VERSION: 9 April 2002
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (PROPER 2), YEAR C
In 2004: ---
In 2007: ---
In 2010: ---
In 2013: ---
In 2016: ---
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Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Epiphany season and time after' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.
LITURGY
SENTENCE
See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.
The first man, Adam, became a living being;
the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust,
we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
(1 Cor 15:45,49 NRSV)
OR, use the standard Epiphany Sentence in the document 'Epiphany season and time after', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.
OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.
PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)
Traditional
O God,
since you know that we cannot put our trust
in anything that we do:
mercifully defend us by your power
against all the evil that opposes us;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OR, modernised traditional
Lord God,
you know that we cannot put our trust
in anything that we do.
In mercy defend us by your power
from all the evil we face.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OR, alternative
(Let us pray for love, to fulfil God's law. [silence])
Almighty and merciful God,
you have taught us through your Son
that to love is to fulfil the law.
Help us to love you with our whole heart,
and our neighbours as ourselves.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OR, new
(Let us pray that we love our enemies. [silence])
Loving heavenly Father,
thank you that your Son loved us
even when we were enemies,
and that he prayed for those who killed him.
Teach us to be merciful like you,
and do good to all people,
even to those who do us harm.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
FIRST READING
Genesis 45:3-11,15 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers
PSALM
Psalm 37:1-11,39,40
Antiphon:
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Ps 37:7a NRSV)
SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 15:33-38,42-50 The resurrection body
ALLELUIA VERSE (Luke 6:35 NRSV)
Alleluia, alleluia.
(Jesus said:) Your reward will be great,
and you will be children of the Most High.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 6:27-38 Love your enemies, be merciful like God
(Begin: 'Jesus said:')
PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Lord Jesus,
thank you for loving even your enemies.
Help us to be loving and forgiving to others.
Amen.
OFFERING PRAYER
Thank you, merciful God,
for all the good things you give us.
Teach us to be loving and merciful like you,
because we are your children,
who have been forgiven.
Help us generously to give of ourselves to others.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Call to prayer
As people who have received new life from the Spirit, let us pray in the name of our resurrected Lord Jesus.
The regular response, OR:
Listen to our prayer, O Lord,
and hear our cry for help.
Suggested intercessions
*
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for the church, that it may be a sign of forgiveness in the world
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*
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for those divided by enmity and hatred, that by forgiveness broken relationships might be restored
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*
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for those whose poverty has reduced them to begging, that we may see their need before they need to ask for it
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*
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for the gift of generosity, that the resources of the world may be shared by all
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*
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for families that are divided or alienated from one another
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*
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for magistrates and judges, that they may temper justice with due compassion
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*
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for those who are dying, that they may know the hope of the resurrection.
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Concluding prayer
Lord, teach us to give as we have received, and to forgive as we have been forgiven. Hear our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
PREFACE
For these non-festival Sundays after Epiphany, either no seasonal preface is used, as in the Service with Communion (LHS p6), or the following Epiphany preface may be used.
It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, holy Father,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
You have sent your only Son
to appear among us as a human being,
and through him
you have fully revealed
the light of your presence to us.
And so, with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of heaven,
we adore and praise your glorious name:
COMMUNION INVITATION
The following Epiphany invitation or one of the two general invitations below may be used.
Epiphany
Jesus says:
'The bread that God gives
is he who comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.'
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.
General
1 Jesus says:
'I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.
2 Jesus says:
'My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood
remain in me, and I in them.'
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
If it has not been used already, the third prayer under 'Prayer of the day' above may be modified as follows and used as a post-communion prayer.
Almighty and merciful God,
you have taught us through your Son,
that to love is to fulfil the law.
As we have received his love in this sacrament,
help us to love you with our whole heart,
and our neighbours as ourselves.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace, as children of the Most High God.
Thanks be to God. OR In the name of Christ. Amen.
HYMNS AND SONGS
FOR THE READINGS
Please note: * = Modernised version available
G3, G4 . . . = Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .
