24th Sunday after Pentecost – 7th November 2021

23rd Sunday after Trinity

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Proper 27

Year B – Track 2

Watch the service on Twitch

ORDER OF SERVICE

You can click to expand or minimize the order of service below.

All are requested to join in wherever text is GREEN or when instructed by Fr. David.

Where the ✝ is shown, all are encouraged to make the sign of the cross.

Where the ✊ is shown all are encouraged to strike their breast with a closed hand following the actions of Fr. David.

Where the ✋ is shown all are encouraged to tap their breast with an open hand following the actions of Fr. David.

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫

Lord, thy word abideth,
And our footsteps guideth;
Who its truth believeth,
Light and joy receiveth,

When our foes are near us,
Then thy word doth cheer us,
Word of consolation,
Message of salvation.

Who can tell the pleasure,
Who recount the treasure
By thy word imparted
To the simple-hearted?

O that we discerning
Its most holy learning,
Lord, may love and fear thee,
Evermore be near thee!

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ✝

And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen

 

From Easter to Pentecost:

Allelulia. Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia

 

In Lent and other penitential occasions:

Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;

His mercy endures for ever.

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, to whom all hearts be 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.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

This prayer is omitted during Lent and Advent:

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s 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.

 Holy God, holy and mighty ✝, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

A Reading from the book of:

1 Kings 17:8-16

The word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God

Psalm 146

Lauda, anima mea

1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

2 Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
for there is no help in them.

3 When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
and in that day their thoughts perish.

4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
whose hope is in the Lord their God;

5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
who keeps his promise for ever;

6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.

7 The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

8 The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger; *
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.

9 The Lord shall reign for ever, *
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!

A Reading from the book of

Hebrews 9:24-28

Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God

All stand for the Acclamation and Gospel reading.

Alleluia!  Alleluia!

Even if you have to die, says the Lord,

keep faithful, and I will give you

the crown of life.

[All] Alleluia!

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to:

Mark 12:38-44

✝✝✝

As Jesus taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

After the Gospel reading

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

She was a woman.  She was poor.  These are two facts anyone could tell that day in the Court of the Women in the Temple in Jerusalem.

She was also a widow, who was down to her last two coins. These are facts that Jesus also knew about her.

She was a woman of great faith.  She became a living sermon.  She remains an icon of faith, as she put her whole trust in God, not holding anything back.

This unnamed woman is known now by her marital status and her coins, rather than her name, for the story is “The Widow’s Mite” and she is “The Widow.”  Yet we should be careful to note that it is the story of the widow’s mites, as the woman had two small coins.  Each of her coins was worth one four-hundredth of a shekel, or what we might think of as about 25 satang. Too small to bear a legible imprint, they were the grubbiest of coins in the Roman Empire!

Mark sets the scene for us sparingly. Jesus has been teaching in the temple courts.  Now, on his way out, he pauses over and against the treasury, to watch as offerings are made.  Each person would walk up to one of the thirteen trumpet-shaped receptacles, which were lined along the wall of the Court of the Women.  As they tossed in their offering, the person was expected to say aloud the amount and purpose of the gift, in order to be heard by the priest overseeing the collections!

It would have been an impressive sight to see people in fine clothes tossing in large sums, calling out to all how much they gave.  And in such a group, who would notice the widow tossing the two smallest coins in the realm into the offering?  Yet, in a move that is so like him, Jesus notices, and calls attention to this act of faith.

Jesus calls his disciples together, and says, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.  For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Jesus knows that these are not any two coins, but the woman’s last two coins.  The text says, “All she had to live on,” but the Greek is starker still. What is really said is that she put in her bios. It’s the word from which we get “biology,” the study of life.  For Jesus tells us that the widow put her “life” into the temple treasury that day!

This is not a sermon about tithing, for the woman did not give ten percent of her income. These were her last two coins to rub together, and rather than keep one back, she tossed both into the temple treasury’s coffers.  The widow gave 100 percent of her money.  The widow is down to two practically worthless little coins, and she trusts it all to God.  If this were a gamble, then the widow would be laying all her money on God.  But this is not a gamble, for the widow does not bet her money; she trusts her life to God!

It would be nice if Mark filled in more details for us.  Was Jesus’ arm around the woman as he said, “This poor widow has put in more …” or was the woman blending back into the crowd, never to be seen again? Or perhaps Jesus asked his own keeper of the purse, Judas Iscariot, to give something to this woman, so that she would not go hungry that evening.  Or better still, did the widow come to be a Christ follower? Did she join with the other women, who journeyed with Jesus from Galilee to the cross, and beyond?

