Second Sunday of Epiphany

18th January 2026

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 19 January
09.00 Morning Prayer

Tuesday 20 January
09.00 Morning Prayer

Wednesday 21 January
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist

Thursday 22 January
09.00 Morning Prayer

Friday 23 January
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist
13.05 RC Mass
19.30 Bells

Saturday 24 January

Sunday 25 January
09.00 Morning Prayer
10.00 Parish Eucharist
11.30 Fire alarm test

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:

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name!

Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
High on his heart he will bear it for thee,
Comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
Guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness
Of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine:
Truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
These are the offerings to lay on his shrine.

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
He will accept for the name that is dear;
Mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
Trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name!

Words: John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811-75)
Music: ‘Was Lebet’ Melody from Rheinhardt MS (1754)

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))

The Collect is said:

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 49:1-7)

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

Bright the vision that delighted
Once the sight of Judah’s seer;
Sweet the countless tongues united
To entrance the prophet’s ear.

Round the Lord in glory seated
Cherubim and seraphim
Filled his temple, and repeated
Each to each the alternate hymn:

’Lord, thy glory fills the heaven;
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto thee be glory given,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord.’

Heaven is still with glory ringing,
Earth takes up the angels’ cry,
’Holy, Holy, Holy,’ singing,
‘Lord of Hosts, the Lord most high.’

With his seraph train before him,
With his holy Church below,
Thus unite we to adore him,
Bid we thus our anthem flow:

’Lord, thy glory fills the heaven;
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto thee be glory given,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord.’

Words: Richard Mant (1776-1884) based on Isaiah 6.1-6
Music: ‘Laus Deo’ (Redhead No.46) Richard Redhead (1820-1901)

Second reading (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)

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 1:29-42)

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 Steven Shakespeare

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, now and forever. 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

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

In simply trust like their who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess,
The beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm!

Words: John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-92)
Music: ‘Repton’ Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918)

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

(St Nicholas Service – Gerald Brown (1945-1981))

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:

Christ is the bread of life:
When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death Lord Jesus, until you 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.

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.

Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

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

I, the Lord of sea and sky.

Words: Daniel L. Schutte (born 1947)
Music: ‘Here I Am, Lord’ Daniel L. Schutte (born 1947)

Post-Communion Prayers

(We stand at ‘Let us pray’)

After the post-communion prayer we say together

Faithful God, in baptism you have adopted us as your children, made us members of the body of Christ and chosen us as inheritors of your kingdom: we thank you that in this Eucharist you renew your promises within us, empower us by your Spirit to witness and to serve, and send us out as disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 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

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength my song:
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The love of God was magnified,
For every sin on him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground his body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as he stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am his and he is mine;
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from his hand;
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

Words and Music: Stuart Townend (born 1963) and Keith Getty (born 1974)

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.