This Sunday, 18 September, is the Eve of Her late Majesty’s Funeral and also Battle of Britain Sunday. There are services of Holy Communion at 9.30am at St Bartholomew, Burstow and at 10am at St Mary the Virgin, Horne and there will be a service of Holy Communion for Harvest Festival at 11am at St John the Baptist, Outwood. As usual there is an online service here, too, which this week is led by the Revd Charles Sargent

To follow today’s service just click on the arrow here and find the words printed underneath

God is love; let heaven adore him;
God is love; let earth rejoice;
Let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth’s foundation,
he who spread the heavens above,
He who breathes through all creation,
He is love, eternal love.

God is love: and he enfoldeth
all the world in one embrace;
With unfailing grasp he holdeth
every child of every race.
And when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow’s iron rod,
Then they find that self-same aching,
deep within the heart of God.

God is love: and though with blindness
sin afflicts the human soul,
God’s eternal loving-kindness
guides and heals and makes us whole.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o’er us final triumph gain;
God is love, so love for ever
o’er the universe must reign.

Timothy Rees (1874-1939) alt.
© revived 1996 A R Mowbray and Co. Ltd.
Wellington House, 125 Strand, London WC2R 0BB
CCLI: 845257

‘I am the resurrection and the life’, says the Lord. ‘Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’

We meet in the name of Jesus Christ,
who died and was raised to the glory of God the Father.

Grace and mercy be with you.

Let us pray:

The Collect
Merciful Father and Lord of all life, we praise you that we are made in your image and reflect your truth and light. We thank you for the life of our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth, for the love she received from you and showed among us. Above all, we rejoice at your gracious promise to all your servants, living and departed, that we shall rise again at the coming of Christ. And we ask that in due time we may share with your servant Elizabeth that clearer vision promised to us in the same Christ our Lord; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.   Amen

The readings
by Wendy Jeavons

The first reading is Lamentations 3: 22-26, 31-33

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

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.

The Gospel reading is John 6: 35-40

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

Talk
by Revd Charles Sargent

The Prayers

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.
And 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.

Blessing

God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth, and all humankind, peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants, life everlasting;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

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!                

Words from Psalm 46
© Richard Bewes Administered by The Jubilee Group
4 Thorne Park Road, Torquay TQ2 6RX
Used by permission. CCLI: 845257

Hymn words reproduced under CCLI: 845257.

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England (2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000.