Sunday 13 June 2021

Third Sunday after Pentecost COLLECT Creator God, through your Son you have planted the seeds of the kingdom in us: grant us grace not to live for ourselves alone, and faith to labour for the harvest of the new creation, through Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God in glory everlasting. Amen READING 2 Corinthians 5: 6-17 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. THE GOSPEL according to Mark 4: 26-34 26 He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come." 30 He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. PRAYER IN THE TIME OF COVID Author of life, Saviour of the nations COVID is humbling, your grace is sufficient. The deaths, we mourn; For the recoveries, we give thanks; The compassionate care, we applaud; For the vaccines, we are grateful; For compliance, we plead; For the common good, we pray; In the healing name of Jesus. Amen © Rodney Whiteman BLESSING Go out, and live no longer for yourselves, but for him who died and was raised for you. Walk by faith, not by sight, and judge others only by the integrity of their hearts. Make it your aim to please the Lord, and to persuade others of the love of Christ. And may God answer you in times of trouble and protect you; May Christ Jesus grant you your heart’s desire; and may the Holy Spirit take hold of you mightily from this day forward. Amen COMMISSIONING We go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen, Amen In the name of Christ. Amen. Amen, Amen.