Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

4th October 2026

The Parish Eucharist

Welcome to Liverpool Parish Church. This has been a place of Christian worship since the 1200s. We still proclaim the love of God in the heart of Liverpool.

All are welcome at the Eucharist All baptised people are invited to receive communion.

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. Please rejoin the rest of the congregation when you are ready.

Sunday School meets in Termtime. 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 05 October
09.00 Morning Prayer

Tuesday 06 October
09.00 Morning Prayer

Wednesday 07 October
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist

Thursday 08 October
09.00 Morning Prayer

Friday 09 October
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist
13.05 RC Mass
19.30 Bells

Saturday 10 October

Sunday 11 October
09.00 Morning Prayer
10.00 Parish Eucharist
11.30 Fire alarm test

Before the service

Organ: Chorale – Noel Rawsthorne (1929-2019)

Opening Hymn

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

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art,
Be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word
Be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord,
Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
Be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight,
Be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might,
Be thou my soul’s shelter, be thou my strong tower,
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Be thou my inheritance now and always,
Be thou and thou only the first in my heart,
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, thou heaven’s bright Sun,
O grant me its joys after vict’ry is won,
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

Words: Irish, 8th Century Tran. Mary Byrne (1880-1931)
Versified by Eleanor Henrietta Hull (1860-1935)
Music: ‘Slane’ Trad. Irish Harmony Eric Routley (1917-82)

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))

God, our judge and saviour, teach us to be open to your truth and to trust in your love, that we may live each day with confidence in the salvation which is given through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Readings

(We sit)

First Reading (Isaiah 5:1-7)

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

The Saint Nicholas Cantors sing Psalm 80:9-17:

Please repeat the response after the Cantors and after each section:

Show the light of your countenance, O Lord God of hosts, and we shall be saved.

9 You brought a vine out of Egypt : you drove out the nations and planted it.
10 You made room around it : and when it had taken root, it filled the land. [R]
11The hills were covered with its shadow : and the cedars of God by its boughs.
12 It stretched out its branches to the Sea : and its tendrils to the River. [R]
13 Why then have you broken down its wall : so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
14 The wild boar out of the wood tears it off : and all the insects of the field devour it. [R]
15 Turn again, O God of hosts : look down from heaven and behold;
16 Cherish this vine which your right hand has planted : and the branch that you made so strong for yourself. [R]

Second reading (Philippians 3:4b-14)

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

(We stand)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
God chose you as the first fruits for salvation so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Please turn to face the Gospel reading (Matthew 21:33-46)

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

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

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

Sermon

Fr Steven Shakespeare

The Nicene 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.

Prayers of Intercession

(please kneel or sit)

Any of the following may be used:

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
Lord, hear us. Lord graciously hear us.

At the end:
Merciful Father, accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. 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

All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
This our song shall ever be;
For we have no hope nor Saviour
If we have not hope in thee.

All for Jesus! thou wilt give us
Strength to serve thee hour by hour:
None can move us from thy presence
While we trust thy love and power.

All for Jesus! at thine altar
Thou wilt give us sweet content;
There, dear Lord, we shall receive thee
In the solemn sacrament.

All for Jesus! thou hast loved us,
All for Jesus! thou hast died,
All for Jesus! thou art with us,
All for Jesus, glorified!

All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
This the Church’s song must be,
Till at last we all are gathered
One in love, and one in thee.

Words: W. J. Sparrow-Simpson (1859-1952)
Music: ‘All for Jesus’ John Stainer (1840-1901)

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 Saint Nicholas 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.

(St Mary’s Mass – Anthony Cæsar (1924-2018))

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.

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 Saint Nicholas Cantors sing:

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.

Come to this sacred table, not because you must, but because you may; come, not to declare that you are righteous, but that you desire to be true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ; come, not because you are strong, but because you are weak; not because you have any claim on heaven’s rewards, but because in your frailty and sin you stand in constant need of heaven’s grace.

All baptised Christians are welcome to receive communion here, or you may prefer the priest to pray for God’s blessing on you. There are three standing stations for Communion, two in the centre and one on the right side. If you would prefer to kneel to receive Communion then please use the rail in the south aisle on the congregations’ left side.
Indicate if you would rather receive a blessing. Gluten-free hosts are available on the left side. Please do not dip the consecrated bread into the wine.

During Communion

Christ is our Cornerstone, on him alone we build.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone.
Alleluia!

Words: 7th or 8th C Latin translated John Chandler (1806-76) and Psalm 118.2
Music: David Thorne (Born 1950)

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)

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: Litanies (Trois Pièce)– Jean Alain (1911-1940).

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.