The Gospel never answers these questions. The nameless widow, who gave two small coins, fades into the background.  We may want to know her name, in order to name churches, schools, and hospitals in her honour.  We may want to give her a place of honour in Jesus’ stories, alongside disciples whose names we know, though their trust in God wasn’t always so exemplary!

But perhaps namelessness is appropriate for this living parable.  And maybe it is best, too, that we don’t find out how her story ends.  The nameless woman whose ultimate fate we never know, is perhaps an even better icon of trust, for her story was a precarious one.  She went to the temple that day not knowing if she would ever have two little coins to call her own again.  It could have been her path to a life of begging, or even a station on the road to starvation, or here in Pattaya, prostitution.

But in facing an uncertain future, the widow reached out to God.  She trusted that if she gave everything she had to God, even the little she gave would be honoured.  And whether she was repaid handsomely by Jesus himself, or God cared for her in some other way, we, too, have to trust.  We trust that the widow’s story turned out all right.  We trust that whether she lived or died, she was God’s.

And by her example, Jesus shows that what we withhold may matter more than what we offer.  The widow was a woman of great faith, who held nothing back.  She knew what Jesus’ disciples were just learning: we are to give, knowing that everything we have is God’s already.  We can’t give God anything.  But we can offer our very selves to the Kingdom of God, holding nothing back.

She was a woman.  She was poor.  She was a widow down to her last two coins.  She was a child of God, who placed her whole life back in her loving creator’s hands.   Amen

Please stand for the Nicene Creed.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church. ✝

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 of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

and became truly human.

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.

FOURTH SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT – (instead of PROPER 27) – YEAR B

24nd Sunday after Pentecost

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

a. Let us pray to God with wholehearted love for him,   and for all people.

b. Grant that the Church,  always remembering the great commandments, may worship you in love,  and reveal her faith by showing love to all.   May your people serve you, the living God,  in word and deed.

We pray for the welfare of your church here on earth; guide and govern it by your Spirit, so that all Christians may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in the unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in the righteousness of life.

We ask your blessing on +Vsevolod our Bishop, on this, our parish of St. George – for its work, its worship and its witness. We pray particularly for Fr. David in his ministry to us, as he celebrates the 4th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, and for all members of our congregation, be they near or far. We ask your blessing on Trevor and Phawini,  as they begin their married life together.

1 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

c. May the world be filled with knowledge of your divine love,  without which nothing is blessed,  and the human love,  without which none can be whole.   Make the rulers and the lawgivers obedient to your law.

d. Give us  true love every day, to live as knowing all to be our neighbours.   Bless our children,  and enable us to lead them into the way of love.

We pray for the leaders of all the nations of this world, most particularly for the King and Government of Thailand at this time of unrest, and also in the countries from which we come. We remember also all the people in countries that have had problems of any kind during this past week, most particularly all those caught up in the tragic situation in Afghanistan, where people are having to sell their children in order to avoid starvation.

Grant wisdom to those in authority in every land, and give to all people a desire for righteousness and peace, the will to work together in trust, to seek the common good, and to share with justice and equity the limited resources of the earth. We pray especially for the deliberations of the COP 26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, where words must urgently be transformed into actions if our planet is to draw back from the edge of disaster.

2 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

e. Have mercy on those who feel themselves to be unloved and unwanted.   Give them the comfort of your presence,  and soften those whose hearts are hardened against their neighbours.

We pray for all who are prevented from, or persecuted for practising their faith, wherever they may be. We pray for our fellow Christians, both here in Thailand, and also in our own home countries.

3 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for all those who suffer in body, mind and spirit;  the sick; the poor; the depressed; the lonely;  the afraid, the unloved; the persecuted; the unemployed and those who care for them.  Those who grieve; and those who have nobody to pray for them.

4 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

We remember all those who have been touched by the COVID 19 pandemic; particularly here in Pattai-Ya. We give you thanks that Thailand has now reopened to visitors from abroad, as the outbreak is showing gradual signs of decline, and for the progress which has been made with the vaccination programme, where greater numbers are being safeguarded more speedily, and hopefully being spared the worst of the unpleasant side-effects.

Amongst the sick we remember;

Fr. Tom,  Brian, Kyoko, Colin, Mavis, Patricia, Eric, Kent, Graham, Elizabeth, Conrad, Griselda, Jun, Maurice, Martyn, Pastor,   and any others, known personally to each and every one of us…

5 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

f. May the sacrifice of Christ be available for the Salvation of the Departed.  We pray for those we have loved here on Earth,  and who have now entered into their rest.

