, learn of his deeds all powerful; Wars will cease across the world when he shatters the spear!

Be still and know your creator, uplift him in the nations – God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

Confession: Brothers and sisters, as we prepare to celebrate, Let us call to mind our sins: We have not always worshipped God, our creator Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy

Eucharist Trinity 3

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We have not always followed Christ, our Saviour Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy We have not always trusted in the Spirit, our guide Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy

Absolution May the Father forgive you by the death of his Son And strengthen you to love in the power of the Spirit all your days. Amen

Prayer for the day: Almighty God, you have broken the tyranny of sin And have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts Whereby we call you Father: Give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service That we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God Through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, Who is alive and reigns with you In the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever Amen

Old Testament reading Job 38: 1–11 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? ‘Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?— when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its

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swaddling band, and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, and said, “Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped”? This is the Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to St Mark (4: 35–41) On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ Glory to you, O Lord. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ

Reflection Where is your faith?.... Something of a challenge, especially when life is personally painful and difficult, but a question brought to the forefront over the past months for all of us one way or another, let alone in those personal storms. For 37 chapters we’ve heard about Job’s increasing losses – now virtually everything. We’ve heard his complaints, questions and claims of innocence along with the thoughts and comments of his friends. Now, is the moment they’ve been waiting for, at long last the hither to silent God speaks. They’re hoping for answers, not least the “why” to Job’s suffering. They’re disappointed, no answers, instead God questions Job, revealing his relationship with people and his creation, the greater mysteries and bigger picture. The underlying question to Job is: “Where is your faith?” It’s essentially the same question Jesus puts to the disciples after he’s calmed the life threatening storm. It had been a long day of teaching and Jesus needed a break, so they set off across the Sea of Galilee. Remember it’s seasoned fishermen in charge of the boat, no land lubber at the helm. A tumultuous storm blows up, apparently from nowhere and the waves are so great they threaten to overwhelm and sink the boat. Jesus sleeps through all

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the drama until in desperation the disciples waken him. He stills the storm: “Peace. Be still!”, then asks them “Why are you afraid, where is your faith?” Both Job and the disciples are (forgive the pun) all at sea, lost frightened, wanting security and answers. Sound familiar? We’re still being bounced around on the waves of the pandemic, let alone the more personal storms we are facing in our lives. Yet how often do we look in the wrong places for answers, how often do we pursue the wrong questions? God’s challenge is “Where is your faith? In what? In whom?” It doesn’t stop frightening things happening, it doesn’t answer the why’s and wherefore’s. However, it does lift our eyes and hearts beyond the immediate darkness to the mystery of the light of God’s love.

Prayers of Intercession We pray for God’s world, we are mindful that we have not been wise, loving stewards of it. We have been greedy and selfish, rather than focusing on the beauty and wonder, and encouraging flourishing.

We pray for world rulers, that they would rule with truth and justice, mercy and grace and that they would remember that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus Christ.

We pray for the church worldwide, that we would unite in the common goal to worship and serve God together in a spirit of unity and holiness.

We take time now to pray for those who are known to us. We pray for those who are known to us that are going through times of trial that they would know God’s peace and comfort. We pray for those going through times of joy, that they would know your love and not take this time for granted.

Hymn Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

“Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.

How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

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I have already come; ‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far

and grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’ve first begun

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, it is our duty and our joy, at all times and in all places to give you thanks and praise, holy Father, heavenly King, almighty and eternal God, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. For he is your living Word; through him you have created all things from the beginning, and formed us in your own image. To you be glory and praise for ever.

Through him you have freed us from the slavery of sin, giving him to be born of a woman and to die upon the cross; you raised him from the dead and exalted him to your right hand on high. To you be glory and praise for ever.

Through him you have sent upon us your holy and life-giving Spirit, and made us a people for your own possession. To you be glory and praise for ever

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and : Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

The Lord is here. His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

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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.

Accept our praises, heavenly Father, through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and as we follow his example and obey his command, grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit these gifts of bread and wine may be to us his body and his blood; 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. To you be glory and praise for ever.

In the same way, after supper he 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. To you be glory and praise for ever.

Therefore, heavenly Father, we remember his offering of himself made once for all upon the cross; we proclaim his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; we look for the coming of your kingdom, and with this bread and this cup we make the memorial of Christ your Son our Lord. Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.

Accept through him, our great high priest, this our sacrifice of thanks and praise, and as we eat and drink these holy gifts in the presence of your divine majesty, renew us by your Spirit, inspire us with your love and unite us in the body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. To you be glory and praise for ever.

Through him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise:

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Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Breaking of the Bread We break this bread to share in the body of Christ Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us peace.

Alleluia, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the feast

We do not presume to come to this your table merciful Lord, Trusting in our own righteousness, But in your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs from under your table. But you are the same Lord Whose nature is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, So to eat the flesh of your dear son, Jesus Christ And to drink his blood, That our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body And our souls washed through his most precious blood, And that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us. Amen

Post communion prayers; 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.

Final Hymn Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep; O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on the sea.

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O Christ, whose voice the waters heard And hushed their raging at thy word, Who walkedst on the foaming deep,

And calm amid the storm didst sleep: O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on the sea.

O Holy Spirit, who didst brood Upon the waters dark and rude,

And bid their angry tumult cease, And give, for wild confusion, peace:

O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power, Our brethren shield in danger’s hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them wheresoe’er they go:

O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on

the sea.

The Blessing Go in the peace of Christ. Thanks be to God.