Welcome
God is here. Make yourselves at home. We come together this evening for pray for and with our loved ones. This simple holy communion mass draws us closer to those in heaven and helps us share our burdens between us. Please share in this as fully as you feel able, especially as we come to share the life-giving gifts of Jesus. Everything you need can be found in this booklet. We say together the lines in Bold Type
The Preparation
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like, no care could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
Jan Struther (1901-1953)
We may make the Sign of the Cross as the priest welcomes and greets the people.
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.
We say together these words of comfort from Holy Scripture
Just as Jesus died and rose again, so will the Father bring with him those who have died in Jesus. Just as in Adam all men die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (I Thessalonians 4:14; I Corinthians 15:22)
Penitential Rite
The priest invites us to confess our sins. We confess them to God using these words
I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Lord have mercy Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy Lord have mercy
The priest gives us God’s absolution and we may make the Sign of the Cross to remind ourselves that it is through this that we are freed from our sin
The priest says the Collect or Opening Prayer, after which we may sit.
Merciful Father,
hear our prayers and console us.
As we renew our faith in your Son,
whom you raised from the dead,
strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters
will share in his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
A reading from the book of Wisdom
The souls of the faithful are in the hands of God, and no torment can touch them. To the unenlightened, they appeared to die, their departure was regarded as disaster, their leaving us like annihilation; but they are at peace.
If, as it seemed to us, they suffered punishment, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their correction, great will their blessings be. God was putting them to the test and has proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a perfect burnt offering.
At their time of visitation, they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they. They will judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever. Those who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await his holy ones, and he intervenes on behalf of his chosen.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23
The Lord’s my Shepherd I’ll not want,
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul He doth restore again,
And me to walk doth make;
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for His own name’s sake.
Yea, tho’ I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill
For Thou art with me and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me,
And in God’s house for evermore
My dwelling place shall be.
Gospel: John 14:1-6
We stand in preparation for the Gospel. We may make the Sign of the Cross as the Gospel is announced
Alleluia! Alleluia!
I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord
No-one comes to the Father, except through me
Alleluia!
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus said to his disciples: `Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’
Thomas said to him, `Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’
Jesus said to him, `I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily
Intercessions
We pray for those we have loved and see no more. As the names of the departed are read (in alphabetical order), you are invited to come forward and light a tealight in their memory.
The prayer for the departed is used to conclude these prayers:
+Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord
And let light perpetual shine upon them
May they rest in peace
And rise in glory
We join our prayers will all the company of heaven as we salute the Mother of Our Lord:
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Peace
The priest introduces the Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace
We greet each other in the name of Jesus, with a handshake and a word of peace.
Offertory Hymn
All my hope on God is founded; he doth still my trust renew,
me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown, he alone calls my heart to be his own.
Pride of man and earthly glory, sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God’s power, hour by hour, is my temple and my tower.
God’s great goodness aye endureth, deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendor, light and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore from his store newborn worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth the almighty Giver bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand at his hand; joy doth wait on his command.
Still from man to God eternal sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ, his Son.
Christ doth call one and all: ye who follow shall not fall.
Pray, my brothers and sisters, that this our sacrifice may be acceptable to God the almighty Father.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his Church.
The priest then says the Prayer over the Gifts
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
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.
The priest says the preface. We then join in the words of the angels:
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.
The priest continues with the Eucharistic prayer.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
…Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, almighty Father forever and ever.
Amen!
The Communion Rite
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.
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share the one bread
As the bread is broken, all say together:
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.
The priest invites us to receive communion:
This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed 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.
Communion is distributed. PLEASE come forward to receive the Sacrament. If you would prefer to receive a blessing, please bring this sheet with you to signal this to the Priest.
Hymn
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide:
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:
when other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see:
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
After Communion
The priest leads us in a prayer of thanksgiving, which we all say together
Lord God,
may the death and resurrection of Christ
which we celebrate in this eucharist
bring the departed faithful to the peace of your eternal home.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.
Blessing and Dismissal
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
We bow our heads and pray for God’s blessing
In his great love,
the God of all consolation gave man the gift of life.
May he bless you with faith
in the resurrection of his Son,
and with the hope of rising to new life. Amen.
To us who are alive
may he grant forgiveness,
and to all who have died
a place of light and peace. Amen.
As you believe that Jesus rose from the dead,
so may you live with him for ever in joy. Amen.
and may almighty God bless you.
The +Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The Mass is ended, go in peace.
Thanks be to God.
Recessional Hymn
Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.
Cont.
Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows.
Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish
Our God lives unchanging on,
Praise Him, Praise Him, Hallelujah
Praise the High Eternal One!
Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.