We bring to you all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, especially the millions who have perished in the COVID pandemic –for Mike (3) Calffo (1) ……… and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time, and for all those known personally to us, collectively or individually…

Give them joy in the fellowship of your heavenly Kingdom, where Christ reigns for ever.

6 Lord hear us – Lord graciously hear us.

g. That our prayers may be made perfect enough,  we offer them through Christ Our Lord.

Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

THE CONFESSION:

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy, welcoming sinners and inviting them to the Lord’s table.

Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, confident in God’s forgiveness.

Merciful God, our maker and our judge, we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, and in what we have failed to do: we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves; we repent and are sorry ✊ for all ✊ our sins ✊, Father forgive us, strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

**(Note: all are encouraged to strike their breast 3 times following the lead of Fr. David as he utters the words: ‘sorry for all our sins’)**

Almighty God, who has promised forgiveness to all who turn to him in faith, pardon you ✝ and set you free from all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE PEACE:

The congregation stands.

We are the Body of Christ.

His Spirit is with us.

 

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please greet each other with a sign of peace.

Ye than know the Lord is gracious,
Ye for whom a corner-stone
Stands, of God elect and precious,
Laid that ye may build thereon.
See that on that sure foundation
Ye a living temple raise,
Towers that may tell forth salvation,
Walls that may re-echo praise.

Living stones, by God appointed
Each to his allotted place,
Kings and priests, by God anointed,
Shall ye not declare his grace?
Ye, a royal generation,
Tell the tidings of your birth,
Tidings of a new creation
To an old and weary earth.

Tell the praise of him who called you
Out of darkness into light,
Broke the fetters that enthralled you,
Gave you freedom, peace and sight:
Tell the tale of sins forgiven,
Strength renewed and hope restored,
Till the earth, in tune with heaven,
Praise and magnify the Lord.

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫

THE OFFERTORY

Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have these gifts to share. Accept and use our offerings for your glory and the service of your kingdom.

Blessed be God forever.

 Let us pray

We do not presume to come to 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 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 we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.  Amen.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER C

The Lord be with you.

and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word, through whom you have created all things; who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin, he lived on earth and went about among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people.

Proper Preface

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:

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.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; 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.

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.

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died:

Christ is risen:

Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice, made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.

As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of [N and] all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father, as our Saviour has taught us:

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.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.  ✋

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.✋

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.✋

**(Note:  All are encouraged to tap their breast three times following the example of Fr. David as he utters the words ‘…have mercy, …have mercy and …grant us peace’)**

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.

This is the Lamb of God ✝, who takes away the sins of the world;

Happy are those who are called to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy ✊ to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

**(Note:  All are encouraged to strike breast following the example of Fr. David as all utter the words ‘not worthy’)** 

After Communion the celebrant and the congregation say

 

Let us pray.

Father of all we give you thanks and praise that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. 

Keep us in this hope that we have grasped; so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name.

Father, we offer ourselves to you as a living sacrifice through Jesus Christ our Lord. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory.

O God of earth and altar,
Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly ruler falter,
Our people drift and die;
The walls of gold entomb us,
The sword of scorn divide,
Take not thy thunder from us,
But take away our pride.

From all that terror teaches,
From lies of tongue and pen,
From all the easy speeches
That comfort cruel men,
From sale and profanation
Of honour and the sword,
From sleep and from damnation,
Deliver us, good Lord.

Tie in a living tether
The prince and priest and thrall,
Bind all our lives together,
Smite us and save us all;
In ire and exaltation
Aflame with faith, and free,
Lift up a living nation,
A single sword to thee.

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫

Friends in Christ, we are gathered together with N and N who have come today to ask God to bless them and their marriage.

Let us pray.

Gracious God, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law. Grant to these your servants that loving one another they may continue in your love until their lives’ end; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Gracious God, may N and N, who are bound together in these holy mysteries, continue in one heart and soul. May they live in fidelity and peace and obtain those eternal joys prepared for all who love you; through your Son, Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen.

O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church. Send therefore your blessing upon these your servants, that they may so love, honour, and cherish each other in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen

 

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord look upon you with favour and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace; that you may faithfully live together in this life, and in the age to come have life everlasting.  Amen.

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 amongst you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:

In the name of Christ.  Amen.

CONTRIBUTE TO OUR WORK

Music

Here is the music for this week’s hymns, if you would like to practice beforehand.

Performed by Fr. David Price

NOTE: The introductory music is ‘Gavotte’ – Samuel Wesley