Trinity 16 / Pentecost 17 Sunday, 20/09/2026
SENTENCE FROM SCRIPTURE:
The Lord satisfied his people with bread from Heaven. (Psalm 105)
HYMN-
GREETING
Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this:
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”
The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Amen. Lord, have mercy.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
God is love and we are God’s children. There is no room for fear in love. We love because God loved us first.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
SILENCE
God our Father,
we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil,
for the sake of your Son who died for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
ABSOLUTION
God, who is both power and love,
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
GLORIA
sung by Dougie Byers
COLLECT
God the Creator,
in Christ you call all people
to the fullness of glory
for which you created us in your image:
heal our hardened hearts,
renew our obedience to your will,
and conform our lives to your gracious design,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
PROCLAIMING & RECEIVING GOD’S WORD
FIRST READING
Exodus 16.2–15 ,
read by Robyn Brotherston
2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ 4 Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’ 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?’ 8 And Moses said, ‘When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him – what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD.’ ✝ 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.”’
10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11 The LORD spoke to Moses and said, 12 ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.”’ 13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.’
SECOND READING
Philippians 1.21–30
read by Kate Lidwell
21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer.
23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well – 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
GRADUAL HYMN
GOSPEL:
Matthew 20.1–16,
read by Kay Solaja.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew, Chapter 20, beginning at verse 1
Glory to Christ our Saviour
Jesus said to his disciples: 1 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard.
2 After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; 4 and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” 7 They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” 13 But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel
Praise to Christ our Lord.
SERMON by Rev Jim Booth
In our Gospel reading this morning, Matthew recounts a parable that Jesus told – the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. [Matt 20 vv 1 – 16] The owner of the vineyard hires workers throughout the day, yet at the end of the day pays them each the same despite them having worked different hours and in differing conditions. No equal pay here! With some justification, we would say, those who have worked the longest and through the heat of the day, complain at the injustice. ‘It’s not fair’, in effect, they cry. [Matt 20 vv 11 & 12] Jesus is telling a story here which resonates deeply with our experience of life. You can almost see the first hearers of this story nodding their heads in agreement as Jesus tells the story – ‘yes, that’s our experience of life too; that’s what our life is like; that’s what life feels like; sometimes it doesn’t feel fair.’
And that can be our experience of life too. Some people just seem to sail through life with never a problem or a difficulty; for others, life seems to be one long struggle, one problem after another. Living where we do – our location determined by what might be called the ‘accident of birth’ – we do not experience devastating earthquake or annual hurricane. Yet here too, within our own society, our own experience, we see the inequalities of life, the seeming injustices that affect the lives of so many around us – and that cry of ‘It’s not fair’ seems only too justified. And when life doesn’t feel fair, we want to find someone to blame, just as Moses and Aaron are blamed for the hunger of those they have led into the desert from Egypt. [Exodus 16 v 2ff] And if there’s no-one around at whom the finger can be pointed then we blame God!
Yet, whilst this parable describes the reality of life for so many – and gives us no answers, because there are no easy answers! – it’s a parable which isn’t really about fairness or injustice at all. Jesus begins the story with the words, “For the Kingdom of heaven is like…” Jesus is here telling us what God is like and therefore what His Kingdom is like. And Jesus tells us that our God is an overwhelmingly, outrageously, generous God. His generous love lies at the heart of all that is. His love includes all and welcomes all. From His generous love flows the gift of Himself to our world in Jesus, His Son. Jesus goes the way of the cross, dies for us and is raised to glory that we might know life in Him. And that life is for all. We all stand before God in our need of Him, for we all fall short of being the people that God has created us to be, that we can be as we open ourselves to His love for us in Jesus.
And if we are here given a picture of the Kingdom of heaven, we are also given a picture of the Kingdom that we are called and challenged to work to build on earth; a Kingdom where the values and judgments of the world are turned on their head; where the first – the strong, the powerful in the world’s eyes – shall be last; and the weak – the marginalised, those on the edge, the disadvantaged – shall be first. At times life may still feel unfair; often there will be no answers that we can find – but we journey on in hope, knowing that we are loved and that we walk our life’s journey with the God of love whom we meet in Jesus, His Son.
Amen.
THE CREED
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,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of 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.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped and glorified.
He 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
“Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.”
(Exodus 16.9)
Let us pray:
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.”
(Philippians 1.21)
Loving God,
Strengthen your Church throughout the world.
Help us to live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ and to remain faithful when we face difficulty or opposition.
(Philippians 1.27–28)
Give wisdom and strength to those who lead your Church, and help all Christians to strive together with joy and confidence in the gospel.
We pray for Nicolas our Bishop,
Jim our interim priest,
Diana our rector designate
and all who minister to your people.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“Or are you envious because I am generous?”
(Matthew 20.15)
Loving God,
Guide the leaders of the nations
in the ways of justice, mercy and peace.
Help us not to measure our worth against others, but to rejoice in your goodness
and in the gifts you give so freely.
(Matthew 20.13–15)
Teach us to recognise the dignity of those
who feel forgotten or unwanted,
like those who stood idle because no one had hired them.
(Matthew 20.3–7)
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“I am going to rain bread from heaven for you.”
(Exodus 16.4)
Loving God,
you heard the complaining of your people
and gave them meat in the evening
and their fill of bread in the morning.
(Exodus 16.11–12)
Bring healing and comfort to all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
Give strength to the weary, hope to the anxious, food to those who hunger, and peace to all who are in distress.
Help us to remember those whose needs are hidden from us, and make us generous in sharing what you have given us.
We remember before you: […]
and those known to us in our own hearts.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“To remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.”
(Philippians 1.24)
Loving God,
We give you thanks for all those
whose lives have borne fruitful labour in your service.
(Philippians 1.22)
Receive into your eternal kingdom all the faithful departed, those recently departed,
and those whose years’ mind falls at this time.
We remember especially: […]
Give thanks for their lives
and comfort all who mourn their passing.
May we remain faithful in our own calling,
living for Christ and serving others in love,
until we come to share in the life of your kingdom.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who taught us to pray together
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Do not bring us
to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
Christ the Son of God gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
HYMN –
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen
