St Clement Church Community Trinity 4 Service 28.6.26
Good morning to you as we celebrate our Trinity 4 service, which I begin with an opening prayer and hymn to acknowledge that it is Armed Forces Weekend 27th - 28th June.
This Service of the Word is if you’re unable to worship with us this Sunday in person, but will be with us in spirit at home.
Much love and prayers and may Christ’s love sustain you always.
Rev Di and family xx
Let us pray;
Heavenly Father, we commend to your gracious care and keeping
all the men and women in our Armed Forces at home and abroad.
Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; and give them courage to face the perils that beset them; and help them to know that nothing can separate them from your love; in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn; ‘I Vow to Thee my Country’
Our prayers of Penitence
As we celebrate the holiness and goodness of God, we remember the shadows in our own lives:
Father God, we confess that we often take the gifts of your creation for granted and use them chiefly to further our own interests….
Lord, have mercy.
Saviour Christ, we confess that we easily fall into temptation and forget to seek your forgiveness….
Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, we confess that we often close our minds to your influence, and fail to bear good fruit in our lives…
Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us our failings, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray our Collect for the 4th Sunday of Trinity
God our Father, look on this wounded world in pity and in power; hold us fast to your promises of peace won for us by your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Readings:
Jeremiah 28. 5-9 Romans 6. 12 - 23
Hymn; ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’
The Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
(10. 40 - 42)
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus said to the twelve; ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Reflection
Can you recall a time in your life when you witnessed the greatest act of hospitality? Perhaps a welcome you received from strangers when on a trip away from home, what they did to make you feel special, and why did they do it; because the answers to those questions are the reasons you can still remember it even today.
I have such a memory. It was in 1989, when I drove members of Camborne Twinning Association down to Ste Anne d’Auray in Brittany. Before the trip it had been arranged for my passengers to stay with host families in the village, and the nuns at the local convent had offered to put the coach driver up in one of the gites in their grounds. It was past midnight when we reached the village and the host families were waiting in the square. As I emptied the coach lockers of luggage, my passengers were quickly claimed by their hosts, and I was soon on my own.
‘Oh well’ I thought, and began to prepare to sleep in the crew bunk, when I heard excited voices approaching, and eventually saw two nuns coming along the road, holding torches to light their way.
They were quite puzzled to see me, and kept asking where the ‘chauffeur de bus’ was to be found. It was quite a while before I could persuade them that I was actually the driver, and I only finally managed to convince them that by driving them twice around the village square…..
They chattered like an excited pair of starlings whilst directing me to the convent, and as we drove into the grounds and parked up, I noticed that the building was in total darkness.
However, holding onto their elaborate wimples, my two new friends, still chattering, hurried across to the convent and let themselves in. Then suddenly, just about every window in the place lit up and the convent bell began to peal out across the roof tops. I hoped that most of the villagers were still up welcoming guests into their homes as the noise was terrific.
The two nuns reappeared and after an enthusiastic argument between themselves as to who was going to carry my bag, (I could have done with them when I was emptying the lockers….) I was escorted into the convent to find that not only had most of the nuns got up from their beds to greet me, but they had also prepared me a hasty, but delicious supper too.
It was over this impromptu meal that I discovered the reason for their hilarity. Part of the convent was a ‘closed order’ the nuns who lived there didn’t venture into the outside world, part was a nursing home for elderly nuns, whilst the rest of the nuns worked in the local school or tended to their sister’s needs in the convent and gardens. They did all the work themselves, occasionally a workman might be called in to make a necessary repair, but he would have to be escorted by the local parish priest.
Hence the offer of hospitality to the coach driver who they assumed would be a man, was taken very seriously. And after much debate and prayer it was decided that their gite would be suitable as ‘he’ could have meals brought to him there. I was lauded as the answer to their prayers, of course God sorted it, (aided by the Virgin Mary of course) he sent them a woman driver!
Needless to say, I spent a fantastic week there, I didn’t stay in the allotted gite but in the main building with the nuns and was privileged to witness their life of servitude and prayer. I could only repay their fantastic, humbling, hospitality by taking them on a trip to the seaside on my last afternoon there, and to this day I’m not sure what a coach load of nuns should be called….. It’s been 37 years and as you can tell, I’ve not forgotten that wonderful week.
The reading this morning from Matthew’s gospel is a lesson in hospitality. In fact, Jesus is so focused on welcoming the stranger that he uses the word “welcome” six times in two sentences.
In his words is the promise that, if you show hospitality, you’ll get a prize; in fact, you’ll get the same prize as the person receiving your hospitality. For instance; if you offer a meal to a great prophet like Isaiah, then you’ll get whatever reward Isaiah gets, which would probably be a pretty good reward indeed.
And if you offer hospitality to a righteous person, like, say, the Archdeacon, you’ll get the same reward that he’s going to get. (not so sure about that one…..) At this point in the lesson, it could seem that Jesus is saying to figure out who the important people are – those who’re going to have big rewards coming in heaven and show hospitality to them. That is, until the last verse where Jesus throws us a curve ball; “Whoever gives even a cup of water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple - truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
The point Jesus is making is this: If there is something to be gained by us showing hospitality, it’s not hospitality. If we are only kind to those of wealth and power it’s not hospitality, it’s bribery. If we only show hospitality to our relatives and friends, it’s just paying them back. “But” Jesus said, “if you so much as give a glass of water to a ‘little one’, you will never lose your reward.” ‘Little ones’ in Jesus’ day were those of no value; the children, the unmarried women, the poor, the elderly, the disabled and infirm. They were classed as nobodies in that culture, there was nothing to be gained by being nice to them, and yet Jesus says that doing so was the ultimate act of kindness.
This, says Jesus, is hospitality; when you care for the little ones.
Look at scripture; in almost every instance, when Jesus is speaking about kindness, generosity, hospitality, or welcome, he isn’t describing what ought to be done for the rich, the famous, or the powerful; he’s saying this is what ought to be done for the powerless ones: the little ones, the grieving, the discouraged, the desperate. If you show hospitality to these, your reward will never be lost.
You probably already know that the word hospitality comes from the Latin word “hospital.” Throughout most of history, a hospital wasn’t a place where someone went to be healed, nor was it a place where you went for life-saving surgery, this only developed in our lifetime.
A hospital not so long ago didn’t offer anything other than comfort…it was a place to be fed, loved, and cared for, and as medicine and surgery skills progressed, the hospice movement developed to continue that comfort. The purpose of hospice workers isn’t to cure their patients, but to make them as comfortable as humanly possible. Hospice workers are, in fact, angels in disguise, and their reward, as Jesus promised, will be great. And it seems to me that God calls his church to be a hospice to the hurting people of this world, rather than spending time and energy pointing out people’s sins and criticising them for their flawed lives. God calls us to be on the lookout for the weakest, the oldest, the youngest, the poorest, the loneliest, and offer them a cup of water. But often that call makes folk uncomfortable, so they ignore it, and I think that breaks God’s heart. If somehow, we could see what God sees, we’d be moved to action. We’d be handing out water by the buckets full, not to fix people’s problems, but simply to show kindness, and grace, and hospitality.
I close with this; in our lives, when it comes to hospitality, we take turns being the host and the guest. Sometimes we are the ones who are grateful for a meal of hot food after a long journey. Other times, we are the ones providing that food, or a listening ear, or a hug.
Remember those lovely words from Hebrews; ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so, you may entertain angels unawares.’ Amen.
Hymn; ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’
Affirmation of our faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist. We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again.
We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world.
This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Intercessions are written by Liz Davies
We lift our prayers to you, O Lord, for all people everywhere, those close to us and those far away. We pray for those who minister and preach that they may never find themselves rejected out of hand as our Saviour Jesus Christ was. We pray for the worldwide Church and ask your help for it to grow in faith. Help us to respect the beliefs of others even if we do not share them, to celebrate what we have in common and accept our differences. Guide us in our ministries as we live each day determined to spread the Good News of your Son Jesus Christ.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
We pray for our church community here at St Clement that we may always keep an open door and a hand of welcome and friendship to all who enter. We give thanks and pray for our vicar, Reverend Di who does so much for us whilst also caring and supporting the bereaved and all at Culdrose. We also pray for Father David who is such an important member of our community.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God, look with compassion on the whole human family; take away arrogance and hatred that infects the hearts of those who pursue violence and terrorism; break down the walls that separate us and unite us in bonds of love and peace.
We pray for all people who are suffering in war-torn countries remembering especially the people of Ukraine who have suffered five years of undeserved bombardment; we pray for all members of our Armed Forces.
We pray for leaders and nations that they may choose paths of peace, justice and cooperation over the proud rule of might.
We pray for all peacemakers throughout the world that they may bring hope out of despair, peace out of conflict and prosperity out of poverty.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Father, we pray for our local community here in St Clement, in Truro and across Cornwall. We bring before you those who feel isolated, lonely and empty of energy or purpose. Comfort them with your presence and help us all to be good neighbours and support those who are struggling in any way.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, we pray for our families and friends and especially for all young people that they may grow up knowing love and hope, valuing life and respecting others. We pray for those who are leaving school and are moving on to the next stage of their lives, and for those for whom what happens next depends on exam or assessment performance.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God, we pray for all who suffer in body, mind or spirit and for those who care for them. Comfort and sustain all who feel that they have nowhere to turn and no one who cares - may they know that they are never alone. We pray for all who are in special need of our prayers at this time especially those known personally to us.
We bring before you: Reverend Di, Ken, Sabie, Brian, Susan, Lauren, Lynda, Sandra, Daphne and David, Pam and David, Dot, Maureen, Mary, Rob and Alison, Jan, Anita and Stephen, Michael and Patricia, Jeremy, Callum and Elaine, Barbara, Roger and Helen, Lorrie, Jeanette and David, Kate and all who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the faithful who have gone before us and we pray for those whose hearts have been saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them; for members of our families who have died and whose anniversary we recall.
Help us, and all families grieving, to experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within us, and the fellowship of the church family around us until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Faithful God, we pray for ourselves. As we go from our worship today to start the week ahead, may we always hold fast to our belief in you and we ask that in all we do, we may walk more closely with you at our side, safe in the knowledge that your Fatherly love and care knows no bounds.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Clement, St Andrew and St Allen, we commend ourselves and all Christian people to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
Let us pray with confidence as our Lord 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.
Hymn; ‘Lord Jesus Christ, You have Come to Us’
The Peace
We wish peace to each other from God our heavenly Father.
We wish peace to each other from his Son Jesus Christ.
And we wish peace to each other from the Holy Spirit.
May the peace of the triune God be always with us. Amen.
Blessing
May God the Holy Trinity make us strong in faith and love, defend us on every side and guide us in truth and peace. And may the presence of God watch over us, the power of God protect us, those whom we love, and may we never forget that wherever we are, God is with us always, to the end of the age. Amen.