The Second Sunday of Lent

1st March 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 02 March
09.00 Morning Prayer

Tuesday 03 March
08.30 Eucharistc with traditional language

Wednesday 04 March
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist

Thursday 05 March
09.00 Morning Prayer
16.30 Compline by candlelight

Friday 06 March
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.45 Spiritual Rosary
12.15 Eucharist
13.05 RC Mass
19.30 Bells

Saturday 07 March
19.00 Faure’s Requiem—Liverpool Phoenix Singers

Sunday 08 March
09.00 Morning Prayer
10.00 Parish Eucharist
11.30 Fire alarm test

Before the service

Organ: Elegy (from 6 Sketches) – C. Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960)

Opening Hymn

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

God the ‘ Father, have mercy upon us.
God the ‘ Son, have mercy upon us.
God the Holy ‘ Spirit, have mercy upon us.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, have mercy upon us.

From all evil and mischief; from pride, vanity and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred and malice; and from all ‘ evil intent, good Lord, deliver us.
From sloth, worldliness and love of money; from hardness of heart and contempt for your word ‘ and your laws, good Lord, deliver us.
From sins of body and mind; from the deceits of the world, the flesh ‘ and the devil, good Lord, deliver us.
From famine and disaster; from violence, murder and dying ‘ unprepared, good Lord, deliver us.
In all times of sorrow; in all times of joy; in the hour of death, and at the ‘ day of judgement, good Lord, deliver us.

Guide the leaders of the nations into the ways of ‘ peace and justice. Hear us, good Lord.
Guard and strengthen your servant Charles our King, that he may put his trust in you, and seek your ho ‘ nour and glory. Hear us, good Lord.
Endue the High Court of Parliament and all the Ministers of the Crown with wisdom and ‘ understanding. Hear us, good Lord.
Bless those who administer the law, that they may uphold justice, ‘ honesty and truth. Hear us, good Lord.
Give us the will to use the resources of the earth to your glory, and for the good of ‘ all creation. Hear us, good Lord.
Bless and keep ‘ all your people. Hear us, good Lord.
Bring your joy into all families; strengthen and deliver those in childbirth, watch over children and guide the young, bring reconciliation to those in discord and peace to ‘ those in stress. Hear us, good Lord.

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.

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

Confession

The Deacon invites us to confess our sins.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin: Kyrie, kyrie eleison. Kyrie, kyrie eleison.
Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight: Christe, Christe eleison. Christe, Christe eleison.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me: Kyrie, kyrie eleison. Kyrie, kyrie eleison.

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

The Collect

Almighty God, by the prayer and discipline of Lent may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings, and by following in his Way come to share in his glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Readings

(We sit)

First Reading (Genesis 12:1-4a)

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

The cantors sing Psalm 121:

  1. I lift up my eyes to the hills * from where is my help to come?
  2. My help comes from the Lord * the maker of heaven and earth.
  3. He will not suffer your foot to stumble * he who watches over you will not sleep.
  4. Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.
  5. The Lord himself watches over you * the Lord is your shade at your right hand,
  6. So that the sun shall not strike you by day * neither the moon by night.
  7. The Lord shall keep you from all evil * it is he who shall keep your soul.
  8. The Lord shall keep watch over your going out and your coming in * from this time forth for evermore

Second reading (Romans 4:1-5, 13-17)

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

(We stand)

Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory. x2
Praise to you O Christ, king of eternal glory. x2
The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice. Harden not your hearts
Praise to you O Christ, king of eternal glory. x2

Please turn to face the Gospel reading (John 3:1-17)

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 Philip Anderson

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:

Lord of compassion In your mercy hear us
Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.

At the end:
either: … Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer, here and in eternity. Amen
or: raise us up by your unfailing mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord 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

The God of Abraham praise who reigns enthroned above,
Ancient of everlasting days, and God of love:
Jehovah, great I AM, by earth and heaven confest;
We bow and bless the sacred name for ever blest.

The God who reigns on high the great archangels sing,
And “Holy, Holy, Holy,” cry, “almighty King,
Who was, and is the same, and evermore shall be.
Jehovah, Father, great I AM, we worship thee.”

Before the Saviour’s face the ransomed nations bow,
O’erwhelmed at his almighty grace for ever new;
He shows his prints of love-they kindle to a flame,
And sound through all the worlds above the slaughtered Lamb.

The whole triumphant host give thanks to God on high;
“Hail, Father, Son and Holy Ghost,” they ever cry;
Hail, Abraham’s God and mine, (I join the heavenly lays)
All might and majesty are thine, and endless praise.

Words: Thomas Olivers (1725-99) based on the Hebrew Yogdal
Music: ‘Leoni’ Hebrew melody notated by Thomas Olivers (1725-99)

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.

(Modal Communion Service – Martin Shaw (1875-1958))

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:

…we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Trusting in the compassion 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: grant us your peace.

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin 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.

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

Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and forgive me all my sin.
For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me.

Words: Psalm 51.2-3
Music: David Halls (born 1963)

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

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth;
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Refrain:
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced for the scribe and the pharisee,
But they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me.
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John—
They came with me and the dance went on.

Refrain

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high;
And they left me there on a cross to die.

Refrain

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black—
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone;
But I am the dance and I still go on.

Refrain

They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the life that’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me—
I am the Lord of the Dance said he.

Refrain

Words: Sydney Carter (1915-2004)
Music: Shaker melody, adapted by Sydney Carter (1915-2004)

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: ‘Little’ Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV533 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

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.