GS = Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH
First reading: Genesis 45:3-11,15
LHS
388
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All depends on our possessing* G3
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415
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Whatever God ordains is good* G3
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435
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Christians, now praise ye G6
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AT
153
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The steadfast love of the Lord
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265
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For all your goodness, Lord
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109
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What God ordains is always good
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556
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All depends on our possessing
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560
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All my hope on God is founded
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Second reading: 1 Corinthians 15:33-38,42-50
LHS
228
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Lord Jesus Christ, the cause is Thine* G3
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479
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Jesus, my Redeemer, lives* G5
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(revision removes image in v 6 - see below for alternative vv 5,6)
764
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Now the green blade rises GS
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AT
TIS
366
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Jesus, my Redeemer, lives
|
(revision removes image in v 6 - see below for alternative vv 5,6)
382
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Now the green blade rises
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393
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Christ is alive, with joy we sing
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Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
LHS
238
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O God of mercy, hear us now G8
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239
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Son of God, eternal Saviour G4
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344
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Our God is love, and all His saints* G6
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356
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Lord of glory, who hast bought us* G3
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357
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O God, Thou faithful God* G3
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817
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O Jesus Christ, to you may hymns be rising G7
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819
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Wake us, O Lord, to human need GS
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858
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Make me a channel of your peace
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AT
95
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Make me a channel of your peace
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292
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Because we bear your name
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TIS
152
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Joyful, joyful, we adore you
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160
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Father all loving and ruling in majesty
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606
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Son of God, eternal Saviour
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607
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Make me a channel of your peace
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614
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O God of love, whose heart is ever yearning
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620
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O Jesus Christ, may grateful hymns be rising
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635
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Forgive our sins as we forgive
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648
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Help us accept each other
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677
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Christ's is the world in which we move
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686
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Lord Jesus, we belong to you
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751
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What does the Lord require of you
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PSALM 37:1-11,39,40
For musical settings of Psalm 37:1-11,39,40, see Music Package 7. Music Package 9 has a setting of Psalm 37:1-9.
The following metrical paraphrase of Psalm 37:1-11,39,40 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune All Saints (LH 165). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.
Do not fret about the wicked;
envy not their unjust gain.
Soon they all will die and wither
like the grass upon the plain.
Long life in the land is yours,
when you trust in God the Lord.
Take delight in God, and he will
give you all that you desire.
Put your life into the Lord's hands,
trust and he'll do what's required.
He will make your justice bright,
clear as noonday's shining light.
So, be still and wait in patience;
in God's presence take your stand.
Do not fret about the wicked,
those who make their evil plans.
Anger, rage and wrath forget,
evil comes to those who fret!
Though the wicked shall be cut off,
those who wait upon the Lord
will receive the land of promise
as their birthright and reward.
Soon the wicked will be gone,
though you look, they won't be found.
Then the poor shall have abundance
in the land that they receive,
for the Lord will save the righteous,
he's their refuge in all need.
He will help and rescue them,
when in need they run to him.
JESUS, MY REDEEMER, LIVES
The modernisation of the hymn 'Jesus, my Redeemer, lives' (in TIS 366), in reducing the number of verses from the version in LH 479, loses the image of the seed dying and springing to life again, which is especially appropriate for today's second reading. Below is a modernisation of the full LH verses 5 and 6.
I shall see God with these eyes,
shall behold my blessed Saviour;
I myself shall then arise,
and remain with God forever;
then shall wholly disappear
frailties that oppress me here.
All that suffers, mourns, and sighs
Christ with him to glory brings then;
earthly is the seed, and dies;
heavenly from the grave it springs then.
Glorified we shall ascend
to the life that has no end.
VISUAL
VISUALS FOR THE READINGS
Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, the second reading may be illustrated with a picture of a sprouting seed.
DRAMA
'MEGA DRAMA'
See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.
DRAMATISING THE READINGS
The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, the first reading may be read by two readers: narrator and Joseph.
The second reading could be read by two readers as follows (NRSV text):
1: 33 Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’
2: 34 Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
1:
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35But someone will ask,
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2:
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'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?'
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1:
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36Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 42So it is with the resurrection of the dead.
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2:
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What is sown is perishable,
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1:
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what is raised is imperishable.
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2:
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43It is sown in dishonor,
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1:
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it is raised in glory.
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2:
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It is sown in weakness,
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1:
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it is raised in power.
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2:
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44It is sown a physical body,
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1:
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it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is written,
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2:
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'The first man, Adam, became a living being';
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1:
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the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.
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2:
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47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust;
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1:
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the second man is from heaven.
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2:
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48As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust;
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1:
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and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.
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2:
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49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust,
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1:
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we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
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CHILDREN
CHILDREN AND THE READINGS
For the second reading, the children could draw and display pictures of sprouting seeds. In talking with the children, the idea of new life from a seed buried in the ground could be explained to the children.
'COME AND SEE JESUS'
The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please note that a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.
This week's story is: 'Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 39 - 50)' (to be found in both the original and RCL editions, 7 Epiphany, year C).
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