THE IRONSTONE BENEFICE OF CHURCHES
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Welcome to our Online Sunday service for the sixth Sunday after Trinity. Please click on the items below to follow the service at your own pace. At the end of the service after the voluntary, Bishop Martyn will briefly introduce the initiative 'Together in Hope'.

There is audio or video accompaniment to hymns, readings and prayers.
The  first 3 hymns were recorded remotely by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields in their homes, and edited together.

You may like to have a candle ready to light with Paul at the start of our service. 
Our opening hymn is ' Be still for the presence of the Lord'
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
The holy One, is here;
Come bow before him now
With reverence and fear
In him no sin is found
We stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
The holy One, is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord
Is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
With splendour he is crowned:
How awesome is the sight
Our radiant king of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
Is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place:
He comes to cleanse and heal,
To minister his grace -
No work too hard for him.
In faith receive from him.
Be still, for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place.

Reflect on the last week and on your relationships.
  • -  What good things have come from God last week?
  • -  Where have I fallen short?
  • -  What might I do next week?
You may wish to say or pray:
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The special prayer for today, 6th Sunday after

Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you
such good things as pass our understanding:
pour into our hearts such love toward you
that we, loving you in all things and above all things,
may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
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

Our next hymn is 'For the fruits of his creation'.
1       For the fruits of his creation,
          Thanks be to God;
          For his gifts to every nation,
          Thanks be to God;
          For the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
          Silent growth while we are sleeping,
          Future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
          Thanks be to God.

2       In the just reward of labour,
          God's will is done;
          In the help we give our neighbour,
          God's will is done;
          In our world-wide task of caring
          For the hungry and despairing,
          In the harvests we are sharing,
          God's will is done.

3       For the harvests of his Spirit,
          Thanks be to God;
          For the good we all inherit,
          Thanks be to God;
          For the wonders that astound us,
          For the truths that still confound us,
          Most of all that love has found us,
          Thanks be to God.

Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000)
© 1970 Stainer & Bell Ltd


The Gospel for Trinity 6
Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43.

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
 



Mike will now share some thoughts on the Gospel. But first, an introduction from Mike.
Mike will now follow his talk with a short penitential prayer.
 We now have our next hymn, 'Lord, for the years'.  after which Mike will lead us in our intercessions.
1       Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
          urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
          sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
          Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.

2       Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
          speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
          teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us,
          Lord of the word, receive your people's praise.

3       Lord, for our land, in this our generation,
          spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care;
          for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
          Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.

4       Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt him,
          loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain;
          hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him,
          Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.

5       Lord, for ourselves; in living power remake us,
          self on the cross and Christ upon the throne;
          past put behind us, for the future take us,
          Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.

Timothy Dudley-Smith (born 1926)
© administered by Oxford University Press in Europe (including UK and Ireland) and Africa,

and by Hope Publishing Company in all other territories (including USA).
B Lord, in your mercy:
R hear our 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
We say together the prayer of General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you most humble and hearty thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ,
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And give us, we pray, such a sense of all your mercies
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful,
and that we show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Our organ voluntary this week is played on the organ of John Barr's last church,

Bishop Martyn introduces the initiative 'Together in Hope'.
  • Home
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  • Week of Prayer 2021