Christ the King

23rd November 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 meets each week. 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 24 November
09.00 Morning Prayer

Tuesday 25 November
09.00 Morning Prayer

Wednesday 26 November
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist

Thursday 27 November
09.00 Morning Prayer

Friday 28 November
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist
13.05 RC Mass
19.30 Bells

Saturday 29 November

Sunday 30 November
09.00 Morning Prayer
10.00 Parish Eucharist
11.45 Fire alarm test

Before the service

Organ: Adagio in E major (Three Pieces for Organ) – Frank Bridge (1879-1941)

Opening Hymn

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

Rejoice the Lord is King,
Your Lord and King adore;
Mortals, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.

Refrain
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When he had purged our stains,
He took his seat above:

Refrain

His kingdom cannot fail;
He rules o’er earth and heaven;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus given:

Refrain

He sits at God’s right hand
Till all his foes submit,
And bow to his command,
And fall beneath his feet:

Refrain

Words: Charles Wesley (1707-88)
Music: ‘Gopsal’ George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)

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

O King enthroned on high, filling the earth with your glory: holy is your name, Lord God almighty. In our sinfulness we cry to you to take our guilt away, and to cleanse our lips to speak your word, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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))

God the Father, help us to hear the call of Christ the King and to follow in his service, whose kingdom has no end; for he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, one glory.

Amen.

Readings

(We sit)

First Reading (Jeremiah 23:1-6)

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

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
And he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flow,
My ransomed soul he leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction, grace bestoweth:
And O what transport of delight
From thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
Within thy house for ever.

Words: Henry Williams Baker (1821-77) based on Psalm 23
Music: ‘Dominus Regit Me’ John Bacchus Dykes (1823-76)

Second reading (Colossians 1:11-20)

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

(We stand)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Please turn to face the Gospel reading (Luke 23:33-43)

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

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

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

Sermon

The Revd Michelle Montrose

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:

May your reign (kingdom / dominion / rule) come: Lord hear our prayer

At the end:
Loving God, you have taught us … To him be glory and power for ever 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

Hail, Redeemer, King divine.
Priest and Lamb, the throne is thine;
King whose reign shall never cease,
Prince of everlasting peace!

Refrain:  Angels, saints and nations sing
“Praise be Jesus Christ, our King;
Lord of life, earth, sky and sea;
King of love on Calvary.”

King, whose name creation thrills,
Rule our minds, our hearts, our wills;
Till in peace each nation rings,
With thy praises, King of Kings. Refrain:

King most holy, King of truth,
Guide the lowly, guide the youth.
Christ, O King of glory bright,
Be to us eternal light! Refrain:

Shepherd-King o’er mountains steep,
Homeward bring your wand’ring sheep;
Shelter in one royal fold,
States and Kingdoms, new and old. Refrain:

Eucharistic King, what love
Draws thee daily from above.
Clad in signs of bread and wine;
Feed us, lead us, keep us thine. Refrain:

Words: Patrick Brennan CSsR (1877-1952)
Music: ‘King Divine’ Charles Rigby (1901-62)

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 the Cantors sing:

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.

(Communion Service – Christopher Dearnley (1930-2000) and Allan Wicks (1923-2010))

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:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus:
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life:
Lord Jesus, come in glory.

The prayer continues with oblation and intercession, ending:

…all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven, 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.

The cantors 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

King of all ages, throned on high, yet saviour too of those with faith, Death at your onslaught died in fear and grace triumphant rules supreme.

Risen from death, the heav’nly Christ receives from God the Father’s hand. Power over all created things: A gift he could nor know on earth

Then at your coming on the clouds with shining strength to be our judge, Cancel the debt we owe you still, give back the glory we have lost.

Glory to you, O Christ our Lord, exalted far beyond our sight, Reigning in bliss for evermore, with Father and with Paraclete.

Words: 10th century Latin
Translation: Mount Saint Bernard Abbey
Music: Paul Isom (born 1959)

Post-Communion Prayers

(We stand at ‘Let us pray’)

After the post-communion prayer we say together

You have opened to us the Scriptures, O Christ, and you have made yourself known in the breaking of the bread. Abide with us, we pray, that, blessed by your royal presence, we may walk with you all the days of our life, and at its end behold you in the glory of the eternal Trinity, one God for ever and ever. 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

Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!

Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The church with psalms must shout,
No door can keep them out;
But, above all, the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!

Words: George Herbert (1593-1632)
Music: ‘Luckington’ Basil Harwood (1859-1949)

Blessing and Dismissal

(please stand)

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

God the Father, … Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
God the Son, … right hand of the Father. Amen
God the Holy Spirit, … faithful servants of Christ the King. Amen

…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: Allegro Marziale (from Six Pieces) – Frank Bridge (1879-1941).

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.