2nd Sunday of Epiphany

19th January 2025

The Parish Eucharist

Welcome to Liverpool Parish Church. There has been Christian worship on this site since the 13th century and today we are still proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ in the centre of Liverpool.

All people are welcome in this place. At the Eucharist if you normally receive Holy Communion in your own church, you are welcome to do so here.

Babies and children are welcome in this church. If you feel they are unsettled, there is a small play area for them at the back of the north aisle. You would still be able to see, hear and participate in the service, but please rejoin the rest of the congregation when you are ready.

Sunday School Parents are welcome to stay with their children or to reclaim them at the end of the service.

Donations and Giving. We rely on generous individual giving for much of our income. If you are a UK taxpayer donations can be Gift Aided to provide additional benefit to the Church. If you worship here regularly then please consider joining the Planned Giving Scheme. There is also a contactless donation point in the Narthex.

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Calendar for the Week

Monday 20 January
09.00 Morning Prayer

Tuesday 21 January
09.00 Morning Prayer

Wednesday 22 January
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist

Thursday 23 January
09.00 Morning Prayer

Friday 24 January
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist
13.05 RC Mass
19.30 Bells

Saturday 25 January

Sunday 26 January
09.00 Morning Prayer
10.00 Parish Eucharist

Before the service

Organ: Prelude (from Little Organ Book) – Jean Langlais (1907-1991)

Opening Hymn

The bell rings and we stand, as we are able, and sing:

Christ is the King, O friends rejoice!
Brothers and sisters, with one voice
Make the world know he is your choice: Alleluia.

O magnify the Lord and raise
Anthems of joy and holy praise
For Christ’s brave saints of ancient days: Alleluia.

They with a faith for ever new
Followed the King, and round him drew
Thousands of faithful hearts and true: Alleluia

O Christian women, Christian men,
All the world over, seek again
The Way disciples followed then: Alleluia.

Christ through all ages is the same;
Place the same hope in his great name,
With the same faith his word proclaim: Alleluia.

Let Love’s unconquerable might
Your scattered companies unite
In service to the Lord of light: Alleluia.

So shall God’s will on earth be done,
New lamps be lit, new tasks begun,
And the whole church at last be one. Alleluia.

Words: George Kennedy Allen Bell (1883-1958)
Music: ‘Vulpius’ (Gelobt Sei Gott) Melody from Melchior Vulpius’s Gesangbuch (1609) Harmonised by Henry George Ley (1887-1962)

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.

Confession

Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love, and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed, and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen.

We receive an absolution, assuring us of God’s forgiveness.

When Sunday School is meeting, a prayer is said with our young people at this point before they leave for their session.

The Gloria and Collect

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his 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.

(Music: Dom Gregory Murray (1905-92))

Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end: bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Readings

(We sit)

First Reading (Isaiah 62:1-5)

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

Christ is our light! the bright and morning star
Covering with radiance all from near and far.
Christ be out light, shine on, shine on we pray
Into our hearts, into our world today.

Christ is out love! baptized that we may know
The love of God among us, swooping low.
Christ be our love, bring us to turn our face
And see you in the light of heaven’s embrace.

Christ is our joy! transforming wedding guest!
Through water turned in wine the feast was blessed.
Christ be out joy; your glory let us see,
As your disciples did in Galilee

Words: Leith Fisher (1941-2009)
Music: ‘Ellers’ Edward John Hopkins (1818-1901)
Reharmonised by Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842-1900)

Second reading (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

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

(We stand)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening: you have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Please turn to face the Gospel reading (John 2:1-11)

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

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

Sermon

Fr Yazid Said

The Creed

(We stand)

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 from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. 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.

The Intercessions

(please kneel or sit)

Any of the following may be used:

Jesus, Lord of the Church, In your mercy hear us
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.

At the end:
either: … one God for ever and ever. Amen
or: … now and for all eternity. Amen

The Peace

(We stand)

The Peace is introduced, followed by:

The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Offertory Hymn

Father, Lord of all creation,
Ground of Being, Life and Love;
Height and depth beyond description
Only life in you can prove:
You are mortal life’s dependence:
Thought, speech, sight are ours by grace;
Yours is every hour’s existence,
Sov’reign Lord of time and space.

Jesus Christ, the Man for others,
We, your people, make our prayer:
Help us love - as sisters, brothers -
All whose burdens we can share.
Where your name binds us together
You, Lord Christ, will surely be;
Where no selfishness can sever
There your love the world may see.

Holy Spirit, rushing, burning
Wind and flame of Pentecost,
Fire our hearts afresh with yearning
To regain what we have lost.
May your love unite our action,
Nevermore to speak alone:
God, in us abolish faction,
God, through us your love make known.

Words: Suart Cross (1928-89)
Music: ‘Lux Eoi’ Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1942-1900)

The Eucharistic Prayer

A prayer is said over the gifts on the altar, to which we respond Amen.

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 seasonal part of the prayer follows and at the end we all sing:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Amen
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

(Addington Service – Richard Shephard (1949-2021))

We pray for the Holy Spirit to transform us and the gifts, and then the words of Jesus at the Last Supper are recalled:

The following acclamation is then used:

Jesus Christ is Lord:
Lord, by your cross and resurrection you have set us free. You are the Saviour of the world.

The prayer continues with oblation and intercession, ending:

…all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Believing the promises of God, let us pray with confidence 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.

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.

We all sing:

Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world: give us your peace.

God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people.
Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If you normally receive Communion in your own church then you are welcome to do so here, or you may prefer the priest to pray for God’s blessing on you. There are two standing stations for Communion in the centre but if you would prefer to kneel to receive Communion then please use the rail in the south aisle on the congregation’s left side.

Please indicate if you would rather receive a blessing. Gluten-free hosts are available.

During Communion

‘Come to me’, says Jesus, ‘all who are distressed;
Take my yoke upon you, I will give you rest.

I am weak and humble, find, with me, release
From false airs and graces; come, and be at peace.’

Hear the call of Jesus, come, be deeply blessed;
His the invitation, you the honoured guest.

Here, where bread is broken, here, where wine is poured,
Thankfully receive him, find your faith restored.

Pardon, feed and heal us, humble, courteous Lord,
Gracious host, for ever honoured and adored

Words: Alan Gaunt (born 1935)
Music: ‘Pastor Pastorum’ Philipp Friedrich Silcher (1789-1860)

Post-Communion Prayers

(We stand at ‘Let us pray’)

After the post-communion prayer we say together

Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Notices (please sit)

Please join us for refreshments after the service.

A collection is taken during the final hymn. Those preferring to donate online are invited to use the Donate button above, or our contactless donation point.

Final Hymn

Through all the changing scenes of life, in trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still my heart and tongue employ.

O magnify the Lord with me, with me exalt his name;
When in distress to him I called, he to my rescue came.

The hosts of God encamp around the dwellings of the just;
Deliverance he affords to all who on his succour trust.

O make but trial of his love, experience will decide
How blest are they, and only they, who in his truth confide.

Fear him, ye saints, and you will then have nothing else to fear;
Make you his service your delight, your wants shall be his care.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the God whom we adore,
Be glory, as it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Words: Nahum Tate (1652-1715) and Nicholas Brady (1659-1726)
Music: ‘Wiltshire’ George Thomas Smart (1776-1867)

Blessing and Dismissal

(please stand)

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

…and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.

Organ: Toccata in Seven - John Rutter (Born 1945).

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000. Hymns and other texts are reproduced under CCL licence number 556443 or One License licence number A-632593.